Trigger warnings: Homophobia, Racism, Police Violence

Read my full review at between-the-shelves.com!

Essentially, Burn is a re-imagining of how dragons might have affected the Cold War. Kazimir is a Russian dragon, something extremely rare. But he is key in this prophecy, one that foretells the end of the world. There are a lot of connections throughout to actual historical events in the United States, making the story all the more immersive. Even though there are dragons! Admittedly, the world would be way cooler if there really were dragons.

Ness also doesn't shy away from issues like racism and homophobia. Sarah is mixed race and her best friend/love interest (Jason) is Japanese. They not only have to deal with judgment from the town's population, but also racism from the police force. They're outcasts because they're different. And unfortunately, these are issues still highly prevalent today.

Malcolm and Nelson also experience homophobia first-hand, and some of the moments between them are so tender. Between Malcom, Nelson, Sarah, and Jason, there's a lot of discussion about not letting labels define what you're able to accomplish. As a dragon, Kazimir doesn't let labels define him, and he encourages Sarah to do the same. He encourages them to take control of their own story.

-----
Patrick Ness will forever be one of my favorites, and each book he writes just confirms that. This book hit on so many issues and had so many hard-hitting moments that I just want to go back and read it again. Stay tuned for a full review later this week!

Wow I loved this! I started it last night and actually didn't want to put it down, but you know, sleep. Cal is such a believable character, and he experiences so much growth in this book! As does Leon, they grow together really. They complement each other so well.

The NASA and space aspects felt real, too, and the way social media was discussed was also an important part of the book. There are so many great discussions to be had here, and I loved every moment of it! This might be one I have to own.

Read my full review at between-the-shelves.com

One of the most alluring things about this book is Harley's drive to follow her dreams. While her path hurts a lot of people along the way, she's not afraid to go after what she wants. Harley is brave, even if she is a bit impulsive at times. You're rooting for her throughout the entire book, desperately wanting her to succeed at what she's always dreamed of: being able to fly in the circus. You're also rooting for the fully fleshed out side characters, Vas, Vivien, and Dexi, to reach their dreams, too.

Throughout the book, Harley deals with mood swings and has a lot of discussions about the fact that she doesn't feel in-between; her emotions are very black and white. While this is never labeled as anything in the book, it's clear there's some sort of mood disorder happening. Additionally, there are discussions about therapy and mental health, but nothing comes of them because Harley's parents are against it. However, by the end, there's a note of hope that this will change in the future.
------
Bowman has done it again! Stay tuned for a full-review coming later this week.

Really giving this 4.5 stars. What a beautiful world that Brown has created! I was enchanted right from the beginning, sucked in by stories and magic and wonderful characters. Their struggles felt so real, and the book was so hard to put down at the end there! And this is going to be a series, right? I need it to be a series!

Another excellent book from Acevedo. I loved the format of this book; it worked so well for the voices of Camino and Yahaira. Plus Acevedo's verse is beautiful, as always. A strong, powerful book!

I basically read this all in one night; it was so good I couldn't put it down! The characters were honestly spot on in this book. And the romance was well done. I dare you to read this and not root for Liz and Mack the entire way through! Honestly, I think this book needs its own TV show or movie or something. It would work so well on the screen!

This hovers between 3 and 4 stars for me. It's a strong, feminist re-telling of Little Red Riding Hood, and that I enjoyed. Arnold twisted the story in a unique way, which made it all the more interesting. However, I'm not a huge fan of second person (it makes it harder to get into the story for me) and pieces of the story were definitely graphic. I would recommend this for the older end of YA. There is also a lot of discussion of periods throughout, so if that's something that bothers you, I'd probably stay away.

With that ending, I'm so glad I can immediately start the next one! I love the Blackthorns, definitely one of my favorite Shadowhunter families. Can't wait to see how this trilogy wraps up!

Giving this 3.5 stars, rounding up to 4. Were there times in this that were difficult to follow? Yes, yes there were. But this is such a fun world that I enjoyed all the nuggets in here immensely. This is definitely a book you have to read closely, but I'd say it's worth it.

Chupeco definitely gets bonus points for fun chapter titles, which I love. This world she created is so complex, and while I wish the characters were a bit more fleshed out, this is still a fun read!

While most WWII novels focus on what happened during the war, this one focuses on what happens after. Zofia survived the Nazi concentration camps, and is now desperately looking for her brother. But surviving is just the beginning; Zofia has to learn how to live with the trauma she faced during the war.

The characters were really strong in this, and Hesse adds twists at the end that make the story even more engrossing. I think it's important to read narratives like this because what did happen after the war was over? It's clear that Hesse did her research, and this is overall a strong novel.