Books I Covet

I’m going to talk right now about some books that look really great. I have not read them, and I do not own them, but I certainly covet them! Perhaps you will find some titles to add to your own wishlist. You can find more books I think look great at my wishlist on Shelfari. Anyway, here are eleven of my current most-coveted books. I hope to inspire more book coveting.

1) Queste by Angie Sage. This is the most recent book in the Septimus Heap series. I find all of these books to be highly entertaining and wonderful. If you have not read this series yet and you enjoy MG Fantasy, I highly recommend it!

2) Ivy by Julie Hearn. This is the book summary on Amazon, which I find very intriguing:

Ivy is used to being overlooked. The youngest in a family of thieves, scoundrels, and roustabouts, the girl with the flame-colored hair and odd-colored eyes is declared useless by her father from the day she is born. But that’s only if you look at her but don’t see. For Ivy has a quality that makes people take notice. It’s more than beauty — and it draws people toward her.

Which makes her the perfect subject for an aspiring painter named Oscar Aretino Frosdick, a member of the pre-Raphaelite school of artists. Oscar is determined to make his mark on the art world, with Ivy as his model and muse. But behind Ivy’s angelic looks lurk dark secrets and a troubled past — a past that has given her an unfortunate taste for laudanum. And when treachery and jealousy surface in the Eden that is the artist’s garden, Ivy must learn to be more than a pretty face if she is to survive.

Julie Hearn, author of The Minister’s Daughter and The Sign of the Raven, has created a memorable tale of nineteenth-century England with a character destined to take her place alongside Dickens’s Pip and Oliver Twist.

Don’t you wish you had this book? I do.

3) A Room on Lorelai Street by Mary E. Pearson. I loved Mary’s book The Adoration of Jenna Fox, and it really made me want to read her earlier books. I’ve also had this book recommended to me several times.

4) Ysabel by Guy Gavriel Kay. I have heard nothing but good things about this book! Apparently it’s published as adult but would have some YA interest, too. I’m not entirely sure what it’s about, but it sounds intriguing.

5) the dead and the gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer. I adored Life As We Knew It, and this book takes place in the same world, one where life has been seriously altered because of an asteroid hitting the moon. This book also takes place in New York City, which is pretty great. I can’t wait to read it!

6) Madapple by Christina Meldrum. I’m not entirely sure what this book is about, either, but I’ve heard lots of great things here, too. Intriguing cover art, isn’t it?

7) Hell Week by Rosemary Clement-Moore. Maggie Quinn, journalist and evil-fighter, is back, and I can’t wait to read the latest installment in this series!

8) The Host by Stephenie Meyer. A very different-sounding book from Twilight, but I trust Stephenie Meyer to write a fantastic book, and the premise of this one sounds very interesting!

9) Out of the Wild by Sarah Beth Durst. I loved Into The Wild, and I can’t wait to read more of Julie’s adventures in this delightful and fairy-tale-centric series.

10) Moby Clique by Cara Lockwood. This is another series where literary figures and real life collide, and I can’t wait to read this latest installment.

11) Two Girls of Gettysburg by Lisa Klein. I have not got the faintest idea what this book is about. There is no summary on Amazon. But Lisa Klein wrote it, and therefore, it must be brilliant! Too bad it’s not out until September.

Advertisement

 

More Cybils Thoughts

Here’s the full list of winners of the 2007 Cybils awards:

Fantasy/Sci Fi: The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex (MG) and Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale (YA)

Fiction Picture Book: The Chicken-Chasing Queen of Lamar County by Janice N. Harrington

Graphic Novel: Artemis Fowl: The Graphic Novel by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin (MG) and The Professor’s Daughter by Joann Sfar (YA)

Middle Grade Fiction: A Crooked Kind Of Perfect by Linda Urban

Non-Fiction: Tasting The Sky: A Palestinian Childhood by Ibtisam Barakat (MG/YA)  and Lightship by Brian Floca (Picture Book)

Poetry: This is Just to Say: Poems of Apology and Forgiveness by Joyce Sidman

Young Adult Fiction: Boy Toy by Barry Lyga

I’ve not read all of those (and will never read the picture books or probably the graphic novels), but those I have read–A Crooked Kind of Perfect, Book of a Thousand Days, and Boy Toy–are great.

A Crooked Kind of Perfect wasn’t my favorite of the MG books (my favorite didn’t make the shortlist), but it totally deserved to win. It’s a fantastic book that will appeal to lots of different people, and, of course, appealing to the target audience is very important (and a big reason that my favorite wasn’t on the shortlist!), so I’m quite happy with this outcome. Big congratulations to Linda Urban!

Book of a Thousand Days is wonderful as well, and I do think it deserves to win. I was a little more iffy on this one, though–while I loved it, it wasn’t totally mind-blowing, just awesome. But maybe that’ just me, and, honestly, nothing that deserved the award more is coming to mind.

Boy Toy is really amazing, and I’m neither surprised nor disappointed with its winning the award.  It certainly did stand out among 2007 YA books, and although there are a few others that resonated more with me personally, I still thought this book was marvelous.

 

Books I Can’t Wait To Read

Okay, just for fun, I thought I’d share a little about a few upcoming books I’d like to read. I’d also like to know what you’re looking forward to, so I don’t miss anything!

First of all, is I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone by Stephanie Kuehnert. See the awesome cover! You can read more about the book at stephaniekuehnert.com.  Here’s the summary from the website:

“A raw, edgy, emotional novel about growing up punk and living to tell.

The Clash. Social Distortion. Dead Kennedys. Patti Smith. The Ramones. Punk rock is in Emily Black’s blood. Her mother, Louisa, hit the road to follow the incendiary music scene when Emily was four months old and never came back.

Now Emily’s all grown up with a punk band of her own, determined to find the tune that will bring her mother home. Because if Louisa really is following the music, shouldn’t it lead her right back to Emily?”

Another book I’m really looking forward to (and another MTV book) is What Happens Here by Tara Altebrando. I loved her first book, The Pursuit of Happiness, and I can’t wait to read this one! It has one of my favorite things, travel! Plus romance! And Las Vegas! Where I’ve never been, but it sounds exciting. Here’s the summary:

“When Chloe’s parents decide to take her to Europe the summer before senior year of high school, she’s ecstatic… she only wishes her best friend, Lindsay, could come too. Living in Las Vegas, they have long imagined the world through casinos inspired by great cities and have vowed to travel the globe together someday. Unfortunately, Lindsay’s parents won’t agree to send her along.

So Chloe goes to Europe and sends postcards to Lindsay every day. But when she comes home, she must cope with shocking news that rips her family—and Lindsay’s—apart. And as she tries to uncover the truth about what happened, Chloe soon begins to feel that Lindsay’s brother, Noah, is the one person alive for whom she’d go to the ends of the earth…

From the acclaimed author of The Pursuit of Happiness this is a stunning new novel of friendship, love, and loss set against the dazzling dual backdrops of Europe and Las Vegas. “

I have to mention Stephenie Meyer, too. She has two books coming out in 2008. The first will be The Host, which Stephenie describes as a love triangle involving only two bodies. The second is Breaking Dawn, the latest in the Twilight Saga, which I love! I can’t wait to find out what happens to the characters.

 

Reading in January 2008

I only read 15 books in January 2008, sadly. You can check out the full list on my Books Read in 2008 page.  I really enjoyed a lot of the books I read, though, so it was a good reading month in that way!

Two were nonfiction: Thura’s Diary, the diary of a girl living in wartime Iraq, and First Kiss, a collection of true first-kiss stories from YA authors.  Thirteen were fiction. Two of those were read for school assignments (Huck Finn and Catcher in the Rye). One was a verse novel (I Heart You, You Haunt Me). One was a short story collection (How They Met). If you want to read the reviews, just search for the book title in the search box at the top of the sidebar.

My favorite books that I read in January were Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson, How They Met, And Other Stories by David Levithan, The Opposite of Invisible by Liz Gallagher, Wicked Lovely and Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr, and The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson.

The only books, however, that I disliked were The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Catcher in the Rye–the ones I read for school. The rest were all at least worth reading!

 

YALSA’s Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers 2008

Yet another YALSA list! This one is Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers 2008. As before, those underlined are those I will probably read soon, and those in bold are the ones I’ve read already. Again, I draw the conclusion that as a reader of YA books, I suck. I should read more.

Adams, Leonora. Baby Girl. 2007. Simon and Schuster/ Simon Pulse, $6.99 ISBN13: 978-1-4169-2512-5.

Anderson, Laurie Halse. Twisted. 2007. Penguin Group/ Viking Press, $16.99 ISBN13: 978-0-670-061013.

Aronson, Sarah. Head Case. 2007. Roaring Brook Press/ Deborah Brodie, $16.95 ISBN13: 978-1-59643-214-7.

Asher, Jay. Thirteen Reasons Why. 2007. Penguin Group/ Razorbill, $16.99 ISBN13: 978-1-5951-4-1712.

Barnes, Jennifer Lynn. Tattoo. 2007. Random House/ Delacorte Press, $7.99 ISBN13: 978-0-385-903639.

Blank, Jessica. Almost Home. 2007. Hyperion, $15.99 ISBN13: 978-1-4231-0642-5.

Brewer, Heather. The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod: Eighth Grade Bites. Penguin Group/ Dutton, $16.95 ISBN13: 978-0-5254-7-8119.

Cast, P.C. and Kristen Cast. Marked The House of Night, book 1. 2007. St. Martin’s Press/ Griffin, $8.95 ISBN13: 978-0-312-36026-9.

Cast, P.C. and Kristen Cast. Betrayed The House of Night Novel, book 2. St. Martin’s Press/ Griffin, $8.95 ISBN13: 978-0-312-36028-3.

Castellucci, Cecil. Beige. 2007. Candlewick Press, $16.99 ISBN13: 978-0-7636-3066-9.

Cooney, Caroline B. Diamonds in the Shadow. 2007. Random House/ Delacorte, $18.99 ISBN13: 978-1-4000-7423-5.

Cross, Shauna. Derby Girl. 2007. Henry Holt, $15.95 ISBN13: 978-0-8050-8023-0.

Crutcher, Chris. Deadline. 2007. HarperCollins, $16.99 ISBN13: 978-0-06-085089-0.

