Tag Archives: Young Adult literature

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YA New Releases – November Edition

Hello gentle reader,

There are A LOT of YA books coming out this month! Here are the ones I’m most eagerly anticipating… they’re all coming out on 5th November 2013 (blurbs are from Goodreads).

palace of spies

Palace of Spies by Sarah Zettel (HMH Books for Young Readers)

Historical Mystery

A warning to all young ladies of delicate breeding who wish to embark upon lives of adventure: Don’t.

Sixteen-year-old Peggy is a well-bred orphan who is coerced into posing as a lady in waiting at the palace of King George I. Life is grand, until Peggy starts to suspect that the girl she’s impersonating might have been murdered. Unless Peggy can discover the truth, she might be doomed to the same terrible fate. But in a court of shadows and intrigue, anyone could be a spy—perhaps even the handsome young artist with whom Peggy is falling in love…

 

Cold Spell

Cold Spell by Jackson Pearce (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)

Fairytale retelling

Kai and Ginny grew up together–best friends since they could toddle around their building’s rooftop rose garden. Now they’re seventeen, and their relationship has developed into something sweeter, complete with stolen kisses and plans to someday run away together.

But one night, Kai disappears with a mysterious stranger named Mora–a beautiful girl with a dark past and a heart of ice. Refusing to be cast aside, Ginny goes after them and is thrust into a world she never imagined, one filled with monsters and thieves and the idea that love is not enough.

If Ginny and Kai survive the journey, will she still be the girl he loved–and moreover, will she still be the girl who loved him?

Jackson Pearce, author of the acclaimed SISTERS RED and FATHOMLESS, returns with a unique vision of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Snow Queen”.

Daylighters

Daylighters (The Morganville Vampires #15) by Rachel Caine (Allison & Busby)

Paranormal (vampires)

Something drastic has happened in Morganville while Claire and her friends were away. The town looks cleaner and happier than they’ve ever seen it before, but when their incoming group is arrested and separated—vampires from humans—they realize that the changes definitely aren’t for the better.

It seems that an organization called the Daylight Foundation has offered the population of Morganville something they’ve never had: hope of a vampire-free future. And while it sounds like salvation—even for the vampires themselves—the truth is far more sinister and deadly.

Now, Claire, Shane and Eve need to find a way to break their friends out of Daylighter custody, before the vampires of Morganville meet their untimely end…

(NB: this is the last book in the series!)

Which books are you looking forward to reading this month? Let me know below!

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All Hallow’s Read Giveaway (closed)

Hello gentle reader,

this year again I’ve decided to join the initiative called All Hallow’s Read. The idea? Give someone a scary book for Halloween.

AHR13_WebBanner

Fantasy author Neil Gaiman made a lovely (!) video to explain this Halloween tradition:

So I’ve chosen to join this initiative by giving away a copy of The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman himself (YA Fantasy, UK paperback).

TheGraveyardBook

From Goodreads:

After the grisly murder of his entire family, a toddler wanders into a graveyard where the ghosts and other supernatural residents agree to raise him as one of their own.

Nobody Owens, known to his friends as Bod, is a normal boy. He would be completely normal if he didn’t live in a sprawling graveyard, being raised and educated by ghosts, with a solitary guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor of the dead. There are dangers and adventures in the graveyard for a boy. But if Bod leaves the graveyard, then he will come under attack from the man Jack—who has already killed Bod’s family . . .

Beloved master storyteller Neil Gaiman returns with a luminous new novel for the audience that embraced his New York Times bestselling modern classic Coraline. Magical, terrifying, and filled with breathtaking adventures, The Graveyard Book is sure to enthrall readers of all ages.

Giveaway information:

The giveaway is open until Friday 1st November 2013 at 9am (BST time).

To enter please fill in the contact form below with your name and email. If you follow my blog by email or WordPress, if you are a Twitter follower, if you like my page on Facebook, if you follow me on Pinterest or Tumblr, or if you tweet about the giveaway, this will grant you an extra entry. Mention it below.

Entrants must be at least 13 years of age.

This giveaway is open Internationally, as long as the Book Depository ships to your country.

