Kelly Jensen's Blog, page 125
December 25, 2013
Kimberly's Top Five Posts of 2013: A Look Back
2013 was a busy year for us. We saw our millionth hit, continued a few old series, wrote a few new ones, and celebrated our fourth straight year blogging together. It's been a privilege (and occasionally a challenge) to write in this space. It's a still bit bewildering to know how much our audience has grown - and we're so grateful to our readers, old and new. We're taking this time to reflect on the past year, highlighting a few of our most memorable (to us!) posts. I'll write about a few today, and Kelly will discuss hers tomorrow. Mine are below, in no particular order.
Story for All Ages
I write almost exclusively about YA and even more exclusively about individual reading. But that's not the only reading I do - at my old church, I would occasionally read the "Story for All Ages." This is a story read aloud to a group of children and adults during the service, usually a picture book. I enjoyed writing about something a bit different and sharing a lesser-known aspect of my reading life.
Five Essential Elements for Great Audiobook Narration
Audiobooks are a huge part of my reading life, particularly now that my commute is no longer five minutes long. Here I share my five essential elements that can make or break an audiobook, with examples of audiobooks that do each element well.
Reviews, Non-Fantasy Readers, and Finnikin of the Rock
Of everything I wrote for Stacked in 2013, this is the piece about which I feel most deeply. I discuss why some readers would claim a story such as Finnikin of the Rock - which is blatant fantasy with magic and prophecies - is "not really fantasy," what genre biases this attitude reveals, and why it's important that we call fantasy stories what they are (and insist others do so as well).
Rewriting History (aka Lying to Our Children)
At my previous position, I purchased all the books for kids, ages birth through 18. This meant I did a lot of review-reading in a lot of different publications. I noticed that there were two books being published for kids very close to each other that presented a sugar-coated or fanciful fate for Laika, the dog the Soviets sent into space (and never brought home - intentionally). In this post, I discuss these books and why authors might feel the need to make this choice (plus a hefty dose of my own opinion, naturally).
Engines of the Broken World dual review
Everything I've highlighted up until this point has not been a review, but the reviews are still the backbone of this blog, and they're still what I enjoy doing most. Some of the most fun reviews to write are the dual ones with Kelly. Our reading interests intersect so rarely that it's a treat when we can write something about a book we both read (and enjoyed). It's especially nice when we have different opinions about and approaches to it, as we did with Jason Vanhee's Engines of the Broken World.
Bonus: Our genre guides were so much fun to write. They allowed me to delve into genres (and subgenres and formats!) that I love and share that love with our readers. I also learned a ton, and we got some great additions in the comments. This series is something we plan on continuing in 2014.
Story for All Ages
I write almost exclusively about YA and even more exclusively about individual reading. But that's not the only reading I do - at my old church, I would occasionally read the "Story for All Ages." This is a story read aloud to a group of children and adults during the service, usually a picture book. I enjoyed writing about something a bit different and sharing a lesser-known aspect of my reading life.
Five Essential Elements for Great Audiobook Narration
Audiobooks are a huge part of my reading life, particularly now that my commute is no longer five minutes long. Here I share my five essential elements that can make or break an audiobook, with examples of audiobooks that do each element well.
Reviews, Non-Fantasy Readers, and Finnikin of the Rock
Of everything I wrote for Stacked in 2013, this is the piece about which I feel most deeply. I discuss why some readers would claim a story such as Finnikin of the Rock - which is blatant fantasy with magic and prophecies - is "not really fantasy," what genre biases this attitude reveals, and why it's important that we call fantasy stories what they are (and insist others do so as well).
Rewriting History (aka Lying to Our Children)
At my previous position, I purchased all the books for kids, ages birth through 18. This meant I did a lot of review-reading in a lot of different publications. I noticed that there were two books being published for kids very close to each other that presented a sugar-coated or fanciful fate for Laika, the dog the Soviets sent into space (and never brought home - intentionally). In this post, I discuss these books and why authors might feel the need to make this choice (plus a hefty dose of my own opinion, naturally).
Engines of the Broken World dual review
Everything I've highlighted up until this point has not been a review, but the reviews are still the backbone of this blog, and they're still what I enjoy doing most. Some of the most fun reviews to write are the dual ones with Kelly. Our reading interests intersect so rarely that it's a treat when we can write something about a book we both read (and enjoyed). It's especially nice when we have different opinions about and approaches to it, as we did with Jason Vanhee's Engines of the Broken World.
Bonus: Our genre guides were so much fun to write. They allowed me to delve into genres (and subgenres and formats!) that I love and share that love with our readers. I also learned a ton, and we got some great additions in the comments. This series is something we plan on continuing in 2014.
December 23, 2013
We'll return shortly!
Kimberly and I are taking today and tomorrow off, and we'll be back on Thursday and Friday with a roundup of our favorite posts at STACKED this year.
As always, thanks for reading, sharing, and talking with us here. Merry Christmas to those who celebrate.
As always, thanks for reading, sharing, and talking with us here. Merry Christmas to those who celebrate.
December 22, 2013
Roomies by Tara Altebrando and Sara Zarr
When New Jersey girl Elizabeth gets her rooming assignment for her freshman year at Berkeley, she's comping at the bit to get in touch with this girl named Lauren who lives in San Francisco. But when she reaches out, she's met with short, clipped responses that raise Lauren's worries about what this year of living together would be like. Thus begins the relationship between two soon-to-be roommates in Tara Altebrando and Sara Zarr's Roomies. Little by little over the course of the summer between the end of high school and beginning at Berkeley, though, the girls exchange more and more with one another and find themselves revealing some of their deepest secrets with one another. How do you make the transition from high school to college? How do you -- if you do at all -- break up with friends? What about boyfriends? Do you take a chance on a guy who you know you'll only be able to be with for a couple of months? The girls grapple with these challenging questions via email and while it all seems peachy, things take a turn south when Elizabeth reveals one of the biggest reasons she wants to go to Berkeley: the long lost hope she'll be able to reconnect with her gay father, who left her and her mother when she was seven years old.
Elizabeth knows where her dad works, and when she slips that into an email to Lauren, Lauren does a little sleuthing -- unintentionally -- and while she hoped to keep it a secret from Elizabeth (who is under the belief her father can't see her before college starts since he has to vacation in Italy), Lauren spills the beans. And Elizabeth is not happy. How dare a girl she doesn't even know meddle in her affairs?
This book is on the lighter side, but it explores SO much good stuff. It asks the hard questions about transitions and moving, as well as tough questions about what relationships are and how relationships develop. Both girls have really memorable voices and bring great back stories with them to their budding roommate relationship/friendship, and Zarr (who writes as Lauren) and Altebrando (who writes as Elizabeth) deliver incredibly authentic girls who experience the entire range of what anticipation feels like and looks like. There is a nice story about sexuality here, too, as well as budding romances for both girls -- though that never takes a higher place in the story than THEIR friendship. Elizabeth gets to enjoy losing her virginity and she divulges that to Lauren in a very real, very positive manner that leaves Elizabeth not feeling like she's missing out on something but that, instead, she gets to be there for her friend for HER big, life-changing-to-her moment.
There's also a well-drawn pair of stories about family here. Lauren comes from a massive family with little privacy, whereas Elizabeth comes from a family of just her and her mother where privacy is achieved through secrecy and deceit. Thus why both act and react as they do.
Many books that are worked through email feel like they're trying too hard, but it never felt that way here. It's very authentic -- and the way that Elizabeth and Lauren learn to trust and care for one another comes through these emails. Little by little they test the waters of how much they can share and how much they can pry, and they both put themselves out there as givers and takers. It's one of -- if not the -- most fascinating and true means of how friendships happen and grow. I love that Zarr and Altebrando weren't afraid to show that sometimes the most VALUABLE relationships are those which are the ones you get to create this way. And more than that, the way you nurture it is not any different than those you have in your every day, in person interactions.
Hand Altebrando and Zarr's Roomies off to readers eager for that next chapter in their lives, as well as those who love a good story about friendship or family. I see this being a great book for graduation presents for girls who will be heading off to college after high school, but I also see it as the kind of book for any reader worries about changes in his or her life, period. This is a book about transitions and about the anticipation therein, which transcends the roommate situation.
Review copy received from the publisher. Roomies is available tomorrow.
Related StoriesIndependent Study by Joelle CharbonneauLooking Ahead to Science Fiction and Fantasy in 2014: Part TwoLooking Ahead to Science Fiction and Fantasy in 2014: Part One
December 18, 2013
Looking Ahead to Science Fiction and Fantasy in 2014: Part One
If you're at all like me, adding books to your to-read list is almost as fun as the reading itself. Therefore, I present to you: upcoming 2014 YA SFF releases. I've combed through publisher catalogs for 2014 science fiction and fantasy titles and grouped them into a few categories that stuck out to me. It's a great way to add titles to my TBR pile and pick up on trends at the same time. Today's post, part 1, will focus on fantasy titles (mostly), and tomorrow's post, part 2, will focus on science fiction titles (mostly).
And because I love all of you, dear readers, I've put an asterisk next to each title that is either a standalone or the start of a new series (no catch-up reading required). Most descriptions are pulled directly from Goodreads, but a few come from Worldcat.
Witches
If you like reading about witches, you're in luck in 2014. There's nearly a book each month for you.
The Witch is Back by Brittany Geragotelis (January)
After leading her coven into battle against the Parrishables, teenaged witch Hadley Bishop is looking forward to a relaxing, love-filled summer with boyfriend Asher, until his ex-girlfriend, Brooklyn, shows up and a power struggle ensues.
*Half Bad by Sally Green (March)
In modern-day England, where witches live alongside humans, Nathan, son of a White witch and the most powerful Black witch, must escape captivity before his seventeenth birthday and receive the gifts that will determine his future.
*Stolen Songbird by Danielle Jensen (April)
For five centuries, a witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the ruins of Forsaken Mountain. Time enough for their dark and nefarious magic to fade from human memory and into myth. But a prophesy has been spoken of a union with the power to set the trolls free, and when Cécile de Troyes is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she learns there is far more to the myth of the trolls than she could have imagined.
