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YA BOOK GIVEAWAYS THIS WEEK
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Words and Their Meaningsby Kate BassettPaperback Giveaway (5 Copies)FluxReleased 9/8/2014Anna O’Mally doesn’t believe in the five stages of grief. Her way of dealing with death equates to daily bouts of coffin yoga and fake-tattooing Patti Smith quotes onto her arms. Once a talented writer, Anna no longer believes words matter, until shocking discoveries– in the form of origami cranes– force her to redefine family and love.
As Anna goes in search of the truth, she discovers that while every story, every human being, has a last line, it might still be possible to find the words for a new beginning.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Words and Their Meanings?Origami-- the idea of folded paper and secrets within secrets-- is pretty fitting when it comes to describing what I love most about this book. When I started writing WORDS AND THEIR MEANINGS, I thought it was about one thing...and three drafts later was sure it was about this other thing...and two drafts after that, I think I started to unfold the heart of the story. So for me, my favorite thing will always be the journey I took while writing it.
Other favorite things: coffin yoga, Patti Smith, good cooking, graffiti alley. And quirky little sisters who like to hide in not-on ovens. And Mateo.Purchase Words and Their Meanings at AmazonPurchase Words and Their Meanings at IndieBoundView Words and Their Meanings on Goodreads* * * *
All Those Broken Angelsby Peter Adam SalomonSigned Hardcover Giveaway FluxReleased 9/8/2014Comforted by a shadow. Haunted by the truth.
Richard Anderson was the last person to see his friend Melanie alive. She vanished when they were six and while the police never found Melanie, a part of her remained—a living shadow that is now Richard’s closest friend.
For ten years, Richard has never questioned the shadow that keeps him company . . . until a new girl moves to town, claiming to be Melanie. Desperate to prove the girl is a fake, the shadow leads Richard to the place where her killer buried her bones. But Richard finds skeletons from several different children . . . and evidence suggesting that perhaps the shadow isn't who she says she is.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about All Those Broken Angels?When I first started writing the story, I quickly realized that it was in a very strong, particular 'voice.' For the most part, I tossed aside a number of the 'rules' of fiction writing: 'no run on sentences' and 'no repetition' and 'no sentence fragments' for example. In their place, I used a number of the 'rules' of poetry. So, while the book is prose, it reads much more fluidly than my first novel, HENRY FRANKS. A good example is the final paragraph of chapter three:
In the corner of the room the shadow screamed, burning the air around me until I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move, couldn’t think, and everything went black and everything changed and everything disappeared and all I knew was pain. Unending, unceasing pain.
Run on sentence? Check. Two different words repeated three separate times? Check. Sentence fragment? Check.
The voice I wrote ATBA in was insanely difficult to sustain. Every day I'd worry that I wouldn't be able to sustain that voice and every day, after writing only 1,500 words or so, I'd be so exhausted from writing that I'd need a very long nap. And then, every night I'd worry that the next day I wouldn't be able to continue in that voice. It was a tremendous relief to finish that first draft.
Because of how much I struggled with the voice of ALL THOSE BROKEN ANGELS, I have been incredibly gratified and relieved to have critics respond so well to it. VOYA described the writing as having 'a literary feel' and Publishers Weekly said that I managed to create 'the sensation of slipping between the worlds of the living and the dead.' And, of course, the Starred review from Booklist that highlighted the 'pervading sense of shuddery doom.'
What I think I was able to create, by sustaining that voice, is a ghost story where the words themselves have the haunting quality of dreams or poetry. Or, at least, I hope they do.Purchase All Those Broken Angels at AmazonPurchase All Those Broken Angels at IndieBoundView All Those Broken Angels on Goodreads* * * *
Winterkillby Kate A. BoormanHardcover Giveaway Amulet BooksReleased 9/9/2014Emmeline knows she’s not supposed to explore the woods outside her settlement. The enemy that wiped out half her people lurks there, attacking at night and keeping them isolated in an unfamiliar land with merciless winters. Living with the shame of her grandmother’s insubordination, Emmeline has learned to keep her head down and her quick tongue silent.
When the settlement leader asks for her hand in marriage, it’s an opportunity for Emmeline to wash the family slate clean—even if she has eyes for another. But before she’s forced into an impossible decision, her dreams urge her into the woods, where she uncovers a path she can’t help but follow. The trail leads to a secret that someone in the village will kill to protect. Her grandmother followed the same path and paid the price. If Emmeline isn’t careful, she will be next.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Winterkill?My favourite thing about WINTERKILL is the setting. It takes place on a reimagined frontier- a fantastical river valley on the prairies, inspired by a place I know and love. I've always been drawn to wild places; as a child I could spend full days with little more than a pinecone and a creek for entertainment. Being out in the woods unlocked my imagination like nothing else could, and it still does. Natural settings possess a kind of magic, I think, because even the most plugged-in of us can feel restored/changed after sitting out under a starry sky somewhere or breathing fresh mountain air. Being out in the wild resonates with us, somewhere deep down. Perhaps it's because the possibility of discovering new things about yourself or your world is right at your fingertips. Or perhaps because our subconscious tells us we should be connected to the land that sustains us. Whatever the case, I am a fan of trees. I think that's pretty evident in the book-even if they are a bit creepy.
Purchase Winterkill at AmazonPurchase Winterkill at IndieBoundView Winterkill on Goodreads* * * *
Rites of Passageby Joy N. HensleySwag Only Giveaway HarperTeenReleased 9/9/2014Sam McKenna’s never turned down a dare. And she's not going to start with the last one her brother gave her before he died.
So Sam joins the first-ever class of girls at the prestigious Denmark Military Academy. She’s expecting push-ups and long runs, rope climbing and mud-crawling. As a military brat, she can handle an obstacle course just as well as the boys. She's even expecting the hostility she gets from some of the cadets who don’t think girls belong there. What she’s not expecting is her fiery attraction to her drill sergeant. But dating is strictly forbidden and Sam won't risk her future, or the dare, on something so petty...no matter how much she wants him.
As Sam struggles to prove herself, she discovers that some of the boys don’t just want her gone—they will stop at nothing to drive her out. When their petty threats turn to brutal hazing, bleeding into every corner of her life, she realizes they are not acting alone. A decades-old secret society is alive and active… and determined to force her out.
At any cost.
Now time's running short. Sam must decide who she can trust...and choosing the wrong person could have deadly consequences.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Rites of Passage?My favorite part of Rites is the military setting, I think. It's not done a lot in YA and it was so fun to explore that from a young adult standpoint. The intricacies of showing a world foreign to many readers while making it accessible was a lot of fun. I also loved putting a female in the midst of all these boys who didn't want her there. High school is a tough place to be on a good day, but add to it the fact that you aren't "supposed" to be there makes it even more daunting. Purchase Rites of Passage at AmazonPurchase Rites of Passage at IndieBoundView Rites of Passage on Goodreads* * * *
YA BOOK GIVEAWAYS LAST WEEK: WINNERS
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Always a Catchby Peter RichmondHardcoverPhilomelReleased 9/4/2014
Winner - Victoria TurveyA ripped-from-the-headlines story about teens and steroids.From a
New York Times bestselling sports writer comes the story of one boy's quest to stay true to himself without letting down his team. Jack and his father have never seen eye to eye…until Jack’s dad gives him the chance to transfer to Oakhurst his junior year. His dad sees it as a way for Jack to get into a good college; Jack sees it as refuge from his dad.
Oakhurst is more than an escape—it's a chance for Jack to do something new, to try out for the football team. Once Jack makes the team, he’s thrust into a foreign world—one of intense hazing, vitamin supplements, monkey hormones and steroids. Jack has to decide how far he's willing to go to fit in—and how much he's willing to compromise himself to be the man his team wants him to be.
Perfect for fans of Mike Lupica and Tim Green.
Praise for ALWAYS A CATCH:"Richmond has written an above-average story that will appeal to fans of the genre and authors, such as Mike Lupica and Tim Green."--
School Library Journal
"A dynamic but thoughtful novel of self-discovery."--
Kirkus ReviewsAuthor Question: What is your favorite thing about Always a Catch?My favorite thing about Always a Catch? That I seem to have captured what it is to be a 16-year-old boy who is "coming of age" -- and being pulled in lots of directions with some accuracy -- judging from various responses, including a freshman college class in my YA Lit course. I knew from the start that I could have chosen a more plot-driven tale (and I'm pretty proud of the plot, which took more twists and turns over the last few years than a kite in a tornado). But I decided to take on a story where I was inside the head of an "average" adolescent: not a star, not a loser; just an average guy. And re-reading, I think that I managed to pull it off. I think I conjured up what it is to be in the midst of the turmoil of teenland...and grow up by making the right choices.Purchase Always a Catch at AmazonPurchase Always a Catch at IndieBoundView Always a Catch on Goodreads* * * *
Don't Touchby Rachel M. WilsonHardcoverHarperTeenReleased 9/2/2014
Winner - Marie OlivaStep on a crack, break your mother's back,
Touch another person's skin, and Dad's gone for good . . .
Caddie has a history of magical thinking—of playing games in her head to cope with her surroundings—but it's never been this bad before.
When her parents split up, Don't touch becomes Caddie's mantra. Maybe if she keeps from touching another person's skin, Dad will come home. She knows it doesn't make sense, but her games have never been logical. Soon, despite Alabama's humidity, she's covering every inch of her skin and wearing evening gloves to school.
And that's where things get tricky. Even though Caddie's the new girl, it's hard to pass off her compulsions as artistic quirks. Friends notice things. Her drama class is all about interacting with her scene partners, especially Peter, who's auditioning for the role of Hamlet. Caddie desperately wants to play Ophelia, but if she does, she'll have to touch Peter . . . and kiss him. Part of Caddie would love nothing more than to kiss Peter—but the other part isn't sure she's brave enough to let herself fall.
From rising star Rachel M. Wilson comes a powerful, moving debut novel of the friendship and love that are there for us, if only we'll let them in.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Don't Touch?The friendships. Mandy and Peter and their entire group of friends were so much fun to write, and I have such a feeling of kinship with all of them. They aren’t based on individual people I’ve known, but as a group, they have the spirit of the circles of friends I’ve been blessed to belong to over the years. When I was writing the group scenes, they all kept asserting themselves, saying funny things, and I felt less like a writer and more like a spy scribbling everything down. As a teen, I always connected with individuals more easily than with groups—I can divide my young life into sections by who my “person” was at any given time. But over time, I found my tribe—tribes, really. Theater always helps to create a sense of community, so that’s been the source of many of my most amazing friend groups—but I’ve also lived in a co-op, traveled with friends, and enjoyed to the summer-camp-feeling community at Vermont College of Fine Arts. For Caddie at the beginning of the book, truly belonging to a tribe like Mandy and Peter’s seems impossible, so for me that journey toward belonging is at the heart of the book.
Purchase Don't Touch at AmazonPurchase Don't Touch at IndieBoundView Don't Touch on Goodreads* * * *
The Dollsby Kiki SullivanPaperbackBalzer + Bray; Original editionReleased 9/2/2014
Winner - Tayte HunterEveny Cheval just moved back to Louisiana after spending her childhood in New York with her aunt Bea. Eveny hasn’t seen her hometown since her mother’s suicide fourteen years ago, and her memories couldn’t have prepared her for what she encounters. Because pristine, perfectly manicured Carrefour has a dark side full of intrigue, betrayal, and lies—and Eveny quickly finds herself at the center of it all.
Enter Peregrine Marceau, Chloe St. Pierre, and their group of rich, sexy friends known as the Dolls. From sipping champagne at lunch to hooking up with the hottest boys, Peregrine and Chloe have everything—including an explanation for what’s going on in Carrefour. And Eveny doesn’t trust them one bit.
But after murder strikes and Eveny discovers that everything she believes about herself, her family, and her life is a lie, she must turn to the Dolls for answers. Something’s wrong in paradise, and it’s up to Eveny, Chloe, and Peregrine to save Carrefour and make it right.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about The Dolls?I first began writing THE DOLLS in early 2012, and of course I’m working on the sequel now, so basically, I’ve been living with Eveny (my main character) and her sister queens Peregrine and Chloe for quite a while. In fact, I’ve been so busy over the last month or so with the revision of the sequel that my real-life friends would probably tell you I’ve been a better friend to Eveny, Peregrine and Chloe than I’ve been to them!
As a writer, it can be tough to choose a favorite thing about your book, because over the course of writing and editing it, you fall in love (and sometimes in hate!) with so many elements. And now that I’ve written the second book, one of the things I love most is how the main characters are growing and becoming more comfortable in their own skin. Isn’t that a part of growing up for all of us (even those of us who don’t have magical powers)?
If I had to choose a few things I especially love about the first book in the series, I’d probably say:
1. Carrefour, the magical, mysterious walled town where most of the book takes place: It was fun to lay the town out and create its rules!
2. Peregrine’s wardrobe: Part of being a Doll is dressing the part. Let’s just say that I would expect to find Peregrine wearing the shoes on the cover (which I’ll get to in a moment) as well as lots of other items I could never dream of affording. She, Chloe and their mothers are basically lifted from the pages of the latest issue of Vogue. I love clothes and shoes, and although I realize this is a little weird, I’m super-jealous of my characters because they get to wear the things I’m lusting after!
3. Eveny: I love a good fish-out-of-water story, and that’s exactly how THE DOLLS begins. Eveny returns to the town she left when she was just three, and immediately, she realizes she’s completely out of step with all of the weirdness taking place there. Over the course of the book, she begins to understand what’s happening – and what her role in everything is – and I truly loved following her through this journey. She has a wonderful heart and the best of intentions.
4. Caleb: Is it weird that I have a crush on a fictional character I created? Don’t tell my husband (who is very crush-worthy too). Honestly, I wish I’d had more time in THE DOLLS to introduce you to Caleb, because seriously, I loooooove him. Some of his character development was cut out in the editing process, which makes me think I need to write a novella or short story focusing on him at some point. Or maybe that’s just my crush speaking. I was so inspired by Caleb, in fact, that I even co-wrote a song from his perspective. You can hear the first 90 seconds by going to KikiSullivan.com. The song automatically plays on everything but mobile devices.
Oh, and finally, I’m absolutely in love with the cover. From the font to the amazing, gorgeous shoes, I adore every inch of it. I even found shoes that essentially match! (See photo.)
It’s also important to note that THE DOLLS developed in a really interesting way. Nick Harris from The Story Foundation, a books-to-film company, was very involved in the genesis of the idea, and now he’s working with some heavy hitters to hopefully make it into a television show. So I look forward to seeing what they’re able to do with it. I would love to see Eveny, Peregrine, Chloe, Caleb, Drew and the whole gang on the small screen!Purchase The Dolls at AmazonPurchase The Dolls at IndieBoundView The Dolls on Goodreads* * * *
The Jewelby Amy EwingHardcoverHarperTeenReleased 9/2/2014
Winner - Rosi HollinbeckThe Jewel means wealth. The Jewel means beauty. The Jewel means royalty. But for girls like Violet, the Jewel means servitude. Not just any kind of servitude. Violet, born and raised in the Marsh, has been trained as a surrogate for the royalty—because in the Jewel the only thing more important than opulence is offspring.
Purchased at the surrogacy auction by the Duchess of the Lake and greeted with a slap to the face, Violet (now known only as #197) quickly learns of the brutal truths that lie beneath the Jewel’s glittering facade: the cruelty, backstabbing, and hidden violence that have become the royal way of life.
Violet must accept the ugly realities of her existence... and try to stay alive. But then a forbidden romance erupts between Violet and a handsome gentleman hired as a companion to the Duchess’s petulant niece. Though his presence makes life in the Jewel a bit brighter, the consequences of their illicit relationship will cost them both more than they bargained for.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about The Jewel?Wow, what a tough question! I really love that THE JEWEL features a female dominated society. That was one of the most fun things to explore. The concept of women buying other women is just so intriguing. The ability to bear children is one of the fundamental differences between women and men. And I wanted to explore the concept of women controlling other women in that area because it just seems so wrong—shouldn’t we be kinder to our own gender? Shouldn’t we understand each other, be compassionate?
I wrote a female dominated society to show the dark sides of humanity too, the dangers of power and fear and oppression. These qualities are not gender specific. Choice is such an important theme in THE JEWEL because I think the idea that someone could legislate what I can and cannot do with my body has always been a fear. I was fortunate to grow up in a family where I know I would have been supported in any decision I made regarding my body—even such trivial things as piercings or tattoos. But that isn’t the case for many women and it sickens me to see the government and society revert back to archaic views on women’s issues. Terms like “legitimate rape” and mandatory ultrasounds before getting an abortion are society’s way of saying, “We know better than you.” Everyone should have the freedom to choose, especially when it comes to their own bodies.
But on a completely frivolous side note, I love the glamour and luxury of THE JEWEL. I had so much fun researching palaces and ball gowns, and creating sumptuous menus. What can I say, I’m a sucker for lavish party scenes!
Purchase The Jewel at AmazonPurchase The Jewel at IndieBoundView The Jewel on Goodreads* * * *
The Social Media Experimentby Cole GibsenPaperbackEntangled: TeenReleased 9/24/2014
Winner - Alicia GuerreroOn the surface, seventeen-year-old Reagan Fray appears to have everything. She's popular, Ivy League–bound, and her parents are rich enough to buy her whatever she wants. Behind the scenes, Reagan is a girl with an anxiety disorder struggling to hold the fraying threads of her life together. It takes work to stay on top, and when that fails, Reagan's learned from her politician mother that a little social espionage never hurts. That is, until the day Reagan finds all of her texts and private messages printed out and taped to every locker in her high school.
Finding herself ostracized from her friends and on the receiving end of the bullying she used to dish out, Reagan won't settle into her new role as social pariah without a fight. Determined to get back in with her friends and reclaim her social status before her mother finds out and sends her to boarding school, Reagan has no choice but to team up with outcast Nolan Letner.
But the closer Reagan gets to Nolan, the more she realizes all of her actions have consequences, and her future might be the biggest casualty of all.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about The Social Media Experiment?Honestly, that's a really hard question for me to answer. In order to write
TSME I had to delve into my own past with anxiety and bullying. As a result
of having painful memories resurface, my anxiety levels increased resulting
in panic attacks and a trip to the emergency room. I've never had a book put
me in the hospital, but again, I've never had to dig so deep inside myself
before. I guess my favorite thing about this book was coming to terms with
my own demons while laying them out on the page.
Purchase The Social Media Experiment at AmazonPurchase The Social Media Experiment at IndieBoundView The Social Media Experiment on Goodreads* * * *
The Winter Peopleby Rebekah L PurdyHardcoverEntangled: TeenReleased 9/2/2014
Winner - Kate FoleyAn engrossing, complex, romantic fantasy perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore or Maggie Stiefvater, set in a wholly unique world.
Salome Montgomery fears winter—the cold, the snow, the ice, but most of all, the frozen pond she fell through as a child. Haunted by the voices and images of the strange beings that pulled her to safety, she hasn't forgotten their warning to "stay away." For eleven years, she has avoided the winter woods, the pond, and the darkness that lurks nearby. But when failing health takes her grandparents to Arizona, she is left in charge of maintaining their estate. This includes the "special gifts" that must be left at the back of the property.? ?
Salome discovers she’s a key player in a world she’s tried for years to avoid. At the center of this world is the strange and beautiful Nevin, who she finds trespassing on her family’s property. Cursed with dark secrets and knowledge of the creatures in the woods, his interactions with Salome take her life in a new direction. A direction where she'll have to decide between her longtime crush Colton, who could cure her fear of winter. Or Nevin who, along with an appointed bodyguard, Gareth, protects her from the darkness that swirls in the snowy backdrop. An evil that, given the chance, will kill her.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about The Winter People?My favorite thing about The Winter People is the magical backdrop as well as the fact that my main character is far from normal. She has a debilitating fear of snow/winter. So much so that she can’t always function the way a normal person would. I like that she’s imperfect and has to work through facing winter every time it rolls around. Because of this quirk, she doesn’t have a lot of friends (due to mini-freak outs etc) so she’s got only a few people she trusts, most of which are family and her BFF (the only ones to survive her winter related freak outs).
Toss into the mix the strange beings and creatures in the woods that only she can see, she believes she’s crazy—especially when she hears voices that no one else can. Some of them kind, some more sinister.Purchase The Winter People at AmazonPurchase The Winter People at IndieBoundView The Winter People on GoodreadsMORE YOUNG ADULT FICTION IN STORES NEXT WEEK WITH AUTHOR INTERVIEWS
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Kiss of Broken Glassby Madeleine KuderickHardcoverHarperTeenReleased 9/9/2014Madeleine Kuderick’s gripping debut is a darkly beautiful and lyrical novel in verse, perfect for fans of Sonya Sones and Laurie Halse Anderson.
Kiss of Broken Glass pulses with emotion and lingers long after the last page.
In the next seventy-two hours, Kenna may lose everything—her friends, her freedom, and maybe even herself. One kiss of the blade was all it took to get her sent to the psych ward for seventy-two hours. There she will face her addiction to cutting, though the outcome is far from certain.
When fifteen-year-old Kenna is found cutting herself in the school bathroom, she is sent to a facility for mandatory psychiatric watch. There, Kenna meets other kids like her—her roommate, Donya, who’s there for her fifth time; the birdlike Skylar; and Jag, a boy cute enough to make her forget her problems . . . for a moment.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Kiss of Broken Glass?My favorite thing about KISS OF BROKEN GLASS is that it’s my debut novel. So every bit of the experience has been brand new for me - from signing with my agent, the legendary George Nicholsen, to meeting Toni Markiet, my genius editor, during a fantastic week in New York. And later seeing the cover reveal, and hearing audio clips, and looking at promo art. It’s been an amazing, goosebumps ride full of excitement and anticipation. Just like any first KISS should be.Purchase Kiss of Broken Glass at AmazonPurchase Kiss of Broken Glass at IndieBoundView Kiss of Broken Glass on Goodreads* * * *
Of Monsters and Madnessby Jessica VerdayHardcoverEgmontUSAReleased 9/9/2014A romantic, historical retelling of classic Gothic horror featuring Edgar Allan Poe and his character Annabel Lee, from a New York Times best-selling author.
Summoned to her father's home in 1820's Philadelphia, a girl finds herself in the midst of a rash of gruesome murders in which he might be implicated. She is torn romantically between her father's assistants-one kind and proper, one mysterious and brooding-who share a dark secret and may have more to do with the violent events than they're letting on.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Of Monsters and Madness?I really enjoyed writing the medical scenes that took place in Father’s basement laboratory. I was a bit nervous when I started writing this book because to have a heroine be interested in medicine is something that was WAY outside my comfort zone. I get squeamish just at the sight of blood, so to have a character who can not only handle it with ease but who has an active interest in studying medicine was something I didn't know if I could pull off. In the end, the medical scenes were so interesting they ended up being my favorite scenes to write!
Purchase Of Monsters and Madness at AmazonPurchase Of Monsters and Madness at IndieBoundView Of Monsters and Madness on Goodreads* * * *
The Lonelyby Ainslie HogarthPaperbackFluxReleased 9/8/2014A darkly humorous and imaginative story
After she discovers The Terrible Thing, Easter Deetz goes looking for her sister, Julia, but ends up pinned under a giant boulder with her legs crushed into tomato paste. Bored, disappointed, and thoroughly dismembered, Easter slowly bleeds to death in The Woods with only sinister squirrels to keep her company. As The Something Coming draws closer, memories of Easter's family surface like hallucinations: a mumbling father who lives alone in the basement; a terrifying grandmother who sits in her enclosed porch all day; an overly loving mother who plays dead in the bathtub on Sunday nights.
As the story of her life unspools, Easter realizes she's being stalked, making it very difficult for her to bleed to death in peace. Will The Something Coming save her? Or will it do her in entirely?
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about The Lonely?My favorite thing about The Lonely is that it’s gross. Easter’s pretty gross. Julia’s pretty gross. They talk about gross stuff and think about gross stuff. I liked being able to show people a gross girl because girls are gross and they don’t always get the chance to be seen that way.Purchase The Lonely at AmazonPurchase The Lonely at IndieBoundView The Lonely on GoodreadsMORE YOUNG ADULT NOVELS NEW IN STORES NEXT WEEK
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Blood of My Bloodby Barry LygaHardcoverLittle, Brown Books for Young ReadersReleased 9/9/2014Jazz Dent has been shot and left to die in New York City. His girlfriend Connie is in the clutches of Jazz's serial killer father, Billy. And his best friend Howie is bleeding to death on the floor of Jazz's own home in tiny Lobo's Nod. Somehow, these three must rise above the horrors their lives have become and find a way to come together in pursuit of Billy. But then Jazz crosses a line he's never crossed before, and soon the entire country is wondering: "Like father, like son?" Who is the true monster?
The chase is on, and beyond Billy there lurks something much, much worse. Prepare to meet...the Crow King.
Purchase Blood of My Blood at AmazonPurchase Blood of My Blood at IndieBoundView Blood of My Blood on Goodreads* * * *
Egg and Spoonby Gregory MaguireHardcoverCandlewickReleased 9/9/2014A fantasy set in Tsarist Russia.
Elena Rudina lives in the impoverished Russian countryside. Her father has been dead for years. One of her brothers has been conscripted into the Tsar’s army, the other taken as a servant in the house of the local landowner. Her mother is dying, slowly, in their tiny cabin. And there is no food. But then a train arrives in the village, a train carrying untold wealth, a cornucopia of food, and a noble family destined to visit the Tsar in Saint Petersburg — a family that includes Ekaterina, a girl of Elena’s age. When the two girls’ lives collide, an adventure is set in motion, an escapade that includes mistaken identity, a monk locked in a tower, a prince traveling incognito, and — in a starring role only Gregory Maguire could have conjured — Baba Yaga, witch of Russian folklore, in her ambulatory house perched on chicken legs
Purchase Egg and Spoon at AmazonPurchase Egg and Spoon at IndieBoundView Egg and Spoon on Goodreads* * * *
Evil Librarianby Michelle KnudsenHardcoverCandlewickReleased 9/9/2014#EvilLibrarian He’s young. He’s hot. He’s also evil. He’s . . . the librarian.
When Cynthia Rothschild’s best friend, Annie, falls head over heels for the new high-school librarian, Cyn can totally see why. He’s really young and super cute and thinks Annie would make an excellent library monitor. But after meeting Mr. Gabriel, Cyn realizes something isn’t quite right. Maybe it’s the creepy look in the librarian’s eyes, or the weird feeling Cyn gets whenever she’s around him. Before long Cyn realizes that Mr. Gabriel is, in fact . . . a demon. Now, in addition to saving the school musical from technical disaster and trying not to make a fool of herself with her own hopeless crush, Cyn has to save her best friend from the clutches of the evil librarian, who also seems to be slowly sucking the life force out of the entire student body! From best-selling author Michelle Knudsen, here is the perfect novel for teens who like their horror served up with a bit of romance, plenty of humor, and some pretty hot guys (of both the good and evil variety).
Purchase Evil Librarian at AmazonPurchase Evil Librarian at IndieBoundView Evil Librarian on Goodreads* * * *
Falling into Placeby Mary AmatoHardcoverGreenwillow BooksReleased 9/9/2014On the day Liz Emerson tries to die, they had reviewed Newton’s laws of motion in physics class. Then, after school, she put them into practice by running her Mercedes off the road. Why? Why did Liz Emerson decide that the world would be better off without her? Why did she give up? Vividly told by an unexpected and surprising narrator, this heartbreaking and nonlinear novel pieces together the short and devastating life of Meridian High’s most popular junior girl. Mass, acceleration, momentum, force—Liz didn’t understand it in physics, and even as her Mercedes hurtles toward the tree, she doesn’t understand it now. How do we impact one another? How do our actions reverberate? What does it mean to be a friend? To love someone? To be a daughter? Or a mother? Is life truly more than cause and effect? Amy Zhang’s haunting and universal story will appeal to fans of Lauren Oliver, Gayle Forman, and Jay Asher.
Purchase Falling into Place at AmazonPurchase Falling into Place at IndieBoundView Falling into Place on Goodreads* * * *
Hunt for the Bamboo Ratby Graham SalisburyHardcoverWendy Lamb BooksReleased 9/9/2014Based on a true story, this World War II novel by Scott O’Dell Award winner Graham Salisbury tells how Zenji, 17, is sent from Hawaii to the Philippines to spy on the Japanese.
Zenji Watanabe graduates from high school in Hawaii and is recruited into the army as a translator because he speaks perfect Japanese. He is sent to Manila undercover as a civilian to gather information on the Japanese in the Philippines. If they discover his identity, he’ll be executed as a traitor. When captured, he maintains that he is an American civilian despite unthinkable torture. He also survives being lost in the jungle for months. Zenji’s time behind enemy lines is grueling, and his survival is a testament to the strength of the human spirit.
This is the fourth book in Graham Salisbury’s highly acclaimed Prisoners of the Empire series, which began with the award-winning
Under the Blood-Red Sun.Purchase Hunt for the Bamboo Rat at AmazonPurchase Hunt for the Bamboo Rat at IndieBoundView Hunt for the Bamboo Rat on Goodreads* * * *
Illusions of Fateby Kiersten WhiteHardcoverHarperTeenReleased 9/9/2014Downton Abbey meets Cassandra Clare in this lush, romantic fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White.“I did my best to keep you from crossing paths with this world. And I shall do my best to protect you now that you have.”Jessamin has been an outcast since she moved from her island home of Melei to the dreary country of Albion. Everything changes when she meets Finn, a gorgeous, enigmatic young lord who introduces her to the secret world of Albion’s nobility, a world that has everything Jessamin doesn’t—power, money, status…and magic. But Finn has secrets of his own, dangerous secrets that the vicious Lord Downpike will do anything to possess. Unless Jessamin, armed only with her wits and her determination, can stop him.
Kiersten White captured readers’ hearts with her New York Times bestselling Paranormalcy trilogy and its effortless mix of magic and real-world teenage humor. She returns to that winning combination of wit, charm, and enchantment in Illusions of Fate, a sparkling and romantic new novel perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare, The Madman’s Daughter, and Libba Bray.
Purchase Illusions of Fate at AmazonPurchase Illusions of Fate at IndieBoundView Illusions of Fate on Goodreads* * * *
No One Needs to Knowby Amanda GracePaperbackFluxReleased 9/8/2014Sometimes, the cost of love is too steep
Olivia's twin brother, Liam, has been her best friend her whole life. But when he starts dating, Olivia is left feeling alone, so she tries to drive away Liam's girlfriends in an effort to get her best friend back.
But she meets her match in Zoey, Liam's latest fling. A call-it-like-she-sees-it kind of girl, Zoey sees right through Olivia's tricks. What starts as verbal sparring between the two changes into something different, however, as they share their deepest insecurities and learn they have a lot in common. Olivia falls for Zoey, believing her brother could never get serious with her. But when Liam confesses that he's in love with Zoey, Olivia has to decide who deserves happiness more: her brother or herself?
Purchase No One Needs to Know at AmazonPurchase No One Needs to Know at IndieBoundView No One Needs to Know on Goodreads* * * *
Paper Airplanesby Dawn O'PorterHardcoverAmulet BooksReleased 9/9/2014It's the mid-1990s, and fifteen year-old Guernsey schoolgirls, Renée and Flo, are not really meant to be friends. Thoughtful, introspective and studious Flo couldn't be more different to ambitious, extroverted and sexually curious Renée. But Renée and Flo are united by loneliness and their dysfunctional families, and an intense bond is formed. Although there are obstacles to their friendship (namely Flo's jealous ex-best friend and Renée's growing infatuation with Flo's brother), fifteen is an age where anything can happen, where life stretches out before you, and when every betrayal feels like the end of the world. For Renée and Flo it is the time of their lives.
With graphic content and some scenes of a sexual nature, PAPER AEROPLANES is a gritty, poignant, often laugh-out-loud funny and powerful novel. It is an unforgettable snapshot of small-town adolescence and the heart-stopping power of female friendship.
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The Callerby Juliet MarillierHardcoverKnopf Books for Young ReadersReleased 9/9/2014Neryn has made a long journey to perfect her skills as a Caller. She has learned the wisdom of water and of earth; she has journeyed to the remote isles of the west and the forbidding mountains of the north. Now, Neryn must travel in Alban's freezing winter to seek the mysterious White Lady, Guardian of Air. For only when Neryn has been trained by all four Guardians will she be ready to play her role in toppling the tyrannical King Keldec.
But the White Lady is not what she seems. Trapped with Whisper, her fey protector, Neryn is unable to send word to her beloved Flint, who is in danger of being exposed as a double agent. When a new threat looms and the rebellion is in jeopardy, Neryn must enter Keldec's court, where one false move could see her culled. She must stand up against forces more powerful than any she has confronted before, and face losses that could break her heart.
The Caller is the thrilling conclusion to the Shadowfell trilogy.
Purchase The Caller at AmazonPurchase The Caller at IndieBoundView The Caller on Goodreads* * * *
The Twyningby Terence BlackerHardcoverCandlewickReleased 9/9/2014In a harsh and dangerous world, a rat and a boy must each choose their way as their fates become inextricably linked.Efren is a young rat, unnoticed and timid among the kingdom of rats living in the London sewers. When the king dies, leaving the kingdom in upheaval, only Efren dares to journey into the human world, where he discovers a human doctor’s plan to destroy London’s entire rat population. Meanwhile, Peter, otherwise known as Dogboy, does odd jobs for both the scheming doctor and the town ratcatcher. But his gift for understanding animals — even rats — forces him to decide where his allegiances truly lie. Dogboy and Efren, along with the waifish girl Caz and her pet rat, Malaika, set out to test the strengths of friendship and loyalty against the gut-wrenching cruelties of the world.
Purchase The Twyning at AmazonPurchase The Twyning at IndieBoundView The Twyning on Goodreadsa Rafflecopter giveaway
Need covers? They’re on my Pinterest board for this month.
Dork Diaries 8: Tales from a Not-So-Happily Ever After by Rachel Renee Russell; Aladdin Nikki Maxwell’s favorite fairy tales get dork-tastic twists in this entry in the #1 “New York Times”-bestselling series. After a bump on the head in gym class on April Fool’s Day, Nikki dreams that she, her BFFs Chloe and Zoey, her crush Brandon, and mean girl Mackenzie are all familiar classic fairy tale characters.
Half a World Away by Cynthia Kadohata; Atheneum MG The new novel from a Newbery Medalist and National Book Award winner. Eleven-year-old Jaden, an emotionally damaged adopted boy, feels a connection to a small, weak toddler with special needs in Kazakhstan, where Jaden’s family is trying to adopt a “normal” baby.
The Only Thing to Fear by Caroline Tung Richmond; Scholastic In a stunning reimagining of history, debut author Richmond weaves an incredible story of secrets and honor in a world where Hitler won World War II. In this action-packed, heart-stopping novel of a terrifying reality that could have been, a teenage girl must decide just how far she’ll go for freedom.
