Over on Book Riot this week…
There’s also a new episode of Hey YA up. Eric and I talk about nostalgia YA, YA books which have had sequels come nearly a decade after the initial book, and we highlight some recent and upcoming YA horror. Tune in here!
Recently, I was sitting in the theater watching the trailer for what looked to be a silly, but potentially fun, children’s movie starring Cate Blanchett and Jack Black (wherein Jack Black basically plays himself, it seems). As the trailer went on, a little niggling idea started to press against my mind – I thought I recognized the storyline. Could this movie possibly be what I thought it was? As realization hit, I excitedly turned to my seat companion and whispered the name of the film just as the screen itself announced it: The House With a Clock in Its Walls.
First published in 1973, The House With a Clock in Its Walls is a gothic horror novel by John Bellairs for children. It features Lewis Barnavelt, a ten year old boy whose parents tragically die in a car accident, forcing him to move in with his eccentric uncle. His uncle turns out to be a wizard, and their neighbor is a witch, and Lewis is caught up in a supernatural mystery that was complete catnip for tween me. And here in 2018, it’s been made into a movie.
I first discovered the book in the 90s, and after falling in love with it, I went on to learn that there were many more where it came from. Bellairs wrote two sequels, and after he died in 1991, Brad Strickland took over, writing nine more books about Lewis Barnavelt based on Bellairs’ outlines and, eventually, his own ideas. And then there were the Johnny Dixon books, which Bellairs first started publishing in the 80s and which Strickland also took over once he died. They, too, were deliciously scary – but not too scary – and featured a bit of the supernatural combined with a mystery perfectly suited to middle graders. My memory is that I read every single book John Bellairs or Brad Strickland wrote within a matter of months.
Even in the 90s, most of these books were already “old” (though many sequels were newly published that decade). Still, I never perceived the Lewis Barnavelt books as dated when I first read them, though it’s certainly possible my adult sensibilities would pick up on what my child ones couldn’t. I think kids today would enjoy them a lot, too, provided we get nice updated covers (and I’m not counting the movie tie-in edition). It doesn’t look like any of the sequels are currently in print. The Johnny Dixon books were reprinted in 2014 and look fairly modern, though not terribly exciting.
I hadn’t thought about these books in years, but when I saw the trailer, all my happy memories of them rushed back, and I remembered just how much I enjoyed them. It got me thinking: What other books that previous generations read as kids or teens are only now being adapted for the big screen? I went on a quest and found several that I hadn’t known about. All of the movies on the list have premiered or are currently scheduled to premiere in 2018 and are based on books at least ten years old.
Middle Grade
The House With a Clock in Its Walls by John Bellairs (1973)
Book: “Orphaned Lewis Barnavelt comes to live with his Uncle Jonathan and quickly learns that both his uncle and his next-door neighbor are witches on a quest to discover the terrifying clock ticking within the walls of Jonathan’s house. Can the three of them save the world from certain destruction?” (Goodreads)
Movie: “A young orphan named Lewis Barnavelt aids his magical uncle in locating a clock with the power to bring about the end of the world” (IMDb). Stars Jack Black as Jonathan Barnavelt, Cate Blanchett as Mrs. Zimmerman, and Owen Vaccaro as Lewis Barnavelt. Also stars Renee Elise Goldsberry and Kyle MacLachlan.
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle (1962)
Book: “It was a dark and stormy night; Meg Murry, her small brother Charles Wallace, and her mother had come down to the kitchen for a midnight snack when they were upset by the arrival of a most disturbing stranger. ‘Wild nights are my glory,’ the unearthly stranger told them. ‘I just got caught in a downdraft and blown off course. Let me be on my way. Speaking of way, by the way, there is such a thing as a tesseract.’ Meg’s father had been experimenting with this fifth dimension of time travel when he mysteriously disappeared. Now the time has come for Meg, her friend Calvin, and Charles Wallace to rescue him. But can they outwit the forces of evil they will encounter on their heart-stopping journey through space?” (Goodreads)
Movie: “Following the discovery of a new form of space travel as well as Meg’s father’s disappearance, she, her brother, and her friend must join three magical beings – Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which – to travel across the universe to rescue him from a terrible evil” (IMDb). Stars Storm Reid as Meg, and Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, and Mindy Kaling as Mrs. Which, Mrs. Whatsit, and Mrs. Who.
