Author: Kathrese McKee

Kathrese McKee writes YA epic adventure fantasy for anyone who enjoys pirates and princesses combined with life’s difficult questions. She is an author, speaker, teacher, and editor. Visit her at www.kathresemckee.com.
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Sun and Moon by Desiree Williams

Sun and Moon by Desiree Williams is a good, summer romantic fantasy  appropriate for middle grade and young adult readers. It’s short, easy to digest, and has an assured happy ending, like a bag of popcorn at the movie theater.

Synopsis​

Eighteen-year-old Zara has been a slave since her parents were killed when she was only eight. She serves as the companion and bodyguard for a princess, and together, they plot escape from the princess’s despotic father, King Melchior.

There’s only one catch; she was chosen from birth to fulfill a much larger destiny, and the time arrives before she is ready. (No spoilers.)

Pros:

  • This is a clean romance suitable for all ages. Zara and Jaedon are both wonderful, easy-to-like characters.
  • The cover is beautiful.
  • The pacing keeps the reader engaged.
  • The world-building is great.

Cons:

  • For a demanding, older reader, this book tends to be too perfect, too sweet, and too predicable. By the end of 227 pages, not one, but three couples have managed to reach their happy endings.
  • Some readers may be uncomfortable with the idea of an assigned life mate and the use of symbols (like tattoos) that come to life to help the characters find each other.
  • The evil king is a little too evil to be believable.

Personal Thoughts

Sun and Moon was too sweet and easy for my taste. I don’t think the author intended this book to be a Young Adult book, but the female lead’s age is ripe for this market. Certainly, the content is appropriate for this age group.

The novel had the potential to be much better if only the author had included grittier conflict and not so many happy endings. For lost opportunity, I will give it four stars, but as a “popcorn” romance, it’s a perfect summer read.

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Once a Princess by Sherwood Smith

Once a Princess by Sherwood Smith is an epic adventure fantasy with magic and swords, pirates and princesses, and a conniving villain.  It is appropriate for ages 12 and up.

Synopsis

Many people on Goodreads dinged this books as a cliff-hanger, but that is not the author’s fault. Blame the publisher, instead, for trying to wring every groat from a story they could easily sell as two books. You must plan to read the second part of the story in Twice a Prince, the second book in the “series,” Sasharia en Garde!

This so-called series is set in the beloved world of Crown Duel, one of my all-time favorite books. While this story is much lighter fare, it still sweeps you along.

Pros

This is a fun book with lots of clever conversation.

Politics reign. If you like political intrigue, scheming villains, and even craftier heroes, this is the book for you.

Pirates and princesses.

Also, this is a clean story that doesn’t revolve is light on romance.

Cons

Sometimes, I wished for a grittier, harder-hitting plot. However, it is entertaining, and that’s great for a rainy day.

It has a silly cover, but who doesn’t love a heroine who loves books?

Personal Thoughts

Plan to read both books: Once a Princess and Twice a Prince Duh. I know, it should go without saying, but readers should know what they are getting into when they start the first book. And raspberries to the publisher that artificially separated two parts of one story.

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A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas is categorized as a Young Adult fantasy by its publisher.  However, it should be classified as New Adult based on the age of its protagonist (19), sexual content, and graphic violence. 

I was on the fence about giving this book a two-star review or a three-star review; however, in our star rating description (on the Home page), a three-star review must be “a decent read.” Based on the content, I do not think it meets that criterion.  In good conscience, I cannot recommend this book. 

Synopsis​

Feyre is a young, human woman who kills a wolf while attempting to find food for her starving family. She soon discovers that she killed (and skinned) a faerie in disguise, and the cost of her unwitting crime is her life—life in the faerie world of Prythian as the property of Tamlin, High Lord of the Spring Court. And it goes downhill from there.

It’s not that the world-building isn’t superb. The writing is far above par. But what’s billed as being a “. . . blend of action, romance, and witty banter as well as a sexier, edgier tone” by the School Library Journal is, in retrospect, a pandering slosh through unbelievable attraction and unexciting action.

Maas, the beloved author of The Throne of Glass series, seems to be laboring to make it work in this uninspiring book. This is Twilight meets Beauty and the Beast, set in the cruel and sadistic world of the legend of Tamlin. All the elements are there: the (much) older supernatural male and the (crazily attractive) young female who spark off one another the moment they meet; the curse only the female can break; the cruel faerie queen; Lumiere—Lucien—the witty matchmaker; Alis, the helpful housekeeper; and finally, there is Rhysand, the Jacob wannabe.

Pros:

Maas is a master world-builder.  Wow. As a writer and editor, I appreciate the luxurious prose.

The cover is pretty. Love the map.

