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books

Recently on Book Riot and Elsewhere

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It’s been a few weeks since I did a round-up of my writing at Book Riot. I’ll pop them all together right here, along with a link to a guest post I wrote this week for Emma at Miss Print.

  • As part of Emma’s awesome “Poetically Speaking” series (which you should read all of!), I wrote about how women have used verse subversively and talk about YA novels in verse featuring female characters/written by women. 

2 Recent YA Titles on Sexual and Gender Identity: None of the Above and Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda

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I’ve read two books recently that tackle some element of gender or sexual identity. Since I’m still not entirely on in terms of wanting to write in-depth reviews — partially because I’ve been reading a lot lately and want to keep up with that pace and partially because writing reviews feels like a risk more than a reward — I thought I’d talk briefly about both, with their strengths and weaknesses. Both of these books are available now, having released earlier this week.

Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Let’s start with a lighter-hearted YA novel about a gay boy who is trying to figure out who spilled the beans about his sexuality. Well, almost spilled the beans — someone knows he’s gay, but since he’s not out, he’s paranoid about who it is who knows the truth and what that person may or may not do with it.

The romance that builds between Simon and Blue, the boy who he’s been in an email relationship with, is really sweet and well-drawn. It grows at a realistic pace, and I love the way we’re able to see into the way they begin trusting one another and sharing pieces of their day-to-day as well as bigger wants in life.

There’s drama in this one, but it doesn’t feel manufactured. Simon is playing the role of wingman to one of his classmates in order to try to keep his sexuality under wraps (he’s convinced he knows who knows and this is one way of staying on top of it). There’s a nice thread throughout this one about friendship and how friendships can shift and change. Simon isn’t a perfect guy, and even though he’s finding himself in a tough spot, he’s also putting some of his closest friends in a hard place, too: he’s spent less and less time with them as he’s become somewhat self-involved.

The one drawback for me as a reader, which will likely not bother teen readers, was that some of the middle sagged a bit. While it was well-written and at times witty (this is a charming book all around), I found the high school friendship/relationship challenges a little drawn out for me. I’d have liked it a tiny bit tighter. However, I’d recommend this one without hesitation, and I think teens, especially gay teens, will love seeing a story like this. Simon’s parents are noteworthy, too — in fact, they might be some of my favorite YA parents in a long time. It’s worth noting, too, coming out is a part of this story.

This is a debut that makes me eager for Albertalli’s next title.

None of the Above by I. W. Gregorio

Were this book out when I was a teenager, I would have eaten it up. Even as an adult, this was a hard one to put down because it was so fascinating.

When Krissy and her boyfriend try having sex for the first time, it hurts. And it’s more than a first-time-having-sex kind of pain. Since Krissy’s mother isn’t around, she doesn’t have another woman she can talk to this about, so she seeks out the help of one of her female friends, who recommends she seek a gynecologist. It’s at the appointment where Krissy learns that she’s not a female; rather, she’s intersex — she has a vulva and vagina, but she lacks a female reproductive system and instead has internal testicles. She’s 18, so her medical access alone makes sense, but her father does learn about her condition and it’s then she’s left to make the choice about whether to have surgery to remove her testicles or not.

There’s more than the diagnosis, though. The pitch for this book is Middlesex meets Mean Girls. It’s the Mean Girls part that ramps up the drama in this title — Kristin thinks she can trust her friends with her diagnosis, but it turns out that someone spilled and she’s become not just a laughing stock at school, but she’s bullied. Her boyfriend feels utterly betrayed, and he calls it off with her. Even later, when she’s able to try to talk to him alone, outside of school, he’s still reluctant to accept her as she is.

This is a book about how people can be cruel and unaccepting of those who don’t fit into neat societal boxes. Gregorio’s book isn’t afraid to be feminist, and readers who pick this up will likely be fascinated by intersex individuals. I stopped numerous times to do a little research, and Gregorio weaves in the stories of other intersex people through Krissy’s connections via an online listserv and an in-person meeting with another person.