Davis, Mark, Mike Davis and Brandon Schultz. Blokhedz: Book 1 of Genesis. 2007. Simon and Schuster/ Pocket Books, $12.95 ISBN13: 978-1-4165-4073-1.

de la Cruz, Melissa. Masquerade: A Blue Bloods Novel. 2007. Hyperion, $15.99 ISBN13: 978-0-78683896.

Erskine, Kathryn. Quaking. 2007. Penguin Group/ Philomel Books, $16.99 ISBN13: 978-0-399-24774-3.

Fields, Terri. Holdup. 2007. Roaring Brook, $16.95 ISBN13: 978-1-59643-219-2. When fast food and crime come together.

Flinn, Alex. Beastly. 2007. HarperCollins/ Harper Tempest, $16.99 ISBN13: 978-0-06087416-2.

Fullerton. Alma. Walking on Glass. 2007. HarperCollins/ HarperTempest, $15.99 ISBN13: 978-0-06-077851-2.

Gonzalez, Julie. Ricochet. 2007. Random House/ Delacorte, $15.99 ISBN13: 978-0385732284.

Grant, Vicki. I.D. 2007. Orca Books, $8.95 ISBN13: 978-1-55143-694-4.

Gratz, Alan. Something Rotten: A Horatio Wilkes Mystery. Penguin Group/ Dial Books, $16.99 ISBN13: 978-0-8037-3216-2.

Halpern, Julie. Get Well Soon. 2007. Fiewel & Friends, $16.95 ISBN13: 978-0-312-36795-4.

Harazin, S. A. Blood Brothers. 2007. Random House/ Delacorte, $15.99 ISBN13: 978-0-385733649.

Harmon, Micheal. Skate. October, 2006. Random House/ Knopf, $15.95 ISBN13: 978-0-375-97516-5.

Harvey, Sarah N. Bull’s Eye. 2007. Orca Books, $8.95 ISBN13: 978-1-55143-679-1.

Henderson, J. A. Bunker 10. 2007. Harcourt, $17.00 ISBN13: 978-0-15-206240-8.

Hopkins, Ellen. Glass. 2007. Simon & Schuster/ Margaret K. McElderry Books, $16.99 ISBN13: 978-1-4169-4090-6.

Hopkins, Ellen. Impulse. 2007. Simon and Schuster/ Margaret K. McElderry Books, $18.99 ISBN13: 978-1-4169-0356-9.

Jacobs, Deborah Lynn. Choices. 2007. Roaring Brook Press, $16.95 ISBN13: 978-1-59643-217-8.

Johnston, Jeffrey W. Fragments. 2007. Simon & Schuster/ Simon Pulse, $6.99 ISBN13: 978-1-4169-2486-9.

Knowles, Jo. Lessons from a Dead Girl. 2007. Candlewick Press, $16.99 ISBN13: 978-0-7636-3279-3.

Koertge, Ron. Strays. 2007. Candlewick Press, $16.99 ISBN13: 978-0-7636-2705-8.

Lane, Dakota. The Secret Life of It Girls. 2007. Simon and Schuster/ Ginee Seo Books, $14.99 ISBN13: 978-1-4169-1492-1.

Lubar, David. True Talents. 2007. Tom Doherty/ Starscape, $17.95 ISBN13: 978-0-7653-0977-8.

Lynn, Erin. Demon Envy. 2007. Penguin Group/ Berkley, $9.99 ISBN13: 978-0-425-21737-5.

Mackler, Carolyn. Guyaholic: The Story of Finding, Flirting, Forgetting…and the Boy Who Changes Everything. 2007. Candlewick Press, $16.99 ISBN13: 978-0-7636-2537-5.

McClintock, Norah. Bang! 2007. Orca Books, $8.95 ISBN13: 978-1-55143-654-8. McClintock, Norah. Down. 2007. Orca Books, $8.95 ISBN13: 978-1-55143-766-8.

McKayhan, Monica. Indigo Summer. 2007. Harlequin/ Kimani Tru, $9.99 ISBN13: 978-0-373-83075-6.

McNab, Andy and Robert Rigby. Avenger. 2007. Penguin Group/ Putnam, $16.99 ISBN13: 978-0-399-24685-2.

Mead, Richelle. Vampire Academy. 2007. Penguin Group/ Razorbill, $8.99 ISBN13: 978-1-59414-174-3.

Myers, Walter Dean. What They Found: Love on 145th Street. 2007. Random House/ Wendy Lamb Books, $15.99 ISBN13: 978-038532189.

Nance, Andrew and Polhemus, Colin, illus. Daemon Hall. 2007. Henry Holt, $16.95 ISBN13: 978-0805081718.

Plummer, Louise. Finding Daddy. 2007. Random House/ Delacorte, $15.95 ISBN13: 978-0-385-70392-1.

Pow, Tom. Captives. 2007. Roaring Brook Press, $17.95 ISBN13: 978-1-59643-201-7.

Reinhardt, Dana. Harmless. 2007. Random House/ Wendy Lamb, $15.99 ISBN13: 978-0-385-74699-1.

Ryan, Darlene. Responsible. 2007. Orca Books, $8.95 ISBN13: 978-1-55143-685-2.

Schreiber, Mark. Star Crossed. 2007. Llewelyn/ Flux, $8.95 ISBN13: 978-0-7387-1001-3.

Sewell, Earl. Keysha’s Drama. 2007. Harlequin/ Kimani Tru, $9.99 ISBN13: 978-0-373-83079-3.

Shakespeare, William, Rishard Appignasi and Sonia Leong, illus. Manga Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet. 2007. Abrams/ Amulet Books, $9.95 ISBN13: 978-0-8109-9325-2.

Shaw, Susan. Safe. 2007. Penguin Group/ Dutton, $16.99 ISBN13: 978-0-525-47829-4.

Showalter, Gena. Oh My Goth. 2006. Simon and Schuster/ MTV Books, $9.95 ISBN13: 978-1-4165-2474-8.

Shusterman, Neal. Unwind. 2007. Simon and Schuster, $16.99 ISBN13: 978-1-4169-1204-0.

Sitomer, Alan L. Homeboyz. Hyperion/ Jump at the Sun, $16.99 ISBN13: 978-1-4231-0030-0.

Smith, Roland. Peak. 2007. Harcourt, $16.99 ISBN13: 978-0-15-202417-8.

Sones, Sonya. What My Girlfriend Doesn’t Know. 2007. Simon & Schuster, $15.99 ISBN13: 978-0-689-87602-8.

St. James, James. Freak Show. 2007. Penguin Group/ Dutton, $18.99 ISBN13: 978-0-525-47799-0.

Stone, Jeff. Crane. 2007. Random House, $15.99 ISBN13: 978-09375-83077-8. Identity revealed in a marital arts battle.

Strasser, Todd. Boot Camp. 2007. Simon and Schuster, $15.99 ISBN13: 978-1-4169-0848-7.

Sweeney, Joyce. Headlock. 2006. Henry Holt, $16.95 ISBN13: 978-0-8050-8018-6.

Tullson, Diane. The Darwin Expedition. 2007. Orca Books, $8.95 ISBN13: 978-155143-676-0.

Van Diepen, Allison. Snitch. 2007. Simon and Schuster/ Simon Pulse, $6.99 ISBN13: 978-1-4169-5030-1.

Vande Velde, Vivian. Remembering Raquel. 2007. Harcourt, $16.00 ISBN13: 978-0-15-205976-7.

Velez, Ivan. Dead High Yearbook. 2007. Penguin Group/ Dutton, $18.99 ISBN13: 978-0-525-47783-9.

Volponi, Paul. Rucker Park Setup. 2007. Penguin Group/ Viking, $15.99 ISBN13: 978-0-670-06130-3.

Vrettos, Adrienne Maria. Sight. 2007. Simon and Schuster/ Margaret K. McElderry Books, $16.99 ISBN13: 978-1-4169-0657-5.

Wasserman, Robin. Chasing Yesterday: Book 1, The Awakening. 2007. Scholastic, $5.99 ISBN13: 978-0-439-93338-4.

Watson, C.G. Quad. 2007. Penguin Group/ Razorbill, $16.99 ISBN13: 978-1-59514-138-5.

Wiess, Laura. Such A Pretty Girl. 2007. Simon & Schuster/ MTV Books, $12.00 ISBN13: 978-1-58180-847-6.

Zarr, Sara. Story of a Girl. 2007. Little, Brown & Co., $16.99 ISBN13: 978-0-316-01453-3.

Nonfiction

50 Cent. 50 x 50: 50 Cent in His Own Words. 2007. Simon and Schuster/ Pocket Books, $35.00 ISBN13: 978-1-4165-4471-5.

Alvarado, Melissa, Hope Meng and Melissa Rannels with Matthew Carden, illus. Subversive Seamster: Transform Thrift Store Threads into Street Couture. 2007. Tauton Press, $17.00 ISBN13: 978-1-59514-171-2.

Aranzi, Aronzo. The Bad Book. 2007. Vertical, Inc., $12.95 ISBN13: 978-1-93223469-5.

Ash, Russell. Firefly’s World of Facts. 2007. Firefly, $29.95 ISBN13: 978-1-55407-313-9.

Bey, Dawoud. Class Pictures. 2007. Aperture, $45.00 ISBN13: 978-1-59711-043-3.

Blakeney, Faith & Justina and Ellen Schultz. 99 Ways to Cut, Sew and Deck Out Your Denim. 2007. Crown Books/ Potter Craft, $19.95 ISBN13: 978-0-307-35170-8.

Carlowicz, Michael. Moon. 2007. Abrams, $19.95 ISBN13: 978-0-8109-9307-5.

Chryssicas, Mary Kaye. Breathe: Yoga for Teens. 2007.

Dorling Kindersly, $15.00 ISBN13: 978-0-756-62661-7.

Cooper, Robbie. Alter Ego: Digital Avatars and Their Creators. 2007.Chris Boot Ltd., $29.95 ISBN13: 978-1-905712-02-1.

Dingle, Adrian with Simon Basher, illus. The Periodic Table: Elements with Style. 2007. Houghton Mifflin/ Kingfishers, $8.95 ISBN13: 978-0-7534-6085-6.