The main character is loyal to a fault for the first half of the book. I could al-most like Feyre at the beginning of the tale, but then she loses her way.

Cons:

Feyre establishes her street cred as a sexually-active young woman by acknowledging her casual rolls in the hay with a local man when she needs to escape reality. This relationship is entirely meaningless in the scope of the story and trite, like an item that must be marked off a characterization checklist: “Main character must not be a virgin.” Check.

Her first “sexual” encounter with Tamlin is after he has taken part in a rite of spring (um, I’m trying to keep it PG) and comes back to the mansion all crazy. He bites her on the neck, and the reader is supposed to think it’s hot. Smashing a woman against the wall and biting her is assault. This is very disappointing in any book, but especially so in a book marketed to teen girls. Bloomsbury USA Children cannot claim otherwise; as of this writing, the novel is #19 on Amazon in Books>Teens>Romance> Fantasy.

Yes, Tamlin and Feyre eventually get together in bed. He’s so five-hundred-plus-years-old, and she’s so nineteen. To be absolutely fair, she (spoiler) is no longer a human when this takes place, though they’ve been diggin’ each beforehand.

Tamlin and Feyre are not as likable as the sidekick, Lucien, or even the ruffian, Rhysand. About that checklist: “Make main characters likable.” If you are going to write a kick-butt heroine, she cannot also be too stupid to live. If you are going to write a swoon-worthy hero, he cannot be abusive or controlling. Not ever.

The High Lords, including Tamlin, are practically gods (little g) with powers beyond imagination. They are immortal (mostly). As is common in faerie tales, the faeries in this story are amoral creatures, doing whatever seems best at the time. Tamlin is considered a Goody Two-Shoes by his peers.

The crisis of curse and cruelty takes place in Queen Amarantha’s court, and it goes on forever. Maas holds nothing back, churning out one hundred pages of torture and sexual innuendo. Again, the frail human is somehow the key to defeating the evil queen. The girl is also seemingly irresistible to male faeries. Why? I kept thinking of Bella in Twilight and her effect on an entire school of boys. Talk about fantasy!

Later, to save her life, Feyre strikes a deal with another High Lord, Rhysand, to stay with him one week every month for the rest of her life. His expectations are obvious. I suppose she has to “pay up” in Book 2, but that doesn’t matter to me since I won’t be reading it.

Kirkus Reviews wrote, “Sexy and romantic.” Sexy? Too much so. Romantic? Nah.  And that’s too bad because I’m a sucker for romance.

This book contains so much violence that I cannot list it here.

Also, there is language in the book that is not appropriate for its intended audience.

Finally, at the last showdown, Feyre has an ah-ha moment that is outrageously contrived.  The resolution relies entirely on deus ex machina, a suddenly revealed fact about Tamlin (the god, in this case) that saves the day.

Personal Thoughts

Sadly, this book does not live up to the author’s reputation.  I wanted to like it. I was predisposed to love it. But I had to force myself to finish it so I could write this review. Not recommended.

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The Thirteenth Child by Patricia C. Wrede

Scriblerians

The Thirteenth Child by Patricia C. Wrede is a Young Adult fantasy suitable for sixth grade and up. This engaging story is set in a re-imagined wild west.

Synopsis​

Eff is the older twin sister of Lan, the superpowerful seventh son of a seventh son in a family of magicians. That makes her the unlucky thirteenth child. Everyone, even her extended family, is on the watch for the day she “turns bad” and her magic brings disgrace on their name.

Eff’s parents move their family to the Far West, just this side of the Great Barrier, a magical wall intended to keep the dangerous wild creatures on the far side of the river away from the settlers.

Pros:

Patricia C. Wrede has created an alternate history of a new world where magic systems collide and melt together. 

The main character, Eff, learns the difference between superstition and knowledge. With help from her brother, a good friend, and a superlative teacher, she gradually grows in power and understanding.

This novel will appeal to young adults, regardless of gender. This is the first book in a trilogy that will give readers many hours of entertainment.

The complex magical system will satisfy the most demanding fantasy readers. The situations the settlers face makes the wild west as tantalizing as ever.

The story is told by Eff, from the time she is five until she is eighteen. Her voice reminds me of Scout’s from To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee; that is high praise indeed. The heroine is thoroughly endearing and unexpectedly funny.

Cons:

Before her family moves west, she is mistreated and teased unmercifully by her cousins. She constantly hears the predictions of failure from her extended family. One uncle in particular is set against her; he urges her parents to do something about her before it’s too late. The superstitious gossip and constant low expectations create Eff’s struggle to accept herself and to rise above the curse of being the thirteenth child.

This book will challenge struggling readers, but on the other hand, it would make a great read-aloud book for bedtime rituals.