The winner will be chosen randomly, notified by email and will have 72 hours to reply or a new winner will be chosen.

I hold the right to end the giveaway before its original deadline without any prior notice.

I hold the right to disqualify any entry as I see fit.

Privacy information: no information given for this giveaway will be used for other purpose than this giveaway. All information provided (names, emails and mail addresses) will be deleted after the giveaway.

Good luck and feel free to leave me a comment below!

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YA Halloween Reads 2013

Hello gentle reader,

Halloween is coming up! Last year I shared with you my October reads and I thought it could be interesting to do it again this year. So if you’re looking for Halloween books suitable for Young Adults readers, here are a few suggestions…

Ghosts: The Shades of London series

(The Name of the Star and The Madness Underneath) by Maureen Johnson

nameofthestarseries

Vampires: The Blood of Eden series

(The Immortal Rules and The Eternity Cure) by Julie Kagawa

julie-kagawa-immortal-rules-eternity-cure-book-covers-2

Steampunk supernatural extravaganza: The Parasol Protectorate series

(Soulless, Changeless, Blameless, Heartless and Timeless) by Gail Carriger

Soulless

Gothic / Post-apocalyptic Fantasy: The Masque of the Red Death series

(Masque of the Red Death and Dance of the Red Death) by Bethany Griffin

Masque of the Red Death

What are you reading this Halloween? Feel free to share your recommendations below!

And stay tuned for an ALL HALLOWS’ READS giveaway, coming up next week…

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Book of the Week – 22

Hello gentle reader,

this week I’m reading Masque of the Red Death, and its sequel Dance of the Red Death, by Bethany Griffin (Published in April 2012 and June 2013 by Greenwillow Book). I won both those books in a giveaway hosted by Hannah at Once Upon A Time. 

These books were inspired by a short story written by Edgar Allan Poe in 1842 and entitled “The Masque of the Red Death”. In this retelling, the story takes place in steampunk/post-apocalyptic world. It has a very gothic atmosphere, an interesting heroine and a compelling plot. I’m loving it!

Masque of the Red Death

From Goodreads:

Everything is in ruins.

A devastating plague has decimated the population, and those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles around them.

So what does Araby Worth have to live for?

Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery makeup . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all.

But in the depths of the club—in the depths of her own despair—Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club, and Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does.

And Araby may find not just something to live for, but something to fight for—no matter what it costs her.

Have you read Masque of the Red Death? What did you think? And what are you reading this week? Feel free to leave me a comment below!

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BREAKABLE Cover Reveal!

Hello gentle reader,

One of my good friends and critique partners Aimee L. Salter has a YA Magical Realism novel debuting on 4th November 2013: BREAKABLE. I’m really excited for her book to be out, and I’m even more excited to reveal her beautiful cover art!

Here’s the book blurb. Scroll down to check out the cover!

When seventeen-year-old Stacy looks in the mirror she can see and talk to her future self. “Older Me” has been Stacy’s secret support through the ongoing battle with their neurotic mother, relentless bullying at school, and dealing with her hopeless love for her best friend, Mark.

Then Stacy discovers Older Me is a liar.

Still reeling from that betrayal, Stacy buries herself in her art. But even that is taken from her when her most persistent tormentor uses her own work to humiliate her – and threaten her last chance with Mark.

Stacy’s reached breaking point.

Literally.

Author Bio

Aimee L. Salter2

Aimee L. Salter is a Pacific North-Westerner who spent much of her young (and not-so-young) life in New Zealand. After picking up a Kiwi husband and son, she’s recently returned to Oregon.

She writes novels for teens and the occasional adult who, like herself, are still in touch with their inner-high schooler.

You can find Aimee on Twitter and Facebook.

The premise of BREAKABLE was inspired by a visit to the website www.dearteenme.com in which authors write letters to their teen selves. This is Aimee’s first book.

And… here is the cover!

BREAKABLE

Isn’t it amazing?!

Don’t forget to add BREAKABLE on Goodreads, and you can also enter a giveaway on Aimee’s blog to win a signed and inscribed paperback, or an e-book of BREAKABLE!

