Bridey Corkill dreams of escaping her claustrophobic town next to the ocean. She’s hated the ocean since she was nine and watched her grandfather dive into it with a smile and die. Now, in 1913, Bridey suspects what lured her grandfather to jump is back, as villagers keep going missing. When she starts working for an old woman the village calls a witch, rescues a young man who washed up on the shore, and sees something mysterious in the water, Bridey’s world turns upside down, and it’s up to her and her friends to save the Isle.

FEAR THE DROWNING DEEP is consuming, romantic, and eerie story that won’t let you go. Sarah Glenn Marsh weaves an unforgettable tale of the ocean and what creatures might lurk beneath the waves. Bridey has everything I want in a main character: complexity, strength, loyalty, and bit of a bite. She’s unashamed in enjoying kissing, and she’s careful with whom she trusts with her heart. Her interactions with her family are nuanced and realistic, as is her relationship with the village that scorns her. While there is a big romance, the heart of the story is Bridey’s journey. She goes from fearing the ocean and avoiding ever going there to tackling the ocean’s creatures head on to save her village. Her hesitancy turns into determination, and her ideas about where her place is changes as she does.

This is the kind of book that’s hard to articulate the tone and mood in a review because it’s so unique and creative. From the edge of fear that comes every time the ocean is mentioned to the swoons when Fynn smiles to the rising anticipation of a great battle as each chapter passes, this is a story that begs to be read over and over. I found myself devouring each page and getting sucked into the Isle quicker than I could have imagined.

FEAR THE DROWNING DEEP is an ocean-powered gem of a novel with scary thrills, bittersweet sighs, and a journey that will captivate.

Originally posted at YABC: http://www.yabookscentral.com/yafiction/20523-fear-the-drowning-deep-2

Ella Benton misses her father every day, even though he died when she was very young. She visits his grave and attempts a séance to talk to him. As her mother is about to marry again, Ella doesn’t want her father to be forgotten. When Ella’s soon-to-be new stepbrother reveals that he overheard a big secret about her father’s death from her mom, Ella is shocked. Instead of her father dying in a car crash, he may have died in a mental hospital. Together, they try to get to the bottom of what really happened, and mysterious clues lead to Ella wondering if even she has been hiding something from herself.

What I Loved:

BLACK FLOWERS WHITE LIES has a fantastic, engaging premise. I love the set-up of the mystery behind her father’s death and the creepy happenings from the handprint on the mirror to the bloody signs. Alongside the mystery is a complex look at what happens when two families merge together and how to keep memories alive, even while moving on.

Ella’s dynamic relationship with her mother is another highlight. She loves her mom dearly, but when she suspects her mom has been keeping the truth from her, Ella wonders if she can trust her mom. Her mother is protective and supportive, even if a bit misguided at times, and their relationship feels so realistic and genuine.

What Left Me Wanting More:

While the premise held so much promise, the plot ultimately did not work well for me. The signs pointing to the truth are a bit obvious, and I was easily able to work out what was going on before I made it halfway through the story. However, readers who aren’t well read in psychological thrillers may find the twists more shocking.

Final Verdict:

Though I didn’t find any surprises in the story, BLACK FLOWERS WHITE LIES is an overall enjoyable read that explores the ways of the mind.

Originally posted at YABC: http://www.yabookscentral.com/yafiction/20461-black-flowers-white-lies

Darling Dimple wants to do a good job in the castle she works in, but she has a knack for finding herself in the middle of trouble. When she gets a new position as an Under-Presser for the princess, she ends up discovering a closet with one hundred dresses. No one seems to wear the dresses, so Darling decides she should give one a go. The dress transforms her into someone else, and Darling realizes that the dresses are more than pretty; they are magic, and magic always leads to a good adventure.

What I Loved:

IF THE MAGIC FITS is an adorable middle grade read, perfect for young readers who love fashion, adventure, and magic. Darling Dimple is an easily lovable heroine, eager to do well and has a strong desire for fun. Readers can feel the weight she carries on her shoulders from her past, as well as the depth love she has for her found family.

As someone who loves a good dress, the descriptions are lovely. Each dress Darling ties on has its own personality and own magic, which will sure to leave readers eager for a sequel to see what the other tens of dresses do.

What Left Me Wanting More:

Though there are so many fun scenes, the pacing is a little slow between them, making it hard to maintain a consistent interest. The character list is also a bit lengthy, and there were a couple of characters I kept mixing up because they weren’t distinctive. However, some of the side characters like Roger and Jane are fantastic and add plenty of smiles to the story.

Final Verdict:

Though there are some issues, overall, IF THE MAGIC FITS is a delightful read that encourages imagination, highlights true friendship (with humans and animals), and does everything in style.

