Reading Roundup

Bitterblue (ARC 5/1) by Kristin Cashore

I read this last month and somehow I forgot to post about it—how could I do that? I just adore with world and writing of Kristin Cashore. She is one of the best fantasy writers out there and the long-awaited Bitterblue did not disappoint. It’s set as Queen Bitterblue is really beginning to take charge and rule after her father, King Leck’s, disastrous reign. Her advisors have secrets; the people’s minds are still muddled. The kingdom is a mess and Bitterblue has to somehow figure it all out. Btterblue is a well-developed and sympathetic character, the romance is handled extremely well, and I loved the details about codes. This wasn’t my favorite novel in the Graceling realm (Graceling will always remain on top), though, because it was a bit long and meandering. The novel was really about Bitterblue figuring out what she didn’t know she didn’t know; and it goes without saying that that’s a difficult thing to write about! Luckily, as I mentioned before, I just want to live in this world so any slight flaws are easily forgiven. A recommended read.

Variant by Robinson Wells

I read this book for a Harper-sponsored book club but only got about a third of it read before the discussion. Normally when that happens I just say “oh well” and move onto the next book I need to read. But for Variant I had to read it! It’s a great boarding school story that is actually told from a boy’s point of view which is so fresh. And the twist? I totally didn’t see it coming! There was a great mix of action, romance, and mystery in this book and I look forward to reading the sequel. A recommended read.

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

When Rory moves from Louisiana to a boarding school in London she doesn’t expect for a Jack the Ripper copycat to begin murdering victims in her neighborhood. (Spoilers head!) She especially doesn’t expect to see the murderer when sneaking out of school one night and become the star witness in the case. But Rory’s friend Jazza didn’t see anyone there and soon Rory is seeing lots of people that no one else can. When a third roommate shows up and Rory discovers that she’s an undercover cop—for ghosts—her whole life is turned upside down. Joining the ghost hunters Rory confronts the Jack the Ripper copycat ghost and succeeds in sending him away to the afterlife. My feelings on this book are surprisingly neutral. There are definitely some strong moments; Rory is an authentic teen (she and I literally had one of the same concerns before living in London!) and her friendship with Jazza felt so real. They were a great pair. The setting was well described, the pacing was quirk, and the language enjoyable. There were a few questionable elements, though. First, as soon as the undercover cop entered the book (roughly halfway through) Jazza is relegated to the background. Although ghost hunting is cooler than roommate-bonding Jazza was such an authentic character I really missed her. It felt very odd that such a major character in the first half could so quickly become a minor character in the second half. Secondly, there were brief sections from other point of views; adults (nurse, researcher, techie) who had something to do with the Jack the Ripper case. The book even opened with one of these sections. It was jarring to get these brief sections from other points of view; although the information they gave the reader enhanced the reader’s understanding of the situation it wasn’t necessary information and could have be presented through Rory listening to the news, for example. This is a new direction for Maureen Johnson and is missing the quirkiness I loved in Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes. A good comp for this is a ghost-paranormal-with-slight-historical-bend the Haunting Emma series by Lee Nichols which I think is stronger than this title. However, I love London so any book that brings the city to life as much as I did is a fun pick. And the cover is fantastic!

The Moves Make the Man by Bruce Brooks

This is an engaging tween coming-of-age story about friendship and responsibly set on a backdrop of basketball. Jerome, an African American boy in the 1970s South, thinks he can handle everything—but when he’s the only black kid to integrate the schools he meets Bix, a troubled while boy with plenty of problems. As Jerome struggled through several problems, including his mother’s hospitalization, he tries to figure out Bix. The boys bond over basketball and form a tentative friendship.

The style of narration is sure to capture readers, especially reluctant readers, because the first chapter tells of what is to come with Jerome breaking into Bix’s house and telling readers that Bix has disappeared. This is a great hook and the rest of the book is spent as a flashback showing Jerome and Bix’s growing friendship. The issues, quick writing, and basketball backdrop, and 1985 Newbery Honor are sure to keep this book popular in classroom.

