Codes for Reviews

First Initial (Overall Rating):
E = Exceptional
VG = Very Good
G = Good
F = Fair
NR = Not Recommended

Second Initital (Reading Level):
A = Average Reading Level
E = Easy
M = Mature

“The views expressed are of individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views of their respective institutions.”

For more information about YAR, please email Dora Ho at dorah2005@gmail.com


Monday, May 16, 2011

The Girl in the Steel Corset

Sci Fi/Fantasy, VG/A (Very Good, Average Reading Level)

Cross, Kady. The Girl in the Steel Corset. Harlequin Teen, 2011. 336p. 978-0-373-21033-6. $17.99.

Robots! Cyborgs! Corsets! Scientists! Inventors! Awesome names like Finley Jane and Griffin King!

The lovely outfits, alluring language and steampunk Victoriana of
Kady Cross' action-packed debut YA novel are sure to please fans of Cassandra Clare or the Luxe series. The run up to the reveal is so full of whizz-bang gadgetry and fun, you can overlook the fact that the reveal itself is only so-so.

Highly recommended for those looking for a bit of edge in their light summer reads.

-Candice Mack, Los Angeles Public Library

Friday, May 13, 2011

The Midnight Palace

General YA Fiction

G/A Ruiz Zafon, Carlos. The Midnight Palace. Little Brown, 2011. 298p. 978-0-316-04473-8. 17.99.

In 1932, seven friends that grew up together in a Calcutta orphanage promise to always protect each other. An evil being, Jawahal, has returned to Calcutta for revenge and is determined to destroy Ben and Sheree. When the friends try to figure out why, they discover many lies and family secrets. None of them are safe from Jawahal’s rage. Part mystery, part adventure, part ghost story, this book will keep you on the edge of your seat. Loren Spector, LAPL, Felipe de Neve

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Scrawl

General YA Fiction

G/A Shulman, Mark. Scrawl. Roaring Book Press, 2010. 234p. 978-1-59643-417-2. 16.99.

The punishment Tod Munn is given for his latest crime is detention everyday after school writing a personal journal. For a bully, Tod is extremely smart and well-written, but he’s also had a rough life. Through his journal we learn about his struggling working class family, his friends and school mates, the events that have shaped his life and the truth about what is going at school. Maybe Tod is not the big, bad bully everyone expects him to be. Good realistic fiction for reluctant readers. Loren Spector, LAPL, Felipe de Neve