Andye Reads

THE CRUEL PRINCE by Holly Black Series: The Folk of the Air (Book 1) Hardcover: 384 pages Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (January 2, 2018) Language: English Goodreads | Amazon Of course I want to be like them. They're beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever. And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe. Jude was seven years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King. To win a place at the Court, she must defy him--and face the consequences. In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, discovering her own ...

Allegiant by Veronica Roth Series: Divergent Series (Book 3) Hardcover: 544 pages Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books; First Edition edition (October 22, 2013) Buy the book: Amazon The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories. But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love. This was definitely my least favorite of the series. The two P...

Review by Krista A HUNDRED HOURS OF NIGHT by Anna Woltz Hardcover: 242 pages Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books (May 10, 2016) Language: English Goodreads | Amazon Part love letter to New York, part portrait of a girl and a city in crisis as Hurricane Sandy hits New York City. When Emilia de Wit ran away to New York City, she planned everything to a T. Plane ticket, purchased. Cute apartment, rented online. Subway map, printed and highlighted. This was no ordinary trip -- this was Emilia's declaration of independence. Her chance to escape the life her parents were ruining. To get away from the horrible scandal that had rocked Amsterdam, the scandal that was all her dad's fault. To see if her mom, the glamorous, world-famous artist, would even notice. New York steals Emilia's heart at first sight -- even though absolutely nothing goes to plan. She didn't plan to end up homeless on a stranger's doorstep. She didn't plan to make friends with Seth, Abby,...

Review by Krista THE SECRET SEA by Barry Lyga Hardcover: 448 pages Publisher: Feiwel & Friends (August 23, 2016) Language: English Goodreads | Amazon Zak Killian hears a voice. Could it be a guardian angel? A ghost? No, that’s crazy. But sometimes the voice is so real…It warns him of danger—directs him to safety. Then one day Zak is standing on the subway platform when the voice warns him to run. The tunnel starts to fill with water. His friends Moira and Khalid believe this is more than a premonition, and soon all three find themselves in an alternate universe that is both familiar and seriously strange. As Zak unravels the mystery behind the voice, he faces decisions that may mean the end of their world at home—if they can even get home! The author makes a note that inspiration for this story came about when he read a story that a ship had been unearthed under the ground zero rubble. A boat, so far inland and how it got there and the message is sends to today. After re...

Review by Natalie REBEL GENIUS by Michael Dante DiMartino Age Range: 8 - 12 years Grade Level: 3 - 7 Series: Rebel Geniuses Hardcover: 384 pages Publisher: Roaring Brook Press (October 4, 2016) Goodreads | Amazon A new fantasy-adventure series from the co-creator of the hit animated shows Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra! In twelve-year-old Giacomo's Renaissance-inspired world, art is powerful, dangerous, and outlawed. A few artists possess Geniuses, birdlike creatures that are the living embodiment of an artist's creative spirit. Those caught with one face a punishment akin to death, so when Giacomo discovers he has a Genius, he knows he's in serious trouble. Luckily, he finds safety in a secret studio where young artists and their Geniuses train in sacred geometry to channel their creative energies as weapons. But when a murderous artist goes after the three Sacred Tools--objects that would allow him to destroy the world and everyone in his pa...

Review by Becca... HEARTLESS By Marissa Meyer Series: No Publisher: Feiwel & Friends (November 8, 2016) Hardcover: 464 pages Goodreads | Amazon Long before she was the terror of Wonderland — the infamous Queen of Hearts — she was just a girl who wanted to fall in love. Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland, and a favorite of the yet-unmarried King of Hearts, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, all she wants is to open a shop with her best friend and supply the Kingdom of Hearts with delectable pastries and confections. But according to her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for the young woman who could be the next Queen. At a royal ball where Cath is expected to receive the king's marriage proposal, she meets Jest, the handsome and mysterious court joker. For the first time, she feels the pull of true attraction. At the risk of offending the King and infuriating her parents, she and Jest enter into an intense, secret courtsh...

Review by Sara... THE CROWN'S GAME By Evelyn Skye Series: The Crown's Game #1 Hardcover: 399 pages Publisher: Balzer + Bray  Language: English Goodreads | Amazon Vika Andreyeva can summon the snow and turn ash into gold. Nikolai Karimov can see through walls and conjure bridges out of thin air. They are enchanters—the only two in Russia—and with the Ottoman Empire and the Kazakhs threatening, the Tsar needs a powerful enchanter by his side. And so he initiates the Crown’s Game, an ancient duel of magical skill—the greatest test an enchanter will ever know. The victor becomes the Imperial Enchanter and the Tsar’s most respected adviser. The defeated is sentenced to death. Raised on tiny Ovchinin Island her whole life, Vika is eager for the chance to show off her talent in the grand capital of Saint Petersburg. But can she kill another enchanter—even when his magic calls to her like nothing else ever has? For Nikolai, an orphan, the Crown’s Game is the chanc...

