Book Review: HALF LOST by Sally Green

Photo credit: Goodreads

It's going to be hard to write a review about this without spoiling anything, but I will do my darndest. Because this finale to one of my favorite YA Fantasy series deserves a very good review. 

Before I go into how much I loved this book, however, here is the Goodreads summary:

"This is the final battle. 

The Alliance is losing the war, and their most critical weapon, seventeen-year-old witch Nathan Byrn, is losing his mind. Nathan’s tally of kills is rising, and yet he’s no closer to ending the tyrannical rule of the Council of White Witches in England. Nor is Nathan any closer to his personal goal: getting revenge on Annalise, the girl he once loved before she committed an unthinkable crime. An amulet protected by the extremely powerful witch Ledger could be the tool Nathan needs to save himself and the Alliance, but this amulet is not so easily acquired. And lately Nathan has started to suffer from visions: a vision of a golden moment when he dies, and of an endless line of Hunters, impossible to overcome. Gabriel, his closest companion, urges Nathan to run away with him, to start a peaceful life together. But even Gabriel’s love may not be enough to save Nathan from this war, or from the person he has become. 

Set in modern-day Europe, the final book in the Half Bad trilogy is more than a story about witches. It’s a heart-achingly visceral look at survival and exploitation, the nature of good and evil, and the risks we take for love."

So given how much I loved Half Bad and Half Wild, I had pretty high hopes for Half Lost. I was ready to see one relationship I despised crash and burn; I was ready to see the relationship I'd been dying to see since book one flourish; I was ready to see Nathan come into himself and become the truly powerful witch everyone knew all along he would be.

I got all of that and more.

The character development in this book is truly amazing; at the beginning, Nathan has gone extremely dark side. His obsession with exacting revenge on someone was so intense it was disturbing, and seeing him morph from book one into this dark, hurting person was legitimately hard to read. My heart ached for him, and for Gabriel, who stood hurting by his side as he watched someone he cared so much about become this unrecognizable person.

Half Lost is just as dark and raw as Half Bad and Half Wild. There were moments that made me cringe, and images that were disturbingly vivid. Green doesn't hold back or shy away from the harsh realities of war; it's there on the page for everyone to see, and I found it to be incredibly powerful.

And speaking of powerful, this book nearly made me cry twice. As I've said in my other reviews, I am not someone who cries easily—to this date I've never actually broken down over a book. But there was one moment in the book that made me so happy I actually got teary-eyed, and the other...well, I won't spoil, but I will say if I hadn't taken a break, it's very likely I would've full-on sobbed by the end of the book.

There are a lot of people who took issue with something that happens at the end—and I understand their grievances. But I feel it's important to say that I think what happened was handled really deftly, and it absolutely fit the story; as another reviewer said, it felt inevitable. And for me, at least, I found it a very powerful—and beautiful—ending to a wonderfully memorable YA Fantasy series.

Overall, the Half Bad series will remain on my favorites list. I really enjoyed the diverse characters woven into the story—from a bisexual and biracial protagonist with a learning disorder, to a gay major character, and not one, but two gender nonconforming characters, and more, the Half Bad series is one I'll continue to recommend to those who like (very) dark YA Fantasies and a story that will break you and put you back together again.

Diversity note: As mentioned in the review, Nathan, the protagonist, is biracial, bisexual, and has a learning disorder. A major character, Gabriel, is gay, and there are also two gender non-conforming characters.

What have you been reading lately? 

Twitter-sized bites: 

.@Ava_Jae gives 5 stars to HALF LOST by @Sa11eGreen. Is this dark YA w/ a bisexual & biracial boy MC on your TBR? (Click to tweet)

Like dark YA Fantasy? Want to see queer boys kicking ass? Check out HALF LOST by Sally Green. (Click to tweet)

Top 4 Favorite Book Boyfriends

Photo credit: sarah gabriela on Flickr

So I’ve been doing lots of reading this year, which is very exciting and awesome and someone on Twitter suggested I write a post about my favorite book boyfriends. So, I mean, I couldn’t not.

Fun post, here we go:

• Nikolai Lantsov (The Grisha trilogy by Leigh Bardugo)
  
  So, I read Siege and Storm, which is the book where Nikolai makes his debut, two years ago. And I’m pretty darn sure he’ll always stay on my favorite book boyfriends list, because he has remained at the top ever since. And I mean, snarky pirate with A+ flirting skills and a heart of gold, so, like how could he not be?


