Tag: YA

The Forest of Stolen Girls by June Hur

I received a free e-ARC of The Forest of Stolen Girls thanks to Fierce Reads in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

When I got the email that I’d won an arc, I was so excited. I’m a sucker for historical fiction, but what’s even better is that this is also a mystery-thriller. The synopsis had me hooked.

We follow Hwani, who, as a child, was found unconscious in the forest, with her sister. They don’t remember a thing about the incident except that their captor had a white-painted mask. This event tore their family apart and most fled the hometown. Years later, she travels back to her estranged home to find her father who went missing while investigating the disappearance of 13 missing girls. Reuniting with her sister, Hwani must look to her past in order to discover the truth.

The Forest of Stolen Girls: Why You Should Read It

First, I have to say: Hur can tell a story. I haven’t read her other works but this as an intro to her writing was perfect. The way she crafted this slow burn mystery-thriller was so magnificent. She left her hints and clues all over, but with such subtly that it was almost enough to be disregarded. 

I loved the dynamic between Hwani and Maewol. It was such a realistic interpretation of a sister relationship. They had underlying resentment of each other but also fierce love and loyalty. So representative of a sisterly bond, I think. 

The ending of the book was totally unexpected for me. I was guessing during the story–and not correctly–at what was going to happen. Maybe I’m getting rusty? Or Maybe Hur’s writing is just that good. Either way, the build-up of the book was so worth the shock factor. 

I urge all of you to read this book. It’s a historical fiction book, yes, but you don’t feel like you’re reading a book about history. It’s engaging, it’s interesting, and it keeps you wanting more. You’re not going to want to put it down. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy.

The Forest of Stolen Girls by June Hur

Zara Hossain Is Here by Sabina Khan

I received a free ARC of Zara Hossain Is Here thanks to Edelweiss and Scholastic (Trade Publishing) in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year. When I sent in my request, I figured it was a long shot, but I just sent so many hopeful vibes out into the universe. You can’t even imagine my excitement when I got the email saying that I’d been approved to read it. 

Y’all, this book lived up to my expectations. It is SO good. It’s timely and poignant. I had so many emotions while reading this. 

We follow Zara who gets targeted at school because she is a Pakistani immigrant. When she stands up for herself things get worse, for her and her family. Things come to a head when an act of vandalism ultimately ends in violence. Because she dared to stand up for herself and speak out against those targeting her, her family may lose the chance to obtain their green cards. Zara is forced to fight to stay in her community, her home, despite the hatred she’s experienced, or face going back to Pakistan, a place she doesn’t remember but where she wouldn’t face racial and xenophobic hatred.

Zara Hossain Is Here: What I Liked

There are so many things to unpack in this story. So many important issues were brought up in this book and I love that Khan didn’t shy away from any of it just because it is targeted for a teen audience.

The characters were likable and the events that happened pulled at emotions, investing the reader from the very beginning. Our MC had supportive friends, which I appreciated, and they were written well. There was nice representation of bisexuality and supportive parents, as well as non-supportive parents for the love interest. There was a clear message in this book: racism and xenophobia have no room here. 

I encourage everyone to pick up Zara Hossain Is Here. Please read this emotionally charged book.

Zara Hossain Is Here by Sabina Khan

A Shot At Normal by Marisa Reichardt

I received a free e-ARC of A Shot At Normal thanks to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

The synopsis for this book hooked me the very first time I read it. This book is very timely and poignant. The subject matter of the book, to vaccinate or not vaccinate, is considered controversial, but I think if it’s executed well, it can make for good discussion and thought.

As a mom, I read this with a different perspective because I was able to think about myself in Juniper’s position, as well as her parents’s position. Because of this, I think this personal experience made the reading experience more unique.

A Shot at Normal: My Take

I liked how Reichardt showed the internal struggle that Juniper was dealing with. We know how badly Juniper feels about the measles and the outcome of that, and her vehemence on wanting to be vaccinated. But we also see her grappling with the possible consequences of getting vaccinated and what that would mean for her relationship with her family.

There were a few things that I thought could have been executed better. The relationships in the book all felt like insta-love. Her relationship with Nico, her friendship with Tess, etc. They met Juniper and instantly they were best friends or perfect for each other. It just didn’t feel authentic for me. I also wish the behavior of Juniper’s parents was discussed. They ignored Juniper when they found out she was petitioning them for vaccine rights. I just wish that the behavior had been discussed with perhaps Nico’s mom or Mimi or someone. It was unhealthy.

