Tag: 2016 releases

GEMINA by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff | Review

October 31, 2016 / 3 Comments / Posted by Tiff @ Mostly YA Lit in Review
GEMINA by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff | Review

Review: GEMINA by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff I’m not sure what I can say about GEMINA that I didn’t already say in my review of Illuminae last year. Like Illuminae, Gemina is a fast-paced, sci-fi thriller with brutal death toll, a shippy romance, and twists at every turn. And like Illuminae, Gemina is also told completely in gorgeous source documents that get you right into the action. While Illuminae is set on two spaceships just outside the Kerenza colony after an attack by a corporation trying to cover up their illegal mining operation, Gemina is set on a space […]

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GIVEAWAY: Who’s your favorite #BossBabe? | Boss Babes by Michelle Volansky

October 17, 2016 / 10 Comments / Posted by Tiff @ Mostly YA Lit in Book Extras, Giveaway, Giveaways
GIVEAWAY: Who’s your favorite #BossBabe? | Boss Babes by Michelle Volansky

Hey guys, today I have a special post for you! Workman Publishing very kindly sent me a copy of their new colouring and activity book, Boss Babes. As you’ll see below, this book is all about celebrating the strong ladies in our lives – both the ones we see on the news, and each other. Since today is National Boss’ Day, I’m sharing a US/Canada giveaway for the book, along with my thoughts and bonus! A colouring of one of my fave boss babes. Scroll down to enjoy! Boss Babes is an absolutely adorable colouring and activity book. Warning, though: […]

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“Weirdly Passionate” | This Adventure Ends by Emma Mills | Review

October 14, 2016 / 3 Comments / Posted by Tiff @ Mostly YA Lit in Favorites, Review
“Weirdly Passionate” | This Adventure Ends by Emma Mills | Review

Review: This Adventure Ends by Emma Mills This Adventure Ends is amazing. There, I got that out of the way. Like First & Then, Emma Mills’ debut, this book continues the author’s ability to articulate teen life in the most deadpan, honest way. Sloane Finch, the MC, is funny, sarcastic, and deeply kind, able to right wrongs, but unable to break herself out of a bubble of not being engaged in things. Sloane and her family have recently relocated permanently to their summer home in a small town in Florida. When she meets the vivacious Vera Fuller and her brother Gabe, […]

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Middle Grade Reads #1: Gertie’s Leap to Greatness and Rebel Genius

October 13, 2016 / 2 Comments / Posted by Tiff @ Mostly YA Lit in Feature, Middle Grade Reads, Mini-Reviews, Review
Middle Grade Reads #1: Gertie’s Leap to Greatness and Rebel Genius

Hi guys, today I have some middle grade recs for you, courtesy of my husband, Evan! Evan is a mostly comic book reader, with lots of literary fiction interspersed. That said, he’s really interested in the middle grade age group – his favorite cartoons (Adventure Time and Steven Universe) explore that age. So when we saw that Gertie’s Leap to Greatness was illustrated by Jillian Tamaki (one of the artists on Adventure Time), and Rebel Genius was written by the creator of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra (the cartoons), he volunteered to read and review. Read […]

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On Writing Longhand | Speed of Life Blog Tour | Guest Post by JM Kelly |

October 12, 2016 / 0 Comments / Posted by Tiff @ Mostly YA Lit in Blog Tour, Guest Post
On Writing Longhand | Speed of Life Blog Tour | Guest Post by JM Kelly |

Hi friends, hope you’re having a great Wednesday! Today I’m excited to be part of the Canadian blog tour for the just released YA novel Speed of Life by J.M. Kelly. I’m proud to be welcoming J.M. to the blog to talk about writing this novel longhand. That’s right, J.M. wrote this whole book, about two sisters trying to raise a baby while one also tries to realize her dreams of getting a degree in automotive restoration, by hand! Not only does the writing process sound interesting, but I’m also fascinated by the concept and themes of this book. Sisterhood, being in a tough […]

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Something in Between by Melissa de la Cruz | Review

October 10, 2016 / 6 Comments / Posted by Tiff @ Mostly YA Lit in Diversity, Review
Something in Between by Melissa de la Cruz | Review

Review: Something in Between by Melissa de la Cruz Something in Between by Melissa de la Cruz is the sensitively told story of Jasmine de Los Santos: straight A student, cheer captain, and junior class president. She’s poised for greatness, earning a National Scholarship, when her parents drop the bomb: she can’t accept it because she and her family are undocumented immigrants, in America illegally. Something in Between was my first Melissa de la Cruz book, and I really enjoyed it. I know that Melissa has written dozens of other books in the past, but this one that really appealed to me. […]

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Girls With Guts: Girl Mans Up and Overdrive | Gritty Canadian YA

September 21, 2016 / 1 Comment / Posted by Tiff @ Mostly YA Lit in Mini-Reviews, Review
Girls With Guts: Girl Mans Up and Overdrive | Gritty Canadian YA

Hi all, I’m back from Asia! I know I promised more reviews than I managed to post – the vacation totally sapped all my reading and blogging time. To make up for it, today I have two mini-reviews of two gritty Canadian YA contemporaries – both are contemporaries, and both deal with kick-arse girls – girls with guts who take on some really hardcore situations. Hope you enjoy, and I promise I will have more reviews and a recap of my awesome vacation soon! I was really excited to read Girl Mans Up by M.E. Girard because I’ve never read a […]

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Leave Me by Gayle Forman | ARC Review

September 1, 2016 / 4 Comments / Posted by Tiff @ Mostly YA Lit in Review
Leave Me by Gayle Forman | ARC Review

Review: Leave Me by Gayle Forman Leave Me by Gayle Forman. Whoa. So I feel like I should preface this review by saying that Gayle Forman is my favorite author. Just One Day is my all-time favorite YA book, and it changed my life. To say I had high expectations for Leave Me, her first adult book, is an understatement. That said, going in, I already had some reservations about the main character, Maribeth, who decides to leave her family after a heart attack. I just couldn’t imagine myself being able to relate to that or feeling that desperate in […]

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Two Books About Trauma and Its Aftermath

August 30, 2016 / 0 Comments / Posted by Tiff @ Mostly YA Lit in Mini-Reviews, Review
Two Books About Trauma and Its Aftermath

Hi guys, today I have nice, light-hearted reviews for you, perfect for sum–I’m just kidding. And I probably shouldn’t kid about this. Today I’m reviewing All We Have Left by Wendy Mills and 738 Days by Stacey Kade. These are two very different books about trauma and that deal with grief in different situations and circumstances. They’re not super easy to read, but they’re both pretty good and portray trauma with honesty and compassion. Read on for my thoughts. Two Books About Trauma and Its Aftermath A moving portrayal of the before and after of 9/11 and how it affects […]

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Recently in Romance: Sarina Bowen edition, Part 2!

August 23, 2016 / 1 Comment / Posted by Tiff @ Mostly YA Lit in Feature, Mini-Reviews, Recently in Romance, Review
Recently in Romance: Sarina Bowen edition, Part 2!

Hi guys, I’m back today with Part 2 of my Sarina Bowen love fest! If you missed Part 1, Sarina is a new adult romance author whose books I’ve absolutely fallen in love with. Check out yesterday’s post for reviews of hockey romance series The Ivy Years and her upcoming book Rookie Move! Today I’ll be reviewing the Him series, her male/male hockey romance collaboration with Elle Kennedy, as well as her newest books, and my personal favorites, Bittersweet and Steadfast, from her True North series set in Vermont. The True North series by Sarina Bowen LOVE LOVE LOVE. Sarina […]

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