Review by Sara... JULIA VANISHES By Catherine Egan Series: Witch's Child #1 Hardcover: 384 pages Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (June 7, 2016) Language: English Grade Range: 8 up Goodreads | Amazon Julia has the unusual ability to be . . . unseen. Not invisible, exactly. Just beyond most people's senses.  It's a dangerous trait in a city that has banned all forms of magic and drowns witches in public Cleansings. But it's a useful trait for a thief and a spy. And Julia has learned--crime pays. Her latest job is paying very well indeed. Julia is posing as a housemaid in the grand house of Mrs. Och, where an odd assortment of characters live and work: A disgraced professor who sends her to fetch parcels containing bullets, spiders, and poison. An aristocratic houseguest who is locked in the basement each night. And a mysterious young woman who is clearly in hiding--though from what or whom? Worse, Julia suspects that there's a connecti...

Review by Sara... THE GIRL I USED TO BE By April Henry Hardcover: 240 pages Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books (May 3, 2016) Language: English Grade Range: 7 and up Age Range: 12 and up Goodreads | Amazon When Olivia's mother was killed, everyone suspected her father of murder. But his whereabouts remained a mystery. Fast forward fourteen years. New evidence now proves Olivia's father was actually murdered on the same fateful day her mother died. That means there's a killer still at large. It's up to Olivia to uncover who that may be. But can she do that before the killer tracks her down first? This is the first book by April Henry that I have read and if all of her books are like this one, I may sit them out. My initial reaction was to give this book 3.5 stars but I may drop that down to 2.5 stars. The more I digest this book, the more I realize things just don't add up. This is the story of Olivia Reinhart, who is actually Arial Be...

Review by Reagan  THIS IS MY BRAIN ON BOYS by Sarah Strohmeyer Hardcover: 352 pages Publisher: Balzer + Bray (May 10, 2016) Language: English Goodreads | Amazon Addie Emerson doesn’t believe in love. Not for herself, anyway. With one year left of high school, she’s more interested in snagging a full scholarship to Harvard than a full-time boyfriend. That doesn’t mean she’s oblivious to the ways of the heart. Or, rather, the head. Because after months of research, Addie has discovered how to make anyone fall in love. All you need is the secret formula. But will her discovery be enough to win the coveted Athenian Award and all its perks? (See above, full scholarship to Harvard.) Or will she be undone by Dexter, her backstabbing lab partner, who is determined to deep-six her experiments at their exclusive private school? Those are the least of her problems now that she’s survived a death-defying flight with a mysterious, dark-haired boy, who has delicious chocolate-brown e...

Review by Jennifer THE LAST TIME WE WERE US by Leah Konen Hardcover: 368 pages Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (May 10, 2016) Language: English Goodreads | Amazon A passionate summer love story about a girl, her childhood best friend, and the small town lies that have kept them apart. Leah Konen’s The Last Time We Were Us is perfect for fans of Jenny Han, Sara Zarr, and Gayle Forman. Liz Grant is about to have the summer of her life. She and her friend MacKenzie are finally getting invited to all the best parties, and, with any luck, Innis Taylor, the most gorgeous guy in Bonneville, will be her boyfriend before the Fourth of July. Then Jason Sullivan comes back to town. A million years ago, he was her best friend, but that was before he ditched her for a different crowd . . . and before he attacked Innis’s older brother and got sent away to juvie. All of Bonneville still thinks he’s dangerous, but Liz finds it hard to believe what people say about her childhood friend. If w...

Review by Jackie The Square Root of Summer by Harriet Reuter Hapgood Age Range: 12 - 18 years Grade Level: 8 - 12 Hardcover: 304 pages Publisher: Roaring Brook Press (May 3, 2016) Goodreads | Amazon This is what it means to love someone. This is what it means to grieve someone. It's a little bit like a black hole. It's a little bit like infinity. Gottie H. Oppenheimer is losing time. Literally. When the fabric of the universe around her seaside town begins to fray, she's hurtled through wormholes to her past: To last summer, when her grandfather Grey died. To the afternoon she fell in love with Jason, who wouldn't even hold her hand at the funeral. To the day her best friend Thomas moved away and left her behind with a scar on her hand and a black hole in her memory. Although Grey is still gone, Jason and Thomas are back, and Gottie's past, present, and future are about to collide―and someone's heart is about to be broken. With time travel, quantu...

Review by Sara... CIRCLE OF JINN (Becoming Jinn #2) By Lori Goldstein Age Range: 12-18 years Grade Level: 7 and up Hardcover: 400 pages Publisher: Feiwel and Friends (May 17, 2016) Language: English Goodreads | Amazon Being Jinn is Azra’s new reality. As she grants wishes under the watchful eye of the Afrit council, she remains torn between her two worlds—human and Jinn. Soon, secrets spill. Zars are broken. Humans become pawns. And rumors of an uprising become real as the Afrit’s reach extends beyond the underground world of Janna. Straddling the line becomes impossible. Aware of her unique abilities, Azra must not just face but embrace her destiny. But when the role she must play and those she must protect expand to include a circle of Jinn greater than her own, Azra will be forced to risk everything. A risk that means there’s everything to lose, and at the same time, everything to gain—for herself and her entire Jinn race. In this dramatic sequel to Becoming Jin...