Editors of CosmoGirl!. Cosmogirl! Make it Yourself: 50 Fun and Funky Projects. 2007. Sterling/ Hearst, $10.95 ISBN13: 978-158816-624-1.

Editors of Inside Cheerleading. Cheerleading: From Tryouts to Championships. 2007. Rizzoli/ Universe, $29.95 ISBN13: 978-0-7893-1565-6.

Editors of Seventeen Magazine. Seventeen Real Girl, Real Life Stories: True Crime. 2007. Sterling/ Hearst, $4.95 ISBN13: 978-1-58816-648-1.

Everhart, Mike. Sea Monsters: Prehistoric Monsters of the Deep. 2007. National Geographic, $29.95 ISBN13: 978-1-4262-0085-4.

Gee, Joshua. Encyclopedia Horrifica. 2007. Scholastic, $14.95 ISBN13: 978-0-4399-2-2555.

Golus, Carrie. Tupac Shakur. 2007. Lerner Publications, $27.93 ISBN13: 978-0-8225-6609-0.

Grahame-Smith, Seth. How to Survive a Horror Movie: All the Skills to Dodge the Kills. 2007. Chronicle Books/ Quirk, $14.95 ISBN13: 978-1-59474-179-1.

Grandits, John. Blue Lipstick: Concrete Poems. 2007. Clarion Books, $15.00 ISBN13: 978-0-618-56860-4.

Greenfield, Lauren. Thin. 2006. Chronicle Books, $35.00 ISBN13: 978-0-8118-5633-1.

Grody, Steve and James Prigoff. Graffiti L.A.: Street and Art. 2007. Abrams, $34.99 ISBN13: 978-0-8-1099-2986.

Handy, Roger and Karin Elsener. Found Photos: Rear Ends. 2007. Abrams Image, $14.95 ISBN13: 978-0-8109-0926-7.

Harrington, Jane. Extreme Pets Handbook. 2007. Scholastic/ Tangerine, $12.99 ISBN13: 978-0-439-82948-9.

Hess, Nina. A Practical Guide to Monsters. 2007. Wizards of the Coast/ Mirrorstone, $12.95 ISBN13: 978-0-7869-4809-3.

Jamal, Joesph. Tupac Shakur Legacy. 2006. Simon and Schuster/ Atria, $45.00 ISBN13: 978-0-7432-92603.

Lee, John. Street Scene. 2007. F&W Publications/ Impact Books, $19.99 ISBN13: 978-1-158180-847-6.

Lewry, Fraser and Tom Ryan. Kittenwar. 2007. Chronicle Books, $14.95 ISBN13: 978-0-81185980-6.

Pardes, Bronwen. Doing It Right: Making Smart, Safe and Satisfying Choices about Sex. 2007. Simon and Schuster/ Simon Pulse, $14.99 ISBN13: 978-1-4169-1823.

Pearce, Fred. Earth: Then and Now. 2007. Firefly, $39.95 ISBN13: 978-1-55407-298-9.

Pearson, Felicia “Snoop” and David Ritz. Grace After Midnight: A Memoir. 2007. Grand Central, $22.00 ISBN13: 978-0-446-19518-8.

Rogge, Hannah and Adrian Buckmaster, illus. Save This Shirt! 2007.

Stewart, Tabori and Chang, $19.95 ISBN13: 978-1-58479-584-1.

Salant, James. Leaving Dirty Jersey: A Crystal Meth Memoir. 2007. Simon and Schuster/ Simon Spotlight Entertainment, $21.00 ISBN13: 978-1-4169-3629-9.

Shivak, Nadia. Inside Out: Portrait of an Eating Disorder. 2007. Simon and Schuster/ Atheneum, $17.99 ISBN13: 978-0-689-85216-9.

Simonson, Louise. DC Comics Covergirls. 2007. Rizzoli/ Universe, $39.95 ISBN13: 978-0-78931544-1.

Smedman, Lisa. From Boneshakers to Choppers: The Rip-Roaring History of Motorcycles. 2007. Annick Press, $24.95 ISBN13: 978-1-55451-016-0.

Thalia. Thalia: Belleza!: Lessons in Lipgloss and Happiness. 2007. Chronicle Books, $19.95 ISBN13: 978-0-8118-5829-8.

Warren, Frank. A Lifetime of Secrets: A PostSecret Book. 2007. HarperCollins/ William Morrow, $27.95 ISBN13: 978-0-06123860-4.

Willet, Edward. Jimi Hendrix: Kiss the Sky. 2006. Enslow, $27.93 ISBN13: 978-0-7660-2449-6.

Yoshinaga, Masayuki. Gothic and Lolita. 2007. Phaidon Press, $29.95 ISBN13: 978-0-7148-4785-6.

 

YALSA’s Best Books for Young Adults 2008

Here’s another YALSA list. As before, I’ve read those in bold, and will probably read the underlined books soon (meaning, mostly, that I own them or I’ve seen them at the library or know someone who owns them or something). Of course, ‘soon’ is relative…Anyway, conclusions that I draw from this are that I’ve basically failed as a reader of young adult literature. Those I’m going to read, well, there are a lot more of those than those I have read.

Fiction

Alexie, Sherman. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian. Illus. by Ellen Forney. Little, Brown, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-316-01368-0; $16.99.

Alexie, Sherman. Flight. Grove/Atlantic Black Cat, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-8021-7037-8; $13.00.

Anderson, Laurie Halse. Twisted. Penguin Group USA/Viking, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-670-06101-3; $16.99.

Asher, Jay. Thirteen Reasons Why. Penguin Group USA/Razorbill, 2007; ISBN13: 978-1-59514-171-2; $16.99.

Beah, Ishmael. A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier. 2007. Farrar, Straus & Giroux/Sarah Crichton, $22.00 (978-0-374-10523-5).

Brande, Robin. Evolution, Me, and Other Freaks of Nature. Random House/Alfred A. Knopf, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-375-94349-2; $15.99.

Brooks, Martha. Mistik Lake. Farrar, Straus & Giroux/Melanie Kroupa, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-374-34985-1; $16.00.

Burgess, Melvin. Bloodsong. Simon & Schuster/Simon Pulse, 2007; ISBN13: 978-1-4169-3616-9; $7.99.

Cameron, Peter. Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You. Farrar, Straus & Giroux/Frances Foster, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-374-30989-3; $16.00.

Carey, Janet Lee. Dragon’s Keep. Harcourt, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-15-205926-2; $17.00.

Carey, Mike. The Re-Gifters. Illus. by Sonny Liew and Mark Hempel.DC Comics/Vertigo, 2007; ISBN13: 978-1-4012-0303-0; $19.99.

Cassidy, Anne. Looking for JJ. Harcourt, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-15-206190-6; $17.00.

Castellucci, Cecil. Beige. Candlewick, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-7636-3066-9; $16.99.

Clarke, Judith. One Whole and Perfect Day. Front Street, 2007; ISBN13: 978-1-932425-95-6; $16.95.

Compestine, Ying Chang. Revolution Is Not a Dinner Party. Henry Holt, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-8050-8207-4; $16.95.

Cross, Shauna. Derby Girl. Henry Holt, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-8050-8023-0; $16.95.

Cullen, Lynn. I Am Rembrandt’s Daughter. Bloomsbury, 2007; ISBN13: 978-1-59990-046-9; $16.95.

Dowd, Siobhan. A Swift Pure Cry. Random House/David Fickling, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-385-75108-7; $16.99.

Downham, Jenny. Before I Die. Random House/David Fickling, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-385-75155-1; $15.99.

Doyle, Larry. I Love You, Beth Cooper. Illus. by Evan Dorkin. HarperCollins/Ecco, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-06-123617-4; $19.95.

Ellis, Ann Dee. This Is What I Did. Little, Brown, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-316-01363-5; $16.99.

Felin, M. Sindy. Touching Snow. Atheneum, 2007; ISBN13: 978-1-4169-1795-3; $16.99.

Friesen, Gayle. For Now. Kids Can Press, 2007; ISBN13: 978-1-55453-133-2; $7.95.

Gipi. Notes for a War Story. Spectrum. Translated by Spectrum. Illus. by Gipi. Roaring Brook/First Second, 2007; ISBN13: 978-1-59643-261-1; $16.95.

Grey, Christopher. Leonardo’s Shadow: Or, My Astonishing Life as Leonardo da Vinci’s Servant. Simon and Schuster/Atheneum, 2006; ISBN13: 978-1-4169-0543-1; $16.95.

Hale, Shannon. Book of a Thousand Days. Illus. by James Noel Smith.Bloomsbury, 2007; ISBN13: 978-1-59990-051-3; $17.95.

Hinds, Gareth. Beowulf. Candlewick, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-7636-3022-5; $21.95.

Hornby, Nick. Slam. Penguin Group USA/Putnam, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-399-25048-4; $19.99.

Hosseini, Khaled. A Thousand Splendid Suns. Penguin Group USA/Riverhead Books, 2007; ISBN13: 978-1-59448-950-1; $25.95.

Jenkins, A.M. Repossessed. HarperCollins/HarperTeen, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-06-083568-2; $15.99.

Jocelyn, Marthe. How It Happened in Peach Hill. Random House/Wendy Lamb, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-375-83701-2; $15.99. (am currently reading)

Johnston, Tony. Bone by Bone by Bone. Roaring Brook/Deborah Brodie, 2007; ISBN13: 978-1-59643-113-3; $17.95.

Jones, Lloyd. Mister Pip. Dell Publishing/Dial Press, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-385-34106-6; $20.00.

Key, Watt. Alabama Moon. Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-374-30184-2; $16.00.

Klass, David. Firestorm. Farrar, Straus & Giroux/Frances Foster, 2006; ISBN13: 978-0-374-32307-3; $17.00.

Knox, Elizabeth. Dreamquake: Book Two of the Dreamhunter Duet. Farrar, Straus & Giroux/Frances Foster, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-374-31854-3; $19.00.

Koertge, Ron. Strays. Candlewick, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-7636-2705-8; $16.99.

Lanagan, Margo. Red Spikes. Random House/Alfred A. Knopf, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-375-84320-4; $16.99.

Landy, Derek. Skulduggery Pleasant. HarperCollins, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-06-123115-5; $17.99.