On A Clear Day by Walter Dean Myers; Crown Books for Young Readers It is 2035. Teens, armed only with their ideals, must wage war on the power elite. Dahlia is a Low Gater: a sheep in a storm, struggling to survive completely on her own. The Gaters live in closed safe communities, protected from the Sturmers, mercenary thugs. And the C-8, a consortium of giant companies, control global access to finance, media, food, water, and energy resources—and they are only getting bigger and even more cutthroat. Dahlia, a computer whiz, joins forces with an ex-rocker, an ex-con, a chess prodigy, an ex-athlete, and a soldier wannabe. Their goal: to sabotage the C-8. But how will Sayeed, warlord and terrorist, fit into the equation?
The Red Pencil by Andrea Davis Pinkney; Scholastic Press “Amira, look at me,” Muma insists.She collects both my hands in hers.“The Janjaweed attack without warning.Ifever they come– run.”
Finally, Amira is twelve. Old enough to wear a toob, old enough for new responsibilities. And maybe old enough to go to school in Nyala– Amira’s one true dream.
But life in her peaceful Sudanese village is shattered when the Janjaweed arrive. The terrifying attackers ravage the town and unleash unspeakable horrors. After she loses nearly everything, Amira needs to dig deep within herself to find the strength to make the long journey– on foot– to safety at a refugee camp. Her days are tough at the camp, until the gift of a simple red pencil opens her mind– and all kinds of possibilities.
New York Times bestselling and Coretta Scott King Award-winning author Andrea Davis Pinkney’s powerful verse and Coretta Scott King Award-winning artist Shane W. Evans’s breathtaking illustrations combine to tell an inspiring tale of one girl’s triumph against all odds.
The Madman of Piney Woods by Christopher Paul Curtis; Scholastic A bestselling Newbery Medalist delivers a powerful companion to “Elijah of Buxton.” Benji and Red aren’t friends, but their fates are entwined. The boys discover that they have more in common than meets the eye. Both of them have encountered a strange presence in the forest. Could the Madman of Piney Woods be real?
The Unstoppable Octobia May by Sharon G. Flake It’s 1953, and 10-year-old Octobia May lives in her aunt’s boarding house in a southern African-American community. When Octobia starts to question the folks in her world, an adventure and a mystery unfold that beg some troubling questions: Who is black and who is “passing” for white? What happens when their vibrant community must face its own racism?
Billy Buckhorn Abnormal by Gary Robinson Book one of the Billy Buckhorn series introduces a Cherokee teen who uses his supernatural abilities to solve mysteries. In this first installment, “Abnormal,” Billy is struck by lightning while fishing with his friend Chigger. He survives the lightning strike but begins to experience an enhanced level of esp. Billy is labeled “abnormal” by one of his teachers after he uncovers an unsavory secret from the teacher’s past. What no one suspects is that the teacher is a shape-shifter who becomes an evil raven that gains strength from his victims’ fear. When Billy confronts the teacher, he must channel his own fear into anger in order to defeat the evil birdman.
Falling Into Place by Amy Zhang; Greenwillow One cold fall day, high school junior Liz Emerson steers her car into a tree. This haunting and heartbreaking story is told by a surprising and unexpected narrator and unfolds in nonlinear flashbacks even as Liz’s friends, foes, and family gather at the hospital and Liz clings to life. This riveting debut will appeal to fans of Before I Fall, by Lauren Oliver, and 13 Reasons Why, by Jay Asher.
“On the day Liz Emerson tries to die, they had reviewed Newton’s laws of motion in physics class. Then, after school, she put them into practice by running her Mercedes off the road.” Why did Liz Emerson decide that the world would be better off without her? Why did she give up? The nonlinear novel pieces together the short and devastating life of Meridian High’s most popular junior girl. Mass, acceleration, momentum, force–Liz didn’t understand it in physics, and even as her Mercedes hurtles toward the tree, she doesn’t understand it now. How do we impact one another? How do our actions reverberate? What does it mean to be a friend? To love someone? To be a daughter? Or a mother? Is life truly more than cause and effect? Amy Zhang’s haunting and universal story will appeal to fans of Lauren Oliver, Gayle Forman, and Jay Asher.
Love is the Drug by Alaya Dawn Johnson; Arthur A. Levine The privileged daughter of research scientists, Emily Bird attends a party for Washington D.C.’s elite. Days later, she wakes up in a hospital with no memory of that night. Meanwhile, a deadly flu virus has caused a worldwide crisis. Homeland security agent Roosevelt David is certain that Bird knows something about the virus, something she shouldn’t.
The Secret Sky: A Novel of Forbidden Love in Afghanistan by Atia Abawi; Philomel Fatima is a Hazara girl, raised to be obedient and dutiful. Samiullah is a Pashtun boy raised to defend the traditions of his tribe. They were not meant to fall in love. But they do. And the story that follows shows both the beauty and the violence in current-day Afghanistan as Fatima and Samiullah fight their families, their cultures and the Taliban to stay together. Based on the people Atia Abawi met and the events she covered during her nearly five years in Afghanistan, this stunning novel is a must-read for anyone who has lived during America’s War in Afghanistan.
No Name by Tim Tingle; 7th Generation nspired by the traditional Choctaw story “No Name,” this modern adaptation features a present-day Choctaw teenager surviving tough family times–his mother left home and he is living with a mean-spirited, abusive father. The one place the teen can find peace is on the neighborhood basketball court. But after a violent confrontation with his father, the teen runs away, only to return home to find an unexpected hiding spot in his own backyard. His hiding spot becomes his home for weeks until the help and encouragement from a basketball coach, a Cherokee buddy and a quiet new next-door girlfriend help him face his father.
Gabi, a Girl in Pieces byIsabel Quintero; Cinco Puntos Press Gabi Hernandez chronicles her last year in high school in her diary: Cindy’s pregnancy, Sebastian’s coming out, the cute boys, her father’s meth habit, and the food she craves. And best of all, the poetry that helps forge her identity. Isabel Quintero is a library technician in the Inland Empire. She is also the events coordinator for Orange Monkey and helps edit the poetry journal Tin Cannon. Gabi is her debut novel.
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New Books Tagged:
Andrea Davis Pinkney,
Caroline Tung Richmond,
Cynthia Kadohata,
new releases,
Rachel Renee Russell 
Happy Labor Day! We hope you all are enjoying your three day weekend. Were you able to squeeze in any extra reading time?
We have SIX giveaways for you this week! Plus our regular round-up of all the new YA releases coming up this week.
Enjoy and happy reading!
All best,
Martina, Alyssa, Katharyn, Jan, Lisa, and Clara
YA BOOK GIVEAWAYS THIS WEEK
The Dollsby Kiki SullivanSigned Hardcover Giveaway Balzer + Bray; Original editionReleased 9/2/2014Eveny Cheval just moved back to Louisiana after spending her childhood in New York with her aunt Bea. Eveny hasn’t seen her hometown since her mother’s suicide fourteen years ago, and her memories couldn’t have prepared her for what she encounters. Because pristine, perfectly manicured Carrefour has a dark side full of intrigue, betrayal, and lies—and Eveny quickly finds herself at the center of it all.
Enter Peregrine Marceau, Chloe St. Pierre, and their group of rich, sexy friends known as the Dolls. From sipping champagne at lunch to hooking up with the hottest boys, Peregrine and Chloe have everything—including an explanation for what’s going on in Carrefour. And Eveny doesn’t trust them one bit.
But after murder strikes and Eveny discovers that everything she believes about herself, her family, and her life is a lie, she must turn to the Dolls for answers. Something’s wrong in paradise, and it’s up to Eveny, Chloe, and Peregrine to save Carrefour and make it right.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about The Dolls?I first began writing THE DOLLS in early 2012, and of course I’m working on the sequel now, so basically, I’ve been living with Eveny (my main character) and her sister queens Peregrine and Chloe for quite a while. In fact, I’ve been so busy over the last month or so with the revision of the sequel that my real-life friends would probably tell you I’ve been a better friend to Eveny, Peregrine and Chloe than I’ve been to them!
As a writer, it can be tough to choose a favorite thing about your book, because over the course of writing and editing it, you fall in love (and sometimes in hate!) with so many elements. And now that I’ve written the second book, one of the things I love most is how the main characters are growing and becoming more comfortable in their own skin. Isn’t that a part of growing up for all of us (even those of us who don’t have magical powers)?
If I had to choose a few things I especially love about the first book in the series, I’d probably say:
1. Carrefour, the magical, mysterious walled town where most of the book takes place: It was fun to lay the town out and create its rules!
2. Peregrine’s wardrobe: Part of being a Doll is dressing the part. Let’s just say that I would expect to find Peregrine wearing the shoes on the cover (which I’ll get to in a moment) as well as lots of other items I could never dream of affording. She, Chloe and their mothers are basically lifted from the pages of the latest issue of Vogue. I love clothes and shoes, and although I realize this is a little weird, I’m super-jealous of my characters because they get to wear the things I’m lusting after!
3. Eveny: I love a good fish-out-of-water story, and that’s exactly how THE DOLLS begins. Eveny returns to the town she left when she was just three, and immediately, she realizes she’s completely out of step with all of the weirdness taking place there. Over the course of the book, she begins to understand what’s happening – and what her role in everything is – and I truly loved following her through this journey. She has a wonderful heart and the best of intentions.
4. Caleb: Is it weird that I have a crush on a fictional character I created? Don’t tell my husband (who is very crush-worthy too). Honestly, I wish I’d had more time in THE DOLLS to introduce you to Caleb, because seriously, I loooooove him. Some of his character development was cut out in the editing process, which makes me think I need to write a novella or short story focusing on him at some point. Or maybe that’s just my crush speaking. I was so inspired by Caleb, in fact, that I even co-wrote a song from his perspective. You can hear the first 90 seconds by going to KikiSullivan.com. The song automatically plays on everything but mobile devices.
Oh, and finally, I’m absolutely in love with the cover. From the font to the amazing, gorgeous shoes, I adore every inch of it. I even found shoes that essentially match! (See photo.)
It’s also important to note that THE DOLLS developed in a really interesting way. Nick Harris from The Story Foundation, a books-to-film company, was very involved in the genesis of the idea, and now he’s working with some heavy hitters to hopefully make it into a television show. So I look forward to seeing what they’re able to do with it. I would love to see Eveny, Peregrine, Chloe, Caleb, Drew and the whole gang on the small screen!Purchase The Dolls at AmazonPurchase The Dolls at IndieBoundView The Dolls on Goodreads* * * *
The Winter Peopleby Rebekah L PurdySigned Hardcover Giveaway Entangled: TeenReleased 9/2/2014An engrossing, complex, romantic fantasy perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore or Maggie Stiefvater, set in a wholly unique world.
Salome Montgomery fears winter—the cold, the snow, the ice, but most of all, the frozen pond she fell through as a child. Haunted by the voices and images of the strange beings that pulled her to safety, she hasn't forgotten their warning to "stay away." For eleven years, she has avoided the winter woods, the pond, and the darkness that lurks nearby. But when failing health takes her grandparents to Arizona, she is left in charge of maintaining their estate. This includes the "special gifts" that must be left at the back of the property.? ?
Salome discovers she’s a key player in a world she’s tried for years to avoid. At the center of this world is the strange and beautiful Nevin, who she finds trespassing on her family’s property. Cursed with dark secrets and knowledge of the creatures in the woods, his interactions with Salome take her life in a new direction. A direction where she'll have to decide between her longtime crush Colton, who could cure her fear of winter. Or Nevin who, along with an appointed bodyguard, Gareth, protects her from the darkness that swirls in the snowy backdrop. An evil that, given the chance, will kill her.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about The Winter People?My favorite thing about The Winter People is the magical backdrop as well as the fact that my main character is far from normal. She has a debilitating fear of snow/winter. So much so that she can’t always function the way a normal person would. I like that she’s imperfect and has to work through facing winter every time it rolls around. Because of this quirk, she doesn’t have a lot of friends (due to mini-freak outs etc) so she’s got only a few people she trusts, most of which are family and her BFF (the only ones to survive her winter related freak outs).
Toss into the mix the strange beings and creatures in the woods that only she can see, she believes she’s crazy—especially when she hears voices that no one else can. Some of them kind, some more sinister.Purchase The Winter People at AmazonPurchase The Winter People at IndieBoundView The Winter People on Goodreads* * * *
Always a Catchby Peter RichmondHardcover Giveaway PhilomelReleased 9/4/2014A ripped-from-the-headlines story about teens and steroids.From a
New York Times bestselling sports writer comes the story of one boy's quest to stay true to himself without letting down his team. Jack and his father have never seen eye to eye…until Jack’s dad gives him the chance to transfer to Oakhurst his junior year. His dad sees it as a way for Jack to get into a good college; Jack sees it as refuge from his dad.
Oakhurst is more than an escape—it's a chance for Jack to do something new, to try out for the football team. Once Jack makes the team, he’s thrust into a foreign world—one of intense hazing, vitamin supplements, monkey hormones and steroids. Jack has to decide how far he's willing to go to fit in—and how much he's willing to compromise himself to be the man his team wants him to be.
Perfect for fans of Mike Lupica and Tim Green.
Praise for ALWAYS A CATCH:"Richmond has written an above-average story that will appeal to fans of the genre and authors, such as Mike Lupica and Tim Green."--
School Library Journal
"A dynamic but thoughtful novel of self-discovery."--
Kirkus ReviewsAuthor Question: What is your favorite thing about Always a Catch?My favorite thing about Always a Catch? That I seem to have captured what it is to be a 16-year-old boy who is "coming of age" -- and being pulled in lots of directions with some accuracy -- judging from various responses, including a freshman college class in my YA Lit course. I knew from the start that I could have chosen a more plot-driven tale (and I'm pretty proud of the plot, which took more twists and turns over the last few years than a kite in a tornado). But I decided to take on a story where I was inside the head of an "average" adolescent: not a star, not a loser; just an average guy. And re-reading, I think that I managed to pull it off. I think I conjured up what it is to be in the midst of the turmoil of teenland...and grow up by making the right choices.Purchase Always a Catch at AmazonPurchase Always a Catch at IndieBoundView Always a Catch on Goodreads* * * *
Don't Touchby Rachel M. WilsonHardcover Giveaway HarperTeenReleased 9/2/2014Step on a crack, break your mother's back,
Touch another person's skin, and Dad's gone for good . . .
Caddie has a history of magical thinking—of playing games in her head to cope with her surroundings—but it's never been this bad before.
When her parents split up, Don't touch becomes Caddie's mantra. Maybe if she keeps from touching another person's skin, Dad will come home. She knows it doesn't make sense, but her games have never been logical. Soon, despite Alabama's humidity, she's covering every inch of her skin and wearing evening gloves to school.
And that's where things get tricky. Even though Caddie's the new girl, it's hard to pass off her compulsions as artistic quirks. Friends notice things. Her drama class is all about interacting with her scene partners, especially Peter, who's auditioning for the role of Hamlet. Caddie desperately wants to play Ophelia, but if she does, she'll have to touch Peter . . . and kiss him. Part of Caddie would love nothing more than to kiss Peter—but the other part isn't sure she's brave enough to let herself fall.
From rising star Rachel M. Wilson comes a powerful, moving debut novel of the friendship and love that are there for us, if only we'll let them in.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Don't Touch?The friendships. Mandy and Peter and their entire group of friends were so much fun to write, and I have such a feeling of kinship with all of them. They aren’t based on individual people I’ve known, but as a group, they have the spirit of the circles of friends I’ve been blessed to belong to over the years. When I was writing the group scenes, they all kept asserting themselves, saying funny things, and I felt less like a writer and more like a spy scribbling everything down. As a teen, I always connected with individuals more easily than with groups—I can divide my young life into sections by who my “person” was at any given time. But over time, I found my tribe—tribes, really. Theater always helps to create a sense of community, so that’s been the source of many of my most amazing friend groups—but I’ve also lived in a co-op, traveled with friends, and enjoyed to the summer-camp-feeling community at Vermont College of Fine Arts. For Caddie at the beginning of the book, truly belonging to a tribe like Mandy and Peter’s seems impossible, so for me that journey toward belonging is at the heart of the book.
Purchase Don't Touch at AmazonPurchase Don't Touch at IndieBoundView Don't Touch on Goodreads* * * *
The Jewelby Amy EwingHardcover Giveaway HarperTeenReleased 9/2/2014The Jewel means wealth. The Jewel means beauty. The Jewel means royalty. But for girls like Violet, the Jewel means servitude. Not just any kind of servitude. Violet, born and raised in the Marsh, has been trained as a surrogate for the royalty—because in the Jewel the only thing more important than opulence is offspring.
Purchased at the surrogacy auction by the Duchess of the Lake and greeted with a slap to the face, Violet (now known only as #197) quickly learns of the brutal truths that lie beneath the Jewel’s glittering facade: the cruelty, backstabbing, and hidden violence that have become the royal way of life.
Violet must accept the ugly realities of her existence... and try to stay alive. But then a forbidden romance erupts between Violet and a handsome gentleman hired as a companion to the Duchess’s petulant niece. Though his presence makes life in the Jewel a bit brighter, the consequences of their illicit relationship will cost them both more than they bargained for.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about The Jewel?Wow, what a tough question! I really love that THE JEWEL features a female dominated society. That was one of the most fun things to explore. The concept of women buying other women is just so intriguing. The ability to bear children is one of the fundamental differences between women and men. And I wanted to explore the concept of women controlling other women in that area because it just seems so wrong—shouldn’t we be kinder to our own gender? Shouldn’t we understand each other, be compassionate?
I wrote a female dominated society to show the dark sides of humanity too, the dangers of power and fear and oppression. These qualities are not gender specific. Choice is such an important theme in THE JEWEL because I think the idea that someone could legislate what I can and cannot do with my body has always been a fear. I was fortunate to grow up in a family where I know I would have been supported in any decision I made regarding my body—even such trivial things as piercings or tattoos. But that isn’t the case for many women and it sickens me to see the government and society revert back to archaic views on women’s issues. Terms like “legitimate rape” and mandatory ultrasounds before getting an abortion are society’s way of saying, “We know better than you.” Everyone should have the freedom to choose, especially when it comes to their own bodies.
But on a completely frivolous side note, I love the glamour and luxury of THE JEWEL. I had so much fun researching palaces and ball gowns, and creating sumptuous menus. What can I say, I’m a sucker for lavish party scenes!
Purchase The Jewel at AmazonPurchase The Jewel at IndieBoundView The Jewel on Goodreads* * * *
The Social Media Experimentby Cole GibsenHardcover Giveaway Entangled: TeenReleased 9/24/2014On the surface, seventeen-year-old Reagan Fray appears to have everything. She's popular, Ivy League–bound, and her parents are rich enough to buy her whatever she wants. Behind the scenes, Reagan is a girl with an anxiety disorder struggling to hold the fraying threads of her life together. It takes work to stay on top, and when that fails, Reagan's learned from her politician mother that a little social espionage never hurts. That is, until the day Reagan finds all of her texts and private messages printed out and taped to every locker in her high school.
Finding herself ostracized from her friends and on the receiving end of the bullying she used to dish out, Reagan won't settle into her new role as social pariah without a fight. Determined to get back in with her friends and reclaim her social status before her mother finds out and sends her to boarding school, Reagan has no choice but to team up with outcast Nolan Letner.
But the closer Reagan gets to Nolan, the more she realizes all of her actions have consequences, and her future might be the biggest casualty of all.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about The Social Media Experiment?Honestly, that's a really hard question for me to answer. In order to write
TSME I had to delve into my own past with anxiety and bullying. As a result
of having painful memories resurface, my anxiety levels increased resulting
in panic attacks and a trip to the emergency room. I've never had a book put
me in the hospital, but again, I've never had to dig so deep inside myself
before. I guess my favorite thing about this book was coming to terms with
my own demons while laying them out on the page.
Purchase The Social Media Experiment at AmazonPurchase The Social Media Experiment at IndieBoundView The Social Media Experiment on GoodreadsYA BOOK GIVEAWAYS LAST WEEK: WINNERS
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Beauty of the Brokenby Tawni WatersHardcoverSimon PulseReleased 9/30/2014
Winner - Kathy LynnIn this lyrical, heartwrenching story about a forbidden first love, a teen seeks the courage to care for another girl despite her small town’s bigotry and her father’s violent threats.
Growing up in conservative small-town New Mexico, fifteen-year-old Mara was never given the choice to be different. Her parents—an abusive, close-minded father and a detached alcoholic mother—raised Mara to be like all the other girls in Barnaby: God-fearing, churchgoing, and straight. Mara wants nothing to do with any of it. She feels most at home with her best friend and older brother, Iggy, but Iggy hasn’t been the same since their father beat him and put him in the hospital with a concussion.
As Mara’s mother feeds her denial with bourbon and Iggy struggles with his own demons, Mara finds an escape with her classmate Xylia. A San Francisco transplant, Xylia is everything Mara dreams of being: free-spirited, open, wild. The closer Mara and Xylia become, the more Mara feels for her—even though their growing relationship is very much forbidden in Barnaby. Just as Mara begins to live a life she’s only imagined, the girls’ secret is threatened with exposure and Mara’s world is thrown into chaos.
Mara knows she can't live without Xylia, but can she live with an entire town who believes she is an abomination worse than the gravest sin?
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Beauty of the Broken?I’m deeply in love with the characters, at least the good ones. I resent the bad ones in a wholehearted, obsessive sort of way that may be unhealthy. I hope the characters are as rich and alive for readers as they are for me.
Mara is one of those characters that felt like she “came” to me, rather than like I invented her. I sat down to write one day and did this thing I often do as an exercise, which is to say, “Anyone who wants to talk to me, start talking,” and then write the first words that come into my head. Whether this is an exercise in spirituality, insanity, or the power of suggestion is anyone’s guess. All I know is that it works for me. Words always leap into my head when I prompt myself like this.
That day, I heard, “Momma and Willy Macyntire made Iggy in a barn.” I wrote it down, and more words came. Within a couple of hours, I had this beautiful, broken character and twenty pages that would eventually become the outline for Beauty of the Broken. With this novel, I’ve always felt like the characters were writing the novel, and I was transcribing their story for them. I was as surprised by the events of the book as any reader. I had no idea what was going to happen next.
Early readers of Beauty of the Broken have been furious with me about the death of one of the characters. “You traumatized me,” they say, and I can only say that I traumatized myself too. Every time I read that book, I die a little.
I don’t know. Maybe I just refuse to take responsibility for my actions. I feel this perhaps alarming lack of culpability for the way the book turned out. I think I’ll get a T-shirt that says, “Don’t blame me. I just wrote it.”
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Can't Look Awayby Donna CoonerHardcoverPointReleased 8/26/2014
Winner - Michelle TaylorDonna Cooner establishes herself as our own Jodi Picoult in this timely tale of sisters, loss, and redemption.
Torrey Grey is famous. At least, on the internet. Thousands of people watch her popular videos on fashion and beauty. But when Torrey's sister is killed in an accident -- maybe because of Torrey and her videos -- Torrey's perfect world implodes.
Now, strangers online are bashing Torrey. And at her new school, she doesn't know who to trust. Is queen bee Blair only being sweet because of Torrey's internet infamy? What about Raylene, who is decidedly unpopular, but seems accepts Torrey for who she is? And then there's Luis, with his brooding dark eyes, whose family runs the local funeral home. Torrey finds herself drawn to Luis, and his fascinating stories about El dio de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead.
As the Day of the Dead draws near, Torrey will have to really look at her own feelings about death, and life, and everything in between. Can she learn to mourn her sister out of the public eye?
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Can't Look Away?My favorite part in writing CAN’T LOOK AWAY was exploring the interaction between memory and grief. When I started writing this book, my mother had just passed away after a long illness. I missed her so much. Every day was filled with memory triggers embedded in smells and sounds. It was intensely bittersweet. On one hand, I was so grateful for the wonderful memories of such a funny, loving woman. At the same time, I was also painfully realizing the huge loss of her in my life. Creating the sisters in CAN’T LOOK AWAY was a way to express that grieving process and to share hope with those who have experienced loss.
I also had a great deal of fun immersing myself in the world of teen beauty vloggers. I watched tons of make-up tutorials and even tried some of them out. Unfortunately, I’m still working on my “Smokey Eye Look.” Mine sort of looks like a “Black Smudged Eye Look.” Even though my makeup skills did not improve, I did gain a huge respect for these talented teens. They put themselves on the internet every day to deliver creative content to thousands of viewers and to hear the constant comments. From my small glimpse into internet buzz, that takes a lot of courage. Purchase Can't Look Away at AmazonPurchase Can't Look Away at IndieBoundView Can't Look Away on Goodreads* * * *
Feralby Holly SchindlerHardcoverHarperTeenReleased 8/26/2014
Winner - Stephanie FredrickThe Lovely Bones meets Black Swan in this haunting psychological thriller with twists and turns that will make you question everything you think you know.It’s too late for you. You’re dead. Those words continue to haunt Claire Cain months after she barely survived a brutal beating in Chicago. So when her father is offered a job in another state, Claire is hopeful that getting out will offer her a way to start anew.
But when she arrives in Peculiar, Missouri, Claire feels an overwhelming sense of danger, and her fears are confirmed when she discovers the body of a popular high school student in the icy woods behind the school, surrounded by the town’s feral cats. While everyone is quick to say it was an accident, Claire knows there’s more to it, and vows to learn the truth about what happened.
But the closer she gets to uncovering the mystery, the closer she also gets to realizing a frightening reality about herself and the damage she truly sustained in that Chicago alley….
Holly Schindler’s gripping story is filled with heart-stopping twists and turns that will keep readers guessing until the very last page.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Feral?That it’s a bit unusual, in terms of genre. It’s a classic psychological thriller, which we don’t see all that often anymore, especially at the box office. Like all psychological thrillers, FERAL incorporates elements of other genres: mystery, horror, even paranormal, but the emphasis is on the “psychological” rather than thriller / action. The novel features a Hitchcockian pace and focus on character development (here, we’re exploring the inner workings of the main character, Claire Cain). Essentially, every aspect of FERAL is used to explore Claire’s inner workings—that includes the wintry Ozarks setting. The water metaphor is employed frequently in psychological thrillers to represent the subconscious, and here is incorporated in the form of a brutal ice storm (that represents Claire’s “frozen” inner state). The attempt to untangle what is real from what is unreal (also a frequently-used aspect of the psychological thriller) also begins to highlight the extent to which Claire was hurt in that Chicago alley. Even the explanation of the odd occurrences in the town of Peculiar offers an exploration into and portrait of Claire’s psyche. Ultimately, FERAL is a book about the frightening aspect of dealing with the aftermath of a violent act. Purchase Feral at AmazonPurchase Feral at IndieBoundView Feral on Goodreads* * * *
Six Feet Over Itby Jennifer LongoHardcoverRandom House Books for Young ReadersReleased 8/26/2014
Winner - Nora GeerHome is where the bodies are buried.Darkly humorous and heart-wrenchingly beautiful, Jennifer Longo’s YA debut about a girl stuck living in a cemetery will change the way you look at life, death, and love.Leigh sells graves for her family-owned cemetery because her father is too lazy to look farther than the dinner table when searching for employees. Working the literal graveyard shift, she meets two kinds of customers:
Pre-Need: They know what’s up. They bought their graves a long time ago, before they needed them.
At Need: They are in shock, mourning a loved one’s unexpected death. Leigh avoids sponging their agony by focusing on things like guessing the headstone choice (mostly granite).
Sarcastic and smart, Leigh should be able to stand up to her family and quit. But her world’s been turned upside down by the sudden loss of her best friend and the appearance of Dario, the slightly-too-old-for-her grave digger. Surrounded by death, can Leigh move on, if moving on means it’s time to get a life?
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Six Feet Over It?The dialogue. Dialogue is my very favorite part of writing prose. I love listening to people talk in public, word choice and speech patterns and how groups of people tend to subconsciously mirror one another's speaking habits. My education background is in playwriting and acting, which are essentially both studies in dialogue, in listening and responding. As I worked on the book I would write a conversation and sit there alone laughing or feeling lonely or loved depending on the words the characters were saying to one another. The dialogue in SFOI is the part of the writing I'm most proud of, I think. Purchase Six Feet Over It at AmazonPurchase Six Feet Over It at IndieBoundView Six Feet Over It on GoodreadsMORE YOUNG ADULT FICTION IN STORES NEXT WEEK WITH AUTHOR INTERVIEWS
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Girl Defectiveby Simmone HowellHardcoverAtheneum Books for Young ReadersReleased 9/2/2014In the tradition of
High Fidelity and
Empire Records, this is the literary soundtrack to Skylark Martin’s strange, mysterious, and extraordinary summer.
This is the story of a wild girl and a ghost girl; a boy who knew nothing and a boy who thought he knew everything.It’s a story about Skylark Martin, who lives with her father and brother in a vintage record shop and is trying to find her place in the world. It’s about ten-year-old Super Agent Gully and his case of a lifetime. And about beautiful, reckless, sharp-as-knives Nancy. It’s about tragi-hot Luke, and just-plain-tragic Mia Casey. It’s about the dark underbelly of a curious neighborhood. It’s about summer, and weirdness, and mystery, and music.
And it’s about life and death and grief and romance. All the good stuff.Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Girl Defective?My favourite thing in Girl Defective is the character of Gully. He very nearly took over the book. Gully considers himself a detective and writes memos detailing his investigations of neighborhood crimes (sometimes real, sometimes perceived). Gully is inspired by my young son who is a collector and a documenter and always tells the truth. He also makes me laugh every day.
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The Summoningby Hillary MonahanHardcoverDisney-HyperionReleased 9/2/2014There is a right way and a wrong way to summon her.
Jess had done the research. Success requires precision: a dark room, a mirror, a candle, salt, and four teenage girls. Each of them--Jess, Shauna, Kitty, and Anna--must link hands, follow the rules . . . and never let go.
A thrilling fear spins around the room the first time Jess calls her name: "Bloody Mary. Bloody Mary. BLOODY MARY." A ripple of terror follows when a shadowy silhouette emerges through the fog, a specter trapped behind the mirror.
Once is not enough, though--at least not for Jess. Mary is called again. And again. But when their summoning circle is broken, Bloody Mary slips through the glass with a taste for revenge on her lips. As the girls struggle to escape Mary's wrath, loyalties are questioned, friendships are torn apart, and lives are forever altered.
A haunting trail of clues leads Shauna on a desperate search to uncover the legacy of Mary Worth. What she finds will change everything, but will it be enough to stop Mary--and Jess--before it's too late?
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about The Summoning?The memories that inspired me to write it, probably. My town had a local spin on Bloody Mary. The Howard School (picture attached) burned down in 1949. While there were no casualties, the kids rewrote history to say a girl named Mary Jane died in the blaze, accidentally locked in an upstairs bathroom. To summon her spirit, you went into a darkened bathroom and said, "I believe in you Mary Jane and your golden blood." She's supposedly appear in the glass and maybe scratch your face. We all tried it and all swore we saw something flickering in the glass. Because, you know, kids.
Funny aside--I went on a camping trip with the Girl Scouts later that year. Someone went to all the cabins and wrote MARY JANE in soap on the screen windows. That was it—full-on panic. Some kids were so scared that Mary Jane was going to come out of the woods to get them, they asked to go home. It didn't help that one of the camp counsellors told us that four matching anything meant Mary Jane was near, so anytime we saw four vaguely-similar things clustered together, we grew convinced we were going to die. It took the camp's OWNER coming out to tell us that Mary Jane was only a story to calm us down.
I think I was twelve or thirteen when that happened? And my biggest takeaway from the whole experience was exactly how contagious fear could be.
Purchase The Summoning at AmazonPurchase The Summoning at IndieBoundView The Summoning on GoodreadsMORE YOUNG ADULT NOVELS NEW IN STORES NEXT WEEK
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100 Sideways Milesby Andrew SmithHardcoverSimon & Schuster Books for Young ReadersReleased 9/2/2014Finn Easton sees the world through miles instead of minutes. It’s how he makes sense of the world, and how he tries to convince himself that he’s a real boy and not just a character in his father’s bestselling cult-classic book. Finn has two things going for him: his best friend, the possibly-insane-but-definitely-excellent Cade Hernandez, and Julia Bishop, the first girl he’s ever loved.
Then Julia moves away, and Finn is heartbroken. Feeling restless and trapped in the book, Finn embarks on a road trip with Cade to visit their college of choice in Oklahoma. When an unexpected accident happens and the boys become unlikely heroes, they take an eye-opening detour away from everything they thought they had planned—and learn how to write their own destiny.
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A New Darknessby Joseph DelaneyHardcoverGreenwillow BooksReleased 9/2/2014A chilling new trilogy from the author of the internationally bestselling The Last Apprentice series! Tom Ward is an apprentice no longer—now he is a fully fledged spook battling boggarts, witches, and other creatures of the dark. This three-book arc will introduce brand-new readers to Joseph Delaney’s haunting world, and delight longtime fans.
Tom Ward is the spook, the one person who can defend the county from ghosts, ghasts, boggarts, witches, and other bloodthirsty creatures of the dark. But he’s only seventeen, and his apprenticeship was cut short when his master died in battle. No one trusts Tom’s skill, not till he’s proven himself. And a fifteen-year-old girl named Jenny knows more about the three mysterious deaths in the county than Tom does. She is a seventh daughter of a seventh daughter and she wants to be Tom’s first apprentice—even though a female spook is unheard of. Together, Tom and Jenny will uncover the grave danger heading straight toward the county, and they’ll team up with a witch assassin to confront it.
A New Darkness begins a three-book series that will introduce new readers to Joseph Delaney’s deliciously scary imagination and delight his longtime fans. A New Darkness is perfect for every reader who loves thrills, chills, action, and adventure-no prior knowledge of the Last Apprentice series necessary!
The Last Apprentice series, the first internationally bestselling series about Tom Ward, is soon to be a major motion picture, Seventh Son, starring Jeff Bridges, Ben Barnes, Alicia Vikander, Kit Harington, Olivia Williams, Antje Traue, Djimon Hounsou, and Julianne Moore as Mother Malkin.
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Anatomy of a Misfitby Andrea PortesHardcoverHarperTeenReleased 9/2/2014This emotional, hilarious, devastating, and ultimately triumphant YA debut, based on actual events, recounts one girl’s rejection of her high school’s hierarchy—and her discovery of her true self in the face of tragedy.Fall’s buzzed-about, in-house favorite. Outside, Anika Dragomir is all lip gloss and blond hair—the third most popular girl in school. Inside, she’s a freak: a mix of dark thoughts, diabolical plots, and, if local chatter is to be believed, vampire DNA (after all, her father is Romanian). But she keeps it under wraps to maintain her social position. One step out of line and Becky Vilhauer, first most popular girl in school, will make her life hell. So when former loner Logan McDonough shows up one September hotter, smarter, and more mysterious than ever, Anika knows she can’t get involved. It would be insane to throw away her social safety for a nerd. So what if that nerd is now a black-leather-jacket-wearing dreamboat, and his loner status is clearly the result of his troubled home life? Who cares if the right girl could help him with all that, maybe even save him from it? Who needs him when Jared Kline, the bad boy every girl dreams of, is asking her on dates? Who?
Anatomy of a Misfit is Mean Girls meets The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and Anika’s hilariously deadpan delivery will appeal to readers for its honesty and depth. The so-sad-it’s-funny high school setting will pull readers in, but when the story’s dark foreboding gradually takes over, the devastating penultimate tragedy hits like a punch to the gut. Readers will ride the highs and lows alongside funny, flawed Anika—from laughter to tears, and everything in between.