• Kash (The Girl from Everywhere by Heidi Heilig)
  
  I am super lucky in that I got to read this book early (TGFE releases in February 2016!) but Kash, oh man. He leapt onto my list pretty much immediately. I guess I have a thing for pirates because he is indeed part of a pirate crew (though so is the protag) and he’s also a ridiculously good thief, and is snarky, and swoony, and so good and sweet and UGH Kash. I need more.


• Gabriel Boutin (Half Bad trilogy by Sally Green)
  
  It’s a little hard for me to talk about Gabriel without spoiling anything, but he very quickly exceeded my expectations and grew from minor character to character I desperately need good things to happen to. Crossing my fingers that said good things do indeed happen in Half Lost…


• Kenji Kishimoto (Shatter Me trilogy by Tahereh Mafi)
  
  The funny thing about Kenji making this list is he’s not even a love interest in the series—but doesn’t matter! Because he’s been my favorite since he showed up in Shatter Me. Kenji is kind of the comic relief—so yes, he’s snarky—and he’s mostly hilarious and also just a wonderful character. If Kenji got his own book, I would totally read it. 

Who are your favorite book boyfriends (or girlfriends)?

Twitter-sized bite:

Who are your favorite book boyfriends or girlfriends? Join the discussion on @Ava_Jae's blog. (Click to tweet)

POV Choices in YA

Photo credit: Hometown Beauty on Flickr

For many years now, as a writer I’ve been drawn to first person narratives. All but one (my first) of my many WIPs were written with “I”s and “me”s and to say that I’ve devoured a ton of first person YA narratives over the years is an understatement.

As of late, and for a while now, first person has become super popular in YA (I’m guessing Twilight may have something to do with this, given that it was the first first-person YA I’d ever come across and that series was kiiiiinda a big deal, but don’t quote me on that) though it is absolutely not the only POV option out there. So as a writer trying to decide which POV to use, how do you make that choice?

Let’s take a look at your options.

First person:

“This is worse, so much worse, than them seeing some stupid drawings. 

(Self-Portrait: Funeral in the Forest) 

But Zephyr’s not saying anything, he’s just standing there, looking like his Viking self, except all weird and mute. Why? 

Did I disable him with my mind?” 

-I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson, page 5

I suspect first person is so popular now in YA especially because it gives a direct access to the emotional and tumultuous minds of teen protagonists, with the opportunity of a boatload of voice to boot. It’s easy enough for readers to transition into because we generally think in first person, so it feels as though the readers are really in the protagonist’s head, rather than being in a story. I find it an effortless POV to slip into while writing, and it frequently just comes to me naturally which is why I tend to use it so often, but that’s not necessarily the case with everyone.

Second person:

“You’re going to get out. You’ve beaten her. You can find Mercury. You will get three gifts.

But you’ve got to keep going.

You’ll be at the end of the loch in a minute.

Doing well. Doing well.

Not far now.

Soon be able to see over into the valley, and—” 

-Half Bad by Sally Green, page 12

Second person POV is the POV we all learned in middle school not to use. I remember my English teachers telling us second person POV was pretty near pointless to attempt because it was too easy for readers to pull out of the narrative (along the lines of I'm not doing what the book says I'm doing), and generally, second person POV is very rare in YA.

Now while I've yet to come across a YA written entirely in second person (the example I gave above uses sections of second person narrative, but is primarily written in first person), that's not to say that it can't be done. It would, however, probably be super difficult, given alone that readers just aren't used to it. (And honestly? Noooo idea how that would sell, publishing-wise.)

All of that said, you may want to play around with second person if you'd like to try a raw, immediate, and unsettling POV that'll keep your readers on the edge of feeling like everything is a little off. 

 

Third person: 

“Walking to school over the snow-muffled cobbles, Karou had no sinister premonitions about the day. It seemed like just another Monday, innocent but for its essential Mondayness, not to mention its Januaryness. It was cold, and it was dark—in the dead of winter the sun didn’t rise until eight—but it was also lovely. The falling snow and the early hour conspired to pain Prague ghostly, like a tintype photograph, all silver and haze.”

-Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor, page 1

So I frequently mention voice when talking about first person, but the truth is the third person YAs I’ve read are also really really voice-y. Like the above. Mondayness and Januaryness and that imagery and—

I should probably stop fangirling and talk to you about third person perspective.

In terms of distance, third person perspective is slightly more distant to readers in that they aren’t plopped right in the POV character’s head—instead, they’re fed the story through a narrator, who, depending on how the POV is written (third person limited vs. omniscient, for example) will filter the story through that particular characters thoughts and feelings like first person, but through a separate narration.

That was confusing. Third person can do just about everything first person can do, but can also pull back more than first person can (though it doesn’t have to).

So what POV should you use? The truth is, it’s totally up to you to decide what feels most natural for the story (and for you). But the above are some things you may want to consider when deciding. If you experiment and read widely, you’ll figure out what’s right for your manuscript.

What POV do you prefer to read/write?

Twitter-sized bite:

Brainstorming a new WIP idea and not sure what POV to use? @Ava_Jae breaks down your options & things to consider. (Click to tweet)

Book Review: HALF WILD by Sally Green

Photo credit: Goodreads

Once upon a time I read and reviewed Half Bad by Sally Green, then went on to tell a whole bunch of people about my favorite read of 2014 (which was, of course, the aforementioned dark YA Fantasy novel). So it’s probably little surprise that I pre-ordered Half Wild and was just a little excited to read it.

But before I go on, here’s the Goodreads summary:

“‘You will have a powerful Gift, but it’s how you use it that will show you to be good or bad.’ 

In a modern-day England where two warring factions of witches live amongst humans, seventeen-year-old Nathan is an abomination, the illegitimate son of the world's most powerful and violent witch. Nathan is hunted from all sides: nowhere is safe and no one can be trusted. Now, Nathan has come into his own unique magical Gift, and he's on the run--but the Hunters are close behind, and they will stop at nothing until they have captured Nathan and destroyed his father.”

It can be a little hard to know what to expect from a sequel. Sometimes an author hits it out of the park, and it’s amazing, and sometimes it’s a let down (which is especially sadmaking when you loved the first book).

Half Wild, however, was definitely the former.

I had pretty high expectations jumping into the Half Bad sequel, and I have to say, those expectations were totally met. Half Wild is dark, exciting, full of action and complicated characters (and character relationships) and I was racing through this book to find out what happened. Nathan/Gabriel are one of my favorite ships, and I really loved some of the new characters and magic introduced in this book.

Like Half Bad, the voice is raw and arresting and it was interesting to see Green play with different formats and stylistic choices. There isn’t nearly as much second person POV in Half Wild as there was in Half Bad, but even though I loved the second person POV in Half Bad, I didn’t mind the shift.

Nathan’s character development has been super fascinating to watch, and the ending was seriously awesome, and 2016 is too far away because I want the next book now. If you like dark, violent, gritty YA fantasy, I honestly cannot recommend this series more. It’s on my perma-favorites list for sure.

Have you read the Half Life series? 

Twitter-sized bites: 

.@Ava_Jae gives 5/5 stars to HALF WILD by @Sa11eGreen. Have you read this dark, gritty YA fantasy? (Click to tweet)
   
Looking for an intense, action-packed YA fantasy? Check out HALF WILD by Sally Green. (Click to tweet)

Holiday Book Recommendations of 2014

So I came across Victoria Schwab’s holiday book recommendation post on tumblr the other day, and I immediately knew I wanted to do something similar, because what mixes better than books and Christmas gifts? (Rhetorical question. The answer is nothing).

The books listed below are the ten best books I’ve read (thus far) this year. Not all of them were released this year, but they’re all amazing and definitely recommended.

In the order I read them (from beginning of the year to end)!

• For those looking for some really wonderful magical realism, with a non-binary protagonist: EVERY DAY by David Levithan.
• For those who love poetic prose, complicated character development, kissing and action: IGNITE ME by Tahereh Mafi. (Review here)
• For those who want a gritty, badass, non-Contemporary Romance NA read: THE WICKED WE HAVE DONE by Sarah Harian. (Review here) 
• For lovers of fantasy, snark, memorable characters and epic worldbuilding with a steampunk-ish twist: RUIN AND RISING by Leigh Bardugo. (Review here)
• For those who love gory, action-packed dystopias: THE MURDER COMPLEX by Lindsay Cummings.
• For fantasy lovers looking for a fresh new take on witches and a haunting voice: HALF BAD by Sally Green. (Review here)
• For those looking for a unique magic system, imaginative setting and diverse cast:  OTHERBOUND by Corinne Duyvis. (Review here)
• For paranormal lovers who want awesome world-building, a strong female protagonist and a dark, captivating story: DAUGHTER OF SMOKE & BONE by Laini Taylor.
• For contemporary lovers looking for great mental illness representation: FANGIRL by Rainbow Rowell. (Review here)
• For those who want a thrilling QUILTBAG NA read: HUSHED by Kelley York. (Review here)

