On The Radar: May 2017 YA Titles

May 1, 2017 |

“On The Radar” is a monthly series meant to highlight between 9 and 12 books per month to fit a budget of roughly $300 or less. These lists are curated from a larger spreadsheet I keep with a running list of titles hitting shelves and are meant to reflect not only the big books coming out from authors readers know and love, but it’s also meant to showcase some of the titles that have hit my radar through review copies, publicity blasts, or because they’re titles that might otherwise not be readily seen or picked up through those traditional avenues. It’s part science and part art.

This month, I’m cheating a tiny bit. I’ve picked 15 titles. A number of these are from well-known authors and entries into popular series, and a number are from authors whose reputations are either long-lasting or ever-growing (how are those for vague and specific definitions?). I also wanted to include a few titles that might be easier to overlook because of smaller budgets or publicity plans but that would certainly be important additions to a library or classroom collection.

Book descriptions come from Goodreads and reasons for putting on your radar are mine and mine alone! Titles are alphabetical, with pub dates beside them.

Always And Forever Lara Jean by Jenny Han (May 2)

Lara Jean is having the best senior year a girl could ever hope for. She is head over heels in love with her boyfriend, Peter; her dad’s finally getting remarried to their next door neighbor, Ms. Rothschild; and Margot’s coming home for the summer just in time for the wedding.

But change is looming on the horizon. And while Lara Jean is having fun and keeping busy helping plan her father’s wedding, she can’t ignore the big life decisions she has to make. Most pressingly, where she wants to go to college and what that means for her relationship with Peter. She watched her sister Margot go through these growing pains. Now Lara Jean’s the one who’ll be graduating high school and leaving for college and leaving her family—and possibly the boy she loves—behind.

When your heart and your head are saying two different things, which one should you listen to?

Why it should be on your radar: A new Jenny Han book is always going to be worth having on your radar, since her books are wildly popular. This is the final entry into her latest trilogy readers will be itching for, if they’re not already.

A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas (May 2)

Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin’s maneuverings and the invading king threatening to bring Prythian to its knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit-and one slip may spell doom not only for Feyre, but for her world as well.

As war bears down upon them all, Feyre must decide who to trust amongst the dazzling and lethal High Lords-and hunt for allies in unexpected places.

Why it should be on your radar: Another entry into the popular romantic fantasy series by Sarah J Maas is reason enough. This is a nearly 700-page book, too, which will really make readers eager for more of this story happy.

A Face Like Glass by Frances Hardinge (May 9)

In the underground city of Caverna, the world’s most skilled craftsmen toil in the darkness to create delicacies beyond compare—wines that remove memories, cheeses that make you hallucinate, and perfumes that convince you to trust the wearer, even as they slit your throat. On the surface, the people of Caverna seem ordinary, except for one thing: their faces are as blank as untouched snow. Expressions must be learned, and only the famous Facesmiths can teach a person to express (or fake) joy, despair, or fear—at a steep price. Into this dark and distrustful world comes Neverfell, a girl with no memory of her past and a face so terrifying to those around her that she must wear a mask at all times. Neverfell’s expressions are as varied and dynamic as those of the most skilled Facesmiths, except hers are entirely genuine. And that makes her very dangerous indeed

Why it should be on your radar: Slowly but surely, more of Hardinge’s books are making their way into the American market. Her standalone fantasy is rare in being stand alone in YA, and her work continues to build a great reputation on this side of the pond. Likewise, Hardinge was just honored with the LA Times Book Prize for her last book, and she’ll likely see more and more success come her way.

Flame In The Mist by Renée Ahdieh (May 16)

The daughter of a prominent samurai, Mariko has long known her place—she may be an accomplished alchemist, whose cunning rivals that of her brother Kenshin, but because she is not a boy, her future has always been out of her hands. At just seventeen years old, Mariko is promised to Minamoto Raiden, the son of the emperor’s favorite consort—a political marriage that will elevate her family’s standing. But en route to the imperial city of Inako, Mariko narrowly escapes a bloody ambush by a dangerous gang of bandits known as the Black Clan, who she learns has been hired to kill her before she reaches the palace.

Dressed as a peasant boy, Mariko sets out to infiltrate the ranks of the Black Clan, determined to track down the person responsible for the target on her back. But she’s quickly captured and taken to the Black Clan’s secret hideout, where she meets their leader, the rebel ronin Takeda Ranmaru, and his second-in-command, his best friend Okami. Still believing her to be a boy, Ranmaru and Okami eventually warm to Mariko, impressed by her intellect and ingenuity. As Mariko gets closer to the Black Clan, she uncovers a dark history of secrets, of betrayal and murder, which will force her to question everything she’s ever known.

Why it should be on your radar: This is the first in a new duology from Renée Ahdieh, and she’s been one to keep an eye on since her debut The Wrath & The Dawn.

I Believe In A Thing Called Love by Maurene Goo (May 30)

Desi Lee knows how carburetors work. She learned CPR at the age of five. As a high school senior, she has never missed a day of school and has never had a B in her entire life. She’s for sure going to Stanford. But—she’s never had a boyfriend. In fact, she’s a disaster in romance, a clumsy, stammering humiliation-magnet whose botched attempts at flirting have become legendary with her friends. So when the hottest human specimen to have ever lived walks into her life one day, Desi decides to tackle her flirting failures with the same zest she’s applied to everything else in her life. She finds her answer in the Korean dramas her father has been obsessively watching for years—where the hapless heroine always seems to end up in the arms of her true love by episode ten. It’s a simple formula, and Desi is a quick study. Armed with her “K Drama Rules for True Love,” Desi goes after the moody, elusive artist Luca Drakos—and boat rescues, love triangles, and fake car crashes ensue. But when the fun and games turn to true feels, Desi finds out that real love is about way more than just drama.

