Reviews written by Renae M

For me, Legend was a fast-paced, entertaining novel, but not a particularly good novel. I thought this was something like an action movie—great in the moment, but doesn’t make a strong impression or really do well under close scrutiny. There are a lot of dystopian novels in the world, and...

This is a brief, thought-provoking piece of science fiction. It makes readers think about the nature of humanity, the limitations of science, human rights. That definitely wasn’t the sort of novel I expected to find here, and I’m not actually sure what point Pearson was trying to make. There was...

There’s something about novels in verse that changes the story. Take two books, both with the same content, and the one in verse will have this quality of other. Poetry changes things. The fact that Chasing Brooklyn is a novel in verse made all the differences—had I read the same...

Really, how you feel about The Deepest Night depends on whether or not you were a fan of The Sweetest Dark. Shana Abé’s storytelling is very consistent, meaning that if you liked the one, you’ll probably like the other. In a world where so often Second Book Syndrome is an...

This being my second experience with Nina LaCour’s work, I started reading Hold Still with pretty low expectations. I wasn’t a huge fan of The Disenchantments, and since it’s usually a safe bet that authors improve over time, I was expecting more of the same from this book. Interestingly enough,...

When it comes to Amy Reed, it’s very possible that “fangirl” isn’t a strong enough word to describe me. She was the author who turned me onto YA realistic fiction, whose writing has influenced me in many, many ways, and who I can count on to always deliver a powerful,...

I’m somewhat conflicted in regards to this book. I liked and disliked it in almost equal measure, and I have a lot to say on both fronts. Getting Over Garrett Delaney is most definitely a light summer-type book, and though it’s very enjoyable, I find that the actions of the...

In spite of the fact that this is really not my kind of book, I ended up enjoying The Reece Malcolm List quite a lot. For me it was a totally hugabble book with great characters and an engaging storyline. The only downside was that I pretty much wanted to...

I feel like I’ve read this book a dozen times before. Perhaps it’s a testament to the amount of YA contemporary novels I read, that I’ve become too wised up on the genre, but I like to think that it’s simply because Unbreak My Heart relies very heavily on common...

As a reader, I don’t personally find books that deal with “out of body experiences” to be particularly my speed. I’m one of the very few readers who found If I Stay to be underwhelming, and just, in general, the topic doesn’t do much for me. I’m not sure why....

From the very first chapter, I know this book was going to be a doozy. I Hunt Killers is a gripping story about serial killers and…not becoming a serial killer. I’ve yet to meet a reader who didn’t enjoy this book (that typically means I won’t like it, though thankfully...

This book is a delightfully breezy story, light but not exactly “fluffy”—the kind of book that gives you a satisfied feeling on the last page. Protagonist Hannah’s lifestyle as a ballet dancer was fascinating, and I loved the simple charm with which Flack narrated this story. Bunheads, all in all,...

This is one of those lesser-known books that, in my opinion, deserves heaps more attention. Trinkets wasn’t even on my radar until I read a review and realized that it was exactly the kind of book I love. Next time I was at the bookstore, I made a point of...

Some books start off on such a lovely note—The Sweetest Dark did. The prologue hooked me with the author’s phenomenal prose, and as the story unfolded I was impressed with the world-building (or whatever we call it), and thought the story was interesting. But then, alas, Abé threw a highly...

I loved this book I really don’t know where to start with this review. Because I loved Dairy Queen (especially after a re-read), but I freaking love The Off Season—I love it so much that, really, words fail me. Everything that was present and wonderful in Murdock’s first novel is...