maayan dantonio

Review: Category Five by Ann Davila Cardinal

| Rebecca Valley

Category Five by Ann Dávila Cardinal (Tor Teen 2020)

Reviewed by Maayan D’Antonio

Lupe Dávila returns for another summer in Puerto Rico. But once again things are not quiet on the island. Ten months after Hurricane Maria, a category five storm, the island is still struggling to recover. On top of that there are dead people popping up on Vieques, a small island off the northeastern coast of the main island of Puerto Rico. This time Lupe’s Tío, police chief Dávila, knows better than to try and keep Lupe away from the investigation. The first murder claims three Caucasian college boys at the bioluminescent bay. The murder scene is not too far away from construction on a new resort.

Continue reading →

Review: Sword in the Stars by Amy Rose Capetta and Cori McCarthy

| Rebecca Valley

Sword in the Stars by Amy Rose Capetta and Cori McCarthy (JIMMY patterson 2020)

Reviewed by Maayan D’Antonio

Ari, Merlin and their rainbow knights are back and are headed straight for the Camelot of the Middle Ages, where they must attempt to steal the Holy Grail from the King Arthur, in order to save the future from the evil Mercer Corporation that seeks galactic domination. But something is wrong, Merlin is in a…well? And where are his friends?

Continue reading →

Review: Sparrow by Mary Cecilia Jackson

| Rebecca Valley

Sparrow by Mary Cecilia Jackson (Tor Teen, 2020)

Reviewed by Maayan D’Antonio

Jackson’s debut novel tells the story of 17-year-old ballerina Savannah Rose—“Sparrow” to her friends and family. Sparrow has been chosen to dance the role of the Swan Queen, with her best friend and dance partner Lucas as the prince. But dancing isn’t Sparrow’s only talent. Her real talent is keeping secrets—a practice distilled into her by her long dead mother.

Continue reading →

Review: Mad, Bad, and Dangerous to Know by Samira Ahmed

| Rebecca Valley

Mad, Bad & Dangerous to Know by Samira Ahmed (Soho Teen 2020)

Reviewed by Maayan D’Antonio

17-year-old Khayyam Maquet—American, French, Indian, Muslim—is spending her August sulking around Paris. Her essay to her dream school, The Art Institute of Chicago, wasn’t received well by the committee, derailing her chances of getting in. On top of that, her maybe ex-boyfriend, Zaid, is ghosting her. Just when everything feels exceptionally crappy, and Khayyam literally steps in crap, she meets Alexander, the descendant of the famous French writer Alexander Dumas.

Continue reading →