*The Wizard's Promise by Cassandra Rose Clark (May)All Hanna Euli wants is to become a proper witch – but unfortunately, she’s stuck as an apprentice to a grumpy fisherman. When their boat gets caught up in a mysterious storm and blown wildly off course, Hanna finds herself further away from home than she’s ever been before. As she tries to get back, she learns there may be more to her apprentice master than she realized, especially when a mysterious, beautiful, and very non-human boy begins following her through the ocean, claiming that he needs Hanna’s help. (no cover image available)
*Hexed by Michelle Krys (June)Popular cheerleader Indigo Blackwood, sixteen, finds her perfect life threatened when Bishop, a tattooed, leather-clad stranger, tells her the family Bible just stolen from the attic of her mother's occult shop could mean the end to all witches, including, he says, Indigo herself.
Witchfall by Victoria Lamb (July)London, 1554. At the court of Mary Tudor, life is safe for no one. The jealous, embittered queen sees enemies all around her, and the infamous Spanish Inquisition holds the court in its merciless grip. But Meg Lytton has more reason to be afraid than most - for Meg is a witch, and exposure would mean certain death.
Sisters' Fate by Jessica Spotswood (August)A 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.
Other Paranormal/Supernatural Creatures & Human Hybrids 2014 continues the YA love affair with all sorts of creatures from the imagination: fairies, vampires, mermaids, angels, demons, shapeshifters, and even genies. Included are a slew of novels about human/creature hybrids.
*White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout (February)Seventeen-year-old Layla just wants to be normal. But with a kiss that kills anything with a soul, she's anything but normal. Half demon, half gargoyle, Layla has abilities no one else possesses. Raised among the Wardens—a race of gargoyles tasked with hunting demons and keeping humanity safe—Layla tries to fit in, but that means hiding her own dark side from those she loves the most. Especially Zayne, the swoon-worthy, incredibly gorgeous and completely off-limits Warden she's crushed on since forever.
*Fates by Lanie Bross (February)Corinthe, a former Fate and now Executor, responsible for carrying out unfulfilled destinies on Earth, finds herself falling for Lucas, a human boy whose death she is supposed to enact as her last act before returning to Pyralis.
Feral Curse by Cynthia Leitich-Smith (February)The adopted daughter of two respectable human parents, Kayla is a werecat in the closet. All she knows is the human world. When she comes out to her boyfriend, tragedy ensues, and her determination to know and embrace her heritage grows.
Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor (April)By way of a staggering deception, Karou has taken control of the chimaera rebellion and is intent on steering its course away from dead-end vengeance. The future rests on her, if there can even be a future for the chimaera in war-ravaged Eretz.
*Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins (April)Seventeen-year-old Harper Price's charmed life is turned upside down when she discovers she's been given magical powers in order to protect her school nemesis David Stark, who's an Oracle.
The Forever Song by Julie Kagawa (April)Allie will embrace her cold vampire side to hunt down and end Sarren, the psychopathic vampire who murdered Zeke. But the trail is bloody and long, and Sarren has left many surprises for Allie and her companions—her creator, Kanin, and her blood brother, Jackal. The trail is leading straight to the one place they must protect at any cost—the last vampire-free zone on Earth, Eden. And Sarren has one final, brutal shock in store for Allie. (no cover image available)
*Stolen Songbird by Danielle Jensen (April)
For five centuries, a witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the ruins of Forsaken Mountain. Time enough for their dark and nefarious magic to fade from human memory and into myth. But a prophesy has been spoken of a union with the power to set the trolls free, and when Cécile de Troyes is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she learns there is far more to the myth of the trolls than she could have imagined.
*A Creature of Moonlight by Rebecca Hahn (May)As the only heir to the throne, Marni should have been surrounded by wealth and privilege, not living in exile-but now the time has come when she must choose between claiming her birthright as princess of a realm whose king wants her dead, and life with the father she has never known: a wild dragon who is sending his magical woods to capture her.
Of Neptune by Anna Banks (May)Emma, who is half human and half Syrena, and her Syrena love, Galen, need time together. Alone. Away from the kingdoms of Poseidon and Triton. Emma’s grandfather, the Poseidon king, suggests the two visit a small town called Neptune.
*The Dark World by Cara Lynn Schultz (May)Paige Kelly is used to weird--in fact, she probably corners the market on weird, considering that her best friend, Dottie, has been dead since the 1950s. But when a fire demon attacks Paige in detention, she has to admit that things have gotten out of her league. Luckily, the cute new boy in school, Logan Bradley, is a practiced demon slayer-and he isn't fazed by Paige's propensity to chat with the dead. (no cover image available)
*Feather Bound by Sarah Raughley (May)When Deanna's missing friend Hyde turns up at his father's funeral to claim his corporate empire and inheritance, she is swept into his glittering world of paparazzi and wealth. But re-kindling her friendship and the dizzying new emotions along for the ride are the least of her concerns. Because Deanna has a secret – and somebody knows. Someone who is out to get Hyde. And if she doesn't play along, and help the enemy destroy him…she will be sold to the highest bidder in the black market for human swans.
*An Angel Torched My Homework and Other Lies by Miche Sipes (June)Imagine if vampires, werewolves, angels and zombies were merely humans with a genetic mutation . . . could Norms and Differents ever get along? (no cover image available)
The Fourth Wish by Lindsay Ribar (July)When eighteen-year-old Margo McKenna becomes a genie, she must figure out how her new powers work, deal with having a master who attends her high school, and try to graduate with her secret under wraps--all while learning what "forever" really means when your boyfriend is a centuries old genie.
Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater (July)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?
Battle Angel by Scott Speer (August)With Maddy torn between two loves, Guardian Jackson and heroic pilot Tom, and Angels and humans on the brink of an epic war, the Immortal City is more vulnerable than ever. And when demons descend upon Angel City with the intent to destroy, the humans don't stand a fighting chance without the Angels on their side.
Teens With Superpowers These books feature teens who are fully human, but can do extraordinary things. Some are fantasy, some science fiction.
*Vitro by Jessica Khoury (January)On a remote island in the Pacific, Corpus scientists have taken test tube embryos and given them life. These beings—the Vitros—have knowledge and abilities most humans can only dream of. But they also have one enormous flaw.
Invisible by Dawn Metcalf (April)Joy Malone wants it all: power, freedom and the boyfriend who loves her. Yet when an unstoppable assassin is hired to kill her, Joy learns that being the girl with the Sight comes with a price that might be too high to pay. Love will be tested, lives will be threatened, and everyone Joy knows and cares about will be affected by her decision to stand by Ink or to leave the Twixt forever. (no cover image available)
*Sleep No More by Aprilynne Pike (April)Oracles see the future but are never supposed to interfere. Charlotte learned that the hard way. If she hadn't tried to change one of her childhood visions, her father would still be alive. Since the accident, Charlotte has suppressed her visions to avoid making the same mistake. But when she receives a premonition of a classmate's murder, she can no longer ignore her powerful gift.
Hunter by Michael Carroll (May)The defeat of the near-invincible villain Krodin has left a void in the superhuman hierarchy, a void that two opposing factors are trying to fill. The powerful telepath Max Dalton believes that the human race must be controlled and shepherded to a safe future, while his rival Casey Duval believes that strength can only be achieved through conflict.
Gasp by Lisa McMann (June)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.
*Illusive by Emily Lloyd-Jones (July)After a vaccine accidentally creates superpowers in a small percentage of the population, seventeen-year-old Ciere, an illusionist, teams up with a group of fellow high-class, super-powered thieves to steal the vaccine's formula while staying one step ahead of mobsters and deadly government agents.
Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray (August)After a supernatural showdown with a serial killer, Evie O'Neill has outed herself as a Diviner. Now that the world knows of her ability to "read" objects, and therefore, read the past, she has become a media darling, earning the title, "America's Sweetheart Seer." But not everyone is so accepting of the Diviners' abilities.
High Fantasy
2014 brings us a good crop of new worlds full of wizards, princesses, kingdoms, political intrigue, and battles.
*Defy by Sara B. Larson (January)
Seventeen-year-old Alexa's parents were killed by a sorcerer during a raid, so she has disguised herself as a boy, joined Antion's army, and earned a place on Prince Damian's guard--but Antion is ruled by an evil king, and "Alex" must find a way to defeat him and protect her prince.
The Queen's Choice by Cayla Kluver (January)
When sixteen-year-old Anya learns that her aunt, Queen of the Faerie Kingdom of Chrior, will soon die, her grief is equaled only by her despair for the future of the kingdom. Her young cousin, Illumina, is unfit to rule, and Anya is determined not to take up the queen's mantle herself. Convinced that the only solution is to find Prince Zabriel, who long ago disappeared into the human realm of Warckum, and persuade him to take up his rightful crown, Anya journeys into the Warckum Territory to bring him home.
The Shadow Throne by Jennifer A. Nielsen (February)
Young King Jaron has had nothing but trouble with his advisors and regents since he ascended the throne of Carthya, and now King Vargan of Avenia has invaded the land and captured Imogen--and Jaron must find some way to rescue her and save his kingdom.
*Stolen Songbird by Danielle Jensen (April)
For five centuries, a witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the ruins of Forsaken Mountain. Time enough for their dark and nefarious magic to fade from human memory and into myth. But a prophesy has been spoken of a union with the power to set the trolls free, and when Cécile de Troyes is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she learns there is far more to the myth of the trolls than she could have imagined. [This book is clearly leading the trend pack.]
*Allies and Assassins by Justin Somper (May)
Sixteen-year-old Jared inherits the throne of Archenfield after his older brother, Prince Anders, is murdered. He relies on the twelve officers of the court to advise him but soon suspects one of them could be responsible for his brother's death and vows to hunt down the killer, who may be after Jared as well.
Chantress Alchemy by Amy Butler Greenfield (May)
Lucy, a chantress who works magic by singing, is called to court to find a lost instrument of Alchemy. But her magic isn't working properly.
Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo (June)
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. (no cover image available)
*The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson (July)
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. (no cover image available) [I am so incredibly excited about this one.]
Mythology/Retellings/Classically Inspired
These appear to be perennial favorites: retellings of fairy tales, new twists on ancient legends, stories inspired by myth, and other similar tales with older roots.
*Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge (January)
Graceling meets Beauty and the Beast in this sweeping fantasy about one girl's journey to fulfill her destiny and the monster who gets in her way-by stealing her heart.
