chelsealouise's reviews
342 reviews

2.5/5 Stars: ‘Fire & Heist’ is a Young Adult, Fantasy by Sarah Beth Durst; ‘Fire & Heist’ is claimed to be an action-packed tale, placing magical being such as Were-Dragons – or Wyverns – in our current society today; it is a light, easy-to-read story. ‘Fire & Heist’ reads for a younger audience, and the writing style reflects this too, everything is a little too quippy and overly humourous – personally, it reads as a Middle Grade novel. Unfortunately, the execution of such a unique concept felt underwhelming; the idea of Dragons and Heist felt fairly lackluster. The heist felt like a relatively small part of the book, although the heist sections were where the tension and pacing were best. Plus, the characters and their relationships felt a bit one-dimensional and flat. Overall, it was a missed opportunity for a great concept.

2.5/5 Stars: 'The Beholder' is a Young Adult, Historical Romance by Anna Bright; 'The Beholder' embers on an enticing quest, it is a selection box of candy-sweet, fairy-tale tropes. Weaving, in threads, classic stories such as: 'Cinderella', 'Snow White' and 'Beauty and the Beast', as well as, intertwining it with legends and myths of: King Arthur, Saint George, and Odysseus. Given the nature of the plot, the crux of the novel, of course, is the romance. Bright constructs these bachelorette-style relationships well; however, at times, they progressed far too quickly, lacking realism. Considering the small window of time allotted to each suitor, it makes sense it was written in this manner, but it would have benefitted from developing naturally. 'The Beholder' is heavily cliché; lacking action and character development.

2/5 Stars: ‘Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me’ is a Young Adult, LGBTQ+ Contemporary Graphic Novel by Mariko Tamaki. Disclaimer: As of 2020, I shall no longer be reviewing 1-Star novels. Please do not let the low star-rating affect your decision to pick-up ‘Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me’.

2.5/5 Stars: ‘Hold Back the Tide’ is a Young Adult, Paranormal Fantasy by Melinda Salisbury; ‘Hold Back the Tide’ is inspired and influenced by Scottish Folklore. Scotland, more specifically, the remote Scottish Highlands, was the perfect setting for this deliciously dark tale; set in the late 1800s, as a rough estimate. The question at the heart of the book – what constitutes as a monster? – is one that is considered and emphasised continuously throughout, with Salisbury’s wide variety of characters. That said, our protagonist felt slightly too ‘modern’ for the era; however, that was most likely a deliberate tactic. It should be credited that Salisbury subtly encouraged the audience to consider the negative effects of the Human Industry on the natural world, without preaching to the reader. The issue is there, it is central, but it never comes across as a lecture – just a natural part of the story-telling. The downfall, the conclusion. It felt frustratingly rushed, dampening the entire mood of the novel.

2.5/5 Stars: 'Finding Yvonne' is a Young Adult, Romantic Contemporary by Brandy Colbert; 'Finding Yvonne' is an emotionally layered story, centred around an African-American woman torn between whether to attend a Musical Conservatory, and try to become a professional violinist, or to give up and pursue another profession. Colbert has an excellent ear for dialogue, and she does a fantastic job of capturing the particular anxieties of a highly intelligent, talented teenager at a crossroads; as well as, the weight of micro-aggressions about the themes of race to sexuality to economic status. Our protagonist engages in endless introspection, but the character feels flat. The lack of momentum makes it rather challenging to sustain interest in the story. The heavily branded 'musical' theme does not ring true; it felt brushed over once the second-half of the novel picked up. Plus, secondary characters felt under-developed, especially with their significance in the 'plot'. Needless to say, from the threads of love and romance, to re-defining family life, readers of all walks of life will find an entry point to this title.