The War With Grandpa by Robert Kimmel Smith (1984)
Book: “Peter is thrilled that Grandpa is coming to live with his family. That is, until Grandpa moves right into Peter’s room, forcing him upstairs. Peter loves his grandpa but wants his room back. He has no choice but to declare war! With the help of his friends, Peter devises outrageous plans to make Grandpa surrender the room. But Grandpa is tougher than he looks. Rather than give in, Grandpa plans to get even. They used to be such great pals. Has their war gone too far?” (Goodreads)
Movie: “Upset that he has to share the room he loves with his grandfather, Peter decides to declare war in an attempt to get it back” (IMDb). Stars Oakes Fegley as Peter and Robert De Niro as Grandpa. This movie has had a pretty tumultuous history within the past year. It was initially scheduled for release in April 2017, then pushed back to October, then again pushed back to February 2018. According to the Wrap, the producers bought it back from the Weinstein Company, which was going to distribute it, and there’s no news I can find about a new release date.
The Anubis Tapestry: Between Twilights by Bruce Zick (2006)
Book: “When a mummy’s curse condemns Dr. George Henry’s spirit to the Egyptian Underworld, his son Chance must try to free him. But Chance risks becoming a mummy himself when he binds himself in the wrappings of the mysterious Anubis Tapestry. Led by a comical creature named Blixx, Chance plumbs the depths of the Underworld and encounters a variety of horrible monsters. If Chance can’t return by twilight, he and Blixx will be trapped forever in the dead’s domain!” (Goodreads)
Movie: This is another book-to-film adaptation that has seen release problems. According to the Hollywood Reporter, it was originally scheduled for release in March of this year but was removed from the calendar by 20th Century Fox in 2017. It seems likely this animated movie won’t actually see the light of day (at least not this year), since I haven’t been able to find any other news about it. The link to its IMDb page is basically empty, unless you have access to IMDbPro. I hadn’t heard of the book it’s based on, which is out of print from its original publisher, Actionopolis/Komikwerks, and is only currently available from Createspace. (I’m kind of fascinated by how books become movies and why certain ones are selected and then how this kind of thing happens – but that’s a topic for another post.)
Young Adult
Ophelia by Lisa Klein (2006)
Book: “In this reimagining of Shakespeare’s famous tragedy, it is Ophelia who takes center stage. A rowdy, motherless girl, she grows up at Elsinore Castle to become the queen’s most trusted lady-in-waiting. Ambitious for knowledge and witty as well as beautiful, Ophelia learns the ways of power in a court where nothing is as it seems. When she catches the attention of the captivating, dark-haired Prince Hamlet, their love blossoms in secret. But bloody deeds soon turn Denmark into a place of madness, and Ophelia’s happiness is shattered. Ultimately, she must choose between her love for Hamlet and her own life. In desperation, Ophelia devises a treacherous plan to escape from Elsinore forever . . . with one very dangerous secret” (Goodreads).
Movie: “A re-imagining of Hamlet, told from Ophelia’s perspective” (IMDb). Stars Daisy Ridley as Ophelia, Naomi Watts as Gertrude/Mechthild, and George MacKay as Hamlet, with Clive Owen and Tom Felton in supporting roles. The film premiered at Sundance in January but hasn’t yet had a wide release (if it will get one).
The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness (2008)
Book: “Prentisstown isn’t like other towns. Everyone can hear everyone else’s thoughts in an overwhelming, never-ending stream of Noise. Just a month away from the birthday that will make him a man, Todd and his dog, Manchee — whose thoughts Todd can hear too, whether he wants to or not — stumble upon an area of complete silence. They find that in a town where privacy is impossible, something terrible has been hidden — a secret so awful that Todd and Manchee must run for their lives. But how do you escape when your pursuers can hear your every thought?” (Goodreads)
Movie: “A dystopian world where there are no women and all living creatures can hear each others’ thoughts in a stream of images, words, and sounds called Noise” (IMDb). The movie adaptation is called Chaos Walking, which is the name for the entire series of books, and will be released in 2019. It stars Tom Holland as Todd and Daisy Ridley as Viola, with Mads Mikkelsen as Mayor Prentiss (and he should do a very good job in the role). This is one of my favorite books/series, so I’m pretty excited about the adaptation.
Monster by Walter Dean Myers (1999)
Book: Sixteen-year-old Steve Harmon is on trial for murder. A Harlem drugstore owner was shot and killed in his store, and the word is that Steve served as the lookout. Guilty or innocent, Steve becomes a pawn in the hands of “the system,” cluttered with cynical authority figures and unscrupulous inmates, who will turn in anyone to shorten their own sentences. For the first time, Steve is forced to think about who he is as he faces prison, where he may spend all the tomorrows of his life. As a way of coping with the horrific events that entangle him, Steve, an amateur filmmaker, decides to transcribe his trial into a script, just like in the movies. He writes it all down, scene by scene, the story of how his whole life was turned around in an instant. But despite his efforts, reality is blurred and his vision obscured until he can no longer tell who he is or what is the truth. This compelling novel is Walter Dean Myers’s writing at its best.
