Andye Reads

Dividing Eden Hardcover: 336 pages Publisher: HarperTeen; International ed. edition (June 6, 2017) Buy the book: Amazon Twins Carys and Andreus were never destined to rule Eden. With their older brother next in line to inherit the throne, the future of the kingdom was secure. But appearances—and rivals—can be deceiving. When Eden’s king and crown prince are killed by assassins, Eden desperately needs a monarch, but the line of succession is no longer clear. With a ruling council scheming to gain power, Carys and Andreus are faced with only one option—to take part in a Trial of Succession that will determine which one of them is worthy of ruling the kingdom. As sister and brother, Carys and Andreus have always kept each other safe—from their secrets, from the court, and from the monsters lurking in the mountains beyond the kingdom’s wall. But the Trial of Succession will test the bonds of trust and family. With their country and their hearts divided, Carys and Andreus will discov...

by Jackie BLOOD RED, SNOW WHITE by Marcus Sedgwick Publisher: Roaring Brook Press (October 25, 2016) Publication Date: October 25, 2016 Sold by: Macmillan Goodreads | Amazon Russia wakes from a long sleep and marches to St Petersburg to claim her birthright. Her awakening will mark the end for the Romanovs, and the dawn of a new era that changed the world. Arthur Ransome, a journalist and writer, was part of it all. He left his family in England and fell in love with Russia and a Russian woman. This is his story.  Oh how the mighty fall. Blood Red, Snow White seemed like something that I could fall head over heels in love with. I mean HISTORY. Russian Revolution. Like, the use of real history. All of this fantastically intertwined with allusions and metaphors out into the next world. Like, what is there NOT to love? Right? RIGHT? This is where I went wrong, because, although it seems to check all of the boxes…I just really struggled. I couldn’t get into it. I just really ...

Review by Sara... HOW TO HANG A WITCH By Adriana Mather Series: How To Hang A Witch #1 Hardcover: 368 pages Publisher: Knopf books for Young Readers (July 26, 2016) Age Range: 12 up Grade Range: 7 up Language: English Goodreads | Amazon For fans of  Conversion  and Mean Girls, comes a debut novel where the trials of high school start to feel like a modern day witch hunt for a teen with all the wrong connections to Salem’s past. Salem, Massachusetts is the site of the infamous witch trials and the new home of Samantha Mather. Recently transplanted from New York City, Sam and her stepmother are not exactly welcomed with open arms. Sam is the descendant of Cotton Mather, one of the men responsible for  those  trials and almost immediately, she becomes the enemy of a group of girls who call themselves The Descendants. And guess who their ancestors were? If dealing with that weren't enough, Sam also comes face to face with a real live (...

DNF Review by Emily ZEROES by Scott Westerfeld Series: Zeroes (Book 1) Hardcover: 560 pages Publisher: Simon Pulse; 1st edition (September 29, 2015) Goodreads | Amazon Don’t call them heroes. But these six Californian teens have powers that set them apart. Take Ethan, a.k.a. Scam. He’s got a voice inside him that’ll say whatever you want to hear, whether it’s true or not. Which is handy, except when it isn’t—like when the voice starts gabbing in the middle of a bank robbery. The only people who can help are the other Zeroes, who aren’t exactly best friends these days. Enter Nate, a.k.a. Bellwether, the group’s “glorious leader.” After Scam’s SOS, he pulls the scattered Zeroes back together. But when the recue blows up in their faces, the Zeroes find themselves propelled into whirlwind encounters with ever more dangerous criminals. At the heart of the chaos they find Kelsie, who can take a crowd in the palm of her hand and tame it or let it loose as she pleases.  My ...