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Feudsby Avery HastingsHardcoverSt. Martin's GriffinReleased 9/2/2014In this breathless story of impossible love, perfection comes at a deadly cost.For Davis Morrow, perfection is a daily reality. Like all Priors, Davis has spent her whole life primed to be smarter, stronger, and more graceful than the lowly Imperfects, or “Imps.” A fiercely ambitious ballerina, Davis is only a few weeks away from qualifying for the Olympiads and finally living up to her mother’s legacy when she meets Cole, a mysterious boy who leaves her with more questions each time he disappears.
Davis has no idea that Cole has his own agenda, or that he’s a rising star in the FEUDS, an underground fighting ring where Priors gamble on Imps. Cole has every reason to hate Davis—her father’s campaign hinges on the total segregation of the Imps and Priors—but despite his best efforts, Cole finds himself as drawn to Davis as she is to him.
Then Narxis, a deadly virus, takes its hold--and Davis’s friends start dying. When the Priors refuse to acknowledge the epidemic, Davis has no one to turn to but Cole. Falling in love was never part of their plan, but their love may be the only thing that can save her world...in Avery Hastings's
Feuds.
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Heir of Fireby Sarah J MaasHardcoverBloomsbury USA ChildrensReleased 9/2/2014Lost and broken, Celaena Sardothien’s only thought is to avenge the savage death of her dearest friend: as the King of Adarlan’s Assassin, she is bound to serve this tyrant, but he will pay for what he did. Any hope Celaena has of destroying the king lies in answers to be found in Wendlyn. Sacrificing his future, Chaol, the Captain of the King’s Guard, has sent Celaena there to protect her, but her darkest demons lay in that same place. If she can overcome them, she will be Adarlan’s biggest threat – and his own toughest enemy.
While Celaena learns of her true destiny, and the eyes of Erilea are on Wendlyn, a brutal and beastly force is preparing to take to the skies. Will Celaena find the strength not only to win her own battles, but to fight a war that could pit her loyalties to her own people against those she has grown to love?
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Hider, Seeker, Secret Keeperby Elizabeth KiemHardcoverSoho TeenReleased 9/2/2014Lana travels to New York City, on tour dancing with the world famous Bolshoi Ballet in this thrilling follow up to Dancer, Daughter, Traitor, Spy.Lana Dukovskaya has spent her life in her mother, Marina’s, shadow, and nowhere more so than at Russia’s world-famous Bolshoi ballet, where Marina danced years ago. But when Daniela, Lana’s friend and chief rival, is brutally attacked on the eve of a New York tour, Lana is given her coveted solo—an unlikely stroke of luck that makes Lana the chief suspect in the attack.
Once in New York, Lana meets Georgi Levshik, a powerful Russian émigré who claims to know the truth about Marina's past. She’s torn between her distrust of Levshik's offered patronage and her need for answers. But when another young dancer is struck down on the day of her debut, Lana becomes the prime suspect in not one, but two attacks.
On the run and still in the dark, Lana puts her trust in Levshik's alluring young bodyguard, Roma. Together they must uncover the truth about a Bolshoi blood feud involving three generations of Dukovskaya dancers.
Purchase Hider, Seeker, Secret Keeper at AmazonPurchase Hider, Seeker, Secret Keeper at IndieBoundView Hider, Seeker, Secret Keeper on Goodreads* * * *
Practice Makes Perfectby Melanie SpringPaperbackPoppyReleased 9/2/2014Behind every squad, there's a story.
It's spring semester at Northside High and the girls of the JV cheer squad are trying out for next fall. The pressure is on as Chloe, Devin, Kate, and Emily practice Varsity-level stunts amidst the drama of best friends, boyfriends, and frenemies. When jealousy and competition threaten to tear these besties apart, can the girls band together to dominate at tryouts?
Book 3 in the Varsity series has more best-friend drama, boy trouble, and, of course, sideline spirit!
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Puppy Loveby A. Desitny and Catherine HapkaHardcoverSimon PulseReleased 9/2/2014First crush, first love, first kiss—in this addition to the sweet and clean Flirt series, Lauren gets a lesson in love when she takes her new puppy to training classes.
Fifteen-year-old Lauren has always loved dogs, but could never have one of her own until her highly allergic older sister went to college. Now she has her very own puppy, and she’s head over heels…until the cute little monster starts chewing everything in sight and barking loud enough to drive the whole family crazy!
So it’s off to puppy kindergarten they go. There, Lauren quickly falls for the dog trainer, a seventeen-year-old dog whisperer with a hot accent.
But is he really the one for her…or would she be better matched with Jamal, a fellow fumbling owner her own age with an unruly mutt?
Will Lauren graduate from puppy kindergarten with a just a well-trained pup? Or will she have a new boyfriend by her side?
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Sealed with a Lieby Kat CarltonHardcoverSimon & Schuster Books for Young ReadersReleased 9/2/2014In this sequel to the romantic spy-thriller
Two Lies and a Spy, Kari must race the clock on a mission to save her little brother.
Kari Andrews thought life was going to get easier. She was wrong. Following the events of
Two Lies and a Spy, she and her brother, Charlie, are left to cope with the aftermath while also adapting to a new school—in another country. And then Charlie disappears.
With her brother’s life hanging in the balance, Kari, Evan, Rita, Kale, and some new friends from Generation Interpol (G.I.) are on a race around Europe at the bidding of a voice on a phone. The voice tells them that they need to jailbreak a thief—a flirtatious, hot thief—steal something from a high-security bio lab, and deliver the goods during what’s sure to be a double-cross exchange. Can they succeed before Charlie pays the ultimate price?
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Shatteredby Marianne MancusiHardcoverSourcebooks FireReleased 9/2/2014A girl at the end of the world.
Two brothers fighting for opposite sides.
And a dragon who can save them all...
Or set the world on fire.Trinity's world changed forever the day she stole Emmy's egg. Now she's on the run with the last living dragon and twin brothers from a war-torn future. Connor may have betrayed his mission to kill Emmy, but he'll do whatever it takes to prevent the coming dragon apocalypse. Coddling a temperamental dragon on its way to being the size of a house is no way to keep them safe. But Caleb can't stand to see Emmy trapped and miserable.
When a video of Emmy flying over the skies of the Texas Hill Country goes viral, the government closes in--and the future they've risked everything for is about to go up in flames.
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Starry Nightby Isabel GillliesHardcoverFarrar, Straus and GirouxReleased 9/2/2014Sometimes one night can change everything. On this particular night, Wren and her three best friends are attending a black-tie party at the Metropolitan Museum of Art to celebrate the opening of a major exhibit curated by her father. An enormous wind blasts through the city, making everyone feel that something unexpected and perhaps wonderful will happen. And for Wren, that something wonderful is Nolan. With his root-beer-brown Michelangelo eyes, Nolan changes the way Wren’s heart beats. In Isabel Gillies's
Starry Night, suddenly everything is different. Nothing makes sense except for this boy. What happens to your life when everything
changes, even your heart? How much do you give up? How much do you keep?
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The Boy I Loveby Nina de GramontHardcoverAtheneum Books for Young ReadersReleased 9/2/2014When the boy you love asks you to keep his greatest secret, do you? A thought-provoking, achingly complex novel about prejudice and the many meanings of love from Nina de Gramont, author of Meet Me at the River, which Kirkus Reviews called a “must-read.”Fifteen-year-old Wren has been content to stay in her best friend Allie’s shadow. It doesn’t bother her that Ally gets the cutest guys, the cutest clothes, and even a modeling gig—Wren is happy hanging with the horses on her family’s farm and avoiding the jealousy of other girls. But when Tim, the most intriguing guy in school, starts hanging out with Ally and Wren, jealousy is unavoidable, but not the kind Wren expects. Because even though Ally is wayyy into him and Wren hasn’t flirted, not one little bit, it becomes increasingly clear that Tim prefers Wren’s company above anyone else’s.
Tim’s unexpected devotion comes at the exact time Wren’s home life is about to be turned upside down. Her parents have just found out that the family horse farm is on land that was once a slave plantation and are struggling with whether to sell it. Wren aches at the thought of losing her horses and leaving town, but at least there is Tim...always a gentleman on their dates. Such a gentleman. Too much of a gentleman, even, and Wren begins to wish he’d be a wee bit less gentlemanly. And as Tim’s church becomes actively homophobic, his pressuring parents don’t understand why he won’t help “spread the word,” and he’s now a wreck. Then he tells Wren his biggest secret, and Wren must decide what she’ll really do for love.
Purchase The Boy I Love at AmazonPurchase The Boy I Love at IndieBoundView The Boy I Love on Goodreads* * * *
The Secret Skyby Atia AbawiHardcoverPhilomelReleased 9/2/2014A novel of love during a time of war by NBC's Afghanistan correspondant
Set in present-day Afghanistan, this is
By: C. C. Gevry,
on 8/29/2014
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Though the Greek and Roman crewmembers of the Argo II have made progress in their many quests, they still seem no closer to defeating the earth mother, Gaea. Her giants have risen-all of them-and they’re stronger than ever. They must be stopped before the Feast of Spes, when Gaea plans to have two demigods sacrificed in Athens. She needs their blood-the blood of Olympus-in order to wake.
The demigods are having more frequent visions of a terrible battle at Camp Half-Blood. The Roman legion from Camp Jupiter, led by Octavian, is almost within striking distance. Though it is tempting to take the Athena Parthenos to Athens to use as a secret weapon, the friends know that the huge statue belongs back on Long Island, where it might be able to stop a war between the two camps.
The Athena Parthenos will go west; the Argo II will go east. The gods, still suffering from multiple personality disorder, are useless. How can a handful of young demigods hope to persevere against Gaea’s army of powerful giants? As dangerous as it is to head to Athens, they have no other option. They have sacrificed too much already. And if Gaea wakes, it is game over.
Age Range: 10 – 14 years
Grade Level: 5 – 9
Series: The Heroes of Olympus (Book 5)
Hardcover: 528 pages
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion (October 7, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1423146735
ISBN-13: 978-1423146735
Pre-order here!
Hi everyone! It's Monday again and time for another roundup of YA books coming out this week! It's a quiet week for YA releases, but we have a giveaway of a signed copy of SEA OF SHADOWS by the wonderful Kelley Armstrong!
Enjoy and have a great week!
Martina, Alyssa, Katharyn, Erin, Jan, Lisa and Clara
YA BOOK GIVEAWAYS THIS WEEK
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Sea of Shadowsby Kelley ArmstrongSigned Hardcover Giveaway HarperCollinsReleased 4/8/2014Kelley Armstrong, #1
New York Times bestselling author, takes an exciting new direction with this big, breathtaking blend of fantasy, romance, horror, and pulse-pounding action, perfect for fans of
Graceling and
Game of Thrones.
Twin sisters Moria and Ashyn were marked at birth to become the Keeper and the Seeker of Edgewood, beginning with their sixteenth birthday. Trained in fighting and in the secret rites of the spirits, they lead an annual trip into the Forest of the Dead. There, the veil between the living world and the beyond is thinnest, and the girls pay respect to the spirits who have passed.
But this year, their trip goes dreadfully wrong.
With all the heart-stopping romance and action that have made her a #1
New York Times bestselling author, and set in an unforgettably rich and dangerous world, this first epic book in the Age of Legends trilogy will appeal to Kelley Armstrong's legions of fans around the world and win her many new ones.
Purchase Sea of Shadows at AmazonPurchase Sea of Shadows at IndieBoundView Sea of Shadows on GoodreadsYA BOOK GIVEAWAYS LAST WEEK: WINNERS
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A Blind Spot for Boysby Justina ChenHardcoverLittle, Brown Books for Young ReadersReleased 8/12/2014
Winner - Jill LurieShana has always had a blind spot for boys. Can she trust the one who's right in front of her?
Sixteen-year-old Shana Wilde is officially on a Boy Moratorium. After a devastating breakup, she decides it's time to end the plague of Mr. Wrong, Wrong, and More Wrong.
Enter Quattro, the undeniably cute lacrosse player who slams into Shana one morning in Seattle. Sparks don't just fly; they ignite. And so does Shana's interest. Right as she's about to rethink her ban on boys, she receives crushing news: Her dad is going blind. Quattro is quickly forgotten, and Shana and her parents vow to make the most of the time her father has left to see. So they travel to Machu Picchu, and as they begin their trek, they run into none other than Quattro himself. But even as the trip unites them, Quattro pulls away mysteriously... Love and loss, humor and heartbreak collide in this new novel from acclaimed author Justina Chen.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about A Blind Spot for Boys?Imagine a young woman who’s a complete man magnet. Imagine that she’s been heartbroken by someone she thought was her Mr. Right. Imagine that she’s been in denial over the truth about their relationship: who he truly is, who she pretended to be. Imagine learning to see herself and her past clearly. “It was shocking to consider that even though Dom went to the right school, knew the right people, drove the right car, aspired to the right career, he may never have been my Mr. Right.” That’s what I love about Shana’s journey in A BLIND SPOT FOR BOYS. She’s able to look unflinching at the truth by the end of the book. Love. That.Purchase A Blind Spot for Boys at AmazonPurchase A Blind Spot for Boys at IndieBoundView A Blind Spot for Boys on Goodreads* * * *
Randomby Tom LeveenHardcover GiveawaySimon PulseReleased 8/12/2014
Winner - Vivien ProbstWho's the real victim here? This tense and gripping exploration of cyberbullying and teen suicide is perfect for fans of
Before I Fall and
Thirteen Reasons Why.
Late at night Tori receives a random phone call. It's a wrong number. But the caller seems to want to talk, so she stays on the line.
He asks for a single thing—one reason not to kill himself.
The request plunges her into confusion. Because if this random caller actually does what he plans, he'll be the second person connected to Tori to take his own life. And the first just might land her in jail. After her Facebook page became Exhibit A in a tragic national news story about cyberbullying, Tori can't help but suspect the caller is a fraud. But what if he’s not? Her words alone may hold the power of life or death.
With the clock ticking, Tori has little time to save a stranger—and maybe redeem herself—leading to a startling conclusion that changes everything…
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Random?My favorite thing about RANDOM was the opportunity to get inside the head of a character that may very well be not well liked by readers. And with good reason. The thing about this protagonist, Tori, is that she’s not exactly the hero of the piece; and as her creator, I had to spend time in emotional-memory places I usually don’t have to inhabit for very long. It was a challenging book to write. I worry that some readers won’t understand the point of the novel as a result.Purchase Random at AmazonPurchase Random at IndieBoundView Random on GoodreadsMORE YOUNG ADULT NOVELS NEW IN STORES NEXT WEEK
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False Futureby Dan KrokosHardcoverDisney-HyperionReleased 8/19/2014True Earth has returned during a massive snowstorm in Manhattan-and this time they have an army. Rhys, Noble, Sophia, and Peter know they don't stand a chance against the enemy without Miranda. And once they revive her, she's horrified to find her world in flames.
The enemy occupation is brutal, but the director promises to release her hold on the city if Mr. East is turned in, and Miranda and her team are determined to find him. With her grief over the losses she has suffered fueling her spirit, Miranda knows that this time the sacrifices have to be worth it.
Packed with suspense and deception, Dan Krokos brings Miranda's journey to a mind-bending conclusion as she risks losing everything in the fight for her future.
Purchase False Future at AmazonPurchase False Future at IndieBoundView False Future on Goodreads* * * *
Starlight's Edgeby Susan WaggonerHardcoverHenry Holt and Co.Released 8/19/2014Zee has given up her entire world to be with David on far-future Earth, confident that their love will overcome all obstacles. But beneath its lustrous surface and dazzling technology, New Earth is full of challenges, including the animosity of David’s wealthy and powerful family.
As Zee struggles to find her place, David travels back to past Earth. Then, on a mission to Pompeii on the eve of the Vesuvius eruption, he vanishes. Zee knows he is in mortal danger, but will she be able to rescue him in time?
Purchase Starlight's Edge at AmazonPurchase Starlight's Edge at IndieBoundView Starlight's Edge on Goodreadsa Rafflecopter giveaway
Hi everyone! It's Monday again and time for another giveaway of YA books coming out this week! We've got two giveaways for you, plus an interview with Adele Griffin, and descriptions and covers of some more books you won't want to miss picking up.
Enjoy and have a great week!
Martina, Alyssa, Katharyn, Jan, Lisa and Clara
YA BOOK GIVEAWAYS THIS WEEK
A Blind Spot for Boysby Justina ChenSigned Hardcover plus Swag Giveaway Little, Brown Books for Young ReadersReleased 8/12/2014Shana has always had a blind spot for boys. Can she trust the one who's right in front of her?
Sixteen-year-old Shana Wilde is officially on a Boy Moratorium. After a devastating breakup, she decides it's time to end the plague of Mr. Wrong, Wrong, and More Wrong.
Enter Quattro, the undeniably cute lacrosse player who slams into Shana one morning in Seattle. Sparks don't just fly; they ignite. And so does Shana's interest. Right as she's about to rethink her ban on boys, she receives crushing news: Her dad is going blind. Quattro is quickly forgotten, and Shana and her parents vow to make the most of the time her father has left to see. So they travel to Machu Picchu, and as they begin their trek, they run into none other than Quattro himself. But even as the trip unites them, Quattro pulls away mysteriously... Love and loss, humor and heartbreak collide in this new novel from acclaimed author Justina Chen.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about A Blind Spot for Boys?Imagine a young woman who’s a complete man magnet. Imagine that she’s been heartbroken by someone she thought was her Mr. Right. Imagine that she’s been in denial over the truth about their relationship: who he truly is, who she pretended to be. Imagine learning to see herself and her past clearly. “It was shocking to consider that even though Dom went to the right school, knew the right people, drove the right car, aspired to the right career, he may never have been my Mr. Right.” That’s what I love about Shana’s journey in A BLIND SPOT FOR BOYS. She’s able to look unflinching at the truth by the end of the book. Love. That.Purchase A Blind Spot for Boys at AmazonPurchase A Blind Spot for Boys at IndieBoundView A Blind Spot for Boys on Goodreads
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Randomby Tom LeveenHardcover GiveawaySimon PulseReleased 8/12/2014Who's the real victim here? This tense and gripping exploration of cyberbullying and teen suicide is perfect for fans of
Before I Fall and
Thirteen Reasons Why.
Late at night Tori receives a random phone call. It's a wrong number. But the caller seems to want to talk, so she stays on the line.
He asks for a single thing—one reason not to kill himself.
The request plunges her into confusion. Because if this random caller actually does what he plans, he'll be the second person connected to Tori to take his own life. And the first just might land her in jail. After her Facebook page became Exhibit A in a tragic national news story about cyberbullying, Tori can't help but suspect the caller is a fraud. But what if he’s not? Her words alone may hold the power of life or death.
With the clock ticking, Tori has little time to save a stranger—and maybe redeem herself—leading to a startling conclusion that changes everything…
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Random?My favorite thing about RANDOM was the opportunity to get inside the head of a character that may very well be not well liked by readers. And with good reason. The thing about this protagonist, Tori, is that she’s not exactly the hero of the piece; and as her creator, I had to spend time in emotional-memory places I usually don’t have to inhabit for very long. It was a challenging book to write. I worry that some readers won’t understand the point of the novel as a result.Purchase Random at AmazonPurchase Random at IndieBoundView Random on GoodreadsYA BOOK GIVEAWAYS LAST WEEK: WINNERS
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Blindby Rachel DeWoskinHardcoverViking JuvenileReleased 8/7/2014
Winner - Christina CondomarosWhen your life as you know it is taken from you, how do you go on?Imagine this: You are fourteen, watching the fireworks at a 4th of July party, when a rocket backfires into the crowd and strikes your eyes, leaving you blind. In that instant, your life is changed forever. How do you face a future in which all your expectations must be different? You will never see the face of your newborn sister, never learn to drive. Will you ever have a job or fall in love? This is Emma’s story. The drama is in her manysmall victories as she returns to high school in her home town and struggles to define herself and make sense of her life, determined not to be dismissed as a PBK – Poor Blind Kid. This heartfelt and heart wrenching story takes you on Emma’s journey and leaves you with a new understanding of the challenges to be faced when life deals a devastating blow.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Blind?What is your favorite thing about BLIND? My favorite thing about Blind is Emma Sasha Silver, the colorful girl at the center of the book. She loses her eyesight in a horrific accident and yet still manages to be a brave and resilient warrior about her teenage life. I began to imagine and write Blind when my two little girls and I read The Black Book of Colors every night for a year. I was both frightened and inspired by that shiny, embossed wonder, a children’s book full of images you can feel rather than see. The more we touched the pages, the more I wondered what it would be like to be able to see and then lose that ability. Would my memories stay visual? Would my senses cross so that I could taste, smell and hear colors? What would language look and feel like, and how would I read, think and make meaning of the world? What if one of my daughters lost her vision? We would read with our fingers and voices, take in books, each other, and everything around us in an utterly changed way. The stakes would be astronomical. What if feeling became our way of seeing? Purchase Blind at AmazonPurchase Blind at IndieBoundView Blind on Goodreads* * * *
Servants of the Stormby Delilah S. DawsonHardcoverSimon PulseReleased 8/5/2014
Winner - Sarah BaumanA year ago Hurricane Josephine swept through Savannah, Georgia, leaving behind nothing but death and destruction — and taking the life of Dovey's best friend, Carly. Since that night, Dovey has been in a medicated haze, numb to everything around her.
But recently she's started to believe she's seeing things that can't be real ... including Carly at their favorite cafe. Determined to learn the truth, Dovey stops taking her pills. And the world that opens up to her is unlike anything she could have imagined.
As Dovey slips deeper into the shadowy corners of Savannah — where the dark and horrifying secrets lurk — she learns that the storm that destroyed her city and stole her friend was much more than a force of nature. And now the sinister beings truly responsible are out to finish what they started.
Dovey's running out of time and torn between two paths. Will she trust her childhood friend Baker, who can't see the threatening darkness but promises to never give up on Dovey and Carly? Or will she plot with the sexy stranger, Isaac, who offers all the answers — for a price? Soon Dovey realizes that the danger closing in has little to do with Carly ... and everything to do with Dovey herself.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Servants of the Storm?I feel like *should* say that I love how fiercely Dovey fights to save her friend Carly, but my answer is far more selfish and indulgent. I'm from the South, and I really love the creepy, abandoned, vine-draped, Southern Gothic languor of Savannah. Writing this book was a paean to the parts of Georgia that I find most beautiful, haunting, and dangerous. I loved my research trips, which included visits to Bonaventure Cemetery and horse-drawn carriage tours with my brother-in-law, the Dread Pirate Robert. We traced Dovey's path through downtown, and I got to envision what Savannah would look like after a demonic hurricane. So I loved dwelling in that world. And making the creepy parts even creepier.Purchase Servants of the Storm at AmazonPurchase Servants of the Storm at IndieBoundView Servants of the Storm on Goodreads* * * *
Two Girls Staring at the Ceilingby Lucy FrankHardcoverSchwartz & WadeReleased 8/5/2014
Winner - Kara MeggsThis novel-in-verse—at once literary and emotionally gripping—follows the unfolding friendship between two very different teenage girls who share a hospital room and an illness.
Chess, the narrator, is sick, but with what exactly, she isn’t sure. And to make matters worse, she must share a hospital room with Shannon, her polar opposite. Where Chess is polite, Shannon is rude. Where Chess tolerates pain silently, Shannon screams bloody murder. Where Chess seems to be getting slowly better, Shannon seems to be getting worse. How these teenagers become friends, helping each other come to terms with their illness, makes for a dramatic and deeply moving read.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Two Girls Staring at the Ceiling?
My favorite thing about TWO GIRLS STARING AT THE CEILING is the way the book ends. I know: the two girls are in the hospital, so they either live, and go home, or one dies, or they both die. But coming up with a last chapter, and a last page that felt right made me very happy.Purchase Two Girls Staring at the Ceiling at AmazonPurchase Two Girls Staring at the Ceiling at IndieBoundView Two Girls Staring at the Ceiling on GoodreadsMORE YOUNG ADULT FICTION IN STORES NEXT WEEK WITH AUTHOR INTERVIEWS
The Unfinished Life of Addison Stoneby Adele GriffinHardcoverSoho TeenReleased 8/12/2014Two-time National Book Award finalist Adele Griffin offers an ingenious fictional take on the "oral history" celebrity bio that defined a bestselling genre: Edie, American Girl by Jean Stein and George Plimpton. In presenting herself as interviewer and curator of memories, Adele paints the portrait of a tragic young celebrity who allegedly committed suicide—presented in a series of brief first-person recollections—that ultimately results in the solving of a murder.
Adele's words: "From the moment she burst into the downtown art scene, seventeen-year-old Addison Stone was someone to watch. Her trademark subversive street art and her violent drowning left her fans and critics craving to know more about this brilliant wild-child who shone so bright and was gone too soon. By means of more than one hundred interviews with those who knew her best—including close friends, family, teachers, mentors, art dealers, boyfriends, and critics—I have retraced the tumultuous path of Addison's life, with research that sheds new evidence on what really happened the night of July 28, 2013. With photo inserts and previously unpublished supplemental material."
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about The Unfinished Life of Addison Stone?My favorite thing about writing The Unfinished Life Addison Stone was inventing the visual piece. I told the story as a hybrid, photographing models and friends, and using locations from all over my Brooklyn neighborhood. I showcased art from four different working artists and art students, and I created magazine articles and newspapers. The result is a biography of a young artist that feels immediate, real, and emotionally connected.
I really enjoyed working with Giza Lagarce, who plays Addison in the book. In her modeling jobs, Giza is often required to help create narratives that tell different stories of whatever she is selling. As Addison, Giza also had to express everything about her character via nonverbal cues. And I think she totally embodied reckless, brilliant wild-child "It Girl" Addison.Purchase The Unfinished Life of Addison Stone at AmazonPurchase The Unfinished Life of Addison Stone at IndieBoundView The Unfinished Life of Addison Stone on GoodreadsMORE YOUNG ADULT NOVELS NEW IN STORES NEXT WEEK
Between the Spark and the Burnby April Genevieve TucholkeHardcoverDialReleased 8/14/2014The conclusion to Between the Devil and The Deep Blue Sea, this gothic thriller romance with shades of Stephen King and Daphne du Maurier is a must-read for fans of Beautiful Creatures and Anna Dressed in Blood.Freddie once told me that the Devil created all the fear in the world.
But then, the Devil once told me that it's easier to forgive someone for scaring you than for making you cry.
The problem with River West Redding was that he'd done both to me.The crooked-smiling liar River West Redding, who drove into Violet's life one summer day and shook her world to pieces, is gone. Violet and Neely, River's other brother, are left to worry—until they catch a two a.m. radio program about strange events in a distant mountain town. They take off in search of River but are always a step behind, finding instead frenzied towns, witch hunts, and a wind-whipped island with the thrum of something strange and dangerous just under the surface. It isn't long before Violet begins to wonder if Neely, the one Redding brother she thought trustworthy, has been hiding a secret of his own . . .
Purchase Between the Spark and the Burn at AmazonPurchase Between the Spark and the Burn at IndieBoundView Between the Spark and the Burn on Goodreads* * * *
Fiendishby Brenna YovanoffHardcoverRazorbillReleased 8/14/2014Clementine DeVore spent ten years trapped in a cellar, pinned down by willow roots, silenced and forgotten.
Now she’s out and determined to uncover who put her in that cellar and why. When Clementine was a child, dangerous and inexplicable things started happening in New South Bend. The townsfolk blamed the fiendish people out in the Willows and burned their homes to the ground. But magic kept Clementine alive, walled up in the cellar for ten years, until a boy named Fisher sets her free. Back in the world, Clementine sets out to discover what happened all those years ago. But the truth gets muddled in her dangerous attraction to Fisher, the politics of New South Bend, and the Hollow, a fickle and terrifying place that seems increasingly temperamental ever since Clementine reemerged.
Purchase Fiendish at AmazonPurchase Fiendish at IndieBoundView Fiendish on Goodreads* * * *
Sisters' Fateby Jessica SpotswoodHardcoverPutnam JuvenileReleased 8/14/2014A fever ravages New London, but with the Brotherhood sending suspected witches straight to the gallows, the Sisters are powerless against the disease. They can’t help without revealing their powers—as Cate learns when a potent display of magic turns her into the most wanted witch in all of New England.
To make matters worse, Cate has been erased from the memory of her beloved Finn. While she’s torn between protecting him from further attacks and encouraging him to fall for her all over again, she’s certain she can never forgive Maura’s betrayal. And now that Tess’s visions have taken a deadly turn, the prophecy that one Cahill sister will murder another looms ever closer to its fulfillment.
Purchase Sisters' Fate at AmazonPurchase Sisters' Fate at IndieBoundView Sisters' Fate on Goodreadsa Rafflecopter giveaway
Although somewhat late, I am so glad to deliver this list of MG and YA releases by authors of color for the month of August. It’s been quite a long while since we’ve seen so many releases in one month. If you prefer a more visual presentation, visit the Pinterest Board. And, the 2014 cumulative list can be found here.
I tried cleaning up my cumulative list, I’m not sure what’s going on with WordPress. I copied the entire list to a Word doc to clean up the spacing and the font. The results were even worse! What I’m left with is a page that looks much better, but no hyperlinks. If you need the links, you can access them on a Word doc from the page with the list. All new postings should have hyperlinks but I’m not going back to add them. I just want to get out of WordPress for now. Sorry for any inconvenience.
Descriptions are from IndieBound except where noted.
Bombay Blues by Tanuja Desai Hidier; Push The long-awaited sequel to Hidier’s groundbreaking “Born Confused”Nan ALA Best Book for Young Adults. Dimple Lala needs a change. She and her boyfriend think they’re heading to Bombay for a family wedding, but really they are plunging into the unexpected, the unmapped, and the uncontrollable.
Knockout Games by Greg Neri; Carolrhoda Books. A disturbing rash of seemingly random attacks occur in St. Louis by a group of teens called the TKO club. Erica is one of a few girls who is down with TKO in part due to her natural skill with a video camera and her ability to make art out of the attacks.
I Remember Beirut by Zeina Abirached; Graphic Universe Zeina Abirached, author of the award-winning graphic novel A Game for Swallows, returns with a powerful collection of wartime memories.
Abirached was born in Lebanon in 1981. She grew up in Beirut as fighting between Christians and Muslims divided the city streets. Follow her past cars riddled with bullet holes, into taxi cabs that travel where buses refuse to go, and n outings to collect shrapnel from the sidewalk.
With striking black-and-white artwork, Abirached recalls the details of ordinary life inside a war zone. (Amazon)
Kinda Like Brothers by Coe Booth; Scholastic MG Jarrett is used to his mom taking in foster babies, but this time a baby girl has an older brother. Kevon is Jarrett’s age, and Jarrett doesn’t like sharing his room, his friends, and his life with a stranger. The more Jarrett tries to get rid of Kevon, the more he learns about Kevon’s life and his historyNwhich leads to an unexpected understanding.
The Turtles of Oman by Naomi Shihab Nye MG This accessible, exquisite novel shines with gentle humor and explores themes of moving, family, nature, and immigration. It tells the story of Aref Al-Amri, who must say good-bye to everything and everyone he loves in his hometown of Muscat, Oman, as his family prepares to move to Ann Arbor, Michigan. This is acclaimed poet and National Book Award Finalist Naomi Shihab Nye’s first novel set in the Middle East since her acclaimed Habibi.
Aref Al-Amri does not want to leave Oman. He does not want to leave his elementary school, his friends, or his beloved grandfather, Siddi. He does not want to live in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where his parents will go to graduate school. His mother is desperate for him to pack his suitcase, but he refuses. Finally, she calls Siddi for help. But rather than pack, Aref and Siddi go on a series of adventures. They visit the camp of a thousand stars deep in the desert, they sleep on Siddi’s roof, they fish in the Gulf of Oman and dream about going to India, and they travel to the nature reserve to watch the sea turtles. At each stop, Siddi finds a small stone that he later slips into Aref’s suitcase–mementos of home.
Naomi Shihab Nye’s warmth, attention to detail, and belief in the power of empathy and connection shines from every page. Features black-and-white spot art and decorations by Betsy Peterschmidt.
A Blind Spot for Boys by Justina Chen Shana has always had a blind spot for boys. Can she trust the one who’s right in front of her?
Sixteen-year-old Shana Wilde is officially on a Boy Moratorium. After a devastating breakup, she decides it’s time to end the plague of Mr. Wrong, Wrong, and More Wrong.
Enter Quattro, the undeniably cute lacrosse player who slams into Shana one morning in Seattle. Sparks don’t just fly; they ignite. And so does Shana’s interest. Right as she’s about to rethink her ban on boys, she receives crushing news: Her dad is going blind. Quattro is quickly forgotten, and Shana and her parents vow to make the most of the time her father has left to see. So they travel to Machu Picchu, and as they begin their trek, they run into none other than Quattro himself. But even as the trip unites them, Quattro pulls away mysteriously… Love and loss, humor and heartbreak collide in this new novel from acclaimed author Justina Chen.
A New Beginning: My Journey with Addy by Denise Lewis Patrick, American Girl MG Readers can enter Addy Walker’s world during the Civil War in this interactive adventure where they can outrun a slave catcher, raise money for soldiers, and search for Addy’s family. Illustrations.
The Problem with being Slightly Heroic by Uma Krishnaswami; Atheneum Books MG Complications ensue when Bollywood star Dolly Singh premieres her new movie at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC and super fan Dinni and her best friend Maddie present a dance at the grand opening. (OCLC)
The Zero Degree Zombie Zone by Patrick Henry Bass and Jerry Craft; Scholastic Fourth-grader Bakari Katari Johnson is having a really bad day. Class bullies Tariq and Keisha are mad at him, his best friend Wardell has nominated him for hall monitor, and a pack of ice zombies from a frozen world are demanding he return the magic ring that Keisha has! Illustrations.
The Girl From the Well by Rin Chupeco; Sourcebook Fire The Ring” meets “The Exorcist” in this haunting story set in Japan about an American boy whose last hope for protection lies with a vengeful ghost.
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson; Nancy Paulsen Books Raised in South Carolina and New York, Woodson always felt halfway home in each place. In vivid poems, she shares what it was like to grow up as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s, living with the remnants of Jim Crow and her growing awareness of the Civil Rights movement. Touching and powerful, each poem is both accessible and emotionally charged, each line a glimpse into a child’s soul as she searches for her place in the world. Woodson’s eloquent poetry also reflects the joy of finding her voice through writing stories, despite the fact that she struggled with reading as a child. Her love of stories inspired her and stayed with her, creating the first sparks of the gifted writer she was to become.
Alvin Ho: Allergic to the Great Wall, the Forbidden Palace, and Other Tourist Attractions by Lenore Look; Schwartz and Wade MG Here’s the sixth book in the beloved and hilarious Alvin Ho chapter book series, which has been compared to Diary of a Wimpy Kid and is perfect for both beginning and reluctant readers.
Alvin, an Asian American second grader who’s afraid of everything, is taking his fears to a whole new level—or should we say, continent. On a trip to introduce brand-new baby Ho to relatives in China, Alvin’s anxiety is at fever pitch. First there’s the harrowing 16-hour plane ride; then there’s a whole slew of cultural differences to contend with: eating lunch food for breakfast, kung fu lessons, and acupuncture treatment (yikes!). Not to mention the crowds that make it easy for a small boy to get lost.