Why it should be on your radar: Goo’s first novel, Since You Asked, was wildly underrated, despite being one of those lighter-hearted funny reads so many people seek. This one, which is much more romantic in nature, is surely going to hit the buttons of readers seeking good stories with romance featuring characters of color. And I suspect, from description alone, there’s going to be a nice dash of humor here. Also, that cover is excellent.

The Lines We Cross by Randa Abdel-Fattah (May 9)

Michael likes to hang out with his friends and play with the latest graphic design software. His parents drag him to rallies held by their anti-immigrant group, which rails against the tide of refugees flooding the country. And it all makes sense to Michael.

Until Mina, a beautiful girl from the other side of the protest lines, shows up at his school, and turns out to be funny, smart — and a Muslim refugee from Afghanistan. Suddenly, his parents’ politics seem much more complicated.

Mina has had a long and dangerous journey fleeing her besieged home in Afghanistan, and now faces a frigid reception at her new prep school, where she is on scholarship. As tensions rise, lines are drawn. Michael has to decide where he stands. Mina has to protect herself and her family. Both have to choose what they want their world to look like.

Why it should be on your radar: Another book from Randa, whose Does My Head Look Big In This?, remains a perennial favorite and staple on so many shelves.

Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare (May 23)

Emma Carstairs has finally avenged her parents. She thought she’d be at peace. But she is anything but calm. Torn between her desire for her parabatai Julian and her desire to protect him from the brutal consequences of parabatai relationships, she has begun dating his brother, Mark. But Mark has spent the past five years trapped in Faerie; can he ever truly be a Shadowhunter again?

And the faerie courts are not silent. The Unseelie King is tired of the Cold Peace, and will no longer concede to the Shadowhunters’ demands. Caught between the demands of faerie and the laws of the Clave, Emma, Julian, and Mark must find a way to come together to defend everything they hold dear—before it’s too late.

Why it should be on your radar: It’s Cassie Clare, and it’s a new entry into her “Dark Artifices” series. This is another fantasy series tome weighing in at 700 pages, too.

The Names They Gave Us by Emery Lord (May 16)

Lucy Hansson was ready for a perfect summer with her boyfriend, working at her childhood Bible camp on the lake. But when her mom’s cancer reappears, Lucy falters—in faith, in love, and in her ability to cope. When her boyfriend “pauses” their relationship and her summer job switches to a different camp—one for troubled kids—Lucy isn’t sure how much more she can handle. Attempting to accept a new normal, Lucy slowly regains footing among her vibrant, diverse coworkers, Sundays with her mom, and a crush on a fellow counselor. But when long-hidden family secrets emerge, can Lucy set aside her problems and discover what grace really means?

Why it should be on your radar: Emery Lord’s popularity continues to grow, and she’s adding another title to the solid, feelings-heavy contemporary genre that readers who love books by Sarah Dessen will snap up.

The Pearl Thief by Elizabeth Wein (May 2)

Before Verity . . . there was Julie.

When fifteen-year-old Julia Beaufort-Stuart wakes up in the hospital, she knows the lazy summer break she’d imagined won’t be exactly like she anticipated. And once she returns to her grandfather’s estate, a bit banged up but alive, she begins to realize that her injury might not have been an accident. One of her family’s employees is missing, and he disappeared on the very same day she landed in the hospital.

Desperate to figure out what happened, she befriends Euan McEwen, the Scots Traveller boy who found her when she was injured, and his standoffish sister Ellen. As Julie grows closer to this family, she experiences some of the prejudices they’ve grown used to firsthand, a stark contrast to her own upbringing, and finds herself exploring thrilling new experiences that have nothing to do with a missing-person investigation.

Her memory of that day returns to her in pieces, and when a body is discovered, her new friends are caught in the crosshairs of long-held biases about Travellers. Julie must get to the bottom of the mystery in order to keep them from being framed for the crime.

Why it should be on your radar: This is a prequel to the Printz honor book Code Name Verity and another solid historical fiction from Elizabeth Wein.

In A Perfect World by Trish Doller (May 23)

Caroline Kelly is excited to be spending her summer vacation working at the local amusement park with her best friend, exploring weird Ohio with her boyfriend, and attending soccer camp with the hope she’ll be her team’s captain in the fall.

But when Caroline’s mother is hired to open an eye clinic in Cairo, Egypt, Caroline’s plans are upended. Caroline is now expected to spend her summer and her senior year in a foreign country, away from her friends, her home, and everything she’s ever known.

With this move, Caroline predicts she’ll spend her time navigating crowded streets, eating unfamiliar food, and having terrible bouts of homesickness. But when she finds instead is a culture that surprises her, a city that astounds her, and a charming, unpredictable boy who challenges everything she thought she knew about life, love, and privilege.

Why it should be on your radar: Readers who want something like Stephanie Perkins’s Anna and the French Kiss will be pleased to read this book, since it follows a girl forced to spend time in a foreign country and yet, manages to fall in love with one of the locals. There’s a great exploration of privilege here, as well as a lot of Being Humbled on the part of the main character.

Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy (May 9)

Ramona was only five years old when Hurricane Katrina changed her life forever.

Since then, it’s been Ramona and her family against the world. Standing over six feet tall with unmistakable blue hair, Ramona is sure of three things: she likes girls, she’s fiercely devoted to her family, and she knows she’s destined for something bigger than the trailer she calls home in Eulogy, Mississippi. But juggling multiple jobs, her flaky mom, and her well-meaning but ineffectual dad forces her to be the adult of the family. Now, with her sister, Hattie, pregnant, responsibility weighs more heavily than ever.