Reviewed by Sara AWAKE by Natasha Preston Paperback: 336 pages Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire (August 4, 2015) Language: English Goodreads | Amazon Of course, the dress was white. This is what I'm supposed to die in, I thought. Not many people knew what their last outfit would be.  I pulled it over my head. It fit me perfectly. It had long, loose fitting sleeves, a modest neckline, and waves of material on the skirt. I hated it. There were no shoes, and I was afraid I'd have to run through the forest barefoot but there weren't a lot of options. Besides, I'd run barefoot over a bed of nails to get away. "Scarlett, are you ready?" he called. I looked in the mirror and took a deep breath. Time to fight for my life. Scarlett Garner doesn't remember anything before the age of four-until a car accident changes everything. She starts to remember pieces of a past that frighten her. A past her parents hid from her...and a secret that could get her kil...

Review by Natalie BECOMING JINN by Lori Goldstein Print Length: 385 pages Publisher: Feiwel & Friends (April 21, 2015) Sold by: Macmillan Language: English Azra has just turned sixteen, and overnight her body lengthens, her olive skin deepens, and her eyes glisten gold thanks to the brand-new silver bangle that locks around her wrist. As she always knew it would, her Jinn ancestry brings not just magical powers but the reality of a life of servitude, as her wish granting is controlled by a remote ruling class of Jinn known as the Afrit. To the humans she lives among, she's just the girl working at the snack bar at the beach, navigating the fryer and her first crush. But behind closed doors, she's learning how to harness her powers and fulfill the obligations of her destiny. Mentored by her mother and her Zar "sisters," Azra discovers she may not be quite like the rest of her circle of female Jinn . . . and that her powers could endanger them all. Wh...

by andye AN EMBER IN THE ASHES by Sabaa Tahir Hardcover: 464 pages Publisher: Razorbill; First Edition edition (April 28, 2015) Language: English Goodreads | Amazon Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free. Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear. It is in this brutal world that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do. But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy. There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias...

Review by Sara Wild Hearts by Jessica Burkhart Series: If Only... Hardcover: 368 pages Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens (May 5, 2015) Language: English Goodreads | Amazon Enjoy Wild Hearts and the other standalone titles in Bloomsbury's contemporary If Only romance line centered around an impossible problem: you always want what you can't have! Brie Carter's father's land development business has taken her family all over the world, but as soon as they arrive at their new home in Lost Spring, Wyoming, the town turns out to protest. They don't want a new hotel if the resident mustang population will be displaced or hurt as part of the deal. Then Brie meets Logan, a gorgeous local who has a special connection to the mustangs, and she is immediately drawn to him . . . and the horses. However, with Logan's father leading the protests and Brie's father refusing to budge, it's clear that their parents are heading towards an all-out war. Can Brie and L...

"Review My Books" Review by Sara THERE WILL BE LIES by Nick Lake Hardcover: 464 pages Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens (January 6, 2015) Language: English Goodreads | Amazon In four hours, Shelby Jane Cooper will be struck by a car. Shortly after, she and her mother will leave the hospital and set out on a winding journey toward the Grand Canyon. All Shelby knows is that they're running from dangers only her mother understands. And the further they travel, the more Shelby questions everything about her past-and her current reality. Forced to take advantage of the kindness of unsuspecting travelers, Shelby grapples with what's real, what isn't, and who she can trust . . . if anybody. Award-winning author Nick Lake proves his skills as a master storyteller in this heart-pounding new novel. This emotionally charged thrill ride leads to a shocking ending that will have readers flipping back to the beginning. I was excited when I was given this ARC to...

Review by Becca ENDGAME by Nils Johnson-Shelton and James Frey Series: Endgame (Book 1) Hardcover: 480 pages Publisher: HarperCollins (October 7, 2014) Language: English Goodreads | Amazon Twelve ancient cultures were chosen millennia ago to represent humanity in Endgame, a global game that will decide the fate of humankind. Endgame has always been a possibility, but never a reality…until now. Twelve meteorites have just struck Earth, each meteorite containing a message for a Player who has been trained for this moment. At stake for the Players: saving their bloodline, as well as the fate of the world. And only one can win. Endgame is real. Endgame is now. Endgame has begun. Dear Endgame, Sigh. This is a tough "review" for me to write. If only, because I've never written a DNF letter before. So congratulations on being my first! I was interested in you, because despite having a total knock-off sounding premise, you still sounded interesting. I ...