Tag: ya historical fiction
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Ruthless Vows by Rebecca Ross – The Finale I Devoured (But Was I Satisfied?)
I wasn’t sure if I would pick up Ruthless Vows by Rebecca Ross, not because I thought it would be bad, but because I wasn’t sure if the magical realism and historical fiction aspects of the novel would gel with me. I loved elements of Divine Rivals, but I felt something was hiding from view…
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My Infernal Devices Trilogy Review (It’s The Best YA Trilogy Ever)
A much beloved trilogy on bookstagram and booktok, The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare is a popular must-read. Unlike newer “popular must-reads”, this trilogy had its initial run over a decade ago, making it a historic historical fantasy and a classic on the YA fantasy shelf. Clockwork Angel, Clockwork Prince, and Clockwork Princess make up…
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Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief Is A Modern Classic
A stunning book unlike any other, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak has been around for almost two decades now. In that time, it has proven to be a novel of distinction, and I strongly believe it stands as a modern classic and a historical fiction novel that everyone can enjoy. But what if I…
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Supernatural Adventure and Intrigue Continue in William Ritter’s Ghostly Echoes
Of all the Jackaby books, Ghostly Echoes is my favourite. While it’s been a fun ride so far, this is where things start to get tense and serious for the crew and the narrative is shaped really well, balancing internal and external conflicts as well as relationship developments and tension between characters. It starts to…
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Let Death’s Assassins Thrive in Robin LaFevers’s Grave Mercy
I read this many moons ago but there is something that’s calling me to reread the His Fair Assassin trilogy. Robin LaFevers’s Grave Mercy is a historical fiction young adult fantasy novel rife with political tensions. In a time when women had no autonomy, Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into…
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Sherlock Holmes Meets Doctor Who in William Ritter’s Jackaby
If you’re a fan of Doctor Who or Sherlock Holmes (or both), then Jackaby by William Ritter should definitely be on your radar. Not only is it a fun, easy-going story with that adventure detective vibe, but it also has details reminiscent of a good Doctor Who alien species introduction. The creatures Jackaby and Abigail…
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Is Stalking Jack the Ripper a Good Historical Fiction Murder Mystery?
Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco is an introduction for YA readers into the marvels of historical fiction, more specifically, the historical fiction murder mystery realm. But the problem I have with it is that it doesn’t feel like a truly memorable book, and its subject matter is the Jack the Ripper case which…
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The Fountains of Silence – Harrowing Modern History Within Our Reach
As a self-proclaimed historian, having minored in history in university, I thought I had a rather broad but educated sense of modern history. Surely the most significant events between WWI and now I would’ve heard, right? Wrong. I had absolutely no idea that something like this was going on for decades and that it occurred…