Filed under:
New Books Tagged:
August,
new releases 
YA BOOK GIVEAWAYS THIS WEEK
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Servants of the Stormby Delilah S. DawsonSigned Hardcover Giveaway Simon PulseReleased 8/5/2014A year ago Hurricane Josephine swept through Savannah, Georgia, leaving behind nothing but death and destruction — and taking the life of Dovey's best friend, Carly. Since that night, Dovey has been in a medicated haze, numb to everything around her.
But recently she's started to believe she's seeing things that can't be real ... including Carly at their favorite cafe. Determined to learn the truth, Dovey stops taking her pills. And the world that opens up to her is unlike anything she could have imagined.
As Dovey slips deeper into the shadowy corners of Savannah — where the dark and horrifying secrets lurk — she learns that the storm that destroyed her city and stole her friend was much more than a force of nature. And now the sinister beings truly responsible are out to finish what they started.
Dovey's running out of time and torn between two paths. Will she trust her childhood friend Baker, who can't see the threatening darkness but promises to never give up on Dovey and Carly? Or will she plot with the sexy stranger, Isaac, who offers all the answers — for a price? Soon Dovey realizes that the danger closing in has little to do with Carly ... and everything to do with Dovey herself.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Servants of the Storm?I feel like *should* say that I love how fiercely Dovey fights to save her friend Carly, but my answer is far more selfish and indulgent. I'm from the South, and I really love the creepy, abandoned, vine-draped, Southern Gothic languor of Savannah. Writing this book was a paean to the parts of Georgia that I find most beautiful, haunting, and dangerous. I loved my research trips, which included visits to Bonaventure Cemetery and horse-drawn carriage tours with my brother-in-law, the Dread Pirate Robert. We traced Dovey's path through downtown, and I got to envision what Savannah would look like after a demonic hurricane. So I loved dwelling in that world. And making the creepy parts even creepier.Purchase Servants of the Storm at AmazonPurchase Servants of the Storm at IndieBoundView Servants of the Storm on Goodreads* * * *
Blindby Rachel DeWoskinHardcover Giveaway Viking JuvenileReleased 8/7/2014When your life as you know it is taken from you, how do you go on?Imagine this: You are fourteen, watching the fireworks at a 4th of July party, when a rocket backfires into the crowd and strikes your eyes, leaving you blind. In that instant, your life is changed forever. How do you face a future in which all your expectations must be different? You will never see the face of your newborn sister, never learn to drive. Will you ever have a job or fall in love? This is Emma’s story. The drama is in her manysmall victories as she returns to high school in her home town and struggles to define herself and make sense of her life, determined not to be dismissed as a PBK – Poor Blind Kid. This heartfelt and heart wrenching story takes you on Emma’s journey and leaves you with a new understanding of the challenges to be faced when life deals a devastating blow.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Blind?What is your favorite thing about BLIND? My favorite thing about Blind is Emma Sasha Silver, the colorful girl at the center of the book. She loses her eyesight in a horrific accident and yet still manages to be a brave and resilient warrior about her teenage life. I began to imagine and write Blind when my two little girls and I read The Black Book of Colors every night for a year. I was both frightened and inspired by that shiny, embossed wonder, a children’s book full of images you can feel rather than see. The more we touched the pages, the more I wondered what it would be like to be able to see and then lose that ability. Would my memories stay visual? Would my senses cross so that I could taste, smell and hear colors? What would language look and feel like, and how would I read, think and make meaning of the world? What if one of my daughters lost her vision? We would read with our fingers and voices, take in books, each other, and everything around us in an utterly changed way. The stakes would be astronomical. What if feeling became our way of seeing? Purchase Blind at AmazonPurchase Blind at IndieBoundView Blind on Goodreads* * * *
Two Girls Staring at the Ceilingby Lucy FrankSigned Hardcover Giveaway Schwartz & WadeReleased 8/5/2014This novel-in-verse—at once literary and emotionally gripping—follows the unfolding friendship between two very different teenage girls who share a hospital room and an illness.
Chess, the narrator, is sick, but with what exactly, she isn’t sure. And to make matters worse, she must share a hospital room with Shannon, her polar opposite. Where Chess is polite, Shannon is rude. Where Chess tolerates pain silently, Shannon screams bloody murder. Where Chess seems to be getting slowly better, Shannon seems to be getting worse. How these teenagers become friends, helping each other come to terms with their illness, makes for a dramatic and deeply moving read.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Two Girls Staring at the Ceiling?My favorite thing about TWO GIRLS STARING AT THE CEILING is the way the book ends. I know: the two girls are in the hospital, so they either live, and go home, or one dies, or they both die. But coming up with a last chapter, and a last page that felt right made me very happy.Purchase Two Girls Staring at the Ceiling at AmazonPurchase Two Girls Staring at the Ceiling at IndieBoundView Two Girls Staring at the Ceiling on GoodreadsYA BOOK GIVEAWAYS LAST WEEK: WINNERS
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The Bridge from Me to Youby Lisa SchroederHardcoverPointReleased 7/29/2014
Winner - Anne VanLoonLauren has a secret. Colby has a problem. But when they find each other, everything falls into place.
Lauren is the new girl in town with a dark secret. Colby is the football hero with a dream of something more. In alternating chapters, they come together, fall apart, and build something stronger than either of them thought possible--something to truly believe in.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about The Bridge from Me to You?I love books that alternate points of view. My novel, CHASING BROOKLYN, alternates between Nico and Brooklyn and the response to that book and the alternating POVs has been really positive. With this new YA, Lauren and Colby tell the story. Lauren's part is in verse while Colby's is in regular chapters. Lauren has had a rough time of it, and has ended up in this small town, living with her aunt and uncle and three cousins. The verse for her part of the story allowed me to really get inside her head and express all of the emotions she's having about her life. And then there's Colby. He's one of the star football players but he has dreams beyond the field, and he feels alone in those dreams. Basically, it's a story of a girl who is haunted by her past and a boy who is haunted by his future, and they are stuck in this small town and at times, neither of them feel like they belong there, for very different reasons. So I love how the dual points of view tell the story in a unique way.Purchase The Bridge from Me to You at AmazonPurchase The Bridge from Me to You at IndieBoundView The Bridge from Me to You on GoodreadsMORE YOUNG ADULT FICTION IN STORES NEXT WEEK WITH AUTHOR INTERVIEWS
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Forget Meby K.A. HarringtonHardcoverPutnam JuvenileReleased 8/7/2014An edge-of-your seat psychological thriller with a romantic twistOn the three-month anniversary of her boyfriend Flynn’s death, Morgan uploads her only photo of him to FriendShare to get some closure—but she’s shocked when the facial recognition software suggests she tag him as "Evan Murphy." She’s never heard of Evan, but a quick search tells her that he lives in a nearby town and looks exactly like Flynn. Only this boy is very much alive.
Digging through layers of secrets and lies, Morgan is left questioning everything she thought she knew about her boyfriend, her town, and even her parents' involvement in this massive web of lies.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Forget Me?I love so much about FORGET ME. The setting (a dying town with lots of abandoned places) was so fun to write. And the twists and turns come fast. But my favorite thing about FORGET ME is the relationship between the main character and her best friend. I’ve always enjoyed writing romance and there is a romance in FORGET ME, but my favorite relationship in the book is between two friends, Morgan and Toni. Those girls stole my heart.
Purchase Forget Me at AmazonPurchase Forget Me at IndieBoundView Forget Me on Goodreads* * * *
Fragile Destinyby Suzanne LazearPaperbackFluxReleased 8/8/2014Noli and her true love V fear the worst if the Staff of Eris—a potent Otherworld relic—falls into the wrong hands. Broken into pieces and hidden in the mortal realm long ago, the staff bestows vast powers on whoever possesses it. Ciarán, the dark king, is trying to rebuild the staff, intending to use it to install a new queen.
In a desperate effort to keep the Otherworld from falling into darkness, Noli and V plot the daring theft of a jewel Ciarán needs to complete the staff. But Ciarán is not so easily defeated. Through his devious machinations, he has set a plan in motion for a final showdown that will decide who rules the Otherworld once and for all.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Fragile Destiny?There’s so much to love in FRAGILE DESTINY, most of which are spoilers. It was a lot of fun weaving together bits from the other books—solving mysteries from book one, resolving things in interesting ways, putting in some major surprises. Also, there’s a lot more kissing in this book than in book 2. But there are still explosions and a lot of cake.
Purchase Fragile Destiny at AmazonPurchase Fragile Destiny at IndieBoundView Fragile Destiny on Goodreads* * * *
Magnoliaby Kristi CookHardcoverSimon PulseReleased 8/5/2014In Magnolia Branch, Mississippi, the Cafferty and Marsden families are southern royalty. Neighbors since the Civil War, the families have shared vacations, holidays, backyard barbecues, and the overwhelming desire to unite their two clans by marriage. So when a baby boy and girl were born to the families at the same time, the perfect opportunity seemed to have finally arrived.
Jemma Cafferty and Ryder Marsden have no intention of giving in to their parents’ wishes. They’re only seventeen, for goodness’ sake, not to mention that one little problem: They hate each other! Jemma can’t stand Ryder’s nauseating golden-boy persona, and Ryder would like nothing better than to pretend stubborn Jemma doesn’t exist.
But when a violent storm ravages Magnolia Branch, it unearths Jemma’s and Ryder’s true feelings for each other as the two discover that the line between love and hate may be thin enough to risk crossing over.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Magnolia?My favorite thing about MAGNOLIA is the setting. I've been wanting to set a book in Mississippi--the state in which I attended college--for a long time. There's just something so...I don't know...atmospheric and romantic, almost a kind of timelessness, about small-town Mississippi, and I really wanted to capture that. The moonlight and magnolia, so to speak. And girls and boys like Jemma and Ryder? Well, that's how they grow 'em in Mississippi. It isn't at all uncommon for a girl to be a straight-A student, a cheerleader, know how to shoot *and* sew, spend hours each week doing volunteer work, and win beauty pageants in her spare time. In fact, it's safe to say that Mississippi girls remind me a lot of the polite, "accomplished" young ladies from Jane Austen novels. And for many Mississippi boys, it's football, good manners, and a lazy southern drawl. Purchase Magnolia at AmazonPurchase Magnolia at IndieBoundView Magnolia on Goodreads* * * *
Of Metal and Wishesby Sarah FineHardcoverMargaret K. McElderry BooksReleased 8/5/2014There are whispers of a ghost in the slaughterhouse where sixteen-year-old Wen assists her father in his medical clinic—a ghost who grants wishes to those who need them most. When one of the Noor, men hired as cheap factory labor, humiliates Wen, she makes an impulsive wish of her own, and the Ghost grants it. Brutally.
Guilt-ridden, Wen befriends the Noor, including their outspoken leader, a young man named Melik. At the same time, she is lured by the mystery of the Ghost and learns he has been watching her … for a very long time.
As deadly accidents fuel tensions within the factory, Wen must confront her growing feelings for Melik, who is enraged at the sadistic factory bosses and the prejudice faced by his people at the hand of Wen’s, and her need to appease the Ghost, who is determined to protect her against any threat—real or imagined. She must decide whom she can trust, because as her heart is torn, the factory is exploding around her … and she might go down with it.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Of Metal and Wishes?My favorite thing about Of Metal and Wishes is the Ghost, but I can’t really talk about him in detail without spoiling the book! The title of the book describes him perfectly, though. He was once a boy who worked in the factory, a victim of the unsafe working conditions and brutal machines on the killing floor of the slaughterhouse. The workers in the factory have built him an altar, where they leave gifts for him along with prayers and wishes, some of which he grants. Wen, the heroine of the story, doesn't believe in the superstitions about the Ghost--until he grants one of her wishes in a pretty terrible way. Writing about him and how he is able to do all the things he does in the story was extremely fun, and I wish I could talk more about it here, but it would give too much away. However, I do plan to give readers a peek into his mind sometime in the next year, so stay tuned …Purchase Of Metal and Wishes at AmazonPurchase Of Metal and Wishes at IndieBoundView Of Metal and Wishes on Goodreads* * * *
The Girl from the Wellby Rin ChupecoHardcoverSourcebooks FireReleased 8/5/2014You may think me biased, being murdered myself. But my state of being has nothing to do with the curiosity toward my own species, if we can be called such. We do not go gentle, as your poet encourages, into that good night. A dead girl walks the streets.
She hunts murderers. Child killers, much like the man who threw her body down a well three hundred years ago.
And when a strange boy bearing stranger tattoos moves into the neighborhood so, she discovers, does something else. And soon both will be drawn into the world of eerie doll rituals and dark Shinto exorcisms that will take them from American suburbia to the remote valleys and shrines of Aomori, Japan.
Because the boy has a terrifying secret - one that would just
kill to get out.
The Girl from the Well is A YA Horror novel pitched as "Dexter" meets "The Grudge", based on a well-loved Japanese ghost story.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about The Girl from the Well?I am a feminist.
I understand that nowadays there's a lot of negative connotations that come with that term, but I mean this in the original definition that it was intended: I believe that men and women are equal, that patriarchy frequently demeans both genders (women according to how the patriarchy treats them, and men according to how patriarchy expects them to treat women) and that we need the understanding and cooperation of both sides to make this a reality.
That said, real life is a sad, angry thing.
What I love about The Girl from the Well is that when you peel back the ghost story you'll find that it is in many ways a feminist book. Okiku started out life as someone powerless - an unimportant maidservant who would have lived the rest of her life in relative obscurity, like many other servants before her. But it takes one act of cruelty to turn her not only into a survivor (albeit of the incorporeal persuasion), but as someone who comes into her own power and into her own worth.
In the same vein, my other protagonist, Tark, is also a victim who'd been horribly treated by the women (I'm being a little ambiguous here, so I don't give too much away) in his life, and if he'd grown up a misogynist some might have understood why. But Tark is a little too smart to go that easy route, and I have always wanted to write about characters who go beyond what's expected of them.
In many ways it's also wish fulfillment on my end. If people had the ability to come back after they died to forever torment their killers I would imagine the concept of world peace would be less of a dream, and I imagine the world itself would be - not necessarily a better place, but a place where equality and fairness would be easier to achieve. It's a very liberating thing to write about, about a girl who takes the worst thing anyone could ever have done to her, and turn it into her greatest strength.
Purchase The Girl from the Well at AmazonPurchase The Girl from the Well at IndieBoundView The Girl from the Well on GoodreadsMORE YOUNG ADULT NOVELS NEW IN STORES NEXT WEEK
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Deadly Little Sinsby Kara TaylorPaperbackSt. Martin's GriffinReleased 8/5/2014In Kara Taylor's
Deadly Little Sins, Anne Dowling investigates a mysterious disappearance in this fast-paced, twisty conclusion to the Prep School Confidential series.
It’s August and Anne is back in New York City for the summer, but she can’t escape the memories of the terrible things that happened at the Wheatley School last spring— and the possibility of being expelled looming over her. When an unexpected— and suspicious— turn of events gets Anne sent back to Wheatley, she’s determined to figure out what happened to her favorite teacher and only adult ally at the school: Ms. Cross.
After a shocking, gruesome murder with connections to the Wheatley School occurs, Anne is convinced there’s more to Ms. Cross’s sudden disappearance, and that her favorite teacher is in danger. But after an ugly breakup with Brent and a new, inexplicable distance between her and Anthony, Anne isn’t sure who she can trust. And even worse, someone at Wheatley knows the truth about what happened to Ms. Cross— someone who will stop at nothing to keep Anne from learning the truth in this engrossing, unputdownable read.
Purchase Deadly Little Sins at AmazonPurchase Deadly Little Sins at IndieBoundView Deadly Little Sins on Goodreads* * * *
I Love I Hate I Miss My Sisterby Amelie SarnHardcoverDelacorte PressReleased 8/5/2014For readers of The Tyrant’s Daughter, Out of Nowhere, and I Am Malala, this poignant story about two Muslim sisters is about love, loss, religion, forgiveness, women’s rights, and freedom.Eighteen-year-old Sohane loves no one more than her beautiful, carefree younger sister, Djelila. And she hates no one as much. The two have always shared everything. But now, Djelila is embracing her life as a secular teen, and Sohane is becoming more religious.
Every choice has a price.When Sohane starts wearing a head scarf, her school insists that she remove it or she’ll be expelled. Meanwhile, Djelila is repeatedly harassed by neighborhood bullies for not following Muslim customs. Sohane can’t help thinking that Djelila deserves what she gets. She never could have imagined just how far things would go.
I love I hate I miss my sister.In the year following Djelila’s tragic death, Sohane struggles with her feelings of loss and guilt, revealing a complex relationship between two sisters, each girl’s path to self-discovery, and the consequences they face for being true to themselves.
Purchase I Love I Hate I Miss My Sister at AmazonPurchase I Love I Hate I Miss My Sister at IndieBoundView I Love I Hate I Miss My Sister on Goodreads* * * *
Just Call My Nameby Holly Goldberg SloanHardcoverLittle, Brown Books for Young ReadersReleased 8/5/2014The happily-ever-after of Holly Goldberg Sloan's acclaimed debut, I'll Be There, is turned on its head in this riveting, emotional sequel about friends, enemies, and how those roles can shift in a matter of moments.
Emily Bell has it all. She's in love with a boy named Sam Border, and his little brother has become part of her family. This summer is destined to be the best time of their lives--until a charismatic new girl in town sets her sights on Sam. Now Emily finds herself questioning the loyalty of the person she thought she could trust most.
But the biggest threat to her happiness is someone she never saw coming. Sam's criminally insane father, whom everyone thought they'd finally left behind, is planning a jailbreak. And he knows exactly where to find Emily and his sons when he escapes...and takes his revenge.
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Mortal Dangerby Ann AguirreHardcoverFeiwel & FriendsReleased 8/5/2014Revenge is a dish best served cold.
In Ann Aguirre's
Mortal Danger, Edie Kramer has a score to settle with the beautiful people at Blackbriar Academy. Their cruelty drove her to the brink of despair, and four months ago, she couldn’t imagine being strong enough to face her senior year. But thanks to a Faustian compact with the enigmatic Kian, she has the power to make the bullies pay. She’s not supposed to think about Kian once the deal is done, but devastating pain burns behind his unearthly beauty, and he’s impossible to forget.
In one short summer, her entire life changes and she sweeps through Blackbriar, prepped to take the beautiful people down from the inside. A whisper here, a look there, and suddenly . . . bad things are happening. It’s a head rush, seeing her tormentors get what they deserve, but things that seem too good to be true usually are, and soon, the pranks and payback turns from delicious to deadly. Edie is alone in a world teeming with secrets and fiends lurking in the shadows. In this murky morass of devil’s bargains, she isn’t sure who—or what—she can trust. Not even her own mind.
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Oppositionby Jennifer L ArmentroutPaperbackEntangled: TeenReleased 8/5/2014Katy knows the world changed the night the Luxen came.
She can't believe Daemon welcomed his race or stood by as his kind threatened to obliterate every last human and hybrid on Earth. But the lines between good and bad have blurred, and love has become an emotion that could destroy her—could destroy them all.
Daemon will do anything to save those he loves, even if it means betrayal.
They must team with an unlikely enemy if there is any chance of surviving the invasion. But when it quickly becomes impossible to tell friend from foe, and the world is crumbling around them, they may lose everything— even what they cherish most—to ensure the survival of their friends…and mankind.
War has come to Earth. And no matter the outcome, the future will never be the same for those left standing.
Purchase Opposition at AmazonPurchase Opposition at IndieBoundView Opposition on Goodreads* * * *
The Islands at the End of the Worldby Austin AslanHardcoverWendy Lamb BooksReleased 8/5/2014In this fast-paced survival story set in Hawaii, electronics fail worldwide, the islands become completely isolated, and a strange starscape fills the sky. Leilani and her father embark on a nightmare odyssey from Oahu to their home on the Big Island. Leilani’s epilepsy holds a clue to the disaster, if only they can survive as the islands revert to earlier ways.
A powerful story enriched by fascinating elements of Hawaiian ecology, culture, and warfare, this captivating and dramatic debut from Austin Aslan is the first of two novels. The author has a master’s degree in tropical conservation biology from the University of Hawaii at Hilo.
Purchase The Islands at the End of the World at AmazonPurchase The Islands at the End of the World at IndieBoundView The Islands at the End of the World on Goodreads* * * *
The Mercilessby Danielle VegaHardcoverRazorbillReleased 8/7/2014Forgive us, Father, for we have sinnedBrooklyn Stevens sits in a pool of her own blood, tied up and gagged. No one outside of these dank basement walls knows she’s here. No one can hear her scream.
Sofia Flores knows she shouldn’t have gotten involved. When she befriended Riley, Grace, and Alexis on her first day at school, she admired them, with their perfect hair and their good-girl ways. They said they wanted to save Brooklyn. They wanted to help her. Sofia didn’t realize they believed Brooklyn was possessed.
Now, Riley and the girls are performing an exorcism on Brooklyn—but their idea of an exorcism is closer to torture than salvation. All Sofia wants is to get out of this house. But there is no way out. Sofia can’t go against the other girls . . . unless she wants to be next. . . .
In this chilling debut, Danielle Vega delivers blood-curdling suspense and terror on every page. By the shockingly twisted end, readers will be faced with the most haunting question of all: Is there evil in all of us?
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Wordlessby AdriAnne StricklandPaperbackFluxReleased 8/8/2014“The Gods made their Words into flesh, giving privileged individuals the powers of creation...”
In Eden City, a member of the illiterate wordless class would never dream of meeting the all-powerful Words ... much less of running away with one. So when a gorgeous girl literally falls into his lap during a routine trash run, seventeen-year-old Tavin Barnes isn’t sure if it’s the luckiest or worst day of his life. That girl is Khaya, the Word of Life, who can heal a wound or command an ivy bush to devour a city block with ease. And yet she needs Tavin’s help.
By aiding Khaya’s escape from the seemingly idyllic confines of Eden City, Tavin unwittingly throws himself into the heart of a conflict that is threatening to tear the world apart. Eden City’s elite will stop at nothing to protect the shocking secret Khaya hides, and they enlist the other Words, each with their own frightening powers, to bring her back.
Purchase Wordless at AmazonPurchase Wordless at IndieBoundView Wordless on Goodreadsa Rafflecopter giveaway
SPECIAL OneFour KIDLIT PREVIEW AND GIVEAWAY
Wordlessby AdriAnne StricklandSigned Paperback plus Swag Giveaway
U.S. OnlyFlux BooksReleased 8/8/2014“The Gods made their Words into flesh, giving privileged individuals the powers of creation...”
In Eden City, a member of the illiterate wordless class would never dream of meeting the all-powerful Words ... much less of running away with one. So when a gorgeous girl literally falls into his lap during a routine trash run, seventeen-year-old Tavin Barnes isn’t sure if it’s the luckiest or worst day of his life. That girl is Khaya, the Word of Life, who can heal a wound or command an ivy bush to devour a city block with ease. And yet she needs Tavin’s help.
By aiding Khaya’s escape from the seemingly idyllic confines of Eden City, Tavin unwittingly throws himself into the heart of a conflict that is threatening to tear the world apart. Eden City’s elite will stop at nothing to protect the shocking secret Khaya hides, and they enlist the other Words, each with their own frightening powers, to bring her back.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Wordless? I love the mythology around the Words Made Flesh that I was able to create that let me involve teens from every kind of diverse background, give them super-powers, and make language/literacy super-powerful at the same time. Not to mention the forbidden love aspect...Purchase Wordless at AmazonPurchase Wordless at IndieBoundView Wordless on Goodreads* * * *
Gates of Thread and Stoneby Lori M. LeeOther Giveaway
U.S. OnlySkyscapeReleased 8/5/2014In the Labyrinth, we had a saying: keep silent, keep still, keep safe.In a city of walls and secrets, where only one man is supposed to possess magic, seventeen-year-old Kai struggles to keep hidden her own secret—she can manipulate the threads of time. When Kai was eight, she was found by Reev on the riverbank, and her “brother” has taken care of her ever since. Kai doesn’t know where her ability comes from—or where
she came from. All that matters is that she and Reev stay together, and maybe one day move out of the freight container they call home, away from the metal walls of the Labyrinth. Kai’s only friend is Avan, the shopkeeper’s son with the scandalous reputation that both frightens and intrigues her.
Then Reev disappears. When keeping silent and safe means losing him forever, Kai vows to do whatever it takes to find him. She will leave the only home she’s ever known and risk getting caught up in a revolution centuries in the making. But to save Reev, Kai must unravel the threads of her past and face shocking truths about her brother, her friendship with Avan, and her unique power.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Gates of Thread and Stone?I loved developing the magic and the rules of its use. Kai can manipulate the threads of time, but that doesn't mean she has free reign on what she can do. In fact, she's very limited. Her abilities are subject to the laws of all magic users, the most important being that of balance. Maintaining balance is one of the biggest issues in the book, and is something Kai has to learn as well.Purchase Gates of Thread and Stone at AmazonPurchase Gates of Thread and Stone at IndieBoundView Gates of Thread and Stone on Goodreads
Hi Everyone!
It's another great week of book releases. Here's the roundup with an amazing giveaway from Lisa Schroeder! One winner will win a signed copy of THE BRIDGE FROM ME TO YOU plus signed copies of CHASING BROOKLYN and FALLING FOR YOU. What are you reading this week?
The ladies of AYAP,
Martina, Alyssa, Jan, Lisa, Katharyn, Erin, and Clara
YA BOOK GIVEAWAYS THIS WEEK
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The Bridge from Me to Youby Lisa SchroederSigned copies of The Bridge from Me to You, Chasing Brooklyn, and Falling for YouPointReleased 7/29/2014Lauren has a secret. Colby has a problem. But when they find each other, everything falls into place.
Lauren is the new girl in town with a dark secret. Colby is the football hero with a dream of something more. In alternating chapters, they come together, fall apart, and build something stronger than either of them thought possible--something to truly believe in.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about The Bridge from Me to You?I love books that alternate points of view. My novel, CHASING BROOKLYN, alternates between Nico and Brooklyn and the response to that book and the alternating POVs has been really positive. With this new YA, Lauren and Colby tell the story. Lauren's part is in verse while Colby's is in regular chapters. Lauren has had a rough time of it, and has ended up in this small town, living with her aunt and uncle and three cousins. The verse for her part of the story allowed me to really get inside her head and express all of the emotions she's having about her life. And then there's Colby. He's one of the star football players but he has dreams beyond the field, and he feels alone in those dreams. Basically, it's a story of a girl who is haunted by her past and a boy who is haunted by his future, and they are stuck in this small town and at times, neither of them feel like they belong there, for very different reasons. So I love how the dual points of view tell the story in a unique way.Purchase The Bridge from Me to You at AmazonPurchase The Bridge from Me to You at IndieBoundView The Bridge from Me to You on Goodreads
YA BOOK GIVEAWAYS LAST WEEK: WINNERS
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Strange and Ever Afterby Susan DennardHardcoverHarperTeenReleased 7/22/2014
Winner - Summer KhaleqIn the conclusion to the trilogy that Publishers Weekly called “a roaring—and addictive—gothic world,” Eleanor Fitt must control her growing power, face her feelings for Daniel, and confront the evil necromancer Marcus...all before it’s too late.
He took her brother, he took her mother, and now, Marcus has taken her good friend Jie. With more determination than ever to bring this sinister man to justice, Eleanor heads to the hot desert streets of nineteenth-century Egypt in hopes of ending this nightmare. But in addition to her increasingly tense relationships with Daniel, Joseph, and her demon, Oliver, Eleanor must also deal with her former friend, Allison, who has curiously entangled herself in Eleanor’s mission.
With the rising dead chomping at her every move and Jie’s life hanging in the balance, Eleanor is convinced that her black magic will see her through to the bitter end. But there will be a price. Though she and the Spirit Hunters have weathered every battle thus far, there will be consequences to suffer this time—the effects of which will be irreversible. And when it’s over, only some will be able to live a strange and ever after.
Susan Dennard will leave readers breathless and forever changed in the concluding pages of this riveting ride.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Strange and Ever After?I have to say, I LOVE the Egyptian setting. I mean, Indiana Jones and The Mummy are still some of my favorite films, so it's no wonder that I loved exploring 1876 Cairo so much! I mean, the dusty streets, the intense heat, the call of the muezzin, and the clash of modern buildings with old Turkish side streets--it was seriously a delight researching this book. Then, studying the Great Pyramid, Saqqara, and Heliopolis--there is just so much potential for conflict and romance in those settings!
Plus--c'mon--everyone knows that having mummies as part of a Dead army makes EVERYTHING cooler. ;)Purchase Strange and Ever After at AmazonPurchase Strange and Ever After at IndieBoundView Strange and Ever After on GoodreadsMORE YOUNG ADULT NOVELS NEW IN STORES NEXT WEEK
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Kalona's Fallby Kristin Cast & P.C. CastHardcoverSt. Martin's GriffinReleased 7/29/2014With more than 12 million books in print, rights sold in almost forty countries, and more than three years on The New York Times bestseller listreaching as high as #1 the House of Night series is an international publishing sensation. Now, the excitement continues as the Cast mother-daughter duo shares the back stories of a few of the House of Night's most importantand mysteriouscharacters.In KALONA'S FALL, the shadows in Kalonas past will finally come to light We will learn about the winged immortal's secret history and discover how he went from being the Goddess's Warrior and Guardian to her enemy and betrayer. Did Darkness taint Kalona as it did Neferet, or has the powerful immortal always preferred power over honor, and control over faith? This novella will be crucial to fans' understanding of Kalona, before his role in the explosive final installment of the House of Night, REDEEMED coming in October 2014.
Purchase Kalona's Fall at AmazonPurchase Kalona's Fall at IndieBoundView Kalona's Fall on Goodreads* * * *
Silver Shadowsby Richelle MeadHardcoverRazorbillReleased 7/29/2014Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.In The Fiery Heart, Sydney risked everything to follow her gut, walking a dangerous line to keep her feelings hidden from the Alchemists.
Now in the aftermath of an event that ripped their world apart, Sydney and Adrian struggle to pick up the pieces and find their way back to each other. But first, they have to survive.
For Sydney, trapped and surrounded by adversaries, life becomes a daily struggle to hold on to her identity and the memories of those she loves. Meanwhile, Adrian clings to hope in the face of those who tell him Sydney is a lost cause, but the battle proves daunting as old demons and new temptations begin to seize hold of him. . . .
Their worst fears now a chilling reality, Sydney and Adrian face their darkest hour in this heart-pounding fifth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where all bets are off.
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Some Boysby Patty BlountPaperbackSourcebooks FireReleased 8/1/2014Some boys go too far. Some boys will break your heart. But one boy can make you whole.When Grace meets Ian she's afraid. Afraid he'll reject her like the rest of the school, like her own family. After she accuses the town golden boy of rape, everyone turns against Grace. They call her a slut and a liar. But...Ian doesn't. He's funny and kind with secrets of his own.
But how do you trust the best friend of the boy who raped you? How do you believe in love?
A gut-wrenching, powerful love story told from alternating points of view by the acclaimed author of Send.
Purchase Some Boys at AmazonPurchase Some Boys at IndieBoundView Some Boys on Goodreads* * * *
The Young Worldby Chris WeitzHardcoverLittle, Brown Books for Young ReadersReleased 7/29/2014 Welcome to New York, a city ruled by teens.After a mysterious Sickness wipes out the rest of the population, the young survivors assemble into tightly run tribes. Jefferson, the reluctant leader of the Washington Square tribe, and Donna, the girl he's secretly in love with, have carved out a precarious existence among the chaos. But when another tribe member discovers a clue that may hold the cure to the Sickness, five teens set out on a life-altering road trip to save humankind.
The tribe exchanges gunfire with enemy gangs, escapes cults and militias, braves the wilds of the subway and Central Park...and discovers truths they could never have imagined.
Purchase The Young World at AmazonPurchase The Young World at IndieBoundView The Young World on Goodreadsa Rafflecopter giveaway
Hi Everyone!
It's another great week of book releases. Here's the roundup with a giveaway from from the fabulous Susan Dennard. Have you been waiting (im)patiently for any of this week's releases?
The ladies of AYAP,
Martina, Alyssa, Jan, Lisa, Katharyn, Erin, and Clara
YA BOOK GIVEAWAYS THIS WEEK
Strange and Ever Afterby Susan DennardSigned Hardcover (US winner) or Ebook (International winner)HarperTeenReleased 7/22/2014In the conclusion to the trilogy that Publishers Weekly called “a roaring—and addictive—gothic world,” Eleanor Fitt must control her growing power, face her feelings for Daniel, and confront the evil necromancer Marcus...all before it’s too late.
He took her brother, he took her mother, and now, Marcus has taken her good friend Jie. With more determination than ever to bring this sinister man to justice, Eleanor heads to the hot desert streets of nineteenth-century Egypt in hopes of ending this nightmare. But in addition to her increasingly tense relationships with Daniel, Joseph, and her demon, Oliver, Eleanor must also deal with her former friend, Allison, who has curiously entangled herself in Eleanor’s mission.
With the rising dead chomping at her every move and Jie’s life hanging in the balance, Eleanor is convinced that her black magic will see her through to the bitter end. But there will be a price. Though she and the Spirit Hunters have weathered every battle thus far, there will be consequences to suffer this time—the effects of which will be irreversible. And when it’s over, only some will be able to live a strange and ever after.
Susan Dennard will leave readers breathless and forever changed in the concluding pages of this riveting ride.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Strange and Ever After?I have to say, I LOVE the Egyptian setting. I mean, Indiana Jones and The Mummy are still some of my favorite films, so it's no wonder that I loved exploring 1876 Cairo so much! I mean, the dusty streets, the intense heat, the call of the muezzin, and the clash of modern buildings with old Turkish side streets--it was seriously a delight researching this book. Then, studying the Great Pyramid, Saqqara, and Heliopolis--there is just so much potential for conflict and romance in those settings!
Plus--c'mon--everyone knows that having mummies as part of a Dead army makes EVERYTHING cooler. ;)Purchase Strange and Ever After at AmazonPurchase Strange and Ever After at IndieBoundView Strange and Ever After on GoodreadsYA BOOK GIVEAWAYS LAST WEEK: WINNERS
Earthquakeby Aprilynne PikeHardcoverRazorbillReleased 7/15/2014
Winners: Katherine Ivan and Alisha SienkielTavia Michaels has discovered that she’s an Earthbound—a fallen goddess with the power to remake the Earth—and that a rival faction of Earthbounds, the Reduciata, has created a virus that is literally wiping swaths of the planet out of existence.
Tavia is captured and imprisoned before she can act on this information, along with her eternal lover, Logan. Huddled in a claustrophobic cell, they lose track of the days, their attempts to escape proving as ephemeral as Tavia’s newly gestating powers. But then Tavia and Logan are mysteriously rescued. . . .
They’re brought to the underground headquarters of the Curatoria, another group of Earthbounds that Tavia doesn’t fully trust. There, she’s told that she can save the Earth before it disappears. She agrees.
