YA

Audiobook: The Raven Boys

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by Maggie Stiefvater
Read by Will Patton
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Or listen at Libro.fm
Content: There is swearing, including a couple of f-bombs, talk of teenage drinking, and a murder. It’s in the Teen Bestsellers section of the bookstore.

I wasn’t going to write a post about this one, since I don’t have much new to say from my first review 13 years ago. Then I realized that even though I have reread this a couple of times, I finally experienced it in a different format, and that warranted mentioning. I’ve heard that Patton – who narrates the whole series – is a good narrator and that the audiobook is a good experience, but I haven’t felt the need. Until this year. I decided I needed Maggie’s stories in my life, and I was feeling a gravitational pull towards the Raven Cycle, so I decided to do the audio. And they’re right: Patton is an excellent narrator for this book (and I’m assuming the series – I’ve got Dream Thieves on hold already) and it’s an excellent way to experience Henrietta and Blue and the boys. I plowed through it because I didn’t want to stop listening (because good story + good narrator = a remarkable experience).

I’m glad I finally got around to listening to this one!

The Hedgewitch of Foxhall

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by Anna Bright
First sentence: “I was seven years old when I met wild magic.”
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Content: There is some violence, including talk of violence done to women. And there is a slight romance. It’s in the Teen (grades 9+) section of the bookstore.

Ffion is a hedgewitch in a remote village in Wales; she lives off the earth and people’s goodness, because she shuns the ways of the Foxhall coven, which she thinks has gotten too big and powerful, and neglects the needs of the poor and downtrodden. And when her familiar, Cadno the fox, gets caught in one of the Foxhall’s sacrifices for a spell, Ffion is livid. Livid enough to team up with Prince Tal, who arrived at the coven asking for their help to do his father’s bidding – destroy the wall that they believe is hindering Welsh magic. Tal has his own reasons to be there: he and his half-brother Dafydd, are in a competition to win the throne after their father, the king, is foretold his death by his court magician. Whoever can bring magic back will be the next king.

It’s obviously not quite as simple as all that, but that’s the basic gist. What I kept thinking though, is that it felt so much like Diana Wynne Jones’s early work, full of lore and mythology and Welsh magic and grounded in nature and the mystical. This one has an elegance about it that pulled me in and kept me reading. I loved Ffion as a character, and I liked the way Bright wove magic and folklore through the book. I liked the tension between Tal and Dafydd, and have to admit that Bright surprised me with the direction the book takes. It’s not what I expected at all.

And I simply loved it.

Audiobook: Heist Royale

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by Kayvion Lewis
Read by: Jade Wheeler
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Or listen at Libro.fm
Others in the series: Theives’ Gambit
Content: There’s people breaking the law (obviously) and talk of underage (for America) drinking. It’s in the YA section of the bookstore.

When we last left Ross, she came in second in the Gambit, which is not what she wanted. She’s had work over the past six months, but she still has the threat of someone wanting to kill her family hanging over her head. And then there’s the rivalry over who is going to run the Organization. Ross – and her friends – get roped into another gambit this time on teams and for the control of the Organization. Who will take the ultimate prize?

I’ll be up front: while this was fun, it wasn’t as fun as Thieves’ Gambit. That one was new, original, and a lot of fun. This one was almost a re-hashing of the first one. There were moments – at one point, they infiltrate a high-end casino in Moncao and there’s an intense moment when the owner catches Ross and tries to catch her out on cheating (but he doesn’t). That was very satisfying. But, because of the title, I was expecting a heist or a long con – something like Heist Society or Oceans 11 – and I just didn’t get that. That said, the narrator was excellent, and she kept me interested, even when I stopped caring about Ross and her relationship to her mother or her friends. I’m just not entirely sure the Thieves’ Gambit needed a sequel.

And maybe that’s where the problem lies.

Audiobook: Twenty-Four Seconds from Now…

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by Jason Reynolds
Read by Guy Lockard
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Or listen at Libro.fm
Content: It’s a book about teen sex. There is none actual, but there is a lot of talk about it. There is also swearing, including multiple f-bombs. It’s in the Teen (grades 9+) section of the bookstore.

Neon and his girlfriend, Aria, have been talking about this night for months: they have been dating for two years and are ready to have sex. Except, as the book opens, Neon is in the bathroom, freaking out. As the book unfolds, going backward in time, we learn about Neon and Aria’s relationship to each other, to their families, and to their friends. We learn about how Neon’s parents are handling him having a steady boyfriend and about their relationship to each other. We learn about Neon’s highs and lows, and basically how he got to this specific moment, in the bathroom, about to take this step.