Bartimaeus: The Amulet of Samarkand by Johnathan Stroud

I can’t tell you have many people both inside and out of the industry have recommended this middle grade fantasy series. And all those people were so right—the world building of this book is such a delightful mix of contemporary London and true fantasy elements. The story centers on neglected but extremely talented magician’s apprentice Nathaniel who has raised a djinni to extract revenge on a powerful magician by stealing a powerful amulet. Multiple adventures ensue and Nathaniel even ends up saving the Prime Minister. One of the most charming elements of this book was the first person narrative of the djinni, which includes many irreverent comments, often in the footnotes. A recommended read.

Full Manuscripts: 8

Reading Roundup

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Cinder is a futuristic retelling of Cinderella. There are plenty of Cinderella retellings but this one presents a unique world with great villains. The Lunar queen’s ability to change people’s emotions and actions, as well as use glamour to change her appearance, is intriguing and she’s portrayed as the perfect icy queen. Cinder’s stepmother is similarly well done; the moment when she sends Cinder essentially to her death as a plague volunteer is powerful. Some of the plotting, however, felt heavy handed. Often hints of plot points or reveals came too soon before the actual important plot point or reveal so that it was obvious what the author was trying to set up. Similarly, I could predict (SPOILERS ahead!) that Cinder was the Lunar princess by page 50 yet it’s supposed to be the big reveal of the book. On the other hand, some plot elements felt as if they were pulled, sometimes nearly word for word, from a traditional version of Cinderella. With predictable plot elements in both the unique retelling aspects and traditional expected parts it was difficult to get pulled into the story.

The Mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtis

        

This was just the most delightful middle grade—and historical, my favorite! The middle grade voice is perfectly appropriate, and despite so many bad things happening to cute Miss Malone, the tone is hopeful and uplifting.

Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson

This is a bittersweet story about Louise, the older of two twins, who feels that her twin Caroline gets everything—a better education, her mother’s love, even her friends. The setting of a small island off the coast of Maryland during World War II added a nice bit of historical detail to very timeless themes. Louise’s anger is so spot on to the tween experience and the reveal of when Caroline triumphs over Louise, (SPOILERS ahead) especially by marrying Louise’s best friend, is heartbreaking.The religious basis for this novel (the title is taken from a Biblical passage and it is important for the sibling rivalry) was surprising and I’m not sure if it would appeal to a modern audience. Recently I heard that it was mentioned at the A Wrinkle in Time 50^th anniversary celebration that that novel wouldn’t be published today because of the religious aspects and The Hunger Games wouldn’t have been published then because of the violence. Although Jacob Have I Loved is not nearly as old as A Wrinkle in Time a 21^st-century reader’s lack of education or interest in religion could turn them off to reading this novel or, at the very least, cause the Biblical references go over their heads. I have to admit—for three quarters of the story I was waiting for a boy named Jacob to show up and for Louise to fall in love with him!

Full Manuscripts: 4 

Reading Roundup

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The Night Circus revolves around the stories of the people involved in a magical circus that is only open during the evening. It centers on two characters, Celia and Marco, who are rivals and destined to win a lifelong magical competition that is set at the circus yet has no rules. Other characters help bring that circus to life and, by the end of many years, feel entrapped by the world they’ve helped create. With the assistance of a young spectator, Bailey, Celia and Marco are able to free themselves of the circus, complete the challenge, and stay together.

This novel was a joy to read. The world is so fully developed that the entire time I felt I was floating along in this whimsical land that just came alive. The descriptions are lush and full. There are many intertwining characters and plotlines and the intersections of each is pleasingly unpredictable and satisfying. Although a very strong novel the ending was a bit out of place. The magic used to secure a happy ending wasn’t one that had been fully present throughout the rest of the book and decisions relied too heavily on a secondary character, Bailey, that was abruptly pulled to the forefront. It felt a bit convenient. Nevertheless, the strength of the world and the impressive handling of multiple characters and plotlines makes this a really strong novel, and the fact that it’s a debut novel makes it even more impressive. One of the things I enjoyed most about this novel was that the depth to it—compared to YA novels it’s a larger scope, covering more time, including more characters, and entwining more complicated stories. It was refreshing. A highly recommended read.