Movie:”‘Monster’ is what the prosecutor calls 17 year old honors student Steve Harmon. He is being charged with felony murder. But is Steve really a monster? Adapted from the best-selling novel of the same name by Walter Dean Myers” (IMDb). Stars Kelvin Harrison, Jr. as Steve with Jeffrey Wright, Jennifer Ehle, and Jennifer Hudson. The film was released in January at Sundance.
Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve (2001)
Book: “The great traction city London has been skulking in the hills to avoid the bigger, faster, hungrier cities loose in the Great Hunting Ground. But now, the sinister plans of Lord Mayor Mangus Crome can finally unfold. Thaddeus Valentine, London’s Head Historian and adored famous archaeologist, and his lovely daughter, Katherine, are down in The Gut when the young assassin with the black scarf strikes toward his heart, saved by the quick intervention of Tom, a lowly third-class apprentice. Racing after the fleeing girl, Tom suddenly glimpses her hideous face: scarred from forehead to jaw, nose a smashed stump, a single eye glaring back at him. “Look at what your Valentine did to me!” she screams. “Ask him! Ask him what he did to Hester Shaw!” And with that she jumps down the waste chute to her death. Minutes later Tom finds himself tumbling down the same chute and stranded in the Out-Country, a sea of mud scored by the huge caterpillar tracks of cities like the one now steaming off over the horizon. In a stunning literary debut, Philip Reeve has created a painful dangerous unforgettable adventure story of surprises, set in a dark and utterly original world fueled by Municipal Darwinism — and betrayal” (Goodreads).
Movie: “Many years after the ‘Sixty Minute War,’ cities survive a now desolate Earth by moving around on giant wheels attacking and devouring smaller towns to replenish their resources” (IMDb). Stars Steven Lang, Hugo Weaving, and Frankie Adams. The film will be released in December 2018.
Tweak by Nic Sheff (2008)
Book: “Nic Sheff was drunk for the first time at age eleven. In the years that followed, he would regularly smoke pot, do cocaine and Ecstasy, and develop addictions to crystal meth and heroin. Even so, he felt like he would always be able to quit and put his life together whenever he needed to. It took a violent relapse one summer in California to convince him otherwise. In a voice that is raw and honest, Nic spares no detail in telling us the compelling, heartbreaking, and true story of his relapse and the road to recovery. As we watch Nic plunge into the mental and physical depths of drug addiction, he paints a picture for us of a person at odds with his past, with his family, with his substances, and with himself. It’s a harrowing portrait—but not one without hope” (Goodreads).
Movie: “Based on the best-selling pair of memoirs from father and son David and Nic Sheff, Beautiful Boy chronicles the heartbreaking and inspiring experience of survival, relapse, and recovery in a family coping with addiction over many years” (IMDb). Nic’s father David wrote a memoir for adults about his son Nic’s addiction called Beautiful Boy, and the film combines both memoirs and takes its title from David’s work. It stars Steve Carell and Timothée Chalamet as father and son and will be released in October.
I was browsing Goodreads earlier this month working on a post when my eye trained on something I saw: two YA book covers, both for books hitting shelves within a week or two of each other this fall, which prominently featured fire on the cover. Immediately, I thought of a few more YA titles from this year I knew featured fire on them and realized there was something here.
There’s a draft post from last year I started about “ashes” being a big trend in titles. It didn’t occur to me to look at the bigger picture of how fire has been front and center for a while. But rather than focus on ashes or other associated aspects of fire, I thought it would be fun to home in specifically on the ways we’re seeing fire represented in YA book covers and titles this year.
I’ve excluded any books about ashes or flames, about burning or embers, unless those book covers themselves feature fire. I did not include books like Winner Take All by Laurie Devore, which features a book of matches (in a clever middle finger salute). These all expressly showcase fire or flames in some way.
Descriptions come from Goodreads. I keep thinking about what a cool book display idea this would be, so if someone takes the idea and runs, please send me a photo. I bet it would be lit (…groan). If you know of other 2018 YA books featuring fire titles or fire on their covers in some capacity, drop ’em in the comments, too.
As You Wish by Chelsea SedotiWhat if you could ask for anything- and get it?
In the sandy Mojave Desert, Madison is a small town on the road between nothing and nowhere. But Eldon wouldn’t want to live anywhere else, because in Madison, everyone gets one wish—and that wish always comes true.