The writing reads like it’s from the voice of an 18-year-old girl, which at times doesn’t come off as fluid or outstanding as it could. But this isn’t a book readers will seek out for killer writing; this one is about character and about the story we rarely, if ever, see or hear. This is a must-add to collections.

Three Quick Reviews + a free TLA Program

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I don’t do a whole lot of programming in my current position, but I’m happy to say that I’ll be bringing three YA authors to my library next week while they’re in town for TLA. If you’re in town too, won’t you consider stopping by? We can say hi and you can watch me moderate a fun panel on writing for teens with three talented authors. There will be discussion, open Q&A, signings, giveaways, and you can even snap a photo of yourself and the authors in our iGeek photobooth.

In preparation for their visit, I read a few of their books. Since they’re Harlequin Teen authors, all of their books have some element of romance (which I am absolutely there for), but they’re wildly different from each other regardless. We’re giving away a copy of each of the three books below (two of which are advance reader copies) plus a few more surprises.

Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter
As longtime readers may know, I’m a sucker for fairy tale and classic story retellings. This is a sort of Alice in Wonderland with zombies, where the zombies can only be seen by some people – but they’re no less terrifying for it. Ali’s father is paranoid and won’t let his family be outside after the sun sets. He says he sees monsters, but no one else can see them, and Ali secretly believes he is mentally ill. Ali convinces her father to let them all go see her little sister’s dance recital, even though it will end after dark, and everything seems to be going OK. Until the trip back. Ali’s dad sees something, freaks out, and the car flips. Her entire family is killed, not necessarily in the crash itself, but by something…else. Soon after, Alice starts to see the monsters, too.

Her family’s death is revealed in the blurb, but I hadn’t read it, so when it happened, it was a huge punch to the gut. Showalter knows how to make her readers hurt. But this is also a fun story, with lots of zombie hunting and, of course, a sizzling romance. When Ali moves in with her grandparents after the accident, she starts at a new school, and she ends up locking eyes with a resident “bad boy,” so-called because he is always skipping school and getting into fights – though none of the fights ever seem to happen on campus. It turns out he’s part of a group of teenagers who fight the zombies, and Ali gets caught up in their mission. Showalter is well-known for writing adult paranormal romances and it shows in her teen books.

The parallels with the Alice in Wonderland stories are not explicit, and this is not a retelling per se. Instead, there are clever little homages, like a cloud that resembles a rabbit and fanciful chapter titles like “Down the Zombie Hole” and “What Bloody Bloody Nonsense!” This is a good pick for teens who still crave zombie stories but are ready for something a little different.

Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry (publishes May 26, 2015)
McGarry is known for writing high-appeal contemporary romances for teens, and her latest – the first in a new series about a motorcycle club – is sure to be popular. Contemporary romances aren’t usually my thing, but I quite liked this story about family, loyalty, and the prejudices we all carry about ways of life we don’t understand. Emily is sent to stay the summer with her biological father, a member of a motorcycle club and a man whom she believes has no interest in parenting her. There she gets to know her extended family and begins to fall for Oz, the son of the club’s leader whose dream is to follow in his father’s footsteps. She also uncovers secrets of her family’s past and learns that her mother’s story about why they left her father doesn’t necessarily line up with the truth. Lies on both sides of her family create grave danger for Emily.

This is a long book, but  the pages move quickly, thanks in part to short chapters that alternate between Emily and Oz’s points of view (emblematic of McGarry’s writing style). The romance incorporates a lot of common tropes (dislike and physical attraction at first sight, slowly giving away to real affection, a “bad” boy and a “good” girl, long-hidden secrets), but it also feels very genuine and age-appropriate. Emily and Oz fall in love like teens do, and McGarry’s characters don’t assume it will be forever – which doesn’t make it any less real. The romance combined with the secrets in Emily’s family’s past make for a multilayered book with a lot of threads to unravel.

The press release stated that McGarry did some hands-on research for the book by spending time with an actual motorcycle club, and it shows. I can’t say I have any firsthand experience, but McGarry’s story is immersive and she turns characters that could have been stereotypes into real people with strengths and flaws. Highly recommended for contemporary romance fans or any reader interested in modern ways of life outside the mainstream.
 

