Tag: #YA

Birth of the Storm by Valerie Storm

On By @f33lthesunIn Fantasy, Young AdultLeave a comment
Cover by Ginka Jack (@Ginkahederling)

Blurb

A bolt of lightning. And a dream of vengeance.

For wolf-demon Kari, these define her every waking moment. Her parents are dead, slaughtered by human hands, forcing their only daughter to masquerade among their killers to save her own skin. Now she dwells among them, hiding her lightning-based abilities and plotting a terrible revenge, believing her schemes are all she’s good for now. But when she discovers unexpected solace among a group of humans who look past her monstrous nature, Kari finds herself questioning everything. Her mission. Her dreams. Even the hatred festering in her heart.

Is it possible for a creature like Kari to find happiness in a world that despises her?

Or will the spectres of her past force her down the path of vengeance in the end?

Review

As I started reading this I did not expect it to affect me as much as it did. It is to the author’s credit that I was pulled into Kari’s world and didn’t want to leave.

Valerie Storm has created an imaginative, dangerous world in which Kari has so much thrown at her from such a young age. This book does not shy away from violence and death, those Kari builds relationships with put in danger because of the power Kari was born with, despite her trying to keep it hidden, and those who are hunting her.

I had to keep reminding myself that Kari was a teenager to explain some of her reactions but she copes extremely well given her limited knowledge of her gift, the way most people treat her and the trauma of loss and separation she suffers. Her feelings of isolation, indecision and need for revenge drive her.

This is not a cosy fantasy story, it is hard hitting and powerful, better for it. It also ends on a twist and cliffhanger like no other.

I thought I was going to have to wait for the next book in the series so was very happy to realise that this was published in 2022 so others in the series are already out. Off to buy them.

Thank you to @The_WriteReads and Shadow Spark Publishing for the review copy.

I am resharing this blog to celebrate the release of the latest and final book in the series.

The Demon Storm series follows Kari Kasente, the wolf demon destined to destroy the world. While battling an innately crueler self, a Shadow Witch intent on controlling her, and a series of other enemies, Kari must learn to trust herself and those around her. Only then can she find her light and save the world.

The final book in the series, Fate of the Storm was released on May 13, 2025.

About the Author

Valerie Storm was raised in Tucson, Arizona. Growing up, she fell in love with everything fantasy. When she wasn’t playing video games, she was writing. By age ten, she began to write her own stories as a way to escape reality. When these stories became a full-length series, she considered the path to sharing with other children & children-at/heart looking for a place to call home.

She can be found on Twitter @Valerie_Storm

The Siren, the Song and the Spy by Maggie Tokuda-Hall

On By @f33lthesunIn #YA, FantasyLeave a comment
Cover by Victo Ngai (@victongai)

Blurb

A diverse resistance force fights to topple an empire in this vibrant fantasy about freedom, identity and decolonization.

By sinking a fleet of Imperial Warships, the Pirate Supreme and their resistance fighters have struck a massive blow against the Emperor. Now allies from across the empire are readying themselves, hoping against hope to bring about the end of the conquerors’ rule and the rebirth of the Sea. But trust and truth are hard to come by in this complex world of mermaids, spies, warriors, and aristocrats. Who will Genevieve – lavishly dressed but washed up, half dead, on the Wariuta island shore – turn out to be? Is warrior Koa’s kindness towards her admirable, or is his sister Kaia’s sharp suspicion wiser? And back in the capital, will pirate-spy Alfie really betray the Imperials who have shown him affection, especially when a duplicitous senator reveals xe would like nothing better?

Meanwhile, the Sea is losing more and more of herself as her daughters continue to be brutally hunted, and the Empire continues to expand through profits made from their blood. The threads of time, a web of schemes, shifting loyalties, and blossoming identities converge in this story of unlikely young allies trying to forge a new and better world.