Some people wish for money, some people wish for love, but Eldon has seen how wishes have broken the people around him. And with the lives of his family and friends in chaos, he’s left with more questions than answers. Can he make their lives better? How can he be happy if the people around him aren’t? And what hope is there for any of them if happiness isn’t an achievable dream? Doubts build, leading Eldon to a more outlandish and scary thought: maybe you can’t wish for happiness…maybe, just maybe, you have to make it for yourself.
Bright We Burn by Kiersten WhiteHaunted by the sacrifices he made in Constantinople, Radu is called back to the new capital. Mehmed is building an empire, becoming the sultan his people need. But Mehmed has a secret: as emperor, he is more powerful than ever . . . and desperately lonely. Does this mean Radu can finally have more with Mehmed . . . and would he even want it?
Lada’s rule of absolute justice has created a Wallachia free of crime. But Lada won’t rest until everyone knows that her country’s borders are inviolable. Determined to send a message of defiance, she has the bodies of Mehmed’s peace envoy delivered to him, leaving Radu and Mehmed with no choice. If Lada is allowed to continue, only death will prosper. They must go to war against the girl prince.
But Mehmed knows that he loves her. He understands her. She must lose to him so he can keep her safe. Radu alone fears that they are underestimating his sister’s indomitable will. Only by destroying everything that came before–including her relationships–can Lada truly build the country she wants.
Claim the throne. Demand the crown. Rule the world.
The Collide by Kimberly McCreightKEEP YOUR ENEMIES CLOSE.
Wylie is finally out of the detention center, but that doesn’t mean she’s safe. As much as she wants to forget everything that’s happened and return to her normal life, Wylie knows that true freedom means discovering, once and for all, who is hunting the girls who are Outliers—and why.
Armed with only a few clues and a handful of trusted allies, Wylie sets out to separate fact from fiction. But soon she is unearthing long-buried secrets and finds herself entangled in a conspiracy that is much bigger and more dangerous than she ever could have imagined. Worse yet, the nearer Wylie gets to discovering the truth, the closer her enemies get to silencing her and the other girls. This time, maybe forever.
Cross Fire by Fonda LeeEarth’s century of peace as a colony of an alien race has been shattered. As the alien-run government navigates peace talks with the human terrorist group Sapience, Donovan tries to put his life back together and return to his duty as a member of the security forces. But a new order comes from the alien home planet: withdraw. Earth has proven too costly and unstable to maintain as a colony, so the aliens, along with a small selection of humans, begin to make plans to leave. As word of the withdrawal spreads through the galaxy, suddenly Earth becomes vulnerable to a takeover from other aliens races. Aliens who do not seek to live in harmony with humans, but will ravage and destroy the planet.
As a galactic invasion threatens, Donovan realizes that Sapience holds the key that could stop the pending war. Yet in order to save humankind, all species on Earth will have to work together, and Donovan might just have to make the ultimate sacrifice to convince them.
Damsel by Elana K. ArnoldThe rite has existed for as long as anyone can remember: when the prince-who-will-be-king comes of age, he must venture out into the gray lands, slay a fierce dragon, and rescue a damsel to be his bride. This is the way things have always been.
When Ama wakes in the arms of Prince Emory, however, she knows none of this. She has no memory of what came before she was captured by the dragon, or what horrors she has faced in its lair. She knows only this handsome prince, the story he tells of her rescue, and her destiny to sit on the throne beside him. Ama comes with Emory back to the kingdom of Harding, hailed as the new princess, welcomed to the court.
However, as soon as her first night falls, she begins to realize that not all is as it seems, that there is more to the legends of the dragons and the damsels than anyone knows–and that the greatest threats to her life may not be behind her, but here, in front of her.
Damselfly by Chandra PrasadIn the wake of crash-landing on a deserted tropical island, a group of private-school teens must rely on their wits and one another to survive.
Having just survived a plane crash, Samantha Mishra finds herself isolated and injured in the thick of the jungle. She has no idea where she is or where anybody else is — she doesn’t even know if anybody else is alive. Once Sam connects with her best friend, Mel, and they locate the others, they set up camp and hope for rescue. But as the days pass, the survivors, all teammates on the Drake Rosemont fencing team, realize that they’re on their own — with the exception of a mysterious presence who taunts and threatens them. When their initial attempts to escape the island fail, the teens find they need to survive more than the jungle . . . they need to survive each other.
This taut novel, with a setting evocative of Lord of the Flies, is by turns cinematic and intimate, and always thought-provoking.
The Devil’s Thief by Lisa MaxwellHunt the Stones.
