Mini-reviews: How It Feels to Fly + My Lady Jane

How It Feels to Fly by Kathryn Holmes

pub 6/14/16 by HarperTeen
YA - Contemporary
Received ARC via Edelweiss

I picked up How It Feels to Fly because it's about a girl named Samantha who's wanted to be a professional ballerina her entire life. All I needed to see was that line in the synopsis to know I wanted to read it. But it's about so much more than one young woman's love of dance. She's undoubtedly talented but as her body changes, she develops a paralyzing anxiety about her body and what others think of her. She's sent to a summer treatment camp for other teen artists and athletes like herself who struggle with similar anxieties and fears. The heart of the book is really about this camp and the people Samantha meets while she's there. Their individual and collective experiences make this story such an important one, with a powerful message to send. I seriously hope teens (and adults) will pick up this book and embrace what the author has to say. That it's okay to ask for help and okay to admit you have these feelings to begin with. Other things happen (the necessary drama and friction to keep things moving along!) but again, it's the message and growth of these young men and women that make the book worth checking out.

Do I recommend? I do! It wasn't what I expected but that ended up being a very good thing.

My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

pub 6/7/17 by HarperTeen
YA - Fantasy + Historical
Received ARC via Edelweiss

What do you get when you put three YA authors together? A fantastical, and not entirely accurate, retelling of Lady Jane Grey! I was familiar with her story going in and I was curious to see their interpretation. It's pretty silly but also entertaining and I found myself intrigued by the on-goings of the world they had created. I will admit that sometimes their tongue-in-cheek moments did a get a bit tiresome towards the end but overall, I appreciated the humor, creativity and pop culture references the scattered throughout the book. Given how dark the true story is, it was nice to see a much lighter tale revealed here. Not to mention, getting a completely different look into Jane Grey, a young King Edward and Jane's husband Guildford. The book actually alternates between their three different point-of-views and I can tell you right now, Guildford is my favorite!

Do I recommend? Looking over my review, it's admittedly vague but it needs to be. You just have to go in with an open mind and absolute willingness to suspend your disbelief. So, with that said, if you're in the mood for something light and fun mixed in with a bit of fantasy and history, this book is for you.