Tavia quickly realizes that she isn’t like other Earthbound, and as her abilities continue to awaken, they begin to threaten her centuries-long relationship with Logan. When Benson—Tavia’s former best friend and romantic interest—appears at Curatoria headquarters, Tavia will again have to make a choice about who to be with even as she tries to stop the virus that is destroying the world and uncover the truth about the two Earthbound organizations that have her tangled up in their webs.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Earthquake?Oddly, the pacing. I have often said that pacing is not something that comes natural to me as a writer. And it's not. But through a lot of work and tons of help from my editor, i am so happy with the pacing in Earthquake! It is quite frenetic in much the same way as Destined is, at the end of the Wings series. Everything moves really, really fast, and you get to about the last hundred pages, and there's just no good place to stop! Purchase Earthquake at AmazonPurchase Earthquake at IndieBoundView Earthquake on GoodreadsMORE YOUNG ADULT FICTION IN STORES NEXT WEEK WITH AUTHOR INTERVIEWS
Endlessby Kate BrianHardcoverDisney-HyperionReleased 7/22/2014An unthinkable betrayal threatens everyone Rory loves in the third installment of our dark, thrilling Shadowlands series from New York Times best-selling author Kate Brian.
Rory Miller didn't just fall in love with Tristan Parrish. She fell in love with the idea of forever. He was the one who told her the truth about her existence in Juniper Landing: that her mortal life is over, and she will now spend eternity on the island, helping others in limbo move on.
But like Juniper Landing, a bright island with dark secrets, Tristan is too good to be true. The mysterious, heartbreakingly beautiful boy Rory thought she knew is responsible for unthinkable evil-sending good souls to the Shadowlands in order to get himself a second chance at life on Earth. He has already claimed Rory's friend Aaron and her own father, but when SPOILER Tristan sends her sister, Darcy, to the Shadowlands, too, Rory decides to take matters into her own hands. She will do anything to save her family, even if it means going to hell and back.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Endless?My favorite thing about Endless is that, since it’s the last book in the Shadowlands trilogy, I get to answer all the nagging questions. Every time I go to an event, people have tons of great, insightful questions about what’s going on in this trilogy, but I can never answer them without giving everything away. Now everyone gets to find out what happens to (protagonist) Rory, whether she’ll see her mom, whether (love interest) Tristan is really a bad guy, whether Rory ends up with Tristan or (second love interest) Joaquin, if (serial killer) Steven Nell is really dead and gone. It’s all in there! Hopefully the readers will be satisfied with the answers I provide.
I also love—and I hope this isn’t giving too much away—that I got to end things in a hopeful place. I piled so much horrible, devastating crap onto Rory throughout the first two books, and she gets some more dumped on her here, but by the end she’s figured out a few things and learned a lot about her new surroundings. She understands how to deal and what she has to do to help the people she loves. Purchase Endless at AmazonPurchase Endless at IndieBoundView Endless on Goodreads* * * *
Extractionby Stephanie DiazHardcoverSt. Martin's Griffin; First Edition editionReleased 7/22/2014"Welcome to Extraction testing."Clementine has spent her whole life preparing for her sixteenth birthday, when she’ll be tested for Extraction in the hopes of being sent from the planet Kiel’s toxic Surface to the much safer Core, where people live without fear or starvation. When she proves promising enough to be “Extracted,” she must leave without Logan, the boy she loves. Torn apart from her only sense of family, Clem promises to come back and save him from brutal Surface life.
What she finds initially in the Core is a utopia compared to the Surface—it’s free of hard labor, gun-wielding officials, and the moon's lethal acid. But life is anything but safe, and Clementine learns that the planet's leaders are planning to exterminate Surface dwellers—and that means Logan, too.
Trapped by the steel walls of the underground and the lies that keep her safe, Clementine must find a way to escape and rescue Logan and the rest of the planet. But the planet leaders don't want her running—they want her subdued.
With intense action scenes and a cast of unforgettable characters,
Extraction is a page-turning, gripping read, sure to entertain lovers of
Hunger Games and
Ender's Game and leave them breathless for more.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Extraction?My favorite thing about Extraction is the sci-fi elements, especially the big reveal related to why the moon is poisonous. And the fact I managed to include references (some subtle, some not so subtle) to my favorite sci-fi shows like Doctor Who, Firefly, and Battlestar Galactica.Purchase Extraction at AmazonPurchase Extraction at IndieBoundView Extraction on Goodreads* * * *
Just LIke The Moviesby Kelly FioreHardcoverBloomsbury USA ChildrensReleased 7/22/2014Pretty, popular Marijke Monti and over-achieving nerd-girl Lily Spencer have little in common—except that neither feels successful when it comes to love. Marijke can’t get her boyfriend to say “I love you” and Lily can’t get a boyfriend at all. When the girls end up at a late night showing of
Titanic, sniffling along with the sinking ship, they realize that their love lives could—and should—be better. Which sparks an idea: Why can’t life be like a movie? Why can’t they create perfect romantic situations? Now they have a budding friendship and a plan—to act out grand gestures and get the guys of their dreams. It seems like fun at first, but reality turns out to be much more complicated, and they didn’t take into account that finding true love usually requires finding yourself first.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Just LIke The Movies?I think the thing I like best about Just Like the Movies is how I was able to explore the “other side” of romantic comedy storylines – the side where things don’t always work out the way you expect them to. It’s all well and good to blast a love song outside your crush’s window, but the movies don’t even show us the more embarrassing alternatives – like when you wake up your crush’s parents instead of him. While we all like a good happily ever after, I think it’s pretty easy to admit that those fairytale endings aren’t realistic. I liked weaving in a handful of movie grand gestures and having some of them work well and some of them bomb impressively – because, that’s life, right? Things don’t always work out the way we plan them.
Purchase Just LIke The Movies at AmazonPurchase Just LIke The Movies at IndieBoundView Just LIke The Movies on GoodreadsMORE YOUNG ADULT NOVELS NEW IN STORES NEXT WEEK
Dissonanceby Erica O'RourkeHardcoverSimon & Schuster Books for Young ReadersReleased 7/22/2014Delancy Sullivan has always known there’s more to reality than what people see. Every time someone makes a choice, a new, parallel world branches off from the existing one. Eating breakfast or skipping it, turning left instead of right, sneaking out instead of staying in bed ~ all of these choices create an alternate universe in which an echo self takes the road not travelled and makes the opposite decision. As a Walker, someone who can navigate between these worlds, Del’s job is to keep all of the dimensions in harmony.
Normally, Del can hear the dissonant frequency that each world emits as clear as a bell. But when a training session in an off-key world goes horribly wrong, she is forbidden from Walking by the Council. But Del’s not big on following the rules and she secretly starts to investigate these other worlds. Something strange is connecting them and it’s not just her random encounters with echo versions of the guy she likes, Simon Lane.
But Del’s decisions have unimaginable consequences and, as she begins to fall for the Echo Simons in each world, she draws closer to a truth that the Council of Walkers is trying to hide ~ a secret that threatens the fate of the entire multiverse.
Purchase Dissonance at AmazonPurchase Dissonance at IndieBoundView Dissonance on Goodreads* * * *
In Too Deepby Coert VoorheesHardcoverDisney-HyperionReleased 7/22/2014Annie Fleet, master scuba diver and history buff, knows she can’t fight her nerd status as a freshman at her Los Angeles private school. And she doesn’t care—except for the fact that her crush, Josh, thinks she’s more adorable than desirable. Annie is determined to set him straight on their school trip to Mexico. But her teacher has other plans: he needs Annie to help him find Cortez’s lost-long treasure.
Suddenly, Annie finds herself scuba diving in pitch-black waters, jetting to Hawaii with Josh, and hunting for the priceless Golden Jaguar. But Annie and Josh aren’t the only ones lured by the possibility of finding the greatest treasure ever lost at sea. Someone else wants the gold—and needs Annie dead. In deeper danger than she ever imagined, can Annie get the boy and find the Jaguar, or is she in over her head?
Critically-acclaimed author Coert Voorhees delivers breathtaking romance and non-stop action in his newest novel, the spirited and captivating In Too Deep.
Purchase In Too Deep at AmazonPurchase In Too Deep at IndieBoundView In Too Deep on Goodreads* * * *
Like No Otherby Una LaMarcheHardcoverRazorbillReleased 7/24/2014Fate brought them together. Will life tear them apart? Devorah is a consummate good girl who has never challenged the ways of her strict Hasidic upbringing.
Jaxon is a fun-loving, book-smart nerd who has never been comfortable around girls (unless you count his four younger sisters).
They've spent their entire lives in Brooklyn, on opposite sides of the same street. Their paths never crossed . . . until one day, they did.
When a hurricane strikes the Northeast, the pair becomes stranded in an elevator together, where fate leaves them no choice but to make an otherwise risky connection.
Though their relation is strictly forbidden, Devorah and Jax arrange secret meetings and risk everything to be together. But how far can they go? Just how much are they willing to give up?
In the timeless tradition of
West Side Story and
Crossing Delancey, this thoroughly modern take on romance will inspire laughter, tears, and the belief that love can happen when and where you least expect it.
Purchase Like No Other at AmazonPurchase Like No Other at IndieBoundView Like No Other on Goodreads* * * *
Marinaby Carlos Ruiz ZaffonHardcoverLittle, Brown Books for Young ReadersReleased 7/22/2014"We all have a secret buried under lock and key in the attic of our soul. This is mine."
In May 1980, fifteen-year-old Oscar Drai suddenly vanishes from his barding school in Barcelona. For seven days and seven nights no one knows his whereabouts...
His story begins in an old quarter of the city, where he meets the strange Marina and her father, Germán Blau, a portrait painter. Marina takes Oscar to a cemetery to watch a macabre ritual that occurs on the last Sunday of each month. At exactly ten o'clock in the morning, a coach pulled by black horses appears. From it descends a woman, her face shrouded be a black velvet cloak. Holding a single rose, she walks to a gravestone that bears no name, only a mysterious emblem of a black butterfly with open wings.
When Oscar and Marina decide to follow her, they begin a journey that transports them to a forgotten, postwar Barcelona--a world of aristocrats and actresses, inventors and tycoons--and reveals a dark secret that lies waiting in the mysterious labyrinth beneath the city streets.
Written just before The Shadow of the Wind, Carlos Ruiz Zafón's Marina has long been a cult classic in Spain and is now an international bestseller.
Purchase Marina at AmazonPurchase Marina at IndieBoundView Marina on Goodreads* * * *
One Past Midnightby Jessica ShirvingtonHardcoverBloomsbury USA ChildrensReleased 7/22/2014Name of overseas edition of Between The Lives.
Above all else, though I try not to think about it, I know which life I prefer. And every night when I Cinderella myself from one life to the next a very small, but definite, piece of me dies. The hardest part is that nothing about my situation has ever changed. There is no loophole.
Until now, that is... For as long as she can remember, Sabine has lived two lives. Every 24 hours she Shifts to her 'other' life - a life where she is exactly the same, but absolutely everything else is different: different family, different friends, different social expectations. In one life she has a sister, in the other she does not. In one life she's a straight-A student with the perfect boyfriend, in the other she's considered a reckless delinquent. Nothing about her situation has ever changed, until the day when she discovers a glitch: the arm she breaks in one life is perfectly fine in the other.
With this new knowledge, Sabine begins a series of increasingly risky experiments which bring her dangerously close to the life she's always wanted... But just what - and who - is she really risking?
Purchase One Past Midnight at AmazonPurchase One Past Midnight at IndieBoundView One Past Midnight on Goodreads* * * *
RUN TO YOU: Sixth Senseby Clara KensieebookHarlequin TeenReleased 7/21/2014Part Six in the riveting romantic thriller about a family on the run from a deadly past and a first love that will transcend secrets, lies and danger…
To save Tessa's brother and sister, she and Tristan must deceive the entire town. But if their plan succeeds, Tessa will have to make an unbearable choice between her siblings and her true love. And when her nightmares become real, she may lose it all—her family, her boyfriend and even her life.
Purchase RUN TO YOU: Sixth Sense at AmazonPurchase RUN TO YOU: Sixth Sense at IndieBoundView RUN TO YOU: Sixth Sense on Goodreads* * * *
The Burnoutsby Lex ThomasHardcoverEgmontUSAReleased 7/22/2014Lord of the Flies in a 21st-century high school setting.Welcome to Quarantine 3: The Burnouts , where readers of The Maze Runner, Gone, and Divergent go when they're hungry for more dark, compelling survival stories.When an explosion rocks David and Will's suburban high school one morning, a deadly virus is unleashed on the school. After a year of quarantine, with no adults around, the students have created their own society. All of the social cliques have developed into gangs-The Nerds, The Geeks, The Freaks, The Sluts, The Skaters, The Burnouts, The Pretty Ones, and The Varsity-and each gang provides a service with which they can barter for provisions. Without a gang, it's almost impossible to secure food, water, territory, or supplies. In the final installment in the Quarantine trilogy, the brothers are reunited on the Outside and it appears as if, for once everything is going right. But inside the school, Lucy is alone with no gang and no hope, until the Burnouts welcome her into their filthy arms.
Purchase The Burnouts at AmazonPurchase The Burnouts at IndieBoundView The Burnouts on Goodreads* * * *
The Fire Wishby Amber LoughHardcoverRandom House Books for Young ReadersReleased 7/22/2014A jinni. A princess. And the wish that changes everything. . . .
Najwa is a jinni, training to be a spy in the war against the humans. Zayele is a human on her way to marry a prince of Baghdad—which she’ll do anything to avoid. So she captures Najwa and makes a wish. With a rush of smoke and fire, they fall apart and re-form—as each other. A jinni and a human, trading lives. Both girls must play their parts among enemies who would kill them if the deception were ever discovered—enemies including the young men Najwa and Zayele are just discovering they might love.
Purchase The Fire Wish at AmazonPurchase The Fire Wish at IndieBoundView The Fire Wish on Goodreads* * * *
The Year of Chasing Dreamsby Lurlene McDanielHardcoverDelacorte PressReleased 7/22/2014In the vein of
Eat, Pray, Love, this YA novel intertwines a family saga with a grand love story and is the companion to
The Year of Luminous Love and
Wishes and Dreams. For fans of Sarah Dessen's
The Moon and More and Ann Brashares's
Forever in Blue. Ciana Beauchamp hasn't seen or heard from Jon Mercer in months. Until now. He's back in Windemere to see her. Deep down Ciana is filled with joy and relief. She's never stopped loving him. It's proof of Jon's love that he has returned, but what will their future be?
When tragedy strikes, almost no one in town is left unscathed. Tragedy has a way of bringing people together, but it can also tear them apart. Ciana can hardly face her choices, but she knows she must, and there are now people who she can turn to if only she is willing.
Purchase The Year of Chasing Dreams at AmazonPurchase The Year of Chasing Dreams at IndieBoundView The Year of Chasing Dreams on Goodreads* * * *
Uncagedby John Sanford, Michelle CookHardcoverKnopf Books for Young ReadersReleased 7/22/2014#1 New York Times bestselling Prey author John Sandford and Michele Cook debut a high-octane young adult thriller series.Shay Remby arrives in Hollywood with $58 and a handmade knife, searching for her brother, Odin.
Odin’s a brilliant hacker but a bit of a loose cannon. He and a group of radical animal-rights activists hit a Singular Corp. research lab in Eugene, Oregon. The raid was a disaster, but Odin escaped with a set of highly encrypted flash drives and a post-surgical dog.
When Shay gets a frantic 3 a.m. phone call from Odin—talking about evidence of unspeakable experiments, and a ruthless corporation, and how he must hide—she’s concerned. When she gets a menacing visit from Singular’s security team, she knows: her brother’s a dead man walking.
What Singular doesn’t know—yet—is that 16-year-old Shay is every bit as ruthless as their security force, and she will burn Singular to the ground, if that’s what it takes to save her brother.
Purchase Uncaged at AmazonPurchase Uncaged at IndieBoundView Uncaged on Goodreads* * * *
Welcome To The Dark Houseby Laurie Faria StalarzHardcoverDisney-HyperionReleased 7/22/2014What’s your worst nightmare?For Ivy Jensen, it’s the eyes of a killer that haunt her nights. For Parker Bradley, it’s bloodthirsty sea serpents that slither in his dreams.
And for seven essay contestants, it’s their worst nightmares that win them an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at director Justin Blake’s latest, confidential project. Ivy doesn’t even like scary movies, but she’s ready to face her real-world fears. Parker’s sympathetic words and perfect smile help keep her spirits up. . . at least for now.
Not everyone is so charming, though. Horror-film fanatic Garth Vader wants to stir up trouble. It’s bad enough he has to stay in the middle of nowhere with
this group—the girl who locks herself in her room; the know-it-all roommate; “Mister Sensitive”; and the one who’s too cheery for her own good. Someone has to make things interesting.
Except, things are already a little weird. The hostess is a serial-killer look-alike, the dream-stealing Nightmare Elf is lurking about, and the seventh member of the group is missing.
By the time Ivy and Parker realize what’s
really at stake, it’s too late to wake up and run.
Purchase Welcome To The Dark House at AmazonPurchase Welcome To The Dark House at IndieBoundView Welcome To The Dark House on Goodreadsa Rafflecopter giveaway
Hi Everyone!
It's another great week of book releases. Here's the roundup with a great giveaway from Aprilynne Pike. What are you most looking forward to reading?
The ladies of AYAP,
Martina, Alyssa, Jan, Clara, Lisa, and Katharyn
YA BOOK GIVEAWAYS THIS WEEK
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Earthquakeby Aprilynne PikeOther Giveaway (2 Copies)RazorbillReleased 7/15/2014Tavia Michaels has discovered that she’s an Earthbound—a fallen goddess with the power to remake the Earth—and that a rival faction of Earthbounds, the Reduciata, has created a virus that is literally wiping swaths of the planet out of existence.
Tavia is captured and imprisoned before she can act on this information, along with her eternal lover, Logan. Huddled in a claustrophobic cell, they lose track of the days, their attempts to escape proving as ephemeral as Tavia’s newly gestating powers. But then Tavia and Logan are mysteriously rescued. . . .
They’re brought to the underground headquarters of the Curatoria, another group of Earthbounds that Tavia doesn’t fully trust. There, she’s told that she can save the Earth before it disappears. She agrees.
Tavia quickly realizes that she isn’t like other Earthbound, and as her abilities continue to awaken, they begin to threaten her centuries-long relationship with Logan. When Benson—Tavia’s former best friend and romantic interest—appears at Curatoria headquarters, Tavia will again have to make a choice about who to be with even as she tries to stop the virus that is destroying the world and uncover the truth about the two Earthbound organizations that have her tangled up in their webs.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Earthquake?Oddly, the pacing. I have often said that pacing is not something that comes natural to me as a writer. And it's not. But through a lot of work and tons of help from my editor, i am so happy with the pacing in Earthquake! It is quite frenetic in much the same way as Destined is, at the end of the Wings series. Everything moves really, really fast, and you get to about the last hundred pages, and there's just no good place to stop! Purchase Earthquake at AmazonPurchase Earthquake at IndieBoundView Earthquake on GoodreadsYA BOOK GIVEAWAYS LAST WEEK: WINNERS
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In Deepby Terra Elan McVoyPersonalized Hardcover Giveawayplus a Personalized Hardcover ofThe Summer of Firsts and Lasts plus the In Deep playlistSimon PulseReleased 7/8/2014Winner - Kara MeggsUltracompetitive Brynn from
The Summer of Firsts and Lasts craves swimming victory—and gets in over her head—in this irresistible novel from Terra Elan McVoy.
Swim.
Push.
Breathe.
Swim.Nothing else matters to Brynn as she trains her body and mind to win. Not her mediocre grades and lack of real friends at school. Not the gnawing grief over her fallen hero father. Not the strained relationship with her absent mother and clueless stepdad. In the turquoise water, swimming is an escape and her ticket to somewhere—anywhere—else. And nothing will get in her way of claiming victory.
But when the competitive streak follows Brynn out of the pool in a wickedly seductive cat-and-mouse game between herself, her wild best friend, and a hot new college swimmer, Brynn’s single-mindedness gets her in over her head, with much more than a trophy to lose.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about In Deep?I have many favorites about IN DEEP -including that in it I revisited a character from my third book, THE SUMMER OF FIRSTS AND LASTS-- but my favorite of all about IN DEEP is Brynn's voice. She's so confident, judgmental and aloof on the surface, but underneath she has all these fears and tendernesses. It was a good writing challenge to make sure both came out.Purchase In Deep at AmazonPurchase In Deep at IndieBoundView In Deep on Goodreads
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Zom-B Clansby Darren ShanSigned Hardcover Giveaway Little, Brown Books for Young ReadersReleased 7/8/2014
Winner - Kira BudgeB's first mission with the Angels --sentient, do-gooder zombies-- went horribly wrong when vicious members of the Ku Klux Klan attacked New Kirkham, a stronghold of precious human survivors. B is not about to let the racist thugs persecute innocent people, but while saving the town, one of B's oldest friends is kidnapped by the Klan.
The Angels are prepared to do what it takes to save him, but B will have to make some very hard decisions about loyalties--to old friends, to the Angels, and to new families and old.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Zom-B Clans?The twists near the end! Zom-B Clans starts with a huge battle scene that would be the finishing point for most books. Then it goes on to fill in some crucial backstory elements that have been a mystery up until this point, before I throw in a couple of massive twists in the end stretch that will leave readers writhing with anticipation until they get their hands on book 9, Zom-B Family, in October!Purchase Zom-B Clans at AmazonPurchase Zom-B Clans at IndieBoundView Zom-B Clans on Goodreads* * * *
Through To Youby Lauren BarnholdtHardcover Giveaway Simon PulseReleased 7/8/2014
Winner - Marie OlivaOpposites attract—and then complicate—in this romantic, relatable novel from the author of
Two-way Street and
Sometimes It Happens.
It starts with a scribbled note in class:
I like your sparkle. Harper had casually threaded a piece of blue and silver tinsel through her ponytail in honor of school spirit day. And that carefree, corny gesture is what grabs Penn Mattingly’s eye. Penn—resident heartbreaker of the senior class. Reliably unreliable. Trouble with a capital “T.” And okay,
smolderingly sexy.
Harper’s surprised by Penn’s attention—and so is Penn. The last thing he needs is a girlfriend. Or even a friend-with-benefits. The note is not supposed to lead to anything.
Oh, but it does. They hang out. They have fun. They talk. They make out. And after a while, it seems like they just click. But Penn and Harper have very different ideas about what relationships look like, in no small part because of their very different family backgrounds. Of course they could talk about these differences—if Penn knew how to talk about feelings.
Harper and Penn understand their attraction is illogical, yet something keeps pulling them together. It’s like a crazy roller coaster—exhilarating, terrifying, and amazing all at once. And neither knows how to stop the ride…
Purchase Through To You at AmazonPurchase Through To You at IndieBoundView Through To You on Goodreads* * * *
RUN TO YOU: Fourth Shadowby Clara KensieeBook Giveaway of entire seriesHarlequin TeenReleased 7/7/2014
Winner - Kira DeckerPart Four in the riveting romantic thriller about a family on the run from a deadly past and a first love that will transcend secrets, lies and danger…
With no more secrets keeping them apart, Tessa and Tristan explore Tessa's developing psychic powers and embark upon a desperate search to find her missing brother and sister. But not even Tristan can keep Tessa safe from the hostile classmates at her new school, or from the nightmare that haunts her even while she's awake.
RUN TO YOU is Tessa and Tristan's saga—two books about psychic gifts, secret lives and dangerous loves. Each book is told in three parts: a total of six shattering reads that will stay with you long after the last page. Book One is FIRST SIGHT, SECOND GLANCE, and THIRD CHARM. Book Two is FOURTH SHADOW, FIFTH TOUCH, and SIXTH SENSE.
***This giveaway is for both books in the RUN TO YOU series (six installments total)!***Author Question: What is your favorite thing about RUN TO YOU: Fourth Shadow?I keep changing my answer. First I was going to say the romance. Then I was going to say the plot twists. Then the mystery. Then I went back to the romance again. But if I have to pick one favorite thing about RUN TO YOU, I will pick the emotion. I experienced ALL THE FEELS while writing this series, and I hope my readers experience them too.Purchase RUN TO YOU: Fourth Shadow at AmazonPurchase RUN TO YOU: Fourth Shadow at IndieBoundView RUN TO YOU: Fourth Shadow on GoodreadsMORE YOUNG ADULT FICTION IN STORES NEXT WEEK WITH AUTHOR INTERVIEWS
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Dirty Wingsby Sarah McCarryHardcoverSt. Martin's GriffinReleased 7/15/2014A gorgeous retelling of the Persephone myth, Sarah McCarry brings us the story of Cass and Maia--the mothers from
All Our Pretty Songs--and how their fates became intertwined.
Maia is a teenage piano prodigy and dutiful daughter, imprisoned in the oppressive silence of her adoptive parents' house like a princess in an ivory tower. Cass is a street rat, witch, and runaway, scraping by with her wits and her knack for a five-fingered discount. When a chance encounter brings the two girls together, an unlikely friendship blossoms that will soon change the course of both their lives. Cass springs Maia from the jail of the only world she's ever known, and Maia's only too happy to make a break for it. But Cass didn't reckon on Jason, the hypnotic blue-eyed rocker who'd capture Maia's heart as soon as Cass set her free--and Cass isn't the only one who's noticed Maia's extraordinary gifts. Is Cass strong enough to battle the ancient evil she's unwittingly awakened--or has she walked into a trap that will destroy everything she cares about? In this time, like in any time, love is a dangerous game.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Dirty Wings?DIRTY WINGS is, in many ways, about the lengths you will go to for someone you love; my favorite thing about the book is the friendship between the two main characters, Cass and Maia. It's messy and complicated and full of love.Purchase Dirty Wings at AmazonPurchase Dirty Wings at IndieBoundView Dirty Wings on Goodreads* * * *
Starbreakby Phoebe NorthHardcoverSimon & Schuster Books for Young ReadersReleased 7/15/2014The Asherah has finally reached Zehava, the long-promised planet. There, Terra finds harsh conditions and a familiar foe—Aleksandra Wolff, leader of her ship’s rebel forces. Terra and Aleksandra first lock horns with each other . . . but soon realize they face a much more dangerous enemy in violent alien beasts—and alien hunters.
Then Terra finally discovers Vadix. The boy who has haunted her dreams may be their key to survival—but his own dark past has yet to be revealed. And when Aleksandra gets humanity expelled from the planet, it’s up to Terra, with Vadix by her side, to unite her people—and to forge an alliance with the alien hosts, who want nothing more than to see humanity gone forever.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Starbreak?I love that STARBREAK is a love story. STARGLASS didn't really feature a love story, though Terra entertained several different romantic options; on the isolated world of the Asherah, a generation ship no bigger than your typical suburban town, none of her prospects were particularly good. But once the ship reaches Zehava, a distant alien planet, Terra meets her true love. Though he's not your typical YA boy at all (he is, in fact, a sentient plant!), I really enjoyed writing the relationship between Terra and Vadix. It's complicated, angsty, but still very heartfelt.Purchase Starbreak at AmazonPurchase Starbreak at IndieBoundView Starbreak on GoodreadsMORE YOUNG ADULT NOVELS NEW IN STORES NEXT WEEK
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Breathe, Annie, Breatheby Miranda KenneallyHardcoverSourcebooks FireReleased 7/15/2014Annie hates running. No matter how far she jogs, she can’t escape the guilt that if she hadn’t broken up with Kyle, he might still be alive. So to honor his memory, she starts preparing for the marathon he intended to race.
But the training is even more grueling than Annie could have imagined. Despite her coaching, she’s at war with her body, her mind—and her heart. With every mile that athletic Jeremiah cheers her on, she grows more conflicted. She wants to run into his arms…and sprint in the opposite direction. For Annie, opening up to love again may be even more of a challenge than crossing the finish line.
"Breathe, Annie, Breathe is an emotional, heartfelt, and beautiful story about finding yourself after loss and learning to love. It gave me so many feels. Her best book yet." — Jennifer Armentrout, New York Times bestselling author of Wait for You
Read an excerpt:
http://mirandakenneally.com/writing/e...Purchase Breathe, Annie, Breathe at AmazonPurchase Breathe, Annie, Breathe at IndieBoundView Breathe, Annie, Breathe on Goodreads* * * *
Illusiveby Emily Lloyd-JonesHardcoverLittle, Brown Books for Young ReadersReleased 7/15/2014The X-Men meets Ocean's Eleven in this edge-of-your-seat sci-fi adventure about a band of "super" criminals.When the MK virus swept across the planet, a vaccine was created to stop the epidemic, but it came with some unexpected side effects. A small percentage of the population developed superhero-like powers. Seventeen-year-old Ciere Giba has the handy ability to change her appearance at will. She's what's known as an illusionist...She's also a thief.
After a robbery goes awry, Ciere must team up with a group of fellow super-powered criminals on another job that most would consider too reckless. The formula for the vaccine that gave them their abilities was supposedly destroyed years ago. But what if it wasn't?
The lines between good and bad, us and them, and freedom and entrapment are blurred as Ciere and the rest of her crew become embroiled in a deadly race against the government that could cost them their lives.
Purchase Illusive at AmazonPurchase Illusive at IndieBoundView Illusive on Goodreads* * * *
RUN TO YOU: Fifth Touchby Clara KensieebookHarlequin TeenReleased 7/14/2014Part Five in the riveting romantic thriller about a family on the run from a deadly past and a first love that will transcend secrets, lies and danger…
Tessa’s nightmares feel all too real, and the hope of getting her family back together has never seemed so slim. Although a psychic warns her that leaving town may mean her death, Tessa cannot stay when she uncovers a new lead to her brother and sister. Not even if she must go alone and risk losing Tristan forever.
Purchase RUN TO YOU: Fifth Touch at AmazonPurchase RUN TO YOU: Fifth Touch at IndieBoundView RUN TO YOU: Fifth Touch on Goodreads* * * *
The Kiss of Deceptionby Mary E. PearsonHardcoverHenry Holt and Co.Released 7/15/2014In this timeless new trilogy about love and sacrifice, a princess must find her place in a reborn world.
In a society steeped in tradition, Princess Lia’s life follows a preordained course. As First Daughter, she is expected to have the revered gift of sight—but she doesn’t—and she knows her parents are perpetrating a sham when they arrange her marriage to secure an alliance with a neighboring kingdom—to a prince she has never met.
On the morning of her wedding, Lia flees to a distant village. She settles into a new life, hopeful when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive—and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her. Deception abounds, and Lia finds herself on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets—even as she finds herself falling in love.
Purchase The Kiss of Deception at AmazonPurchase The Kiss of Deception at IndieBoundView The Kiss of Deception on Goodreadsa Rafflecopter giveaway
YA BOOK GIVEAWAYS THIS WEEK
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In Deepby Terra Elan McVoyPersonalized Hardcover Giveawayplus a Personalized Hardcover ofThe Summer of Firsts and Lasts plus a the In Deep playlistSimon PulseReleased 7/8/2014Ultracompetitive Brynn from
The Summer of Firsts and Lasts craves swimming victory—and gets in over her head—in this irresistible novel from Terra Elan McVoy.
Swim.
Push.
Breathe.
Swim.Nothing else matters to Brynn as she trains her body and mind to win. Not her mediocre grades and lack of real friends at school. Not the gnawing grief over her fallen hero father. Not the strained relationship with her absent mother and clueless stepdad. In the turquoise water, swimming is an escape and her ticket to somewhere—anywhere—else. And nothing will get in her way of claiming victory.
But when the competitive streak follows Brynn out of the pool in a wickedly seductive cat-and-mouse game between herself, her wild best friend, and a hot new college swimmer, Brynn’s single-mindedness gets her in over her head, with much more than a trophy to lose.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about In Deep?I have many favorites about IN DEEP -including that in it I revisited a character from my third book, THE SUMMER OF FIRSTS AND LASTS-- but my favorite of all about IN DEEP is Brynn's voice. She's so confident, judgmental and aloof on the surface, but underneath she has all these fears and tendernesses. It was a good writing challenge to make sure both came out.Purchase In Deep at AmazonPurchase In Deep at IndieBoundView In Deep on Goodreads
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Zom-B Clansby Darren ShanSigned Hardcover Giveaway Little, Brown Books for Young ReadersReleased 7/8/2014B's first mission with the Angels --sentient, do-gooder zombies-- went horribly wrong when vicious members of the Ku Klux Klan attacked New Kirkham, a stronghold of precious human survivors. B is not about to let the racist thugs persecute innocent people, but while saving the town, one of B's oldest friends is kidnapped by the Klan.
The Angels are prepared to do what it takes to save him, but B will have to make some very hard decisions about loyalties--to old friends, to the Angels, and to new families and old.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Zom-B Clans?The twists near the end! Zom-B Clans starts with a huge battle scene that would be the finishing point for most books. Then it goes on to fill in some crucial backstory elements that have been a mystery up until this point, before I throw in a couple of massive twists in the end stretch that will leave readers writhing with anticipation until they get their hands on book 9, Zom-B Family, in October!Purchase Zom-B Clans at AmazonPurchase Zom-B Clans at IndieBoundView Zom-B Clans on Goodreads* * * *
Through To Youby Lauren BarnholdtHardcover Giveaway Simon PulseReleased 7/8/2014Opposites attract—and then complicate—in this romantic, relatable novel from the author of
Two-way Street and
Sometimes It Happens.
It starts with a scribbled note in class:
I like your sparkle. Harper had casually threaded a piece of blue and silver tinsel through her ponytail in honor of school spirit day. And that carefree, corny gesture is what grabs Penn Mattingly’s eye. Penn—resident heartbreaker of the senior class. Reliably unreliable. Trouble with a capital “T.” And okay,
smolderingly sexy.
Harper’s surprised by Penn’s attention—and so is Penn. The last thing he needs is a girlfriend. Or even a friend-with-benefits. The note is not supposed to lead to anything.
Oh, but it does. They hang out. They have fun. They talk. They make out. And after a while, it seems like they just click. But Penn and Harper have very different ideas about what relationships look like, in no small part because of their very different family backgrounds. Of course they could talk about these differences—if Penn knew how to talk about feelings.
Harper and Penn understand their attraction is illogical, yet something keeps pulling them together. It’s like a crazy roller coaster—exhilarating, terrifying, and amazing all at once. And neither knows how to stop the ride…
Purchase Through To You at AmazonPurchase Through To You at IndieBoundView Through To You on Goodreads* * * *
RUN TO YOU: Fourth Shadowby Clara KensieeBook Giveaway (6 Copies)Harlequin TeenReleased 7/7/2014Part Four in the riveting romantic thriller about a family on the run from a deadly past and a first love that will transcend secrets, lies and danger…
With no more secrets keeping them apart, Tessa and Tristan explore Tessa's developing psychic powers and embark upon a desperate search to find her missing brother and sister. But not even Tristan can keep Tessa safe from the hostile classmates at her new school, or from the nightmare that haunts her even while she's awake.
RUN TO YOU is Tessa and Tristan's saga—two books about psychic gifts, secret lives and dangerous loves. Each book is told in three parts: a total of six shattering reads that will stay with you long after the last page.
Love Tessa and Tristan? Want to know what happens next? Order part 5, FIFTH TOUCH now!
