Canada Day may have passed, but every day is an opportunity to celebrate the awesomeness of my favourite country, so here's a look at some intriguing YA titles from some smaller Canadian publishers!

Coteau Books

The Broken Thread by Linda Smith

Destroying a deadly prince, in a violent court far from her home, was not what Alina expected when she was chosen to serve on the Isle of the Weavers.

Fifteen-year-old Alina comes from a long line of women who have gone to serve on the Isle of the Weavers, and she has always dreamed of doing the same. Her older sister is going to inherit the farm. She hasn't found any boy in the village that she's attracted to, like her other sister. And she loves her 10-year-old brother, but he's getting to be a pain to look after all the time. Still, a girl must be chosen to be a weaver, and Alina's already older than others were when they were called.

Then the weavers come. Her dreams come true, and she's taken to the Isle of Weaving, where the destiny of the world is born. Alina enters a long period of mental/spiritual training to prepare her to be a weaver. But she struggles with her trademark impatience.To the amusement of her trainers, she's anxious to begin weaving after only a few months training. Then Alina is asked to take spools of thread to the weaving room, and she gets her first glimpse of the awesome tapestry, with its multitude of threads, and colours, and shifting patterns. Left alone for a minute, she discovers a red thread - red like her own hair - which is short and broken, and she impulsively takes a strand of her hair and ties the red thread to a tawny thread nearby. Immediately, thousands of other threads in the tapestry break.What has she done? The tapestry reflects what goes on in the world, as well as affecting events. By reconnecting a thread that was meant to be broken, she has caused the end of thousands of other threads/lives. She must undo what she has done and the story begins.

Wait an evil prince? Magical threads that represent lives? Some secretive, powerful group called Weavers?Fate? This is totally my type of read. I love fantasy and action, and this book promises that in spades. 

Fishtailing by Wendy Phillips

Teen violence, bullying and the burning quest to fit in are presented in the poems of four unforgettable high school students: Natalie, Kyle, Tricia, Miguel. Their stories unfold in this explosive new book told in free verse. A story of teen angst like no other, it is based on fictional characters but is rooted in the realities of the teen experience. 

When Natalie moves to a new high school she befriends three unwitting victims into her spider-web of manipulations, lies and deceit. Through the poetry and assignments of an English class we glimpse the world of the four teens. Natalie, whose alcoholic parents, years of neglect and ultimate rape by her father's friend has shaped her into a cruel and manipulative teen; Tricia, dealing with her blended family, is drawn into Natalies' forbidden world of partying and rebellion; Kyle, a would-be musician is in love with Tricia and Miguel who lusts for Natalie while hiding the secrets of his family.     

The story weaves us through their poetry, their lives and culminates at a party where the four lives fishtail out of control. English class will never be the same.

The last time I read a book about serious issues by a Canadian author, it turned out to be amazing, so by perfect logic, this one should be good too? I'm very curious about verse and this one seems like a quick yet impactful read. 

Great Plains Publications

Lockdown by Maggie Bolitho

When a great earthquake rocks the Pacific Northwest, fifteen-year-old Rowan Morgan is hiking in a suburban forest. Tremors rip the coast from Oregon to Alaska and turn Rowan’s world upside down. After her father is wounded and taken to the hospital, he orders Rowan and her brother to stay inside his earthquakeproof, survivalist home. While the electrified fences offer some protection, it isn’t long before mobs gather, desperate for some of the food and water rumoured to be held inside.

Rowan knows that if the hungry neighbours had any true idea of the riches in father’s cellar and water tanks, they wouldn’t be so easily sent away. Early one morning, Rowan leaves the compound and sets off in search of her father. She is turned away from the hospital and so goes to check on nearby friends where she finds a local gang has moved in. She escapes from them only to run into a stranger she met in the forest the day before. Why is he following her and what does he want?

The potential BC earthquake is a topic I've been interested in for years. This is probably one of the reasons I don't believe I'm that much of an optimist- I like to know about natural disasters so much so that I'm taking a university course in them. Anyway, this one sounds like it has shades of In the After, but with a more realistic story, and I'm very excited for it. 

Author: Katie McGarry
Date of Publication: May 2, 2014
Pages: 544
Source: Library

Champion kickboxer Haley swore she'd never set foot in the ring again after one tragic night. But then the guy she can't stop thinking about accepts a mixed martial arts fight in her honor. Suddenly, Haley has to train West Young. All attitude, West is everything Haley promised herself she'd stay away from. Yet he won't last five seconds in the ring without her help.