Pretty Crooked (ARC 3/13) by Elisa Ludwig

This is a great caper story that flips the Robin Hood myth upside down: when Willa Fox moves to a wealthy town and realizes that the popular girls are bullying the scholarship students she decides to steal from them and give to the poor girls. It’s a really fun story and Willa is likeable, despite her questionable decisions. There is also an underlying mystery about Willa’s past and her mother’s activities that I look forward to finding out more in the second book.

The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley

This classic title was enjoyable to read, although I enjoyed the companion title The Blue Sword better. Aerin is a relatable character and her grown throughout the manuscript is nice to see. I found her relationship with Luthe, though, rushed and poorly developed, yet Aerin’s decision to put her kingdom before her relationship was still powerful. This is a great piece of early feminist fantasy and clearly beloved as it was a Newbery winner and continues to be read by fantasy fans.

Plus two absolutely delightful picture books:

Extra Yarn written by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Jon Klassen

Plant a Kiss written by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds

Full Manuscripts: 6 

Reading Roundup and More

My goodness, how can it already be mid-January!?

Here are the books I finished up December with:

Emily the Strange: Piece of Mind by Rob Reger and Jessica Gruner, illustrated by Rob Reger and Buzz Parker

This conclusion of the four Emily the Strange books doesn’t disappoint. Emily is as wonderful, crazy, creative, and unique as ever and the wrap up to the series leaves all the characters in the right place. The black and red illustrations also enhance the read.

Nation by Terry Pratchett

This teen novel isn’t set in Pratchett’s famous Discworld, but rather an alterative Victorian world which is just as fun. When a royal girl gets shipwrecked on an island where Mau is only native survivor to a horrific wave, the pair—and later the other survivors—must figure out what home, family, and community mean. The interactions between Mau and Daphne are both funny and though provoking and you’re rooting for them the whole time.

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

Libba Bray’s Great and Terrible Beauty is one of my favorite books of all time, but her more recent writing has taken a different turn. Although I haven’t read her Printz-awarding-winning novel Going Bovine it’s clearly quirky (to say the least!). Beauty Queens is similarly off-beat. The premise is a beauty pageant meets Survivor—when a plane of contestants crashes in a seemingly deserted tropical island they must not only survive until rescued, but practice their pageant dances and keep up their beauty routines. Overall, I was disappointed by Beauty Queens. It’s so over the top that moments to explore relevant topics such as a girl’s place in society and how to balance numerous pressures could be tossed aside because nothing seemed serious. There were too many characters as well, and most didn’t go beyond a caricature. I applaud Bray for not shying away from portraying topics that are often taboo in YA literature—there is a transgendered contestant, a lesbian relationship, and multiple descriptions of various sexual activities. This could have been a very thought provoking novel if the absurdity of the situation and ridiculousness of the characters had been scaled back—however, most of this was overshadowed and lost.

Surrender by Lee Nichols

This is the conclusion to the Haunting Emma series—a trilogy that has special significance for me. Emma, Bennett, and the rest successfully hunt the ghosts that have been causing trouble since long before the book started. My favorite part about this series is the voice—Nichols manages to write in a voice that sounds just as if your best friend was telling you her adventures. Yes, there are some dorky puns and awkward joke about sex, but this somehow makes it feel more authentic than annoying. I’ve always found these books to be some of the more compelling paranormal out there.

The Wanderer by Sharon Creech

I enjoyed this novel quite a bit because there was more to this story than just a coming-of-age adventure. Not only is Sophie literally learning how to sail a boat across the ocean with her uncles and cousins, but there is an added depth to the story when readers discover, through cousin Cody’s journal entries, that there is some mystery as to Sophie’s past and how, despite being adopted, she claims to know the grandfather’s stories. Cody’s narrative was also charming in its humor and brevity making it more relatable than Sophie’s poetic outlook.

