Each year, I set an overall reading goal for myself on my Good Reads account. I read a lot of books with my kids during our school lessons, so the bulk of my reading in recent years has tended to be non-fiction or middle grade novels. Part of this goal was to light a fire under me to read more books for myself. The other reasoning behind wanting to specifically read fifteen YA (Young Adult) novels is because I have an Owl Crate subscription. Each month, I receive a box of bookish goodies, along with a special edition, signed copy of a Young Adult Fantasy book. Since I’ve been a subscriber since 2023, you can probably imagine that I have accumulated quite a few books, but the rate at which I am reading them has been quite slow. So, I was hoping this would nudge me to pick more of these stories when I sit down to read. That aspect of the goal was only moderately successful but I did still read more stories for my own enjoyment, and it helped serve to remind me how much I enjoy reading. I am happy to report that in addition to these fifteen, I’ve read several more books for myself that don’t fall under the YA umbrella!
Despite my age, I most often lean more toward YA novels because the content I would like to avoid tends to be included a lot less in them. It’s the same reason that I don’t really watch many movies or television shows that are rated M, and gravitate to PG or PG-13. It’s just my preference. There is a broad range of books under the YA umbrella, apparently, so in hindsight I probably should have been more specific in my wording and just tried to check off fifteen books I received from Owl Crate. That would have spared me some confusion. I actually thought I had finished this goal during my trip to Canada, and was excited to check off two items that week. However, upon further review I had to nix one of the books because it was unclear whether it was YA or not, and given its content I was inclined to side with the sites that said it was definitively not. However, I can now with assurance say that I have finished this challenge I set for myself!
Technically, I finished two YA books yesterday, but I didn’t know that the one I was reading with the kids for school fell in that category until I got to the back cover and saw the little notation. Given how much the kids and I hated reading said book, I am going to count the book I finished just after it. I was pushing to finish it as the fifteenth book before my disappointing discovery about the aforementioned book anyway. One more disclaimer: Just because I didn’t enjoy reading a book doesn’t mean that you have to dislike it too, or even that it’s necessarily a bad book. I have loved books that others hated, and hated books that the majority seem to laud. If everyone liked the same things, life would be really boring!
So, without further ado, I present to you my reading journey. (I will try not to be too spoilery. If I am, I’ll try to warn you.)
My Rating System:
One Star = Hated It
Two Stars = Didn’t Like It
Three Stars = It Was Okay
Four Stars = I Liked It
Five Stars = I Loved It
#1. Epithet Erased: Prison of Plastic by Brendan Blaber
(Read 2/15/25 — 2/25/25)
I love exploring our local used bookstore. Sometimes I go in with a list and try to hunt down specific titles among the shelves of books. On this particular visit, I selected a book I had never heard of. Epithet Erased caught my eye because it had a colourful illustrated cover, and when I flipped through the pages I was intrigued by the fact that it was filled with the same animated and vibrantl artwork. It was unique and the plot sounded interesting, so I took a chance on it.
The characters were all as colourful as the illustrations. It was quirky. Exceedingly so! More than once, I wondered to myself what on earth I was reading, but the story was engaging and humorous. There were some elements that were a little too out there for me, but you’ll have to forgive me for not having a specific example on hand because I read this one in February. There was a magic system of sorts, and at the heart of it a story about family and grief. I didn’t love it, but I did enjoy it and would give more stories in this universe a chance.
Rating: 3.5 Stars
#2. Omen of Ice by Jus Acardo
(Read 3/12/25 — 3/28/25)
I received a lovely copy of this book in one of my Owl Crate boxes. The blue sprayed edges, cover art, bonus artwork inside, and the author’s letter included inside the book were all part of what drew me to choose this story to read. It was an intriguing plot and I was excited to dive in. Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy it as much as I had hoped I would. The female main character (fmc) was supposed to have trained for most of her life to be an elite body guard, the best of the best, and gets selected for a prime position, protecting royalty. She is seriously incompetent though. Right from the gate she almost gets not only herself killed but the prince she is tasked to protect. The most interesting characters were side or background characters. The romance fell flat to me because the two leads did not have much personality. There was also a moment where the fmc reacted to something her love interest said in a way that just felt completely out of left field, and overreactive. It felt like conflict for the sake of conflict in an overtly fabricated way. I did finish the book, though, because I was invested in the outcome. Admittedly, I am not invested enough to read the sequel, though.