Review

I only realise after reading this that it is the second book set in this world, however I was able to read it without having read the first. Not giving anything away by saying I will be reading the first one, The Mermaid, the Witch and the Sea.

The author’s world building is excellent, as are the characters she has created and developed. They are well formed and deep. I think the use of chapters giving us multi viewpoints throughout helps us to bond with them. I particularly loved that the sea had her own chapters, which provided a link between a lot of the others.

The big themes of identity (individual and group), freedom, decolonisation, war and resistance are covered well and the friction between wanting freedom but having to inflict violence to achieve it is palpable, especially in Koa, one of the suppressed nation’s warriors.

If you enjoyed series like Utterly Dark by Philip Reeve or Orphans of the Tide by Struan Murray you will enjoy this. Note that this is definitely Young Adult, not for KS2 like those mentioned.

Thank to NetGalley and Walker for the eARC in exchange for this review. It will be published on 1st February 2024.

Arvia: Wings of the Wild by D.H. Willison

On By @f33lthesunIn Fantasy, Young Adult3 Comments

Blurb

It’s easy to stand up for your friends. What about for anonymous creatures nobody else cares about?

With their homes apparently safe from the magical storms, Darin and Rinloh venture to an isolated elven village and another ancient mystery: ruins of an imperial city whose entire population vanished centuries ago.

The duo befriend a host of eccentric new characters, from a chipper ogress and hipster troll to a deadpan griffin. Yet the Forest of Nightmares challenges them as never before. Merciless carnivorous trees, subterranean horrors, ethereal creatures no mortal weapon can slay… and most sinister of all, the greed and ambition lurking within the human heart.

Darin and Rinloh’s empathic connection grows stronger the deeper into the wilderness they go, but will it be enough to stop a dark conspiracy from ravaging the land?

Arvia: Wings of the Wild challenges the harpy-human duo with their grandest adventure yet. They must balance their deepening relationship as they sharpen their skills and work together as never before to unravel a deadly new plot.

Review

A book that has a map is off to a cracking start, in my opinion.

This series, of which this is the fourth book, is mainly character/relationship driven, but the adventurous story is not compromised by this.

Darin has been transported from his mundane earthly existence, via a meeting with an extraterrestrial of questionable character, to a hew life on Arvia, a world full of magic as well as many different species, some friendly, some not so friendly and some downright deadly. On Arvia, humans are the smallest, weakest and generally most vulnerable so he has to use his very limited life skills to stay alive, which causes him problems. He manages to persuade a harpy not to eat him and they become the unlikeliest of friends.

The themes in the story explore friendship, differences, relationships and trust, which becomes more interesting when your life may be in danger at any point. As the characters get to know each other and decide whether their preconceptions were correct or not, we find that many myths about them are blown out the water.

Rinloh (a harpy) has grown up being told about the evils of elves, ogres, trolls and fairies…but is what she has been told the real story?

Despite their differences and preconceptions of each other, each of the different species brings their own skills and knowledge to the group, and this makes them stronger.

In amongst the adventure and peril, there are some side stories. As anyone who follows me on Twitter will know, I have a soft spot for herons so was particularly invested in the small part involving the pet heron one of the conclave visitors had brought with them. It was concerning when it got caught up in one of the attempts on Darin’s life.

My “adopted” local heron, Harold

My favourite character in this story was Maurice, the griffin (definitely not a flying cat). He turned out to be the fount of knowledge where the ruined city was concerned, whilst remaining aloof/grumpy and uncompromising, although could be persuaded to go against his better judgement for a pampering brush.

I also loved the author’s nod to one of my favourite films in some of Darin’s sarcastic responses … inconceivable.

Thank you to D.H. Willison ( @dhwillison ) and @The_WriteReads for an advance copy of this book for the purposes of this review/blog tour.

The Nameless by Stuart White

On By @f33lthesunIn #Dystopian, #SciFi, #YALeave a comment

Having read and enjoyed Stuart’s MG novel, Ghosts of Mars, earlier this year, I was intrigued to read his latest YA dystopian novel.

