What would you put in your Fantasy Hall of Fame—for Middle Grade, Young Adult, and Adult? Guest writer Isabella Brotchie gives her takes.
Book Review | Godkiller
A perfect fantasy book, in the archetypal sense: perfectly plotted, familiar yet creative. It reminded me why I fell in love with reading in the first place. Here's why.
Book Review | Bloodmarked
I CANNOT BELIEVE THE CLIFFHANGER THIS BOOK ENDED ON...
Book Review | The Atlas Paradox
Somehow, the sequel lived up to the unimaginable standard of its dark academia predecessor.
Book Review | Babel
Babel is the boldest indictment of the evils of English academia I've read to date. That's what I was waiting for, though, through The Secret History, If We Were Villains, The Atlas Six, and even Legendborn: violence.
Book Review | Children of Blood and Bone
In my case, this book fell victim to too much hype. Few books have I felt so guaranteed to like; fewer still have lived up to that kind of expectation. While I like each of the elements of this novel in principle, the execution stumbles enough that the concept itself doesn't quite save it. I would still recommend this to genuine young adult readers who love adventure and fantasy.
Book Review | Inferno
A quick review for a quick read. With a fantastic, high stakes, fun plot, this book manages to wrap us in the cozy ambiance of Italian art and architecture while also being an adventure worthy of the 2016 film of the same name.
To Paradise (vs. A Little Life)
In To Paradise, Yanagihara has invented a newer, subtler way to torture her readers and her characters: loneliness, helplessness, and self-delusion. All afflictions that more easily land close to home than the operatic suffering of A Little Life.
Book Review | If I Had Your Face
Frances Cha's unhappy, stunning debut is a real, engrossing look into the lives of Korea's young women you won't want to put down. Instantly invested, my heart broke for each of these characters as I turned the pages. If I Had Your Face will stick in the back of my mind for a long time to come.
Book Review | To Kill a Kingdom
The Little Mermaid source material is taken to stunning, fresh heights in this expertly-crafted YA fantasy. This novel's high quality writing and immensely intriguing concept carry it to four stars—brought down only by a satisfactory plot structured almost entirely around a big ol' mcguffin to search for and a very predictable ending.
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