The return of her childhood friend Freddie brings a welcome distraction. Ramona’s friendship with the former competitive swimmer picks up exactly where it left off, and soon he’s talked her into joining him for laps at the pool. But as Ramona falls in love with swimming, her feelings for Freddie begin to shift too, which is the last thing she expected. With her growing affection for Freddie making her question her sexual identity, Ramona begins to wonder if perhaps she likes girls and guys or if this new attraction is just a fluke. Either way, Ramona will discover that, for her, life and love are more fluid than they seem.

Why it should be on your radar: Ignore the artificially low reviews on Goodreads, as this is a book that explores things like sexuality and the complex nature of something which is fluid and shifting. Julie’s Dumplin’ made her reputation as an author explode and this book will keep it going.

Star Wars: Rebel Rising by Beth Revis (May 2)

When Jyn Erso was five years old, her mother was murdered and her father taken from her to serve the Empire. But despite the loss of her parents she is not completely alone—Saw Gerrera, a man willing to go to any extremes necessary in order to resist Imperial tyranny, takes her in as his own, and gives her not only a home but all the abilities and resources she needs to become a rebel herself.

Jyn dedicates herself to the cause—and the man. But fighting alongside Saw and his people brings with it danger and the question of just how far Jyn is willing to go as one of Saw’s soldiers. When she faces an unthinkable betrayal that shatters her world, Jyn will have to pull the pieces of herself back together and figure out what she truly believes in…and who she can really trust.

Why it should be on your radar: A canonical Star Wars novel by a well-known author in YA is a no-brainer.

Thick As Thieves by Megan Whalen Turner (May 16)

Kamet, a secretary and slave to his Mede master, has the ambition and the means to become one of the most powerful people in the Empire. But with a whispered warning the future he envisioned is wrenched away, and he is forced onto a very different path. Set in the world of the Queen’s Thief, an ordinary hero takes on an extraordinary mission. Includes two maps, a map of the world of the Queen’s Thief, and a map of Kamet’s journey.

Why it should be on your radar: This is the long-awaited fifth and final installment in the “Queen’s Thief” series. The series has a massive fanbase, and it’s likely it’ll grow with having this final title for readers to mainline in one long go.

When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon (May 30)

Dimple Shah has it all figured out. With graduation behind her, she’s more than ready for a break from her family, from Mamma’s inexplicable obsession with her finding the “Ideal Indian Husband.” Ugh. Dimple knows they must respect her principles on some level, though. If they truly believed she needed a husband right now, they wouldn’t have paid for her to attend a summer program for aspiring web developers…right?

Rishi Patel is a hopeless romantic. So when his parents tell him that his future wife will be attending the same summer program as him—wherein he’ll have to woo her—he’s totally on board. Because as silly as it sounds to most people in his life, Rishi wants to be arranged, believes in the power of tradition, stability, and being a part of something much bigger than himself.

The Shahs and Patels didn’t mean to start turning the wheels on this “suggested arrangement” so early in their children’s lives, but when they noticed them both gravitate toward the same summer program, they figured, Why not?

Dimple and Rishi may think they have each other figured out. But when opposites clash, love works hard to prove itself in the most unexpected ways.

Why it should be on your radar: A romantic comedy with Indian main characters. It’s a book that has certainly been missing from shelves, and now, there’s one here…I suspect this will be the kind of book readers will devour alongside Maurene Goo’s.

Windfall by Jennifer E. Smith (May 2)

Alice doesn’t believe in luck—at least, not the good kind. But she does believe in love, and for some time now, she’s been pining for her best friend, Teddy. On his eighteenth birthday—just when it seems they might be on the brink of something—she buys him a lottery ticket on a lark. To their astonishment, he wins $140 million, and in an instant, everything changes.

At first, it seems like a dream come true, especially since the two of them are no strangers to misfortune. As a kid, Alice won the worst kind of lottery possible when her parents died just over a year apart from each other. And Teddy’s father abandoned his family not long after that, leaving them to grapple with his gambling debts. Through it all, Teddy and Alice have leaned on each other. But now, as they negotiate the ripple effects of Teddy’s newfound wealth, a gulf opens between them. And soon, the money starts to feel like more of a curse than a windfall.

As they try to find their way back to each other, Alice learns more about herself than she ever could have imagined . . . and about the unexpected ways in which luck and love sometimes intersect.

Why it should be on your radar: It’s a new Jennifer E. Smith book, which will appeal to fans of Stephanie Perkins, Sarah Dessen, Trish Doller, and others who write about love and romance in complicated, realistic ways.

(P)reviews: A Look into Spring & Summer

November 19, 2012 |

I did one of these posts back last spring, and I thought it was about time to do it again. I’ve been reading a ton of books coming out in 2013 recently (even though my goal has been to catch up on 2012, I’m not exactly perfect). I thought I’d give a small review of a bunch of titles that’ll be coming soon, and when their publication dates are closer, I’ll offer up full-length reviews. For now, whet your appetite.

Amy Spalding’s February 2013 debut, The Reece Malcolm List, follows Devan as she’s flown from the home she’s always known in Missouri to Los Angeles. She’s grown up with ehr father, but now that he’s died, she’s being sent to live with her mother, Reece Malcolm. Devan knows nothing about her mother, except that she’s a well-known writer. Her mom has never been a part of her life, and frankly between that and being sent to live in a city she’s completely unfamiliar with, she’s nervous.