Beware the Thief.
Avenge the Past.
Esta’s parents were murdered. Her life was stolen. And everything she knew about magic was a lie. She thought the Book of Mysteries held the key to freeing the Mageus from the Order’s grasp, but the danger within its pages was greater than she ever imagined.
Now the Book’s furious power lives inside Harte. If he can’t control it, it will rip apart the world to get its revenge, and it will use Esta to do it.
To bind the power, Esta and Harte must track down four elemental stones scattered across the continent. But the world outside the city is like nothing they expected. There are Mageus beyond the Brink not willing to live in the shadows—and the Order isn’t alone in its mission to crush them.
In St. Louis, the extravagant World’s Fair hides the first stone, but an old enemy is out for revenge and a new enemy is emerging. And back in New York, Viola and Jianyu must defeat a traitor in a city on the verge of chaos.
As past and future collide, time is running out to rewrite history—even for a time-traveling thief.
Fire and Bone by Rachel A. MarksSage is eighteen, down on her luck, and struggling to survive on the streets of Los Angeles. Everything changes the night she’s invited to a party — one that turns out to be a trap.
Thrust into a magical world hidden within the City of Angels, Sage discovers that she’s the daughter of a Celtic goddess, with powers that are only in their infancy. Now that she is of age, she’s asked to pledge her service to one of the five deities, all keen on winning her favor by any means possible. She has to admit that she’s tempted — especially when this new life comes with spells, Hollywood glam, and a bodyguard with secrets of his own. Not to mention a prince whose proposal could boost her rank in the Otherworld.
As loyalties shift, and as the two men vie for her attention, Sage tries to figure out who to trust in a realm she doesn’t understand. One thing’s for sure: the trap she’s in has bigger claws than she thought. And it’s going to take a lot more than magic for this Celtic demigoddess to make it out alive.
Fire and Heist by Sarah Beth DurstIn Sky Hawkins’s family, leading your first heist is a major milestone–even more so than learning to talk, walk, or do long division. It’s a chance to gain power and acceptance within your family, and within society. But stealing your first treasure can be complicated, especially when you’re a wyvern–a human capable of turning into a dragon.
Embarking on a life of crime is never easy, and Sky discovers secrets about her mother, who recently went missing, the real reason her boyfriend broke up with her, and a valuable jewel that could restore her family’s wealth and rank in their community.
With a handpicked crew by her side, Sky knows she has everything she needs to complete her first heist, and get her boyfriend and mother back in the process. But then she uncovers a dark truth about were-dragon society–a truth more valuable and dangerous than gold or jewels could ever be.
For a Muse of Fire by Heidi HeiligA young woman with a dangerous power she barely understands. A smuggler with secrets of his own. A country torn between a merciless colonial army, a terrifying tyrant, and a feared rebel leader. The first book in a new trilogy from the acclaimed Heidi Heilig blends traditional storytelling with ephemera for a lush, page-turning tale of escape and rebellion. For a Muse of Fire will captivate fans of Sabaa Tahir, Leigh Bardugo, and Renée Ahdieh.
Jetta’s family is famed as the most talented troupe of shadow players in the land. With Jetta behind the scrim, their puppets seem to move without string or stick—a trade secret, they say. In truth, Jetta can see the souls of the recently departed and bind them to the puppets with her blood. But the old ways are forbidden ever since the colonial army conquered their country, so Jetta must never show, never tell. Her skill and fame are her family’s way to earn a spot aboard the royal ship to Aquitan, where shadow plays are the latest rage, and where rumor has it the Mad King has a spring that cures his ills. Because seeing spirits is not the only thing that plagues Jetta. But as rebellion seethes and as Jetta meets a young smuggler, she will face truths and decisions that she never imagined—and safety will never seem so far away.
Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha NganEach year, eight beautiful girls are chosen as Paper Girls to serve the king. It’s the highest honor they could hope for…and the most cruel.
But this year, there’s a ninth girl. And instead of paper, she’s made of fire.
In this lush fantasy, Lei is a member of the Paper caste, the lowest and most oppressed class in Ikhara. She lives in a remote village with her father, where the decade-old trauma of watching her mother snatched by royal guards still haunts her. Now, the guards are back, and this time it’s Lei they’re after–the girl whose golden eyes have piqued the king’s interest.
Over weeks of training in the opulent but stifling palace, Lei and eight other girls learn the skills and charm that befit being a king’s consort. But Lei isn’t content to watch her fate consume her. Instead, she does the unthinkable–she falls in love. Her forbidden romance becomes enmeshed with an explosive plot that threatens the very foundation of Ikhara, and Lei, still the wide-eyed country girl at heart, must decide just how far she’s willing to go for justice and revenge.