One aspect of the book that was challenging and I think could potentially be problematic for younger readers (I’m an adult reading YA) was that the argument Juniper’s parents made against vaccines evoked too much sympathy and it did make you feel like maybe it wasn’t so bad.

Overall this was an interesting read. I enjoy reading about controversial subjects and I got that with A Shot At Normal. If you’re looking for a book that touches on the vaccine vs anti-vaccine debate, this is for you!

A Shot at Normal by Marisa Reichardt

A Taste for Love by Jennifer Yen

I received a free e-ARC of A Taste For Love thanks to PenguinTeen in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

I loved this book. I usually don’t like rom-com books because I find them too cheesy, but I knew I’d enjoy this one. What’s better is that it is a retelling of my favorite book: Pride and Prejudice! How can you not win with that?!

So what’s it about? We have Liza Yang, a seemingly perfect high school student. Except for the fact that she dates non-Asian guys, that is. Liza’s mom would prefer if she dated Asian guys—the more traditional and suitable partner—but Liza refuses. When Liza gets to help her mom judge the baking competition they host every year, Liza realizes her mom has set her up: all of the contestants are Asian American men. Will Liza go along with it? And what happens when she starts to fall for one of the contestants?

A Taste For Love: Recipe for Success?

This is such a light fun read. I loved all of the descriptions of the food and baking. Although this was a light contemporary read, one thing that I really appreciated was the dynamic between the family. The relationships between different family members felt real. The tension and inability to see eye-to-eye was so relatable. While it did have a unique cultural aspect, I felt like it could be recognizable to others outside of the Asian cultures. 

There was one thing that I did find a little bit confusing. Mrs. Yang, Liza’s mom, hosts the competition and picks the contestants. I was a little surprised at the caliber of the contestants that were participating in the competition, especially since there was such a big turnout. It just seemed like the competition would have been a little more stiff.

One thing that I found a little bit eye-roll worthy was that, of course, James was perfect. The rest of the book made up for this, though, and it was so minor that I was able to overlook it. 

Overall, this book was a hit. I’d recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fun contemporary reads, food, or who wants to read a twist on a classic. A Taste For Love is out today, so be sure to pick up your copy! 

A Taste For Love by Jennifer Yen
Picture From my Netgalley Shelf

The Project by Courtney Summers

I received a free e-ARC of The Project thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

When I saw that Courtney Summers had a new book coming out, I was so excited. I read Sadie and I enjoyed it and gave that one 4/5 stars. I’d heard such good things about The Project and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it.

We follow Lo as she searches for her sister Bea, who has become a member of The Unity Project after a tragic accident left them parentless. Trying to expose The Unity Project as the cult she believes it to be, Lo goes to work investigating and asking questions. But when she gets close to Lev Warren to expose him for who and what he is, she begins to question everything she thought she knew. 

The synopsis sounded good and I know I already like Summers’s writing style. Unfortunately, the execution of it didn’t pan out for my personal tastes. 

The Project: The Scoop

This is being marketed as a thriller, and it is about a cult. Honestly, I didn’t get any thriller vibes at all. It felt too dry. There were times where I think it could have been trying to lead up to that point, but it never really got there for me. There just wasn’t enough suspense built. 

In regards to the cult aspect, I wanted more. We are told that people in The Unity Project are engrossed and enthusiastic members. We only really got to know a handful of people and how it’s impacted them, so I just wanted more detail. I also wanted answers to some of the questions that Lo went in search of but were just kind of forgotten about. 

Most of the characters were kind of flat for me, so I didn’t care about most of the characters. Some of the character traits didn’t make sense for the roles.

Overall, the story wasn’t terrible. If it hadn’t been marketed as a thriller/mystery, I personally would have enjoyed it more. As it stands, there wasn’t anything wrong with the story, it just wasn’t for me.

I know that I have an unpopular opinion. Although this book was a miss for me, I will still read other books by Summers. I encourage you to read some of the other reviews about this book, especially those that did enjoy this book. 

Publication is set for 2/2. 

The Project by Courtney Summers
Cover of The Project from My Netgalley Account