*Grim (February)
Inspired by classic fairy tales, but with a dark and sinister twist, Grim contains short stories from some of the best voices in young adult literature today: Ellen Hopkins, Amanda Hocking, Julie Kagawa, Claudia Gray, Rachel Hawkins, Kimberly Derting, Myra McEntire, Malinda Lo, Sarah Rees-Brennan, Jackson Pearce, Christine Johnson, Jeri Smith Ready, Shaun David Hutchinson, Saundra Mitchell, Sonia Gensler, Tessa Gratton, and Jon Skrovron.
Cress by Marissa Meyer (February)
Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they're plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and prevent her army from invading Earth. Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl trapped on a satellite since childhood who's only ever had her netscreens as company. Based on Rapunzel.
*The Shadow Prince by Bree Despain (March)
Haden Lord, the disgraced prince of the Underrealm, has been sent to the mortal world to entice a girl into returning with him to the land of the dead. Posing as a student at Olympus Hills High—a haven for children of the rich and famous—Haden must single out the one girl rumored to be able to restore immortality to his race.
*Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Page (April)
My name is Amy Gumm—and I'm the other girl from Kansas. I've been recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked. I've been trained to fight. And I have a mission: Remove the Tin Woodman's heart. Steal the Scarecrow's brain. Take the Lion's courage. Then and only then—Dorothy must die!
Rain by Amanda Sun (June)
American Katie Green has decided to stay in Japan. She's started to build a life in the city of Shizuoka, and she can't imagine leaving behind her friends, her aunt and especially Tomohiro, the guy she's fallen in love with. But her return is not as simple as she thought. She's flunking out of Japanese school and committing cultural faux pas wherever she goes. Tomohiro is also struggling—as a Kami, his connection to the ancient gods of Japan and his power to bring drawings to life have begun to spiral out of control. (no cover image available)
The Strange Maid by Tessa Gratton (June)
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.
The Island of Excess Love by Francesca Lia Block (August)
Pen has lost her parents. She’s lost her eye. But she has fought Kronen; she has won back her fragile friends and her beloved brother. Now Pen, Hex, Ash, Ez, and Venice are living in the pink house by the sea, getting by on hard work, companionship, and dreams. Until the day a foreboding ship appears in the harbor across from their home. As soon as the ship arrives, they all start having strange visions of destruction and violence. Trance-like, they head for the ship and their new battles begin. Based on Virgil's Aeneid.
Which books are you looking forward to in 2014?
Related StoriesIndependent Study by Joelle Charbonneau"Best of 2013" and "Best of 2012" YA Lists Compared & What We Should Talk About"Best of 2013" YA List Breakdown, Part 2
And because I love all of you, dear readers, I've put an asterisk next to each title that is either a standalone or the start of a new series (no catch-up reading required). Most descriptions are pulled directly from Goodreads, but a few come from Worldcat.
Witches
If you like reading about witches, you're in luck in 2014. There's nearly a book each month for you.
The Witch is Back by Brittany Geragotelis (January)
After leading her coven into battle against the Parrishables, teenaged witch Hadley Bishop is looking forward to a relaxing, love-filled summer with boyfriend Asher, until his ex-girlfriend, Brooklyn, shows up and a power struggle ensues.
*Half Bad by Sally Green (March)
In modern-day England, where witches live alongside humans, Nathan, son of a White witch and the most powerful Black witch, must escape captivity before his seventeenth birthday and receive the gifts that will determine his future.
*Stolen Songbird by Danielle Jensen (April)
For five centuries, a witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the ruins of Forsaken Mountain. Time enough for their dark and nefarious magic to fade from human memory and into myth. But a prophesy has been spoken of a union with the power to set the trolls free, and when Cécile de Troyes is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she learns there is far more to the myth of the trolls than she could have imagined.
*The Wizard's Promise by Cassandra Rose Clark (May)All Hanna Euli wants is to become a proper witch – but unfortunately, she’s stuck as an apprentice to a grumpy fisherman. When their boat gets caught up in a mysterious storm and blown wildly off course, Hanna finds herself further away from home than she’s ever been before. As she tries to get back, she learns there may be more to her apprentice master than she realized, especially when a mysterious, beautiful, and very non-human boy begins following her through the ocean, claiming that he needs Hanna’s help. (no cover image available)
*Hexed by Michelle Krys (June)Popular cheerleader Indigo Blackwood, sixteen, finds her perfect life threatened when Bishop, a tattooed, leather-clad stranger, tells her the family Bible just stolen from the attic of her mother's occult shop could mean the end to all witches, including, he says, Indigo herself.
Witchfall by Victoria Lamb (July)London, 1554. At the court of Mary Tudor, life is safe for no one. The jealous, embittered queen sees enemies all around her, and the infamous Spanish Inquisition holds the court in its merciless grip. But Meg Lytton has more reason to be afraid than most - for Meg is a witch, and exposure would mean certain death.
Sisters' Fate by Jessica Spotswood (August)A 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.
Other Paranormal/Supernatural Creatures & Human Hybrids 2014 continues the YA love affair with all sorts of creatures from the imagination: fairies, vampires, mermaids, angels, demons, shapeshifters, and even genies. Included are a slew of novels about human/creature hybrids.
*White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout (February)Seventeen-year-old Layla just wants to be normal. But with a kiss that kills anything with a soul, she's anything but normal. Half demon, half gargoyle, Layla has abilities no one else possesses. Raised among the Wardens—a race of gargoyles tasked with hunting demons and keeping humanity safe—Layla tries to fit in, but that means hiding her own dark side from those she loves the most. Especially Zayne, the swoon-worthy, incredibly gorgeous and completely off-limits Warden she's crushed on since forever.
*Fates by Lanie Bross (February)Corinthe, a former Fate and now Executor, responsible for carrying out unfulfilled destinies on Earth, finds herself falling for Lucas, a human boy whose death she is supposed to enact as her last act before returning to Pyralis.
Feral Curse by Cynthia Leitich-Smith (February)The adopted daughter of two respectable human parents, Kayla is a werecat in the closet. All she knows is the human world. When she comes out to her boyfriend, tragedy ensues, and her determination to know and embrace her heritage grows.
Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor (April)By way of a staggering deception, Karou has taken control of the chimaera rebellion and is intent on steering its course away from dead-end vengeance. The future rests on her, if there can even be a future for the chimaera in war-ravaged Eretz.
*Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins (April)Seventeen-year-old Harper Price's charmed life is turned upside down when she discovers she's been given magical powers in order to protect her school nemesis David Stark, who's an Oracle.
The Forever Song by Julie Kagawa (April)Allie will embrace her cold vampire side to hunt down and end Sarren, the psychopathic vampire who murdered Zeke. But the trail is bloody and long, and Sarren has left many surprises for Allie and her companions—her creator, Kanin, and her blood brother, Jackal. The trail is leading straight to the one place they must protect at any cost—the last vampire-free zone on Earth, Eden. And Sarren has one final, brutal shock in store for Allie. (no cover image available)
*Stolen Songbird by Danielle Jensen (April)
For five centuries, a witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the ruins of Forsaken Mountain. Time enough for their dark and nefarious magic to fade from human memory and into myth. But a prophesy has been spoken of a union with the power to set the trolls free, and when Cécile de Troyes is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she learns there is far more to the myth of the trolls than she could have imagined.
*A Creature of Moonlight by Rebecca Hahn (May)As the only heir to the throne, Marni should have been surrounded by wealth and privilege, not living in exile-but now the time has come when she must choose between claiming her birthright as princess of a realm whose king wants her dead, and life with the father she has never known: a wild dragon who is sending his magical woods to capture her.
Of Neptune by Anna Banks (May)Emma, who is half human and half Syrena, and her Syrena love, Galen, need time together. Alone. Away from the kingdoms of Poseidon and Triton. Emma’s grandfather, the Poseidon king, suggests the two visit a small town called Neptune.
*The Dark World by Cara Lynn Schultz (May)Paige Kelly is used to weird--in fact, she probably corners the market on weird, considering that her best friend, Dottie, has been dead since the 1950s. But when a fire demon attacks Paige in detention, she has to admit that things have gotten out of her league. Luckily, the cute new boy in school, Logan Bradley, is a practiced demon slayer-and he isn't fazed by Paige's propensity to chat with the dead. (no cover image available)
*Feather Bound by Sarah Raughley (May)When Deanna's missing friend Hyde turns up at his father's funeral to claim his corporate empire and inheritance, she is swept into his glittering world of paparazzi and wealth. But re-kindling her friendship and the dizzying new emotions along for the ride are the least of her concerns. Because Deanna has a secret – and somebody knows. Someone who is out to get Hyde. And if she doesn't play along, and help the enemy destroy him…she will be sold to the highest bidder in the black market for human swans.
*An Angel Torched My Homework and Other Lies by Miche Sipes (June)Imagine if vampires, werewolves, angels and zombies were merely humans with a genetic mutation . . . could Norms and Differents ever get along? (no cover image available)
The Fourth Wish by Lindsay Ribar (July)When eighteen-year-old Margo McKenna becomes a genie, she must figure out how her new powers work, deal with having a master who attends her high school, and try to graduate with her secret under wraps--all while learning what "forever" really means when your boyfriend is a centuries old genie.
Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater (July)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?
Battle Angel by Scott Speer (August)With Maddy torn between two loves, Guardian Jackson and heroic pilot Tom, and Angels and humans on the brink of an epic war, the Immortal City is more vulnerable than ever. And when demons descend upon Angel City with the intent to destroy, the humans don't stand a fighting chance without the Angels on their side.
Teens With Superpowers These books feature teens who are fully human, but can do extraordinary things. Some are fantasy, some science fiction.
*Vitro by Jessica Khoury (January)On a remote island in the Pacific, Corpus scientists have taken test tube embryos and given them life. These beings—the Vitros—have knowledge and abilities most humans can only dream of. But they also have one enormous flaw.
Invisible by Dawn Metcalf (April)Joy Malone wants it all: power, freedom and the boyfriend who loves her. Yet when an unstoppable assassin is hired to kill her, Joy learns that being the girl with the Sight comes with a price that might be too high to pay. Love will be tested, lives will be threatened, and everyone Joy knows and cares about will be affected by her decision to stand by Ink or to leave the Twixt forever. (no cover image available)
*Sleep No More by Aprilynne Pike (April)Oracles see the future but are never supposed to interfere. Charlotte learned that the hard way. If she hadn't tried to change one of her childhood visions, her father would still be alive. Since the accident, Charlotte has suppressed her visions to avoid making the same mistake. But when she receives a premonition of a classmate's murder, she can no longer ignore her powerful gift.
