Category: YA - Alyce Caswell - Author

Alyce Caswell - Author

Queen's Gambit

28/12/2023

Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood

Mallory Greenleaf is struggling to keep her family afloat when she wins a match against the World No 1 player, Nolan Sawyer. Suddenly, everyone in the world wants to see her play again. That's a hard no - until Mallory loses her job. Now she's playing chess for money. That's it. That's all. And she's definitely not looking for a lasting connection...especially not with Nolan Sawyer.

This is a cute story and the chess angle made for interesting reading. I did find myself cringing a bit, however, whenever Hazelwood attempted to appeal to Zoomers - writing for the generation below you can be done, but this felt really forced (pop culture references don't fix everything). Well, maybe it won't feel that way to Hazelwood's intended audience. She is very popular on TikTok. *shrug*

Somewhere in Regency Time

26/12/2023

Pride and Prejudice and the City by Rachael Lippincott

Audrey, at seventeen, has been dumped, waitlisted for her dream college instead of getting in, and lost the spark she desperately needs for her art. But then she catches a coin that sends her back to 1812 - and into the path of Lucy, a gentleman's daughter who hides her true self and is destined for a loveless marriage. Audrey desperately wants to go home... but what if there's a reason she's there?

Oh my goodness. How cute was that! I'm glad I took a chance on this book - I nearly didn't, because the title is legitimately awful (though apparently it's also published with "Pittsburgh" instead of "the City", which is... marginally better) and it's also weird because this book might have a Regency setting, but that's where the resemblance to Jane Austen ends. Anyway, this sapphic time travel romp was a blast and I'm ever more delighted by the glorious amount of bi rep in books these days.

Split Book's Curse

7/12/2023

Wolf's Curse (Otherworld: Kate & Logan #2)
by Kelley Armstrong

Logan, Kate and some of their fellow campers are sheltering inside a cabin in the woods, which is never a safe place inside of horror movies. But outside is even worse - there's a demon hanging around and she's really pissed off about supernaturals trampling through her territory. But she's open to making deals. Because it's totally a good idea to do that.

Splitting this story into two books was such a bad idea. I let nostalgia blind me a bit during the first book, but this one has fewer redeeming qualities. The characters walk in circles. The plot follows them and also goes around and around until you lose interest. Look, I did sort-of enjoy this - mostly because of Kate - but it's hard not to be annoyed when you see so much potential being squandered.

Return to the Otherworld

6/12/2023

Wolf's Bane (Otherworld: Kate and Logan #1)
by Kelley Armstrong

Kate and Logan Danvers, werewolf twins with famous werewolf parents, are sent to a summer camp for supernatural beings - except most of the other teens there don't like their kind, a scary monster is stalking them through the woods, and the counsellors seem oddly unbothered by some of the dodgy stuff happening among the campers. What more can go wrong?

This was a great way to return to the Otherworld universe and it's exactly what you'd want for an adventure starring Elena and Clay's kids. And a creepy camp is honestly the perfect setting for this kind of story. But there's a problem - this is clearly one book split into two. The cliffhanger doesn't really work because the tension and excitement it generates aren't any greater than what can be found in earlier chapters. I did enjoy this book, though. Really appreciated the queer rep.

The Missing Developmental Edit

19/10/2023

The Last Love Song by Katie Holford

I received this ARC from Blackstone Publishing (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.

Mia Peters grew up in the same town that her famous mother, the singer Tori Rose, was always trying to leave - in fact, Tori never returned from her final tour. Mia doesn't really know what her mother was like, but she's about to. Tori Rose has gifted her a scavenger hunt for graduation and Mia only has one week to solve it before her best friend and crush, Britt, also leaves her behind to chase the music.

If you can manage to suspend your disbelief enough - and it is very hard at times - this is a cute, if unremarkable, YA read. I really liked the premise and some of the characters were interesting, if underdeveloped. The major issue is that we're supposed to believe that in a small town certain characters never crossed paths with Mia. Or that she wasn't able to find out her mother's cause of death from anyone in town or online (trust me, you could find this stuff on the Internet in 2006 and many articles from that period are still searchable now). Had these issues been smoothed out, I might have really enjoyed The Last Love Song.