Blurb

IN A NAMELESS WORLD, ONE HERO RISES BY DISCOVERING THEIR IDENTITY.

In a dystopian world dominated by genetic perfection and numbered gene pools, sixteen-year-old E820907, known as Seven, yearns for an identity beyond his assigned number.

To escape a life as a Nameless Exile, and become a citizen of the Realm, he must pass a loyalty test to prove his allegiance to the totalitarian Autokratōr.

With the world’s fate hanging in the balance, Seven’s journey sparks rebellion, hope, and the reclamation of individuality.

But as the truth unfolds, Seven faces a difficult choice between revenge and love.

Review

Stuart White has created a disconcertingly possible future world, where a dictator demands obedience and service. Children are trained and placed in the area of their strength (military, science, environment) to further the realm. Those who do not meet the standard are discarded from the walled city and left to their own devices and at the mercy of the other Nameless groups out there, some of which have turned brutally cruel, without an identity.

This obviously leads to rebellion, spies, treason and war.

Seven sits the tests … but will he ever find out who he is, who his parents are, why his foster mum protects him and refuses to answer his questions? Full of self doubt, fear and infinite questions that he frustratingly rarely gets full answers to, his journey takes him to places he never imagined, meeting people he didn’t even know existed, making him decide where his loyalties lie, despite knowing very little about the sides he is choosing between.

He also struggles with his purpose. Is it to protect his friends or lead a group who resent him? Will his impetuous decision making put him and others in even more danger? Will his training help or hinder him?

I recommend reading to find out the answers to all these questions. The author leaves us with some of the story resolved but waiting in expectation for Book 2 to take Seven’s journey on further. As a reader, this made me sympathise with Seven, not getting all the answers to my questions straight away! I look forward to accompanying him on his next chapter.

Trigger warning: this book is not for the faint hearted, it is bloody and involves torture.

Thanks to @StuartWhiteWM and @The_WriteReads for the eARC.

Feast of Ashes by Victoria Williamson

On By @f33lthesunIn #Dystopian, #SciFi, #YA1 Comment

Yes, it is another Victoria Williamson book, I am quite the fan. This time Victoria moves from MG to a dystopian adventure for a YA audience. I am long past YA status, but as with her children’s books, adults will enjoy this too.

Blurb

The Earth’s ecosystems have collapsed and only ashes remain. Is one girl’s courage enough to keep hope alive in the wastelands?

It’s the year 2123, and sixteen-year-old Adina has just accidentally killed fourteen thousand seven hundred and fifty-six people. 

Raised in the eco-bubble of Eden Five, Adina has always believed that the Amonston Corporation’s giant greenhouse would keep her safe forever. But when her own careless mistake leads to an explosion that incinerates Eden Five, she and a small group of survivors must brave the barren wastelands outside the ruined Dome to reach the Sanctuary before their biofilters give out and their DNA threatens to mutate in the toxic air.

They soon discover that the outside isn’t as deserted as they were made to believe, and the truth is unearthed on their dangerous expedition. As time runs out, Adina must tackle her guilty conscience and find the courage to get everyone to safety. Will she make it alive, or will the Nomalies get to her first?

Review

The author has created an unfortunately believable future world caused by corporate greed and subsequent cover ups at global government level, but at the heart of this story are the relationships between the various characters. Their personalities and character lead the narrative, as they struggle to survive and reach safety.

Like a typical teenager, Adina has her own agenda. Whilst she is intelligent and good at her job as a technician in the Dome, helping to keep the machinery working, she is often distracted from this by other tasks she would rather be doing which, as expected, are not aligned with her responsibilities and lead her into trouble more often than not. She fully justifies her decisions to herself, she sees them as benefitting others, not herself, but they ultimately lead to her taking responsibility for the destruction of the dome and the deaths of all but a few occupants. Keeping this a secret from her best friend, Dejen, and the other survivors means her relationship with them becomes strained as she pushes them away to stop them working it out.