Hunter by Michael Carroll (May)The defeat of the near-invincible villain Krodin has left a void in the superhuman hierarchy, a void that two opposing factors are trying to fill. The powerful telepath Max Dalton believes that the human race must be controlled and shepherded to a safe future, while his rival Casey Duval believes that strength can only be achieved through conflict.
Gasp by Lisa McMann (June)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.
*Illusive by Emily Lloyd-Jones (July)After a vaccine accidentally creates superpowers in a small percentage of the population, seventeen-year-old Ciere, an illusionist, teams up with a group of fellow high-class, super-powered thieves to steal the vaccine's formula while staying one step ahead of mobsters and deadly government agents.
Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray (August)After a supernatural showdown with a serial killer, Evie O'Neill has outed herself as a Diviner. Now that the world knows of her ability to "read" objects, and therefore, read the past, she has become a media darling, earning the title, "America's Sweetheart Seer." But not everyone is so accepting of the Diviners' abilities.
High Fantasy
2014 brings us a good crop of new worlds full of wizards, princesses, kingdoms, political intrigue, and battles.
*Defy by Sara B. Larson (January)
Seventeen-year-old Alexa's parents were killed by a sorcerer during a raid, so she has disguised herself as a boy, joined Antion's army, and earned a place on Prince Damian's guard--but Antion is ruled by an evil king, and "Alex" must find a way to defeat him and protect her prince.
The Queen's Choice by Cayla Kluver (January)
When sixteen-year-old Anya learns that her aunt, Queen of the Faerie Kingdom of Chrior, will soon die, her grief is equaled only by her despair for the future of the kingdom. Her young cousin, Illumina, is unfit to rule, and Anya is determined not to take up the queen's mantle herself. Convinced that the only solution is to find Prince Zabriel, who long ago disappeared into the human realm of Warckum, and persuade him to take up his rightful crown, Anya journeys into the Warckum Territory to bring him home.
The Shadow Throne by Jennifer A. Nielsen (February)
Young King Jaron has had nothing but trouble with his advisors and regents since he ascended the throne of Carthya, and now King Vargan of Avenia has invaded the land and captured Imogen--and Jaron must find some way to rescue her and save his kingdom.
*Stolen Songbird by Danielle Jensen (April)
For five centuries, a witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the ruins of Forsaken Mountain. Time enough for their dark and nefarious magic to fade from human memory and into myth. But a prophesy has been spoken of a union with the power to set the trolls free, and when Cécile de Troyes is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she learns there is far more to the myth of the trolls than she could have imagined. [This book is clearly leading the trend pack.]
*Allies and Assassins by Justin Somper (May)
Sixteen-year-old Jared inherits the throne of Archenfield after his older brother, Prince Anders, is murdered. He relies on the twelve officers of the court to advise him but soon suspects one of them could be responsible for his brother's death and vows to hunt down the killer, who may be after Jared as well.
Chantress Alchemy by Amy Butler Greenfield (May)
Lucy, a chantress who works magic by singing, is called to court to find a lost instrument of Alchemy. But her magic isn't working properly.
Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo (June)
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. (no cover image available)
*The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson (July)
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. (no cover image available) [I am so incredibly excited about this one.]
Mythology/Retellings/Classically Inspired
These appear to be perennial favorites: retellings of fairy tales, new twists on ancient legends, stories inspired by myth, and other similar tales with older roots.
*Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge (January)
Graceling meets Beauty and the Beast in this sweeping fantasy about one girl's journey to fulfill her destiny and the monster who gets in her way-by stealing her heart.
*Grim (February)
Inspired by classic fairy tales, but with a dark and sinister twist, Grim contains short stories from some of the best voices in young adult literature today: Ellen Hopkins, Amanda Hocking, Julie Kagawa, Claudia Gray, Rachel Hawkins, Kimberly Derting, Myra McEntire, Malinda Lo, Sarah Rees-Brennan, Jackson Pearce, Christine Johnson, Jeri Smith Ready, Shaun David Hutchinson, Saundra Mitchell, Sonia Gensler, Tessa Gratton, and Jon Skrovron.
Cress by Marissa Meyer (February)
Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they're plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and prevent her army from invading Earth. Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl trapped on a satellite since childhood who's only ever had her netscreens as company. Based on Rapunzel.
*The Shadow Prince by Bree Despain (March)
Haden Lord, the disgraced prince of the Underrealm, has been sent to the mortal world to entice a girl into returning with him to the land of the dead. Posing as a student at Olympus Hills High—a haven for children of the rich and famous—Haden must single out the one girl rumored to be able to restore immortality to his race.
*Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Page (April)
My name is Amy Gumm—and I'm the other girl from Kansas. I've been recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked. I've been trained to fight. And I have a mission: Remove the Tin Woodman's heart. Steal the Scarecrow's brain. Take the Lion's courage. Then and only then—Dorothy must die!
Rain by Amanda Sun (June)
American Katie Green has decided to stay in Japan. She's started to build a life in the city of Shizuoka, and she can't imagine leaving behind her friends, her aunt and especially Tomohiro, the guy she's fallen in love with. But her return is not as simple as she thought. She's flunking out of Japanese school and committing cultural faux pas wherever she goes. Tomohiro is also struggling—as a Kami, his connection to the ancient gods of Japan and his power to bring drawings to life have begun to spiral out of control. (no cover image available)
The Strange Maid by Tessa Gratton (June)
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.
The Island of Excess Love by Francesca Lia Block (August)
Pen has lost her parents. She’s lost her eye. But she has fought Kronen; she has won back her fragile friends and her beloved brother. Now Pen, Hex, Ash, Ez, and Venice are living in the pink house by the sea, getting by on hard work, companionship, and dreams. Until the day a foreboding ship appears in the harbor across from their home. As soon as the ship arrives, they all start having strange visions of destruction and violence. Trance-like, they head for the ship and their new battles begin. Based on Virgil's Aeneid.
Which books are you looking forward to in 2014?
Related StoriesIndependent Study by Joelle Charbonneau"Best of 2013" and "Best of 2012" YA Lists Compared & What We Should Talk About"Best of 2013" YA List Breakdown, Part 2
Guest Post for the Courtney Summers Read Along
A few months ago, I heard about Ciara's Courtney Summers read along. She'd put out a call for guest posts, and I decided it'd be fun to give it a shot.
So today you can head over there and read what I have to say about female characters, about gender, and about how great Summers is at writing girls that we know. Even if you've never read any of these books, I think the post speaks to the idea of how we box and label female characters and how our perceptions as readers would change were those females instead written as males.
I'm giving away a set of her books, as well, and the giveaway is open to anyone worldwide who can get shipments from The Book Depository.
Related StoriesGuest Post: Why The Chocolate War Matters by Angie ManfrediNothing Can Possibly Go Wrong -- Faith Erin Hicks on the collaborative effortGuest Post: Victoria Schwab on The Archived
December 17, 2013
Reflecting On My Own Year in Reading
After breaking down the "Best of" lists last week, I thought about how interesting it would be to look at my own year of reading YA in different categories and see what I did and did not get to. Then I read this post over at YA Highway about making a commitment to be a better reading in the upcoming year, and I knew it would be worth it to look and see what a year in my reading life really looked like. While I don't believe in making reading resolutions -- that's something I talked about at the beginning of this year -- I do think there is a value in looking at what I am reading and reflecting upon why and how those were the titles I chose to spend time with. I think there's merit, too, in considering what books I didn't read and how and where I can better expand my reading in the future.
My reading this year has been significantly impacted by being on a committee. This committee has made me read a lot of books outside my comfort zone. I'll be so bold as to suggest that I have read far more authors of diverse backgrounds when it comes to race, ethnicity, religious viewpoint, sexuality, and more than I ever have in my entire life. It's been an amazing experience, and I can't wait to talk a little bit more about it when my committee develops out final list at ALA Midwinter in January. Though I have read fewer titles this year than I have in recent years -- about 170 so far, as opposed to breaking over 200 the last couple of years -- I've read much wider and deeper than I think I ever have.
Because I can't really talk about the books I've read for that committee nor what those books look like quite yet, what I decided to do for this post was look exclusively at the YA fiction titles that I've read in 2013. As of this writing, I've read 72 YA titles in the past year.
What have I read? Here's a list, in moderately chronological order from the beginning of the year:
Pretty Girl-13Liz ColeyThe MurmuringsCarly Anne WestJust One DayGayle FormanThousand WordsJennifer BrownAll You Never WantedAdele GriffinBlack HelicoptersBlythe WoolstonThe Whole Stupid Way We AreN. GriffinI'm With StupidGeoff HerbachWild AwakeHilary SmithScowlerDaniel KrausCharm and StrangeStephanie KuehnBruisedSarah SkiltonMe, Him, Them, and ItCaela CarterDr. Bird's Advice for Sad PoetsEvan RoskosOut of the EasyRuta SepetysSex and ViolenceCarrie MesrobianPinnedSharon DraperRottenMichael Northrop17 & GoneNova Ren SumaPermanent RecordLeslie StellaOver YouAmy ReedIf You Could Be MineSara FarizanStarting From HereLisa Jenn BigelowThe Book of Broken HeartsSarah OcklerChasing BeforeLenore AppelhansCurveball: The Year I Lost My GripJordan SonnenblickFault LineChrista DesirYaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your AssMeg MedinaSecond ImpactDavid Klass / Perri KlassIf He Had Been With MeLara NowlinThe Chocolate WarRobert CormierSoldPatricia McCormickFreakboyKristin Elizabeth ClarkSex and ViolenceCarrie MesrobianSeptember GirlsBennett MadisonWingerAndrew SmithForgive Me, Leonard PeacockMatthew QuickTomorrowCK Kelly MartinThe ProgramSuzanne YoungThe Moon and MoreSarah DessenAll Our Pretty SongsSarah McCarryAll The Truth That's in MeJulie BerryMaggot MoonSally GardnerRottersDaniel KrausTo Be Perfectly HonestSonya SonesInfinite Moment of UsLauren MyracleTeethHannah MoskowitzRoomiesTara Altebrando / Sara ZarrFangirlRainbow RowellReality BoyAS KingThin SpaceJody CasellaThe Theory of EverythingKari LunaCinderMarissa MeyerOCD Love StoryCorey Ann HayduBright Before SunriseTiffany SchmidtDead EndsErin Jade LangeFriday Never LeavingVikki WakefieldMeet Me at the RiverNina de GramontEngines of the Broken WorldJason Van HeeThe Golden DayUrsula DuboraskyWaking DarkRobin WassermanChasing ShadowsSwati AvasthiThe In-BetweenBarbara StewartInheritanceMalinda LoSickTom LeveenJuvieSteve WatkinsInk is Thicker Than WaterAmy SpaldingHeartbeatElizabeth ScottWe Were LiarsE LockhartPrince of Venice BeachBlake NelsonThe Killing WoodsLucy ChristopherJust One Year Gayle Forman
Gender Breakdown
When it came to my own year in reading, I definitely read more female authors than I did male authors. This doesn't surprise me at all -- though it's also not intentional nor is it out of some principle I hold to read more female authors than male. I think the books I most wanted to read this year happened to also be written by female authors, and I do think because there are more females writing and publishing YA, the opportunity to read more females presents itself.