Rating: 3 Stars
#3. Rebel Witch by Kristen Ciccarelli
(Read 4/12/25 — 4/29/25)
I read the first of this duology, Heartless Hunter, last year. The story pulled me in and I was thoroughly absorbed in the world, magic system, and characters the author had created. Owl Crate will sometimes release a special edition of books that continue a series that was included in one of their boxes. I received Heartless Hunter in one of my subscription boxes, and was ecstatic when Owl Crate announced they were releasing a complementary version of Rebel Witch. They look beautiful next to one another on my bookshelf. Thankfully, this sequel was just as exciting as the previous book and finished up the duology satisfactorily. I love the two main characters, and the enemies to lovers trope is one of my favourites. The conflict is believable, and I was genuinely worried about the fate of multiple people because the stakes felt real. Heads up, if you don’t want any spice, there are a couple scenes to skip over, but they’re not explicit. (There are “bookstagrammers” who take the time to note which pages these sorts of scenes take place on for readers who want to read the story but want to skip the spicy stuff.)
Rating: 5 Stars
#4. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
(Read 5/30/25 — 6/19/25)
I’ve read The Hunger Games series, so I didn’t go blindly into this prequel. Raymond and I started this one on Audible, during a long drive to and from Georgia this year. When we got home, I read the rest aloud with Raymond in the evenings, after the kids went to bed. I was curious how the author could make the story gripping, and the stakes real, when we already know the fate of some of the main characters. Suzanne Collins successfully pulled off very real tension and tangible heartache. The storytelling is compelling and vivid, and it’s easy to get drawn into the world of the Capital and the Districts.
Spoiler-ish?…
Watching Snow’s story unfold, and the moral spiral he descends on his way to the top, is riveting. He’s got a dry wit, he’s intelligent, and I found myself thinking maybe there’s hope for him, even though I knew the man he eventually becomes in later stories. There were also several times where Snow had been uncharacteristically kind, but then said something snide. My husband and I would then say, “Ah, there he is.” The love story is heartbreaking and tragic. It wasn’t hard to believe he would fall in love with someone like Lucy Gray. She brought out the good in him, but in the end he snuffed that light out.
Rating: 5 Stars
#5. Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
(Read 5/27-25 — 6/30/25)
I had never seen the movie adaptation of this book before reading Howl’s Moving Castle, so I went into it somewhat blindly. I did watch the animation afterward, though. It actually made me appreciate the book all the more because I really didn’t enjoy the unnecessary changes that were made to the story and characters. I know that’s probably akin to blasphemy for diehard Studio Ghibli fans. The animation itself was well done, but I just didn’t enjoy the story.
Howl’s Moving Castle was a strange read for sure. At the beginning I wondered, “What on earth am I reading?” I did get accustomed to the writing style, though, and appreciated the eccentric humor. It was a quick read and definitely a fun diversion, especially since I got to read a lot of it sitting poolside during our summer vacation. When I was finished, Raymond read it as well before the trip was over. I have Castle in the Air and House of Many Ways, by the same author, on my shelf to read as well.
My Rating: 4 Stars
#6. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
(Read 7/11/25 —- 7/16/25)
A Court of Thorns and Roses is from a series that has come across my path in numerous book-themed videos and reels, of which I watch a lot of. During the summer, I was in a bit of a reading slump because I was spiraling physically and mentally. I felt like I needed to push myself to make the most of moments where my body allowed anything to get done around the house, but I also wanted to enjoy a story. So, I used one of my Audible credits to purchase A Court of Thorns and Roses. I sped it up, because it was agonizingly slow, and set to work tidying my daughter’s room while she was away at camp.
The danger of reading a book that has been hyped is going into it with big expectations. I’m not sure if this was its downfall or whether I would have thought it mediocre regardless. In the space for “Notes” in my Reading Journal entry for this book I wrote: “Inane. Interesting just enough to keep me going but also *groan*.” The contrived love story challenged my suspension of disbelief more than the world of fae and magic did. I found the MMC unlikable, and the FMC inconsistent. She was brilliant and capable one minute but then making dumb decisions all because of a man the next. I keep looking at how much longer the next book in the series is, and wondering how much I care to know what happens next.
I’ll likely give it a chance eventually.
My Rating: 3 Stars
#7. What the River Knows by Isabel Ibanez
(Read 7/10/25 — 8/25/25)
I received What the River Knows in one of my Owl Crate boxes, and their edition of this book is gorgeous. Naturally, I bought the sequel to the duology from them when it was released, before ever reading the first. Thankfully, that gamble paid off. Raymond and I read this one together in the evenings, and I thoroughly enjoyed the writing style, characters and storytelling. It was easy to be immersed and get lost in the bustling city, the sophisticated hotel and the ancient archaeological sites they visited. There were enough twists and turns to keep it interesting, and they were done so in a realistic manner, not purely for the sake of conflict. When we finished, I was glad that I already had the next book in hand and swiftly jumped into reading the conclusion.
