Today we will be discussing my personal top 10 list of young adult fantasy novels so far in 2019. I like to call myself an expert in this subject as I am an avid reader a nd writer of young adult fantasy books as well as a YA fantasy book box owner. And we have some pretty bombshell books to choose from that have been released this year.
So without further ado here is my top 10 list for 2019:
The Wicked King by Holly Black
King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo
A Curse so Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer
Finale by Stephanie Garber
We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal
Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson
Spin the Dawn by Elisabeth Lim
Wicked Fox by Kat Cho
Nocturna by by Maya Motayne
Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan
I hope you enjoyed my list of the top 10 YA fantasy books of 2019. However, I may be doing some changes or a final list in December of 2019. Let me know if you would change my ranking or the books that I included.
Hello everyone! Today, I am absolutely thrilled to bring you an interview with Kaylin, the owner of Fantasy Monthly. If you haven’t heard of Fantasy Monthly yet, be sure to check out my May unboxing post, which also goes into more detail about the box.
Fantasy Monthly is a relatively new book subscription box, which started up in May. It offers two options: a classic box, which contains an art print, two bookmarks, and a hardcover book, and a deluxe box, which contains premium items like candles, bath bombs, tea, and more in addition to the same items from the classic box.
Now that you know a bit about the box, let’s get into the interview with Kaylin!
1. What inspired you to start Fantasy Monthly?
I have been an avid reader for my entire life. Starting with Harry Potter at age seven and progressing to visiting my school and local libraries daily. I had found I didn’t care for romance books but loved a good fantasy novel. Anything that had an alternative plotline to our current world had me hooked. My first venture, Literary Dream Crate, is another subscription box that sends used books in both romance and mystery/thriller genres. I had originally sent young adult books as well but found it increasingly difficult to source quality young adult books in bulk that are both gently used and reasonably priced. And while I love packaging my boxes for Literary Dream Crate I knew my true passion was for young adult fantasy. Thus Fantasy Monthly was born! I wanted to share my love of young adult fantasy with other book lovers in the community while keeping it affordable for people who cannot afford the more expensive options.
2.What makes Fantasy Monthly different than other book boxes?
The Deluxe May Box (photo via Fantasy Monthly)
Fantasy Monthly is a more affordable option than other book boxes which I believe is a big differentiator. Most book boxes are between $35-50 plus shipping. The classic options for Fantasy Monthly is $22.99 including shipping in the US. And you still receive extra merch to use and hang up on your bookshelves! We also have an online Facebook community where we do weekly live videos to discuss the book club question card that comes in each box. This goes along with my inspiration of creating a great community of like minded readers! And while we also have a deluxe option everything included in the deluxe box is made my other small business owners found on Etsy. I loved the idea of supporting small businesses.
3. What’s it like being a young business owner?
It’s incredibly rewarding and fulfilling to know that I’ve found what I’d like to do with my life. And while I have a fulltime job currently, I would love to someday move to running my two businesses fulltime. And creating the community and cultivating top tier customer service has allowed me to have incredible relationships with subscribers and followers on social media. I’ve also made friends with other book box owners, vendors, and artists. It’s been an incredible experience but it is a lot of work to curate boxes each month with new items and continued quality.
4. Before your boxes ship out, you announce the designs for the art print and bookmarks. What inspired you to do this?
The art print, bookmarks, and book that came in the May Classic Box
Other book boxes keep things mysterious which some people may enjoy. However, I personally have never liked the concept of ordering something that I wasn’t exactly sure what I was getting. I assumed that other people had the same view point and would like to know the book and contents of the box before agreeing to a purchase. Also, I reveal the artwork on my website and not as a post on social media usually so the element of surprise can still be in effect for subscribers who wish to have it.
5.How do you pick your monthly books?
I generally look at the Goodreads list for the upcoming months of the year for new releases in young adult fantasy. I also ask subscribers what they’re most excited for between my final choices. But I would love to include YA fantasy picks that are not popular enough to make the lists or to be published by the top five publishing houses. However, I’m not sure that would be something subscribers would prefer. I’d love some feedback on that for whoever may be reading!