West is keeping a big secret from Haley. About who he really is. But helping her-fighting for her-is a shot at redemption. Especially since it's his fault his family is falling apart. He can't change the past, but maybe he can change Haley's future.

Hayley and West have agreed to keep their relationship strictly in the ring. But as an unexpected bond forms between them and attraction mocks their best intentions, they'll face their darkest fears and discover love is worth fighting for.

GOODREADS

Review:
I wasn’t too impressed with McGarry’s Dare You To and so it took me a lot longer than it should have to pick this one up. As you might soon be able to tell not just by the 5 stars but the gushy review to come, I LOVED THIS BOOK PEOPLE!

It’s a rare talent to be able to build a world, give each of the characters in it a life and at the same time incorporate previous characters inconspicuously so that they don’t superimpose themselves and their story on the new one. Take Me On is closely related to Crash Into You and Isaiah’s story and as a result, Isaiah plays the role of a supporting character in this novel. Fans of the previous book got a nice little look into the lives of their favourite characters from the previous novel while also coming to know and falling in love with two incredible new characters, Haley and West. 

Speaking of West and Haley, I adored them from the beginning. They are both troubled and flawed but they are strong people who will go through hell to protect the ones they love and I thought they were very noble, even if some of the things they did were kind of stupid. But hey, we all make mistakes and their mistakes made them human. I couldn’t always relate with them at a personal level because the difficulties they were facing were out of my range of experience like, physical and emotional abuse, severe depression and the impact these illnesses have on a person’s self worth. Nevertheless, McGarry managed to spin a realistic story from which one can learn.

I love it when the characters have a hobby because we all do. In this case it was Mixed Martial Arts (MMA); a fascinating subject. From art, to baseball to drag racing and now to MMA, Katy McGarry has guts! She is obviously trying to bring something new to the table with each book and I love that. 

Though MMA was a motif in the story it wasn’t all Haley and West did, in fact it wasn’t even close. I loved and hated this fact. I’m glad that McGarry didn’t focus so much on the sport to neglect the story but on the other hand I wouldn’t have minded some more depth to allow me to visualize what was happening in the cage.

Something else that steals the spotlight was the use of MMA jargon. There is nothing that makes a reader feel like they are immersed in a new world than the use of relevant vocabulary. Things like “he/she has heart” and “don’t tap out on me” are glued into my memory.  

This is definitely one of my favourite works by Katy McGarry, it’s so real and intense. I was always itching to read it and when it came to an end I felt a sweet feeling of accomplishment and pleasure; wanting more but realizing that there was no more to tell. What a great book to start the summer with. 

-MARI

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. 

Adrenaline Crush

September 23, 2014

When a daredevil teen pushes herself too far, she must choose between two boys: the one who wants to keep her safe, and the one who dares her to return to her old self.

Seventeen-year-old Dyna comes from a family of risk takers and is an avid thrill-seeker herself, until the day she splinters her ankle in a terrible fall. Her whole life goes from mountain biking and rock climbing to sitting at home and attending group sessions at the bizarre alternative healing center that her hippie mother found. The boy who witnessed Dyna’s accident believes her injury is a wakeup call and he encourages her mild new lifestyle, but a young Afghanistan War veteran she meets at the healing center pushes her to start taking chances again. Forced to face the consequences of her daredevil impulses, Dyna finds herself in danger of risking the one thing she’s always treated with caution—her heart.

Goodreads

This isn't something I'm usually into but it's calling me. I love the ideal of a dare devil protagonist. I'm quite a big scaredy cat and I don't like leaving my comfort zone so this is sure to be fun.

As for the love triangle, I'm already leaning on the veteran. I love reading about soldiers and I'll grasp any chance I get to read more.

What are You Waiting For?

-MARI 

Cover Wars is a weekly showdown of two beautiful covers. The winner, as voted by you, goes on to face a new cover, and wins bragging rights. This is basically a fun way to discuss what we like in covers.

Gates of Thread and Stone has come out victorious yet again. This week it's facing A Wicked Thing by Rhiannon Thomas.

I'm absolutely in love with A Wicked Thin's cover. The fantastic dress and gorgeous altar scene is mesmerizing. The burgundy, gold and white themes goes quite well with the typography which is very fancy matching the dress. I love the added details in the background as well. In the alter, there are leaf like lights and the model's dress disintegrates into flowers and leaves.

As always, you have a week to vote!

LET THE VOTING COMMENCE!

