YA Fantasy Book Reviews

Review: The Keepers of the Light by Trevor A. Dutcher

The Keepers of the Light by Trevor Dutcher

A coming-of-age adventure shining a light on the goodness and grace that makes the world go round, The Keepers of the Light by Trevor A. Dutcher is a riveting new YA read, and an entertaining first book in the Logan LeVec series.

Logan LeVec is navigating all the perils of sixth-grade life, from persistent bullies and paralyzing crushes on his neighbor to clumsy lunchroom disasters and embarrassing oral reports, but his seemingly normal life is about to change in ways he never expected. Though Logan’s parents would never believe or approve, the wild stories that his grandfather has been telling […]

Review: The Last Refuge by Christina Bacilieri

The Last Refuge by Christina Bacilieri

In a once-magical realm now ruled by an iron fist, one young woman must liberate the forces within to change the world, and save those she loves, in The Last Refuge by Christina Bacilieri. A rebellious YA fantasy thriller with an apocalyptic edge, this first installment of the Stealing Sanctuary series is a stunning foundation for what’s to come.

Over a century ago, magic was outlawed and shuttered away behind the forbidden borders of Etabon by the Founding Ruling Board, who claimed that the elimination of magic would save the planet from constant war and an age of darkness. However, […]

Review: The Fantastical and Mysterious Tale of Sweetpea of Monsterville by Corey Wolff

The Fantastical and Mysterious Tale of Sweetpea of Monsterville by Corey Wolff

Rhyming its way through monstrous lands and otherworldly mommy issues, The Fantastical and Mysterious Tale of Sweet Pea of Monsterville by Corey Wolff is a strange and visionary work of fantasy.

Sweet Pea may be a resident of Monsterville – and heir to the throne – but his personality is anything but horrifying, and his mother is far from happy about it. The Queen of the Monsters is one sadistic mother, and has no mercy for humans or sons who are unwilling to scare them. Her cruelty forces Sweet Pea to discover the strength he has always possessed, and stand […]

Review: A Rebel’s Path (The Enchanted Isles Book 3) by I.L. Cruz

A Rebel's Path (The Enchanted Isles Book 3) by I.L. Cruz

Author I.L. Cruz summons another tense chapter of the Enchanted Isles YA series with A Rebel’s Path, her third electrifying installment. Between paternal revelations, impending royal nuptials, a resurgence of magic, and an urban legend come to life, the life of Inez Garza and the realm of Canto is as strange and exciting as ever.

Inez’s predestined fate of bringing magic back to the Enchanted Isles is a tall order, particularly since she has no idea how to achieve that seemingly impossible goal. Her powers have proven to be impressive, but difficult to predict and keep hidden, training in […]

Review: The Blackest Blue by Luna Wright

The Blackest Blue by Luna Wright

A classic fellowship fantasy with original twists and a dystopian mystique, The Blackest Blue by Luna Wright is an ambitious novel that tackles broad ideas of power, loyalty, and freedom. A young woman living a double life – plotting long-term revenge on a society that demands absolute subservience – seeks to expose the truth, even if it costs her everything, in this powerful piece of cautionary fiction.

Sy shines at the heart of this story, brazen and bold in her deception as an acolyte of the all-powerful Rem, deeply committed to a dark purpose instilled in her after witnessing the […]

Review: Blood for the Fisher King by Endy Wright

Blood for the Fisher King by Endy Wright

Author Endy Wright unleashes his imagination and narrative sensitivity in Blood for the Fisher King, a continuing tale of his fascinating work of science fiction, The Omicron Six.

Following the harrowing revelations at Deep Woods Academy from the preceding book, Cooper and Coupe attempt to return to a normal life, but the truth, scope, and origins of their powers are hard to ignore. Coupe has begun to flex his impressive intellectual muscles for the first time, while Cooper continues to explore his shocking physical gifts, but their newfound skills aren’t going unnoticed, particularly by the black SUV following […]

Review: There’s No Basketball on Mars by Craig Leener

There's No Basketball on Mars by Craig Leener

Author Craig Leener delivers an inspiring story of reaching impossible dreams, despite impossible odds, in his new YA novel There’s No Basketball on Mars, a stirring dream-fueled adventure.

Depicting a character on the autistic spectrum without falling into tropes or unfair stereotypes is challenging for some authors, but Leener approaches this protagonist with compassion, patience, grace, and humor. Lawrence Tuckerman is the sympathetic beating heart of this brilliantly told tale. Although his particular condition makes it more challenging for him to navigate a busy world of noise and people, it has made him a mathematical prodigy, a fact that […]

The Reign of the Occult by Lauren Louise Hazel

The Reign of the Occult by Lauren Louise Hazel An epic novel of forbidden magic, tangled loyalties between dark and light, and the fierce strength of family, The Reign of the Occult by Lauren Louise Hazel is a breakout start to a riveting new series.

With her incredible power of foresight keeping them one step ahead of anti-magic officers determined to exterminate her kind, Prue and her brother Everett have been on the run for years. Picking up powerful new allies along the way, their journey takes them back to the fiery depths of the Underworld, and into the heart of the Occult’s power, to cut off its sinister […]

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