Never Always Sometimes by Adi Alsaid (publishes August 4, 2015)
When they were freshmen, Dave and Julia made a list of all the stereotypical high school things they’d never do: go to a beer party, dye their hair an unnatural color, hook up with a teacher, go on a road trip, fall in love with your best friend. A few years later, with graduation on the horizon, they decide to turn their list of Nevers into a To Do List. Unbeknownst to Julia, Dave has already checked one item off the list: he’s hopelessly in love with Julia.

Alsaid’s second YA book leads with its gimmick, but it doesn’t take the trajectory you’d expect – at least not for long. Readers will enjoy watching the two teens check items off the list, from the relatively innocuous (dying their hair, which turns out terribly for Dave, who chose green), to the much more serious (hook up with a teacher, which Julia takes to with gusto). This hooking up with a teacher storyline is played for laughs and as an adult I was horrified by it, but teens will probably just think it’s funny like Julia and Dave do. (This part in particular made me feel old.) The first part of the book is told from Dave’s perspective and the middle part from Julia’s; Alsaid is more successful with Dave than Julia, though he manages to get real pathos out of both points of view. I was pleased that the story surprised me in the end, and I felt real sadness but also satisfaction at how everything turned out. This is a good pick for fans of lighter contemporary YA.

Get Genrefied: Westerns

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Introduction

For this month’s genre guide, we’re focusing on Westerns. Classic Westerns that most people are familiar with are usually characterized by their setting: the American frontier in the 18th and 19th centuries. They’re often high on action and feature an abundance of cowboys, outlaws, sheriffs, and settlers. They’re also known for often problematic depictions of American Indians. Popular authors for adults include Zane Grey, Louis L’Amour, Elmer Kelton, and Larry McMurtry.

I have to admit, I’ve put off writing about Westerns for a while because I just don’t read them that often. I’m not the only one: Western reading hit its zenith in the 1960s and has been dropping off ever since. Anecdotally, we’ve significantly reduced the number of Western titles for adults at my library because they’re simply not being read as often as they used to be. There’s a bit of a bias against them as being old, dusty, and irrelevant. Even the covers of newly-published Westerns set in contemporary times have a very retro feel.

That doesn’t mean there’s not a readership for them. When you find westerns in YA, they’re usually not marketed as such (probably at least in part because of the bias I mentioned above). Instead, they fall under the umbrella term of historical or contemporary fiction, and the selling point is the adventure or a specific part of the setting (the Oregon Trail, for example), rather than the Western setting in general. This makes searching for YA Westerns a bit more difficult since they’re usually not physically delineated in the bookstore or library (then again, neither is historical fiction). Subject headings are your friend: Frontier and pioneer life, West – History – Fiction, and Overland journeys to the Pacific are a few that would net results.

Despite its decline in popularity, there are a number of authors doing fresh and interesting work with the genre today, particularly for teens. They’re helping to diversify the genre (Stacey Lee) and expand its definition (Moira Young). Genre crossover happens frequently, such as with Patricia C. Wrede’s Frontier Magic series. Teens interested in stories about brave young women and men tackling dangerous situations, exploring unknown lands, and surviving on their own in a harsh setting would be interested in YA Westerns, though they may not know to ask for them specifically.

Resources

  • The Hub has a couple of good posts discussing YA Westerns, including reading lists.
  • The Western Writers of America is an organization dedicated to promoting the literature of the American West, and their definition is expansive. They give out the Spur Awards annually, including one for juvenile fiction.
  • Women Writing the West is an organization that promotes Westerns by and about women and girls. They also offer an award, the WILLA, that recognizes the best published stories each year about women and girls set in the American West, including a Children’s/Young Adult category.
  • The 2001 Popular Paperbacks committee selected 22 Westerns for teens.
  • Historical Novels has a list of YA books set in the American Old West organized by topic. Most of these titles are older (early 2000s and before).