 

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YA New Releases – October Edition

Hello gentle reader,

There are so many great YA books coming out this month! Here are the ones I’m most eagerly anticipating… (blurbs are from Goodreads).

Hideous Love

Hideous Love: The Story of the Girl Who Wrote Frankenstein

by Stephanie Hemphill (Published on 1st October 2013 by Balzer + Bray)

YA Historical Fiction

Hideous Love is the fascinating story of Gothic novelist Mary Shelley, who as a teen girl fled her restrictive home only to find herself in the shadow of a brilliant but moody boyfriend, famed poet Percy Shelley. It is the story of the mastermind behind one of the most iconic figures in all of literature: a monster constructed out of dead bodies and brought to life by the tragic Dr. Frankenstein.

Mary wrote Frankenstein at the age of 19, but inspiration for the monster came from her life-the atmospheric European settings she visited, the dramas swirling around her, and the stimulating philosophical discussions with the greatest minds of the period, like her close friend, Lord Byron.

This luminous verse novel from award-winning author Stephanie Hemphill reveals how Mary Shelley became one of the most celebrated authors in history.

Kingdom Of Little Wounds

The Kingdom of Little Wounds

by Susann Cokal (Published on 8th October 2013 by Candlewick Press)

YA Fantasy

On the eve of Princess Sophia’s wedding, the Scandinavian city of Skyggehavn prepares to fete the occasion with a sumptuous display of riches: brocade and satin and jewels, feasts of sugar fruit and sweet spiced wine. Yet beneath the veneer of celebration, a shiver of darkness creeps through the palace halls. A mysterious illness plagues the royal family, threatening the lives of the throne’s heirs, and a courtier’s wolfish hunger for the king’s favors sets a devious plot in motion.

Here in the palace at Skyggehavn, things are seldom as they seem — and when a single errant prick of a needle sets off a series of events that will alter the course of history, the fates of seamstress Ava Bingen and mute nursemaid Midi Sorte become irrevocably intertwined with that of mad Queen Isabel. As they navigate a tangled web of palace intrigue, power-lust, and deception, Ava and Midi must carve out their own survival any way they can.

Rags-and-Bones

Rags & Bones: New Twists on Timeless Tales

Anthology of short stories published on 22d October 2013 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

YA Fantasy – Retellings

Today’s most acclaimed authors use their own unique styles to rebuild these 12 timeless stories:

Sir Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queene – Saladin Ahmed

W. W. Jacobs’s “The Monkey’s Paw” – Kelley Armstrong

Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu’s “Carmilla” – Holly Black

“Sleeping Beauty” – Neil Gaiman

The Brothers Grimm’s “Rumpelstiltskin” – Kami Garcia

Kate Chopin’s The Awakening – Melissa Marr

Rudyard Kipling’s “The Man Who Would Be King” – Garth Nix

Henry James’s “The Jolly Corner” – Tim Pratt

E. M. Forster’s “The Machine Stops” – Carrie Ryan

Horace Walpole’s The Castle of Otranto – Margaret Stohl

William Seabrook’s “The Caged White Werewolf of the Saraban” – Gene Wolfe

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Birth-Mark” – Rick Yancey

Which books are you looking forward to reading this month? Let me know below!

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Book of the Week – 21

Hello gentle reader,

this week I’m reading Dodger by Terry Pratchett (published in September 2012). It’s a standalone book that doesn’t belong to the Discworld series. Instead it’s a YA Historical Fantasy that just came out in paperback, and I really recommend it!

dodgerterrypratchett

From Goodreads:

A storm. Rain-lashed city streets. A flash of lightning. A scruffy lad sees a girl leap desperately from a horse-drawn carriage in a vain attempt to escape her captors. Can the lad stand by and let her be caught again? Of course not, because he’s…Dodger.

Seventeen-year-old Dodger may be a street urchin, but he gleans a living from London’s sewers, and he knows a jewel when he sees one. He’s not about to let anything happen to the unknown girl–not even if her fate impacts some of the most powerful people in England.

From Dodger’s encounter with the mad barber Sweeney Todd to his meetings with the great writer Charles Dickens and the calculating politician Benjamin Disraeli, history and fantasy intertwine in a breathtaking account of adventure and mystery.