Lat. Town Boy. Roaring Brook/First Second, 2007; ISBN13: 978-1-59643-331-1; $16.95.

Lockhart, E. Dramarama. Hyperion, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-7868-3815-8; $15.99.

Lyga, Barry. The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl. Houghton Mifflin, 2006; ISBN13: 978-0-618-72392-8; $16.95.

Lyga, Barry. Boy Toy. Houghton Mifflin, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-618-72393-5; $16.95.

MacCready, Robin Merrow. Buried. September 2006. Penguin Group USA/Dutton, 2006; ISBN13: 978-0-525-47724-2; $16.99.

Marillier, Juliet. Wildwood Dancing. Random House/Alfred A. Knopf, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-375-83364-9; $16.99.

McCaughrean, Geraldine. The White Darkness. HarperCollins/HarperTeen, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-06-089035-3; $16.99.

Mieville, China. Un Lun Dun. Random House/Del Rey, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-345-49516-7; $17.95.

Miller, Sarah. Miss Spitfire: Reaching Helen Keller. Simon & Schuster/Atheneum, 2007; ISBN13: 978-1-4169-2542-2; $16.99. (have read part of)

Moore, Perry. Hero. Hyperion, 2007; ISBN13: 978-1-4231-0195-6; $16.99.

Murdock, Catherine Gilbert. The Off Season. Houghton Mifflin, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-618-68695-7; $16.00.

Myers, Walter Dean. What They Found: Love on 145th Street. Random House/Wendy Lamb, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-385-32138-9; $15.99.

Olmstead, Robert. Coal Black Horse. Algonquin, 2007; ISBN13: 978-1-56512-521-6; $23.95.

Peet, Mal. Tamar: A Novel of Espionage, Passion, and Betrayal. Candlewick, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-7636-3488-9; $17.99.

Resau, Laura. Red Glass. Random House/Delacorte, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-385-73466-0; $15.99.

Resau, Laura. What the Moon Saw. Random House/Delacorte, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-385-73343-4; $15.95.

The Restless Dead: Ten Original Stories of the Supernatural. Edited by Deborah Noyes. Candlewick, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-7636-2906-9; $16.99.

Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Illus. by Mary Grandpre. Scholastic/Arthur A. Levine, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-545-01022-1; $34.99.

Schmidt, Gary D. The Wednesday Wars. Clarion, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-618-72483-3; $16.00.

Sedgwick, Marcus. My Swordhand is Singing. Random House/Wendy Lamb, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-375-84689-2; $15.99.

Selznick, Brian. The Invention of Hugo Cabret: A Novel. Illus. by Brain Selznick. Scholastic, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-439-81378-5; $22.99.

Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. Adapted by Richard Appignanesi. Illus. by Sonia Leong. Abrams/Amulet, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-8109-9325-9; $9.95.

Sharenow, Robert. My Mother the Cheerleader. HarperCollins/Laura Geringer, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-06-114896-5; $16.99

Shusterman, Neal. Unwind. Simon & Schuster, 2007; ISBN13: 978-1-4169-1204-0; $16.99.

Smith, Roland. Peak. Harcourt, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-15-202417-8; $17.00.

Sonnenblick, Jordan. Notes from the Midnight Driver. Scholastic, 2006; ISBN13: 978-0-439-75779-9; $16.99.

St. James, James. Freak Show. Penguin Group USA/Dutton, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-525-47799-0; $18.99.

Tan, Shaun. The Arrival. Illus. by Shaun Tan. Scholastic/Arthur A. Levine, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-439-89529-3; $19.99.

Thompson, Kate. The New Policeman. HarperCollins/Greenwillow, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-06-117427-8; $16.99.

Wallace, Rich. One Good Punch. Random House/Alfred A. Knopf, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-375-81352-8; $15.99.

Weinheimer, Beckie. Converting Kate. Penguin Group USA/Viking, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-670-06152-5; $16.99.

Wiess, Laura. Such a Pretty Girl. Simon & Schuster/MTV, 2007; ISBN13: 978-1-4165-2183-9; $12.00.

Wizner, Jake. Spanking Shakespeare. Random House, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-375-84086-9; $15.99.

Zarr, Sara. Story of a Girl. Little, Brown, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-316-01453-3; $16.99.

Zevin, Gabrielle. Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac. Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-374-34946-2; $17.00.

Nonfiction

Beah, Ishmael. A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier. Farrar, Straus & Giroux/Sarah Crichton, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-374-10523-5; $22.00.

Crisler, Curtis L. Tough Boy Sonatas. Illus. by Floyd Cooper. Boyds Mills Press/Wordsong, 2007; ISBN13: 978-1-932425-77-2; $19.95.

The Deep: The Extraordinary Creatures of the Abyss. Edited by Claire Nouvian. University of Chicago Press, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-226-59566-5; $45.00.

Fradin, Judith Bloom and Dennis Brindell Fradin. Jane Addams: Champion of Democracy. Clarion, 2006; ISBN13: 978-0-618-50436-7; $21.00.

Helfer, Andrew. Malcolm X: A Graphic Biography. Illus. by Randy Duburke. Farrar, Straus & Giroux/Hill & Wang, 2006; ISBN13: 978-0-8090-9504-9; $15.95.

Hemphill, Stephanie. Your Own, Sylvia: A Verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath. Random House/Alfred A. Knopf, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-375-83799-9; $15.99.

Marrin, Albert. The Great Adventure: Theodore Roosevelt and the Rise of Modern America. Penguin Group USA/Dutton, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-525-47659-7; $30.00.

Polly, Matthew. American Shaolin: Flying Kicks, Buddhist Monks, and the Legend of Iron Crotch: An Odyssey in the New China. Penguin Group USA/Gotham Books, 2007; ISBN13: 978-1-59240-262-5; $26.00.

Raddatz, Martha. The Long Road Home A Story of War and Family. Penguin Group USA/Putnam Adult, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-399-15382-2; $24.95.

Reef, Catherine. e.e. cummings: a poet’s life. Clarion, 2006; ISBN13: 978-0-618-56849-9; $21.00.

Sis, Peter. The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain. Illus. by Peter Sis. Farrar, Straus & Giroux/Frances Foster, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-374-34701-7; $18.00.

Tammet, Daniel. Born on a Blue Day: A Memoir: Inside the Extraordinary Mind of an Autistic Savant. Simon & Schuster/Free Press, 2007; ISBN13: 978-1-4165-3507-2; $24.00.

 

YALSA’s 2008 Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults

This is another YALSA list. Borrowing the idea from Little Willow, I’ve pasted the list below, with the ones I’ve read in bold, and the ones I plan to read in the near (or near-ish…) future underlined. The lists are divided by category. Conclusions I draw from this? I love urban fantasy, and am not usually into sports stories. What about you all? Oh, and does anyone know how to do some sort of “behind the cut” thing in wordpress?

Sex Is….

Barnes, Derrick. The Making of Dr. Truelove. 2006. Simon Pulse, $7.99 (ISBN13: 978-1-4169-14396).

Behrens, Andy. All the Way. 2007. Puffin, $7.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-14-240833-9).

Blume, Judy. Forever. 2007. Simon Pulse, $8.99 (ISBN13: 978-1-4169-3400-4).

Brian, Kate. The Virginity Club. 2005. Simon Pulse, $5.99 (ISBN13: 978-1-4169-0346-8).

Burgess, Melvin. Doing It. 2006. Henry Holt & Company, $6.95 (ISBN13: 978-0-8050-8079-7).

Cabot, Meg. Ready or Not. 2007. HarperTeen, $6.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-06-072452-8).

Davidson, Dana. Played. 2007. Jump at the Sun, $8.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-7868-3691-8).

Ha, Thu-Huong. Hail Caesar. 2007. PUSH, $7.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-439-89026-7).

Hartinger, Brent. The Order of the Poison Oak. 2006. HarperTeen, $6.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-06-056732-3).

Kazumi, Maki. Desire. 2004. Digital Manga Publishing, $12.95 (ISBN13: 978-1-56970-979-5).

Klause, Annette Curtis. Blood and Chocolate. 1999. Laurel-Leaf, $6.50 (ISBN13: 978-0-440-22668-0).

Levithan, David and Rachel Cohn. Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. 2007. Knopf, $8.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-375-83533-9).

The Little Black Book for Girlz: A Book on Healthy Sexuality. 2006. Annick Press, $8.95 (ISBN13: 978-1-55037-954-9).

Lockhart, E. Fly on the Wall: How One Girl Saw Everything. 2007. Delacorte, $8.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-385-73282-6).

Medina, Nico. The Straight Road to Kylie. 2007. Simon Pulse, $8.99 (ISBN13: 978-1-4169-3600-8).

Pardes, Bronwen. Doing it Right: Making Smart, Safe, and Satisfying Choices About Sex. 2007. Simon Pulse, $14.99 (ISBN13: 978-1-4169-1823-3).

Ruditis, Paul. Rainbow Party. 2005. Simon Pulse, $12.95 (ISBN13: 978-1-4169-0235-5).

Scott, Elizabeth. Bloom. 2007. Simon Pulse, $8.99 (ISBN13: 978-1-4169-2683-2).

Wallington, Aury. Pop! 2006. Razorbill, $8.99 (ISBN13: 978-1-59514-092-0).

Watase, Yuu. Absolute Boyfriend, Volume 1. 2006. VIZ, $8.99 (ISBN13: 978-1-4215-0016-4).

What Makes a Family?

Alvarez, Julia. Finding Miracles. 2006. Laurel-Leaf, $6.50 (ISBN13: 978-0-553-49406-8).

Bauer, Cat. Harley, Like a Person. 2007. Knopf, $8.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-375-83735-7).

Cohn, Rachel. The Steps. 2004. Aladdin, $4.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-689-87414-7).

Ferris, Jean. Of Sound Mind. 2004. Sunburst, $6.95 (ISBN13: 978-0-374-45584-2).

Frost, Helen. Keesha’s House. 2007. Farrar, Straus & Giroux, $8.00 (ISBN13: 978-0-374-40012-5).

Headley, Justina Chen. Nothing but the Truth (And a Few White Lies). 2007. Little, Brown, $7.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-316-01131-0).