Expanded Universe Round-Up #22

17/10/2023

The Wrath of Darth Maul

I wasn't expecting much, but the first three quarters of this book were so easy to rip through and enjoy. Windham managed to tie together several different events in Maul's life. But then, alas, this become yet another retelling of The Phantom Menace. Good grief, don't we have enough of those already?

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
(comic adaptation)

After the last two adaptations, I was prepared for more confusing and rushed storytelling, but Lane is clearly much more proficient at writing comic scripts than Gilroy was. Sure, some things are cut and some scenes have even tweaked (and that's after you take the original screenplay into consideration) - but it's all done to make sure the story keeps flowing in this shorter medium. Bonus Quinlan Vos.

Visionaries

Parts of this collection are interesting and other parts are cool, but none of the stories (or art stills) really stood out for me.

Purge

This collection had a shaky start, but each story brought improvement until the series reached a solid conclusion. "The Hidden Blade" was my favourite of the lot.

Darth Vader and the Lost Command

A tad predictable, but a good read nonetheless. Creating sympathy for a monster is one of the usual angles that writers go for when using Darth Vader.

Darth Vader and the Ghost Prison

Whoa! That was awesome. Tohm was such a fascinating character with distinct motivations... I have rarely encountered such great work in this regard. This graphic novel has definitely become one of my favourites. It will make a fine addition to my Legends collection.

Darth Vader and the Ninth Assassin

A huge disappointment after the previous story. The plot was silly and there was a very weak attempt to tie it all together at the end.

Darth Vader and the Cry of Shadows

This was an interesting read, though by no means unique - there are plenty of tales about clones learning hard truths. And also, for a story with a title bearing Darth Vader's name, there is very little of Darth Vader within it.

Bronze Debut

9/9/2023

Silver Valley (Silver Valley #1)
by Arabella Rosier

Savannah Shaw moves to Silver Valley because of her father's work and is happy to see her best friend, Jasmine Spark, again. But there is something seriously strange going on and Jasmine has told her not go into the forest. But Savannah is drawn to the forest - and the boy she's seen lurking there. Soon the secrets of Silver Valley will be revealed.

This is a well-written debut that introduces believable teenage characters and it was intriguing enough to hold my attention for the first and second acts (after that...not so much). There's potential here, but a lot of it is unrealised. I imagine that the uneven pacing and plot issues will improve across the series, just as the author improves in her craft.

More Heir than Spare

2/7/2023

My Spare Heart by Jared Thomas

Phoebe doesn't want to go to a new school or move in permanently with her dad and his girlfriend - and she definitely doesn't want to do yoga! She just wants to play basketful like her heroes. While settling in isn't so bad, it does mean that she can't see her mum as often as she'd like...and it'd help if her mum actually showed up when she promised she would.

Jared Thomas has a gift for writing YA fiction that feels real, isn't unbelievable or OTT, and is accessible to teens who might not usually read as a hobby. For some adult readers, this means the prose isn't as elegant as in some other YA novels, but you're not the intended audience. Thomas grapples with some very difficult issues here, including having an alcoholic as a parent and dealing with micro-aggressions. This is a solid Australian story.

Expanded Universe Round-Up #13

16/6/2023

Jedi Quest series (Star Wars Legends)
by Jude Watson

#0 - Path to Truth

I've always found it odd that this book isn't the first official title in the Jedi Quest series and was seemingly published as a one-shot, but perhaps TPTB were testing the waters. They didn't need to be so cautious - Jude Watson always delivers. It might not carry #1 on the cover, but this instalment is incredibly strong and immediately highlights the differences between Obi-Wan's firm bond with Qui-Gon and his tenuous connection with Anakin. Bonus Siri Tachi!

#1 - The Way of the Apprentice

A solid instalment that could have been merely average, had Watson not isolated the four Padawans and revealed key aspects of their characters in how they interacted with each other. Admittedly, in order to properly enjoy this, I had to take a step back from my disappointment that Obi-Wan and Anakin don't have the same fantastic bond that existed between Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon in the earlier Jedi Apprentice series.

#2 - The Trail of the Jedi

This one is 40 pages shorter than the previous two instalments, but it's none the poorer for it. In fact, the plot and pacing benefit enormously from the shorter length; both are tight and on point. I'm also pleased to see an overarching plot being introduced (and one that isn't "oh look Anakin is travelling towards his destiny" - thank goodness).