Amid the changes and the determination to break into the core of who Reece Malcolm is, Devan’s excited about starting at a school where performance — her passion — is the focus of education. Through musical theater, we see Devan’s confidence soar, and we see how difficult it is for her not to understand her mother. It’s not because she’s nervous or worried about her mom; it’s because the not knowing rattles that self-confidence Devan’s always had.

The Reece Malcolm List is a story with family at the center, and it’s a non-traditional family structure. This isn’t a grief book, despite Devan’s recent loss of her father. Instead, it’s a book about figuring out how to navigate family and how to understand it. Because not only is Devan figuring her mother out, she’s trying to figure out her mom’s boyfriend, too. Spalding’s book is charming, with a nice blend of humor and seriousness and it offers up some really sweet (and clean!) romance along with it. Fans of musical theater will eat this up.

While we’re on the topic of performance, Sara Zarr’s forthcoming The Lucy Variations — out in May — looks at the competitive world of piano. Kind of. Lucy was groomed to be a star performer and she’s been fortunate enough (literally) to travel the world. She’s earned a name and a reputation, all before the tender age of 15. But it all changes when she walks out on one of her biggest performances in Prague after learning that her grandmother isn’t going to live. That moment causes her grandfather, who’d groomed her to carry on the family’s name and reputation in that world, to tell her it’s over. She can no longer perform.

While Lucy is okay with this decision, now that her younger brother has been forced to take on a new piano teacher, she’s questioning it. Why did she quit? Did she do it because grandpa told her to? Did she do it because she no longer loved performing? And can Will, the new teacher, coax her back into playing?

Zarr’s book hit all the right notes for me. Lucy is an exceedingly privileged character, and her family is full of the kinds of people you love to hate. Except, Lucy acknowledges her privilege and she herself is at times easy to dislike as much as her family. She’s full and real and honest. But more than that, this is a book about what it means to have a passion. Zarr taps fully into the question of whether what we create and make is something that is wholly ours or it’s something we make to share with others. It delves into what other people are to our own creative endeavors, and whether or not they should have any part in it at all. This book is written in third person, which was sort of surprising for me, but it’s the right way to tell the story.

Lucy is longing for acceptance and for love, and the way that she projects that upon others is, at times, desperate. But it’s not so much because she’s looking for that acceptance and love from others. It’s because she’s looking to give that to herself in a way she never has before. The Lucy Variations is, I think, Zarr’s best and strongest to date. Anyone who has ever created or wondered what the purpose of creating and making is will find themselves understanding Lucy so easily.

How many times have I reviewed romance novels? I think I can count it on one hand. But Rainbow Rowell’s forthcoming Eleanor & Park — out in March 2013 — captured me from page one and kept me hooked.

Set in the 1980s, this book is not in any way a contemporary novel, so please keep it off your contemporary book lists. The 1980s are historical, friends. But that’s a rant for another day. What I want to say is this: Eleanor & Park follows two Nebraska teenagers, the new girl with the wild red hair, Eleanor, and Park, the half-Asian boy who just wants to get through each and every day without causing a scene and without being seen. So when Eleanor sits beside him on the bus, Park tenses up, worried he’s going to be suddenly targeted as the weird boy hanging out with the even weirder girl.

But Eleanor starts breaking down his walls, whether that’s her goal or not. And whether it’s Park’s desire or not, he starts to become more and more fascinated with Eleanor. Before you know it, they’re suddenly both flooding each other’s every thought and every moment. The thing is, neither of these characters has it easy, and that’s especially true of Eleanor. Her home life is far from good. The more Park learns about it, the more he aches for her, both because he feels awful for the situation and because he’s utterly interested in being there for her in any and every possible way.

Rowell’s novel brims with desire and longing, but it’s done in such an understated, subtle way. This isn’t a guaranteed romance, and given the stakes that exist in both Eleanor and Park’s home lives, the story doesn’t read like it will be as romantic as it is. Readers experience it right along with the characters. Despite the time setting, there’s little that reads as 1980s here. These are today’s kids, just with a walkman and 80s music. Eleanor & Park is raw yet tender and heartbreakingly honest.

Nova Ren Suma’s 17 & Gone follows 17-year-old Lauren as she starts being visited by the visions of girls who have disappeared without a trace. All of these girls have two things in common: their disappearance and the fact they were 17 when they were gone. Lauren’s worried about the fate of these girls, especially since she can see them and no one else can. But more than that, she’s worried she might be the next one. Because she, too, is 17.

I can’t talk too much in detail about this book, other than to say the prose is some of the richest, most literary stuff I’ve read in a long time. And while it’s got a bit of a mysterious and magical vibe much the way Suma’s Imaginary Girls does, 17 & Gone takes an entirely different route. It’s almost much more realistic. Though of course, part of what Suma excels at is forcing the reader to question what’s real and what’s simply a vision in the character’s mind and in the reader’s mind.

This lush story is absorbing and haunting, and it tackles a complex issue without ever becoming a novel about a particular issue. I warn anyone who hasn’t read this yet to not do what I did, which was read the author’s note first. If you do, you’ll be spoiled about the twist. That did not impact my enjoyment of the book since I got to watch how Suma got to that point, but I suspect the payoff is even more powerful without knowing. The note, if you’re wondering, is the in back of the book.

These should get you started, but a couple other noteworthy reads for 2013 to have on the radar that I’ve had the chance to read — and plan on writing longer reviews for later — include Kristin Halbrook’s Nobody But Us and Emily Murdoch’s If You Find Me. Halbrook’s story follows two broken characters as they try to escape from their past and begin a new life on the road and Murdoch’s follows two girls who are saved from their remote home in the woods and reintroduced to mainstream society. It’s there that bigger secrets are revealed and both girls are seen as not simply backwater but as people who have dealt with tremendously difficult challenges. There’s also Daisy Whitney’s forthcoming When You Were Here which I will be talking a little bit more about in a guest post on another blog later this month. The male narrator, the longing and pain and grief, it all comes together in a powerful, memorable way.