Johnson, Angela. The First Part Last. 2004. Simon Pulse, $5.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-689-84923-7).

Kantor, Melissa. If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where’s My Prince? 2007. Hyperion, $8.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-7868-0961-5).

Kidd, Sue Monk. The Secret Life of Bees. 2005. Penguin, $16.00 (ISBN13: 978-0-14-303640-1).

Kingsolver, Barbara. The Bean Trees. 1998. Harper Torch, $7.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-06-109731-7).

Marchetta, Melina. Saving Francesca. 2006. Knopf, $8.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-375-82983-3).

Myers, Walter Dean. Bad Boy: A Memoir. 2002. Amistad, $7.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-06-447288-3).

Patterson, James. Maximum Ride: School’s Out—Forever. 2007. Little, Brown, $7.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-316-06796-6).

Perkins, Mitali. Monsoon Summer. 2006. Laurel-Leaf, $6.50 (ISBN13: 978-0-440-23840-9).

Reinhardt, Dana. A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life. 2007. Wendy Lamb Books, $8.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-375-84691-5).

Rottman, S.L. Shadow of a Doubt. 2003. Peachtree, $7.95 (ISBN13: 978-1-56145-354-2).

Schraff, Anne. Lost and Found. 2007. Scholastic, $3.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-439-89839-3).

Sones, Sonya. One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies. 2005. Simon Pulse, $6.99 (ISBN13: 978-1-4169-0788-6).

Triana, Gaby. Cubanita. 2006. Rayo, $7.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-06-056022-5).

Walls, Jeannette. The Glass Castle: A Memoir. 2006. Scribner, $15.00 (ISBN13: 978-0-7432-4754-2).

Wittlinger, Ellen. Zigzag. 2005. Simon Pulse, $6.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-689-84998-5).

Woodson, Jacqueline. Miracle’s Boys. 2006. Puffin, $5.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-14-240602-1).

Zeises, Lara M. Anyone But You. 2007. Laurel-Leaf, $6.50 (ISBN13: 978-0-440-23858-4).

Magic In The Real World

Barnes, Jennifer Lynn. Tattoo. 2007. Delacorte, $7.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-385-73347-2).

Black, Holly. Valiant: A Modern Tale of Faerie. 2005. Simon Pulse, $7.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-689868-23-8).

Card, Orson Scott. Magic Street. 2006. Del Ray, $14.95 (ISBN13: 978-0-345-41690-2).

Chima, Cinda Williams. The Warrior Heir. 2007. Hyperion, $8.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-7868-3917-9).

De Lint, Charles. The Blue Girl. 2006. Puffin, $7.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-14-240545-1).

Friesner, Esther. Temping Fate. 2007. Puffin, $6.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-14-240848-3).

Funke, Cornelia. Inkheart. 2005. Scholastic Paperbacks, $8.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-439-70910-1).

Gaiman, Neil. Neverwhere. 1998. Avon, $10.95 (ISBN13: 978-0-380-78901-6).

Hoffman, Nina Kiriki. A Fistful of Sky. 2004. Ace, $7.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-441-01177-3).

Horowitz, Anthony. Raven’s Gate: The Gatekeepers, Book One. 2006. Scholastic Paperbacks, $6.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-439-68009-7).

Johnson, Maureen. Devilish. 2007. Razorbill, $8.99 (ISBN13: 978-1-59514-132-3).

Jones, Diana Wynne. Deep Secret. 2002. Starscape, $5.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-7653-4247-8).

Lackey, Mercedes and Ellen Guon. Bedlam’s Bard. 2006. Baen, $3.99 (ISBN13: 978-1-4165-3282-8).

Larbalestier, Justine. Magic or Madness. 2006. Razorbill, $7.99 (ISBN13: 978-1-59514-070-8).

Mlynowski, Sarah. Bras and Broomsticks. 2005. Delacorte, $8.95 (ISBN13: 978-0-385-73184-3).

Riordan, Rick. The Lightning Thief. 2006. Miramax, $7.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-7868-3865-3).

Swendson, Shanna. Enchanted, Inc. 2005. Ballantine, $12.95 (ISBN13: 978-0-345-48125-2).

Vande Velde, Vivian. Now You See It . . . 2006. Magic Carpet Books, $6.95 (ISBN13: 978-0-15-205461-8).

Westerfeld, Scott. Midnighters: The Secret Hour. 2004. Eos, $6.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-06-0519537).

Yolen, Jane and Adam Stemple. Trollbridge: A Rock ‘n’ Roll Fairy Tale. 2007. Starscape, $5.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-7653-5284-2).

Yoshizumi, Wataru. Ultra Maniac Volume 1. 2005. VIZ Media, $8.99 (ISBN13: 978-1-59116-917-8).

Anyone Can Play

Andora, Anthony. Rhysmyth. Illus. by Lincy Chan. 2007. TokyoPOP, $9.99 (ISBN13: 978-1-4278-0088-6).

Carey, Mike. Re-Gifters. Illus. by Sonny Liew and Marc Hempel. 2007. Minx, $9.99 (ISBN13: 978-1-4012-0371-9).

Colton, Larry. Counting Coup: A True Story of Basketball and Honor on the Little Big Horn. 2001. Grand Central, $14.95 (ISBN13: 978-0-446-67755-4).

De La Pena, Matt. Ball Don’t Lie. 2007. Delacorte, $7.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-385-73425-7).

Deuker, Carl. High Heat. 2005. HarperTeen, $6.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-06-057248-8).

Feinstein, John. Last Shot: A Final Four Mystery. 2006. Yearling, $6.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-553-49460-0).

FitzGerald, Dawn. Soccer Chicks Rule. 2007. Square Fish, $6.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-312-37662-8).

Hamilton, Bethany with Sheryl Berk and Rick Bundschuh. Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board. 2006. MTV, $12.00 (ISBN13: 978-1-4165-0346-0).

Hawthorn, Rachel. The Boyfriend League. 2007. HarperTeen, $5.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-06-113837-9).

Hughes, Pat. Open Ice. 2007. Laurel-Leaf, $6.50 (ISBN13: 978-0-553-49444-0).

Konomi, Takeshi. Prince of Tennis Volume 1. 2004. VIZ Media, $7.95 (ISBN13: 978-1-59116-435-7).

Lipsyte, Robert. Raiders Night. 2007. HarperTeen, $6.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-06-059948-5).

Lupica, Mike. Heat. 2006. Puffin, $6.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-14-240757-8).

Miller, Timothy. NASCAR Now! 2006. Firefly Books, $24.95 (ISBN13: 978-1-55407-148-7).

Murdock, Catherine. Dairy Queen. 2007. Graphia, $8.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-618-86335-8).

Rottman, S.L. Head Above Water. 2003. Peachtree, $6.95 (ISBN13: 978-1-56145-238-5).

Scott, Kiernan. I Was a Non-Blonde Cheerleader. 2007. Puffin, $7.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-14-240910-7).

Skate and Destroy: The First Twenty Five Years of Thrasher Magazine. 2006. Universe Publishing, $32.50 (ISBN13: 978-0-7893-1386-7).

Takanashi, Mitsuba. Crimson Hero Volume 1. 2005. VIZ Media, $8.99 (ISBN13: 978-1-4215-0140-6).

Tomlinson, Joe with Ed Leigh. Extreme Sports: In Search of the Ultimate Thrill. 2004. Firefly, $19.95 (ISBN13: 978-1-55297-992-1).

Volponi, Paul. Black and White. 2006. Puffin, $6.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-14-240692-2).

Wallace, Rich. Wrestling Sturbridge. 2001. Laurel-Leaf, $5.99 (ISBN13: 978-0-679-88555-9).

 

Ten Books That Influenced Me

I’m just posting to let you know that I blogged about “Ten Books That Influenced Me” over at REDthebook.com.

 

The ALA Awards

For those of you not familiar with this, a few days ago the American Library Association announced a lot of different book awards, collectively called the Youth Media Awards (as there are also awards for videos and audiobooks) at its annual midwinter conference. Some of these–the Newbery and Caldecott medals in particular–are really well known. Some should be more well known (my personal favorites are the Printz and the Alex Awards). You can see the full list here.

I’d like to just share my reactions to and thoughts about a couple of these, and would love if you all would do the same! Please, if you’ve posted on your own blog about it, I’d love if you’d leave the link in the comments, and if not, I look forward to reading your comments.

The Newbery medal was won by Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village by Laura Amy Schlitz. I haven’t read this one, but I’ve seen it appear on a few lists of predictions, and I’ve heard good things about it, so I look forward to the chance to read it.  I haven’t read any of the Newbery Honor books, either, although I did just get a copy of The Wednesday Wars, so I am looking forward to reading that as well. I thought maybe this year I’d have read at least one on the list, seeing as I read MG fiction for the Cybils, but no such luck. Anyone care to comment on the awards who has read the books?

The Caldecott was won by The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. The Caldecott is about the best illustrations, and I probably wouldn’t mention it here except that it’s unusual in that the winner is an illustrated novel. It was nominated for a Cybil, but I didn’t get the chance to read it; I’m not usually much for books with pictures. Maybe I will, though.

The Michael L. Printz award is the one I was really looking forward to hear about. It’s for “excellence in literature written for young adults,” which, as you know, is most definitely my thing. I was pretty surprised by the winner and honors list, though! The winner was The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean. The honor books were Dreamquake by Elizabeth Knox, Repossessed by AM Jenkins, One Whole And Perfect Day by Judith Clarke, and Your Own, Sylvia: A Verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath by Stephanie Hemphill. Surprisingly, considering how into YA literature I am, I’ve only read one of these books: Repossessed by AM Jenkins. It was really good, yeah, but it didn’t blow me away, and it certainly wasn’t something I would have pegged as a potential Printz honor book! I’ll have to read the winner and other honor books, though. I hadn’t even heard of One Whole And Perfect Day before this, and none of those books were buzzed about enough that I would have suspected they’d be on that list! I don’t know what I was expecting, though.

I’d also like to mention the Schneider Family Book Award, which is for books that”embody the artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences.” The reason I mention this one is that I was really pleased with the Middle Grade winner; I adored Reaching for Sun by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer.

I was thrilled to see that the winner of the Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults went to Orson Scott Card. I love Orson Scott Card. I really should go back and reread his books.

