I’ll admit that I didn’t read as much YA this year as I recovered from the intensity that is being on the Walden Book Award committee, so my list is rather short. There are a number of books that I missed but put on my TBR list (and my shelf) so I have a lot of good reading to look forward to. These three books that I’ve chosen, however, have really stayed with me this year and for one of the books, I’m anxiously awaiting the sequel. Check out my reviews of each and if you haven’t read them, ask someone to gift you them this holiday season.
The Queen’s Spade by Sarah Raughley
HarperCollins
In this riveting historical thriller that’s loosely inspired by true life events, The Count of Monte Cristo meets Bridgerton as revenge, romance, and twisted secrets take center stage in Victorian England’s royal court when Sally, a kidnapped African princess and goddaughter to Queen Victoria, plots her way to take down the monarchy that stole her from her homeland.
A young lady can take only so many injuries before humiliation and insult forge a vow of revenge . . .
The year is 1862, and murderous desires are simmering in England. Nineteen-year-old Sarah Bonetta Forbes (Sally), once a princess of the Egbado Clan, desires one thing above all else: revenge against the British Crown and its system of colonial “humanitarianism,” which stole her dignity and transformed her into royal property. From military men to political leaders, she’s vowed to ruin all who’ve had a hand in her afflictions. The top of her list? Her godmother, Britain’s mighty monarch, Queen Victoria herself.
Taking down the Crown means entering into a twisted game of court politics and manipulating the Queen’s inner circle—even if that means aligning with a dangerous yet alluring crime lord in London’s underworld and exploiting the affections of Queen Victoria’s own son, Prince Albert, as a means to an end. But when Queen Victoria begins to suspect Sally’s true intentions, she plays the only card in Victorian society that could possibly cage Sally once again: marriage. Because if there’s one thing Sally desires more than revenge, it’s her freedom. With time running out and her wedding day looming, Sally’s vengeful game of cat and mouse turns deadly as she’s faced with the striking revelation that that the price for vengeance isn’t just paid in blood. It means sacrificing your heart.
Loosely inspired by the true story of Sarah Forbes Bonetta, Queen Victoria’s African goddaughter, The Queen’s Spade is a lush and riveting historical thriller perfect for fans of A Dowry of Blood and Grave Mercy.
Check out my review here “The Queen’s Spade”
All the Noise at Once by DeAndra Davis
Atheneum Books for Young Readers
In this compelling, moving story about brotherhood, identity, and social justice, a Black, autistic teen tries to figure out what happened the night his older brother was unjustly arrested.
All Aiden has ever wanted to do was play football just like his star quarterback brother, Brandon. An overstimulation meltdown gets in the way of Aiden making the team during summer tryouts, but when the school year starts and a spot unexpectedly needs to be filled, he finally gets a chance to play the game he loves.
However, not every player is happy about the new addition to the team, wary of how Aiden’s autism will present itself on game day. Tensions rise. A fight breaks out. Cops are called.
Brandon interferes on behalf of his brother, but is arrested by the very same cops who, just hours earlier, were chanting his name from the bleachers. When he’s wrongly charged for felony assault on an officer, everything Brandon has worked for starts to slip away, and the brothers’ relationship is tested. As Brandon’s trial inches closer, Aiden is desperate to figure out what really happened that night. Can he clear his brother’s name in time?
Check out my review here “All the Noise at Once”
Blood & Breath by Qurratulayn
Page Street YA
Born into the persecuted Magi class, Evan Wilde keeps her true identity under wraps. Her days are spent drawing up simple contracts—a task Magi are banned from performing—which call devils from beyond the veil to carry out clients’ requests in exchange for a bit of blood or breath. It’s not until Evan lies dying in an alley, the victim of an illegal blood sacrifice, that she draws a contract for herself. A devil can take the last of her life—if it grants her revenge.
Such a hasty, open-ended contract can only lead to trouble. But when a devil named Jack accepts her terms, Evan decides to make the most of her borrowed time. With Jack’s help, she infiltrates high society, posing as part of the ruling Necro class—the group responsible for oppressing Magi and perpetuating illegal blood sacrifices. Dining and dancing by day, unleashing her devil at night . . . for the first time in her life, Evan no longer lives in fear. She even finds friends—and love—within the circles of her supposed enemy.
Check out my review here “Blood and Breath”