In a Nutshell Reviews: YA Edition

In a Nutshell Reviews are my version of mini-reviews, because sometimes, you just want the highlights.

Lifestyles of Gods and Monsters
Emily Roberson
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: Farrar, Straus & Giroux
Rating:  4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

Sixteen-year-old Ariadne’s whole life is curated and shared with the world. Her royal family’s entertainment empire is beloved by the tabloids, all over social media, and the hottest thing on television. The biggest moneymaker? The Labyrinth Contest, a TV extravaganza in which Ariadne leads fourteen teens into a maze to kill a monster. To win means endless glory; to lose means death. In ten seasons, no one has ever won.

When the gorgeous, mysterious Theseus arrives at the competition and asks Ariadne to help him to victory, she doesn’t expect to fall for him. He might be acting interested in her just to boost ratings. Their chemistry is undeniable, though, and she can help him survive. If he wins, the contest would end for good. But if she helps him, she doesn’t just endanger her family’s empire―the monster would have to die. And for Ariadne, his life might be the only one worth saving.

Ariadne’s every move is watched by the public and predestined by the gods, so how can she find a way to forge her own destiny and save the people she loves?

As penance for the murder of King Minos' eldest son, 14 of Athen's best and beautiful citizens must be sent to compete in the reality show, The Labyrinth Contest, where they would run the maze and attempt to conquer the Minotaur. After, 10 seasons, and lagging ratings, the newly claimed Athenian prince, Theseus, wanted to face the Minotaur in an effort to save his people, but he couldn't do it without the help of the Cretan princess, Ariadne. Would the princess choose her family, or would she choose love?

• Pro: It amazed me how well this fairly savage tale fit into the reality show world. This story from so long ago fit perfectly with our contemporary idea of reality shows. 
• Pro: I was impressed with how many elements of the original myth were woven into this tale. Though some things were reshaped, they were very recognizable, and I appreciate the way Roberson was able to make something simultaneously fresh and familiar. 
• Pro: Ariadne was my kind of girl. She was smart and sarcastic. She preferred comfy clothes to dressing up, and virtual reality games to parties. I found her very likable and relatable, and found her easy to root for. 
• Pro: This book was really fun to read. I enjoyed all the reality show level drama, and found the cast of colorful characters highly entertaining. 
• Pro: I did enjoy the romance, and wish there had been more, because these two were great together. 
• Pro: What an interesting juxtaposition - someone living the reality show life, which is highly curated, and someone seeking their independence. I know I was rooting for this princess to make her own way.

Overall: A fun and fresh twist on a the story of the Minotaur, which preserved all the important elements of the original.

** ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

I'll Meet You There
Heather Demetrios
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Henry Holt
Rating:  4.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

If Skylar Evans were a typical Creek View girl, her future would involve a double-wide trailer, a baby on her hip, and the graveyard shift at Taco Bell. But after graduation, the only thing separating Skylar from art school is three months of summer…until Skylar’s mother loses her job, and Skylar realizes her dreams may be slipping out of reach.

Josh had a different escape route: the Marines. But after losing his leg in Afghanistan, he returns home, a shell of the cocksure boy he used to be.

What brings Skylar and Josh together is working at the Paradise—a quirky motel off California’s Highway 99. Despite their differences, their shared isolation turns into an unexpected friendship and, soon, something deeper.

Compelling and ultimately hopeful, this is a powerful examination of love, loss, and resilience.

Skylar and her friend, Chris, had a plan. They were going to conquer high school, remain celibate, and earn their ticket out of Creek View. The time had finally arrived, and it looked like their plan had succeeded. Sky was awarded a full scholarship to San Francisco College, and was on her way in just a few short months. But as the date approached, her mother was unraveling, and the return of Josh had her dealing with some complicated feelings. Would Skylar still be able to achieve her dreams?

• Pro: Sky was someone worthy of my admiration. She did not have it easy. I really appreciated how hard she was willing to work to make sure both she and her mother had some sort of security. Her combination of tenacity, strength, and generosity made her a phenomenal character, and one that was easy to care about.  
• Pro: The bulk of the book was told from Sky's point of view, but WOW! Those few pages we got from Josh, here and there, were so telling and heart wrenching, but they also showed how he was slowly, but surely, coming to terms with some of the overwhelming emotions he was dealing with upon returning to civilian life. 
• Pro: Demetrios did an incredible job capturing the struggles Josh was battling. Between his nightmares, PTSD, survivor's guilt, uncertainty about his future, feelings of uselessness, loss of his "family", and the physical pain - he was dealing with a lot. Though this was not a full list of the types of obstacles soldiers face when (if) they come home, it was a hard and important look at some of the issues they are faced with. 
• Pro: Life in a small town was perfectly drawn. At first, all we saw were the bad parts, but as summer wore on, Sky changed and so did her relationship with Creek View, and we got to see that there are some good aspects to small town life, many of which shaped who Sky was, flaws and all. 
• Pro: How cool is collage art? I was so enthralled with every description of Sky's work. I found it utterly fascinating, and it made me want to run out to get some paper and glue. 
• Pro: There was a lot of focus on all various relationships throughout this story, and I found myself thinking of how lucky Sky was to have this many beautiful people in her life. Dylan, Chris, Josh, Marge, and even her mom. Each gave so much to Sky and inspired her to want more, to be more. 

Overall: An emotionally charged story of the value of human connection, perseverance in the face of change, and not compromising your dreams.

Do you have a favorite myth?
Let us know in the comments!