Uncategorized
Calibre, genre critique, Young-Adult
First, I have to apologize for some of the giveaway rafflecopters. Rafflecopter allows us to use templates and I didn’t realize I was leaving in “Tell us your favorite New Adult” in so many of them. Blergh. I will be… more
B Reviews
estranged family, family relationships, Gothic, supernatural, Young-Adult
Dear Ms. Tucholke, I’m a sucker for evocative titles. And if Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea is one thing, it’s evocative. It’s the type of title that overrides any misgivings I may have about mysterious bad boys… more
A- Reviews/ Recommended Reads
Contemporary, gymnast, Sports, Young-Adult
Dear Julie Cross: A few YA authors here and there have been writing stories that cross the boundaries of New Adult and Young Adult – they’re either a little on the mature side in characterization and/or situation to be YA… more
B Reviews/ Featured/ Recommended Reads
female friendship, Germany, Historical, pilot, prisoner of war, World War II, Young-Adult
“While flying an Allied fighter plane from Paris to England, American ATA pilot and amateur poet, Rose Justice, is captured by the Nazis and sent to Ravensbrück, the notorious women’s concentration camp. Trapped in horrific circumstances, Rose finds hope… more
C+ Reviews
Blackmail, Contemporary, murder, mystery, St.-Martins-Press, Young-Adult
Dear Ms. Taylor, I admit I have a weakness for Gossip Girl-esque novels, even though they are inevitably about rich, white kids. So when I heard that your debut, Prep School Confidential, was a prep school murder mystery with a… more
B Reviews
ancient-Egypt, Historical, slavery, spy, unusual setting, Young-Adult
Dear Readers, I bought myself a copy of this book last year when I got “Catherine, Called Birdy.” I read “Birdy” but somehow “Mara” got set to the side and it drifted out of my mind. For years I’d heard… more
B Reviews/ Recommended Reads
Japan, multicultural, Paranormal, Young-Adult
On the heels of a family tragedy, Katie Greene must move halfway across the world. Stuck with her aunt in Shizuoka, Japan, Katie feels lost. Alone. She doesn’t know the language, she can barely hold a pair of chopsticks… more
B- Reviews
f/f, self-published, Young-Adult
Dear Rose Christo: “This is the Fourth World,” Grandpa Many Feathers says. His voice is scratchy, low, like tires over gravel, it takes me by surprise. “What,” I start, nervous. “What do you mean?” He turns his head away, a… more
D Reviews
dystopian, forced-marriage, New Adult, William Morrow, Young-Adult
Dear Ms. Stoker, I can’t decide if all these dystopian YAs featuring young women as chattel are a reflection of current social anxiety about the state of womens’ rights or simply lazy writing. Not to say that oppressed young women… more
C+ Reviews/ Featured
aliens, Penguin, post-apocalyptic, Science Fiction, Young-Adult
Dear Mr. Yancey, I already can hear readers groaning. “Oh no, not another post-apocalyptic novel!” Believe me, I sympathize. Thanks to The Hunger Games, post-apocalyptic and dystopian novels have flooded the young adult genre. But despite this, The 5th Wave… more
B- Reviews/ C- Reviews/ Featured
bullying, college, Contemporary, ebook, Hachette, Young-Adult
Dear Ms. Keplinger, I’m a fan of your contemporary YA novels. I really like their empowered teen girl and positive female sexuality outlook. While Secrets and Lies isn’t a brand new novel-length work, I enjoy your writing enough to give… more
Publishing News
Amazon, Apple, Young-Adult
Stacked: Female Sexuality in YA Fiction: Exploring the Range of Experiences – Catagator discusses the need for YA books to have a more sexually empowering message. It should be noted that Catagator isn’t calling for all YA books to have… more
B- Reviews
Contemporary, female friendship, Penguin, Young-Adult
Dear Ms. LaMarche, After going on a bit of an older YA/NA reading spree while on vacation, I found myself in the mood for more contemporary fare over my usual SF&F preferences. Your novel, Five Summers, fell right into that… more
B+ Reviews/ Recommended Reads
Contemporary, Recommended Reads, Young-Adult
Dear Ms. McGarry: I definitely had my druthers about this book. In Pushing the Limits Beth doesn’t portray herself in the best light and it is clear that Isaiah, a guy who seems to be constantly saving her, is destined… more
Yesterday marked the last performance of the symphony in my town. This year my family went to four events. It wasn’t the first time that I’ve been to a symphony but it was the first time that we did so… more