(P)reviews: A Sampling of What’s to Come

February 20, 2012 |

I’ve been reading well ahead of publish dates lately. I like to post reviews as close to publication date as possible, even if I read the book months beforehand, because I like to think it helps put the book on the radar when it’s actually possible to buy it. So while I’ve been reading and writing out my posts, I was thinking it might be worthwhile to give a preview to some of the titles I’ve been reading lately. You’ll get the longer reviews closer to pub date, but for now, a sampling of titles to whet your appetite now (and surprise — a couple of these titles I’ll be giving away when the time gets closer and one of them may be up for grabs as part of Lenore’s Dystopian February this week, too). Interestingly, all of these covers feature girls on the front.

Crazy by Amy Reed (June 12, 2012): This is probably the most realistic and painful portrayal of bipolar disorder I think I’ve read in YA lit. The book’s told through two voices — both Conner and Izzy get to have their say — and it’s told entirely through email messages. They’ve become friends and confidants to one another after a summer camp where they bonded, and while it’s never blatant, it’s sort of hinted that Conner wants something more than friendship from Izzy but she’s not receptive. And for good reason. Izzy’s home life is hurting her, and it’s only contributing to the debilitating depression building inside her. Both voices are strong, well-defined, and the feelings readers walk away with, having both sides of depression (the person falling into it and the person on the outside watching it happen) will resonate with anyone who has ever experienced depression. Reed’s writing works for me as a reader, and this, her third book, is her strongest.

The List by Siobhan Vivian (April 1): I got to read this book back in September (I know — lucky me!) and I’m still thinking about it now. Every year on the week of homecoming, a list containing the names of 8 girls is posted at Mount Washington High; the prettiest girl and the ugliest girl in each class is listed. What Vivian does in The List is let us into the minds and lives of each of the eight girls selected this year, challenging our expectations and understandings of popularity, beauty, and ugliness through each of their eyes. There are eight voices in this story, but the third-person present tense style really allows each of their voices to stand out — I didn’t have any trouble keeping them apart. Vivian’s got a way of writing stories that empower girls, and this is no exception. It’s the kind of book I can’t wait to hand off to high school girls; not only will they find themselves relating to one (or all!) of the girls, but they will want to talk about it, too.

This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers (June 19, 2012): Sloane Price has nothing going for her — at least in her mind, there’s no point in continuing living if her home life continues to be an abusive place and her sister, the one constant in her life, has left her to fend for herself. So when Sloane selects today to commit suicide and she’s thwarted before she can, it’s a huge relief that is when the zombie outbreak happens. Her death wouldn’t even be on her own hands. Except she survives, and now she’s stuck, trapped inside Cortege High with five other students who are eager to live, and all she wants to do is die. Sloane doesn’t want to be here, and she doesn’t want to fight for anything, but she has little choice in the matter. And the zombies keep knocking at the door. This is a book that, while about zombies, is much more about character and relationships and just what it means to survive, period. If you’re wary of a zombie story, do not let that be the hangup in giving this one a try because it is much more a book about what it means to be human. I’ve never left a book so physically aching before (maybe even emotionally aching, too).

Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone by Kat Rosenfield (July 5, 2012): Graduation night was a big one in Becca’s hometown. Not only did she have some pretty memorable celebration sex in her boyfriend’s car, but then he had the nerve to dump her right then and there, leaving her empty in more ways than one. Oh, and that happened to be the same night the body of a strange girl was found on the side of the road, rag dolled and mangled. No one knows how she got there or who she was. Rosenfield’s debut novel is a mystery story, but it’s also a story about growing up and figuring out where you belong. Becca’s being toyed with when it comes to her boyfriend; she wanted nothing but to get out of town and away from everything it is, and she made herself the promise that he wouldn’t be the reason she stays. Despite breaking up, he’s still stringing her along for the summer and she’s unable to make an easy decision about staying or leaving. And when the story of the dead girl comes to light, it’s not at all what Becca — nor the town — expected. The writing and many of the threads about small town life reminded me of Nova Ren Suma’s Imaginary Girls; it is lush and a story you can’t help but fall completely into.

Jersey Angel by Beth Anne Bauman: Lest you think I’ve found everything I’ve read lately exceptional, I’ll talk about a book that was a real disappointment. This one was sold to me by the publicist at ALA Midwinter as a book all about sex and sexuality. And it was. Unfortunately, there is a real lack of character or story development at all. Angel, the main character, really spends a year having a lot of sex…and it’s pretty boring sex, to be honest. I think because she’s underdeveloped and doesn’t give me any compelling reasons to care about her and because she doesn’t have any real moments of growth or change, I found myself disinterested in her and what happened to her — and honestly, nothing DOES happen to her. I don’t buy the idea that because she was detached from herself (obvious from the meaningless sex) then she can have a thinly developed character and no arc to her. It wasn’t just Angel I felt this way about either; her friends and family are just as flat and lifeless. Angel’s friend finds herself in a pretty terrible situation in the story, and it should have been an emotionally packed moment, but I couldn’t connect and I didn’t care. It was a heavy, heavy topic and should have conjured up something from me, but it didn’t. Though I found this book a let down because it really was nothing other than a lot of (uninteresting) sex, I don’t think this is a book that’ll be too hard to sell to teen readers because of the sex.

Review copies of each title received from the publishers.