I read a total of 72 authors this year. I doubled up on two authors: Gayle Forman and Daniel Kraus. I counted them each only one time. Of those 72 authors, 80% were female and 20% were male.
Because I broke down the gender of main characters in the "best of" analysis, I thought I'd break down the gender of main characters in my own reading, too. This was tough because of multiple characters, but I found I'd had 84 main characters to pull from. Because it was too hard to tease out who were or weren't main characters in Robin Wasserman's The Waking Dark, I chose to keep that book out of this tally.
Like with the "best of" breakdown, the percentages are a little closer together than they were with gender of authors. There was one book featuring a trans main character, and I read 32 male characters and 51 female main characters.
Front List and Back List
What sort of distribution was there when it came to date of publication in my YA reading habits? Did I tackle more front list than back list?
It doesn't surprise me in the least that I read far more books published in 2013 than I did books published prior. There were a total of 60 books I read published in 2013, with 7 books published prior to this year. I also read 5 books that will be published in 2014.
Again, I don't put pressure on myself to reach certain reading goals, but I do think I want to spend a little more time in the coming year reading more books from the back list. I will say that this year I bought more books that were back list titles than I have in the past. I just haven't yet read them. Perhaps it's time to get working on that.
Books by Genre
I know I read primarily realistic fiction, and that was especially true at the beginning of this year when I was trying to wrap up reading some titles for my own book on contemporary YA. I also know I read quite a bit of horror, and that played out in an article I was able to write for School Library Journal in September.
But what did the actual distribution of YA genres look like this year for me?
Almost 70% of my reads this year were realistic, with historical fiction and horror in far second and third place. I read an equal number of science fiction and fantasy titles, as well as two titles I chose to classify as magical realism, rather than putting them in another category.
LGBTQ and POC Representation
I know one place I can definitely do better, and it is reading more titles written by or featuring LGBTQ or POC. I'm trying to be more observant of this because I want to make sure these are titles I'm spending more time reading and recommending not only here at the blog, but also in my own work in the library.
Out of the 72 books I read this year, I read a total of 9 books that were written by or featured LGBTQ characters or situations within them (by "situations," I mean it's a plot point or discussion when the main character may not identify). Some books do double duty, and the author and a character identify.
The books I put in this category include:
Me, Him, Them, and It by Caela Carter (the main character's aunts are lesbians)Over You by Amy ReedIf You Could Be Mine by Sara FarizanStarting From Here by Lisa Jenn BigelowFreakboy by Kristin Elizabeth ClarkWinger by Andrew SmithTeeth by Hannah MoskowitzThe Waking Dark by Robin WassermanInheritance by Malinda Lo
When it came to POC in the books I read this year, I did a little bit better. But I could still improve in my reading. I read a total of 11 books written by or featuring POC characters or situations within them (again, by "situations," I mean it's a plot point or discussion when the main character may not identify, such as in Geoff Herbach's I'm With Stupid, where Felton's girlfriend/not-a-girlfriend is biracial). Some books do double duty, and the author and a character identify.
The books I put in this category include:
I'm With Stupid by Geoff HerbachCharm & Strange by Stephanie KuehnPinned by Sharon DraperPermanent Record by Leslie StellaIf You Could Be Mine by Sara FarizanThe Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah OcklerFault Line by Christa DesirYaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina Sold by Patricia McCormickChasing Shadows by Swati AvasthiInheritance by Malinda Lo
Debut and Seasoned Authors
The final category I looked at in my YA reading this year was whether the books I read were written by debut or more seasoned authors. I limited myself to the 60 books I read published in 2013.
I read a total of 23 novels by debut authors this year and 37 written by more seasoned authors. I'm pretty impressed with this divide, actually: I read far more debut novels this year than I thought I did.
What I'm Taking From This
I'm not sure there is a whole lot to "take" from breaking down my own YA reading this year, though it does offer insight into the kinds of books I tend to gravitate towards. Part of this was certainly related to outside projects going on in my life -- I saved a number of books I was really looking forward to reading as rewards for getting through committee reading. I also front loaded this year on realistic fiction so I could write about them in some way.
Part of me wonders what it would look like if I broke down my year in writing reviews and features here on STACKED. I wonder if I don't talk enough about diversity or about other topics outside my own comfort zone. But then I think about those things I did write about: female sexuality, body politics, and more, and I'm seeing that the way I read really does impact what I'm writing about, whether I'm calling something out specifically or not. It all influences my thinking and my perspective on reading and on writing about reading.
Which brings me back to that YA Highway post and a quote from Haruki Murakami that has been one of my all-time favorite quotes for years: If you only read the same books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking.
The more I push myself to read outside my comfort zone, the more I think I'm able to write outside my comfort zone and the more I'm able to read those books I love reading and which are comfortable to me in a manner that makes them have more power or impact -- whether it's because I discover I like them more or because I discover they might be problematic or speak to an issue in a way I never thought about before. While my YA reading year didn't feature as much diversity as I hoped, my committee reading certainly has, and I see where the ideas I've read about there and the voices I've experienced have impacted my thinking about the other things I've read.
For those who love reading and those who love to talk about reading, particularly those who spread their love of reading to other readers or emerging readers, I think spending time to reflect upon your own reading is invaluable. I don't think you have to set goals or resolutions to read or do certain things in your habits. But I do think when you look at the hard data and admit to yourself where you're weak, you're acknowledging something about yourself and about the perspective you have. Even though I don't set goals, I see where I have some holes and I find that I want to do better. Not only does it make me a better reader and a better global citizen, but it helps me better encourage other readers to do the same thing.
When it comes to the end of the year and reflecting upon your own reading, do you notice any trends? Are there things you wish you did better? Or are there things you're impressed you did do, even if it didn't feel like it in the moment? I'd love to hear what you see in a year's worth of your own reading.
My reading this year has been significantly impacted by being on a committee. This committee has made me read a lot of books outside my comfort zone. I'll be so bold as to suggest that I have read far more authors of diverse backgrounds when it comes to race, ethnicity, religious viewpoint, sexuality, and more than I ever have in my entire life. It's been an amazing experience, and I can't wait to talk a little bit more about it when my committee develops out final list at ALA Midwinter in January. Though I have read fewer titles this year than I have in recent years -- about 170 so far, as opposed to breaking over 200 the last couple of years -- I've read much wider and deeper than I think I ever have.
Because I can't really talk about the books I've read for that committee nor what those books look like quite yet, what I decided to do for this post was look exclusively at the YA fiction titles that I've read in 2013. As of this writing, I've read 72 YA titles in the past year.
What have I read? Here's a list, in moderately chronological order from the beginning of the year:
Pretty Girl-13Liz ColeyThe MurmuringsCarly Anne WestJust One DayGayle FormanThousand WordsJennifer BrownAll You Never WantedAdele GriffinBlack HelicoptersBlythe WoolstonThe Whole Stupid Way We AreN. GriffinI'm With StupidGeoff HerbachWild AwakeHilary SmithScowlerDaniel KrausCharm and StrangeStephanie KuehnBruisedSarah SkiltonMe, Him, Them, and ItCaela CarterDr. Bird's Advice for Sad PoetsEvan RoskosOut of the EasyRuta SepetysSex and ViolenceCarrie MesrobianPinnedSharon DraperRottenMichael Northrop17 & GoneNova Ren SumaPermanent RecordLeslie StellaOver YouAmy ReedIf You Could Be MineSara FarizanStarting From HereLisa Jenn BigelowThe Book of Broken HeartsSarah OcklerChasing BeforeLenore AppelhansCurveball: The Year I Lost My GripJordan SonnenblickFault LineChrista DesirYaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your AssMeg MedinaSecond ImpactDavid Klass / Perri KlassIf He Had Been With MeLara NowlinThe Chocolate WarRobert CormierSoldPatricia McCormickFreakboyKristin Elizabeth ClarkSex and ViolenceCarrie MesrobianSeptember GirlsBennett MadisonWingerAndrew SmithForgive Me, Leonard PeacockMatthew QuickTomorrowCK Kelly MartinThe ProgramSuzanne YoungThe Moon and MoreSarah DessenAll Our Pretty SongsSarah McCarryAll The Truth That's in MeJulie BerryMaggot MoonSally GardnerRottersDaniel KrausTo Be Perfectly HonestSonya SonesInfinite Moment of UsLauren MyracleTeethHannah MoskowitzRoomiesTara Altebrando / Sara ZarrFangirlRainbow RowellReality BoyAS KingThin SpaceJody CasellaThe Theory of EverythingKari LunaCinderMarissa MeyerOCD Love StoryCorey Ann HayduBright Before SunriseTiffany SchmidtDead EndsErin Jade LangeFriday Never LeavingVikki WakefieldMeet Me at the RiverNina de GramontEngines of the Broken WorldJason Van HeeThe Golden DayUrsula DuboraskyWaking DarkRobin WassermanChasing ShadowsSwati AvasthiThe In-BetweenBarbara StewartInheritanceMalinda LoSickTom LeveenJuvieSteve WatkinsInk is Thicker Than WaterAmy SpaldingHeartbeatElizabeth ScottWe Were LiarsE LockhartPrince of Venice BeachBlake NelsonThe Killing WoodsLucy ChristopherJust One Year Gayle Forman
Gender Breakdown
When it came to my own year in reading, I definitely read more female authors than I did male authors. This doesn't surprise me at all -- though it's also not intentional nor is it out of some principle I hold to read more female authors than male. I think the books I most wanted to read this year happened to also be written by female authors, and I do think because there are more females writing and publishing YA, the opportunity to read more females presents itself.