Picture book: Hugs from Pearl by Paul Schmid

        

Full Manuscripts: 5

So, for 2012 that leaves me at: 77 books and 66 full manuscripts. Not too bad!

My reading goals for 2011 were to read 10 historical fiction novels and finish up three 19^th century classics. Well, the second goal didn’t happen at all—there’s so much good YA out there!—but I did decently well with the historical fiction, coming in at eight books. I’m absolutely going to continue working on that, especially because there are several novels (What I Saw and How I Lied, The Vespertine, and Between Shades of Gray) that I still want to read!

I’m not going to set any reading goals for 2012—it’s clear that I read. A lot. And due to my job I read a wide range of genres. I still need to reopen those classics…but those will have to be saved for extra long vacations!

Do you have any reading goals for 2012?

Reading Roundup

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkins

The basic premise to this realistic/paranormal/fantasy/mixed genre is that Mara Dyer wakes up from an accident that killed at her friends with no recollection as to what happened. The family decides that moving will help Mara get a new start—but strange accidents seem to follow Mara wherever she goes. As I read more and more of this novel I couldn’t stop thinking about it as I was at work, in the shower, reading other manuscripts. The question of whether what Mara is experiencing is real or her imagination is so compelling—is she a psychopath or are impossible things occurring? The truth is reveled about two thirds of the way through the novel and I lost interest a little bit…but then the cliffhanger at the very end caught me again. I can’t wait to read the sequel. A highly recommended read.

Wings of the Wicked (ARC 2/14) by Courtney Allison Moulton

The second in the Angelfire trilogy, the stakes are even higher for Reaper killer Ellie and her guardian, Will. All Hell has broken lose and Ellie has to step up—while trying to balance family, prom, and her eternal love for Will. I’m just about to start working on the third and final book in the series and I can promise this—and the next book—have plenty of action and sultry romance!

Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu

This middle-grade fantasy/fairytale retelling has made a lot of “Best of 2011” lists and as soon as I picked it up I could understand why. Hazel is such a compelling character, full of insecurities and flaws as she tries to understand and overcome the impossible when her best friend, Jack, is kidnapped by the White Witch (just like Narnia…). The fairytale rich world is beautifully incorporated and I loved the references to modern fantasy classics like His Dark Materials and Harry Potter. On top of all that, the writing is so lyrical and compelling. A highly recommended read.

Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski

This classic early reader was my Harper-award-winning-backlist for the month. I really love Lois Lenski; not only was her novel Indian Captive: The Story of Mary Jemison a favorite growing up, but she also wrote from my tiny hometown! I had never read Strawberry Girl before but I can’t believe it because it definitely appeals to readers of Little House on the Prairie except set in Florida. From the foreword it’s clear that educating young readers about homesteading and different cultural practices throughout the United States was the goal of the series. I definitely learned a lot about early Florida settlers!

Full Manuscripts: 5 

Reading Roundup

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

To put it simply, I adored this book. It’s the second by contemporary romance author Stephanie Perkins and it’s even better than Anna and the French Kiss. She completely nailed the quirky main character, Lola, and her love interest is so swoony. What girl doesn’t want to fall in love with her next door neighbor? I actually loved Lola and the San Francisco world Perkins created so much that I missed when Anna and St. Clair from the previous book first made an appearance, and that’s saying something since I loved the first book, too. But what I look away from Anna and the French Kiss was a desire to return to Paris, Lola and the Boy Next Door made me want to be Lola. And my goodness—her clothes! A highly recommended read; actually, it's my favorite for the whole month!

Our Own May Amelia by Jennifer Holm

This book continues my goal to read a Harper award-winning backlist title a month. And I was pleased with this selection; not only is it my beloved historical fiction, but it also takes place in nascent Washington state, an area I’m becoming increasingly interested in. May Amelia was a strong but relatable heroine and I loved the refrain “our only May Amelia” that her family would say both when they were proud of her and exasperated with her! This tween novel, published in 2001, felt old to me, though. The writing style, the episodic nature, the little lessons along the way. I don’t mean to imply that it isn’t a good book—it was a Newbery Honor book, for Pete’s sake!—but I had a hard time loving it compared to many more commercial contemporary middle grade. (Historical Book Challenge #7)

The Cabinet of Earths (ARC 1/3/12) by Anne Nesbet        

This interesting book starts when the main character moves to France—and quickly is intriguing by a man who has purple eyes and lives in a house with a salamander door handle—and things get quirkier from there as Maya unravels her family’s secrets. This is a quieter tween novel—but there are delightful hints of action, romance, and lovely family dynamics.

The Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

I posted a much longer review of this book, but to sum up quickly: this is a magical and beautifully written fantasy novel. Although I would have liked it to be set up a little different as I found the beginning to be mostly set up and the end to be mostly back story, the characters and world are so rich I just want to know more about them!

Plus, quite a few picture books. (The delightful things you get to do while waiting at a bookstore for an hour!)

Ladybug Girl by Jacky Davis, illustrated by David Soman

Olivia by Ian Falconer

Silverlicious by Victoria Kann

Grandpa Green by Lane Smith

A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead, illustrated by Erin Stead

YOU WILL BE MY FRIEND! by Peter Brown

Skippyjon Jones by Judy Schachner

The Lorax by Dr. Seuss

Full Manuscripts: 5

Reading Roundup

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

I’ve been meaning to read this series for forever. But, unfortunately, I’m going to make many people, including my best friend, unhappy with this mini-review. The book was okay. The basic synopsis is that when Clary’s mother is kidnapped and Clary begins to see magical things in modern day NYC, she learns she is part Shadowhunter (killer of demons) is taken under the wing by Jace and his friends. They discover that Clary’s mom is a pawn in a larger plot of evil Valentine which would lead to the downfall of the Shadowhunters and chaos in the world. I found the plot predictable and the world building relying very heavily on Harry Potter (mundanes=Muggles; both bad guys want to purify their race). The writing was subpar and way too full of metaphors. Even the cover was a negative; with a metallic half-naked chest of a boy on the front it looks like a romance novel and I was embarrassed to read it on the subway. All that being said, I bought the whole series cheaply in paperback and I really do want to read the sequel series, which starts with Clockwork Angel and is set in Victorian London.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

I can’t believe how long it’s taken me to read this book. It’s a creepy middle grade novel that definitely pushes the boundaries. Set in Highgate Cemetery, London (a fantastic spot), Bod is raised by protective ghosts because “Jack” killed his family and is after him, too. All the ghost characters are just fabulous and it’s great how they cover a wide range of time periods (all being buried in the cemetery at different times). I found the story a bit too episodic, but it would make a great read aloud, and everything comes together nicely in the end.

Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

I was so excited to read this fantasy—not only is it great when one of my favorite but slightly-under-the-radar-genres gets good buzz, but it’s also a great comparative title for my own WIP! The basic plot is that Elisa is a Godstone bearer: the literally has a jewel in her navel that was placed there by God, and that means she is destined for greatness. She just doesn’t know what her place really is. A friend who had read the book before me thought the beginning was slow; I disagreed until I got to the second third of the novel and all of sudden it was fast and action-packed, making the beginning slow by comparison. And although there were a few too many characters that popped in and out of the manuscript (with hard-to-remember names), this novel overall is a great addition to the fantasy genre. The desert setting reminded me of The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley and anyone who loves Tamora Pierce or Kristin Cashore should check this out. A recommended read.

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Again, I had heard really great things about this book, a really creative teen novel that used unique vintage photographs to inspire and form the narrative.  In the novel the pictures belong to Jacob’s grandfather, who tells tales about his childhood. Killed shortly after the novel begins, Jacob begins to believe that his grandfather is telling the truth and goes to Wales to visit Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, where his grandfather spend his teenage years before World War II. Through a complicated series of events, Jacob learns that everything his grandfather said was true, and that he, along with the other children, are ‘peculiar’: they have special talents that makes them targets both in the human and nonhuman world. Overall, I wasn’t as impressed by this book as I had hoped to be. The photos were fantastic finds, the novel itself was creative, and the book is printed high quality. But I wished we knew more about Jacob’s grandfather before he died and Jacob’s romance with Emma, his grandfather’s girlfriend when he was a teen, is awkward and borderline creepy.