As I have said in a previous blog, books are either mirrors or windows for the reader. Most of this book was a window for me given the futuristic setting, but Adina’s conscience and the projection of her fears onto her perception of the reasons others look at her as they do is a mirror for my own. No, I have not accidentally (or even deliberately) killed thousands, but her feelings of guilt and how she perceives what others think about her and her actions rings true for me. I often make more of something in my head then find out I needn’t have. Moral of this…talk to people, don’t keep feelings internalised.

Once again, Williamson is not afraid to cover many big issues in her writing. In Feast of Ashes these include keeping secrets, family disfunction, global corporate greed that impacts on the people and eco systems in Africa, government secrets, death and making sacrifices.

This is the first of a series and I look forward to the next instalment.

Son of Shadow by John Lenahan

On By @f33lthesunIn Fantasy, Grown Up Novel, Young Adult1 Comment
Cover design by Nell Wood

Son of Shadow is the start of a new fantasy trilogy, following on from the Shadowmagic Trilogy. Admission…I have not read the original trilogy but will be rectifying that soon. This omission did not detract from my enjoyment of the book, but would have helped in following who was who as the story unfolded.

Thanks to The Write Reads @The_WriteReads and Eye and Lightning publishers for the advanced copy to review.

Blurb

A world of faeries, leprechauns and dragons – and magic fuelled by the blood of trees.

A mystery portal to the Real World.

And a pair of curious young adventurers who know they shouldn’t step through it…

Meet Fergal the Second, nicknamed ‘two’. Or ‘Doe’, in his own language. He can do magic. But, for the moment, he’s forgotten where he’s from. Or what’s happened to his blind friend Ruby.

He’s actually from Tir na Nog, the enchanted world of Shadowmagic, where a new generation of the royal House of Duir are cheeking their parents, preparing for adulthood and itching to see the Real World for themselves – whatever the peril.

Review

The story is split into three parts. The first covers Fergal’s introduction to the Real World, where he has no memory of where he came from, who he is or what he is doing. Something is clear though…he loves Real World pizza.

He does know how to make coins disappear, not slight of hand like a stage magician, but actually disappear. He then struggles to understand why he gets into trouble for doing so, despite being told he won’t, as the coin owners think it is deception, not magic.

Fergal then works out that he needs to find his sister. On his travels, having escaped from an asylum, he meets people who know of his faerie home land and of his family, some helpful, some not. With help, and some setbacks, he manages to get to where he needs to be, but still cannot find his sister.

The second part is set back in Tir na Nog, Fergal’s home. We discover through his memories who he is, how his sister disappeared and how his homeland is linked to the Real World. We also meet his family and friends.

Fergal is a cheeky teenager who rebels against his family’s teachings at times but at heart is a good kid. He learns the hard way that putting off admitting something to those who can help does not always end well,

The final part brings the two worlds together. Fergal and his friends have to work together, using magic to rescue not only his sister but also other family members from an evil sorceress.

The ending sets up for the next instalment very well, with Fergal saying “Oh cack” at what is to come, and I for one am already looking forward to continuing the story. It is at this point that reading the original trilogy would have been most helpful.

The author has created well rounded characters, warts and all, and the world building, especially Tir na Nog, is exceptional.

Book Info

Genre: Fantasy

Length: 310 Pages

Publishing: 25th June 2022

About the Author

Born in Philadelphia but long settled in the UK, John Lenahan is an acclaimed magician and TV performer. He fronted his own BBC2 magic series Stuff the White Rabbit, played the voice of the toaster in Red Dwarf and has appeared on a wide range of entertainment shows including TFI Friday, Comedy Café and Celebrity Squares. He is a member of the exclusive Magic Circle. He is also the author of the popular Shadowmagic trilogy, a fantasy adventure series for young adults which combines Irish folk myth with 21st-century wit. Son of Shadow takes up the story once more, following the noble houses of the magical parallel world of Tir na Nog into the next generation.