My Rating: 5 Stars
#8. A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow by
(Read 6/11/25 — 9/6/25)
This was another book I picked up on a whim from the local used bookstore, because it sounded cute. It was…not. I started it in June, but was unable to get into it. I am a mood reader, so I picked it up again later thinking that maybe I just hadn’t been in the right head space when I started it. In this case, it was just the book. My husband told me it’s okay to DNF a book, but I always feel like I am giving up and waving my right to an opinion of the story, because I couldn’t see it through. I was sorely tempted to DNF A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow, but I got stubborn and didn’t want to be defeated by a book. Plus, I saw that there is a movie adaptation in the works, and since most of the time the book is better than the screen version, I wanted to have a comparison. I hope the movie is an exception to that rule…
Thoughts:
~Oh my goodness, I get it! You’re a Cuban from Miami! How could I forget when you mention it all. the. time?
~You love to bake? Who would have thought?! I think this girl’s entire personality is “I’m Cuban, I love to bake and I miss my abuelita.”
~There’s a noticeable amount of underage drinking sanctioned by adults.
~I am beginning to dread reading any book that has a “Reese’s Book Club” sticker on the front. a) It ruins the cover and b) I am 2 for 2 with 2-star books that had said sticker on the cover. (This was one of them.) While not an exhaustive sampling, it is disconcerting to have disliked both so vehemently. (If you’re curious, the other was Starling House by Alix E. Harrow)
Spoilers:
~That ending…way too neat & tidy. And I love a happy ending. Don’t get me wrong. It just didn’t feel organic or believable.
~The way her friendship with her BFF just died, after they had been so close? I know people can drift apart over time, but to just stop communicating with one another because you don’t know how to handle someone’s mental health spiral? It was just really depressing the way it “reconciled” with them moving on with their lives. Maybe it struck a nerve.
~The way that Lila treated the established baker at the inn she stayed in was unnecessary and rude. The lead baker wasn’t fluffy either, but her turf was being encroached upon and she saw a proud, set-in-her-ways teenager come waltzing in, wanting to upend all that she had worked for. The best part is, the moral of the story was, Lila’s baking is great and everyone loved it more. *eye roll* Unless I seriously misinterpreted it, that’s pretty awful.
It would have been better if she had learned that someone else’s baking expertise is worth learning from, outside of her abuelita’s. She doesn’t really come close to that understanding until the end, when she decides she wants to go to school to learn more about baking instead of working in her abuelita’s bakery, doing what she has always done. I guess at least that’s growth but given the rest of the book it doesn’t up my rating.
My Rating: 2 Stars
#9. Constance: A Story of Early Plymouth by Patricia Clapp
(Read 8/15/25 — 9/8/25)
Constance’s story is a historical fiction that I read to my kids for school, as part of our curriculum. It didn’t occur to me that it was considered YA until I went to add the details of this book to my reading journal. The book is supposed to read like a journal, which Constance is keeping, documenting their new life in colonial America. I find it hard to believe that people write entire dialogues in their journals, which is often the case in books formatted like this, but it was an interesting read nonetheless. The flow was decent, and the depictions of what sort of struggles the people who arrived on the ship with them faced are approached with care. There is a lot of grief because there is a lot of loss. The author did a good job balancing how that takes its toll, and yet you can still continue living despite it. The flighty, selfish and coquettish way Constance behaved with the eligible bachelors was annoying. She does get some harsh lessons from the results of her behavior, though. We’ve had some real duds this year with the books we’ve read for school, so the fact that this story wasn’t dull or disturbing scored it some points, and I am a sucker for a love story, so I admittedly got invested in Constance’s question of “Who will I marry?”
My Rating: 4 Stars
#10. Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
(Read 9/10/25 — 9/11/25)
I’ve read three books so far this year that I could hand to someone and say, “Read this to get to know me better.” Turtles All the Way Down was one of them.
The plot itself was a little convoluted, but the way it was told kept me eager to know what happened next. I listened to it as an audiobook, and while it allowed me to consume the book quicker than if I were reading a physical copy, it didn’t allow me to take notes or add tabs to pages with quotes that hit close to home. So, I purchased a physical copy of the book as well (pictured above), which I intend to re-read in the near future.