Full Manuscripts: 8 

Reading Roundup

Dead End in Norvelt (ARC 9/13) by Jack Gantos

This middle grade coming of age story is actually historical fiction—my favorite! That being said, it wasn’t my favorite book ever because it’s a boy book. The main character, also named Jack Gantos, is interested in war memorabilia, baseball, and suffers from a bloody nose condition. The plot is amusing—since Jack is grounded for the summer he helps his elderly neighbor write obituaries for the unusual number of old women who are dying—and the adult townie characters are fantastic. It’s a well-written book, but not my type. (Historical Book Challenge #6)

Monster by Walter Dean Myers

One of my new at work goals is to read one Harper backlist book a month, starting with the award winners. Monster was selected for me and I so glad it was! It is the story of Steve Harmon, a 16 year-old black kid from Harlem who is on trial for murder during a convenience store robbery. It’s written in multiple formats: diary entries, the trial transcript, some illustrations. The best part about this novel is that although the jury comes to a verdict, the reader isn’t ever quite sure if Steve is innocent or guilty.

The Scorpio Races (ARC 10/18) by Maggie Stiefvater

I’m not quite sure how I feel about this novel. It’s so different than the Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy which I adored. This novel is older, darker. It takes the mythology of deadly water horses and turns it upside down; in a small island community brave (or foolish) men capture these horses each November to race them. This year, for various reasons, Kate ‘Puck’ Connelley joins the men and begins a relationship with the race’s past champion, Sean. Their relationship isn’t the sigh-and-swoon type of Sam and Grace. I never actually felt really connected to them. I cared more about Sean’s water horse. But the language in this novel, especially the sparse dialog, proves once again that Maggie Stiefvater is a talented writer. (A very small side note: the UK cover is way prettier and more exciting that the US art…)

The Shreek of Wagons: 1848 Diary of Richard M. May, edited by Helfrich & Ackerman

This is a little different than my typical reading this past year. It’s my boyfriend’s great-great-great-grandfather’s Oregon Trail journal. And since I love history and I was traveling in Oregon this month I thought it was a great time to read it! And it was really interesting; he was one of the only diarists of the area to record meeting settlers coming back East with the gold they had found in 1849 and to mention traveling through a lunar eclipse. Now, of course, I want to play the Oregon Trail computer game!

The Unwanteds (ARC 8/30) by Lisa McMann

In this middle grade fantasy/dystopian children at the age of 13 are divided in three categories— intelligent and athletic “Wanteds,” helpful “Necessaries,” and creative “Unwanteds.” Society believes that the Unwanteds are sent to death, but in actuality they live in a secret world full of magic and prepare to fight the rest of the population. I first heard of this book at BEA—and saw the Kirkus Review calling it “Harry Potter meets the Hunger Games.” I naturally had to see if it lived up to that hype. Not only did it disappoint, I struggled to even finish it, only doing so so that I could write a review here. There are many problems with this novel; first, it is written in such a distant third person that I never felt like I knew the characters. I never was rooting for them and I didn’t care if they succeeded. Second, the world-building was far too cutesy for my taste. This is definitely a personal preference, although I love Savvy and the upcoming Bliss which use puns and clever world play. This took it too far; characters had names like Mr. Today and his daughter Claire Morning, the half-octopus was named Octavia. When the students battled they used neon yellow highlighters to blind opponents, or a dance from The Nutcracker to dance the Wanteds into submission. Last, (“spoiler”) the Unwanteds beat the Wanteds at the end of the book—but they win through creative fighting. Never once do the intelligent and/or athletic Wanteds even acknowledge that creativity is a useful skill. There needed to be a revelation at the end, because without it, I don’t know what the message is supposed to be…Overall, I can see the comparison to Harry Potter since the story takes place in school-like setting a magic world but that’s where the similarities ends: I didn’t care about the characters, world, outcome, or anything else.