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about RUN TO YOU: Fourth Shadow?I keep changing my answer. First I was going to say the romance. Then I was going to say the plot twists. Then the mystery. Then I went back to the romance again. But if I have to pick one favorite thing about RUN TO YOU, I will pick the emotion. I experienced ALL THE FEELS while writing this series, and I hope my readers experience them too.Purchase RUN TO YOU: Fourth Shadow at AmazonPurchase RUN TO YOU: Fourth Shadow at IndieBoundView RUN TO YOU: Fourth Shadow on GoodreadsMORE YOUNG ADULT FICTION IN STORES NEXT WEEK WITH AUTHOR INTERVIEWS
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Midnight Thiefby Livia BlackburneHardcoverDisney-HyperionReleased 7/8/2014Growing up on Forge’s streets has taught Kyra how to stretch a coin. And when that’s not enough, her uncanny ability to scale walls and bypass guards helps her take what she needs.
But when the leader of the Assassins Guild offers Kyra a lucrative job, she hesitates. She knows how to get by on her own, and she’s not sure she wants to play by his rules. But he’s persistent—and darkly attractive—and Kyra can’t quite resist his pull.
Tristam of Brancel is a young Palace knight on a mission. After his best friend is brutally murdered by Demon Riders, a clan of vicious warriors who ride bloodthirsty wildcats, Tristam vows to take them down. But as his investigation deepens, he finds his efforts thwarted by a talented thief, one who sneaks past Palace defenses with uncanny ease.
When a fateful raid throws Kyra and Tristam together, the two enemies realize that their best chance at survival—and vengeance—might be to join forces. And as their loyalties are tested to the breaking point, they learn a startling secret about Kyra’s past that threatens to reshape both their lives.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Midnight Thief?The development of Kyra's
relationships with the three male leads. There's Flick, her adopted
older brother and long term partner in crime, James, the mysterious
and darkly attractive assassin who wants to use her skills, and
Tristam, the young knight determined to catch her.
Purchase Midnight Thief at AmazonPurchase Midnight Thief at IndieBoundView Midnight Thief on Goodreads* * * *
The Half Life of Molly Pierceby Katrina LenoHardcoverHarperTeenReleased 7/8/2014You take it for granted. Waking up. Going to school, talking to your friends. Watching a show on television or reading a book or going out to lunch.
You take for granted going to sleep at night, getting up the next day, and remembering everything that happened to you before you closed your eyes.
You live and you remember.
Me, I live and I forget.
But now—now I am remembering. For all of her seventeen years, Molly feels like she’s missed bits and pieces of her life. Now, she’s figuring out why. Now, she’s remembering her own secrets. And in doing so, Molly uncovers the separate life she seems to have led…and the love that she can’t let go.
The Half Life of Molly Pierce is a suspenseful, evocative psychological mystery about uncovering the secrets of our pasts, facing the unknowns of our futures, and accepting our whole selves.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about The Half Life of Molly Pierce?The first line! Although it’s not even necessarily my favorite LINE of the book, it’s definitely my favorite THING of the book. I’m just really happy that the first line I wrote is still the first line of the book. It was important for me that didn’t change! I spoke the line into my phone’s recording app while driving down Nostrand Avenue in Brooklyn, and although I had no idea where this story was going to take me, I knew it would all unfold from that first sentence. And it did! So I’m glad the first line is the first line. It started everything.Purchase The Half Life of Molly Pierce at AmazonPurchase The Half Life of Molly Pierce at IndieBoundView The Half Life of Molly Pierce on Goodreads* * * *
Unravelby Imogen HowsonHardcoverSimon & Schuster Books for Young ReadersReleased 7/8/2014Untold dangers await telepathic twins in this sequel to the futuristic, romantic thriller called classic sci-fi, space-travel adventure at its best. After Elissa and Lin exposed the government's secret experiments in
Linked, which
Booklistcalled a roller-coaster ride into space that just about everyone should enjoy, their home planet Sekoia is thrown into chaos. Determined to do their part to help the planet they've hurt, they return to Sekoia only to discover that things are far worse that they imagined. Resources are suddenly scarce, people are scared, and there's a rising current of anger against the Spares. When Lissa and Lin find themselves among another group of Spares and twins, they feel like they've found their kindred spirits at last. But a threat none of them could have expected is lying in wait for Sekoia's Spares.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Unravel?Because UNRAVEL is the sequel to LINKED, which came out last year, my favorite thing about it is seeing the adventure continue! There's more danger, more suspense, and more romance, and I loved being able to pursue the characters' development through another book.Purchase Unravel at AmazonPurchase Unravel at IndieBoundView Unravel on GoodreadsMORE YOUNG ADULT NOVELS NEW IN STORES NEXT WEEK
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Demon Derbyby Carrie HarrisHardcoverDelacorte PressReleased 7/8/2014Casey kicked cancer’s ass. Now a demon wants to kick hers. . . .
Casey hates being known as the girl who survived cancer. She wants people to treat her like her old self, fearless and strong. And after a creepy encounter with a crazy guy in an alley, Casey is all about reclaiming her power.
So when she has a chance to try out for the Apocalypsies roller derby team, she jumps on it. Being a derby girl would prove that she doesn’t need anybody’s pity. It doesn’t hurt that Michael, the team manager, is almost unnaturally hot. Which makes sense when Casey finds out that he’s not human.
Michael’s got a secret: he trains demon hunters. That crazy guy in the alley? Demon. And the fact that Casey went head to head with evil and lived makes her a threat to demonkind. Casey thought she’d already fought and won the battle of her lifetime. But it’s only beginning. . . .
Purchase Demon Derby at AmazonPurchase Demon Derby at IndieBoundView Demon Derby on Goodreads* * * *
Embers & Ashby T.M GoegleinHardcoverPutnam JuvenileReleased 7/10/2014Sara Jane Rispoli is on the wrong side of the Russian mob, but closer to finding her family than ever. And she's willing to do whatever it takes to finally end this terrible journey even if the price is her own life.
The very cold fury that has seen her through the worst of her troubles is now killing her; she knows the cure, but she can't sacrifice the deadly electricity until she's rescued her family. But when she finally does rescue them, it's not the happy reunion she pictured. And the torment doesn't stop there, not even when she finally discovers Ultimate Power. Only destroying the Outfit completely can end this terrible nightmare.
Old enemies return to seek vengeance, double-crosses abound, and even more mysteries are uncovered as we rocket toward an end no one saw coming.
Purchase Embers & Ash at AmazonPurchase Embers & Ash at IndieBoundView Embers & Ash on Goodreads* * * *
Idolsby Margaret StohlHardcoverLittle, Brown Books for Young ReadersReleased 7/8/2014The Icons came from the sky. They belong to an inhuman enemy. They ended our civilization, and they can kill us.
Most of us.
Dol, Ro, Tima, and Lucas are the four Icon Children, the only humans immune to the Icon's power to stop a human heart. Now that Los Angeles has been saved, things are more complicated - and not just because Dol has to choose between Lucas and Ro, the two great loves of her life. As she flees to a resistance outpost hidden beneath a mountain, Dol makes contact with a fifth Icon Child, if only through her visions. When Dol and the others escape to Southeast Asia in search of this missing child, Dol's dreams, feelings and fears collide in an epic showdown that will change more than just four lives -- and stop one heart forever.
In this riveting sequel to Icons, filled with nonstop action and compelling romance, bestselling author Margaret Stohl explores what it means to be human and how our greatest weakness can be humanity's strongest chance at survival.
Purchase Idols at AmazonPurchase Idols at IndieBoundView Idols on Goodreads* * * *
The Defiantby Lisa M. StasseHardcoverSimon & Schuster Books for Young ReadersReleased 7/8/2014In this gripping conclusion to The Forsaken Trilogy, Alenna’s loyalties are put the ultimate test—and it’s one of life and death.
Alenna Shawcross and the others who escaped the wheel are working toward an all-out assault on the United Northern Alliance. The plan is to dismantle it from the inside—and Alenna is one of the few people who can access the organization’s inner sanctum. But when she returns to the home she has nearly forgotten, she encounters old friends and is swept into a secret plan that puts everything she loves in danger.
Knowing what is at stake for her and her friends, Alenna ventures into the heart of the treacherous UNA. She’s determined to bring them down, because freedom is the only choice. Or is it?
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Thirty Sunsetsby Christine Hurley DerisoPaperbackFluxReleased 7/8/2014To Forrest Shephard, getting away to the family's beach house with her parents and her brother, Brian, is the best part of every summer. Until this year, when her mother invites Brian's obnoxious girlfriend, Olivia, to join them. Suddenly, Forrest's relaxing vacation becomes a mission to verify the reality of Olivia's rumored eating disorder. But the truth behind Olivia's finicky eating isn't at all what Forrest expected. And over the next thirty days, Forrest's world is turned upside down as her family's darkest secrets begin to come to light.
Purchase Thirty Sunsets at AmazonPurchase Thirty Sunsets at IndieBoundView Thirty Sunsets on Goodreads* * * *
Where Silence Gathersby Kelsey SuttonHardcoverFluxReleased 7/8/2014In this companion novel to the critically acclaimed Some Quiet Place, Alex must choose between Revenge and Forgiveness.Seventeen-year-old Alexandra Tate sits outside Nate Foster's house, clutching a gun. After serving ten years for the drunk driving accident that killed Alex's family, Nate has been released from prison. Every night, Alex waits out of sight, building up the courage to exact her own justice. There's just one problem: Forgiveness. Alex has been able to see personified Emotions for as long as she can remember, and Revenge is her best friend. But when Forgiveness suddenly appears, he offers Alex a choice--getting even or moving on. It's impossible to decide when Revenge whispers in one ear . . . and Forgiveness whispers in the other.
Purchase Where Silence Gathers at AmazonPurchase Where Silence Gathers at IndieBoundView Where Silence Gathers on Goodreads* * * *
Wildby Alex MalloryHardcoverHarperTeenReleased 7/8/2014In this action-packed and timely "Tarzan for the digital age," Cade, a teen raised in the wilderness, is brought into modern civilization.
The forest is full of secrets, and no one understands that better than Cade. Foraging, hunting, surviving-that's all he knows. Alone for years, Cade believes he's the sole survivor. At least, until he catches a glimpse of a beautiful stranger...
Dara expected to find natural wonders when she set off for a spring break camping trip. Instead, she discovers a primitive boy-he's stealthy and handsome and he might be following her. Intrigued, Dara seeks him out and sets a catastrophe in motion.
Thrust into society, Cade struggles with the realization that the life he knew was a lie. But he's not the only one. Trying to explain life in a normal town leaves Dara questioning it.
As the media swarm and the police close in, Dara and Cade risk everything to get closer. But will the truth about Cade's past tear them apart?
Purchase Wild at AmazonPurchase Wild at IndieBoundView Wild on Goodreadsa Rafflecopter giveaway
July OneFour KidLit Giveaways
Betweenby Megan WhitmerSigned ARC Giveaway Spencer Hill PressReleased 7/29/2014When a supernatural freak of nature forces her family to separate, seventeen-year-old Charlie Page must turn to her frustrating (yet gorgeous) neighbor, Seth, to help reunite them. Seth whisks Charlie to Ellauria—a magical world filled with the creatures of myths and legends—and tells her of the Fellowship, the group charged with protecting mystical beings from human discovery. (All except Bigfoot: that attention whore is a total lost cause.) But when Charlie learns that she's under the Fellowship's protection herself, well, "stressed" is an understatement.
Ellauria should be the safest place for Charlie while the Fellowship works to find her family, but things in the mystical realm aren’t what they seem.
Magic is failing, creatures are dying, and the Fellowship insists Charlie holds the key to saving everyone. With her family still missing and the danger in Ellauria growing, Charlie doesn't know who she can trust. She's dealing with a power she never asked for, falling for a guy she can't have, and being forced to choose between her destiny and her heart. And if she chooses wrong, she could destroy magic forever.
Charlie may be in over her head.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Between?I’ve always had a fascination with things I know I’ll never know (like big conspiracy theories—what’s in Area 51? Who shot JFK? Did aliens really land in Roswell in 1947?) and when it comes to mythical creatures, I’ve always loved reading about the various mythical creatures that exist throughout different cultures around the world. I love how similar creatures pop up repeatedly over time, and it’s incredibly interesting to me that even now, in this day and age where we use science and technology to disprove everything, the rumors of the existence of some creatures, such as Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, and fairies, still persist. That’s what initially sparked the idea of this book—that there’s a group responsible for hiding these creatures from us (think Men In Black, but for mythical creatures). For that reason, I researched hundreds of creatures from all over the world to select the ones that are mentioned in Between. I wanted to use actual creatures found in folklore throughout history. I loved finding ways to use these creatures in the storyline. I like the idea that someone might read my book and wonder if a group like the Fellowship could actually exist.Purchase Between at AmazonPurchase Between at IndieBoundView Between on Goodreads* * * *
Dream Boyby Mary Crockett and Madelyn Rosenberg Paperback Giveaway Sourcebooks FireReleased 7/1/2014Annabelle Manning feels like she’s doing time at her high school in Chilton, Virginia. She has her friends at her lunchtime table of nobodies. What she doesn’t have are possibilities. Or a date for Homecoming. Things get more interesting at night, when she spends time with the boy of her dreams. But the blue-eyed boy with the fairytale smile is just that—a dream. Until the Friday afternoon he walks into her chemistry class.
One of friends suspects he’s an alien. Another is pretty sure it’s all one big case of deja vu. While Annabelle doesn’t know what to think, she’s willing to believe that the charming Martin Zirkle may just be her dream come true. But as Annabelle discovers the truth behind dreams—where they come from and what they mean—she is forced to face a dark reality she had not expected. More than just Martin has arrived in Chilton. As Annabelle learns, if dreams can come true, so can nightmares.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Dream Boy?I love the characters most. Annabelle, Will, Martin, Talon, Serena. They've become real people to me--people I'd love to know in real life.
I also love that I got to write this book with my friend Madelyn--and to become even better friends through the process! A lot of people have asked us what it was like to write a book together, so Madelyn put together this video explaining some of the process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR6Hfy7Kfk4
Purchase Dream Boy at AmazonPurchase Dream Boy at IndieBoundView Dream Boy on GoodreadsLast Month's Giveaway Winners
Ruin & Risingby Leigh BardugoHenry Holt & Co.
Released June 17, 2014
Winner - Breana M.
The capital has fallen. The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne.
Now the nation's fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army.
Deep in an ancient network of tunnels and caverns, a weakened Alina must submit to the dubious protection of the Apparat and the zealots who worship her as a Saint. Yet her plans lie elsewhere, with the hunt for the elusive firebird and the hope that an outlaw prince still survives.
Alina will have to forge new alliances and put aside old rivalries as she and Mal race to find the last of Morozova's amplifiers. But as she begins to unravel the Darkling's secrets, she reveals a past that will forever alter her understanding of the bond they share and the power she wields. The firebird is the one thing that stands between Ravka and destruction—and claiming it could cost Alina the very future she’s fighting for.
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Behind The Scenesby Dahlia AdlerPersonalized Paperback GiveawaySpencer Hill ContemporaryReleased 6/24/2014
Winner - Linnea PietschHigh school senior Ally Duncan's best friend may be the Vanessa Park - star of TV's hottest new teen drama - but Ally's not interested in following in her BFF's Hollywood footsteps. In fact, the only thing Ally's ever really wanted is to go to Columbia and study abroad in Paris. But when her father's mounting medical bills threaten to stop her dream in its tracks, Ally nabs a position as Van's on-set assistant to get the cash she needs.
Spending the extra time with Van turns out to be fun, and getting to know her sexy co-star Liam is an added bonus. But when the actors' publicist arranges for Van and Liam to "date" for the tabloids just after he and Ally share their first kiss, Ally will have to decide exactly what role she's capable of playing in their world of make believe. If she can't play by Hollywood's rules, she may lose her best friend, her dream future, and her first shot at love.
Purchase Behind The Scenes at AmazonPurchase Behind The Scenes at IndieBoundView Behind The Scenes on Goodreads
Essenceby Lisa Ann O'KaneSpencer Hill PressSigned Paperback Giveaway and Two Essence Pins
Winner - Makaela
Neutrality is the key to longevity. This motto has governed 16 year-old Autumn's life in the mid-21st century Centrist cult, which believes that expressing emotions leads to Essence drain and premature death.
But Autumn's younger brother’s death casts her faith into question. While sprinting through a park in violation of Centrist teachings, she encounters Ryder Stone, an Outsider who claims Essence drain is nothing more than a Centrist scare tactic. She agrees to join his Community, a utopia of adrenaline junkies living in the abandoned remains of Yosemite National Park.
Autumn learns about sex, drugs, and living life to the fullest. But as she discovers dark secrets beneath the Community's perfect exterior, she realises that this illusion of paradise could be shattered…
What is your favorite thing about Essence?
Essence is set in Yosemite National Park, and it was partially inspired by the summer I spent living in a tent and working for the park's concessionaire. Simply put, Yosemite is the most breathtaking place I have ever lived, and I often think of Essence as a love letter to my time there. The setting is (hopefully) so vibrant it has almost become a character itself. Purchase Essence at AmazonPurchase Essence at IndieBoundView Essence on Goodreads
17 First Kissesby Rachael AllenSigned Paperback Giveaway HarperTeenReleased 6/17/2014
Winner - Cassie GutmanNo matter how many boys Claire kisses, she can’t seem to find a decent boyfriend. Someone who wouldn’t rather date her gorgeous best friend, Megan. Someone who won’t freak out when he learns about the tragedy her family still hasn’t recovered from. Someone whose kisses can carry her away from her backwoods town for one fleeting moment.
Until Claire meets Luke.
But Megan is falling for Luke, too, and if there’s one thing Claire knows for sure, it’s that Megan’s pretty much irresistible.
With true love and best friendship on the line, Claire suddenly has everything to lose. And what she learns—about her crush, her friends, and most of all herself—makes the choices even harder.
In her moving debut, Rachael Allen brilliantly captures the complexities of friendship, the struggles of self-discovery, and the difficulties of trying to find love in high school. Fans of Sarah Ockler, Susane Colasanti, and Stephanie Perkins will fall head over heels for this addictive, heartfelt, and often hilarious modern love story.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about 17 First Kisses?The female friendships. I love reading contemporary books with an emphasis on female relationships, whether it’s mother-daughter, sisters, or BFFs. My MC, Claire, and her best friend, Megan, are fiercely supportive and protective of each other even though there’s a competitiveness between them, particularly with guys. These girls are flawed characters, and neither of them is a model friend, but I love that about them.
Girls need to know that if a friendship has a strong core, you can get in a fight or make a mistake, and it doesn’t mean the friendship is over. You can change and grow together instead of apart. Claire and Megan have the kind of friendship that’s worth figuring things out about themselves and each other. Instead of hating each other, they work to fix things. And if part of that reconciliation takes the form of stealing your ex-boyfriend’s clothes while he’s skinny dipping, well, so be it :)Purchase 17 First Kisses at AmazonPurchase 17 First Kisses at IndieBoundView 17 First Kisses on Goodreads* * * *
My Faire Ladyby Laura Wettersten1 Hardcover, 2 Arcs, signed and personalized Giveaway (3 Copies)Simon & Schuster Books for Young ReadersReleased 6/3/2014
Winners - Delia Chavez, Zandalee Marie, Debra PowellRowena Duncan is a thoroughly modern girl with big plans for her summer—until she catches her boyfriend making out with another girl. Heartbroken, she applies to an out-of-town job posting and finds herself somewhere she never expected: the Renaissance Faire.
As a face-painter doubling as a serving wench, Ro is thrown headfirst into a vibrant community of artists and performers. She feels like a fish out of water until Will, a quick-witted whip cracker, takes her under his wing. Then there’s Christian, a blue-eyed stunt jouster who makes Ro weak in the knees. Soon, it’s not just her gown that’s tripping her up.
Trading in the internet and electricity for stars and campfires was supposed to make life simpler, but Ro is finding that love is the ultimate complication. Can she let the past make way for her future?
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about My Faire Lady?The characters. The setting. The camp fires. The knights. It's romantic, hilarious at times, and just plain fun.Purchase My Faire Lady at AmazonPurchase My Faire Lady at IndieBoundView My Faire Lady on Goodreads* * * *
The Girl Who Never Wasby Skylar DorsetSigned Trade Paperback Giveaway Sourcebooks FireReleased 6/1/2014
Winner - Vivien ProbstTHE GIRL WHO NEVER WAS is the story of Selkie Stewart, who thinks she’s a totally normal teenager growing up in Boston. Sure, her father is in an insane asylum, her mother left her on his doorstep—literally—when she was a baby, and she’s being raised by two ancient aunts who spend their time hunting gnomes in their Beacon Hill townhouse. But other than that her life is totally normal! She’s got an adventurous best friend who’s always got her back and an unrequited crush on an older boy named Ben. Just like any other teenager, right?
When Selkie goes in search of the mother she’s never known, she gets more than she bargained for. It turns out that her mother is faerie royalty, which would make Selkie a faerie princess—except for the part where her father is an ogre, which makes her only half of anything. Even more confusing, there’s a prophecy that Selkie is going to destroy the tyrannical Seelie Court, which is why her mother actually wants to kill her. Selkie has been kept hidden all her life by her adoring aunts, with the help of a Salem wizard named Will. And Ben. Because the boy she thinks she’s in love with turns out to be a faerie whose enchantment has kept her alive, but also kept her in the dark about her own life.
Now, with enchantments dissolved and prophecies swinging into action, Selkie finds herself on a series of mad quests to save the people she’s always loved and a life she’s learning to love. But in a supernatural world of increasingly complex alliances and distressingly complicated deceptions, it’s so hard to know who to trust. Does her mother really wish to kill her? Would Will sacrifice her for the sake of the prophecy? And does Ben really love her or is it all an elaborate ruse? In order to survive, Selkie realizes that the key is learning—and accepting—who she really is.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about The Girl Who Never Was?I think what I love most about my book is how the main character finds out that she’s faerie royalty and prophesied to lead a revolution and that her mother wants her dead and yet none of that changes who she *is,* and I love her stubbornness in the face of all the craziness of the Otherworld she finds herself in.Purchase The Girl Who Never Was at AmazonPurchase The Girl Who Never Was at IndieBoundView The Girl Who Never Was on Goodreads* * * *
The Truth About Aliceby Jennifer MathieuPersonalized Hardcover Giveaway Roaring Brook PressReleased 6/3/2014
Winner - Vivianna von BorgEveryone knows Alice slept with two guys at one party. When Healy High star quarterback, Brandon Fitzsimmons, dies in a car crash, it was because he was sexting with Alice. Ask
anybody. Rumor has it Alice Franklin is a slut. It's written all over the "slut stall" in the girls' bathroom: "Alice had sex in exchange for math test answers" and "Alice got an abortion last semester." After Brandon dies, the rumors start to spiral out of control. In this remarkable debut novel, four Healy High students tell all they "know" about Alice--and in doing so reveal their own secrets and motivations, painting a raw look at the realities of teen life. But in this novel from Jennifer Mathieu, exactly what is the truth about Alice? In the end there's only one person to ask: Alice herself.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about The Truth About Alice?It's impossible to choose, but one thing I love is that in the end, the reader is the only person who knows the entire truth about Alice. I hope that is a powerful experience for the reader!Purchase The Truth About Alice at AmazonPurchase The Truth About Alice at IndieBoundView The Truth About Alice on Goodreads* * * *
My Last Kissby Bethany NealOther Giveaway Farrar, Straus and GirouxReleased 6/10/2014
Winner - Noa BashWhat if your last kiss was with the wrong boy?
Cassidy Haines remembers her first kiss vividly. It was on the old covered bridge the summer before her freshman year with her boyfriend of three years, Ethan Keys. But her last kiss—the one she shared with someone at her seventeenth birthday party the night she died—is a blur. Cassidy is trapped in the living world, not only mourning the loss of her human body, but left with the grim suspicion that her untimely death wasn’t a suicide as everyone assumes. She can’t remember anything from the weeks leading up to her birthday and she’s worried that she may have betrayed her boyfriend.
If Cassidy is to uncover the truth about that fateful night and make amends with the only boy she’ll ever love, she must face her past and all the decisions she made—good and bad—that led to her last kiss.
Bethany Neal’s suspenseful debut novel is about the power of first love and the haunting lies that threaten to tear it apart.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about My Last Kiss?I love how MY LAST KISS doesn't fit into just one genre. It could be categorized as a contemporary romance, a mystery/thriller, or even a paranormal romance given that the main character is a ghost...ish. Even though she's not technically human, at the heart of the story is a teenage girl trying to figure out who she is--or wants to be remembered as--and I think a lot of readers will be able to relate to that.Purchase My Last Kiss at AmazonPurchase My Last Kiss at IndieBoundView My Last Kiss on Goodreads
More July OneFour KidLit Releases
Extractionby Stephanie DiazHardcoverSt. Martin's GriffinReleased 7/22/2014"Welcome to Extraction testing."Clementine has spent her whole life preparing for her sixteenth birthday, when she’ll be tested for Extraction in the hopes of being sent from the planet Kiel’s toxic Surface to the much safer Core, where people live without fear or starvation. When she proves promising enough to be “Extracted,” she must leave without Logan, the boy she loves. Torn apart from her only sense of family, Clem promises to come back and save him from brutal Surface life.
What she finds initially in the Core is a utopia compared to the Surface—it’s free of hard labor, gun-wielding officials, and the moon's lethal acid. But life is anything but safe, and Clementine learns that the planet's leaders are planning to exterminate Surface dwellers—and that means Logan, too.
Trapped by the steel walls of the underground and the lies that keep her safe, Clementine must find a way to escape and rescue Logan and the rest of the planet. But the planet leaders don't want her running—they want her subdued.
With intense action scenes and a cast of unforgettable characters,
Extraction is a page-turning, gripping read, sure to entertain lovers of
Hunger Games and
Ender's Game and leave them breathless for more.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Extraction?My favorite thing about Extraction is the sci-fi elements, especially the big reveal related to why the moon is poisonous. And the fact I managed to include references (some subtle, some not so subtle) to my favorite sci-fi shows like Doctor Who, Firefly, and Battlestar Galactica.
Purchase Extraction at AmazonPurchase Extraction at IndieBoundView Extraction on Goodreads* * * *
Midnight Thiefby Livia BlackburneHardcoverDisney-HyperionReleased 7/8/2014Growing up on Forge’s streets has taught Kyra how to stretch a coin. And when that’s not enough, her uncanny ability to scale walls and bypass guards helps her take what she needs.
But when the leader of the Assassins Guild offers Kyra a lucrative job, she hesitates. She knows how to get by on her own, and she’s not sure she wants to play by his rules. But he’s persistent—and darkly attractive—and Kyra can’t quite resist his pull.
Tristam of Brancel is a young Palace knight on a mission. After his best friend is brutally murdered by Demon Riders, a clan of vicious warriors who ride bloodthirsty wildcats, Tristam vows to take them down. But as his investigation deepens, he finds his efforts thwarted by a talented thief, one who sneaks past Palace defenses with uncanny ease.
When a fateful raid throws Kyra and Tristam together, the two enemies realize that their best chance at survival—and vengeance—might be to join forces. And as their loyalties are tested to the breaking point, they learn a startling secret about Kyra’s past that threatens to reshape both their lives.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Midnight Thief?My favorite thing about Midnight Thief is the development of Kyra's relationships with the three male leads. There's Flick, her adopted older brother and long term partner in crime, James, the mysterious and darkly attractive assassin who wants to use her skills, and Tristam, the young knight determined to catch her.
Purchase Midnight Thief at AmazonPurchase Midnight Thief at IndieBoundView Midnight Thief on Goodreads* * * *
Illusiveby Emily Lloyd-JonesHardcoverLittle, Brown Books for Young ReadersReleased 7/15/2014The X-Men meets Ocean's Eleven in this edge-of-your-seat sci-fi adventure about a band of "super" criminals.When the MK virus swept across the planet, a vaccine was created to stop the epidemic, but it came with some unexpected side effects. A small percentage of the population developed superhero-like powers. Seventeen-year-old Ciere Giba has the handy ability to change her appearance at will. She's what's known as an illusionist...She's also a thief.
After a robbery goes awry, Ciere must team up with a group of fellow super-powered criminals on another job that most would consider too reckless. The formula for the vaccine that gave them their abilities was supposedly destroyed years ago. But what if it wasn't?
The lines between good and bad, us and them, and freedom and entrapment are blurred as Ciere and the rest of her crew become embroiled in a deadly race against the government that could cost them their lives.
Purchase Illusive at AmazonPurchase Illusive at IndieBoundView Illusive on Goodreads* * * *
The Fire Wishby Amber LoughHardcoverRandom House Books for Young ReadersReleased 7/22/2014A jinni. A princess. And the wish that changes everything. . . .
Najwa is a jinni, training to be a spy in the war against the humans. Zayele is a human on her way to marry a prince of Baghdad—which she’ll do anything to avoid. So she captures Najwa and makes a wish. With a rush of smoke and fire, they fall apart and re-form—as each other. A jinni and a human, trading lives. Both girls must play their parts among enemies who would kill them if the deception were ever discovered—enemies including the young men Najwa and Zayele are just discovering they might love.
Purchase The Fire Wish at AmazonPurchase The Fire Wish at IndieBoundView The Fire Wish on Goodreadsa Rafflecopter giveaway
Hi, everyone,
Here we are with another roundup of books coming out this week. This week, we're offering a giveaway of your choice of any of the great releases this week! Don't forget to stop by every Monday for more giveaways and another round-up. And please, tell us what you're excited about this week! What are you reading? What can't you wait to get your hands on?
The ladies of AYAP,
Martina, Alyssa, Jan, Clara, and Lisa
YA BOOK GIVEAWAYS THIS WEEK
* * * *
Sinnerby Maggie StiefvaterHardcoverScholastic PressReleased 7/1/2014
A standalone companion book to the internationally bestselling Shiver Trilogy.
Sinner follows Cole St. Clair, a pivotal character from the #1 New York Times bestselling Shiver Trilogy. Everybody thinks they know Cole's story. Stardom. Addiction. Downfall. Disappearance. But only a few people know Cole's darkest secret -- his ability to shift into a wolf. One of these people is Isabel. At one point, they may have even loved each other. But that feels like a lifetime ago. Now Cole is back. Back in the spotlight. Back in the danger zone. Back in Isabel's life. Can this sinner be saved?
Purchase Sinner at AmazonPurchase Sinner at IndieBoundView Sinner on Goodreads* * * *
Conversionby Katherine HoweHardcoverPutnam JuvenileReleased 7/1/2014From the New York Times bestselling author of The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane comes a chilling mystery—Prep meets The Crucible. It’s senior year at St. Joan’s Academy, and school is a pressure cooker. College applications, the battle for valedictorian, deciphering boys’ texts: Through it all, Colleen Rowley and her friends are expected to keep it together. Until they can’t.
First it’s the school’s queen bee, Clara Rutherford, who suddenly falls into uncontrollable tics in the middle of class. Her mystery illness quickly spreads to her closest clique of friends, then more students and symptoms follow: seizures, hair loss, violent coughing fits. St. Joan’s buzzes with rumor; rumor blossoms into full-blown panic.
Soon the media descends on Danvers, Massachusetts, as everyone scrambles to find something, or someone, to blame. Pollution? Stress? Or are the girls faking? Only Colleen—who’s been reading
The Crucible for extra credit—comes to realize what nobody else has: Danvers was once Salem Village, where another group of girls suffered from a similarly bizarre epidemic three centuries ago . . .
Inspired by true events—from seventeenth-century colonial life to the halls of a modern-day high school—
Conversion casts a spell. With her signature wit and passion,
New York Times bestselling author Katherine Howe delivers an exciting and suspenseful novel, a chilling mystery that raises the question, what’s really happening to the girls at St. Joan’s?
Purchase Conversion at AmazonPurchase Conversion at IndieBoundView Conversion on Goodreads* * * *
Find Me Where The Water Endsby Rachel CarterHardcoverHarperTeenReleased 7/1/2014Lydia has been trained into a person she might have once feared: focused, fierce, deadly. Although she never wanted the life of a Montauk Project recruit, the Project has captured someone she loves-someone she'll do anything to save.
Then Lydia glimpses a world in which the Montauk Project never existed. The Project has taken so much from Lydia already, but she knows that she will sacrifice everything to make her vision of a world without the Project a reality.
Publishers Weekly said that "readers will be hooked" by Rachel Carter's plot-twisting So Close to You series. The conspiracy theories, romance, and compelling "what if?" questions build to a satisfying series end, making
Find Me Where the Water Ends the perfect fit for the teen fans of light science fiction like
The Time Traveler's Wife.
Purchase Find Me Where The Water Ends at AmazonPurchase Find Me Where The Water Ends at IndieBoundView Find Me Where The Water Ends on Goodreads* * * *
No Dawn Without Darknessby Dayna LorentzHardcoverKathy Dawson BooksReleased 7/1/2014Perfect for fans of Life As We Knew It and Michael Grant's Gone--this conclusion to the No Safety in Numbers trilogy will make your heart race, your palms sweat, and will leave you wondering exactly what you'd be willing to sacrifice in order to survive.
First--a bomb released a deadly flu virus and the entire mall was quarantined.
Next--the medical teams evacuated and the windows were boarded up just before the virus mutated.
Now--the power is out and the mall is thrown into darkness. Shay, Marco, Lexi, Ryan, and Ginger aren't the same people they were two weeks ago. Just like the virus, they've had to change in order to survive. And not all for the better. When no one can see your face, you can be anyone you want to be, and, when the doors finally open, they may not like what they've become.
If you think it's silly to be afraid of the dark, you're wrong.
Very wrong.
Purchase No Dawn Without Darkness at AmazonPurchase No Dawn Without Darkness at IndieBoundView No Dawn Without Darkness on Goodreads* * * *
Perfectedby Kate Jarvik BirchHardcoverEntangled: TeenReleased 7/1/2014I was bred to be the perfect pet. I was bred for my beauty and grace, to be a showpiece, an ornament to sit upon the couch, to sing, to dance, to play the piano and paint. I was bred to willingly put my owner's happiness before my own.
Until Penn. The handsome and rebellious son of the congressman who owns me, he's the only person who's seen past my perfect exterior to the girl underneath. Falling for him is forbidden. Falling for him is freeing.
But there's a dark underworld lurking beneath my pampered life. The only thing more dangerous than staying with Penn's family is escaping it, because if I fail, I face a fate far worse than death...
For fans of Kiera Cass's Selection series and Lauren DeStefano's Chemical Garden series, Perfected is a chilling look at what it means to be human, as well as a stunning celebration of the power of love to set us free, wrapped in a glamorous—and dangerous—bow.
Purchase Perfected at AmazonPurchase Perfected at IndieBoundView Perfected on Goodreads* * * *
The Vanishing Seasonby Jodi Lynn AndersonHardcoverHarperTeenReleased 7/1/2014Girls started vanishing in the fall, and now winter's come to lay a white sheet over the horror. Door County, it seems, is swallowing the young, right into its very dirt. From beneath the house on Water Street, I've watched the danger swell.
The residents know me as the noises in the house at night, the creaking on the stairs. I'm the reflection behind them in the glass, the feeling of fear in the cellar. I'm tied—it seems—to this house, this street, this town.