Which cover should win Cover Wars?
	A Wicked Thing
	Gates of Thread and Stone
pollcode.com free polls

Author: Elizabeth Wein
Date of Publication: September 10 2013
Pages: 368
Source: Library Ebook

While flying an Allied fighter plane from Paris to England, American ATA pilot and amateur poet, Rose Justice, is captured by the Nazis and sent to Ravensbrück, the notorious women's concentration camp. Trapped in horrific circumstances, Rose finds hope in the impossible through the loyalty, bravery and friendship of her fellow prisoners. But will that be enough to endure the fate that's in store for her?

Elizabeth Wein, author of the critically-acclaimed and best-selling Code Name Verity, delivers another stunning WWII thriller. The unforgettable story of Rose Justice is forged from heart-wrenching courage, resolve, and the slim, bright chance of survival.

Review:

I'm not the first, nor the last to write this, but Rose Under Fire didn't have the punch of Code Name Verity. It was more of a cold heartbreak, and the end, especially the author's note, furthered the point.

Rose Justice is a regular girl, except she comes from a reasonably well-off family and is a pilot. She has worked hard to get to England, and is actually friends with Maddie from Code Name Verity. She's someone relatable and I liked that she always had an American perspective on everything. There are so many nuances to every culture and Rose Under Fire really emphasized that in the war, there were only individuals doing what they could.

The topic is harsh and well written. Rose's time at camp almost felt sensationalized, and I shivered when I read that all of the major events she experienced were real. They occurred, and those women were tortured. Humanity's capacity for cruelty was horrifying to read about, but it was also heartbreaking to read that midst all the suffering, friendships and families were still being formed. No one would have thought less of those girls if they broke, but they kept going. Their strength was incredible.

World building wise, everything felt well researched and real. Rose's story resonated because it was the story of someone who went through something awful, and she was a normal girl. Rose wrote poetry, and it's a big part of her character. I can't say that I was the biggest fan of the poetry, mostly because I was so engrossed in the story, but some will enjoy the multiple writing styles.

Plot wise, the story was rather slow. It was about Rose's journey from regular ATA pilot to Ravensbruck and it was very heavy on the details. It's not the type of book I usually read, and Elizabeth Wein didn't try to make the story overly emotional. A theme in Rose Under Fire is tell the world, and that's what I felt the story was doing: being a testimony of what happened to Rose and the other girls when they were imprisoned in the camp.

The character development was good because all the characters were a little different. Obviously, Rose was the character best known and that's because what we were reading was her narration through her journal. Still, every character was distinctive. I especially liked that Rose Under Fire explored an area of the second world war that I haven't really read too much about, and I feel like I learned something about that world. The Jews weren't the only targets.

My enjoyment of the story is not as high as I want it to be, but it's worth considering that this isn't the type of story to enjoy. It's rather bleak. It's more of a learning experience. I didn't have the greatest emotional connection, and I did feel some parts were overwritten and the book could have been shortened. So for that, I have to give Rose Under Fire 3 stars because it was a good book.

-P.E.

Stacking the Shelves is a book haul meme that comes from the lovely Tynga at Tynga's Reviews.

I don't really do Stacking the Shelves all that often, but Mari and I have started an Instagram account in our attempt to be more creative when it comes to media (follow us at thesireniccodex), and I thought I'd share some of the books I checked out from the library this week.

As a sidenote, Instagram, I would totally embed your posts but they don't show up on my blog. So if anyone has a solution to that, I would love it. 

YEAH! Looks so pretty and I really don't know what this story is about, but I've heard good things.

I've wanted to read this book for so long. I have a really good feeling about it. I've heard it's like The Hunger Games but better, and the last book that got that kind of praise that I read was Red Rising!

Ballerinas! I now this book is very dark, so it's the type of contemporary I end up enjoying. 

I have wanted this book for a very long time. It sounds like this awesome mix of action, and great storytelling. It sounds like a scary book, but I've heard so many good things that I'm excited to give it a try. 

I'm pretty excited about this book haul. All the books were found in my awesome local library. So which one should I read next? ;)

Happy reading, 
-P.E.

The Weekly Progress is a type of wrap up post that happens every Sunday on The Sirenic Codex looking on the week that was.

Okay, let's say it: I'm bored out of my freakin' mind. It's driving me crazy because there are so many things I want to do, and there are always so many reasons I can't. I can't afford some things, I have NO mode of transportation, and I'm honestly developing some sort of cabin fever thing. My family is becoming too much too- it's like, people are content to stay home all day doing nothing and that drives me insane. I can't just watch tv all the time. I need to move and see and do. That's probably why I made the blog design- I was so incredibly bored with the status quo. So do you guys have any recommendations? Ever feel this way? Also, it's raining all the time, which sucks because I want to go bike riding so badly. It's one of the only things that kind of relaxes me.

