Independent Book Review » Middle Grade & Young Adult
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In April 2018, we started IBR to encourage our audience to put their trust in small press and self-published books. We publish only good reviews at IBR, despite reading many more of them, so that you can trust each new publication as a recommendation from our team. Discover some of our favorites from Young Adult fictions.
Independent Book Review » Middle Grade & Young Adult
1w ago
Heart of Grit
by Shelli Sivert
Genre: Young Adult / Historical Fiction
ISBN: 9798350924480
Print Length: 316 pages
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Reviewed by Elizabeth Reiser
A heartfelt & lovely historical drama for young adults
Set in 1860, Shelli Sivert’s Heart of Grit explores the lives of two teenagers living on the American frontier during a time of unrest. Beatrice Brannon and Charlie Rye haven’t always seen eye-to-eye, but both can agree they want better lives for themselves. When a contest is held to land a spot working for the Pony Express, they finally see a solut ..read more
Independent Book Review » Middle Grade & Young Adult
2w ago
Magic Beyond the Mark
by Emily Swiers
Genre: Middle Grade / Fantasy
ISBN: 9798989640409
Print Length: 232 pages
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Reviewed by Samantha Hui
A young girl gains the voice to speak up and the courage to save her town
Broken promises sprinkled into tea. Creatures that feed on fleeting thoughts. Curse eating eels. Magic Beyond the Mark invites audiences into a world in which our feelings and fears are made tangible.
“‘Magic can be very specific, mostly because people believe what they want. Magic just pushes us along.’”
In the world of Emily Swiers’ Magic ..read more
Independent Book Review » Middle Grade & Young Adult
2w ago
Ever the Same
by Michelle Wishner
Genre: Young Adult / Romance
ISBN: 9798888242162
Print Length: 170 pages
Publisher: Koehler Books
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Reviewed by Kristine Eckart | Content Warnings: Near rape
A teenage dream that turns into a nightmare, blending the truths of real life with the fantastical love stories that readers expect from romance novels
When Sam’s family moves to a new town, her senior year in high school gets off to a rocky start. The move takes her away from her friends and the home she’s always known, and it creates a rift between her and her ..read more
Independent Book Review » Middle Grade & Young Adult
3w ago
Jigsaw of Light
by JC Button
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy / Adventure
ISBN: 9781399967150
Print Length: 324 pages
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Reviewed by Andrea Marks-Joseph
This action-packed adventure sees a teenager supernaturally-surf across oceans to save the planet and find his father.
When we first meet fifteen-year-old Zebedee, he’s lonely in London, exhausted from constant nightmares of dramatic waves that ruin his sleep and missing his father who mysteriously disappeared three years ago to the day.
On the anniversary of his father’s disappearance, Zeb receives an urgent and secreti ..read more
Independent Book Review » Middle Grade & Young Adult
3w ago
The Things He Could Have Been
by W. Nikola-Lisa
Genre: Nonfiction / Young Adult / Sports
ISBN: 9798986017372
Print Length: 92 pages
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Reviewed by Melissa Suggitt
Homeruns, humor, and heart—a playful exploration of what-ifs surrounding a baseball legend’s alternate destinies
W. Nikola-Lisa takes readers on a spirited journey beyond the diamond to uncover the untold tales of American baseball icon Babe Ruth in The Things He Could Have Been. This young adult sports biography is not your average baseball saga; it’s a delightful exploration of the off-the ..read more
Independent Book Review » Middle Grade & Young Adult
1M ago
Everything That Was
by K.R. Hansen
Genre: Young Adult Fiction / Coming of Age
ISBN: 9798890790729
Print Length: 292 pages
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Reviewed by J.B. Leddington
A powerful novel that explores the profound impact of loss and the enduring power of memories
K.R. Hansen’s Everything That Was centers on Prudence “Pru” Spellmeyer, a high schooler whose life is forever altered by the death of her older brother, Davis, just before the start of her senior year. “One perk for members like me of the Dead Sibling Club? […] A void where everything’s numb, where everything’s safe.”
Hansen beaut ..read more
Independent Book Review » Middle Grade & Young Adult
1M ago
Amethyst, the Shallows
by Kellye Abernathy
Genre: Young Adult / Magical Realism
ISBN: 9798891321045
Print Length: 296 pages
Publisher: Atmosphere Press
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Reviewed by Samantha Hui
Lively, heartfelt, emotionally honest, and, most importantly, fun
“If you have a book–you’re never alone.”
Fear and heartbreak are powerful forces that can lead a person to isolate themselves in the hope of protecting themselves from harm. Though precarious and often leaving one more vulnerable, love may be an even more powerful force that saves us from our self isolation.&n ..read more
Independent Book Review » Middle Grade & Young Adult
2M ago
Gifts of the Shavtal (Talisman)
by Toni Yap
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy
ISBN: 9781639888481
Print Length: 252 pages
Publisher: Atmosphere Press
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Reviewed by Alexandria Ducksworth
A magical YA fantasy with a serious undertone that makes it all the more enjoyable
This isn’t just another young adult fantasy with magical powers and fairy fluff. Author Toni Yap has created an intriguing world with a protagonist wrapped in a shocking secret.
Georgina Trabeck, Gifts of the Shavtal’s 12-year old heroine, endures many challenges. She lives in a mobile ..read more
Independent Book Review » Middle Grade & Young Adult
2M ago
Just Like Click
by Sandy Grubb
Genre: Middle Grade Fiction
ISBN: 9781646034390
Print Length: 188 pages
Publisher: Fitzroy Books
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Reviewed by Audrey Davis
An endearing story of a brave boy willing to go to great lengths for his biggest secret
More than anything, Nick Townley, a curious, creative 11-year-old with a passion for superheroes, longs for connection after the loss of his great-grandfather. His parents pressure him to excel in school, sports, and to make more friends his own age. But Nick prefers visiting and caring for his great-grandfather ..read more
Independent Book Review » Middle Grade & Young Adult
3M ago
The Brothers Dragon
by J.F. Baker
Genre: Middle Grade / Fantasy
ISBN: 9798218258436
Print Length: 226 pages
Publisher: Foxburg & Stern Books
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Reviewed by Warren Maxwell
In this coming of age fantasy, two young brothers travel from World War Two ravaged London to a dangerous world of dragons, pirates, and family secrets.
Hidden on an island in the Atlantic, dragons, mermen, gargoyles, and witches have maintained a peaceful existence for centuries. When a malevolent force begins threatening this bucolic existence, it falls on Luke and Nick—the you ..read more