It’s time to shout-out some great MG and YA books. My theme this week is: fantastical fantasy.

Since Wyrd & Wonder will be starting tomorrow, I thought it would be fun to highlight some fantasy. Yes, I’m actually early for something for a change. Please don’t die of shock. I worked hard to write this post, so save your massive coronaries until the end, if you don’t mind.

During May, you might even notice a theme for my MG/YA takes on Thursday, in that I plan on focusing on fantasy books.

Conveniently, that’s mostly what I read, and honestly, I really don’t need a reason to do so. I’d take anything. Why, good sir, you seemed to blink. That clearly means you want to talk about fantasy, right?! I see you’re still breathing, so obviously that’s a yes.

Good. Let’s begin.

MG Takes on Thursday is a weekly meme started by Mary @ BookCraic in order to celebrate amazing middle-grade books. I love this idea so much, but since I started working at the library, I’m over MG and YA, and sometimes the two blur together a bit, so I’ve decided to do both.

How to take part:

• Post a picture of the front cover of a middle-grade book which you have read and would recommend to others with details of the author, illustrator and publisher.
• Open the book to page 11 and share your favourite sentence. 
• Write three words to describe the book.
• Either share why you would recommend this book, or link to your review.

MG Takes on Thursday

This book is …

Hilarious
Exhilarating
Relatable

Perfect for …

Readers interested in mythology.
Anyone looking for more diverse reads.
Fans of Percy Jackson.
Fans of any Rick Riordan Presents books.
Readers interested in black folk tales.
Any age working to overcome grief.
Anyone looking for a bit of escapism.

Brief Summary:

Tristan Strong comes from a long line of boxers … except he lost his first match … and his best friend … and at this point, he doesn’t seem to have much going for him. Things aren’t exactly looking up for him when he accidentally punches a hole into another dimension, falls into another world, and frees an evil spirit, either.

Page 11 snippet:

My Thoughts:

I have shouted about this book endlessly since I’ve read it, and I’m sure you’re all sick of hearing about it. Unfortunately for you, I will continue to do so until you’ve all read it. And by then, the sequel will be out, so I can shout about that. Lucky you!

First of all, I was attracted to this book, because I just LOVE books about mythology in general. It’s one of my favorite things, when an author twists some sort of lore or myth. The final selling point for me was that this was a book about black gods and folklore, and that’s still something so underrepresented but also near and dear to my heart. As it turns out, I grew up with a lot of this folklore and legend, and it was a nice bit of nostalgia for me.

More than that, though, this book was just so freaking funny. From very early on, I just couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Gum Baby is a character that’s larger than life, and yet still has her faults and doubts.

Tristan Strong himself makes a fantastic reluctant hero, because he’s struggling with a lot of emotional baggage, but also wants to do the right thing. So long as it doesn’t end up with him dead. And honestly, isn’t that what most of us want? No one can blame him for that. His voice was so relatable because he reacted not like some character in a big fantasy (even though he is) but like a mid-grade kid who’s asked to take on things that are bigger than himself that he never signed up for. Honestly, he reacted just like I would’ve reacted in that situation, even as an adult, and I loved it.

Read my full review here.

YA Takes on Thursday

This book is …

Dark
Foreboding
Suspenseful

Perfect for …

Fans of dystopia and fantasy.
Readers who enjoy dark world-building.
Fans of slow burn romance where it’s not the focus of the plot.
Anyone looking for a little witchy magic.
Fans of dark mystery and suspense.
Readers in search of a vast, untamed world to explore.
Anyone who loves the sibling bonds trope.

Brief Summary:

Magic has destroyed the world and corrupted its inhabits, and now magic plagues run rampant among the people living Below, making its victims unpredictable and unsafe. Azzy’s brother becomes infected and, for the safety of their community, is thrown into the Above, which is a dangerous and unpredictable place, where Azzy has no intention of letting him go alone. But the Above is larger than it seems, and not all monsters are made equal.

Page 11 snippet:

My Thoughts:

I hadn’t realized how much I needed more dystopian fantasy until I picked this book up and fell head-over-heels into this world. It’s dark. It’s warped. It’s everything I’ve ever wanted. Thanks, I love it.

In this world, humans dabbled with things they didn’t understand (like we do … constantly) and released so much magic into the world that it corrupted it. Which forced the survivors to live below ground for the best chance at eking out a living. But the above ground remains inhabited and … well, thriving isn’t the word for it. These creatures are very much alive, though.

My favorite bits were the encounters with the monsters, because magic corrupts both humanity and animals so much that it turns them into beasts. Not all of them, though, and not always and not completely. There was a lot of nuance with this, but it was a world that I just loved to explore.

There’s also a hinted-at, slow-burn romance in this book that can best be described as “it’s complicated.” Which, if I’m honest, makes me love it all the more, because if they do end up getting a “happy ending,” there will be sacrifices and it won’t be clean at all. It’ll be nitty and gritty and well earned, and those are my favorite romances, so … *crosses my fingers for the rest of this series*

Read my full review here.