Personal Thoughts

I highly recommend this series. 

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It’s Complicated by Laura L. Smith

It’s Complicated by Laura L. Smith is the first book in the Status Updates series, suitable for ages sixteen and up.

The series follows the stories of Claire, Hannah, Palmer, and Kat, college roommates, as they go through their freshman year. I would place this book on both the Young Adult and New Adult shelves because the protagonists are all eighteen years old at the beginning and grow older as the series progresses.

Pros:

  • Ms. Smith deftly portrays four very different girls as they tell their stories–both individual and collective–in their own words. The author tackles some difficult topics in a realistic manner, but she manages to keep the story hopeful and inspiring.
  • It’s Complicated introduces the main characters during the end of their summer and first weeks of school. The four friends learn to pull together as they navigate through life-changing circumstances.
  • Young Adult readers will relate to the dilemmas and decisions the main characters face. Drama and trauma are interwoven with funny and embarrassing moments Readers will definitely want to tune back in for the remaining four books in the Status Updates series to find out what happens to Claire, Hannah, Palmer, and Kat.
  • Due to a couple of adult situations, this material is inappropriate for younger students. However, the Lexile is approximately 610L based on a sample, so struggling readers will not have a problem enjoying the text.
  • All of the girls claim to be Christian. Kat’s family has moved several times, so they’ve “switched churches a lot.” Claire keeps her Bible and a journal beneath her pillow. She says she attends church back home.
  • Palmer admits to being a Christian and always wears a silver cross necklace. It bothers her that her boyfriend’s family doesn’t pray before meals. Claire is convinced that she’s too dirty for God to love after the assault; I found this crisis of faith to be realistic.

Cons: (spoilers)

  • Claire’s date lures her to his room and rapes her. The attack, told from Claire’s point of view, is short and not graphic, although she leaves no doubt about what has happened to her.
  • Palmer’s long-term high school boyfriend pressures her to have sex with him to prove that she loves him. She resists, but not before it’s almost too late. Their physical relationship has spiraled out of control, and he cannot keep his hands off her. She, in turn, lets passion cloud her judgement.
  • Kat makes out with a guy she knows isn’t the sort of boy she can take home to meet the parents.
  • Claire’s mom discovers that her serious boyfriend is already married. Claire is pressured to drink wine on at least two occasions while in France, even though she’s underage in the United States. She drinks too much the last time, and this makes her vulnerable to the assault mentioned above. Claire cannot seem to catch a break.
  • Kat’s new friend and fellow soccer player uses “K2,” a synthetic form of marijuana, to relax and deal with stress. He compares it to drinking wine. She refuses his offer to share.
  • A random stranger offers to buy Palmer a beer.
  • Claire’s father walked out on her mother when Claire was seven. Claire’s mother goes from one relationship to another. This distorts Claire’s perspective on men.
  • Kat decides to get a stud in her nose without her parents’ consent. She knows her mother won’t approve.
  • Palmer’s mother seems overly concerned about appearances, nagging Palmer about staying trim.

My Personal Opinions:

Mature adult readers who–like me–frequently read YA fiction may find the style too telling. These accounts read like a girl’s diary. That’s fine, up to a point, but the constant emotional input from the four girls, revealing their feelings through “I feel” and “I felt” statements exhausted me.

That said, Laura L. Smith hits the sweet spot for her intended audience of young women on the threshold of life. This is an inspirational novel that fits neatly under the heading of Christian contemporary YA fiction.

In this book, there is no overt “altar call” as is found in some inspirational fiction. This is the way Christian fiction should be written, keeping things real and addressing the difficult questions we face.

For Young Adult/New Adult readers, It’s Complicated will too soon, and they will want to pick up each new installment as soon as it’s available.

 

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May B. by Caroline Starr Rose

May B., by Caroline Rose Starr, is an inspiring Middle Grade story about twelve-year-old Mavis Elizabeth Betts, a girl with dyslexia who dreams of being a teacher someday.

Written entirely in verse, the 240-page book is a quick and engrossing read.

“I catch what’s not said:/ it’s foolishness to keep pretending. / What sort of teacher can’t /read out lessons? / Maybe May B. can / Maybe May B. can’t”

May B.’s life-altering experience begins when she is volunteered by her parents to help out a neighbor because his new wife needs help adjusting to life on a Kansas prairie farm. The couple live fifteen miles from the Betts’ homestead. Besides, May will be home by Christmas her father assures her. Things go awry, and May is stranded, alone, in a fight for her life against the harsh Kansas winter. The story is a testament to May’s inner strength and bravery.