Guest Post: Laura Arnold on Titles to Watch

January 20, 2011 |

Today we have a very special guest blog with us: Laura Arnold, senior editor at Razorbill. She’s here to share some of her favorite recent and forthcoming YA titles — the ones you need on your radar.

Hi everyone! I’m very excited to be writing a guest blog post here. Kelly and I were friends in college, lost touch after graduation, and reconnected several years later on Facebook when I was looking at her profile and realized, “Hey, she’s a librarian who specializes in YA!” and Kelly realized, “Hey, she’s a children’s book editor!” So here I am.

I worked for several years at HarperCollins, where I learned so much and worked with amazing people, and I recently joined the fantastic team at Razorbill as a senior editor. I focus primarily on teen and middle-grade fiction, but make the occasional exception for a super cool nonfiction or picture book project.

She said, “Write about whatever you want,” so I’m going to be very casual and chatty and just tell you about some 2011 books for teens that are going to rock your socks off…

Technically Tempestuous (HarperTeen) went on sale at the tail end of 2010, but this gorgeous book is a conclusion to a trilogy that I just love, Lesley Livingston’s Wondrous Strange series. If you haven’t discovered these books yet, I hope you’ll give them a try. They’re urban faerie paranormal romances, yes, and I know you’ve seen that before—but the characters are so vibrant and original and the strand of Shakespeare that winds through the complex, rich plots is so lyrical. I think you’ll find them to be extremely different from the sea of paranormal you’ve undoubtedly been experiencing.

Across the Universe (Penguin/Razorbill) by Beth Revis is a book I was eyeing long before I came to work at Razorbill, which publishes it. It can be pitched as “Titanic meets Brave New World,” and it’s a romance/murder mystery set on a future space ship. It’s awesome. Again, I know you’re seeing a glut of dystopian in the YA sphere (or if you haven’t yet, get ready, because every publisher has ‘em coming out like dominoes) but this novel is very deep and different. It also has one of the best first chapters I’ve ever read in my life.

Starcrossed (HarperTeen) by Josephine Angelini…Modern-day Nantucket. Ancient Greek mythology. Super sexy romance. Superhuman powers. I’m not going to say anything more because the plot is too special to give away. This book will go on sale May 31, and it is going to explode like a, well, supernova. You heard it here first.

I’d like to give another Razorbill shout-out to the Strange Angels series by Lili St. Crow. For those of you who like your vampires with a dash of kickass, you’ll love this Buffy-esque heroine, Dru Anderson. These books are smart and sexy—no wilting violet here! Book 5 in the series, Reckoning, comes out this fall. Okay okay, and one more Razorbill book (not from 2011) that you should go find is The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove, Lauren Kate’s first book, published before Fallen, is Macbeth set in high school.

Cold Kiss (HarperTeen) by Amy Garvey. A friend of mine edited this novel, and it’s a book that had everyone who read the manuscript coming into work the next day clutching it (or their e-reader) to their chest and saying, “OMG, this was so good.” Beautiful, beautiful writing and a story that will grab your heart. It’s about a girl who resurrects her dead boyfriend and must deal with the repercussions thereafter.

The Way We Fall (Hyperion) by Megan Crewe. I’m not sure if I’m allowed/supposed to admit this, but I lost this book at auction last year. However, it sold to a rockstar editor who’s another friend of mine, so I didn’t gnash my teeth too violently. (Only a little bit.) This one is dystopian (what did I tell you about the lineup the publishers have in store for you?), but the kind of creepy, spooky dystopian where it starts out in a very recognizable and normal modern day but then … something happens. The scariness of what happens is counterbalanced by the beauty and simplicity of the prose. I think this novel will be a memorable one.

The Fitzosbornes in Exile (Knopf) by Michelle Cooper. And now for something completely different…if you like Gothic novels, historical fiction, or the classic I Capture the Castle, you’ll love The FitzOsbornes in Exile and its predecessor (which I recommend reading first) A Brief History of Montmaray. It’s about a girl who lives off the coast of Spain and France on a tiny (fictional) island of which she is a princess. But don’t go thinking tiaras. These books are set in the 1930s, right before the outbreak of World War II, and they’re filled with spying, danger, and of course coming of age.

Have you read any of these? Are they on your radar? I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments!

Thanks for stopping by, Laura. And you can keep your eyes here for a giveaway of Starcrossed when pub date draws a little nearer, too!

In My Mailbox (20): ALA edition

January 15, 2011 |

Welcome to In My Mailbox, hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It’s a weekly look at the books received for review, purchased, or picked up at the library.

I’d like to call this week’s a sneak peek at a ton of great books to come. Links take you to GoodReads.

Picked up at ALA Midwinter, organized by publisher. Not all of the books listed are pictured.:

Candlewick

The Piper’s Son by Melina Marchetta (March) — This one is supposed to be much different than Marchetta’s Jellicoe Road, which I did not love.

Blink & Caution by Tim Wynne-Jones (March) — The rep talked this one up a lot.

The Anti-Prom by Abby McDonald (April) — McDonald writes great lighthearted reads.

What Comes After by Steve Watkins (April) — A book about grief.

Sister Mischief by Laura Goode (July) — Debut novel about a lesbian band.

Bloomsbury

Mad Love by Suzanne Selfors (available now)

Taking Off by Jenny Moss (available now) — For some reason, when I first heard of this book, I thought it was middle grade. Then I got really excited hearing the main character is a senior in high school. An interesting take on the Challenger explosion. I’ve been into the 80s historical fiction lately.

Sean Griswold’s Head by Lindsey Leavitt (March) — This one is part of the Contemps challenge.

