Young Adult Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: Sophia’s Storm by Cara Skinner

Sophia's Storm by Cara Skinner

The past meets the present in Sophia’s Storm, a gripping historical novel written for young adults by Cara Skinner.

It’s fourth of July week during the summer of 79. Sixteen-year-old Sophie Reiter and her extended family have assembled at her grandparents’ Galveston beach house for their annual week-long get together, but this year’s gathering is bittersweet, due to the passing of Sophie’s beloved Great Aunt Sophia last November at the age of eighty-nine. Her great aunt had died before she could tell Sophie about the most terrible time in their family’s history: a time when Galveston was nearly destroyed […]

Review: Dakota Son by Mary Ramsey

Dakota Son by Mary Ramsey

Unshakable faith and determination are sometimes more powerful than any drug – such is the message in Dakota Son, an inspiring work of young adult fiction by Mary Ramsey.

Fifteen-year-old Sean Foster’s gymnastic career is sidelined by a severe infection induced by his cystic fibrosis, which lands him in the hospital. At his side are his mother and devoted sister, Sara, a brilliant science nerd and his best friend. Sara shows up at the hospital one day with a surprise visitor, the lovely Jen Quinto. She and Sean have something in common: Sean is constantly fighting for his life […]

Marta Cheng2019-04-05T09:20:49+02:00March 11th, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews, Young Adult Book Reviews|

The Beginner’s Guide to Winning an Election by Michael R. French

The Beginner's Guide to Winning an Election by Michael R. French The Beginner’s Guide to Winning an Election by Michael R. French is a biting and prescient YA satire about big money influencing a local high school election.

It’s 2025 at a typical American high school, Hawthorn High, 120 miles from Bloomington, Indiana. Senior “Science Brain” Britain Kitridge signs up to volunteer for a fellow student’s campaign, and yes, maybe she has a little crush on him, but who doesn’t? Matthew Boltanski is near perfect: athletic, handsome, self-confident, impervious, and as Britain determines, very well funded, but by who and why? She starts asking too many questions and is ‘disciplined’ in […]

SPR2019-02-14T10:36:30+02:00February 13th, 2019|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Young Adult Book Reviews|

Review: The Sandbox by JW Patrick

The Sandbox by JW Patrick

An intense and unpredictable adventure set against a rich narrative landscape, The Sandbox by JW Patrick is a memorable new work of YA science fiction. When three young teenagers’ lives collide after a mysterious impact event, their worlds are thrown into a fascinating and potentially dangerous spiral driven by forces beyond their control or understanding.

The focal characters of this novel – Isla, Sonny and Dan – make for a brilliant trio of protagonists wrestling with powers they had previously thought were impossible. When they discover a world – The Sandbox – where they can do anything they want in […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-03-11T12:37:04+02:00January 27th, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Young Adult Book Reviews|

Review: The King of Escape by Mark Christopher Mathis

The King of Escape by Mark Christopher Mathis

A trifecta of dysfunctionality, addiction, and mental illness forms the backbone of Mark Christopher Mathis’ sobering young adult offering, The King of Escape.

Seventeen-year-old Nicholas Carrier is reluctantly about to embark on a cruise with his family. For most families, this would be an exciting adventure, but for Nicholas, it’s anything but. The past few years have been hell, and the thought of being confined on a cruise ship in close quarters with his annoying younger sister, Mad, while being tasked with looking after his twelve-year-old autistic brother, Jacob, is bad enough, but to be under the constant eagle […]

Marta Cheng2018-12-07T12:53:36+02:00October 26th, 2018|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Young Adult Book Reviews|

Summer Girl by Linda Watkins

Summer Girl by Linda Watkins Summer Girl by Linda Watkins is a poignant coming of age novel that asks whether it’s possible to forget one’s first love.

It’s the summer of sixty-five and sixteen-year-old islander Jake Chambers meets the ferry bringing the newest crop of summer people to Cutter Island. Fifteen-year-old Andrea (Andi) Martin is unlike the other summer girls and immediately captures Jake’s attention. Over the Fourth of July lobster bake, they become fast friends and soon their friendship blossoms into first love. It seems like they’re destined to be together – until one fateful night, a lapse in better judgment leads to tragic […]

Marta Cheng2019-01-22T04:35:51+02:00October 16th, 2018|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Young Adult Book Reviews|

Review: Nia & the Numbers Game by Kela Henry, MD

Nia & the Numbers Game: A Teenager’s Guide to Education, Relationships & Sex

Nia & the Numbers Game: A Teenager’s Guide to Education, Relationships & Sex by Kela Henry, MD takes a unique approach by combining fiction and facts to both entertain and educate adolescent readers.

The fictional aspect of this book focuses on Nia Ferguson, a young African-American girl. At the outset of Nia’s story, she’s a twelve-year-old adolescent whose parents have just split up. Although her father moves into an apartment nearby, Nia, along with her younger brother, PJ, face some challenges as they adjust to living in both parents’ homes.

Nia’s story chronicles various aspects of her life and the […]

Marta Cheng2019-01-22T06:04:55+02:00September 14th, 2018|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Relationships Book Reviews, Young Adult Book Reviews|

Review: Freeing Linhurst: Into the Tunnels by Al Cassidy

Freeing Linhurst: Into the Tunnels by Al Cassidy

With a bold spirit and a nose for a good mystery, one ghostly adventure was never going to be enough for young Jack Alexander. In Freeing Linhurst: Into the Tunnels, author Al Cassidy breathes fresh life into his courageous characters – Jack and Celia – from the first book in the series.

Two years have passed since they first delved into the secrets of Linhurst State School and Hospital, and both have dealt with their first fantastical foray in different ways. Jack has been tormented by the memories of Linhurst, from merciless teasing at school to haunting dreams that […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-05-20T05:16:45+02:00September 13th, 2018|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Paranormal Book Reviews, Young Adult Book Reviews|