As someone who struggles under the oppressive thoughts of OCD and anxiety, the ruminations and intrusive thoughts of the main character, Aza, really resonated with me. The way that they were all-consuming at times, and at others more manageable, was accurate. I felt seen, as I went along with this girl on what would in most people’s lives be the main event: a big missing-persons mystery to solve, but that was almost overshadowed because of the way her brain functions. My mental health demands to be the center of attention in any scenario, and I have come to accept that it will be something I will always need to work through. In my case, I lean heavily on God’s strength to get me through, and help me manage those suffocating symptoms. I shudder to think where I’d be without His hand in my life. Religion is mentioned, but that is not where the characters in this book land in their understanding of where they fit in the universe. Still, it was a fascinating read from a secular perspective. I could have done without the swearing, but it wasn’t excessive.
Spoilers…
Aza’s best friend, Daisy, is outgoing and has a good grasp on when Aza needs space or a moment to process, but their relationship does encounter some bumps and the girls have a big fight. Through that fight, some truths come out and they each realize that maybe they both need to look at the world from each other’s perspectives. I appreciate that they do just that and it strengthens their friendship, and leads to reconciliation. It was a realistic falling out, that didn’t paint one or the other as the bad guy, because they both had areas they could work on.
My Rating: 4.5 Stars
#11. Where the Library Hides by Isabel Ibanez
(Read 8/26/25 — 9/18/25)
Raymond and I began reading Where the Library Hides on our 20th anniversary getaway at the cabin. Since we only read a chapter or two a night, I finished a few books on my own before this one, which is why it does not immediately follow in the list. It was heartbreaking at times but the characters responded to the trials they faced with aplomb. I highlighted a whole quote about grief, because the author, through the voice of the FMC, painted such a vividly true picture of what it looks like. (While not specific, since it is a tiny bit spoiler-ish, I will include it after my review.) It was a fast-paced read, with a lot of crazy events that made sense in hindsight. It’s good when there is a twist and you go, “Ahhh, duh, I should have seen that coming!” Rather than, “What? That was out of left field…That makes zero sense.” It was a satisfying conclusion and I actually enjoyed the second book a smidge more than the first, and the first was already a five star read for me.
Spoiler-ish:
“I hated that there would be more days since the last time I was with her. Days would turn into months. Months into years. Years into decades. And time would be cruel, because it would take my memories and blur them until I’d forget the details that made her her.” (Where the Library Hides by Isabel Ibanez, Owl Crate edition, p.49)
Also, “Good girl.” — No. Just no. *shudders* Ew. That’s all I am saying.
My Rating: 5 Stars
#12. The Wicked King by Holly Black
(Read 6/30/25 — 10/4/25)
I read the first book in this series, The Cruel Prince, by Holly Black back in 2023. Immediately, I grabbed the next book and put the third one on my wish list. I started reading The Wicked King that August but for whatever reason couldn’t get into it as easily as I had with the first book. So, eventually, I set it aside and there it sat…DNF-ed until I picked it up again this June. Then, I had the same problem. I was not engaged. I was afraid it was going to be DNF-ed for a second time. I started noticing The Wicked King showing up in videos and posts about books that were a “must-read”, and had an unbelievable plot-twist. I decided to give it one more chance, and powered through. It was…okay. I don’t know if I read the first book at a time when stories in a fae universe were new to me, so I was particularly enthralled. I don’t know why this particular book in the series didn’t vibe with me, when it appears to be the favourite for many fans, but it just didn’t.
My Rating: 3 Stars
#13. Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins
(Read 9/21/25 — 10/7/25)
Oh my goodness! I think out of the entire Hunger Games series, Sunrise on the Reaping was the most emotionally destructive to read. Katniss’ story was tragic but inspiring. Snow’s story was clever but tragic. Haymitch’s story is just one unending gut punch. He approaches everything life throws at him with his chin up and a bit of humor, but if you’ve read the series it’s no surprise he ends up the broken man he is when Katniss’ story begins. It’s incredible how well the author manages to keep the emotional stakes so high, despite knowing who is going to win the games; Or at least, the assumption is there given the content in the books that continue this timeline. Suzanne Collins is certainly good at coming up with gruesome ways for people to die. There is also some more backstory in this prequel given to other characters that make appearances in the Hunger Games series, which was both interesting and heartbreaking.
Spoiler…
One thing that didn’t quite hit the mark for me was the love story. It felt like a rehash of Snow and Lucy Gray’s relationship in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Haymitch and Lenore Dove’s relationship was mostly told in memories or thoughts of her that he had during preparation for the Hunger Games and the ensuing slaughter, not in actual interactions between the two, since they were torn apart right at the beginning. Since you’re so invested in Haymitch at this point, watching the poor man’s joy being obliterated little by little, when she is murdered by the Capital, it’s still absolutely devastating. That was the last straw that broke Haymitch’s back. It’s honestly impressive he held onto hope as long as he did!