In the Shadow of the Lamp by Susanne Dunlap (April) — A London girl gets the chance to work with Florence Nightingale. This one sounded like it might be up Kim’s alley.

Flawless by Lara Chapman (May) — This debut is a retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac.

Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey (June)

Vicious Little Darlings by Katherine Easer (June) — A debut drawing comparisons to Pretty Little Liars.

Small Town Sinners by Melissa Walker (July) — A Contemps book. I read this one already and am impressed with the departure Walker makes from her previous titles. There is a fuller review to come when it gets closer to pub date, but the teaser is this: this is a story about religious conviction and the discomfort one has when their worldview is challenged. It is one of the most fair and thoughtful takes on this topic I’ve read.

The Death Catchers by Jennifer Ann Kogler (August) — A little supernatural and a little historical fiction, a la King Arthur.

Amulet

Shine by Lauren Myracle (May) — A southern mystery.

Francis Lincoln

Almost True by Keren David — The companion to When I Was Joe, which I reviewed here.

Egmont

Family by Micol Ostow (April) — This verse novel is part of the Contemps challenge and is loosely based on the Manson family murders.

The Sweetest Thing by Christina Mandelski (May) — The rep sold this debut as similar to Sarah Dessen.

Little Brown

The Time-Traveling Fashionista by Bianca Turetsky (April) — Debut

The Midnight Palace by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (May)

Bitter End by Jennifer Brown (May) — I found Brown’s Hate List extremely powerful and expect the same of this story about abuse.

Harper Collins

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand (available now) — This is a debut paranormal about angels, but I’ve been assured it is top notch in the genre.

Father of Lies by Ann Turner (February) — A historical fiction about the Salem Witch Trials.

Cloaked by Alex Flinn (February) — Flinn’s known for her fairy tale mash ups, and this one fits into that niche she’s made.

Rival by Sara Bennett Wealer (February) — Another debut but this one’s about rivalry and friendship over music.

Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting (March) — Sequel to The Body Finder.

Illegal by Bettina Restrepo (March) — A debut that sounds a bit like Crossing the Wire by Will Hobbs but for the older set. We need more books like this, so I am really excited to see this one.

The Incorrigible Children of Aston Place: The Hidden Gallery by Maryrose Wood (March)

Through Her Eyes by Jennifer Archer (April) — This debut looks like a bit of a mystery. It’s also set in West Texas which is an area that fascinates me to no end. Honestly, most books set in Texas do it for me.

Fury of the Phoenix by Cindy Pon (April)

Divergent by Veronica Roth (May) — A debut dystopian. If that weren’t enough, this one’s set in Chicago, a city that does NOT get enough stories set in it.

The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson (May)

The Berlin Boxing Club by Robert Sharenow (June) — I read Sharenow’s My Mother the Cheerleader, which is about a group of women in 1960s New Orleans who harass a black student in the first segregated school in the city. I loved this story and am eager to see what this one brings.

Shadowcry by Jenna Burtenshaw (July) — A debut that begins in a book store and a crime that may be solved through a book.

Ten Things We Did and Probably Shouldn’t Have by Sarah Mlynowski (July) — Sounds a little like a bucket list for teens.

Withering Tights by Louise Rennison (July) — I loved (but got burned out on) Georgia Nicholson. I love the humor with which Rennison writes, and since this one’s garnered a lot of praise in Britain, I am even more excited.

A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young (July) — I’m eager to see Young’s writing progress from her first book, The Naughty List. And boy, did the lovely people at Harper work hard to find this book for me. Thank you!

Penguin

Across the Universe by Beth Revis (available now) — Another debut dystopian.

Leverage by Joshua Cohen (February) — This debut is about steroid use and is supposed to be incredible realistic and heart stopping. I don’t read enough sports stories, either.

No Passengers Beyond This Point by Gennifer Choldenko (February)

Close to Famous by Joan Baur (February)

Glitz by Philana Marie Boles (February)

Chime by Franny Billingsley (March) — And here’s another debut.

Where She Went by Gayle Forman (April) — I really didn’t think this book needed to happen. I thought that If I Stay was such a wonderful standalone with the perfect conclusion. It almost feels like cheating that there is a second book. And yet, I’m also a little curious if I’m judging too soon. I’m guessing I’ll still hold my convictions here, but I thought I’d be fair.

Back When You Were Easier to Love by Emily Wing Smith (April) — A quirky romance that’s part of the Contemps challenge. Also, this one fits into the other theme I’m seeing this year, which is characters named Xan/Zan.

The Returning by Christine Hinwood (April) — This debut is set during war and is supposed to be a literary story.

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen (May) — All of Dessen’s books feel the same to me but it doesn’t stop my desire to want to read the new one.

Flutter by Erin E. Moulton (May) — This debut is a story about sisters and miracles. Sisters seem to be one of the emerging trends in 2011.

Displacement by Thalia Chaltas (June) — Verse novel in the style of Ellen Hopkins. I really dug her first book.

Crossing Lines by Paul Volponi (June) — Jocks and bullying. It sounds very timely.

Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma (June) — Probably the book I was most looking for. It, too, is a sister story and it sounds a little like Feathered by Laura Kasishke which I liked quite a bit.

Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer (July)

Scholastic

Sequins, Secrets, and Silver Linings by Sophia Bennett (available now)

Warp Speed by Lisa Yee (March) — This middle grade novel was hand sold by the rep as one of her favorites of the season.

Strings Attached by Judy Blundell (March) — 1950s New York. This is Blundell’s second novel writing as herself. I wasn’t a huge fan of her first title, What I Saw and How I Lied, but I can’t resist the setting here again. Anyone else find it impossible not to refer to her only as Jude Watson?