Manuscripts: 4

Reading Roundup

Starcrossed  by Josephine Angelini

This teen novel is a fun modern retelling of Greek mythology—and I don’t even really like Greek mythology! The most interesting things about this story, though, is that I’m positive I’ve read it before…probably when it was on submission and I was interning at Bloomsbury Children’s Books way back in the summer of 2008! The tone, the Nantucket setting, and the main character who doesn’t fit in were very reminiscent of the original…and then there were very specific details that were both in Starcrossed and manuscript. The longer I’m in publishing I’m sure the more this will happen, but wow! I look forward to reading the sequel, Dreamless (next summer), where I’ve been told the romance gets very steamy.

Liesl and Po  (ARC) by Lauren Oliver

Lauren Oliver’s first foray into middle grade does not disappoint. It’s a modern-day fairytale with the best elements: sweet girl locked up in an attic, her friend a ghost, an evil stepmother, a dead father, and lots of magic. The supporting characters are just as rich as the main ones, and I hope we find out more about Mo the guard in a future tale. Available in October. A highly recommended read (indeed, my favorite for July).

Mo Wren, Lost and Found by Tricia Springstubb (twice)

A new program at HC for junior editors like myself involves reading an early draft manuscript of a novel and then the final book—and then talk with the editor about the how and why of the changes. What a great idea, right? Mo Wren, Lost and Found is this month’s selection. It’s a really enjoyable coming-of-age story with fantastic characters. I haven’t read the first book, What Happened On Fox Street, but it’s definitely going on my to-be-read list now.

Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions (ARC) edited by Melissa Marr & Kelley Armstrong

This is a fantastic collection of paranormal stories from some of the hottest writers out there—and the stories cover such a range of topics and emotions. From the Wicked Lovely world in “Merely Mortal” by Melissa Marr to the futuristic “Leaving” by Ally Condie and from the humorous “At the Late Night, Double Feature, Picture Show” by Jessica Verday to the sad (and beautiful) “Gargouille” by Mary E. Pearson there is something for everyone. I have particular links to “Scenic Route” by Carrie Ryan because I read it for my bosses during part of the interview process. I guess they liked what I had to say about it in my reader’s report! The anthology is available in hardcover and paperback September 20^th.

I Was Told There’d Be Cake essays by Sloane Crosley

The majority of books I read this months were egalleys or ebooks or manuscripts, all of which I read on my laptop at home. I needed something to read on the subway, so I picked up this collection of essays that my friend had lent me months ago. Now that I’ve read it, I can’t believe it took me so long. The author is no more than seven years older than me, so her childhood and early adult experiences—playing Oregon Trail, moving to NYC, having a unique name—rang true with me. She even worked in publishing (although, my experience is much better than hers!). Although this isn’t my typical read, the essays were both insightful and hilarious. Recommended for anyone of my generation.

Clean (ARC) by Amy Reed

I had been told a while ago to read Beautiful by Amy Reed and I just hadn’t gotten around to it yet. But when I got this novel by the same author as a free egalley I couldn’t resist. It’s a powerful story about six teens in rehab told in multiple formats: traditional narratives, script-like group therapy sessions, questionnaire responses, letters. The strength of this novel is how Reed manages to express both the individual and the collective experience. I’m totally rooting for these characters to stay sober now that they got out of rehab in the last chapter!

The Revenant  by Sonia Gensler

Willie, a seventeen-year-old in 1896 year, refuses to go back home when her mother sends for her. So determined to avoid a lifetime of farm work and step-sibling babysitting, Willie steals a classmate’s identity and becomes a teacher at the Cherokee Female Seminary. But she’s not the only one there with secrets—a suspicious death of a classmate a year earlier is still haunting the place. Although I am familiar with the Trail of Tears, this historical fiction novel brought to light the conflicts within the Cherokee nation itself (light skinned verses dark; rich and progressive verses poor and traditional) and highlighted the bustling town of Tahlequah. (Historical Book Challenge #5)

Full Manuscripts: 5