Books

Below are a few books published within the last five years, a few forthcoming titles, and a few that are a bit older but still circulate well among teens. I’ve also thrown in a few middle grade titles that may appeal to younger teens. Descriptions are from WorldCat and links lead to our reviews when applicable. Any we missed? Any diverse titles in particular to add to the list? Let us know in the comments.

Wanted by Heidi Ayarbe
Seventeen-year-old Michal Garcia, a bookie at Carson City High School,
raises the stakes in her illegal activities after she meets wealthy,
risk-taking Josh Ellison.

Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman (September 2015)
When her father is killed by the notorious Rose Riders for a mysterious
journal that reveals the secret location of a gold mine,
eighteen-year-old Kate Thompson disguises herself as a boy and takes to
the gritty plains looking for answers–and justice.

Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson (September 2015)
A young woman with the
magical ability to sense the presence of gold must flee her home, taking
her on a sweeping and dangerous journey across Gold Rush–era America.

Relic by Renee Collins
After a raging fire consumes her town and kills her parents, Maggie
Davis is on her own to protect her younger sister and survive the best
she can in the Colorado town of Burning Mesa. Working in a local saloon, Maggie
befriends the spirited showgirl Adelaide and falls for the roguish
cowboy Landon. But when she proves to have a particular skill at
harnessing the relics’ powers, Maggie is whisked away to the glamorous
hacienda of Álvar Castilla, the wealthy young relic baron who runs
Burning Mesa. 

Nobody But Us by Kristin Halbrook
Told in their separate voices, eighteen-year-old Will who has aged out
of foster care, and fifteen-year-old Zoe whose father beats her, set out
for Las Vegas together, but their escape may prove more dangerous than
what they left behind.

The Water Seeker by Kimberly Willis Holt
Traces the hard life, filled with losses, adversity, and adventure, of
Amos, son of a trapper and dowser, from 1833 when his mother dies giving
birth to him until 1859, when he has grown up and has a son of his own.

Grace and the Guiltless by Erin Johnson
When Grace’s parents and siblings are murdered by the Guiltless Gang for
their Arizona horse ranch outside Tombstone, she vows to devote her
life to revenge–but the Chiricahua she finds sanctuary with try to
teach her a better way.

Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson

After inheriting her uncle’s homesteading claim in Montana,
sixteen-year-old orphan Hattie Brooks travels from Iowa in 1917 to make a
home for herself and encounters some unexpected problems related to the
war being fought in Europe. | Sequel: Hattie Ever After

Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee
In 1845, Sammy, a Chinese American girl, and Annamae, an African
American slave girl, disguise themselves as boys and travel on the
Oregon Trail to California from Missouri. | Read Stacey Lee’s guest post on friendship for our About the Girls series.

The Devil’s Paintbox by Victoria McKernan
In 1865, fifteen-year-old Aiden and his thirteen-year-old sister Maddy,
penniless orphans, leave drought-stricken Kansas on a wagon train hoping
for a better life in Seattle, but find there are still many hardships
to be faced.

The Last Summer of the Death Warriors by Francisco X. Stork
Seventeen-year-old Pancho is bent on avenging the senseless death of his
sister, but after he meets D.Q, who is dying of cancer, and Marisol,
one of D.Q.’s caregivers, both boys find their lives changed by their
interactions.

How I Became a Ghost by Tim Tingle
A Choctaw boy tells the story of his tribe’s removal from the only land
its people had ever known, and how their journey to Oklahoma led him to
become a ghost–one with the ability to help those he left behind.

Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool
Abilene Tucker feels abandoned. Her father has put her on a train,
sending her off to live with an old friend for the summer while he works
a railroad job. Armed only with a few possessions and her list of universals, Abilene jumps off the train in Manifest, Kansas, aiming to learn about the boy her father once was.