What are some of the best books you’ve read this year? 

Twitter-sized bites: 

.@Ava_Jae shares her top ten favorite reads of the year. Have you read any of these excellent books? (Click to tweet)  

What are some of the best books you've read this year? Writer @Ava_Jae shares her top ten list. (Click to tweet)

Vlog: Harry Potter Spells Book Rec Tag

Slightly longer vlog today because my CP Vicki Leigh tagged me in a Harry Potter spells book rec tag! And so I thought I'd have some fun and join along.

Happy viewing!

THE BOOKS:

• Artemis Fowl Series by Eoin Colfer
• Half Bad by Sally Green
• My review
• Otherbound by Corinne Duyvis
• My review
• Losing It by Cora Carmack
• The Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo
• My review of Siege and Storm
• and Ruin and Rising
• City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
• Beautiful Boy by David Sheff
• The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
• My review
• BoneMan's Daughters by Ted Dekker
• The Bride Collector by Ted Dekker
• Adam by Ted Dekker

Twitter-sized bite: 

Writer @Ava_Jae participates in a Harry Potter spells book rec vlog tag. Have you read these awesome books? (Click to tweet) 

Book Review: HALF BAD by Sally Green

Photo credit: Goodreads

So when Half Bad by Sally Green was first released, I heard a lot of people on Twitter raving about how amazing it was. And so I made a mental note to check it out. 

Fast forward several months, I bought the book, read the first couple pages and immediately knew I was going to love this one. 

But before I go on! The back cover copy (or…inside flap copy? Anyway): 

“Wanted by no one. Hunted by everyone.  

Sixteen-year-old Nathan lives in a cage: beaten, shackled, trained to kill. In a modern-day England where two warring faction of witches live amongst humans, Nathan is an abomination, the illegitimate son of the world’s most terrifying and violent witch, Marcus. Nathan’s only hope for survival is to escape his captors, track down Marcus, and receive the three gifts that will bring him into his own magical powers—before it’s too late. But how can Nathan find his father when his every action is monitored, when there is no one safe to trust, not even family, not even the girl he loves?” 

Okay, so I’ll start by saying I haven’t read a book about witches that I really loved since Harry Potter. Not that there aren’t any out there (there are), but one hadn’t really caught my interest until Half Bad. 

Well. I was on the fifth page when I realized this was very likely going to be a new favorite. And I was right. 

First and foremost: THE VOICE. If you’re a YA writer looking for a great example of powerful, immediate, raw voice, pick up this book immediately. Nathan’s voice is so real and intense and I honestly could not have loved it any more. 

Secondly: the second-person POV. There are indeed sections of second person POV, including the opening, which I was pretty surprised to read. But holy wow, it worked so well! Ms. Green broke the rules on this one, and it really really worked. 

Now the characters and the plot. Half Bad has you question right from the start who the good and bad guys are. There isn’t a clear-cut this person is good, this person is bad element, which I absolutely adore because gray characters, to me, are so much more realistic and interesting than morally 100% good/evil characters. 

What made all of these even better was the pacing—even in the flashback sections that show us how Nathan ends up caged—are full of tension and conflict and events that had me racing through the book to find out what happens. 

Overall, I absolutely loved Half Bad. It’s now one of my favorites and I can’t read to get my hands on the sequel, Half Wild. If you like dark, intense YA Fantasy, I couldn’t recommend this one any more. 

Have you read HALF BAD?

Twitter-sized bites: 

.@Ava_Jae gives 5/5 stars to HALF BAD by @Sa11eGreen. Have you read this intense YA Fantasy? (Click to tweet)  

Looking for a dark, exciting YA Fantasy read? Try HALF BAD by @Sa11eGreen. (Click to tweet)