.png)
I read a total of 72 authors this year. I doubled up on two authors: Gayle Forman and Daniel Kraus. I counted them each only one time. Of those 72 authors, 80% were female and 20% were male.
Because I broke down the gender of main characters in the "best of" analysis, I thought I'd break down the gender of main characters in my own reading, too. This was tough because of multiple characters, but I found I'd had 84 main characters to pull from. Because it was too hard to tease out who were or weren't main characters in Robin Wasserman's The Waking Dark, I chose to keep that book out of this tally.
.png)
Like with the "best of" breakdown, the percentages are a little closer together than they were with gender of authors. There was one book featuring a trans main character, and I read 32 male characters and 51 female main characters.
Front List and Back List
What sort of distribution was there when it came to date of publication in my YA reading habits? Did I tackle more front list than back list?
It doesn't surprise me in the least that I read far more books published in 2013 than I did books published prior. There were a total of 60 books I read published in 2013, with 7 books published prior to this year. I also read 5 books that will be published in 2014.
Again, I don't put pressure on myself to reach certain reading goals, but I do think I want to spend a little more time in the coming year reading more books from the back list. I will say that this year I bought more books that were back list titles than I have in the past. I just haven't yet read them. Perhaps it's time to get working on that.
Books by Genre
I know I read primarily realistic fiction, and that was especially true at the beginning of this year when I was trying to wrap up reading some titles for my own book on contemporary YA. I also know I read quite a bit of horror, and that played out in an article I was able to write for School Library Journal in September.
But what did the actual distribution of YA genres look like this year for me?
.png)
Almost 70% of my reads this year were realistic, with historical fiction and horror in far second and third place. I read an equal number of science fiction and fantasy titles, as well as two titles I chose to classify as magical realism, rather than putting them in another category.LGBTQ and POC Representation
I know one place I can definitely do better, and it is reading more titles written by or featuring LGBTQ or POC. I'm trying to be more observant of this because I want to make sure these are titles I'm spending more time reading and recommending not only here at the blog, but also in my own work in the library.
Out of the 72 books I read this year, I read a total of 9 books that were written by or featured LGBTQ characters or situations within them (by "situations," I mean it's a plot point or discussion when the main character may not identify). Some books do double duty, and the author and a character identify.
The books I put in this category include:
Me, Him, Them, and It by Caela Carter (the main character's aunts are lesbians)Over You by Amy ReedIf You Could Be Mine by Sara FarizanStarting From Here by Lisa Jenn BigelowFreakboy by Kristin Elizabeth ClarkWinger by Andrew SmithTeeth by Hannah MoskowitzThe Waking Dark by Robin WassermanInheritance by Malinda Lo
When it came to POC in the books I read this year, I did a little bit better. But I could still improve in my reading. I read a total of 11 books written by or featuring POC characters or situations within them (again, by "situations," I mean it's a plot point or discussion when the main character may not identify, such as in Geoff Herbach's I'm With Stupid, where Felton's girlfriend/not-a-girlfriend is biracial). Some books do double duty, and the author and a character identify.
The books I put in this category include:
I'm With Stupid by Geoff HerbachCharm & Strange by Stephanie KuehnPinned by Sharon DraperPermanent Record by Leslie StellaIf You Could Be Mine by Sara FarizanThe Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah OcklerFault Line by Christa DesirYaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina Sold by Patricia McCormickChasing Shadows by Swati AvasthiInheritance by Malinda Lo
Debut and Seasoned Authors
The final category I looked at in my YA reading this year was whether the books I read were written by debut or more seasoned authors. I limited myself to the 60 books I read published in 2013.
.png)
I read a total of 23 novels by debut authors this year and 37 written by more seasoned authors. I'm pretty impressed with this divide, actually: I read far more debut novels this year than I thought I did.
What I'm Taking From This
I'm not sure there is a whole lot to "take" from breaking down my own YA reading this year, though it does offer insight into the kinds of books I tend to gravitate towards. Part of this was certainly related to outside projects going on in my life -- I saved a number of books I was really looking forward to reading as rewards for getting through committee reading. I also front loaded this year on realistic fiction so I could write about them in some way.
Part of me wonders what it would look like if I broke down my year in writing reviews and features here on STACKED. I wonder if I don't talk enough about diversity or about other topics outside my own comfort zone. But then I think about those things I did write about: female sexuality, body politics, and more, and I'm seeing that the way I read really does impact what I'm writing about, whether I'm calling something out specifically or not. It all influences my thinking and my perspective on reading and on writing about reading.
Which brings me back to that YA Highway post and a quote from Haruki Murakami that has been one of my all-time favorite quotes for years: If you only read the same books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking.
The more I push myself to read outside my comfort zone, the more I think I'm able to write outside my comfort zone and the more I'm able to read those books I love reading and which are comfortable to me in a manner that makes them have more power or impact -- whether it's because I discover I like them more or because I discover they might be problematic or speak to an issue in a way I never thought about before. While my YA reading year didn't feature as much diversity as I hoped, my committee reading certainly has, and I see where the ideas I've read about there and the voices I've experienced have impacted my thinking about the other things I've read.
For those who love reading and those who love to talk about reading, particularly those who spread their love of reading to other readers or emerging readers, I think spending time to reflect upon your own reading is invaluable. I don't think you have to set goals or resolutions to read or do certain things in your habits. But I do think when you look at the hard data and admit to yourself where you're weak, you're acknowledging something about yourself and about the perspective you have. Even though I don't set goals, I see where I have some holes and I find that I want to do better. Not only does it make me a better reader and a better global citizen, but it helps me better encourage other readers to do the same thing.
When it comes to the end of the year and reflecting upon your own reading, do you notice any trends? Are there things you wish you did better? Or are there things you're impressed you did do, even if it didn't feel like it in the moment? I'd love to hear what you see in a year's worth of your own reading.
"New Adult" at The Horn Book, "Beyond the Bestsellers" at Book Riot, and More
Earlier this fall, following the presentation we gave at ALA Annual on the topic, Liz Burns, Sophie Brookover, and myself were asked by Roger Sutton if we'd be interested in writing about "new adult" fiction for The Horn Book.
After lots of brainstorming and a lot of editing, reframing, reconsidering, and rewriting, we were pleased with the final product. You can read the article "What's New in 'New Adult'" in the January/February print edition -- or you can click and enjoy it right here in full.
Over at Book Riot, I continue my monthly "Beyond the Bestsellers" series by talking about suggested next reads for those who love Ransom Riggs's Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. Check it out.
Finally, a link I don't have and likely won't have for a while, I do have an article in the January edition of The Teaching Librarian, which is a publication out of the Ontario Library Association (you can read full back issues and learn more about the journal here). I wrote about having a "gender-free" library and all of the ways that librarians can develop, promote, and encourage library participation without falling into the "for boys" or "for girls" mindset.
There's one more guest post I wrote that'll go up some time before the end of the year, and when it goes live, I'll post about it. Otherwise, it's business as usual here at STACKED. And as always, thanks for being readers -- I appreciate it, and I'm pretty sure I can speak on behalf of Kimberly in saying that we are so grateful for everyone who stops by, reads what we write, comments, shares, or even thinks about what we have to say.
December 15, 2013
2014 YA Cover Trends: A Look at What's to Come, Part 1
I like covers and I liked trends, so of course, I love looking at cover trends. This is especially true at the end of the year, when the covers for books coming out in 2014 have been popping up more and more. Like last year, I thought it would be fun to take a look at a handful of trends I've spotted in my cover research. In addition to talking about just cover trends, I thought it would be worth hitting on a few other trendy things I've picked up in reading blurbs and summaries of titles, so that'll be scattered throughout today and tomorrow's posts as well.
Not all of these are tried-and-true trends nor will they necessarily play out all year long, but they're common things I've noticed among a number of covers that stuck out to me. Some books will pop up multiple times, and I'll certainly miss some within the trends. It's only a glimpse of covers I've seen, too, among the publisher catalogs that are readily available to peruse. In other words: this isn't science. But I like to think of this series of posts as a look ahead to the new year in YA. Of course, if other 2014 titles which will be traditionally published fit any of these trends, I'd love to know in the comments.
Links go to the book's listing on Goodreads, since posting the descriptions with the titles would make these posts way too long. With that, let's dig in!
Feathered
Last year, I pointed out an interesting trend of birds on YA covers. We won't be getting too far away from that in 2014, actually, as books like Conversion will keep it going a bit. But what I found to be an interesting trend this year was that feathers are making quite an appearance. There are bird feathers of all sorts to be found in the coming year.
Bloodwitch by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
Empower by Jessica Shirvington
Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott
Fragile Spirits by Mary Lindsey
Infinite by Jodi Meadows
The Island of Excess Love by Francesca Lia Block
Promise of Shadows by Justina Ireland
The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton
White Space by Ilsa J. Bick -- this might be continuing the bird trend, too, but I'm looking at all of the many feathers.
Something's On Fire
It appears there's something ablaze next year in YA (no, I won't apologize for the pun). Here's a handful of covers featuring a little -- or a lot of -- flame on them. I think there's a bigger trend here, actually, of red being a predominant color on covers in 2014.
Demon Derby by Carrie Harris
Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott
Incinerator by Niall Leonard
Summoned by Anne M. Pillsworth
Timestorm by Julie Cross
Daggers
The 2014 weapon of choice is the dagger. There are daggers as symbols and representative of the whole story on the cover, and then there are daggers in the hands of people. More specifically, those daggers are in the hands of females -- is there something to that? Does it make her appear strong visually or is it because a dagger is a weapon of choice for female characters? Both?
Defy by Sara B. Larson
Lady Thief by A. C. Gaughen -- Incidentally, this is one of my favorite titles of 2014. It's so simple but at the same time, it tells you so much about the story without even needing to look at the description of the book.