I think this is an important book. Seriously: I think a book that is frank about consent and parents having healthy discussions about sex with their children is important to have out there. It’s a magnet for the book banners, who don’t want any sex near teens, but honestly, I think honest discussion is a better way to deal with teens having sex rather than ignoring it. And Reynolds knows how to write about difficult subjects with humor and in ways that kids (and yes, parents) can relate to.

This is also a book that I think I enjoyed a lot more on audio. Lockhard Is a fantastic narrator, and he made all the characters come alive for me. It’s a quick read/listen, and I’m glad I did.

Highly recommended.

Audiobook: Arya Khanna’s Bollywood Moment

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by Arushi Avachat
Read by Nikhaar Kishnani
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Or listen at Libro.fm
Content: There is mention of mental illness, including depression, and some kissing. It’s in the YA section (grades 6-8) of the bookstore.

Arya’s senior year has been super complicated so far: she’s ben at odds with the school council president, Dean, since the year started; and her older sister has finally come home after three years to get married. It’s a lot to deal with, especially since she might have feelings for Dean. The question is: how is she going to manage everything.

Yes, it’s a fluff plot, and not a very deep book, but it was cute. The narrator was fun to listen to and there was enough to keep me entertained, My favorite part about it all, though, was the Bollywood references. I desperately needed a playlist (both audio and video) for the book, and was sad that I couldn’t find one.

So, no, not the best book out there, but a fun one.

The Prisoner’s Throne

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by Holly Black
First sentence: “
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Others in the series: The Cruel Prince, The Wicked King, The Queen of Nothing, The Stolen Heir
Content: There is some violence, including torture, and mild swearing. It’s in the YA section (grades 6-8) of the bookstore.

Spoilers for all the rest of the series, obviously.

Oak and Wren have successfully overthrown the Court of Teeth, but the problem is that even though Wren is queen, Oak has been thrown in prison. It’s not fun, being a prisoner in ice, and watching Wren use her magic to unmake things. It’s not until Oak’s sister, Jude, decides to rescue him that he makes his move: ask Wren to marry him. But, that creates a whole other level of conflict: there are attempts on Jude and Cardan’s lives, and there’s a hag witch that has Wren under her spell. The question is: can Oak play his cards right to stop everything.

I’m not sure if Black is going to keep writing books set in Elfhame, but honestly, I’d read them if she does. I love this world, I love these characters, and Black spins such a good tale. It’s been too long since I’ve visited the world, and yet I found myself slipping back into the rhythms and the magic of the stories that Black spins. I appreciate that the danger feels real, that nothing is safe, and that the stakes are high. It makes for an unputdownable book.

Another excellent addition to the Elfhame series.

Audiobook: Chaos Theory

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by Nic Stone
Read by the author and Dion Graham
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Or listen at Libro.fm
Content: There is some mild swearing (I don’t remember any f-bombs); teenage drinking; talk of mental health, self-harm, and a parental affair. It’s in the Teen (grades 9+) section of the bookstore.

Ever since Shelbi moved to Georgia, she has one rule: don’t get close to anyone. A former “friend” hurt her badly at her last school, and her mental health can’t handle it. What she doesn’t count on is Andy, who she passes one night, sitting in the back of a cop car, having totaled his car because he was wasted. In fact, he seems to often have too much to drink. As they fall into friendship, and become closer, they both realize that there’s a lot ot unpack. Shelbi with her bipolar diagnosis, Andy with his self-medicating with alcohol (not to mention a distant mother, and the death of a younger sister that he blames himself for).

This has to be one of the cutest books about really tough subjects that I’ve eve read. I loved the dynamic between Andy and Shelbi – Dion Graham was a specatular narrator, and Stone was quite good as well – and the way they both supported and pushed each other. It was a very cute romance, but underneath was all the hard-hitting issues that Stone is known for. She looks very unflinchingly at mental health, grief, substance abuse, and what it takes to make a relationship really work.

In short, it was an excellent book, especially on audio.

Canto Contigo

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by Jonny Garza Villa
First sentence: “I want to grab this guitar by the neck and smash it on the floor.”
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Release date: April 9, 2024
Review copy sent by the publisher.
Content: There is a lot of swearing, in both English and Spanish, and a number of f-bombs. There is also fade-to-black sex and some teenage drinking. It will be in the Teen (grades 9+) of the bookstore.