6. The Classic box is definitely one of the more affordable options when it comes to book boxes. How did you decide on that price point?
I was able to calculate a low price point by keeping the box simple and only including prints and a hardcover book. And by only including printed merchandise I can utilize media mail which is a lower cost in the US. This allows for the total price to round out to about the price of a hardcover book in store including tax. And I did this for people who prefer less merch or who are looking for a more affordable option.
7.What are some of your future plans/goals for Fantasy Monthly?
The classic July box (photo via Fantasy Monthly)
I would love to create custom covers for each book, and include an author letter and signed bookplate. However, the book boxes who are able to do this have hundreds or thousands of subscribers which makes publishers willing to work with them to include these extras. Smaller book boxes have a harder time customizing our orders. So as I grow I plan to add those features when I’m able. I also plan to start including enamel pins in each deluxe box!
8.Anything else you’d like to add?
I’d like to say that I appreciate everyone who orders from smaller book box businesses. While I know Owlcrate, Fae Crate, or Fairyloot are fantastic options, they have thousands of customers. So every sale for a small business counts and helps them to grow! And I appreciate every single person who decides to do that!
Today we will be talking about the latest Fantasy Monthly title that was sent during July. Spin the Dawn by Elisabeth Lim is based on a Mulan retelling story. That initial description is what drew me to the book and pushed me to choose it for the month of July. Let's just say that I am not disappointed! Before I jump into my review, here is the book synopsis:
goodreads.com
"Maia Tamarin dreams of becoming the greatest tailor in the land, but as a girl, the best she can hope for is to marry well. When a royal messenger summons her ailing father, once a tailor of renown, to court, Maia poses as a boy and takes his place. She knows her life is forfeit if her secret is discovered, but she'll take that risk to achieve her dream and save her family from ruin. There's just one catch: Maia is one of twelve tailors vying for the job.
Backstabbing and lies run rampant as the tailors compete in challenges to prove their artistry and skill. Maia's task is further complicated when she draws the attention of the court magician, Edan, whose piercing eyes seem to see straight through her disguise.
And nothing could have prepared her for the final challenge: to sew three magic gowns for the emperor's reluctant bride-to-be, from the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of stars. With this impossible task before her, she embarks on a journey to the far reaches of the kingdom, seeking the sun, the moon, and the stars, and finding more than she ever could have imagined." Now for my review of the title. This book started slowly for me which is similar to my experience with We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal. Personally, when I read a fantasy book I want to be thrown right into the world that is different than our own. I want to know exactly what makes the book a fantasy rather than contemporary piece. I didn't see my first aspect of fantasy until chapter 9 where she used her magical scissors to create a shawl for the princess. So that was one con that I noticed in this book. The other con I have for this story is that the romance started much later in this book. That is another aspect i like my stories steeped with. However, I know that was not the main goal of this story so I'll let it slide. Furthermore, the pros for this story far outweigh the cons in my opinion. After chapter 10 this book picked up in magical ways. It pulled me in and I finished the remain two hundred pages in less than two hours. The magical fantasy I was waiting for was spectacularly delivered with a weaving sweet love story that made me swoon. And the author left us on a cliff hanger that I thoroughly enjoyed and hated at the same time which is exactly how a cliff hanger should make you feel. Overall, I give this book four stars simply due to the slow start that left me feeling disappointed. But the author saved herself in the final chapters! I highly recommend this book and cannot wait to read the next Fantasy Monthly book which is A House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig. Right now, they have their September box up for sale which will feature The Girl the Sea Gave Back by Adrienne Young the author of Sky in the Deep. I'm also very excited for that one. I'll link the website below if you're interested in order from Fantasy Monthly! Thanks for reading! Sincerely, Kaylin Peyerk www.fantasymonthly.org
Today we will be discussing my personal top 10 list of young adult fantasy novels so far in 2019. I like to call myself an expert in this subject as I am an avid reader a nd writer of young adult fantasy books as well as a YA fantasy book box owner. And we have some pretty bombshell books to choose from that have been released this year.
