I don’t know how, but Jordan Sonnenblick has the mind of a 13-year-old girl. In Falling Over Sideways, eighth grader Claire has a lot going on. Her friends are skipping ahead of her in dance, her nemesis is taunting her with his first chair saxophone status, her science teacher has it in for the entire…
Wish It Were Me: Little Black Dresses Little White Lies
Erin has created a new feature, Wish It Were Me, where we discuss a character we’re majorly envious of, and why. First up, Erin has chosen a cool Manhattan-based magazine intern. Who?: Harper Anderson, teen blogger for the elite teen magazine Shift. Where?: New York City! Why?: Aside from my being a wanna-be New Yorker,…
Literary Crush: Gray from The Forgetting
We don’t usually post back-to-back Literary Crushes, but we can’t help it this week. In honor of today’s release of The Forgetting by Sharon Cameron, we’re highlighting the riveting new book with a Literary Crush of its own. Name: Gray the Glassblower’s Son Age: Seventeen-ish. Age is uncertain in Canaan as every twelve years everyone…
Classic Revamp: Interference by Kay Honeyman
BOOK: Interference by Kay Honeyman WHICH CLASSIC: Emma by Jane Austen This time Emma is played by high school junior Kate Hamilton who thanks to some political blunders has moved from DC back to her dad’s hometown in West Texas in order to overhaul his Senatorial career. Kate, dealing with her own PR troubles was…
Editor’s Pick: Wink Poppy Midnight by April Genevieve Tucholke
On principle, I would normally not like a book whose main characters have such twee names: Wink, Poppy, Midnight. But this book forced me to like it. I couldn’t help it anymore than Midnight could help his love for the Cathy Ames-like Poppy. The forceful, distinct writing, with three narrators whose voices were bell clear,…
Classic Revamp: Ivory and Bone by Julie Eshbaugh
Today we’re debuting a new feature called CLASSIC REVAMP, in which we highlight books that are based on or inspired by classic novels. Erin, who came up with the idea, is kicking it off with IVORY AND BONE by Julie Eshbaugh. Which Classic: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen This take on the perennial favorite…
Editor’s Pick: A Week of Mondays
I have a name for fun, frothy, good-time books that make me happy: “candy.” I know, maybe not the most unique moniker, but we all need a little sugar in our lives and even better if it doesn’t cost us any calories. And A Week of Mondays is just that sweet, delicious, wonderful candy. Ellie,…
Editor’s Pick: Devil and the Bluebird by Jennifer Mason-Black
Blue Riley’s sister Cass made a deal with the devil and now Blue has too—if she wins she gets to keep her soul and Cass does too. But the trick is she has to find Cass, who ran away two years ago, with nothing more than magic boots, which are less than forthcoming. Blue has…
Editor’s Pick: Chasing Stars by Helen Douglas
I’ll start with a confession: I haven’t read After Eden, the book that precedes Chasing Stars. As far as world building and plot goes, that doesn’t really matter. Despite the sometimes clunky dialogue, Douglas did a bang up job getting us newbies into the loop. Even though the story can get bogged down in the…
Heroines Who Rock: Hope Walton from Into the Dim
Heroines Who Rock: Hope Walton from Into the Dim by Janet Taylor Who She Is: Hope Watson is basically an orphan. Her mom’s missing presumed dead and her adopted dad has moved on—he’s already engaged and planning his honeymoon. To keep her out of the way her dad ships her off to her maternal aunt…