I'm tied to Maggie and Pauline, though I don't know why. I think it's because death is coming for one of them, or both.
All I know is that the present and the past are piling up, and I am here to dig.I am looking for the things that are buried.
From bestselling author Jodi Lynn Anderson comes a friendship story bound in snow and starlight, a haunting mystery of love, betrayal, redemption, and the moments that we leave behind.
Purchase The Vanishing Season at AmazonPurchase The Vanishing Season at IndieBoundView The Vanishing Season on GoodreadsYA BOOK GIVEAWAYS LAST WEEK: WINNERS
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Defectorby Susanne WinnackerHardcoverRazorbillReleased 6/26/2014
Winner - Tania MalheiroPraise for Susanne Winnacker's
Impostor:
"An unpredictable page turner with shades of terror reminiscent of a Stephen King novel."�
VOYA"Fresh and inventive. . . . the strongly-written mystery component takes center stage."�
BCCB___
Tessa has finally made peace with her life as a Variant. She and longtime love Alec are officially a couple, and for the first time, she has everything she wants.
But the air is tense at FEA headquarters. An agent has disappeared, and rogue Variant organization Abel's Army is likely the culprit.
When Tessa is summoned for her second mission, she is unexpectedly launched into a massive conspiracy. Her best friend Holly is kidnapped, and Tessa knows it was meant to be her. But who is after her? And more importantly, why?
When the FEA's efforts to rescue Holly don't yield results, Tessa takes matters into her own hands. Desperate to save her friend and uncover the mystery behind Abel's Army, Tessa launches her own investigation—but nothing could prepare her for what she finds.
Finding the truth will take her out on the road and out of her comfort zone, with danger lurking at every turn. Summoning all of her courage and strength, Tessa must decide who can be trusted and what is worth fighting for. Her final decision will leave readers breathless.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Defector?The revelations. Tessa discovers the truth about many things, some of which she later wishes she hadn’t. It was fun writing her reactions to those discoveries. I think the truth forces Tessa to grow as a character.Purchase Defector at AmazonPurchase Defector at IndieBoundView Defector on Goodreadsa Rafflecopter giveaway
By:
keilinh,
on 6/25/2014
Blog:
The Open Book
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To celebrate the release of her debut novel Drift last week, author M.K. Hutchins has been stopping by blogs throughout the week to talk about her writing process, Maya culture, and more.
Here’s a bit about Drift:
There’s no place for love on the shores of hell.
Tenjat lives on the shores of Hell, an ocean filled with ravenous naga monsters. His island, a massive Turtle, is slowed by the people living on its back. Tenjat is poor as poor gets: poor enough, even, to condescend to the shame of marriage, so his children can help support him one day.
But Tenjat has a plan to avoid this fate. He will join the Handlers, those who defend and rule the island. Handlers never marry, and they can even provide for an additional family member. Against his sister’s wishes, Tenjat joins the Handlers. And just in time: the Handlers are ramping up for a dangerous battle against the naga monsters, and they need every fighter they can get.
As the naga battle approaches, Tenjat’s training intensifies, but a long-hidden family secret—not to mention his own growing feelings for Avi—put his plans in jeopardy, and might threaten the very survival of his island.
You can read sample chapters from Drift online here. Kirkus Reviews has called it “totally fresh” and Sarah Beth Durst, author of Vessel and Conjured, has called it “a fantastic adventure set in a stunning, original world. . . . Some of the best worldbuilding I’ve ever read.”
M.K. Hutchins’ tour schedule is below, so if you haven’t picked up Drift or you have and loved it, check out the following blogs for some great insight and conversation into this fantastic world!
June 19: John Scalzi’s Whatever Blog - M.K. Hutchins on worldbuilding and cultural ecology here
June 20: Supernatural Snark – M.K. Hutchins on being inspired by Maya mythology here.
June 23: It’s All About Books – M.K. Hutchins’ top 5 most influential books here.
June 25: Read Now Sleep Later - Check back for the link!
June 26: The Brain Lair - Check back for the link!
Still want to learn more about M.K. Hutchins and Drift? Check out her blog and follow her on Twitter!
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Hi, everyone,
Here we are with another roundup of books coming out this week. We've got an international giveaway of DEFECTOR by Susanne Winnacker and some wonderful author interviews--plus of course last week's winners. Don't forget to stop by every Monday for more giveaways and another round-up. And please, tell us what you're excited about this week! What are you reading? What can't you wait to get your hands on?
The ladies of AYAP,
Martina, Alyssa, Jan, Clara, and Lisa
YA BOOK GIVEAWAYS THIS WEEK
* * * *
Defectorby Susanne WinnackerAdvance Reader Copy Giveaway
International GiveawayRazorbillReleased 6/26/2014Praise for Susanne Winnacker's
Impostor:
"An unpredictable page turner with shades of terror reminiscent of a Stephen King novel."�
VOYA"Fresh and inventive. . . . the strongly-written mystery component takes center stage."�
BCCB___
Tessa has finally made peace with her life as a Variant. She and longtime love Alec are officially a couple, and for the first time, she has everything she wants.
But the air is tense at FEA headquarters. An agent has disappeared, and rogue Variant organization Abel's Army is likely the culprit.
When Tessa is summoned for her second mission, she is unexpectedly launched into a massive conspiracy. Her best friend Holly is kidnapped, and Tessa knows it was meant to be her. But who is after her? And more importantly, why?
When the FEA's efforts to rescue Holly don't yield results, Tessa takes matters into her own hands. Desperate to save her friend and uncover the mystery behind Abel's Army, Tessa launches her own investigation—but nothing could prepare her for what she finds.
Finding the truth will take her out on the road and out of her comfort zone, with danger lurking at every turn. Summoning all of her courage and strength, Tessa must decide who can be trusted and what is worth fighting for. Her final decision will leave readers breathless.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Defector?The revelations. Tessa discovers the truth about many things, some of which she later wishes she hadn’t. It was fun writing her reactions to those discoveries. I think the truth forces Tessa to grow as a character.Purchase Defector at AmazonPurchase Defector at IndieBoundView Defector on GoodreadsYA BOOK GIVEAWAYS LAST WEEK: WINNERS
* * * *
#Scandalby Sarah OcklerHardcoverSimon PulseReleased 6/17/2014
Winner - Grace ZhuangLucy’s learned some important lessons from tabloid darling Jayla Heart’s all-too-public blunders: Avoid the spotlight, don’t feed the Internet trolls, and keep your secrets secret. The policy has served Lucy well all through high school, so when her best friend Ellie gets sick before prom and begs her to step in as Cole’s date, she accepts with a smile, silencing about ten different reservations. Like the one where she’d rather stay home shredding online zombies. And the one where she hates playing dress-up. And
especially the one where she’s been secretly in love with Cole since the dawn of time.
When Cole surprises her at the after party with a kiss under the stars, it’s everything Lucy has ever dreamed of… and the biggest BFF deal-breaker ever. Despite Cole’s lingering sweetness, Lucy knows they’ll have to ’fess up to Ellie. But before they get the chance, Lucy’s own Facebook profile mysteriously explodes with compromising pics of her and Cole, along with tons of other students’ party indiscretions. Tagged. Liked. And furiously viral.
By Monday morning, Lucy’s been branded a slut, a backstabber, and a narc, mired in a tabloid-worthy scandal just weeks before graduation.
Lucy’s been battling undead masses online long enough to know there’s only one way to survive a disaster of this magnitude: Stand up and fight. Game plan? Uncover and expose the Facebook hacker, win back her best friend’s trust, and graduate with a clean slate.
There’s just one snag—Cole. Turns out Lucy’s not the only one who’s been harboring unrequited love...
Purchase #Scandal at AmazonPurchase #Scandal at IndieBoundView #Scandal on Goodreads* * * *
Blazedby Jason MyersPaperbackSimon PulseReleased 6/17/2014
Winner - Danielle HammelefJamie uncovers life-changing secrets from his past when he’s sent to live with a father he’s never met in this gritty novel from the author of
Exit Here. and
Run the Game.
Jamie is invincible when he is high. His anger, his isolation, his mom’s manic mood swings—nothing can shatter his glass castle. But one brutal night upends everything, leaving his mom broken and Jamie betrayed.
Sent to live with a father he’s never met, Jamie is determined to hate the man he blames for his mother’s ruin. And he blocks out the pain with drugs, fierce music, and sweet, sweet Dominique. Except the more time Jamie spends at his dad’s, the more his mother’s scathing stories start to unravel. Who is he supposed to believe? And how much will he have to sacrifice to uncover the truth?
Purchase Blazed at AmazonPurchase Blazed at IndieBoundView Blazed on Goodreads* * * *
Summer of Yesterdayby Gaby TrianaPaperbackSimon PulseReleased 6/17/2014
Winner - Traci TroutmanBack to the Future meets
Fast Times at Ridgemont High when Haley’s summer vacation takes a turn for the retro in this totally rad romantic fantasy.
Summer officially sucks. Thanks to a stupid seizure she had a few months earlier, Haley’s stuck going on vacation with her dad and his new family to Disney’s Fort Wilderness instead of enjoying the last session of summer camp back home with her friends. Fort Wilderness holds lots of childhood memories for her father, but surely nothing for Haley. But then a new seizure triggers something she’s never before experienced—time travel—and she ends up in River Country, the campground’s long-abandoned water park, during its heyday.
The year? 1982.
And there—with its amusing fashion, “oldies” music, and primitive technology—she runs into familiar faces:
teenage Dad and Mom before they’d even met. Somehow, Haley must find her way back to the twenty-first century before her present-day parents anguish over her disappearance, a difficult feat now that she’s met Jason, one of the park’s summer residents and employees, who takes the strangely dressed stowaway under his wing.
Seizures aside, Haley’s used to controlling her life, and she has no idea how to deal with this dilemma. How can she be falling for a boy whose future she can’t share?
Purchase Summer of Yesterday at AmazonPurchase Summer of Yesterday at IndieBoundView Summer of Yesterday on GoodreadsMORE YOUNG ADULT NOVELS NEW IN STORES NEXT WEEK
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Complicitby Stephanie KuehnHardcoverSt. Martin's GriffinReleased 6/24/2014Two years ago, sixteen-year-old Jamie Henry breathed a sigh of relief when a judge sentenced his older sister to juvenile detention for burning down their neighbor’s fancy horse barn. The whole town did. Because Crazy Cate Henry used to be a nice girl. Until she did a lot of bad things. Like drinking. And stealing. And lying. Like playing weird mind games in the woods with other children. Like making sure she always got her way. Or else.
But today Cate got out. And now she’s coming back for Jamie.
Because more than anything, Cate Henry needs her little brother to know the truth about their past. A truth she’s kept hidden for years. A truth she’s not supposed to tell.
Trust nothing and no one as you race toward the explosive conclusion of this gripping psychological thriller from the William C. Morris Award-winning author of
Charm & Strange.Purchase Complicit at AmazonPurchase Complicit at IndieBoundView Complicit on Goodreads* * * *
In The Endby Demetria LunettaHardcoverHarperTeenReleased 6/24/2014The thrilling conclusion to In the After, the survival story of Amy and Baby, set in a near future where Earth has been overrun by vicious, predatory creatures. It’s been three months since Amy escaped New Hope, and she’s been surviving on her own, like she did in the After. Until one day, her former fellow Guardian’s voice rings out in her earpiece. And in a desperate tone, Kay utters the four words Amy had hoped she would never hear: Dr. Reynolds has Baby.
Now it’s a race against time, for Baby is in imminent danger, her life threatened by the malevolent doctor who had helped start the end of the world. In order to save Baby, Amy must make her way to Fort Black, a prison-turned-survivor-colony, where she will need to find Ken, Kay’s brother. He alone holds the key to Baby’s survival.
One small slip-up on this quest could spark a downward spiral that would not only cost Baby and Amy their lives, but threaten the very survival of the people in the After.
Purchase In The End at AmazonPurchase In The End at IndieBoundView In The End on Goodreads* * * *
License To Spillby Lisi HarrisonHardcoverPoppyReleased 6/24/2014Three girls, two guys, five secret journals.
The five most popular students at Noble High have secrets to hide; secrets they wrote down in their journals. Now one of their own exposes the private entries...
When our parents were growing up they were encouraged to make mistakes. That's how they learned. But us? Our mistakes go viral. There is no delete button on the Internet. What kind of future do we have if we can't escape our embarrassing pasts? I must come off as quite the hypocrite; complaining about our overexposed lives in a book of secret journals I have leaked. But these pages hold proof of how this pressure affects the "best" of us... so until the heat's turned down, keep reading.
Purchase License To Spill at AmazonPurchase License To Spill at IndieBoundView License To Spill on Goodreads* * * *
The Garden of Darknessby Gillian Murray KendallPaperbackRavenstoneReleased 6/25/2014The Garden of Darkness explores the journey of four children who, after surviving a disease that seems to infect all but one adult, hope to find meaning by joining forces with this sole remaining grownup who says he possesses a cure. These children discover, however, that the greatest meaning of all lies in the friendships they forge during the journey itself. This groundbreaking Young Adult novel shaded with despair like that in
The Road and hope and renewal like that found in
The Hunger Games shows the courage, tenacity and, finally, love necessary to create a new world from the ashes of the old.
Their families dead from the pandemic
SitkaAZ13, known as Pest, 15-year-old cheerleader Clare and 13-year-old chess club member Jem, an unlikely pair, are thrown together and realize that, if either of them wishes to reach adulthood, they must find a cure.A shadowy adult broadcasting on the radio to all orphaned children promises just that — to cure children once they grow into Pest, then to feed them and to care for them.
Or does this adult have something else in mind?
Against a hostile landscape of rotting cities and of a countryside infected by corpses and roamed by voracious diseased survivors, Jem and Clare make their bid for life and, with their group of fellow child-travelers growing, embark on a journey to find the grownup they believe holds the cure. Their only weapon is Clare’s dog, Bear.
But Clare and Jem, as well as their followers, are hampered by the knowledge that everything in this new child-led world had become suspect—the love of diseased adults, alliances, trust, hope. As Clare and Jem learn to stitch wounds, skin deer and survive in the ashes of the old world perhaps it is no surprise that they begin to find that friendship is as redemptive as anything they seek—that friendship has its own kind of healing power. And, at the end of their journey, in the face of the ultimate betrayal, they discover that out of friendship can come love.
Purchase The Garden of Darkness at AmazonPurchase The Garden of Darkness at IndieBoundView The Garden of Darkness on Goodreads* * * *
The Things You Kiss Goodbyeby Leslie ConnorHardcoverKatherine Tegen BooksReleased 6/24/2014Bettina Vasilis can hardly believe it when basketball star Brady Cullen asks her out, and she just about faints when her strict father actually approves of him.
But when school starts up again, Brady changes. What happened to the sweet boy she fell in love with? Then she meets a smoldering guy in his twenties, and this “cowboy” is everything Brady is not—gentle, caring, and interested in getting to know the real Bettina.
Bettina knows that breaking up with Brady would mean giving up her freedom—and that it would be inappropriate for anything to happen between her and Cowboy. Still, she can’t help that she longs for the scent of his auto shop whenever she’s anywhere else.
When tragedy strikes, Bettina must tell her family the truth—and kiss goodbye the things she thought she knew about herself and the men in her life.
Leslie Connor has written a lyrical, heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful story about family, romance, and the immense power of love.
Purchase The Things You Kiss Goodbye at AmazonPurchase The Things You Kiss Goodbye at IndieBoundView The Things You Kiss Goodbye on Goodreads* * * *
Wickedpediaby Chris Van EttenPaperbackScholastic Inc.Released 6/24/2014It's the return of Point Horror for the Internet generation! Don't open the door. Don't answer your phone. And whatever you do, DON'T turn on your computer. . . .
Cole and Greg love playing practical jokes through Wikipedia. They edit key articles and watch their classmates crash and burn giving oral reports on historical figures like Genghis Khan, the first female astronaut on Jupiter. So after the star soccer player steals Cole's girlfriend, the boys take their revenge by creating a Wikipedia page for him, an entry full of outlandish information including details about his bizarre death on the soccer field.
It's all in good fun, until the soccer player is killed in a freak accident . . . just as Cole and Greg predicted. The uneasy boys vow to leave Wikipedia alone but someone continues to edit articles about classmates dying in gruesome ways . . . and those entries start to come true as well.
To his horror, Cole soon discovers that someone has created a Wikipedia page for him, and included a date of death. He has one week to figure out who's behind the murders, or else he's set to meet a pretty grisly end.
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keilinh,
on 6/18/2014
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Warm weather is finally here! Get those summer reading lists ready because we’re excited to announce the release of two new YA novels from our Tu Books imprint: Drift, a high fantasy adventure that takes place on the shores of Hell, and Rebellion, the thrilling final book in Karen Sandler’s Tankborn series.
In Drift, Tenjat lives on the shores of Hell, an ocean filled with ravenous naga monsters. His island, a massive Turtle, is slowed by the people living on its back. Tenjat is poor as poor gets: poor enough, even, to condescend to the shame of marriage, so his children can help support him one day. But Tenjat has a plan to avoid this fate. He will join the Handlers, those who defend and rule the island. As an epic naga battle approaches, Tenjat’s training intensifies, but a long-hidden family secret—not to mention his own growing feelings for his trainer—put his plans in jeopardy, and might threaten the very survival of his island.
Read an excerpt. Learn more about Drift and author M.K. Hutchins here.
In Rebellion, the Tankborn story comes to its thrilling conclusion as questions are answered after the devastating bomb blast that ended Awakening. Kayla has been brought to the headquarters of the organization that planted the bomb, and many others like it, in GEN food warehouses and homes. Her biological mother tells her that Devak is dead and that Kayla must join their terrorist group, which is ramping up for something big. Now Kayla must pretend to embrace this new role in an underground compound full of paranoia as she plots a way to escape and save her friends.
Read an excerpt. Learn more about the Tankborn trilogy and author Karen Sandler here.
Happy book birthday to our newest releases! You can purchase them on our website, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or your local independent bookseller (if copies are not in stock, they can always order them for you). And of course, they’re also available as e-books.
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YA BOOK GIVEAWAYS THIS WEEK
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The Strange Maidby Tessa GrattonSigned Hardcover Giveaway Random House Books for Young ReadersReleased 6/10/2014Fans of Neil Gaiman, Holly Black, and Maggie Stiefvater will embrace the richly drawn, Norse-influenced alternate world of the United States of Asgard, where cell phones, rock bands, and evangelical preachers coexist with dragon slaying, rune casting, and sword training in schools. Where the president runs the country alongside a council of Valkyries, gods walk the red carpet with Hollywood starlets, and the U.S. military has a special battalion dedicated to eradicating Rocky Mountain trolls.
Signy Valborn was seven years old when she climbed the New World Tree and met Odin Alfather, who declared that if she could solve a single riddle, he would make her one of his Valkyrie. For ten years Signy has trained in the arts of war, politics, and leadership, never dreaming that a Greater Mountain Troll might hold the answer to the riddle, but that’s exactly what Ned the Spiritless promises her. A mysterious troll hunter who talks in riddles and ancient poetry, Ned is a hard man to trust. Unfortunately, Signy is running out of time. Accompanied by an outcast berserker named Soren Bearstar, she and Ned take off across the ice sheets of Canadia to hunt the mother of trolls and claim Signy’s destiny.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about The Strange Maid?THAT I FINISHED WRITING IT. Haha, just kidding. Sort of. My real favorite thing is that I was able to write a story about an angry, unlikable girl who turns herself into a passionate hero because of her anger and un-likeability. In a moment of grief and fury, Signy dedicates herself to Odin Alfather the god of war, madness, and poetry, and to truly follow him, she has to embrace all those things, and discover how they relate to each other and to her own heart. She has to learn to use herself as a weapon, and fight passionately for what she thinks is right. It was HARD to write, but taught me a lot about myself as a writer and also what I, too, want to be like to other people. I’ve never been so angry at a character, or loved one so much.
Purchase The Strange Maid at AmazonPurchase The Strange Maid at IndieBoundView The Strange Maid on Goodreads* * * *
On The Road To Find Outby Rachel ToorHardcover Giveaway Farrar, Straus and GirouxReleased 6/10/2014A funny, uplifting debut about running, romance—and dealing with college rejection and other hurdlesOn New Year’s Day, Alice Davis goes for a run. Her first ever. It’s painful and embarrassing, but so was getting denied by the only college she cares about. Alice knows she has to stop sitting around and complaining to her best friend, Jenni, and her pet rat, Walter, about what a loser she is. But what doesn’t know is that by taking those first steps out the door, she is setting off down a road filled with new challenges—including vicious side stitches, chafing in unmentionable places, and race-paced first love—and strengthening herself to endure when the going suddenly gets tougher than she ever imagined.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about On The Road To Find Out?My favorite thing about On the Road to Find Out might be that my editor and I refer to it as OTRTFO. If you say all those initials out loud and fast, it kind of sounds like a melody. But my other favorite thing is that one of my funniest, smartest, sweetest characters (IMHO) is the size of a hot dog bun. I thought I was going to write a novel about running for all the people who love to run and for the many more who hate it and think they can’t do it. (They’re wrong, wrong, wrong, do you hear me? Wrong!) I ended up writing about college admissions, first love, and—keep an open mind here, people—why rats make the world’s best pets. If you read this book and you don’t love Walter the rat as much as Alice and I do, well, I’ve failed as an author. But if you have loved a rat, please write and tell me that. Rat lovers unite!Purchase On The Road To Find Out at AmazonPurchase On The Road To Find Out at IndieBoundView On The Road To Find Out on GoodreadsYA BOOK GIVEAWAYS LAST WEEK: WINNERS
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Paranoiaby J.R JohanssonPaperbackFluxReleased 6/8/2014
Winner - Taffy LovellIn the aftermath of the events that nearly killed him, Parker Chipp is trying to learn to cope better with life as a Watcher. And it seems to be working...until he wakes up in jail with a hangover and 12 hours of missing time. Darkness has somehow taken control and Parker doesn't have a clue how to stop him. He finds an unlikely ally in Jack, the mysterious guy in the motorcycle jacket who offers to help Parker master his abilities as a Watcher. But even as they practice, the darkness inside Parker is getting more and more powerful, taking over Parker’s body and doing everything he can to destroy Parker's life.
When Jack reveals that there is another kind of Night Walker, known as a Taker, Parker starts to wonder if the strange things happening in Oakville are more than just a coincidence. After all, people are more than just sleepwalking. They're emptying their savings accounts with no memory of doing so, wandering into strange parts of town and disappearing, they're even killing other people--all in their sleep. If Parker wants to find out what's happening or have any hope of seeing his father again, he’ll have to defy Jack and put his own life in danger...because the more he learns about these other Night Walkers, the more certain he becomes that his life isn't the only one that could be lost.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Paranoia?My favorite thing about PARANOIA was the ability it gave me to delve even farther into Parker's world. There is so much more that we get the opportunity to learn about him, his friends, even new characters that we didn't know before. I loved being able to bring more of that world onto the page and out to readers and I can't wait to do it again in Book #3. :)Purchase Paranoia at AmazonPurchase Paranoia at IndieBoundView Paranoia on Goodreads* * * *
The Strange Maidby Tessa GrattonHardcover Giveaway Random House Books for Young ReadersReleased 6/10/2014
Winner - Arlinda SmithFans of Neil Gaiman, Holly Black, and Maggie Stiefvater will embrace the richly drawn, Norse-influenced alternate world of the United States of Asgard, where cell phones, rock bands, and evangelical preachers coexist with dragon slaying, rune casting, and sword training in schools. Where the president runs the country alongside a council of Valkyries, gods walk the red carpet with Hollywood starlets, and the U.S. military has a special battalion dedicated to eradicating Rocky Mountain trolls.
Signy Valborn was seven years old when she climbed the New World Tree and met Odin Alfather, who declared that if she could solve a single riddle, he would make her one of his Valkyrie. For ten years Signy has trained in the arts of war, politics, and leadership, never dreaming that a Greater Mountain Troll might hold the answer to the riddle, but that’s exactly what Ned the Spiritless promises her. A mysterious troll hunter who talks in riddles and ancient poetry, Ned is a hard man to trust. Unfortunately, Signy is running out of time. Accompanied by an outcast berserker named Soren Bearstar, she and Ned take off across the ice sheets of Canadia to hunt the mother of trolls and claim Signy’s destiny.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about The Strange Maid?THAT I FINISHED WRITING IT. Haha, just kidding. Sort of. My real favorite thing is that I was able to write a story about an angry, unlikable girl who turns herself into a passionate hero because of her anger and un-likeability. In a moment of grief and fury, Signy dedicates herself to Odin Alfather the god of war, madness, and poetry, and to truly follow him, she has to embrace all those things, and discover how they relate to each other and to her own heart. She has to learn to use herself as a weapon, and fight passionately for what she thinks is right. It was HARD to write, but taught me a lot about myself as a writer and also what I, too, want to be like to other people. I’ve never been so angry at a character, or loved one so much.
Purchase The Strange Maid at AmazonPurchase The Strange Maid at IndieBoundView The Strange Maid on GoodreadsMORE YOUNG ADULT FICTION IN STORES NEXT WEEK WITH AUTHOR INTERVIEWS
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Brazenby Katherine LongshoreHardcoverViking JuvenileReleased 6/12/2014Mary Howard has always lived in the shadow of her powerful family. But when she’s married off to Henry Fitzroy, King Henry VIII’s illegitimate son, she rockets into the Tudor court’s inner circle. Mary and “Fitz” join a tight clique of rebels who test the boundaries of court’s strict rules with their games, dares, and flirtations. The more Mary gets to know Fitz, the harder she falls for him, but is forbidden from seeing him alone. The rules of court were made to be pushed…but pushing them too far means certain death. Is true love worth dying for?
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Brazen?I wouldn’t have said this at the time, but I love that it was so difficult to write. I couldn’t find the voice, I couldn’t figure out how or where to start the story, I had trouble building the characters, and when I finally got a draft, it wasn’t really a draft at all and I had to break all the pieces down and put them back together. I learned more about my writing process with this book than I had in the three I’d written before. I also learned how to trust myself and my characters to get me to the end. My editor says it’s my best book yet, and now that I’ve had some time and distance from it, I can see she has a point. The famous quote goes: "Writing is easy. You just open a vein and bleed.” This book certainly wasn’t easy, but I bled on every page.Purchase Brazen at AmazonPurchase Brazen at IndieBoundView Brazen on Goodreads* * * *
Pushby Eve SilverHardcoverKatherine Tegen BooksReleased 6/10/2014It’s either break the rules or die.
Miki Jones lives her life by her own strict set of rules, to keep control, to keep the gray fog of grief at bay. Then she’s pulled into the Game, where she—and her team—will die unless she follows a new set of rules: those set by the mysterious Committee.
But rules don’t mean answers, and without answers, it’s hard to trust. People are dying. The rules are unraveling. And Miki knows she’s being watched, uncertain if it’s the Drau or someone—something—else. Forced to make impossible choices and battling to save those she loves, Miki begins to see the Committee in a glaring new light.
And then the Game crosses a new boundary, pushes harder into Miki’s and her friends’ lives, and there’s nothing in the rules that can save them now.
Push is the sequel Rush fans will be screaming for.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Push?The deepening relationships between the characters and the ways those relationships contribute to Miki's growth and strength.Purchase Push at AmazonPurchase Push at IndieBoundView Push on Goodreads* * * *
Wingsby Elizabeth RichardsHardcoverPutnam JuvenileReleased 6/12/2014Following the cliffhanger ending of Phoenix, Natalie finds herself separated from Ash and unexpectedly reunited with her parents, including the father she thought was dead. But she can only think of Ash. She hasn't heard a word of him since she and Elijah were brought to the underground headquarters of the Sentry Rebellion. But she vows to find him.
Ash, meanwhile is back in Black City; it's the perfect place to hide from the Sentry government. But not for long. He won't give up on Natalie or bringing an end to the terrible reign of Purian Rose.
A pulse-racing end to an exciting series.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Wings?Oooh, well in WINGS I've introduced a third narrator, Edmund, who was a lot of fun to write! So I'd have to say that was my favorite thing.Purchase Wings at AmazonPurchase Wings at IndieBoundView Wings on GoodreadsMORE YOUNG ADULT NOVELS NEW IN STORES NEXT WEEK
Don't You- Forget About Meby Kate Karyus QuinnHardcoverHarperTeenReleased 6/10/2014Welcome to Gardnerville.
A place where no one gets sick. And no one ever dies.
Except...
There’s a price to pay for paradise. Every fourth year, the strange power that fuels the town exacts its payment by infecting teens with deadly urges. In a normal year in Gardnerville, teens might stop talking to their best friends. In a fourth year, they’d kill them.
Four years ago, Skylar’s sister, Piper, was locked away after leading sixteen of her classmates to a watery grave. Since then, Skylar has lived in a numb haze, struggling to forget her past and dull the pain of losing her sister. But the secrets and memories Piper left behind keep taunting Skylar—whispering that the only way to get her sister back is to stop Gardnerville’s murderous cycle once and for all.
Purchase Don't You- Forget About Me at AmazonPurchase Don't You- Forget About Me at IndieBoundView Don't You- Forget About Me on Goodreads* * * *
I Become Shadowby Joelle ShineHardcoverSoho TeenReleased 6/10/2014Ren Sharpe was abducted at fourteen and chosen by the mysterious F.A.T.E. Center to become a Shadow: the fearless and unstoppable guardian of a future leader. Everything she held dear—her family, her home, her former life—is gone forever.
Ren survives four years of training, torture, and misery, in large part thanks to Junie, a fellow F.A.T.E. abductee who started out as lost and confused as she did. She wouldn’t admit it was possible to find love in a prison beyond imagining, but what she feels for Junie may just be the closest thing to it.
At eighteen they part ways when Ren receives her assignment: find and protect college science student Gareth Young, or die trying. Life following a college nerd is uneventful, until an attack on Gareth forces Ren to track down the only person she can trust. When she and Junie discover that the F.A.T.E. itself might be behind the attacks, even certain knowledge of the future may not be enough to save their kidnappers from the killing machines they created.
Purchase I Become Shadow at AmazonPurchase I Become Shadow at IndieBoundView I Become Shadow on Goodreads* * * *
Lies My Girlfriend Told Meby Julie Anne PetersHardcoverLittle, Brown Books for Young ReadersReleased 6/10/2014When Alix's charismatic girlfriend, Swanee, dies from sudden cardiac arrest, Alix is overcome with despair. As she searches Swanee's room for mementos of their relationship, she finds Swanee's cell phone, pinging with dozens of texts sent from a mysterious contact, L.T. The most recent text reads: "Please tell me what I did. Please, Swan. Te amo. I love you."
Shocked and betrayed, Alix learns that Swanee has been leading a double life--secretly dating a girl named Liana the entire time she's been with Alix. Alix texts Liana from Swanee's phone, pretending to be Swanee in order to gather information before finally meeting face-to-face to break the news.
Brought together by Swanee's lies, Alix and Liana become closer than they'd thought possible. But Alix is still hiding the truth from Liana. Alix knows what it feels like to be lied to--but will coming clean to Liana mean losing her, too?
Purchase Lies My Girlfriend Told Me at AmazonPurchase Lies My Girlfriend Told Me at IndieBoundView Lies My Girlfriend Told Me on Goodreads* * * *
Starbird Murphy and The World Outsideby Karen FinneyfrockHardcoverViking JuvenileReleased 6/12/2014In her sixteen years of life, Starbird has never touched a dollar bill. She’s never been in a car. She’s never used a cell phone. That’s because Starbird has always lived on the Free Family Farm, a commune in the woods of Washington State. But all that is about to change. When Starbird gets her "Calling" to be a waitress at the Free Family’s restaurant in Seattle, she decides to leave behind the only home she’s ever known.
Nothing could have prepared Starbird for the World Outside, or for what it would teach her about the Family—and herself.
From the author of
The Sweet Revenge of Celia Door comes this hilarious and poignant story about finding your true calling in life.
Purchase Starbird Murphy and The World Outside at AmazonPurchase Starbird Murphy and The World Outside at IndieBoundView Starbird Murphy and The World Outside on Goodreads* * * *
The Fallenby Charlie HigsonHardcoverDisney-HyperionReleased 6/10/2014The Enemy is among us . . . First the sickness rotted the adults' minds. Then their bodies. Now they stalk the streets of London, hunting human flesh.
The Holloway crew are survivors. They've fought their way across the city and made it to the Natural History Museum alive--just barely. But their fight will never end while the Enemy lives, unless there's another way. . . .
The kids at the museum are looking for a cure. All they need are medical supplies.To get them they must venture down unfamiliar streets, where it isn't only crazed, hungry sickos who lurk in the shadows.
In this fifth terrifying entry in Charlie Higson's Enemy series, suddenly it's not so clear who--or what--the enemy is.
Purchase The Fallen at AmazonPurchase The Fallen at IndieBoundView The Fallen on Goodreads* * * *
Troubleby Non PrattHardcoverSimon & Schuster Books for Young ReadersReleased 6/10/2014In this dazzling debut novel, a pregnant teen learns the meaning of friendship—from the boy who pretends to be her baby’s father.
When the entire high school finds out that Hannah Shepard is pregnant via her ex-best friend, she has a full-on meltdown in her backyard. The one witness (besides the rest of the world): Aaron Tyler, a transfer student and the only boy who doesn’t seem to want to get into Hannah’s pants. Confused and scared, Hannah needs someone to be on her side. Wishing to make up for his own past mistakes, Aaron does the unthinkable and offers to pretend to be the father of Hannah’s unborn baby. Even more unbelievable, Hannah hears herself saying “yes.”
Told in alternating perspectives between Hannah and Aaron, Trouble is the story of two teenagers helping each other to move forward in the wake of tragedy and devastating choices. As you read about their year of loss, regret, and hope, you’ll remember your first, real best friend—and how they were like a first love.
Purchase Trouble at AmazonPurchase Trouble at IndieBoundView Trouble on Goodreads* * * *
When Mr. Dog Bitesby Brian ConaghanHardcoverBloomsbury USA ChildrensReleased 6/10/2014Dylan Mint has Tourette’s. For Dylan, life is a constant battle to keep the bad stuff in – the swearing, the tics, the howling dog that escapes whenever he gets stressed. And, as a sixteen-year-old virgin and pupil at Drumhill Special School, getting stressed is something of an occupational hazard.
But then a routine visit to the hospital changes everything. Overhearing a hushed conversation between the doctor and his mother, Dylan discovers that he's going to die next March.
So he grants himself three parting wishes: three ‘Cool Things To Do Before I Cack It’.
It isn’t a long list, but it is ambitious, and he doesn't have much time. But as Dylan sets out to make his wishes come true, he discovers that nothing – and no-one – is quite as he had previously supposed.
A story about life, death, love, sex and swearing, When Mr Dog Bites will take you on one *#@! of a journey . . .
Purchase When Mr. Dog Bites at AmazonPurchase When Mr. Dog Bites at IndieBoundView When Mr. Dog Bites on Goodreads* * * *
Wicked Gamesby Sean OlinHardcoverKatherine Tegen BooksReleased 6/10/2014Wicked Games is the first book in a sexy thriller series where passion, lies, and revenge collide-perfect for fans of Simone Elkeles and Sara Shepard.