How She Died, How I Lied by Mary CrockettI was one of five. The five girls Kyle texted that day. The girls it could have been. Only Jamie–beautiful, saintly Jamie–was kind enough to respond. And it got her killed.
On the eve of Kyle’s sentencing a year after Jamie’s death, all the other “chosen ones” are coping in various ways. But our tenacious narrator is full of anger, stuck somewhere between the horrifying past and the unknown future as she tries to piece together why she gets to live, while Jamie is dead.
Now she finds herself drawn to Charlie, Jamie’s boyfriend–knowing all the while that their relationship will always be haunted by what-ifs and why-nots. Is hope possible in the face of such violence? Is forgiveness? How do you go on living when you know it could have been you instead?
How We Learned To Lie by Meredith MillerViolence in the small, suburban town of Highbone, Long Island, is escalating, and best friends Joan and Daisy are finding themselves in the centre of it.
Joan has always been fascinated by the inner workings of living things: dogfish, eels, stingrays. But the more she sees of life outside her microscope, the more she realizes that people aren’t as easy to read as cells on a slide, and no one, not even Daisy, tells the truth.
Daisy’s always wished he had a family more like Joan’s, and that desire has only grown since his dad went to jail. But not even Joan can help Daisy keep his deadbeat older brother from putting everyone close to them in more danger.
When tragedy strikes too close to home, Joan and Daisy need each other more than ever. But no matter how hard they try, their secrets and lies have driven them apart. It’s only a matter of time before their friendship, just like their town, goes up in flames.
How You Ruined My Life by Jeff StrandRod and his cousin take family rivalry to a new level in this rollicking comedy from Jeff Strand.
Rod’s life is pretty awesome. He plays in a punk rock band that’s starting to score gigs and has a great girlfriend. Then he learns that his rich cousin, Blake, will be staying with him for three months—moving into his room, moving in on his girlfriend and band, and basically ruining his life! Prankster Blake has his own ideas on how Rod should live, but his efforts to get Rod girls and bring people to the band’s shows are the opposite of helpful. Between Blake’s ridiculous pranks and Rod’s increasing paranoia, this semester might be the cousins’ most memorable yet. That is, if their hijinks don’t kill them first.
Inferno by Julie KagawaTODAY, WE STRIKE BACK.
WE SHOW TALON THAT WE WILL NEVER ACCEPT THEIR NEW WORLD.
Ember Hill has learned a shocking truth about herself: she is the blood of the Elder Wyrm, the ancient dragon who leads Talon and who is on the verge of world domination. With the Order of St. George destroyed, Ember, Riley and Garret journey to the Amazon jungle in search of one who might hold the key to take down the Elder Wyrm and Talon—if they can survive the encounter.
Meanwhile, Ember’s brother, Dante, will travel to China with a message for the last Eastern dragons: join Talon or die. With the stakes rising and the Elder Wyrm declaring war, time is running out for the rogues and any dragon not allied with Talon.
The final battle approaches. And if Talon is victorious, the world will burn.
Phoenix Fire by SD GrimmAfter spending her life in foster care, Ava has finally found home. But all it takes is a chance encounter with hot nerd Wyatt Wilcox for it to unravel.
Now, things are starting to change. First, the flashes of memories slowly creeping in. Memories of other lives, lives that Wyatt is somehow in. Then, the healing. Any cut? Gone.
But when Cade and Nick show up, claiming to be her brothers, things get even weirder. They tell her she’s a Phoenix, sent to protect the world from monsters—monsters she never knew existed. It’s a little hard to accept. Especially when they tell her she has to end the life of a Phoenix turned rogue, or Cade will die.
With Wyatt’s increasingly suspicious behavior, Ava’s determined to figure out what he’s hiding. Unless she can discover Wyatt’s secret in time and complete her Phoenix training, she’ll lose the life, love, and family she never thought she could have.
Runebreaker by Alex R. KahlerMagic is sin
Aidan desires only one thing: to rule. Arrogant, headstrong and driven by the element of Fire, he will stop at nothing to bring the evil Howls that destroyed Scotland to their knees. But Fire is a treacherous element, and the very magic that brought him to power could burn his world to ash.
Especially with the blood of his fellow Hunters on his hands.
Driven by a bloodlust he can’t control and dark whispers that may not be entirely in his head, he and his magic-eschewing friend Kianna will do whatever it takes to liberate their broken world. Even at the risk of confronting the Church. Even at the risk of losing his humanity.