Clarity by Kim Harrington (March) — A debut paranormal murder mystery.

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray (May) — Confession: I’ve never read Libba Bray. Well, actually, I tried to read the first book of the Gemma Doyle series but failed. I’m hoping this one is just the right mix of bizarre and funny to work for me.

Disney Hyperion
* I won’t say much about these, since you can read my report on the preview here.

Love, Inc. by Yvonne Collins and Sandy Rideout (available now) — I went out with Drea a couple of weeks ago to a book store and we saw this book and both were embarrassed we didn’t know the authors, since they’ve put out a few books. Glad to be able to “meet” them.

The Darlings by Melissa Kantor (January) — A trio of friends.

Mission (Un)popular by Anna Humphrey (June)

Mercy by Rebecca Lim (May) — Debut fallen angel novel.

Girl Wonder by Alexa Martin (May) — Debut.

Putting Makeup on Dead People by Jennifer Violi (July) — Can I just say this debut novel looks so good? It’s about a girl who, after losing her father, wants to become a mortician? How many books like this exist?

Sharks and Boys by Kristen Tracy (June) — This book falls in with the contemps challenge.

Nerd Girls: The Rise of the Dorkasaurus (July) by Alan Lawrence Sitomer

Flux

The Latte Rebellion by Sarah Jamila Stevenson (available now) — I’m really excited about this debut. It’s a poc title and hits on topics that aren’t covered enough in ya lit.

The Shadow Walkers by Brent Hartinger (available now)

Chasing Alliecat by Rebecca Fjelland Davis (available now) — Another debut and this one’s got a bit of mystery, a bit of adventure, and biking.

Playing Hurt by Holly Schindler (March) — I liked Schindler’s A Blue So Dark and am eager for this sophomore effort.

Popular by Alissa Grosso (May) — Another debut. I am so impressed with how many debuts have been available this year.

Macmillan

The Flirt Club by Cathleen Daly (available now) — Another debut novel.

The Girl Who Became a Beatle by Greg Taylor (available now)

The Lover’s Dictionary by David Levithan (available now) — I am curious about Levithan’s first adult novel.

Dark Mirror by M. J. Putney (March) — A debut historical mystery. Sounds up my alley.

The Pull of Gravity by Gae Polisher (May) — I’m really excited about this debut. It came highly recommended via some folks on Twitter.

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier (May) — This book is an import from Germany, where it’s been a huge hit. It was a hand sell from the rep.

My Life Undecided by Jessica Brody (June) — Brody’s sophomore effort after The Karma Club. I’m curious about this one since it centers on a girl who uses her blog to determine what she does in life.

Queen of Hearts by Martha Brooks (August) — A 1940s Sanitorium story.

Glow: The Sky Chasers by Amy Kathleen Ryan (Fall 2011) — Hand sold this one twice. I’ve read it already and cannot express how eager I am to discuss it with other readers. It’s a space fantasy with Puritan ties and is a story about religion and secularism and leadership. It’s meaty and dense and one I can’t stop thinking about.

Simon and Schuster
Again, since most of these were covered here, I won’t talk much about them.

Cryer’s Cross by Lisa McMann (February)

Haven by Kristi Cook (February) — Debut

Red Glove by Holly Black (April)

Small Acts of Amazing Courage by Gloria Whelan (April)

Stay by Deb Caletti (April) — The rep said this was her favorite Caletti title to date.

Blood Red Road by Moira Young (June) — And you already know this is a debut.

Random House

Timeless by Alexandra Monir (available now) — A debut that was named Goodreads best for January 2011.

Something Like Hope by Shawn Goodman (available now) — I’m kind of tired of the fact so many books featuring African American characters take place inside juvenile facilities.

Other Words for Love by Lorraine Zago Rosenthal (available now) — Another debut title. It’s gotten a lot of good blogger buzz.

The Running Dream by Wendy Van Draanen (available now) — This one sounds so good. About a girl with a prosthetic limb who wants to run.

Exposed by Kimberly Marcus (February) — A debut that’s being compared to Ellen Hopkins for its gritty, edgy flavor. The rep told me this was her favorite of their offerings this spring.

Like Mandarin by Kirsten Hubbard (March) — This book is both a debut AND part of the contemps challenge. It’s one I’ve been looking forward to a while. It sounds a bit quirky and is set in rural Wyoming. It really takes little for me, I’m seeing.

Rotters by Daniel Kraus (April) — I remember Kraus talking about this at Anderson’s two years ago. I’m eager to read it because it’s about grave robbing. What a rich (hee) subject.

The Lucky Kind by Alyssa Sheinmel (May) — I realized how much I’ve read in the past year when I asked the rep if this book was by the same author as The Beautiful Between and she didn’t know. It is, by the way.

My Not-So-Still Life by Liz Gallagher (May)

Paper Covers Rock by Jenny Hubbard (June) — A debut set in a boys’ boarding school. Should be interesting to see a story like that from a guy’s perspective. Maybe flavorings of some well-loved classics?

Hooked by Catherine Greenman (August) — This debut is the only pregnant girl story I picked up. Is this a dying trend?

And if that wasn’t enough, when I got home, I also had this one in my mailbox!

The Liar Society by Lisa and Laura Roecker (March, Sourcebooks)

Bought:

Before I left for my trip, I ended up buying a book for my nook. I haven’t read it yet but am eager because it sounds so good and up my alley for a love story. And actually, I did buy another book this week but it hasn’t come yet. Maybe next week!

The Big Crunch by Pete Hautman — Love without being about love and romance without being romance while being romance. It makes sense, right?