Bruised by Sarah Skilton

The cover tells a lot
about the main character
and the tone of the book

After training in Tae Kwon Do for years and achieving a black belt, Imogen does not act when confronted with a real life situation. The aftermath is devastating, and Imogen sinks into depression, weighed down by a massive amount of guilt. She's also dealing with other issues in her life that could potentially overwhelm her, all while trying to find herself again.

Imogen is an awesome character, and the way she deals with her problems is captivating and real. She has a lot of emotions and difficulties to face, and she doesn't just bounce back automatically like Superwoman; she has to work her way through her issues. Her choice at the end of the book was fantastic, and I loved that Skilton went that route. The romance in the book does not come off as overly sappy or contrived, and I really appreciated that Skilton didn't shove Imogen and Ricky together via insta-love. The storyline is interesting and the telling is well-paced; it didn't really drag painfully at any point, which is usually my problem with realistic fiction. This is a great example of contemporary fiction, and it would probably be a great addition to any public library, school library or personal YA collection.

Thank you to Netgalley and Amulet Books for the galley!!

Wish by Beth Bracken

The artwork really is very pretty

Friendships aren't always smooth and fun and exciting, as we all know. They take understanding, dedication, and time, and even then, sometimes they fail. In Wish, a friendship is thoroughly tested through magic, separation and hurt feelings. Soli and Lucy have been best friends for years, but when one of them kisses the guy that the other one like, it nearly destroys their close bond. When Soli makes a very reckless wish, Lucy disappears. She becomes a prisoners of some very frightening fae. Both girls learn more about themselves as Soli seeks to rescue Lucy.

Overall, this is a decent tale of friendship, love and the bonds between people, with a good deal of magic thrown in. The story was sort of slow, and the images seemed mostly static and a little lifeless, though they were very pretty. I liked the design of the fae creatures in this book; they were more like the scary, slightly creepy faerie folk of old stories instead of the sprightly, perky, wand-wielding sprites of today's tales. I sort of prefer the somewhat scary versions, and the story had some properly villainous fair folk. Heck yeah. Preteen girls are most likely the best audience for this book, and upper elementary students with an interest in fairytales will probably enjoy it.

Thank you Netgalley and Capstone Young Readers for the galley!

Defiance by C.J. Redwine

Great cover!

In Baalboden, girls are more like things than people. They all have male Protectors, who might be a father, uncle, brother or a husband, a male figure who is basically their keeper. Rachel, however, isn't like all the other girls. She's been trained by her father to fight and to be self-reliant and independent. When her father disappears, Rachel finds herself being watched over by his apprentice, Logan, a young man who she once declared her love for only to be turned down. They're not exactly on good terms. Facing the brutal leader of their town and the frightening beast that prowls in the wilds beyond their city, Rachael and Logan brave the forest in an attempt to find Rachel's father. The world-building is a little weak and vague at times, but the plot is intriguing and well-paced. There is a good amount of action but not so much that it takes away from the characters or turns the novel into an action-adventure romp (which are good in their own right but wouldn't be appropriate in the light of the occurrences in this book). Rachel is a believable young woman dealing with great stress, tragedy and change in her life. She faces her hardships and trials with authentic reactions. This is a good, solid dystopian that will appeal to those who are looking for a new trilogy/series to read.

The Listless by Steven Mohr

<3 the cover

In The Listless, old friends who were once in a band come back together after being offered a record deal to do a tour. Their adventure is meandering as they visit places they once loved and live a sort of rocky dream life for a short time, taking a break for their mundane post-college lives. I think if I knew more about the indie band scene or music in general, I would have appreciated this book a little more. It's not a scene that I am really into, but I'm sure a lot of teens and young adults would know all about it. It's probably more of a new adult book than a young adult novel, actually; the characters are out college and getting used to life beyond teenage-hood. At times the main characters waxes pedantic, and it seems more like he's teaching a lesson to the reader; possibly a case of where 'telling' instead of 'showing' takes precedence. While good if you're looking for something to give you thoughts to chew on, do not expect this book to be fast-paced. However, if you've got a love for road trips, post-college stories or indie band scenes, this book is so for you. Go out and grab it now. PS- I am a fan of this cover. <3

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Coolest "Cinderella" EVER

Cyborg Cinderella set in a futuristic Asian society dealing with a ravaging plague and freaky moon people with their sociopathic queen. Cinder is mostly cyborg, and in her world, that's not a cool, awesome thing. Cyborgs are heavily discriminated against and considered second class citizens. Or maybe they're even lower than that. Cinder actually belongs to her evil stepmother, and since she's a cyborg, she's in danger of being pulled to be a guinea pig for the cure to the plague. Note: the cure has not been found yet, which means a lot of dead/dying cyborgs. Cinder's skill with machines grants her the title of being one of the best mechanics in the city, which means that when the crown prince's favorite robot malfunctions, he turns to her for help.

With the mystery of a missing moon princess thrown into the mix, Cinder is absolutely one of the most interesting and captivating retellings of the Cinderella story that I have ever gotten my hands on. It's got action, romance (put not really insta-love), clever dialogue and great characters.  The plot is solid and deviates from the regular Cinderella story enough to make it extra interesting. Seriously, when I finished it, I was rabid about getting my hands on its sequel, Scarlet.