Beloved and bestselling author Sir Terry Pratchett combines high comedy with deep wisdom in this tale of an unexpected coming-of-age and one remarkable boy’s rise in a complex and fascinating world.

This book has everything I love: Victorian London, history mixed with fantasy, a wonderful main character, an incredible supporting cast, and a great mystery. If you like this genre, I recommend it!

What are YOU reading this week? Feel free to let me know in the comment section!

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Waiting On Wednesday – 28

Hello gentle reader,

this week I’m waiting on Erased (Altered #2) by Jennifer Rush (expected publication: 7th January 2014). It is the second book in a sci-fi trilogy. I really liked Altered, and I’m excited to read what happens next to Anna and the boys…

Erased

Since I don’t want to spoil Book 1 for you in case you haven’t read it, I’m not going to post the blurb for Erased here. Instead, I’ll post the blurb for Altered.

Altered

From Goodreads:

Everything about Anna’s life is a secret. Her father works for the Branch at the helm of its latest project: monitoring and administering treatments to the four genetically altered boys in the lab below their farmhouse. There’s Nick, Cas, Trev . . . and Sam, who’s stolen Anna’s heart. When the Branch decides it’s time to take the boys, Sam stages an escape, killing the agents sent to retrieve them.

Anna is torn between following Sam or staying behind in the safety of her everyday life. But her father pushes her to flee, making Sam promise to keep her away from the Branch, at all costs. There’s just one problem. Sam and the boys don’t remember anything before living in the lab—not even their true identities.

Now on the run, Anna soon discovers that she and Sam are connected in more ways than either of them expected. And if they’re both going to survive, they must piece together the clues of their past before the Branch catches up to them and steals it all away.

“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly event, hosted by book blogger Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

What are you waiting on this week? Is Erased on your TBR list? Have you read Altered?

Feel free to leave me a comment below!

 

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Waiting On Wednesday – 27

Hello gentle reader,

this week I’m waiting on The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski (expected publication: 4th March 2014 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux – BYR). It’s a YA Fantasy novel and the first book in a trilogy.

The Winner's Curse

 

From Goodreads:

Seventeen-year-old Kestrel is an aristocratic citizen of Valoria, a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers. Here, a girl like Kestrel has two choices: join the military or get married. Despite her skills in military strategy, Kestrel’s real passion is music. Which is why she feels compelled to buy Arin, a slave with a talent for singing, at auction. It’s not long before she finds herself falling in love with Arin, and he seems to feel the same for her. But Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for Arin is much higher than she ever could have imagined.

The Winner’s Curse is a story of wicked rumors, dirty secrets, and games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head — or lose your heart. In the tradition of Kristin Cashore and Cassandra Clare comes this brilliant, unputdownable, star-crossed romance about the curse of winning.

Doesn’t this sound awesome?! I really can’t wait for this one…

“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly event, hosted by book blogger Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

What are you waiting on this week? Is The Winner’s Curse on your TBR list?

Feel free to leave me a comment below!

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YA New Releases – September Edition

Hello gentle reader,

There are many books published this month, and I’ve highlighted below the ones I’m most looking forward to reading…

All Our Yesterdays

All Our Yesterdays (Cassandra Chronicles #1) by Cristin Terrill (YA Sci-Fi)

Expected publication: September 3rd 2013 by Disney Hyperion

Why I’m looking forward to it: time travel!

Antigoddess

Antigoddess (The Goddess War #1) by Kendare Blake (YA Myth retelling)

Expected publication: September 10th 2013 by Tor Teen

Why I’m looking forward to it: a retelling of Greek mythology!

ChaosOfStars

The Chaos of Stars by Kiersten White (YA Paranormal)

Expected publication: September 10th 2013 by HarperTeen

Why I’m looking forward to it: Egyptian gods and family issues…

Frozen

Frozen (Heart of Dread #1) by Melissa De La Cruz and Michael Johnston (YA Dystopia)

Expected publication: September 17th 2013 by Putnam Juvenile

Why I’m looking forward to it: snowed in Las Vegas!

What about you? Any books you’re eagerly waiting for this month? Let me know in the comments below!