Medusa by Jessie Burton Illustrated by Olivia Lomenech Gill

On By @f33lthesunIn Young Adult1 Comment

Exiled, with her sisters, to a far-flung island by the whims of the gods, Medusa has little company except the snakes that adorn her head instead of hair. But when a charming boy called Perseus arrives on the island, lost as he sails the seas on a quest to save his mother, her lonely existence is disrupted with the force of a supernova, unleashing desire, love and betrayal…

The stunning illustrations throughout the book, by Olivia Lomenech Gill really being the island world of Medusa alive.

Jessie Burton has retold this myth superbly, bring it bang up to date with the feminist slant it very much needed. It is told from the view point of Medusa and because of this, the themes come across much more emotionally and with impact.

As Medusa and Perseus gradually tell each other their reasons for being on this far-flung island, we can see that perception of themselves and others is a very personal thing. Perseus holds Poseidon in high regard, Medusa hates him with a vengeance. Similarly, their views on Athena differ too.

There are strong themes of self worth, perception of how you are viewed by others and how this affects your behaviours and attitudes, how the opinions (real or perceived) of others impact on you and ultimately change you.

There are strong themes of consent and respect. Medusa’s feelings of how Poseidon should have behaved towards her (as opposed to abusing his power) and how she was not to blame are deeply felt. Her sisters’ allyship is strong but not all other women are her ally. Athena’s use of privilege and power are selectively abusive.

The promises we make…do we actually know what we are promising at the time? Open ended promises are not always good ones.

Throughout the retelling, Medusa’s view of herself, others in her life and her awareness of how the rest of the world perceives her opens up opportunities for conversations to be had. Important conversations.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for the eARC review copy.

The Memory Thieves by Darren Simpson

On By @f33lthesunIn Young Adult1 Comment

What you don’t remember can’t hurt you…

Cyan has lived at the Elsewhere Sanctuary for as long as he can remember, freed by Dr Haven from dark memories of his past life. But when Cyan finds a mysterious warning carved into the bones of a whale skeleton, he starts to wonder what he had to forget to be so happy.

New resident, Jonquil, begins to resist the sanctuary’s treatment, preferring to hold on to her memories – even the bad ones. So when Dr Haven resorts to harsher measures, Cyan embarks on a secret mission to discover the truth about the sanctuary…and himself.

This is an intricately constructed dystopian world, a mixture of what we know blended with sci-fi … an island where the tide went out and never came back again, no wildlife, an invisible boundary shield, a building that can reset its rooms (like 3D Tetris), tracking devices, clocks with no hands, memory suppressing drugs and teenagers who just want to forget.

The themes tackled in this story are difficult ones and raise many ethical questions. Guilt, sorrow, medically induced memory loss, secret experimental drug trials.

Through the story, the author helps us to see that all our memories, experiences and feelings make us who we are, mould us into the people we become. Just because you cannot remember a key event or person does not mean you are no longer unaffected, even subconsciously.

Despite the difficult themes and my worry for what comes next for the characters, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and was engrossed in the lives of the characters and the world they inhabited. This is the first book I have read by Darren Simpson but it definitely won’t be the last.

Thank you to NetGalley and Usborne for the eARC.

Bone Music by David Almond

On By @f33lthesunIn Young Adult1 Comment

“It’s no good rewilding the world , if we do not rewild ourselves.”

Sylvia has been brought from her city home in Newcastle to the vast, never-ending landscapes and skies of rural Northumberland for a break. She feels cut off, isolated and, in a strange way, enclosed by the depth of seemingly endless darkness that first night.

She then meets enigmatic Gabriel, who shows her the countryside and links to the past. Their walks and talks enable Sylvia to look within herself and within the landscape for connections to the past, her past, the past of the landscape and nature. This is deepened by her making of an ancient musical instrument from the wing bone of a buzzard.

