Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an advanced copy of this to review! Teen nonfiction isn’t a hugely popular genre, but there have been some real gems that have come out this year. This one included!

I’ll admit, I didn’t know much about the Tulsa Race Massacre until I watched Watchmen on HBO, which starts out putting viewers in the middle of the riot. Not only is this a powerful way to start a show, but it brought to light an event that isn’t ever talked about in American history classes. What I liked about Colbert’s book is that she points out why. After this happened, no one talked about it. Silenced in all the newspapers, just swept away like it never happened. If that isn’t proof that history is rewritten in favor of those in power, I don’t know what is.

It’s clear that Colbert did a lot of research to make this book accurate. However, the text is still engaging, reading a little like a narrative with facts and context sprinkled throughout. Not only does Colbert give us the history to what lead up to this event, but she also ties it into what’s been happening in the United States since then. These connections make history interesting, and teens who interested in historical nonfiction will definitely engage with this book.

Honestly, this is a book that should be used in classrooms and libraries across the country. We need to talk about this history because otherwise we will never move past it. When this book comes out in October, definitely consider adding it to your classroom or school library! 

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Not only does this book cover a period in history that is vastly eliminated from US History classes, it puts a lot of these events into today's context as well. An informative and important read. Full review to come soon!

This book very much reads like a documentary or podcast, so I feel like if you know that going in, it helps with the story! In the vein of Blake's writing, the overall plot is slow-paced, but I still flew threw this book. Creepy, mysterious, and I'm still not quite sure what's the truth and what's fiction. And I think that's the point!

Friends, I feel like I've been striking out on books lately. I appreciate the messages behind this book and the ultimate goal of what the author was trying to achieve, I just couldn't get into the voice. Hector's voice felt robotic for me for most of the novel, and I just wanted a little more emotion behind it. He was angry for a lot of the book, I just didn't really feel it.

This is very much a character driven story, and usually I like those, but I couldn't get into this one. It's a quick read and an important read, just not one of my favorites.

 Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an advanced copy of this to review! Margaret Rogerson writes some great fantasy, and I was excited to get to this one. I mean, just look at the cover! It definitely looks absolutely promising.

Unfortunately, I found the book overall difficult to get into. Even though Rogerson is a master at world building, there was something lacking in the character development. The relationship between the revenant and Artemisia was probably the most interesting thing about the book, but it wasn’t enough to fully connect me to the story. I just wanted more overall.

While I appreciate when fantasies don’t have romances, I think this one could have benefited from that. Fleshing out the characters would have helped to get me more engaged in the story. One of the things that I couldn’t necessarily figure out was Artemisia’s motivation for everything. Having that motivation would have helped in making the story more engaging.

Even though I couldn’t connect to the characters, I did appreciate all of the detail that Rogerson put into the world building. There were so many interesting little details that helped in creating this captivating world.

All in all, while this wasn’t quite the book I wanted, fans of Rogerson’s writing will still find something to like. 
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I usually love Margaret Rogerson's books, there was just something about this one that didn't click with me. More to come in a review later this week!

You can tell that a lot of research went into this, and I appreciated the different perspective this offered on the Titanic. Especially in the context of the author's note at the end, this whole story is facsinating. The characters are great and you're really immersed in this time period. You know how it's going to end, but you kind of hope something else will happen anyway. I feel like that with basically every historical fiction that I read.

 Thanks to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for an advanced copy of this to review! You all know YA Fantasy is one my jams, so I was interested by the summary on this one. Unfortunately, it ended up being kind of a mixed bag for me.

One of the things that this has going for it is it’s an incredibly quick read. It’s easy to jump into the world, and Rutherford really brings you into this world without bogging you down with too many details. Those kinds of fantasies are great if you’re looking for something quick and magical!

However, a lot of the plot felt too familiar in regard to other popular YA fantasy books. I felt it didn’t do enough to distinguish itself from other books in this genre, especially Shadow and Bone. There were too many similarities for me to get too engaged in the book.

Also, I wanted more character development. There are a lot of characters introduced, and none of them are really in-depth characters. They mostly feel surface level. As someone who reads for character, this meant it was difficult for me to really engage with the story.

All in all, this one was a bit of a miss for me. But that cover is still really cool! 

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Eh, this wasn't my favorite fantasy I've read lately. Too many characters, a lot of reference to other YA fantasy. More to come in a review later this week or next!

This overall was a fun story, about the daughter of a superhero who doesn't want to associate with her mother. I actually really enjoyed the art in this, even if the story wasn't quite all the way there. I think I just wanted a bit more character development. Still a fun, quick read though!

I am so torn about this book. On the one hand, this world that Sambury created is unique and interesting and I loved learning about it. The characters added a lot to the story, and for the most part, they were nicely fleshed out and added to the world that was being built. However, there was a ton of world-building right at the beginning, and the main plot didn't really seem to start until about 100 pages into the book. Which could be your cup of tea! But I wanted the action to start a little sooner.

Overall, I think my main issue is this book felt too long. For me, this meant that a lot of the plot felt repetitive, especially with Voya's task. I was actually much more interested in the mystery with her aunt and how that was going to pan out. As the first book in a series, I think this might have just taken on a bit too much. Pairing it down would have allowed some of the plot elements to breath a bit, and some of the other parts of the story could have been explored in future books.

I don't want to giveaway spoilers, but I also felt "meh" about the ending. Voya's choice ended up feeling a bit harsh, and even though I kind of figured where the plot was going, I didn't know it was going to go to that extent. 

Definitely mixed about this book, but still 100% in love with this fantastic cover.

A re-read for me since I got approved for the sequel on NetGalley but it's been awhile since I read this one! I also learned that my physical copy had a misprint in it, so this was a combo read for me. And it's just as good the second time! I can't wait to see how this duology wraps up in the next book.
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Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Teen for an advanced copy of this to review! This was one of my most anticipated fall releases, and I am so glad to say that it lived up to the hype. I absolutely loved this book, and can't wait until my physical copy arrives in the mail!

Right from the beginning, Zhao isn't afraid to shy away from difficult topics. A lot of the points that Zetian makes about feminism and the way society treats girls can apply to our society as well. Zhao also drew on a lot of Chinese history for this book; you can tell in the world building and all the small details that she includes. I was fascinated by this world, with the mix of technology and history.

And the characters! Zetian doesn't take no for an answer, and is willing to do what it takes to bring equality to the world. Also there's a polyamorous relationship! Instead of having a love triangle, basically they all fall in love with each other. It feels so natural in the way this world is built, and each of the characters brings something different to the relationship. Wu Zetian, Li Shimin, and Gao Yizhi have great chemistry, and I want to see more from all three of them in the future!

There are so many layers to this story, and it's one that I can't wait to dive into again. I'm sure there are things I missed the first time around, and will definitely have to catch them in a second read! 
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Okay this book was amazing. I definitely recommend the audiobook, I was fully immersed in this story! More to come in a review next week.

This will definitely be great for historical fiction fans; it's fast-paced and has a lot of great characters. Stay tuned for a review next week!