I won’t list the ten winners of the Alex Awards, for the best books written for adult audiences that will appear to teen readers, but they’re on the ALA site, and know that they’re going on my want-to-read list!

So that’s all I have to say for now, but I want to hear from you all: what do you think about the winners? Is there something you’d rather have seen or thought would win one award or another?

 

What I’m Looking Foward To In 2008

I’m jumping on the bandwagon here by posting some of my most-looked-forward-to reads of 2008–check out links to lots of other posts at Chasing Ray, as well as her own list.

I couldn’t possibly cover them all in one blog post, so if you want to know more books I want to read (not just 2008 releases, either), check out my wishlist here (click the link at the top of the page) or my Amazon wishlist, both of which could stand to be updated. But I’ll go ahead and post about a few here!

I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone by Stephanie Kuehnert sounds like a really fantastic book, and very music-centered. I love books about music. I’ve also read the author’s blog, and she sounds like a really cool person. This one is out in July.

 Stephenie Meyer’s The Host and Breaking Dawn both sound really fantastic. The first is a totally new book from her which sounds quite intriguing, and the second is the latest Twilight saga book, and I can’t wait to read more about Bella, Edward, and the rest of the characters (the rest of the characters most of all; Bella is whiny and Edward is annoying).

Curse As Dark As Gold by Elizabeth C Bunce is a very promising-looking fairy tale retelling (of Rumpelstiltskin). I love fairy tale retellings!

Peeled by Joan Bauer is by Joan Bauer, who is completely awesome. Need I say more?

The Fortunes of Indigo Skye by Deb Caletti is by an amazing author, and the premise sounds really interesting.

Ever by Gail Carson Levine is by one of my favorite authors ever, since the third grade, and just sounds, well, truly fantastic.

How To Build A House by Dana Reinhardt is another book from a favorite author.

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart is another new book from a great author. Hmm. I’m sensing a trend here.

A trend that continues with Out of the Wild by Sarah Beth Durst.

I need to stop now or I’ll go on forever (which I truly could), but, seriously, there are some totally fantastic looking books coming out this year!

 

Cybils Finalists!

Unfortunately I fell asleep about half an hour before these were posted at the Cybils website. So a lot of you probably already know them.

Middle Grade Fiction: I was on the panel for this one, and we do have a rather long shortlist, but it was really hard to narrow down! We had some fantastic titles to choose from, and finding some that everyone could agree rocked enough to be on the shortlist was hard. So, without further ado, here are our eight finalists:

A Crooked Kind of Perfect
by Linda Urban
Harcourt
Buy from Amazon | Buy from BookSense

“I teach middle school, and sometimes I find that I have more choices for my readers who like edgy YA stories than I do for those kids who read well but aren’t quite ready for teenager issues. A Crooked Kind of Perfect is a perfect kind of book for those readers.”
Kate: Read her review

I want to talk about A Crooked Kind Of Perfect a little here. Kate’s review is right on. This really is a fantastic book. It wasn’t my very, very favorite–I don’t remember if it was anyone’s very favorite–but the thing about it was that all of us loved it, and finding a book that six different readers can agree is awesome is something really special.

Cracker: The Best Dog In Vietnam
by Cynthia Kadohata
Atheneum
Buy from Amazon | Buy from BookSense

“It’s a war story about a seventeen-year-old named Rick Hanski and his experiences as a dog handler toward the end of American involvement in Vietnam’s civil war. As he stumbles into the army, then into dog handling, then over to Vietnam, Rick grows into a man of integrity and purpose.”
Sherry, Semicolon: Read her review

Emma Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree
by Lauren Tarshis
Dial
Buy from Amazon | Buy from BookSense

“This was a very refreshing book and one I really feel middle school students can and will enjoy. It is great to read books that are written about abnormal children or kids that simply do not blend in with everyone else, yet are perfectly fine with that fact. So many stories are written about wanting to fit in and needing to gain social acceptance, yet this, shows the reader that being different can be perfect.”
Amanda, A Patchwork of Books:  http://apatchworkofbooks.blogspot.com/2007/11/emma-jean-lazarus-fell-out-of-tree.html

Leap of Faith
by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Dial
Buy from Amazon | Buy from BookSense

“The writing in Leap of Faith was good; the plot always moved along smoothly and compelled me to keep reading. I needed to know that Abby was going to pull through and be okay. Leap of Faith was a  sweet, hopeful story that I’m very glad to have read.”
Miss Erin: Read her review

Leepike Ridge
by Nathan D. Wilson
Random House
Buy from Amazon | Buy from BookSense

“Leepike Ridge is a book for every kid (and every grown kid) who played in refrigerator boxes, caught critters in the woods, and floated down creeks on homemade rafts. It’s a fantastic story with a grand adventure, a heroic boy, bad guys that you love to hate, a loyal dog, and a hidden treasure. The fact that it’s beautifully written with magical, transporting descriptions is gravy.”
Kate: Read her review

I’m really sad I didn’t get to read Leepike Ridge! Everyone who did loved it.

Louisiana’s Song
by Kerry Madden
Viking
Buy from Amazon | Buy from BookSense

“In Gentle’s Holler, Kerry Madden introduced young readers to Olivia (better known as Livy Two) Weems, a twelve-year-old with a passion for books and music. Livy has eight siblings of various ages and temperaments, a sweet mama, and a starry-eyed daddy. Money’s tight — Daddy’s music fills the heart and ears more than it fills the pocketbook — but the Weems make do, and their household is always bursting with family, love, and music. Louisiana’s Song is a worthy sequel to Gentle’s Holler, and, unlike many middle books in trilogies, can stand on its own two feet. When Louise learns to do the same, Livy Two will cheer her on, and so will readers.”
Little Willow: Read her review

Louisiana’s Song is really fantastic, just like Gentle’s Holler. Kerry Madden is an amazing writer, capturing her characters and her setting beautifully.

Miss Spitfire
by Sarah Miller
Atheneum
Buy from Amazon | Buy from BookSense

“This book is the story of Helen Keller’s teacher, Annie Sullivan, as she struggles to teach a girl who can neither hear, see, nor speak. She displays incredible strength and determination as she sacrifices herself completely for Helen. Almost everyone knows this story, but hearing it from the teacher’s point of view is a really unique insight. This delightful debut novel will keep you rooting for teacher and student right up until its triumphant ending.”
Miss Erin: Read her review

Wild Girls
by Pat Murphy
Viking
Buy from Amazon | Buy from BookSense

“Pat Murphy tells the story of two girls — the rule-following Joan (a.k.a. “Newt”), who just moved to California from Connecticut and has always written the kinds of stories she thought her teacher would like, and Sarah (a.k.a. “Fox”), who hangs out throwing rocks in the woods near the run-down house where she lives with her dad, a motorcycle-writer-guy who doesn’t fit the image of any dad Joan has ever known. Fox and Newt form the kind of bond that can only be forged in secret clearings and treehouses, and together, they weather the storms of family trauma and trying (or not) to fit in among their peers. More than anything, though, they learn about writing and about the power of story to help us see truth — especially when truth is different from the story that the grownups are dishing out.”
Kate: Read her review

Those books are all awesome (well, I didn’t get to read them all, but I trust my fellow panelists here). I can’t wait to see which one wins!

Many of you that are interested in my blog will probably also be interested in the Science Fiction and Fantasy shortlist. Their list is actually two lists of five, one for teen readers and one for middle grade readers. Here it is:

Teen/Young Adult:

Book of a Thousand Days
by Shannon Hale
Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books
On her first day as a Lady’s maid, Dashti finds herself sealed in a tower for seven years with her Lady, who is being punished for
refusing to marry the Lord of a neighboring land. Tight plotting,
beautiful use of language and metaphor, and an engaging main
character make this book a standout.
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense

Incarceron
by Catherine Fisher
Hodder Children’s Books (UK)
No one has been in or out of Incarceron for over 150 years.  Now, a young man on the Inside thinks he’s found the way Out–and a young woman on the Outside thinks she may have found the way In.
Success will require going up against the Warden–and Incarceron
itself.  The strong writing and characterization, suspenseful
narrative, and creative world building brought this book to the top
of the pack.
Buy from Amazon UK | Buy from Booksense

Northlander (Tales of the Borderlands)
by Meg Burden
Brown Barn Books
Northlander is an engaging tale which shows how hatred is only
ignorance of the unknown.  Though Ellin’s gift of healing saves the Northlander king, she is  feared and imprisoned. This gripping tale is both emotionally moving and thought-provoking.
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Repossessed
by A. M. Jenkins
HarperCollins
Fast-paced and sharply funny, A.M. Jenkins’ story of Kiriel–the fallen angel whose name means “mirror of souls”–takes readers on a week-long ride in the body of an ordinary human boy. Philosophical in a religious sense, yet untethered from any churchy elements, this novel’s quirky appreciation of the mundane combines with a wisecracking, personable narrative voice to create a funny yet thought-provoking novel. (For mature readers)
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense

Skin Hunger
by Kathleen Duey
Simon & Schuster/Atheneum
Take two divergent story threads and weave them into one of the year’s darkest novels. Add vivid characterization, a quest for knowledge beyond any cost, and magic that is repulsive but intriguing and you have Skin Hunger.
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense

Elementary/Middle Grade:

The Chaos King
by Laura Ruby
HarperCollins/Eos
The Richest Girl in the World and the son of gangster Sweetcheeks Grabowski have to find their way back to friendship, as compelling weirdness enters their lives again in the form of a giant squid, a super-annoying hotel heiress, an animated stone lion, and The Chaos King–a “Sid” punk with a serious art fetish. This fast-paced, stand-alone sequel is accessible to both middle grade and teen readers and is both funny and endearing.
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense

Into the Wild
by Sarah Beth Durst
Penguin/Razorbill
A long time ago, all fairy-tale characters fled from their stories seeking refuge from “The Wild,” a tangled, evil forest. Since then, Rapunzel has kept the forest under control with the help of her daughter Julie, but when it gets too powerful she is forced to depend on Julie to set aside her fears and doubts and defeat The Wild. Julie’s strong character is an inspiring example of duty, survival, and love.
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense

The Land of the Silver Apples
by Nancy Farmer
Simon & Schuster/Atheneum/Richard Jackson Books
Land of the Silver Apples has it all–adventure, fairies, old world gods, and an ancient world that is caught between belief in the Old Gods and Christianity. This stand-alone sequel will appeal to not only fans of Nancy Farmer but those who enjoy adventurous tales.
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense

Skulduggery Pleasant
by Derek Landy
HarperCollins
When twelve-year-old Stephanie Edgley’s mysterious uncle dies, he not only bequeaths her his house, but a sticky supernatural situation and a rather dashing skeleton detective named Skulduggery Pleasant. This smart novel is full of humor, action, and a real sense of danger–and has a sly wit that would appeal to a wide age range.
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense

The True Meaning of Smekday
by Adam Rex
Disney/Hyperion
Nothing has been the same since the Boov invaded Earth and re-christened it Smekland. But things get even weirder when twelve-year-old Gratuity Tucci embarks on a journey to find her missing mother–accompanied by her cat (named Pig), a fugitive Boov (named J.Lo) and a slightly illegal hovercar–and realizes that there’s more at stake than just her mother’s whereabouts. A hilarious satire with a touching ending and spot-on illustrations by the author.