Books Read

Control was a pretty good read. Blackout was pretty forgettable. Reviews are upcoming for both. 

Currently Reading

I know this book has been getting some phenomenal reviews, but it just hasn't captured me the way I wanted it to. I can't exactly put a finger on why, except that to some extent the story is really not that interesting for me. It's a bit too real, which a lot of people love, but I like speculative fiction for a reason. 

On the Blog

Mari reviewed a book that touched on the topic of homelessness, which is something we both seem to care a lot about. 

Dove Arising was Mari's WoW.

I did what I always do when I can't think of stuff to write about: make a list. So here's some of my favourite male authors.

Reaction post for our new lovely blog design! I'm glad you guys like it so far.  

Mari tries #FridayReads and writes about the two books she's currently reading: Before You & Let's Get Lost. 

And to finish the week, I reviewed In The After which I liked, but it was slow.

The Week That Was

Nothing happened. Well, that's not true. I went to the library and had a pretty nice day just exploring downtown with my sister. I'm going to try to make an effort to get out of the house more in the upcoming week. I'll force my family to come with me too.

Song of the Week

This song is one that captures my mood a lot. I guess it's because I've been thinking a lot about the world, in particular trying to understand what is happening in Palestine and Israel. It makes me so sad because there is so much senseless death, and I want to be one of those people helping in some way, but I don't know what I can do. I guess I'll start by trying to contact my local Member of Parliament because I kind of hate Canada's policy towards the violence. This song is exactly about what I feel- trying to reach things that I can't see. 

Anyway, hope you guys all had a great week! Here's to next week being better!

-P.E.

Author: Demitria Lunetta
Date of Publication: June 25 2013
Pages: 455
Source: Library Ebook

They hear the most silent of footsteps.
They are faster than anything you've ever seen.
And They won't stop chasing you...until you are dead.

Amy is watching TV when it happens, when the world is attacked by Them. These vile creatures are rapidly devouring mankind. Most of the population is overtaken, but Amy manages to escape—and even rescue “Baby,” a toddler left behind in the chaos. Marooned in Amy’s house, the girls do everything they can to survive—and avoid Them at all costs.

After years of hiding, they are miraculously rescued and taken to New Hope, a colony of survivors living in a former government research compound. While at first the colony seems like a dream with plenty of food, safety, and shelter, New Hope slowly reveals that it is far from ideal. And Amy soon realizes that unless things change, she’ll lose Baby—and much more.

Review:

There was a lot I liked about In The After, and there were some things I didn't like. Overall, I thought it was a good book.

Amy's story is compelling and sad. She has spent the last few years surviving silently with a girl she found, Baby. Amy takes care of Baby and the two of them could be the last living humans on the planet after the apocalypse when the human-eating green aliens came and destroyed the world. Amy is a survivor and I couldn't help but adore her. She is smart and capable. She has such a strong sense of responsibility for Baby and Amy is full of regrets.

Much of the story is character development for Amy as she copes with her loss and the realization that this bleak, lonely world is her future. The plot starts from there and it spans quite some time. I think the concept of the story was fascinating and it was interesting. I was very fascinated by the world building and I liked the characters. I think my issue is that the plot felt like it was crawling to me.

At some point, I started to wonder what exactly this book is about. Furthermore, I guessed the plot twist very early on, and so I was irritated that it took Amy so long to get there. At some point, In the After switches its narration to a sort of dual perspective of before and after, and while I like that the author tried something new about halfway through the story, it made the plot very slow.

I wish more had happened in the story and at this point, the overall story arc of the series hasn't been established. I've checked and it's a duology, and I guess I'll read the next book. That being said, I feel like In the After could be a standalone.

Generally, I liked In the After, yet I feel like it's missing a spark. The story kind of goes on and the villains aren't that scary. There's a lot of dull horror and pain, and the atmosphere is well done but I think maybe having more of those key, climatic, emotional events where the scenes are emotionally very sharp wouldn't be a bad idea. I don't know if that makes much sense. Either way, I thought In The After was very readable and it gets 3 stars.

                                       

-P.E.

I know this is a popular twitter meme but I thought I would move it over to the blog and give it a go every now and then when I'm reading an interesting book.

Both books are for review so I can't wait to start making a dent though I will be quite busy all weekend.

I've been reading Before You for a week now and I'm not too sure about it. There are many things that have been catching my attention in a not too good way.