Rafie was raised to be a Mariachi singer. His father was one, and his beloved grandfather was one. He’s been the star of the North Amistad High School’s award-winning Mariachi band for three years. And then his life fell apart: his abuelo died and his parents uprooted and moved to San Antonio. Rafie is upset and devastated, especially when the school he’s being sent to is the perpetual Number two to his Number one. He’s grieving, he’s alone, and then the absolute kicker: he’s no longer the lead singer of a Mariachi band.

This is the story of how Rafie finds his way, finds love, and learns to trust other people.

I really liked this one. I love the way Villa is writing about LGBTQ people inside of Mexican culture and challenging the hyper-masculinity of it. The perpetual Number two – Todos Colores – is a very gay Mariachi band: they have trans men and women and proudly gay people in the band, and they embrace it. They are pushing against the cultural stereotypes that Mariachi’s a man’s world. I also appreciated following Rafie’s grieving process. There was a bit of magical realism which was done incredibly well. I also appreciated that the conflict was all internal: Rafie’s parents were incredibly supportive and loving.

Villa is definitely quickly becoming one of those authors whose books I will read, no matter what.

Blood Justice

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by Terry J. Benton-Walker
First sentence: “Granny was dead, and no one gave a damn — a truth that Velntine Savant choked on for the entirety of her grandparents’ poorly attended joint funeral service.”
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Release date: April 23, 2024
Others in the series: Blood Debts
Content: There’s a lot of violence and a lot of swearing, including many f-bombs. It will be in the Teen (grades 9+) section of the bookstore.

Spoilers for Blood Debts, obviously.

There’s so much going on in this book it’s going to be hard to sum up. Let’s just say Valentina’s grandparents are dead, and she hates her parents and wants revenge on the Trudeau twins and get her power back, and will do anything to it. Clem has an undead (or mostly alive?) boyfriend that he’s been hiding from the world while he tries to figure out how to more alive him. Cris is Angry at Everything and Everyone and is taking Justice into her own hands. Adults are somewhere in there, but not doing much of anything. And there’s an unhinged evil god lurking around.

I was talking to co-workers about this one and this sentence came out of my mouth: “It’s like Riverdale, but with magic and set in New Orleans.” Honestly, that’s the most accurate description for this train wreck of a book. It’s so very soap-y and twisty and all the 16-year-old are acting like grown adults and like children at the same time. Everyone is always so full of Guilt and Secrets and Plots, it’s ridiculous.

And yet. I finished it. I am invested in this silly, overly dramatic, very Queer soap opera. I do want to know how it ends, though i think Benton-Walker could drag it out as long as he wanted to; much like Riverdale, Something is always happening to put the Teens in Peril. Why does it have to end? I do appreciate Benton-Walker tackling racisim, homophobia, the abuse by cops, and general corruption in politics. It’s a lot to deal with, but it’s a lot of a book, so it fits in well.

I think this one gets filed under: it’s a hot mess of a book and not much fun at all, but it’s compelling, and so it’s worth reading.

Audiobook: Gwen & Art Are Not in Love

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by Lex Croucher
Read by: Alex Singh & Sarah Ovens
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Or listen at Libro.fm
Content: There is swearing, including multiple f-bombs, and talking about an older teenager getting drunk. It’s in the Teen section (grades 9+) of the bookstore.

Gwen is a princess in Camelot (not that Gwen, though), and the only thing she does NOT want to do is marry her betrothed, Arthur. She’d much rather spend her days in her routine, and pine after Lady Bridget Leclair, the first lady knight. It’s a good thing she discovers that Arthur feels much the same about their marriage as she does, primarily because he likes boys, and is developing a crush on Gwen’s brother Gabriel. 

There are other plot points in this book – like the threat of unrest by the “cultist” (the people who think that there really used to be magic back in Arthurian times), and some personal growth on the part of both Gwen and Arthur, but mostly it’s just four queer teens romping about in medieval England. 

And you know what? That was a ton of fun. It’s kind of like a queer A Knight’s Tale – not especially historically accurate, but a lot of fun anyway. I loved the narrators and the changing perspectives, and it was just a lot of fun to listen to. Plus: it is a spin on the Arthurian tale, which I’m always here for. 

Highly recommended.