I’ve only read three of those (Book of a Thousand Days, Repossessed, and Into the Wild), and if the awesomeness of those titles is anything to go by, I really want to read the rest of that list!

I’ll also post the other shortlists released today, poetry and fiction picture books.

Poetry:

 Animal Poems
written by Valerie Worth, illustrated by Steve Jenkins
Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!: Voices from a Medieval Village
written by Laura Amy Schlitz, illustrated by Robert Byrd and Trina Schart Hyman
Here’s a Little Poem: A Very First Book of Poetry
edited by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Polly Dunbar
Poems in Black and White
written and illustrated by Kate Miller
This is Just to Say: Poems of Apology and Forgiveness
written by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski
Twist: Yoga Poems
written by Janet S. Wong, illustrated by Julie Paschkis

Your Own, Sylvia: A Verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath
written by Stephanie Hemphill

Not being a big poetry reader, I haven’t read any of those, though I do think I have Your Own, Syliva somewhere, so I might read that. Anyway, I don’t want to make this post too long, so check the Cybils website for more info on those titles and the fiction picture book titles.

Fiction Picture Books:

Pssst!
by Adam Rex
Go to Bed, Monster!
written by Natasha Wing; illustrated by Sylvie Kantorovitz
The Chicken-Chasing Queen of Lamar County
written by Janice N. Harrington; illustrated by Shelley Jackson
Leaves
by David Ezra Stein
Four Feet, Two Sandals
written by Karen Lynn William & Khadra Mohammad; illustrated by Doug Chayka
Knuffle Bunny Too
by Mo Willems

The Incredible Book-Eating Boy
by Oliver Jeffers No comments here, as I don’t read picture books, either.

Stay tuned for the next round of shortlists in a week, and then the winners on Valentine’s day!

 

Reading in 2007

So, 2007 is almost over. I read some great stuff this year, but unfortunately I didn’t make my goal of 365 books. So I guess it’s my goal again for next year, but that’s another post (reading goals for 2008). I have a confession to make: I forgot to keep track of the books I read past about September. As you may have noticed, due to a lack of reading lists. But I’d like to go ahead and mention some that really resonated with me personally, limited to first-time reads (as I did reread a few favorites). There are so, so many more that I adored, but these are the ones I remember well even months later, the ones I’m eager to reread as I make this list, and the ones that really made me think. It’s a long list, but I had to cut a lot of great books out! Series books that I read all of this year are listed together. Before I start the long, long list, though, I’d like to mention my “shortlist” of my top ten (well, it’s more, but they’re listed by entry with series together). This was really hard to narrow down, but if you don’t want to look at the whole long list, check this one out. I have also decided on a best book of the year:

The best book I read in 2007 is Ophelia, by Lisa Klein.

1. Ophelia by Lisa Klein
2. Set in Stone by Linda Newbery
3. Sloppy Firsts, Second Helpings, Charmed Thirds and Fourth Comings by Megan McCafferty
4. The Thief, The Queen of Attolia, and The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner
5. The Nature of Jade by Deb Calletti
6. Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood by Benjamin Alire Saenz
7. Sweethearts by Sara Zarr
8. A Place Called Here by Cecelia Ahern (Edited to add: the American title–I read the British edition–is There’s No Place Like Here.)
9. Red edited by Amy Goldwasser
10. Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate

• Sloppy Firsts, Second Helpings, Charmed Thirds and Fourth Comings by Megan McCafferty
• Ophelia by Lisa Klein
• Set in Stone by Linda Newbery
• The Big Shuffle by Laura Pedersen
• The Sledding Hill by Chris Crutcher
• Kitty Goes Californian by Pepper McNeil
• Girl At Sea by Maureen Johnson
• My Secret and Postsecret, edited by Frank Warren
• The Poker Diaries by Liza Conrad
• Rock My World by Liza Conrad
• Does My Head Look Big In This? By Randa Abdel-Fattah
• Looking For Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta
• The Brief History Of The Dead by Kevin Brockmeier
• Buried Onions by Gary Soto
• The Thief, The Queen of Attolia, and The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner
• While I Live by John Marsden
• Princess Nevermore by Dian Curtis Regan
• The Nature of Jade by Deb Caletti
• First Light by Rebecca Stead
• Sammy and Juliana In Hollywood by Benjamin Alire Saenz
• Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin
• The Silenced by James DeVita
• Boy Toy by Barry Lyga
• Boy Proof by Cecil Castellucci
• Sweethearts by Sara Zarr
• Harley, Like A Person by Cat Bauer
• In The Garage by Alma Fullerton
• The Straight Road To Kylie by Nico Medina
• A Place Called Here by Cecelia Ahern
• The City, Not Long After by Pat Murphy
• Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling
• Secret Society Girl and Under The Rose by Diana Peterfreund
• Gentle’s Holler and Louisiana’s Song by Kerry Madden
• Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale
• Extras by Scott Westerfeld
• Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George
• Evolution, Me, And Other Freaks of Nature by Robin Brande
• The Kings Are Already Here by Garret Freymann-Weyr
• Life As It Comes by Anne-Laure Bondoux
• Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
• Naomi and Ely’s No Kiss List by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
• Red, edited by Amy Goldwasser
• Leap of Faith by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
• Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate
• Or Not by Brian Mandabach
• Reaching For Sun by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer
• Go Figure by Jo Edwards
• Snitch by Allison van Diepen
• Deadline by Chris Crutcher

I reserve the right to add anything I read/think of before January 2nd :-) I hope that gives everyone some ideas to spend their Christmas gift cards on!

 

Cybils YA Fiction Nominees

Same deal as the Sci Fi/Fantasy nominees–I’ve read the ones in italics. There are 123, of which I’ve read 29. It’s such a great list! So many more of these titles are on either my wanted list or to-read shelf!

68 Knots
written by Evans, Michael Robert
Tanglewood Press
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

A is for Angst
written by Haworth-Attard, Barbara
Harper Collins Canada
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

A Swift Pure Cry
written by Dowd, Siobhan
David Fickling
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, The
written by Alexie, Sherman
Little, Brown
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Angels on Sunset Boulevard
written by de la Cruz, Melissa
Simon & Schuster
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Another Kind of Cowboy
written by Juby, Susan
HarperTeen
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Back Talk
written by Richards, Alex
Flux
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Bad Girls Club
written by Gregerson, Judy
Blooming Tree Press
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Beauty Shop for Rent
written by Bowers, Laura
Harcourt
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Before I Die *well, I’m reading this one right now, a few chapters in between cybils MG books*
written by Downham, Jenny
David Fickling
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Before, After, and Somebody In Between
written by Garsee, Jeannine
Bloomsbury
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Beige
written by Castellucci, Cecil
Candlewick
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Big Slick
written by Luper, Eric
FSG
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Billie Standish Was Here
written by Crocker, Nancy
Simon & Schuster
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Blood Brothers
written by Harazin, S.A.
Delacorte
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Bloom
written by Scott, Elizabeth
Simon Pulse
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Boy Toy
written by Lyga, Barry
Houghton Mifflin
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Boys Next Door, The
written by Echols, Jennifer
Simon Pulse
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Brothers, Boyfriends & Other Criminal Minds
written by Lurie, April
Delacorte
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Candy in Action
written by Roth, Matthue
SoftSkull Press
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Carpe Diem
written by Cornwell, Autumn
Feiwel and Friends
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Cassandra’s Sister
written by Bennett, Veronica
Candlewick
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Circle the Truth
written by Schmatz, Pat
Carolrhoda
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Converting Kate
written by Weinheimer, Beckie
Viking
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Crazy In Love
written by Mackall, Dandi Daley
Dutton
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy  *halfway through it, put on hold for the moment*
written by Carter, Ally
Hyperion
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Cupcake
written by Cohn, Rachel
Simon & Schuster
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Cures for Heartbreak
written by Rabb, Margo
Delacorte
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Dawn and Dusk
written by Mead, Alice
FSG
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Deadline
written by Crutcher, Chris
HarperTeen
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Diamonds in the Shadow
written by Cooney, Caroline B
Delacorte
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Does My Head Look Big In This?
written by Abdel-Fattah, Randa
Orchard Books
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Don’t Get it Twisted
written by Chase, Paula
Dafina
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Dramarama
written by Lockhart, E.
Hyperion
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Enter Three Witches
written by Cooney, Caroline B
Scholastic
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Ethan, Suspended
written by Ehrenberg, Pamela
Eerdmans
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Evil Genius
written by Jinks, Catherine
Harcourt
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Evolution, Me & Other Freaks of Nature
written by Brande, Robin
Knopf
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Finch Goes Wild
written by Janet Gingold
Windstorm Creative, Blue Works Division
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Freak Show
written by St. James, James
Dutton
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Freshman Focus
written by Sarratt, Carla
Outskirts
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Friends Unlikely
written by Alvis, Susan Smith
Amira Press
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Fringe Girl in Love
written by Frankel, Valerie
NAL Trade
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Get Well Soon
written by Halpern, Julie
Feiwel & Friends
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Girl At Sea
written by Johnson, Maureen
HarperTeen
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Glass
written by Hopkins, Ellen
Margaret K. McElderry
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Graffiti Girl
written by Parra, Kelly
MTV
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

grl2grl: Short Fictions
written by Peters, Julie Anne
Little, Brown
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Head Case
written by Aronson, Sarah
Roaring Brook
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Heaven Looks a Lot Like the Mall
written by Mass, Wendy
Little, Brown
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