#3 - The Dangerous Games

It says a lot about Watson's skill that she took the cringeworthy concept of Anakin meeting Sebulba again, before a Podracing event of all things, and managed to make it work. Didi and Astri also reappeared, which made this Jedi Apprentice fan very happy. I like the darker edge of this series - the endings consistently straddle the line between satisfactory and disheartening.

#4 - The Master of Disguise

This started quite strongly, with us readers thrown straight into the action on a world beset with civil war, but things went downhill during the Granta Omega investigation. That should have been exciting. Alas, no. Even the shorter length didn't ease my frustration with the storyline.

#5 - The School of Fear

Sadly not as strong as previous entries in the series, this instalment rehashes the frustrating Sano Sauro plot thread from the previous book (and it really wasn't needed, unless it was included to add pages to the overall length) and then forces Ferus and Anakin to interact in that tense way of theirs (which is beginning to feel repetitive).

#6 - The Shadow Trap

I thought this was going to be a run-of-the-mill story, but I was pleasantly surprised - although perhaps "pleasantly" is not the word I should use, since this book has quite a tragic climax. It's so impactful that I remember it all these years later. There's also a Big Reveal about the villain... which is equal parts cool and exasperating (I actually groaned out loud), even if you are a fan of the Jedi Apprentice series. Oddly enough, this last aspect of the book didn't imprint on my memories.

#7 - The Moment of Truth

Hmm. This wasn't bad but it was mostly forgettable - until the Big Reveal at the end. I have been enjoying the many and varied references to the Jedi Apprentice series throughout these books, but I feel this is one too far. It would be a lot more interesting if Obi-Wan and Anakin encountered recurring villains that are new threats, not throwbacks.

#8 - The Changing of the Guard

An excellent return to form and a fun adventure in one package. I am relieved to find that Ferus is no longer so annoying as a character - and I enjoyed Siri and Obi-Wan's interactions, which felt more natural than in some previous instalments of the series. Everything about this book was on point. Heck, I don't usually like cliffhangers and I was more excited than annoyed by this one!

#9 - The False Peace

Twisty, action-packed, perfectly paced and old friends in trouble - what more can a Jude Watson fan ask for? Oh, you also want some great setup for Obi-Wan and Anakin's partnership in Attack of the Clones? You got it! This series might've lost its way for a bit, but it looks like Watson will stick the landing. Onward to the last book!

#10 - The Final Showdown

Well, the title was partially right - one villain met their end and another escaped (again - sigh). I think Korriban was an excellent setting for this book, because dead Sith creepiness always adds a fun/scary element to a plot. And it's a great playground to foreshadow Anakin's destiny. The conclusion is shocking, but also a genius move... for setting up another series. I'll admit that I'm not 100% happy about it. I prefer fewer loose plot threads in a series' final instalment.

Expanded Universe Round-Up #10

31/5/2023

Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
(comic adaptation)

An obviously rushed adaptation that excluded some things that should have been kept, while including other things that could have been dropped. I also found the clumsy (and at times completely missing) scene transitions quite jarring.

Star Wars Episode I: The Queen's Amulet

This is a very well-presented book, including an "amulet". But it's really quite pointless - and a missed opportunity, since it could have been a nice story about friendship.

Star Wars Episode I Journal: Anakin Skywalker

I own several books that are different versions of The Phantom Menace and this is just one of them. Wow, they sure crapped these things out! I actually like this one, because it really does read as though a 9-year-old boy wrote it. I was 10 when I first picked up this book. It was incredibly influential on my writing at the time. So while the story isn't original, I think it does have something to offer.

Star Wars Episode I Journal: Queen Amidala

So in the previous review I said that the Anakin journal was hugely influential on my writing at the time. Well, that had nothing on this! Jude Watson is my favourite of the YA Legends authors and she was certainly in fine form here. I feel like she really understood Padmé. Or perhaps I just prefer her characterisation of Padme over everyone else's! Journal books can be hit and miss... this one was a massive hit for me when I was a kid. It's still a hit for me now, to be honest.

Star Wars Episode I Journal: Darth Maul

I did not enjoy this "journal" as much. It doesn't read like an actual journal, though it does still have the Jude Watson shine. Additional scenes aren't just there to add pages - they actually add to Maul's characterisation. I will also admit to being disappointed that the pages are normal paper, not the pretty ones seen in the previous journals.