To all the locals in the small beach town of Dream Point, Carter and Lilah seem like the perfect It Couple-but their relationship is about to brutally unravel before everyone's eyes.
Carter has always been a good guy, and while Lilah has a troubled past, she's been a loyal girlfriend for the last four years. When smart, sexy Jules enters the picture at a senior-year bash, Carter succumbs to temptation. And when Lilah catches wind of his betrayal, she decides that Jules needs to pay.
By the end of the summer, the line between right and wrong will be blurred beyond recognition. Blood will be shed. Nothing in Dream Point will ever be the same.
This juicy summer read will keep readers turning pages until the shocking, nail-biting finale.
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By:
keilinh,
on 6/6/2014
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We pride ourselves on publishing diverse children’s books that feature characters and cultures from around the world. In 2012, we expanded when we acquired Children’s Book Press, an award-winning multicultural publisher based out of the Bay Area. Our new CBP imprint is a great place to find high-quality bilingual English/Spanish picture books and many more books by talented authors and illustrators of color.
We’re very excited to report that we’ve reprinted several Children’s Book Press titles already under our CBP imprint, and we have more on the way! We know some of you have been waiting quite a while to see your favorite CBP books back in print, so we’re happy to share our most recent reprints:
Animal Poems of the Iguazú/Animalario del Iguazú, by Francisco X. Alarcón, illustrated by Maya Christina Gonzalez
Bears Make Rock Soup, by Lise Erdrich, illustrated by Lisa Fifield
Birthday in the Barrio/Cumpleaños en el barrio, by Mayra L. Dole, illustrated by Tonel
Drum, Chavi, Drum!/¡Toca, Chavi, Toca!, by Mayra L. Dole, illustrated by Tonel
Featherless/Desplumado, by Juan Felipe Herrera, illustrated by Ernesto Cuevas, Jr.
From North to South/Del Norte al Sur, by René Colato Laínez, illustrated by Joe Cepeda
Home to Medicine Mountain, by Chiori Santiago, illustrated by Judith Lowry
Making Magic Windows, by Carmen Lomas Garza
A Man Called Raven, by Richard Van Camp, illustrated by George Littlechild
Moony Luna/Luna, Lunita Lunera, by Jorge Argueta, illustrated by Elizabeth Gómez
Nana’s Big Surprise/Nana, ¡Qué Sorpresa!, by Amada Irma Pérez, illustrated by Maya Christina Gonzalez
Prietita and the Ghost Woman/Prietita y la Llorona, by Gloria Anzaldúa, illustrated by Maya Christina Gonzalez
Quinito, Day and Night/Quinito, día y noche, by Ina Cumpiano, illustrated by José Ramírez
A Shelter in Our Car, by Monica Gunning, illustrated by Elaine Pedlar
Soledad Sigh-Sighs/Soledad Suspiros, by Rigoberto González, illustrated by Rosa Ibarra
What’s the Most Beautiful Thing You Know About Horses?, by Richard Van Camp, illustrated by George Littlechild
We’re looking forward to hearing your thoughts on these new reprints!
For a full list of Children’s Book Press titles that are currently available from Lee & Low Books or to place an order, contact our ordering department toll-free at 1-888-320-3190 x. 28. We also have a PDF of our latest catalog here.
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Witches must choose the path they will follow, and Darlena Agara is no exception. She’s been putting it off long enough, and in her case, ignoring it has not made it go away. In a moment of frustration, Darlena chooses to follow Red Magic, figuring she had outsmarted the powers that be, since there’s no such thing as Red Magic. But alas, Darlena’s wrong (again) and she becomes a newly declared Red Witch.
Her friends are shocked and her parents horrified by the choice Darlena has made. As a Red Witch, she now governs one third of the world’s chaos. She is the walking personification of pandemonium, turmoil, and bedlam, just as the patrons of Red Magic would have it to be.
But Darlena believes there must be more to Red Magic than chaos and destruction, and she sets out on a journey to achieve balance. Only doing so puts her at odds with the dark goddess Hecate, who simply will not allow Darlena to quit. She encourages Darlena to embrace who and what she is and to leave good magic to the good witches. If only Darlena could, life would be simple, and she would not be the Daughter of Chaos.
My thoughts:I liked Darlena from the start. She thinks she can outsmart Hecate, and for me that just spelled guts right there. Of course it backfires and she winds up pledging herself to Red Magic, which she didn't even know existed. Still, Darlena seems suited for Red Magic and the fact that Hecate wants her means she has a lot of power. Unfortunately, that power makes her a very sought after witch. Darlena doesn't know who to trust or how to use her Red Magic for good, and she winds up on a journey she never could have imagined.
Witches and Greek gods! This seriously couldn't get any better. I have a weird obsession with Hades, and he was awesome in this story. I tore through this book, loving every second and being totally invested in Darlena and her future. McConnel has a winner with Daughter of Chaos and in my opinion, book two can't get here fast enough. If you enjoy witch books, go get Daughter of Chaos now!
By:
Kelly Hashway,
on 6/3/2014
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BEA!!! Okay, I still haven't come down from my BEA high. This is seriously my favorite event. Why? Because I always get to hang out with really awesome writers and bloggers and publishing people. Man, I love my job.
So, here's a recap of my BEA 2014 experience:
First, check out the awesome Spencer Hill Press signing chart. (Do you see my name?)
And here I am signing The Monster Within ARCs. Photo courtesy of the very awesome Miss Dvora Gelfond.
Fellow horror writer Charles Day stopped by to get an ARC of The Monster Within.
I got really amazing triquetra necklaces for my book, which we raffled off in baskets and during the signing. I don't think I'm ever taking mine off. It's so pretty!
And here's the beautiful Jennifer Allis Provost who made the triquetra necklaces for me because she's that awesome.
Brooke Delvecchio is one of the most adorable people ever. I love her.
Here I am with Richard Shealy, one of my copy editors.Here I am with Jessica Porteous, Lisa Amowitz, and Elizabeth Langston.My agency sister, Vicki Merkel, attended my signing.
Vikki Ciaffone is not my editor at SHP but I love her.And I got to meet Eliza Tilton in person finally too! And I met J.A. Ward.
I also had a signing as Ashelyn Drake for my upcoming YA contemporary Perfect For You. Swoon Romance was awesome about getting people to stop by my booth to pick up signed postcards and talk about the book. I also had two amazing dancers (Yes, I said dancers.) bringing people in. A special thanks to Dorothy Dryer and Dan Cohen. You two are the best cheerleaders ever!
After knowing Rachel Harris online for years we got to meet in person!
Okay, and this has nothing to do with my signings or meeting people, BUT… I finally got to see Rick Riordan!!! Thank you to Dan Cohen for making sure I got a picture of Rick this time.
AND…I got Becca Fitzpatrick's new book! Yay! I'm so excited to read it. I loved the Hush, Hush series. I have to thank Dan Cohen for this one too because he totally snagged me a copy early and I didn't even have to wait in line.
I had to leave early on Saturday because the train schedule changed and we are having work done on our house and had to be home for it. I was sad to go and am already counting the days until BEA 2015!
YA BOOK GIVEAWAYS THIS WEEK
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Paranoiaby J.R JohanssonGiveaway of your choice of PARANOIA or INSOMNIAFluxReleased 6/8/2014In the aftermath of the events that nearly killed him, Parker Chipp is trying to learn to cope better with life as a Watcher. And it seems to be working...until he wakes up in jail with a hangover and 12 hours of missing time. Darkness has somehow taken control and Parker doesn't have a clue how to stop him. He finds an unlikely ally in Jack, the mysterious guy in the motorcycle jacket who offers to help Parker master his abilities as a Watcher. But even as they practice, the darkness inside Parker is getting more and more powerful, taking over Parker’s body and doing everything he can to destroy Parker's life.
When Jack reveals that there is another kind of Night Walker, known as a Taker, Parker starts to wonder if the strange things happening in Oakville are more than just a coincidence. After all, people are more than just sleepwalking. They're emptying their savings accounts with no memory of doing so, wandering into strange parts of town and disappearing, they're even killing other people--all in their sleep. If Parker wants to find out what's happening or have any hope of seeing his father again, he’ll have to defy Jack and put his own life in danger...because the more he learns about these other Night Walkers, the more certain he becomes that his life isn't the only one that could be lost.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Paranoia?My favorite thing about PARANOIA was the ability it gave me to delve even farther into Parker's world. There is so much more that we get the opportunity to learn about him, his friends, even new characters that we didn't know before. I loved being able to bring more of that world onto the page and out to readers and I can't wait to do it again in Book #3. :)Purchase Paranoia at AmazonPurchase Paranoia at IndieBoundView Paranoia on Goodreads* * * *
The Strange Maidby Tessa GrattonAdvance Reader Copy Giveaway Random House Books for Young ReadersReleased 6/10/2014Fans of Neil Gaiman, Holly Black, and Maggie Stiefvater will embrace the richly drawn, Norse-influenced alternate world of the United States of Asgard, where cell phones, rock bands, and evangelical preachers coexist with dragon slaying, rune casting, and sword training in schools. Where the president runs the country alongside a council of Valkyries, gods walk the red carpet with Hollywood starlets, and the U.S. military has a special battalion dedicated to eradicating Rocky Mountain trolls.
Signy Valborn was seven years old when she climbed the New World Tree and met Odin Alfather, who declared that if she could solve a single riddle, he would make her one of his Valkyrie. For ten years Signy has trained in the arts of war, politics, and leadership, never dreaming that a Greater Mountain Troll might hold the answer to the riddle, but that’s exactly what Ned the Spiritless promises her. A mysterious troll hunter who talks in riddles and ancient poetry, Ned is a hard man to trust. Unfortunately, Signy is running out of time. Accompanied by an outcast berserker named Soren Bearstar, she and Ned take off across the ice sheets of Canadia to hunt the mother of trolls and claim Signy’s destiny.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about The Strange Maid?THAT I FINISHED WRITING IT. Haha, just kidding. Sort of. My real favorite thing is that I was able to write a story about an angry, unlikable girl who turns herself into a passionate hero because of her anger and un-likeability. In a moment of grief and fury, Signy dedicates herself to Odin Alfather the god of war, madness, and poetry, and to truly follow him, she has to embrace all those things, and discover how they relate to each other and to her own heart. She has to learn to use herself as a weapon, and fight passionately for what she thinks is right. It was HARD to write, but taught me a lot about myself as a writer and also what I, too, want to be like to other people. I’ve never been so angry at a character, or loved one so much.
Purchase The Strange Maid at AmazonPurchase The Strange Maid at IndieBoundView The Strange Maid on GoodreadsYA BOOK GIVEAWAYS LAST WEEK: WINNERS
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Dividedby Elsie ChapmanHardcoverRandom House Books for Young ReadersReleased 5/27/2014
Winner - Heather CarpenterThe hunter becomes the hunted. . . .
West Grayer is done killing. She defeated her Alternate, a twin raised by another family, and proved she’s worthy of a future. She’s ready to move on with her life.
The Board has other plans. They want her to kill one last time, and offer her a deal worth killing for. But when West recognizes her target as a ghost from her past, she realizes she’s in over her head. The Board is lying, and West will have to uncover the truth of the past to secure her future.
How far will the Board go to keep their secrets safe? And how far will West go to save those she loves? With nonstop action and surprising twists, Elsie Chapman’s intoxicating sequel to Dualed reveals everything.
Purchase Divided at AmazonPurchase Divided at IndieBoundView Divided on Goodreads* * * *
Surrounded by Sharksby Michael NorthropHardcoverScholastic PressReleased 5/27/2014
Winner - Stephanie HabinaA thrilling survival story from Michael Northrop, the acclaimed author of TRAPPED.
He couldn't sleep. That's how it all started.
When Davey wakes, just as the sun is rising, he can't wait to slip out of the crammed hotel room he's sharing with his family. Leave it to his parents and kid brother to waste an entire day of vacation sleeping in! Davey heads straight for the beach, book and glasses in hand, not bothering to leave a note. As the sparkling ocean entices him, he decides to test the water, never mind that "No Swimming" sign. But as the waves pull him farther from shore, Davey finds himself surrounded by water -- and something else, too. Something circling below the surface, watching, waiting. It's just a matter of time.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Surrounded by Sharks?Probably that the sharks are depicted realistically. They aren’t voracious human-seeking torpedoes or launched out of a Sharknado. They’re real sharks: They lurk, they circle, they’re curious… I think it’s a more responsible depiction, and it allows time, anticipation, and the main character’s isolation to build the drama of the book.
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We Are the Goldensby Dana ReinhardtHardcoverWendy Lamb BooksReleased 5/27/2014
Winner - Olivia HinebaughNell knows a secret about her perfect, beautiful sister Layla. If she tells, it could blow their world apart.
When Nell and Layla were little, Nell used to call them Nellaya. Because to Nell, there was no difference between where she started and her adored big sister ended. They're a unit; divorce made them rely on each other early on, so when one pulls away, what is the other to do? But now, Nell's a freshman in high school and Layla is changing, secretive. And then Nell discovers why. Layla is involved with one of their teachers. And even though Nell tries to support Layla, to understand that she's happy and in love, Nell struggles with her true feelings: it's wrong, and she must do something about it.
Purchase We Are the Goldens at AmazonPurchase We Are the Goldens at IndieBoundView We Are the Goldens on GoodreadsMORE YOUNG ADULT FICTION IN STORES NEXT WEEK WITH AUTHOR INTERVIEWS
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Gaspby Lisa McMannHardcoverSimon PulseReleased 6/3/2014The visions aren't stopping, and neither is the danger in this third "dramatic, quick-paced thriller (
Kirkus Reviews)" in a series from the
New York Times bestselling author of the Wake trilogy.
After narrowly surviving two harrowing tragedies, Jules now fully understands the importance of the visions that she and people around her are experiencing. She’s convinced that if the visions passed from her to Sawyer after she saved him, then they must now have passed from Sawyer to one of the people he saved.
That means it’s up to Jules to figure out which of the school shooting survivors is now suffering from visions of another crisis. And once she realizes who it is, she has to convince that survivor that this isn't all crazy—that the images are of something real. Something imminent.
As the danger escalates more than ever before in the conclusion to the Visions series, Jules wonders if she'll finally find out why and how this is happening—before it's too late to prevent disaster.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Gasp?There's plenty of suspense in GASP, and I really love suspense, but my favorite thing about GASP and this trilogy in general is probably the relationships. Not just the tight relationships that main character Jules has with her brother Trey and sister Rowan, but also her progressing relationship with Sawyer. Add in newcomer to the group Ben Galang (whom readers might remember from BANG) to make Trey's heart tremble, and we've got a solid team of five who have to learn to work together in order to find the next victim of the vision curse and conquer the next impossible disaster.Purchase Gasp at AmazonPurchase Gasp at IndieBoundView Gasp on Goodreads* * * *
Love by the Morning Starby Laura L. SullivanHardcoverHMH Books for Young ReadersReleased 6/3/2014Upstairs, downstairs, and in
which lady’s chamber?
On the brink of World War II, two girls are sent to the grand English country estate of Starkers. Hannah, the half-Jewish daughter of a disgraced distant relative, has been living an artistic bohemian life in a cabaret in pre-war Germany and now is supposed to be welcomed into the family. Anna, the social-climbing daughter of working-class British fascists, is supposed to be hired as a maid so that she can spy for the Nazis. But there’s a mix-up, and nice Hannah is sent to the kitchen as a maid while arrogant Anna is welcomed as a relative.
And then both girls fall for the same man, the handsome heir of the estate . . .
or do they? In this sparkling, saucy romance, nearly everything goes wrong for two girls who are sent to a grand English estate on the brink of World War II—until it goes so very, very right!
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Love by the Morning Star?
Thanks so much for having me at Adventures in YA Publishing! My favorite thing about my new book Love by the Morning Star has to be the ending. It is an unequivocally happy ending – a first for me. Happy endings are not my forte. I guess I'm usually too much of a realist. My last book, Ladies in Waiting, ends with one main character's beloved dying on the gibbet, while the other main character winds up dissecting the poor fellow, along with the man who just rejected her. But Love by the Morning Star ends in pure, unadulterated bliss, with everyone getting exactly who and what they really want. Weddings, fortunes, babies... everything! (Of course, World War II has just started, but we'll try not to think about that...)Purchase Love by the Morning Star at AmazonPurchase Love by the Morning Star at IndieBoundView Love by the Morning Star on Goodreads* * * *
My Best Friend, Maybeby Caela CarterHardcoverBloomsbury USA ChildrensReleased 6/3/2014Colette has been bored and lonely ever since her best friend, Sadie, dumped her the summer before they stared high school. She tries to be perfect for everyone left in her life: her parents, her younger brothers, her church youth group, even her boyfriend, Mark. But Colette is restless. And she misses Sadie.
When Sadie tells Colette that she needs her old friend to join her on a family vacation to the Greek Islands, one that leaves in only a few days, Colette is shocked to hear their old magic word: need. And she finds herself agreeing.
Colette tries to relax and enjoy her Grecian surroundings but it’s not easy to go on vacation with the person who hurt you most in the world. When the reason for the trip finally surfaces, Colette finds out this is not only a fun vacation. Sadie has kept an enormous secret from Colette for years...forever. It’s a summer full of surprises, but that might be what Colette needs.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about My Best Friend, Maybe?I usually have a difficult time answering this question about my own book, but there are a lot of facets of this one that I love about this book. The Greek setting was so fun to describe. The Greek food was so fun to RESEARCH! But I think my favorite thing is that, while MY BEST FRIEND, MAYBE is about a lot of issues—religion, sexuality, travel, romance, family—at it's heart it's a story about friendship. For teen girls, losing a friend is often more heart-wrenching and soul-crushing than losing a boyfriend. And yet it happens to almost everyone in those years. I think it's partly so painful because we don't prepare our daughters for it. When they fall in love for the first time—perhaps as a 14 or 15-year-old—we warn them. We say "It's unlikely this will last forever. You might break up eventually. Don't define yourself on this other person". But girls often make that first Real Friend connection at six or seven-years-old. And we don't tell them "This girl will not always connect with you this way. This girl is likely to hurt you." I'm not arguing that we should run around crushing six and seven-year-olds this way. I'm not arguing that we should do anything. But I wrote this book with the goal of accessing some of that painPurchase My Best Friend, Maybe at AmazonPurchase My Best Friend, Maybe at IndieBoundView My Best Friend, Maybe on Goodreads* * * *
Ruin and Risingby Leigh BardugoHardcoverHenry Holt and Co.Released 6/3/2014The capital has fallen. The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne.
Now the nation's fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army.
Deep in an ancient network of tunnels and caverns, a weakened Alina must submit to the dubious protection of the Apparat and the zealots who worship her as a Saint. Yet her plans lie elsewhere, with the hunt for the elusive firebird and the hope that an outlaw prince still survives.
Alina will have to forge new alliances and put aside old rivalries as she and Mal race to find the last of Morozova's amplifiers. But as she begins to unravel the Darkling's secrets, she reveals a past that will forever alter her understanding of the bond they share and the power she wields. The firebird is the one thing that stands between Ravka and destruction—and claiming it could cost Alina the very future she’s fighting for.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Ruin and Rising?Probably the reveal of the Darkling's name. The power of names—of how we choose to refer to each other and what we call things in our world—has been an important theme in the series, as well as an idea I explore in my new short story, "Little Knife." But I also just know how much readers have been looking forward to the reveal and it was a pleasure to write.Purchase Ruin and Rising at AmazonPurchase Ruin and Rising at IndieBoundView Ruin and Rising on Goodreads* * * *
The Truth Against The Worldby Sarah Jamila StevensonPaperbackFluxReleased 6/8/2014In her parents' San Francisco flat, Olwen Nia Evans, Wyn for short, has been having unsettling dreams about her family's past in Wales. But her dreams don't match up with what she's been told by her dying grandmother, Rhiannon. On the other side of the world, in London, a boy named Gareth Lewis is having disturbing dreams about a frightening encounter with a ghost. A ghost named Olwen Nia Evans.
When he looks for Olwen's name online, Gareth connects with Wyn in San Francisco as she is preparing to move with her family to fulfill Rhiannon's last wish to die in Wales. Once Wyn arrives in Wales, she and Gareth join forces to discover the truth of the lost soul that's haunting them both.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about The Truth Against The World?Besides the fact that it's a creepy ghost story and that is just FUN, my favorite thing about THE TRUTH AGAINST THE WORLD is the fact that I get to share with readers my irrational love of Wales and all things Welsh. It's not by any means a new interest for me—in fact, when I was a college undergrad I seriously considered doing a minor in Celtic Studies. I am a huge Anglophile, and I guess you could call me a "Brit-o-phile" in general, because I've always particularly enjoyed the mythology and history and landscape of the British Isles. The languages, too—I love languages in general, and Welsh in particular had intrigued me since I was young. When I was growing up, we visited the UK a few times (my parents met in London, and my dad lived there for many years) and it made a strong impression on me—Wales in particular, with all its green hills and castles and its melodious place names. And it would be a major omission if I didn't point out that the Susan Cooper Dark Is Rising sequence was one of my favorite series growing up!
Luckily for me, I had a chance to take a few classes in Welsh language when I was in college at UC Berkeley, and ever since then I've tried hard to keep it up as much as I can. In the process of keeping up my Welsh skills, I've made so many good friends here in the U.S. and in Wales who are fellow language nerds like myself. They've known me since before I even started this project (more on that later!) and I couldn't be more thrilled that I get to share it with them. I hope I've written a good mystery, but I also wouldn't mind if I inspire a few people to learn more about Wales.
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Cinderella's Dressby Shona SlaytonPaperbackEntangled: TeenReleased 6/3/2014Being seventeen during World War II is tough. Finding out you’re the next keeper of the real Cinderella’s dresses is even tougher.
Kate simply wants to create window displays at the department store where she's working, trying to help out with the war effort. But when long-lost relatives from Poland arrive with a steamer trunk they claim holds the Cinderella’s dresses, life gets complicated.
Now, with a father missing in action, her new sweetheart, Johnny, stuck in the middle of battle, and her great aunt losing her wits, Kate has to unravel the mystery before it’s too late.
After all, the descendants of the wicked stepsisters will stop at nothing to get what they think they deserve.
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Descentby Tara FullerPaperbackEntangled: TeenReleased 6/3/2014Easton doesn’t believe in love. He believes in Death. Darkness. Sin. As a reaper for Hell, it’s all he’s known for over four hundred years. When he gets slapped with the job of training the boss’s daughter, an angel who knows nothing but joy, he knows he’s in for a world of trouble.
Though he’s made it clear he wants nothing to do with her outside of work, Gwen would do anything to get closer to the dark and wounded reaper—even taint her angelic image and join the ranks of her father’s team of reapers. But in all her planning, she forgot to factor in one thing—how far the demons Easton doomed to hell would go to get revenge.
When the dangers of the Hell threaten Gwen, Easton will do whatever it takes to save her. But as the darkness closes in on them both, will he be able to save himself?
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Graduation Dayby Joelle CharbonneauHardcoverHMH Books for Young ReadersReleased 6/3/2014In book three of the Testing series, the United Commonwealth wants to eliminate the rebel alliance fighting to destroy The Testing for good. Cia is ready to lead the charge, but will her lethal classmates follow her into battle?
She wants to put an end to the TestingIn a scarred and brutal future, The United Commonwealth teeters on the brink of all-out civil war. The rebel resistance plots against a government that rules with cruelty and cunning. Gifted student and Testing survivor, Cia Vale, vows to fight.
But she can't do it alone.This is the chance to lead that Cia has trained for - but who will follow? Plunging through layers of danger and deception, Cia must risk the lives of those she loves--and gamble on the loyalty of her lethal classmates.
Who can Cia trust?The stakes are higher than ever-lives of promise cut short or fulfilled; a future ruled by fear or hope--in the electrifying conclusion to Joelle Charbonneau's epic Testing trilogy. Ready or not…it's Graduation Day.
The Final Test is the Deadliest!
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Hungryby H.A SwainHardcoverFeiwel & FriendsReleased 6/3/2014In the future, food is no longer necessary—until Thalia begins to feel something unfamiliar and uncomfortable. She’s hungry.
In Thalia’s world, there is no need for food—everyone takes medication (or “inocs”) to ward off hunger. It should mean there is no more famine, no more obesity, no more food-related illnesses, and no more war. At least that's what her parents, who work for the company that developed the inocs, say. But when Thalia meets a boy who is part of an underground movement to bring food back, she realizes that most people live a life much different from hers. Worse, Thalia is starting to feel hunger, and so is he—the inocs aren’t working. Together they set out to find the only thing that will quell their hunger: real food.
H. A. Swain delivers an adventure that is both epic and fast-paced. Get ready to be
Hungry.
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Say What You Willby Cammie McGovernHardcoverHarperTeenReleased 6/3/2014John Green's
The Fault in Our Stars meets Rainbow Rowell's
Eleanor & Park in this beautifully written, incredibly honest, and emotionally poignant novel. Cammie McGovern's insightful young adult debut is a heartfelt and heartbreaking story about how we can all feel lost until we find someone who loves us because of our faults, not in spite of them.
Born with cerebral palsy, Amy can't walk without a walker, talk without a voice box, or even fully control her facial expressions. Plagued by obsessive-compulsive disorder, Matthew is consumed with repeated thoughts, neurotic rituals, and crippling fear. Both in desperate need of someone to help them reach out to the world, Amy and Matthew are more alike than either ever realized.
When Amy decides to hire student aides to help her in her senior year at Coral Hills High School, these two teens are thrust into each other's lives. As they begin to spend time with each other, what started as a blossoming friendship eventually grows into something neither expected.
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Since Last Summerby Joanna PhilbinHardcoverPoppyReleased 6/3/2014Rory McShane should be excited to spend the summer in East Hampton with Connor Rule, her generous, smart, cute boyfriend. After all, Rory's no longer the hired help at the Rule family mansion on the beach, and she and Connor have made it through a year of long-distance dating. But now, in the months leading up to college, Rory can't help but wonder if she really belongs in Connor's world.
Isabel Rule is still trying to get over Mike, the devastatingly sexy surfer who broke her heart last summer. Enter Evan, an aspiring filmmaker who's kind, funny, and crushing on Isabel. He'd be the perfect summer fling -- so why can't she seem to forget about Mike?
Set against a backdrop buzzing with the rich, the famous, and the wannabe rich and famous, Since Last Summer, a companion novel to Rules of Summer, is the perfect beach read.
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Take Back The Skiesby Lucy SaxonHardcoverBloomsbury USA ChildrensReleased 6/3/2014Catherine Hunter is the daughter of a senior government official on the island of Anglya. She’s one of the privileged – she has luxurious clothes, plenty to eat, and is protected from the Collections which have ravaged families throughout the land. But Catherine longs to escape the confines of her life, before her dad can marry her off to a government brat and trap her forever.
So Catherine becomes Cat, pretends to be a kid escaping the Collections, and stows away on the skyship Stormdancer. As they leave Anglya behind and brave the storms that fill the skies around the islands of Tellus, Cat’s world becomes more turbulent than she could ever have imagined, and dangerous secrets unravel her old life once and for all . . .
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The Prince of Venice Beachby Blake NelsonHardcoverLittle, Brown Books for Young ReadersReleased 6/3/2014Robert "'Cali" Callahan is a teen runaway, living on the streets of Venice Beach, California. He's got a pretty sweet life: a treehouse to sleep in, a gang of surf bros, a regular basketball game...even a girl who's maybe-sorta interested in him.
What he doesn't have is a plan.
All that changes when a local cop refers Cali to a private investigator who is looking for a missing teenager. After all, Cali knows everyone in Venice. But the streets are filled with people who don't want to be found, and when he's hired to find the beautiful Reese Abernathy, who would do anything to stay hidden, Cali must decide where his loyalties truly lie.
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The Wicked Withinby Kelly KeatonHardcoverSimon PulseReleased 6/3/2014Ancient lore leads to present danger in the final book in the dark and sexy paranormal romance trilogy about a descendent of Medusa, set in a richly reimagined New Orleans.
Her fate is not set in stone.
Having temporarily defeated Athena, Ari races to break the gorgon curse that has plagued the women in her family for centuries. Her one lead sends her on a quest for the Hands of Zeus, an ancient relic last seen in the charge of New 2’s ruling elite, the Novem. But if there is one thing that Athena desires as much as revenge, it’s the Hands of Zeus—and Athena always gets what she wants.
Before either can locate the Hands, the statue goes missing, and a trail of blood follows those who once protected the relic’s secrets. Ari knows that her city, her friends, Sebastian—her life—depend upon her finding the statue before Athena. And with rumors an ancient power is on the rise, that may not be her only concern…
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Toxicby Sara ShepardHardcoverHarperTeenReleased 6/3/2014One A has been captured…but the most dangerous A of all is still out there in the penultimate installment in Sara Shepard's #1
New York Times bestselling
Pretty Little Liars series.
High school seniors Aria, Emily, Spencer, and Hanna barely survived their most recent encounter with A. And it's not over yet…. The police don't believe there's another, deadlier, A out there, but the girls know what-and who-they saw. If they don't track down this final tormentor soon, A will silence them forever.
Sara Shepard's fan base continues to grow as ABC Family's hit
Pretty Little Liars TV show draws in new readers to the #1 New York Times bestselling series. Full of unexpected twists and shocking revelations, the second-to-last novel ramps up the stakes for the jaw-dropping series conclusion in
Pretty Little Liars #16.
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Vivian Devine is Deadby Lauren SabelHardcoverKatherine Tegen BooksReleased 6/3/2014Filled with surprising twists and poignant moments, Lauren Sabel brings a fresh new voice to contemporary fiction with Vivian Divine Is Dead. Creepy, clever, funny, and romantic.When a death threat arrives with teen celebrity Vivian Divine's fan mail, Vivian has no choice but to go on the run to Mexico. She soon discovers, though, that her Oscar-nominated performance killing villains on-screen did nothing to prepare her for escaping a madman in real life. Some people say he's a hero, others tremble in his presence, but one thing is clear: he won't stop until Vivian is in his grasp. Why didn't she pay more attention during those judo lessons for her role in Zombie Killer?
Vivian finds an ally in the mysterious and charming Nick. He is everything Hollywood boys are not-genuine, kind, and determined to see Vivian for who she really is. But even he seems like he can't be trusted-what could he be hiding?
Beat up, hungry, and more confused than ever about who she's running from, Vivian is living in a real-life blockbuster horror flick. But there's no option to yell "cut" like there is on set....
Lauren Sabel's Vivian Divine Is Dead is a creepy, witty, fast-paced adventure about family, fame, and having the courage to save yourself.
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Yoloby Sam JonesHardcoverSimon PulseReleased 6/3/2014One day. One party. One motto: you only live once. In the tradition of
wtf and
fml, a crazy story of three friends and a road trip gone
wrong right.
Emily and her best friends, Ana and Brandon, know it should only take half a day to get to the mountains, where the Stein twins are hosting a massive Spring Break party at their parents’ mansion. The road trip should be a breeze; the driving itinerary even includes several stops along the way, the first being a bite to eat at a real, classic roadside diner.
And that’s where everything falls apart.
Throw in a couple of criminals, an accidental thief, and a miniature drug lord, and suddenly the half-day trip is gonna take a little longer. Add a Chihuahua, some crazy grandparents, and a hot pool-hall boy named Chris...and maybe the journey to the party will end up being better than the party itself…
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Released in March, Summoning the Phoenix gives readers an inside look into centuries-old Chinese musical instruments and the more recently formed modern Chinese Orchestra. Children of all backgrounds show that traditional Chinese music can be enjoyed by everyone. We asked illustrator April Chu to take us behind the scenes for creating the digital illustrations used in Summoning the Phoenix:
Illustration Process
1. Before I do any sketching at all, I will read a manuscript over and over many times. Sometimes I even close my eyes and just brainstorm ideas. This step is important to me because this is when all the initial images and emotions I get from a story start forming in my head. I also start doing research and compiling photos at this point as I did for Summoning the Phoenix: Poems and Prose about Chinese Musical Instruments. Researching is very important to me before I begin a project especially for a nonfictional picture book. In this case, researching on the Internet was not adequate since I needed to have a good detailed look at each instrument. Fortunately, the California Youth Chinese Symphony was kind enough to allow me to take photos during one of their practice sessions. I was able to get a firsthand look at how the musical instruments were played, what they sounded like, and what they looked like in real life. All those elements eventually shaped the final artwork.
2. After researching, I then start on rough thumbnail sketches. Since I have a hard time drawing at a very small scale, my thumbnails are usually at half size.
3. Next I refine my thumbnail sketches. I know that for this particular spread, I wanted the background to have a grandiose feeling of wind, waterfalls, and mountains that was reminiscent of a traditional Chinese painting. This was the imagery that popped into my head when I did my initial brainstorming.
4. Sometimes I have a couple of options with different compositions.
5. Once the final thumbnail sketch is chosen, I will work on the final, full size sketch.
6. I scan the image into my computer and color in Photoshop. Here is a final illustration of a girl playing the guzheng from Summoning the Phoenix: Poems and Prose about Chinese Musical Instruments.
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Art and Book Design,
Educator Resources Tagged:
april chu,
art and book design,
emily jiang,
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summoning the phoenix 
Seth O’Keefe has broken the laws of his god. He never thought he would sacrifice his own future to protect a Daughter of Isis. But when the Sons of Set discovered Natti is the Secret Keeper, he had no choice. Now, Seth and Natti are on the run from his father, who wants nothing more than to see Seth dead. With no allies, Seth turns to the Daughters of Isis for help, hoping they would protect Natti. But when they meet the Daughters, he discovers a secret that puts both their lives in more danger. Low on options, Seth sees only one possibility for survival. He must help Natti solve an ancient puzzle and find the secret name of Ra.
Natara “Natti” Stone is having a hard time swallowing the truth. She can’t believe what she has learned in the past twenty-four hours: Seth is a Son of Set blessed with charm; she is a Daughter of Isis blessed with a sliver of Ma ‘at; the locket her grandmother gave her holds an ancient Egyptian secret linking to Osiris and Isis. That along with being tortured and brutalized by the Sons of Set, she can hardly hold herself together. Thank God for Seth’s touch! That warm, tingling sensation that drowns it all out. Yet her heart struggles to stay focused. She must quickly embrace her destiny before the secret name of Ra falls into the wrong hands.
My thoughts:It's rare that I like a sequel more than book one, but I did with this one. Son of Set grabbed me from the start and didn't let go. There was plenty of action and emotion throughout. The dynamic between Seth and Natti was amazing in this book. I love them together. And the twists that Ketch throws in…just wow! I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next. I don't want to give any spoilers, which is tough because I want to gush about so many things. I'll just say that I didn't see one particular twist coming, but it was genius. It's one of those things that when I read it, I could see all the things from the previous book just fall into place. It made sense, which was awesome because I hate when you come to find out something and there were no clues planted along the way. This was done so well because it was such an "OMG! I didn't see that but I totally get it now!" moment for me.
If you haven't started this series yet, you should.
*I'm at BEA so if I don't get to respond to comments, please forgive me. I still love you all.*
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These look great. I’m particularly interested in Kadohata and PInkney’s books.