Reviews of Young Adult Fiction on The Candid Cover YA Book Blog.
My Summer of Love and Misfortune by Lindsay Wong is a novel I was positive I would enjoy based on the premise. I love books about characters connecting with their culture, and the Beijing setting is immersive. However, the main character is unrealistically clueless, and there is not a single thing I liked about her. This book seems like an attempt to be quirky, but it instead becomes cringey and difficult to relate to. Continue reading
The Paper Girl of Paris by Jordyn Taylor is set in Paris during World War II and follows both a member of a resistance group and a girl in the present day who discovers her diary. The historical elements of the book are very well done, and I learned a lot about women in the resistance. However, I didn’t think that the modern storyline was as necessary, and I found the main character’s drama takes away from the emotions of the narration in the past. Continue reading
Just a Boy and a Girl in a Little Canoe by Sarah Mlynowski is a book I was excited for since I love a a summer camp setting. The descriptions of the camp the main character works at are vivid, and it was easy to imagine being there. However, I disliked her immaturity and the way she continually attempts to justify cheating on her boyfriend. Ultimately, I was disappointed with this one. Continue reading
Four Days of You and Me by Miranda Kenneally was a book I was excited to read since I have always enjoyed her work. Her latest novel takes place on class trips over the course of four years, but this element was one of the only aspects I enjoyed about the book. Much of the story is melodramatic, and the use of flashbacks becomes confusing since the state of the characters’ relationship is constantly changing from chapter to chapter. Furthermore, their relationship is toxic, and because of this, I had trouble rooting for them. Continue reading
The Silence of Bones by June Hur is a murder mystery set in the Joseon dynasty of Korea. I have never read anything with this setting, and it was exciting to see this fresh take on a thriller and learn some history at the same time. Seol is a clever character, and the book’s setting is well described. Although I didn’t love certain aspects like the pacing, this one is still a pretty strong work. Continue reading