Thirteenth Child by Patricia C. Wrede
Eighteen-year-old Eff must finally get over believing she is bad luck
and accept that her special training in Aphrikan magic, and being the
twin of the seventh son of a seventh son, give her extraordinary power
to combat magical creatures that threaten settlements on the western
frontier. | Sequels: Across the Great Barrier, The Far West

Blood Red Road by Moira Young
In a distant future, eighteen-year-old Lugh is kidnapped, and while his
twin sister Saba and nine-year-old Emmi are trailing him across bleak
Sandsea they are captured too, and taken to brutal Hopetown, where Saba
is forced to be a cage fighter until new friends help plan an escape. | Sequels: Rebel Heart, Raging Star

On The Radar: 12 YA Books For April

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One of the most popular posts I do over at Book Riot is the round-up of upcoming YA fiction titles, and one of the most popular questions I seem to get on Twitter and in my inboxes is “what should I be looking out for in YA?” For a lot of readers, especially those who work with teens either in classrooms or in libraries, knowing what’s coming out ahead of time is valuable to get those books into readers’ hands before they even ask.

Each month, I’ll call out between 8 and 12 books coming out that should be on your radar. These include books by high-demand, well-known authors, as well as some up-and-coming and debut authors. They’ll be across a variety of genres, including diverse titles and writers. Not all of the books will be ones that Kimberly or I have read, nor will all of them be titles that we’re going to read and review. Rather, these are books that readers will be looking for and that have popped up regularly on social media, in advertising, in book mail, and so forth. It’s part science and part arbitrary and a way to keep the answer to “what should I know about for this month?” quick, easy, and under $300 (doable for smaller library budgets especially).
For April, here are 12 YA titles to have on your radar. All descriptions are from WorldCat, and I’ve noted why it should be included. 

Don’t Stay Up Late by R. L. Stine (April 7): Ever since a car accident killed her father and gave her a severe concussion, high school junior Lisa’s been plagued by nightmares and hallucinations, and when she accepts a babysitting job in hopes it will banish the disturbing images, she faces new terror as she begins to question exactly who–or what–she’s babysitting.
Why: It’s the second book in the relaunch of the “Fear Street” series. Here’s some staple horror. 
All The Rage by Courtney Summers (April 14): After being assaulted by the sheriff’s son, Kellan Turner, Romy Grey was branded a liar and bullied by former friends, finding refuge only in the diner where she works outside of town, but when a girl with ties to both Romy and Kellan goes missing and news of him assulting another girl gets out, Romy must decide whether to speak out again or risk having more girls hurt.
Why: An important and powerful story about rape culture, victimization, and about the way we treat girls in society. Also, since it’s the Tumblr Reblog Book Club’s pick for April and May, it’ll be really popular. 
None of the Above by I. W. Gregorio (April 7): When Kristin Lattimer is voted homecoming queen, it seems like another piece of her ideal life has fallen into place. She’s a champion hurdler with a full scholarship to college and she’s madly in love with her boyfriend. In fact, she’s decided that she’s ready to take things to the next level with him.


But Kristin’s first time isn’t the perfect moment she’s planned–something is very wrong. A visit to the doctor reveals the truth: Kristin is intersex, which means that though she outwardly looks like a girl, she has male chromosomes, not to mention boy “parts.”

Dealing with her body is difficult enough, but when her diagnosis is leaked to the whole school, Kristin’s entire identity is thrown into question. As her world unravels, can she come to terms with her new self? (Description via Goodreads). 

Why: This story deals with an issue we don’t see in YA: an intersex teen. This is written in an incredibly appealing way. 