But power isn’t the only thing on Aidan’s mind. He’s falling for the intoxicating Tomas, an Incubus who offers everything Aidan desires. For a price.
And if that price burns the world down, well… Aidan is used to playing with Fire.
Seafire by Natalie C. ParkerAfter her family is killed by corrupt warlord Aric Athair and his bloodthirsty army of Bullets, Caledonia Styx is left to chart her own course on the dangerous and deadly seas. She captains her ship, the Mors Navis, with a crew of girls and women just like her, whose lives have been turned upside down by Aric and his men. The crew has one misson: stay alive, and take down Aric’s armed and armored fleet.
But when Caledonia’s best friend and second-in-command just barely survives an attack thanks to help from a Bullet looking to defect, Caledonia finds herself questioning whether or not to let him join their crew. Is this boy the key to taking down Aric Athair once and for all…or will he threaten everything the women of the Mors Navis have worked for?
Smoke In The Sun by Renee AhdiehThe highly anticipated sequel to Flame in the Mist—an addictive, sumptuous finale that will leave readers breathless from the bestselling author of The Wrath and the Dawn.
After Okami is captured in the Jukai forest, Mariko has no choice—to rescue him, she must return to Inako and face the dangers that have been waiting for her in the Heian Castle. She tricks her brother, Kenshin, and betrothed, Raiden, into thinking she was being held by the Black Clan against her will, playing the part of the dutiful bride-to-be to infiltrate the emperor’s ranks and uncover the truth behind the betrayal that almost left her dead.
With the wedding plans already underway, Mariko pretends to be consumed with her upcoming nuptials, all the while using her royal standing to peel back the layers of lies and deception surrounding the imperial court. But each secret she unfurls gives way to the next, ensnaring Mariko and Okami in a political scheme that threatens their honor, their love and very the safety of the empire.
Snow in Love by Melissa de la Cruz, Nic Stone, Aimee Friedman, and Kasie WestCurl up in front of a crackling fire. Grab a mug of hot cocoa. And delve into this deliciously cozy and compelling YA collection of wintry love stories, perfect for fans of My True Love Gave to Meand Let it Snow.
A Spark of White Fire by Sangu MandannaIn a universe of capricious gods, dark moons, and kingdoms built on the backs of spaceships, a cursed queen sends her infant daughter away, a jealous uncle steals the throne of Kali from his nephew, and an exiled prince vows to take his crown back.
Raised alone and far away from her home on Kali, Esmae longs to return to her family. When the King of Wychstar offers to gift the unbeatable, sentient warship Titania to a warrior that can win his competition, she sees her way home: she’ll enter the competition, reveal her true identity to the world, and help her famous brother win back the crown of Kali.
It’s a great plan. Until it falls apart.
Inspired by the Mahabharata and other ancient Indian stories, A Spark of White Fire is a lush, sweeping space opera about family, curses, and the endless battle between jealousy and love.
Starry Eyes by Jenn BennettEver since last year’s homecoming dance, best friends-turned-best enemies Zorie and Lennon have made an art of avoiding each other. It doesn’t hurt that their families are the modern day, Californian version of the Montagues and Capulets.
But when a group camping trip goes south, Zorie and Lennon find themselves stranded in the wilderness. Alone. Together.
What could go wrong?
With no one but each other for company, Zorie and Lennon have no choice but to hash out their issues via witty jabs and insults as they try to make their way to safety. But fighting each other while also fighting off the forces of nature makes getting out of the woods in one piece less and less likely.
And as the two travel deeper into Northern California’s rugged backcountry, secrets and hidden feelings surface. But can Zorie and Lennon’s rekindled connection survive out in the real world? Or was it just a result of the fresh forest air and the magic of the twinkling stars?
The Tiger at Midnight by Swati TeerdhalaEsha is a legend, but no one knows. It’s only in the shadows that she moonlights as the Viper, the rebels’ highly skilled assassin. She’s devoted her life to avenging what she lost in the royal coup, and now she’s been tasked with her most important mission to date: taking down the ruthless General Hotha.
Kunal has been a soldier since childhood, training morning and night to uphold the power of King Vardaan. His uncle, the general, has ensured that Kunal never strays from the path—even as a part of Kunal longs to join the outside world, which has been growing only more volatile.
Then Esha’s and Kunal’s paths cross—and an unimaginable chain of events unfolds. Both the Viper and the soldier think they’re calling the shots, but they’re not the only players moving the pieces. As the bonds that hold their land in order break down and the sins of the past meet the promise of a new future, both rebel and soldier must make unforgivable choices.