Passionaries by Tonya Hurley -- This series was redesigned, and I think for the better. Though, this is still kind of lost on me a bit.
Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins
Summoned by Anne M. Pillsworth
The Falconer by Elizabeth May
The Queen's Choice by Cayla Kluver
Warrior by Ellen Oh
The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski
The Illustrated Cover
Can we call this trend what it is? It's the Eleanor & Park alike trend. Illustrated covers were very rare for YA, but there's little doubt in my mind that that book's success made illustrated covers look like a possible winning choice. But these aren't just illustrated covers: they're illustrated covers that make no illusions about the fact the story is a romance.
While we're at it, can we talk about another trend here, which is calling a number of these books read alikes to Eleanor & Park? Between Rowell's book and the comparisons to John Green and/or his book The Fault in Our Stars, I think there's definitely a push toward more realistic fiction in YA. But it's a very specific kind of realistic fiction.
Before I dive into that a little more, let's look at the illustrated covers, shall we? Some of these are fully illustrated and others are illustrated with something non illustrated layered on top.
Fool Me Twice by Mandy Hubbard
Solving For Ex by Leigh Ann Kopans -- The girl image here was used on a YA book in 2009 or 2010, and it happens to be the same stock image girl who is used in a Mango Languages advertisement, too. I can't remember the name of the book, and I think they'd changed her hair color to be brown in it. Anyone know?
Wish You Were Italian by Kristin Rae
These first three aren't the best at highlighting the real trend I'm noting, but I'm putting them first so the visual impact of the trend pops out in the next sets of covers.
Guy in Real Life by Steve Brezenoff
Like No Other by Una LaMarche
**Love and Other Foreign Words by Erin McCahan -- This is called "perfect" for fans of John Green and Rainbow Rowell
Love By The Morning Star by Laura L. Sullivan
One Man Guy by Michael Barakiva
**Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern -- The marketing for this book calls it The Fault in Our Stars meets Eleanor & Park. As, or maybe more, interesting is that the original pitch for this book was The Fault in Our Stars meets Wonder.
Trouble by Non Pratt
The Break-Up Artist by Philip Siegel
Summer on the Short Bus by Bethany Crandell
Both starred titles above were compared to both Green and Rowell's books. But they're not alone in with that comparison. Here's a short list of titles out next year -- and a couple set for 2015 -- that are also comped to one or both of those in the coming year.
Maybe One Day by Melissa Kantor -- this one notes that it follows in the tradition of The Fault in Our Stars. Which I guess suggests no one wrote about cancer before?
Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy -- on Edelweiss, this one is called The Fault in Our Stars meets Sarah Dessen.
Invincible by Amy Reed -- this is just the pitch for the book, which sounds like it's due out some time next year. I'll be interested in seeing if that's the same pitch that'll be used by marketing to sell the book to readers.
The End of the Beginning by Michelle Levy -- pitched as a "darker" Eleanor & Park to be published in 2015.
Proof of Forever by Lexa Hillyer -- in the same week the book above was announced, this book was announced as being a cross of The Interestings and The Fault in Our Stars. This is a 2015er, too.
I could probably pull up dozens more. Of course, it's easy to call to Green and Rowell as comparisons in a pitch or with marketing. Big names. Big exposure. But I think the comparisons start to mean nothing after a while.
I point to a middle grade novel next year that's being called "John Green for the middle grade." But it's a book with magic in it. So what does that even mean? The characters are actual people?
This is a trend that I hope goes out soon because it's meaningless, it's ascribing a huge amount of power to one or two individuals/books (I mean, "in the tradition" is a weighty phrase to toss around about a book which has only been out for two years), and it suggests that realistic books are one kind of thing, when we're talking about a rise in realistic fiction. It also undermines originality with the text at hand when it's heavily used as a marketing tool, in the sense that it may disappoint many readers and may turn off many other readers. While the comparisons are certainly helpful for those readers eager for a similar next read, they're less helpful in showcasing the wide range of realistic fiction that exists. I also think it perpetuates the myth of "the next big thing."
All that said, I have a feeling we'll see this going on for another year or two at least.
& Ampersands
Remember how in 2012 and 2013 we had a lot of titles with ampersands? Let's add a bunch more in 2014, too.
Allies & Assassins by Justin Somper
Dreams of Gods & Monsters by Laini Taylor
Embers & Ash by T. M. Goeglein
Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott
High & Dry by Sarah Skilton -- I am going to get this cover confused with Melvin Burgess's The Hit , as they're both red, with a giant pill capsule in the center and a title which is only two real words long.
House of Ivy & Sorrow by Natalie Whipple
Red Heads
There's a long-running joke that there are more red heads in YA fiction than pretty much there are red heads in the world. I know I've read plenty of red heads. In 2014, we'll get to see plenty of red heads on the covers of YA, too.
Did I mention a theme of red in the coming year?
Biggest Flirts by Jennifer Echols
Creators by Tiffany Truitt
Cress by Marissa Meyer
Deception's Princess by Esther Friesner
Find Me Where the Water Ends by Rachel Carter
Night School Legacy by C. J. Daughtery
Minders by Michelle Jaffe
The Falconer by Elizabeth May
Tsarina by J. Nelle Patrick
Speech Bubbles
How about covers with speech bubbles on it to hold the title in place? This isn't a huge trend -- only three covers have caught my eye with it so far -- but it was one that did catch my eye since I haven't seen it used a whole lot.
Ask Again Later by Liz Czukas
Hung Up by Kristen Tracy
When Mr. Dog Bites by Brian Conaghan
Sunglasses
I want to wrap up today's post on a fun one, which is sunglasses. There are a lot of sunglasses in 2014 making their appearance on people's faces on covers. We've got hipster sunglasses to the straight-out-of-the-1990s look.
Don't Even Think About It by Sarah Mlynowski
Geek Girl: Picture Perfect by Holly Smale
My Faire Lady by Laura Wettersten -- Check out the flip flops, too. This cover is a riot and I think is completely spot-on for readership. You know exactly who this book is for and exactly who will pick it up off the shelf.
Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson
Tomorrow I'll have a ton more cover trends for 2014 to show off, and I'll pull out a handful of my favorites.
Any favorite covers among these? Any trends you're enjoying? What's catching your eye? I personally love the sunglasses one, and I think that the red cover look is really great -- it pops on a shelf, since it's such a bold color.
Related Stories& Titled: Ampersands in YA FictionHardcover to Paperback: Six YA Book Makeovers to ConsiderHardcover to Paperback: Five to Check Out
Not all of these are tried-and-true trends nor will they necessarily play out all year long, but they're common things I've noticed among a number of covers that stuck out to me. Some books will pop up multiple times, and I'll certainly miss some within the trends. It's only a glimpse of covers I've seen, too, among the publisher catalogs that are readily available to peruse. In other words: this isn't science. But I like to think of this series of posts as a look ahead to the new year in YA. Of course, if other 2014 titles which will be traditionally published fit any of these trends, I'd love to know in the comments.
Links go to the book's listing on Goodreads, since posting the descriptions with the titles would make these posts way too long. With that, let's dig in!
Feathered
Last year, I pointed out an interesting trend of birds on YA covers. We won't be getting too far away from that in 2014, actually, as books like Conversion will keep it going a bit. But what I found to be an interesting trend this year was that feathers are making quite an appearance. There are bird feathers of all sorts to be found in the coming year.
Bloodwitch by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
Empower by Jessica Shirvington
Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott
Fragile Spirits by Mary Lindsey
Infinite by Jodi Meadows
The Island of Excess Love by Francesca Lia Block
Promise of Shadows by Justina Ireland
The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton
White Space by Ilsa J. Bick -- this might be continuing the bird trend, too, but I'm looking at all of the many feathers.
Something's On Fire
It appears there's something ablaze next year in YA (no, I won't apologize for the pun). Here's a handful of covers featuring a little -- or a lot of -- flame on them. I think there's a bigger trend here, actually, of red being a predominant color on covers in 2014.
Demon Derby by Carrie Harris
Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott
Incinerator by Niall Leonard
Summoned by Anne M. Pillsworth
Timestorm by Julie Cross
Daggers
The 2014 weapon of choice is the dagger. There are daggers as symbols and representative of the whole story on the cover, and then there are daggers in the hands of people. More specifically, those daggers are in the hands of females -- is there something to that? Does it make her appear strong visually or is it because a dagger is a weapon of choice for female characters? Both?
Defy by Sara B. Larson
Lady Thief by A. C. Gaughen -- Incidentally, this is one of my favorite titles of 2014. It's so simple but at the same time, it tells you so much about the story without even needing to look at the description of the book.
Passionaries by Tonya Hurley -- This series was redesigned, and I think for the better. Though, this is still kind of lost on me a bit.
Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins
Summoned by Anne M. Pillsworth
The Falconer by Elizabeth May
The Queen's Choice by Cayla Kluver
Warrior by Ellen Oh
The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski
The Illustrated Cover
Can we call this trend what it is? It's the Eleanor & Park alike trend. Illustrated covers were very rare for YA, but there's little doubt in my mind that that book's success made illustrated covers look like a possible winning choice. But these aren't just illustrated covers: they're illustrated covers that make no illusions about the fact the story is a romance.
While we're at it, can we talk about another trend here, which is calling a number of these books read alikes to Eleanor & Park? Between Rowell's book and the comparisons to John Green and/or his book The Fault in Our Stars, I think there's definitely a push toward more realistic fiction in YA. But it's a very specific kind of realistic fiction.
Before I dive into that a little more, let's look at the illustrated covers, shall we? Some of these are fully illustrated and others are illustrated with something non illustrated layered on top.
Fool Me Twice by Mandy Hubbard
Solving For Ex by Leigh Ann Kopans -- The girl image here was used on a YA book in 2009 or 2010, and it happens to be the same stock image girl who is used in a Mango Languages advertisement, too. I can't remember the name of the book, and I think they'd changed her hair color to be brown in it. Anyone know?
Wish You Were Italian by Kristin Rae
These first three aren't the best at highlighting the real trend I'm noting, but I'm putting them first so the visual impact of the trend pops out in the next sets of covers.