Eden West by Pete Hautman (April 14): Tackling faith, doubt, and transformation, National Book Award winner Pete Hautman explores a boy’s unraveling allegiance to an insular cult. Twelve square miles of paradise, surrounded by an eight-foot-high chain-link fence: this is Nodd, the land of the Grace. It is all seventeen-year-old Jacob knows. Beyond the fence lies the World, a wicked, terrible place, doomed to destruction. When the Archangel Zerachiel descends from Heaven, only the Grace will be spared the horrors of the Apocalypse. But something is rotten in paradise. A wolf invades Nodd, slaughtering the Grace’s sheep. A new boy arrives from outside, and his scorn and disdain threaten to tarnish Jacob’s contentment. Then, while patrolling the borders of Nodd, Jacob meets Lynna, a girl from the adjoining ranch, who tempts him to sample the forbidden Worldly pleasures that lie beyond the fence. Jacob’s faith, his devotion, and his grip on reality are tested as his feelings for Lynna blossom into something greater and the End Days grow ever closer. Eden West is the story of two worlds, two hearts, the power of faith, and the resilience of the human spirit.
Why: “National Book Award winner Pete Hautman” might be enough there, but it’s worth noting this is a cult title, which is a popular trend in YA this year. Likewise, it explores faith and religion, and I know Kimberly found Hautman’s last series — The Klaatu Diskos — extremely well done. 
An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir (April 28): Laia is a Scholar living under the iron-fisted rule of the Martial Empire. When her brother is arrested for treason, Laia goes undercover as a slave at the empire’s greatest military academy in exchange for assistance from rebel Scholars who claim that they will help to save her brother from execution. 
Why: There has been huge buzz around this title — I’ve received more than one review copy of it, and I’ve seen plenty of rave reviews. It’s a stand alone fantasy novel. 
Lying Out Loud by Kody Keplinger (April 28): High school senior Sonny Ardmore is an accomplished liar who uses lies to try and control her out-of-control life which has been further complicated by the fact that she is secretly staying every night in her best friend Amy’s house because she has been kicked out by her own mother–but when she gets into a online conversation with the stuck-up new boy Ryder, who has a crush on Amy, she finds herself caught up in one lie to many.
Why: This is a companion novel to The DUFF, and with The DUFF still being a New York Times Bestseller with renewed interest following the movie, this should garner some good interest. (Interesting to note it’s a different publisher than The DUFF, though set in the same world and featuring different characters). 

The Remedy by Suzanne Young (April 21): Seventeen-year-old Quinn provides closure to grieving families by taking on the short-term role of a deceased loved one, until huge secrets come to the surface about Quinn’s own past.
Why: This is a novel set in the same world as Young’s NYT Bestselling “The Program” series. It’s a prequel, though reading the other titles isn’t necessary to get this one. Young might be writing some of the best authentic teen dialog in YA. 
Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley (April 28): Aza Ray Boyle’s life has been defined by a unique lung disease and her evolving friendship with Jason, but just before her sixteenth birthday, she is swept up into the sky-bound world of Magonia and discovers her true identity.
Why: A stand alone fantasy likened to Neil Gaiman. Early reviews and buzz on this have been really positive.
Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli (April 7): Sixteen-year-old, not-so-openly-gay Simon Spier is blackmailed into playing wingman for his classmate or else his sexual identity–and that of his pen pal–will be revealed. 
Why: This is a fun read, featuring a gay main character. 
 
Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman (April 21): A teenage boy struggles with schizophrenia.
Why: This is Shusterman, so that’s already the sell on the book, but it’s a powerful, authentic, painful look at mental illness. The teen boy at the center of this one is also on the younger side of teen, which stood out to me when I read it. 
Miss Mayhem by Rachel Hawkins (April 7): In the sequel to REBEL BELLE, Harper Price and her new boyfriend and oracle David Stark face new challenges as the powerful Ephors seek to claim David for their own. 
Why: It’s the sequel to Rebel Belle. Hawkins writes in a fun style, and she’s extremely appealing to teen readers. 
Palace of Lies by Margaret Peterson Haddox (April 7): After a terrible fire destroys her home and kills her twelve sister-princesses, Desmia must rise above those who intend to manipulate her and sieze power for themselves–and find out the truth.
Why: The third and final book in “The Palace Chronicles” series. These are especially good for the younger YA reading set. 
Since I’m trying really hard to keep these lists to between 8 and 12 titles, I know I have to leave some really good stuff off. But if you have it in your budget to add one more title in April, I’d also put Amy Spalding’s fun, funny, and romantic Kissing Ted Callahan (And Other Guys) in your cart.