4/5 Stars: ‘Tyler Johnson Was Here’ is a Young Adult, Realistic Contemporary by Jay Coles; ‘Tyler Johnson Was Here’ takes on the heart-breaking outcomes of a broken system of policing, and the effects of police brutality in modern America. It is an important commentary of current race relations in the US; it invites critical thinking, not only about the meaning of freedom, but about the effects of silence. Coles confirms that silence is not an effective strategy in addressing oppression, that talking about racism in society, and how to interrupt it, is important for everyone. Coles also inspires readers to never give up or give in. From his resilient and determined characters, we realize that we, too, can find contentment if we focus on our goals, if we refuse to allow others to define us, and if we speak out about things that matter. As the authors of our own life stories, we shape our destinies by the choices that we make.

4.5/5 Stars: ‘Darius the Great Is Not Okay’ is a Young Adult, Contemporary by Adib Khorram; ‘Darius the Great Is Not Okay’ is a gentle, heart-warming and utterly captivating cross-cultural, coming-of-age novel that delivers a profound message of hope for any teen who is struggling with depression, or felt they would never fit in. There's no sex or violence or profanity-laced dialogue in ‘Darius the Great Is Not Okay’, it is simply an almost-impossible-to-put-down story told by a nerdy teen with a wicked sense of humour, who, like so many boys and girls in high school, is picked on simply because he has different interests and looks different. The book ripens into an exploration of understanding one’s identity - both personally and culturally. Khorram’s debut novel is an affectionate portrait of Iran: the food and aromas, the rich traditions and eclectic culture; the somewhat choppy first-person narrative also explains Farsi phrases and their complex etymology. As Darius’s palpable discomfort begins to give way, readers will understand that home can be more than the physical place you live, and that people who make you feel at home can come into your life unexpectedly.

4/5 Stars: ‘Monday’s Not Coming’ is a Young Adult, Contemporary Mystery by Tiffany D. Jackson; ‘Monday’s Not Coming’ is a gripping page-turner about an eighth grader who's gone missing. It's also the heart-breaking story of friendship. ‘Monday's Not Coming’ illustrates with incredible depth how child protective services fails, how alcohol and drugs cause family dysfunction, and how poverty devastates a community. Readers will love the girls in this story who are so real and fully developed. In addition to a gripping plot line, underlying social issues bubble beneath the surface, such as neighbourhood gentrification (the story is set in, and around the predominantly African American Southeast quadrant of Washington, DC), race, poverty, community, the healing of connection, and the destruction in disconnection. Ultimately, the very real question of how a young girl can go missing for so long without alarm will haunt readers long after the last page is turned. Trigger warnings for conversations about abuse, bullying, homophobia, poverty, and addiction. The non-linear narrative can be challenging to follow at times, but it holds readers’ attention as we, too, become invested in learning what happened to Monday — and subsequently what happens to Claudia.

4.5/5 Stars: ‘The Liar’s Daughter’ is a Young Adult, Contemporary Mystery by Megan Cooley Peterson; ‘The Liar’s Daughter’ is an intriguing look at a young woman adjusting to life outside a cult. Peterson weaves a lush novel full of cryptic scenes divided into ‘before’ chapters showing Piper’s life in the cult and ‘after,’ when she is set free, which readers fit together for a thrilling ending. The novel presents an accessible look at what makes cults (especially religious ones) attractive to some, and it will appeal to those interested in subjects such as Charles Manson and the Branch Davidians. Peterson uses her own experience as a teenager in a cult to bring the story to life through alternating before-and-after perspectives. These come together to create a rich, layered, and unflinching narrative of love, loss, and the struggle to become whole once again. Readers follow Piper through the difficult maze of her own mind in trying to sort out what’s real from what she is imagining. Her struggle with her mental health rings true, a sound addition to any collection where reality and suspense are in demand.

4/5 Stars: ‘When You Know What I Know’ is a Middle Grade, Poetic Contemporary by Sonja Solter; ‘When You Know What I Know’ offers hope after trauma, in an unromanticised way. This gentle take on a sensitive subject is comforting for a child coping with the effects of sexual abuse, as a result of this, there are no graphic details surrounding the abuse. The poetry conveys the sense of participating intimately in the psychological and social impacts of trauma, in verse, and the aftermath of abuse. It is brutally honest and does not beat around the bush; giving a voice to children.