Guy in Real Life by Steve Brezenoff
Like No Other by Una LaMarche
**Love and Other Foreign Words by Erin McCahan -- This is called "perfect" for fans of John Green and Rainbow Rowell
Love By The Morning Star by Laura L. Sullivan
One Man Guy by Michael Barakiva
**Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern -- The marketing for this book calls it The Fault in Our Stars meets Eleanor & Park. As, or maybe more, interesting is that the original pitch for this book was The Fault in Our Stars meets Wonder.
Trouble by Non Pratt
The Break-Up Artist by Philip Siegel
Summer on the Short Bus by Bethany Crandell
Both starred titles above were compared to both Green and Rowell's books. But they're not alone in with that comparison. Here's a short list of titles out next year -- and a couple set for 2015 -- that are also comped to one or both of those in the coming year.
Maybe One Day by Melissa Kantor -- this one notes that it follows in the tradition of The Fault in Our Stars. Which I guess suggests no one wrote about cancer before?
Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy -- on Edelweiss, this one is called The Fault in Our Stars meets Sarah Dessen.
Invincible by Amy Reed -- this is just the pitch for the book, which sounds like it's due out some time next year. I'll be interested in seeing if that's the same pitch that'll be used by marketing to sell the book to readers.
The End of the Beginning by Michelle Levy -- pitched as a "darker" Eleanor & Park to be published in 2015.
Proof of Forever by Lexa Hillyer -- in the same week the book above was announced, this book was announced as being a cross of The Interestings and The Fault in Our Stars. This is a 2015er, too.
I could probably pull up dozens more. Of course, it's easy to call to Green and Rowell as comparisons in a pitch or with marketing. Big names. Big exposure. But I think the comparisons start to mean nothing after a while.
I point to a middle grade novel next year that's being called "John Green for the middle grade." But it's a book with magic in it. So what does that even mean? The characters are actual people?
This is a trend that I hope goes out soon because it's meaningless, it's ascribing a huge amount of power to one or two individuals/books (I mean, "in the tradition" is a weighty phrase to toss around about a book which has only been out for two years), and it suggests that realistic books are one kind of thing, when we're talking about a rise in realistic fiction. It also undermines originality with the text at hand when it's heavily used as a marketing tool, in the sense that it may disappoint many readers and may turn off many other readers. While the comparisons are certainly helpful for those readers eager for a similar next read, they're less helpful in showcasing the wide range of realistic fiction that exists. I also think it perpetuates the myth of "the next big thing."
All that said, I have a feeling we'll see this going on for another year or two at least.
& Ampersands
Remember how in 2012 and 2013 we had a lot of titles with ampersands? Let's add a bunch more in 2014, too.
Allies & Assassins by Justin Somper
Dreams of Gods & Monsters by Laini Taylor
Embers & Ash by T. M. Goeglein
Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott
High & Dry by Sarah Skilton -- I am going to get this cover confused with Melvin Burgess's The Hit , as they're both red, with a giant pill capsule in the center and a title which is only two real words long.
House of Ivy & Sorrow by Natalie Whipple
Red Heads
There's a long-running joke that there are more red heads in YA fiction than pretty much there are red heads in the world. I know I've read plenty of red heads. In 2014, we'll get to see plenty of red heads on the covers of YA, too.
Did I mention a theme of red in the coming year?
Biggest Flirts by Jennifer Echols
Creators by Tiffany Truitt
Cress by Marissa Meyer
Deception's Princess by Esther Friesner
Find Me Where the Water Ends by Rachel Carter
Night School Legacy by C. J. Daughtery
Minders by Michelle Jaffe
The Falconer by Elizabeth May
Tsarina by J. Nelle Patrick
Speech Bubbles
How about covers with speech bubbles on it to hold the title in place? This isn't a huge trend -- only three covers have caught my eye with it so far -- but it was one that did catch my eye since I haven't seen it used a whole lot.
Ask Again Later by Liz Czukas
Hung Up by Kristen Tracy
When Mr. Dog Bites by Brian Conaghan
Sunglasses
I want to wrap up today's post on a fun one, which is sunglasses. There are a lot of sunglasses in 2014 making their appearance on people's faces on covers. We've got hipster sunglasses to the straight-out-of-the-1990s look.
Don't Even Think About It by Sarah Mlynowski
Geek Girl: Picture Perfect by Holly Smale
My Faire Lady by Laura Wettersten -- Check out the flip flops, too. This cover is a riot and I think is completely spot-on for readership. You know exactly who this book is for and exactly who will pick it up off the shelf.
Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson
Tomorrow I'll have a ton more cover trends for 2014 to show off, and I'll pull out a handful of my favorites.
Any favorite covers among these? Any trends you're enjoying? What's catching your eye? I personally love the sunglasses one, and I think that the red cover look is really great -- it pops on a shelf, since it's such a bold color.
Related Stories& Titled: Ampersands in YA FictionHardcover to Paperback: Six YA Book Makeovers to ConsiderHardcover to Paperback: Five to Check Out
December 13, 2013
Links of Note: December 14, 2013
We can't have a Christmas tree, so this year I improvised and made a tree out of books.Welcome to another edition of Links of Note. With the year winding down, it shouldn't be a surprise that there are fewer links to share. But the ones I've got for this roundup are really worthwhile, so spend a little time with them.
Over at the Lee & Low blog, there's an eye-opening look at diversity when it comes to the adult New York Times Bestsellers list. Spoiler alert: there's basically no diversity.
Since the RITA award for YA was canceled this year, does that mean there weren't any YA books about romance? I think anyone who has spent any time with YA knows the answer to that is a resounding no. Over at Smart Bitches, there's a nice roundup of some of the best YA romances to come out in 2013. Check it out.
Are adult readers shifting the middle grade book landscape? Wall Street Journal looks at a "growing trend" in "adults reading MG." The "adults reading YA" trope must be out of vogue now. But it's an interesting piece nonetheless.Love a fun font? Here's an alphabet based on The Hunger Games.
Dahlia Adler wrote a really interesting piece over on the Barnes & Noble blog about the rise of the unreliable narrator in YA. I like this piece a lot because what she's talking about is a very specific kind of unreliable narrator -- and a type of book that not only started trending this year, but that I think is going to be a really large trend over the next year, too. Definitely worth the read. Kelly Barnhill wrote a really thought-provoking piece on feminism and anti-feminism and what it means to have and use a voice -- and why it is people want and try to silence it. Then read Anne Ursu's post "Warning: Book May Contain Content."Need to buy a YA book for a gift? Want a read that fits certain appeal factors for reader experience? I absolutely love the way Courtney Summers did her book recommendation post here -- there's something brilliant in being so simple in describing what a book is or has in it. I might be stealing this idea for library reader's advisory because how often are you asked for a book that's just "gross and awesome" or "unflinching and edgy?" Plus the books recommended here aren't the same ones you're going to read in every. single. book. guide. out this year.
Over at Book Riot, I had two posts to share:A roundup of celebrity ALA "READ" posters from the 1980s and 1990s (and definitely check out the comments, as other people have dropped images of the ones I didn't include). For those looking to recommend books that are "gentle" in content (little swearing, graphic violence, sex, and so forth), I made a flow chart to these "green light" reads. There's a link there to download it as a .pdf if you want to print and use it, too.
"Best Books" of 2013:
If you missed it, Kimberly and I shared our favorite 2013 reads over at The Book Smugglers, as part of their annual Smugglivus celebration. I know I linked to it already, but I am linking again. Make sure you read through the other Smugglivus posts, too, since they are packed with other great reading (and viewing and listening) suggestions. At Book Riot, everyone on staff was asked to write about their two favorite/best reads of this year. Check out this amazing collection of best reads that feature about any and every genre, age group, and style you can imagine.
Related StoriesLinks of Note: Thanksgiving EditionLinks of Note: November 2, 2013Links of Note: October 5, 2013
December 12, 2013
Independent Study by Joelle Charbonneau
In
The Testing
, Cia underwent a series of grueling tests, ending in a Hunger Games-esque survival test that she and a few of her classmates made it through. Then, as is standard with the Testing, all of their memories were wiped, and they were simply told they had passed.Cia is now a freshman at the university, having successfully passed the Testing, but she remembers nothing of it, at least initially. That means she remembers nothing of what she had to do to pass, and nothing of what her classmates did to each other, either. But she is not home-free yet. She still has rigorous classes which come with their own more standard tests, plus a series of more creative tests that will gauge her creativity, smarts, and ability to work with others. And then she's assigned to the independent study of the title, which comes with its own surprises and challenges.
Meanwhile, Cia also has the nagging fear that not all is what it seems, and she slowly begins to take notice of an undercurrent of resistance - and it's pulling her in.
While the first book was an edge-of-my-seat thriller, the sequel is more of a puzzle book. The stakes are still high, but Charbonneau focuses on a series of smaller puzzles rather than a large-scale survival trial. The puzzles are clever, too, both in the way they're set up by the puzzle-makers and the way they're solved by Cia and her comrades. Reading about these things is incredibly fun - I found myself thinking "oh, how cool (and also awful)!" several times. This series is full of terrible things happening to children, but I'd be lying if I said it didn't make me miss school a little bit. (Honestly, I could have just as easily said "High school is full of terrible things happening to children" and it would be just as accurate.)
There's a whole heck of a lot of dramatic irony in this volume, as Cia and her cohorts' memories have been wiped, but the readers' have not (obviously). We know all about the betrayals that went down in the first volume, so for a good portion of this sequel, I was holding my breath, just waiting for other similar betrayals to happen here. I was glad that Charbonneau didn't give me exactly what I was expecting.
For all its positives, Independent Study requires a bit more suspension of disbelief than its predecessor. For example, instead of a recorder in the students' ID bracelets (as in the first volume), the adults in charge of their education/tests opted for a simple tracker. This allows Cia and some other students to talk freely, which is necessary to the plot. The problem is it makes no sense for those in power to decide they only need to track the students' movements and not their conversations. It's such a blatant plot contrivance and it bothered me.
Independent Study wraps up the main plot points introduced in the book, but it does end on a cliffhanger, as many second volumes do. If this bothers you, I advise you to wait until the third and final volume, Graduation Day, is published in the summer.
Review copy received from the publisher. Independent Study will be available January 7.
Related Stories"Best of 2013" and "Best of 2012" YA Lists Compared & What We Should Talk About"Best of 2013" YA List Breakdown, Part 2"Best of 2013 YA" List Breakdown, Part 1