Sylvia is concerned about humans and the destruction they bring to the planet. By embracing her surroundings, the history, the music and the people, by letting herself get lost in them, she finds her true self as well as hope and light, which gives her a deep, deep sense of belonging and courage to fight for the future.

David Almond is a master wordsmith, painting stunning images in the reader’s head. His prose is poetic, lyrical. It evokes the infinite landscape and skies of Northumberland, the musicality of nature and the wilderness through time.

As I read this, I could not help but reference the words and images of The Dam (2019, David Almond, illustrated by Levi Pinfold), which has the same modern/ancient, music/ghostly themes. The flooded village is later mentioned in Bone Music, the lake now part of the natural, ever changing but constant landscape.

The themes of humans verses the environment, ancient verses modern, light versus dark, destruction versus creation are deep. Sylvia’s journey to Northumberland and inside herself provide hope, light and music that will strengthen and heal.

Whilst Sylvia is the main character, for me the landscape and music are the unconventional stars of this story.

The cover design, by David Litchfield, is hauntingly beautiful. It encapsulated so much of the meaning in this story.

I was provided with an eARC of this by NetGalley and Hachette Books. Thank you.

The Follower by Kate Doughty (due to be published 23.3.2021)

On By @f33lthesunIn Horror, Young AdultLeave a comment

The Follower is a YA story that follows the story of teenage triplets, Cecily, Amber and Rudy Cole. They are the personalities that front the family’s social media influencer account about house flipping. They take on multi million dollar makeovers, live-streaming and photoshopping their way to sponsorships that increasingly become needed due to the family finances. The majority of followers (The Cole Patrol) are in awe.

The triplets each had their own “thing” on social media. Cecily does make up and wanted to delve into the chemicals and science of the make up. Amber has been relegated by mum to the behind camera operations, despite wanting to promote her plus size fashion tips and Rudy has become the “host with the most”, when all he wants to do is investigate and dabble in his music.

But all is not as “prefect” as it seems, both on social media and in their lives. The triplets are increasing fed up with their mother’s control of their output (mainly due to financial pressures) and the never ending need for the perfect shots to up the follower count.

When they take on a house in the New York suburbs that has been empty for a few years after a suicide, the locals are none too happy and neither is one particular follower. This is when things start to totally unravel for the Cole family.

The Follower posts messages to their account warning them off “my house”. The family ignore these until strange things start to happen. Items are moved or disappear, doors are locked that were previously open, shadows are seen, footsteps heard…but no solid evidence. The normally encouraging and cheerleading followers start to take notice of The Follower’s postings and accuse the Coles of fake news and faking accidents for internet hits, turning against the family.

I wanted to tell them to stop posting, but like all horror stories, characters always do things we all know would be sensible not to.

The incidents become increasingly life threatening but are difficult to prove to the police. Rudy takes on his own investigation, with the support of his sisters and a couple of local teenagers they have befriended. This just increases the rage of The Follower.

The tension builds during the story, clues lead in a range of different directions until the final, slightly bemusing denouement. I felt there were not enough hints earlier in the story to have possibly worked out who The Follower was. However, the explanation added to the depth of the back story. There is no final “happy” ending…we are left wondering what will happen next.

There are some difficult themes in this book: loss, disfigurement, stalking, death, suicide, as well as the overarching theme of social media portrayal of life vs reality (lies vs truth?), which leads the narrative and is very uncomfortable at times.

There are some follower posts between each chapter, on a background of a shadow (The Follower). These add to the creepiness of the story. I noticed that the shadow is not always in the same place, which added to my unnerved feeling.

Cover and other illustrations are by Hana Anouk Nakamura.

This is a story loosely based on an ongoing true story. It is deeply unsettling.

Thanks to NetGalley and Amulet Books/ABRAMSbooks for an eARC.