Drawing inspiration from ancient Indian history and Hindu mythology, the first book in Swati Teerdhala’s debut fantasy trilogy captivates with electric romance, stunning action, and the fierce bonds that hold people together—and that drive them apart.
We Regret to Inform You by Ariel KaplanMischa Abramavicius is a walking, talking, top-scoring, perfectly well-rounded college application in human form. So when she’s rejected not only by the Ivies, but her loathsome safety school, she is shocked and devastated. All the sacrifices her mother made to send her to prep school, the late nights cramming for tests, the blatantly resume-padding extracurriculars (read: Students for Sober Driving) … all that for nothing.
As Mischa grapples with the prospect of an increasingly uncertain future, she questions how this could have happened in the first place. Is it possible that her transcript was hacked? With the help of her best friend and sometimes crush, Nate, and a group of eccentric techies known as “The Ophelia Syndicate,” Mischa launches an investigation that will shake the quiet community of Blanchard Prep to its stately brick foundations.
When We Caught Fire by Anna GodbersenIt’s 1871 and Emmeline Carter is poised to take Chicago’s high society by storm. Between her father’s sudden rise to wealth, and her recent engagement to Chicago’s most eligible bachelor, Emmeline has it all. But she can’t stop thinking about the life she left behind, including her childhood sweetheart, Anders Magnuson. Fiona Byrne, Emmeline’s childhood best friend, is delighted by her friend’s sudden rise to prominence, especially since it means Fiona is free to pursue Anders herself. But when Emmeline risks everything for one final fling with Anders, Fiona feels completely betrayed.
As the summer turns to fall, the city is at a tipping point: friendships are tested, hearts are broken, and the tiniest spark might set everything ablaze. Sweeping, soapy, and romantic, this is a story about an epic love triangle—one that will literally set the city ablaze, and change the lives of three childhood friends forever.
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Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol
In her second graphic novel after Anya’s Ghost, Brosgol tackles middle grade with a more realistic (but perhaps just as terrifying) story about sleepaway summer camp, based in large part on her own experiences. When nine year old Vera hears about Russian summer camp from an older friend, she’s so excited about the prospect that she convinces her mom to send her and her little brother. Finally, Vera thinks, she’s found a place where her Russian culture won’t make her different.
Once she gets there, she changes her tune. Vera is the youngest girl in her proscribed age group and shares a tent with three other girls who are several years older and don’t appreciate having such a young kid hanging out with them. The bathroom is simply an outhouse, the other girls bully her, she’s terrible at capture the flag, and she’s made fun of for not being able to read Russian very well (though she can speak it fluently). In a place she thought she would easily fit in, she sticks out.
Brosgol’s part-memoir, part-fiction is funny and full of heart. Kids who have been to summer camp will recognize a lot of common elements, like the gross bathrooms and “beautiful” nature that seems to want to kill you. Social structures and the struggle to make friends are universal to all kids, even those with no experience with summer camp. The fact that Vera is at a specifically Russian summer camp adds another layer to the story, and non-Russian kids will be fascinated. As part of the back matter, Brosgol reproduces an actual letter she wrote while at camp when she was a kid, begging her mom to pick her up because summer camp is so terrible. It’s hilarious and perfect, and her graphic novel is a wonderful distillation of the summer camp experience.
All Summer Long by Hope Larson
Hope Larson brings us another middle grade graphic novel about summer vacation, this time about staying home while your best friend goes off to camp. Thirteen year old Bina is disappointed (an understatement) when her best friend Austin decides to go to soccer camp for a month during the summer instead of hanging out with her like he usually does. So Bina watches a lot of tv, plays a lot of guitar, and listens to a lot of music. Things start to get more interesting when Austin’s older sister starts to befriend Bina; I felt a lot of familiar feelings when she took Bina on a babysitting assignment and then left her to watch the baby while she went to meet her boyfriend. Were any of us at thirteen years old actually qualified to babysit?
When Austin returns home from camp, he’s acting even weirder than he was before he left. Bina doesn’t know what’s up; the reader might hazard a guess, but she’d probably be wrong. The real reason is more mundane and perhaps also more complex than readers are conditioned to think.
This isn’t an action-heavy, event-heavy comic. It’s a pretty true catalog of what a middle schooler’s summer vacation might look like, but it doesn’t bore. Larson is good at getting inside Bina’s head and making us care about her; thirteen year old readers will definitely identify with the pains of a friendship changing, of feeling out of place when the things you’re used to are all topsy-turvy, even though the adults in your life don’t seem to think any of it is a big deal. I wouldn’t call this a standout story, but it’s fun and real and a great way for a kid to pass a summer day.