I recently received Let's Get Lost and it looks amazing. I love road trips and the first chapter was quite good!

What Are You Reading This Friday?

-MARI

:D

We have a new blog design! And it's so pretty!

Well, I think so. Mari thinks so. We hope you enjoy it too.

Our vision was to have a design that was very visual and clean. We thought our old design was clunky, and being unusable for us. We wanted something that would fit with more futuristic looks, but also work with portraying that this was a book blog, and featuring that. We went with a design where book covers, some of our favourite things, are highlighted on the main page.

We stuck to our traditional purple, and the same comment system. We have most of the same sidebar widgets, but it's just cleaner. We also have a "related posts" section and easier sharing options.

Our stunning blog background is created by Snackles from Deviant Art and the template comes from Themexpose.

Anyway, I'm curious to see what you guys think of it!

-P.E. 

YA is mostly comprised of awesome female writer, but there are also many wonderful male authors. I think it's about time I do a roundup of my very favourites. 

Pierce Brown, Author of Red Rising

Well, duh. I love this book. It's the first book of his that I've read, and I'm pretty sure that he's ever written, and it's good. Really good. I love this book. I love Pierce Brown's ability to write an exhilarating story that uses several aspects of human history. I can't wait to see what Pierce Brown writes next!

Patrick Ness, Author of More Than This, A Monster Calls, and The Knife of Never Letting Go

I've read three books by him, and they've all been very unique in their own way. Ness has mastered writing for his book (as in, changing styles when it suits him) and I love that everything I've ever read from him has its own little twist. I think he's immensely talented, and I'm looking forward to reading more!

Michael Grant, Author of the Gone series

LOVE LOVE LOVE those weird, wicked books. They're so messed up and yet they're wildly addictive. I devour every one of them, and there have been times I have cowered under blankets because his writing produced the most gruesome imagery in my head. I've enjoyed Grant's work for years now. 

Rick Riordan, Author of Percy Jackson and The Heroes of Olympus series

I've been reading these books since fifth grade. Years later, I still love them. They're so much fun and the world is one of my favourites. I love the epic battles between demigods and most of my comprehension of Greek mythology today comes from this author. In fact, in class our teacher was once grilling us about Greek mythology and me and some guy were killing it. I confessed to the guy that the only reason I knew much about Greek mythology was Percy Jackson, and he said, "No way, me too!" So yeah, these books are wildly popular and for good reason. 

Future Faves

Dan Wells, Author of Partials

I debated on whether or not to put Dan Wells on this list, and decided he would be in another section. That's because I've only read one book by him that I enjoyed, but being called a "favourite author of mine" is something I won't do lightly. He's done well so far, but I need to read at least another book to make sure I actually am a fan. 

Brandon Sanderson, Author of Steelheart

I know Brandon Sanderson has written way more books than just Steelheart, but that's all I've read so all I can judge. I enjoyed the thrill of Steelheart and the story with the Epics was just awesome. I can't wait to read more. I know that Sanderson is considered to be a really big deal, and I haven't read any of his other work so I can't comment on it. 

John Green, Author of The Fault In Our Stars

What kind of YA Male Author list would this be without John Green? In all honesty, I've read one book by him in my life, The Fault in Our Stars, and I enjoyed it. I'm just wondering if I'll enjoy all his books as much. 

You've seen my picks. So who am I missing? Which other male authors should I be reading?

-P.E.

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. 

Dove Arising

February 24, 2015

Phaet Theta has lived her whole life in a colony on the Moon. She’s barely spoken since her father died in an accident nine years ago. She cultivates the plants in Greenhouse 22, lets her best friend talk for her, and stays off the government’s radar.

Then her mother is arrested.

The only way to save her younger siblings from the degrading Shelter is by enlisting in the Militia, the faceless army that polices the Lunar bases and protects them from attacks by desperate Earth-dwellers. Training is brutal, but it’s where Phaet forms an uneasy but meaningful alliance with the preternaturally accomplished Wes, a fellow outsider.

Rank high, save her siblings, free her mom:  that’s the plan. Until Phaet’s logically ordered world begins to crumble...

Suspenseful, intelligent, and hauntingly prescient, Dove Arising stands on the shoulders of our greatest tales of the future to tell a story that is all too relevant today.

Goodreads

I FREAKING LOVE THIS COVER!  I'm also a big fan of sci-fi and the synopsis to this one looks fantastic. But honestly, I cannot get over the cover... love it.

What are You Waiting For?

-MARI