High Spirits
written by Salerni, Dianne
iUniverse
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Holdup
written by Fields, Terri
Roaring Brook
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

How to Get Suspended and Influence People
written by Selzer, Adam
Delacorte
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

How to Ruin My Teenage Life
written by Elkeles, Simone
Flux
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Hunter’s Heart
written by Green, Julia
Carolrhoda Books
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

In Search of Mockingbird
written by Ellsworth, Loretta
Henry Holt
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

In the Name of God
written by Jolin, Paula
Roaring Brook
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Inner Circle
written by Brian, Kate
Simon Pulse
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

It’s Not About the Accent
written by Ferrer, Caridad
MTV
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Kiss & Blog
written by Noel, Alyson
St. Martin’s
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Leaving Paradise
written by Elkeles, Simone
Flux
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Lemonade Mouth
written by Hughes, Mark Peter
Delacorte
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Lessons from a Dead Girl
written by Knowles, Jo
Candlewick
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Lion Hunter
written by Wein, Elizabeth
Viking
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Long May She Reign
written by White, Ellen Emerson
Feiwel & Friends
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Love, Stargirl
written by Spinelli, Jerry
Knopf
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac
written by Zevin, Gabrielle
FSG
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Mistik Lake
written by Brooks, Martha
FSG
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Naomi & Ely’s No Kiss List
written by Cohn, Rachel & David Levithan
Knopf
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Nature of Jade, The
written by Caletti, Deb
Simon & Schuster
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Notes on a Near-Life Experience
written by Olivia Birdsall
Delacorte
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Off Season, The
written by Murdock, Catherine Gilbert
Houghton Mifflin
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Someday this Pain Will Be Useful to You
written by Cameron, Peter
FSG
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Or Not
written by Mandabach, Brian
Flux
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Other Half of Me, The
written by Franklin, Emily
Random House
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Outside the Box
written by Allosso, Dan
iUniverse
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Pants on Fire
written by Cabot, Meg
HarperTeen
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Parrotfish
written by Wittlinger, Ellen
Simon & Schuster
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Peak
written by Smith, Roland
Harcourt
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Poison Apples, The
written by Archer, Lily
Feiwel and Friends
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Porcupine
written by Tilly, Meg
Tundra
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Prime Choice
written by Moore, Stephanie Perry
Dafina
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Princess on the Brink
written by Cabot, Meg
HarperTeen
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Quad
written by Watson, Carrie Gordon
Razorbill
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Quaking
written by Erskine, Kathryn
Philomel
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Rat Life
written by Arnold, Tedd
Dial (Penguin)
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Red Glass
written by Resau, Laura
Random
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Red Moon at Sharpsburg
written by Wells, Rosemary
Viking
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Remembering Raquel
written by Vande Velde, Vivian
Harcourt
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Revenge of the Homecoming Queen
written by Hale, Stephanie
Berkley Trade
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Revolution is Not a Dinner Party
written by Compestine, Ying Chang
Henry Holt
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Right Behind You
written by Giles, Gail
Little, Brown
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Rubber Houses
written by Yeomans, Ellen
Little, Brown
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Saving Zoe
written by Noel, Alyson
St. Martin’s Griffin
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Shark Girl
written by Bingham, Kelly
Candlewick
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Slam
written by Hornby, Nick
Putnam
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Snitch
written by van Diepen, Allison
Simon Pulse
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

So Not the Drama
written by Chase, Paula
Dafina
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Something Rotten
written by Gratz, Alan
Dial
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Song of the Sparrow
written by Sandell, Lisa Ann
Scholastic
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Spell Book of Listen Taylor
written by Moriarty, Jaclyn
Arthur A. Levine
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Split Screen
written by Hartinger, Brent
HarperTeen
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Story of a Girl
written by Zarr, Sara
Little, Brown
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Strange Relations
written by Levitin, Sonia
Knopf
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Such a Pretty Girl
written by Wiess, Laura
MTV
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Tamar
written by Peet, Mal
Candlewick
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Thirteen Reasons Why
written by Asher, Jay
Razorbill
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

This is What I Did
written by Ellis, Ann Dee
Little, Brown
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Tin Angel
written by Cowan, Shannon
Lobster Press
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Tips on Having a Gay (ex)Boyfriend
written by Jones, Carrie
Flux
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Top Ten Uses for an Unworn Prom Dress
written by Ferraro, Tina
Delacorte
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Total Constant Order
written by Chappell, Crissa-jean
HarperTeen
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Touching Snow
written by Felin, M. Sindy
Atheneum
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Twisted
written by Anderson, Laurie Halse
Viking
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Under the Banyan Tree
written by De Palma, Toni
Holiday House
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Undercover
written by Kephart, Beth
HarperTeen
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Walking on Glass
written by Fullerton, Alma
HarperTeen
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

We are SO Crashing Your Bar Mitzvah
written by Rosenbloom, Fiona
Hyperion
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Wednesday Wars, The
written by Schmidt, Gary D.
Clarion
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

White Darkness, The
written by Mccaughrean, Geraldine
HarperTeen
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Wonders of the World
written by Yansky, Brian
Flux
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

Zen and the Art of Faking It
written by Sonnenblick, Jordan
Scholastic
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Booksense (your local independent)

December 01, 2007 at 08:21 PM in Nominations | Permalink

 

July Reading List

This was not the best reading month numbers-wise, but much of what I read was absolutely fantastic. Also I’m pretty sure that in compiling this list I missed a couple.

In choosing these top picks, I did not consider any of the Harry Potter books as my excitement over them probably would have taken all the top spots. Know that they are all (especially Deathly Hallows) fabulous!!!!

I was unable to pick a top book out my favorites, but here’s the list of my favorite eight books: Gentle’s Holler; Prep; Outside the Box; Evolution, Me And Other Freaks of Nature; Book of a Thousand Days; Dragon Slippers; Secret Society Girl; and The Kings Are Already Here. Read them all!!

And here’s my reading list. Except for the Harry Potter rereads, you’ll see the rating out of five stars next to the title. Remember: Five stars is new favorite, four is awesome, three is pretty good, two is kinda sucky, one is absolutely terrible.

Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld *****

Scribbler of Dreams by Mary E Pearson ****1/2

Ana’s Story by Jenna Bush *

The Cobra King of Kathmandu by PB Kerr ***1/2

The Quantum Prophecy 01: The Awakening by Michael Carroll ***

Outside the Box by Dan Allosso *****

Harmless by Dana Reinhardt ****

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (reread)

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (reread)

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (reread)

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (reread)

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (reread)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows *****

How Ya Like Me Now? by Brendan Halpin ****

Mob Princess: For Love and Money by Todd Strasser ***1/2

Under The Rose by Diana Peterfreund ****

Gentle’s Holler by Kerry Madden *****

A Portrait of Pia by Marisabina Russo ****

Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale *****

Fourth Comings by Megan McCafferty ****

Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George *****

The Kings are Already Here by Garret Freymann-Weyr *****

Evolution, Me, And Other Freaks of Nature by Robin Brande *****

Secret Society Girl by Diana Peterfreund *****

What I Meant… by Marie Lamba ****

 

February 2007 Reading List

February 2007 Reading List

I read 35 books in February–quite a lot, especially considering it’s the shortest month! I reread some old favorites, which was nice, but I also discovered some new fabulous books. I know that I’m really behind on reviews, but I’m working on it. Thanks for being patient! I’ve listed my favorites, but it was a VERY hard choice. I had it narrowed down to about half of them and I kept having to cut more out! There are sooo many awesome books out there. And without further ado…

And my top pick for February is:
City Of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Runners-up(this time in order from very favorite to still completely fabulous):
Girl At Sea by Maureen Johnson
Tattoo by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Septimus Heap Book Three: Physik by Angie Sage
Why I Let My Hair Grow Out by Maryrose Wood
Bloom by Elizabeth Scott

(*note: I limited these awards to books read for the first time, and also did not include the two Postsecret books, as this is more for novels)

Here’s my February reading list, with stars for those books getting at least a 9/10 on my rating system (the other books are all great, too–a lot of them are 8.5/10!). There were quite a lot! I’ve also noted which books are re-reads.

Girl At Sea by Maureen Johnson*
Fringe Girl In Love by Valerie Frankel*
Bloom by Elizabeth Scott*
Saint Iggy by KL Going*
My Not-So-Terrible Time At The Hippie Hotel by Rosemary Graham
My Secret ed. by Frank Warren*
Postsecret ed. by Frank Warren*
Split Screen: Attack of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies & Bride of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies by Brent Hartinger*
Going Nowhere Faster by Sean Beaudoin*
Septimus Heap Book Three: Physik by Angie Sage*
Tattoo by Jennifer Lynn Barnes*
Anatomy of a Boyfriend by Daria Snadowsky
The Faerie Path by Frewin Jones
Ironside by Holly Black*
Better than Yesterday by Robyn Schneider*
More Confessions of a Hollywood Starlet by Lola Douglas*
Flawless by Sara Shepard
The 310: Boy Trouble by Beth Killian*
City Of Bones by Cassandra Clare*
Forging the Sword by Hilari Bell*
Magic’s Child by Justine Larbalestier*
The Thief Queen’s Daughter by Elizabeth Haydon*
WorldWeavers: Gift of the Unmage by Alma Alexander
The Possibility of Fireflies by Dominique Paul*
This is PUSH ed. by David Levithan
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer* (reread)
New Moon by Stephenie Meyer* (reread)
Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce* (reread)
In The Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce* (reread)
The Woman Who Rides Like A Man by Tamora Pierce* (reread)
Lioness Rampant by Tamora Pierce* (reread)
The Will of the Empress by Tamora Pierce* (reread)
Graffiti Girl by Kelly Parra*
Why I Let My Hair Grow Out by Maryrose Wood*
Gettin’ Lucky by Micol Ostow