Pros:

  • May B. is a first-person account from May’s point of view. The author manages to paint a realistic picture of life for the early settlers in Kansas: the one-room schoolhouse, dug-out cabins, scarcity of food and resources, harsh weather, and long distances. Hard choices abound for May B. and her family, and she must grow up quickly.
  • Ms. Rose’s characterization, imagery, and pacing are first rate. She does what all novelists strive to achieve in far fewer words, and I salute her skill. This book is appropriate for all ages, particularly middle grades and up. Readers younger than nine may need help following the story without the usual cues provided by prose.

Cons:

  • May’s current teacher neither understands nor sympathizes with May’s learning problem caused by her dyslexia. May has fond memories of her first teacher who worked hard to help her progress.
  • The children at her school, all but her brother, underestimate May’s intelligence based on her poor academic performance. Any child with learning differences will identify with the way this affects her self-esteem.
  • Her peers ridicule and harass May because of her disability.
  • Even her parents seem to underestimate their daughter, although their love for her is clear.
  • The neighbor’s inept wife is rude to May and unappreciative of her hard work.
  • The neighbor and his wife perish off-screen. May does not know they have died until the end of the story.

My Personal Opinion:

I have read this book through twice and thoroughly enjoyed it both times.  For those who love Laura Ingalls Wilder or even Anne of Green Gables, this book is a natural choice. The female protagonist has a strong spirit and will to survive.

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Jupiter Winds by C. J. Darlington

Scriblerians Middle Grade and Young Adult Fiction Reviews

Jupiter Winds by C. J. Darlington is a Young Adult book that is suited to grades 6 and up.  The story is a mixture of science fiction and dystopian.

Grey and her younger sister, Rin,  are surviving in the absence of their parents in a very hostile location on Earth. They make due and get by with the help of their elderly friend, Mrs. March. Running contraband to buy supplies, every day is a risk, and when government forces close in, the sisters are separated.

Jupiter Winds would qualify as a Space Western since it has a fun plot and ignores science as we know it. This particular story is a clean read, completely suitable for middle grade readers and above.

Pros:

  • Let me start with the best parts of the story—intriguing characters and strong pacing. The main character, Grey, and her sister, Rin, had a sweet relationship, taking care of one another in the absence of their parents.
  • My favorite character was Mrs. March, an older mentor lady who can kick butt. What’s not to like?
  • Highly imaginative setting.
  • I abandon many books before I reach the end, but I’ll give credit to Darlington for keeping me involved through the last page, even though I found the ending to be anti-climactic. The author understands how to fade to black and open in another scene. In other words, she kept the story moving at a fine clip. This is a difficult skill to master.

Cons:

  • I would have liked to see more of Jet, since he had an interesting background. The author missed a stellar opportunity—see what I did there?—by leaving Jet out of the picture for the majority of the book.
  • Mrs. March. But didn’t you say you liked her? Yes, but she is also very unbelievable, switching from a kindly old neighbor lady to a warrior spaceship captain in the blink of an eye. The author should have given the reader some hints that Mrs. March wasn’t what she seemed to be before turning her into Kathryn Janeway (Star Trek).
  • The remainder of the characters were straight off the shelf, particularly General What’s-her-name, a Flat Stanley villainess who only lacked a mustache to twirl. She was mean, cruel, sadistic, one hundred percent evil, virtually indestructible, and completely unbelievable.
  • Mom and Dad were cutout characters too; their only role was to provide motivation for the main character.

Science Fiction Lite

To be blunt, this novel is full of bad science. I could overlook this shortcoming if the story had been written before the space age, but these days, even young teens will have to suspend disbelief in a big way because Jupiter Winds revolves around the idea that we’ve misjudged Jupiter by writing it off as uninhabitable.

Jupiter is mostly hydrogen and helium under intense pressure. No spacecraft we could fashion on Earth would be able to withstand the gravitational pressure of the massive planet. That goes double for the frail human frame.

But in this story, humans don’t even require spacesuits to walk on the planet’s colorful sands or breathe its poisonous atmosphere. There are trees and animals native to the planet. The weather’s fine if you overlook the sudden onset of windstorms.

Another key point in the plot hinges on the idea that humans have discovered a shortcut to reach Jupiter in under a week. The very sketchy descriptions of the spaceships evoke crafts of the silent film era combined with silos like those used to house intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).

Final Word

I gave this book 3 stars on Goodreads for its lack of scientific realism and because there are no half stars on Goodreads to ease the pain. However, 3 stars seems too severe if you are simply looking for a good time. For keeping me entertained, I would give Jupiter Winds 4 stars, so I have settled for 3.7 which you may round up to 4 stars if you like. Read it if you love Space Westerns. Avoid it if you’re a dedicated fan of hard science fiction.