Rating: 5 Stars
#14. Queen of Nothing by Holly Black
(10/5/25 — 10/13/25)
After The Wicked King, I went into Queen of Nothing with no small amount of trepidation. Was this going to be a slog to read, or would I enjoy it? Historically, the third or fourth book in a series tends to be my least favourite, which didn’t help my optimism. With great relief, I did enjoy Queen of Nothing. It was world’s better than The Wicked King, and maybe that’s because for a good chunk of it the FMC, Jude, isn’t anywhere near the MMC, Cardan. Since she isn’t near the MMC, she has more time to shine as the heroic, fearsome fighter she is supposed to be. I liked Cardan in the first book, but he didn’t have much growth in the second. By the third, his personality just came across flat to me. He felt like a caricature of the man he had been, just there to be hot and brooding. I’ve seen there are more books that take place in this universe, and I am curious enough to give them a try.
Spoiler…
Cardan gets turned into a large, black snake and spends a lengthy time in that state. I hate snakes and have a definite phobia, but mercifully this didn’t give me nightmares.
My Rating: 4 Stars
#15. Blood Moon by Britney S. Lewis
(10/27/25 — 11/7/25)
The premise sounded like it would be interesting, a story centered around vampires and werewolves has to be exciting, right? Before I get into the negative, I do appreciate one of the author’s main reasons for writing this story. She didn’t see women of colour represented in fantasy, outside of maybe a plucky side character, so she went out and wrote one herself. I applaud that! She saw a lack of representation and she did something about it.
Unfortunately, I just didn’t enjoy the story. None of the characters felt like real flesh and blood people (even the ones that were just people). They often didn’t respond to stimuli and circumstances in ways that felt natural. The dialogue was awkward. I also don’t know why so many newer books that I’ve read lately include a myriad of incomplete sentences. It makes me want to grab out the red pen I use for grading papers.
It bugged me the way that the FMC, Mira, referred to her parents when narrating or thinking about them, by their first names. She would think things like I should text Bobby not I should text my Dad. It’s probably a little thing, but it really irked me, and she talks about her parents a lot. The story moved slowly. There was beautiful artwork included with the Owl Crate edition of Blood Moon, and the scenes depicted in both of the art pieces didn’t even happen until the final quarter of the book. It left on an infuriating cliffhanger. It was so contrived I rolled my eyes for the umpteenth time.
Mira was ignorant to a lot of things about her life and ancestry, but the supernatural characters around her didn’t care at all and just left her that way, rather than explaining, yet they still got mad at her for not knowing what was going on. The MMC, Julian, and his inability to just communicate was maddening. The bonus chapter at the end gives insight from Julian’s perspective that was seriously lacking, but comes too late and still does not erase the hot and cold treatment they both give one another from the start. It also doesn’t erase the fabricated tension of exchanges like…
“You’re the bain of my existence!”
“Excuse me?! Why? I don’t even know you.”
“You know why!”
“What…”
Or
“You’re in grave danger. Be careful.”
“From what?”
“I can’t say…”
“How am I supposed to know what to avoid then?”
“Just…be careful.”
Orrr
“He can’t be trusted. Don’t be alone with him.”
“Why?”
“Because he can’t be. Just trust me.”
(These are not exact quotes, but are close enough to show just how maddening the conversations were.)
Spoiler…
I literally face-palmed when Julian announced that only was he a werewolf but, “I’m also a vampire.”
Mira bared her heart to Julian, sharing her deepest fear with him. He, in turn, shared his. He said that he feared he is a monster and that he cannot fight it. She then assured a man she barely knows that he is indeed not a monster. I believe at this point she at least knew about the werewolf part of him. I don’t remember if she knew he was a vampire too. (It is all muddled now.) Then when he later demonstrates that he is more than a monster, she turns around and tells him emphatically that he is a monster and runs away. Ouch. Granted, he didn’t communicate yet again, so she has little to go on…as is tradition. I genuinely don’t see what they see in each other.
My Rating: 2 Stars
~Shout out to Raymond for taking the picture for me, after I set it all up, since my iPad and phone are both occupied posing for the camera.~
Thank you for coming along on my apparently opinionated review of the fifteen YA novels I read to complete one of my Forty Before Forty challenges. If you have any recommendations for Fantasy or Romantasy books that are aimed at adults, without a bunch of “adult-content”, please feel free to share them. I love the Mistborn series, and enjoyed the Wheel of Time series as well, so I know they exist. ^_^
(Goal Accomplished: November 7, 2025)
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