Originally posted at YABC: http://www.yabookscentral.com/kidsfiction/20538-if-the-magic-fits

3.5 stars rounded up!

Short and Sweet:

I enjoyed this unique and exciting take on ‘The Beauty and the Beast,’ featuring a fantastic couple to ship.
To Elaborate…

At school, Dylan has the nickname ‘Beast.’ Between his large size, muscles, and hair, he’s felt defined by his physical appearance since he was young. When he has an accident on a roof that leads to him breaking his leg, he is put in therapy for self-harmers. There, he meets Jamie. Jamie isn’t afraid to call Dylan out when he needs it, and she is smart, funny, and gorgeous as well. Dylan zones out during therapy and misses when Jamie talks about being transgender. Dylan must work out his hang-ups and misplaced anger if he wants to be with the best girl he’s ever met.

I love this contemporary twist on B&tB. It reminds me of a more diverse Beastly (by Alex Flinn). Dylan is full of rough edges and a big heart, and his flaws are nuanced well done. I absolutely adore how Jamie isn’t afraid to call him out. Dylan isn’t used to people standing up to him, and Jamie has no problem doing that. She is fierce and complex on her own, and I especially like how the author includes both of their relationships with their mothers (and Dylan’s sort-of-friend, JP’s, relationship with his mother as well). I shipped Dylan and Jamie from their first meeting, and their journey through ups and downs, emotions, swoony kisses, and heartache is magical.
Final Verdict:

Though contemporary isn’t my go-to genre, I’m so glad I read this one. Beast is a wonderfully diverse story of love, sexuality, and what it means to know and accept yourself.

Originally posted at The Forest of Words and Pages: http://www.forestofwordsandpages.com/2016/10/blog-tour-beast-brie-spangler/

When Emmy Danvers sat down to work on her romance novel at Starbucks, she thought her major concerns would be dialogue and character growth. Instead, she gets tackled by an old man who says mysterious things to her and then promptly dies. After Emmy finds a tablet he stuck in her pocket, she realizes that she might be in serious dangerous, and she is coerced into a new private school for protection, though it may end up being the place she should fear the most.

What I Loved:
DIAL EM FOR MURDER is a fun, quirky mystery. Emmy is a delightfully sassy protagonist, and her wit had me laughing out loud more than once. With creepy texts, dangerous pasts, and deadly motives, the suspense chills, but what I most admire are the underlying issues beyond the suspense. Though they are minor problems, Bates creates wonderful nuances as Emmy struggles with her friends after switching schools and keeping secrets, unrequited love, and trying to do well in a school known for its competitive students.

What Left Me Wanting More:
Though the suspenseful moments are strong, the overall mystery fell a little flat for me. Emmy sometimes makes dramatic conclusions without any evidence to support it. While the unrequited love Emmy experiences with her close friend is a nice addition to the story, the on-and-off side flirting from Sebastian is weird and often distracts from the plot.

Final Verdict:
Though it has its flaws, DIAL EM FOR MURDER is a solid pick for mystery lovers looking for a fun, hilarious book with sass and suspense.

Originally posted at YABC: https://www.goodreads.com/review/edit/27150827-dial-em-for-murder

Ricky Desmond has been through a number of mental health facilities. It always ends with him getting bored, calling his mother, and then ending up transferring somewhere else. When his mother’s significant other puts his foot down, Ricky is sent to the Brookline psychiatric hospital for losing his temper. Soon, Ricky notices that Brookline isn’t like the other places he’s been to. Here, people are terrified of Warden Crawford, and everyone is encouraged to put their heads down and live under the radar as much as possible. When the Warden picks Ricky as his special new patient, Ricky is in more danger than he has ever known, and it will take the help of a few friends (and maybe a few ghosts) to get away.

Though I haven’t read the Asylum series, this prequel, ESCAPE FROM ASYLUM, is easy to read on its own. The combination of horror writing and creepy pictures Roux is known for make this a story not to read in the dark, as we follow Ricky’s terrifying encounters with the Warden. The tone is spine-chilling throughout, leaving you both eager to turn the page to find out what happens next but also scared to do so.

While Ricky is a solid character on his own, arrogant, cheeky, and genuine, the side characters, Kay and Nurse Ash, are a welcome addition to the story. Both are tough and often as frustrated as Ricky, though the idea of escaping seems much less feasible to them than Ricky. Even so, they band together, and their touching connections bring hope, even when all seems lost. The banter and sweet romantic tension between Kay and Ricky provides a few nice swoons and breaks from the scares.

Fans of American Horror Story and things that go bump in the night will devour the latest from Madeleine Roux. Ricky’s unforgettable journey will haunt you for days.

Originally posted at YABC: http://www.yabookscentral.com/explore-ya-fiction/discussions/review?id=38454