Title: Poison Author: Bridget Zinn Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult Publisher: Disney Hyperion Publication Date: March 2013 Hardcover: 288 Pages Sixteen-year-old Kyra, a highly-skilled potions master, is the only one who knows her kingdom is on the verge of destruction—which…
Book Reviews
Title: A Corner of White Author: Jaclyn Moriarty Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books Publication date: April 1 2013 Hardcover: 384 pages The first in a rousing, funny, genre-busting trilogy from bestseller Jaclyn Moriarty! This is…
Title: Stolen Magic (US) / A Reckless Magick (UK) Author: Stephanie Burgis Genre: Fantasy, Historical, Middle Grade, Mystery Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers (US) / Templar (UK) Publication Date: April 2013 (US) / October 2012 (UK) Hardcover: 400…
Title: Wide Open Author: Deborah Coates Genre: Fantasy Publisher: Tor Books Publication date: March 2012 Paperback: 304 pages When Sergeant Hallie Michaels comes back to South Dakota from Afghanistan on ten days’ compassionate leave, her sister Dell’s ghost is…
It’s Friday, which means we are over at Kirkus! Today, Thea reviews the YA speculative fiction novel debut from Leah Bobet, Above – recently nominated for the Andre Norton Award. Great premise, intriguing voice, but ultimately all flash with…
Title: Emilie and the Hollow World Author: Martha Wells Genre: Science Fiction, Historical, Young Adult Publisher: Strange Chemistry Publication date: April 2 2013 Paperback: 287 pages While running away from home for reasons that are eminently defensible, Emilie’s plans…
Title: The Difference Between You and Me Author: Madeleine George Genre: Contemporary YA, LGQBT, Politics Publisher: Viking Children’s Publication date: March 2012 Hardcover: 261 pages Jesse cuts her own hair with a Swiss Army knife. She wears big green…
Welcome, everyone, to a brand new weekly Smugglerific feature: Old School Wednesdays! We came up with the idea towards the end of last year, when both of us were feeling exhausted from the never-ending inundation of new and shiny…
Title: Quicksilver Author: R.J. Anderson Genre: Science Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Young Adult Publisher: Carolrhoda Lab Publication Date: March 2013 Hardcover: 320 Pages Back in her hometown, Tori Beaugrand had everything a teenaged girl could want—popularity, money, beauty. But she…
Novella Review: “Adrift on the Sea of Rains” & “The Eye With Which The Universe Beholds Itself” by Ian Sales
Title: “Adrift on the Sea of Rains” (Apollo Quartet #1) / “The Eye With Which The Universe Beholds Itself” (Apollo Quartet #2) Author: Ian Sales Genre: Science Fiction Publisher: Self-published via Whippleshield Books Publication Date: April 2012 / January…
It’s Friday, which means we are over at Kirkus! Today, Ana is reviewing the SciFi novella “On a Red Station, Drifting” by Aliette de Bodard, recently nominated for a Nebula Award for Best Novella. Go HERE to see what…
Title: Revel Author: Maurissa Guibord Genre: Contemporary Fantasy, Young Adult Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers Publication Date: February 2013 Hardcover: 352 Pages There’s an island off the coast of Maine that’s not on any modern map. Shrouded in…
Old School Wednesdays Joint Review: Tooth and Claw by Jo Walton
Title: Tooth and Claw Author: Jo Walton Genre: Fantasy, Historical Publisher: Tor Fantasy Publication date: First published 2004 Paperback: 336 pages A tale of love, money, and family conflict–among dragons. A family deals with the death of their father.…
Title: Earth Girl Author: Janet Edwards Genre: Science Fiction Publisher: Pyr (US) / Harper Voyager (UK) Publication Date: March 2013 (US) / August 2012 (UK) Hardcover: 271 Pages 2788. Only the handicapped live on Earth. Eighteen-year-old Jarra is among…
Title: The Three Loves of Persimmon Author: Cassandra Golds Genre: Historical, Fable, Magical Realism, Romance Publisher: Penguin Books Publication date: August 2010 Paperback: 212 pages Persimmon Polidori is a fine young lady, but within her is a rebel. She…
Title: Strands of Bronze and Gold Author: Jane Nickerson Genre: Historical (with minor supernatural elements), Fairytale retelling, Young Adult Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers Publication Date: March 12 2013 Hardcover/Paperback: 352 Pages Seventeen-year-old Sophia Petheram has been sheltered…
It’s Friday, which means we are over at Kirkus! Today, Thea’s up at bat with her review of Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed. This book came out in early 2012, and Thea jumped on it now…
Title: Out of the Easy Author: Ruta Sepetys Genre: Historical, LGBT, Young Adult Publisher: Puffin Publication Date: March 7 2013 Hardcover/Paperback: 352 Pages Out of the Easy is set against the vivid backdrop of 1950s New Orleans. Written by…
Title: Orleans Author: Sherri L. Smith Genre: Post-Apocalypse, Dystopia, Speculative Fiction, Young Adult Publisher: Putnam Juvenile Publication Date: March 2013 Hardcover: 336 Pages First came the storms. Then came the Fever. And the Wall. After a string of devastating…
Middle Grade Review Bonanza: The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken, Permanent Rose by Hilary McKay, and From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
The Middle Grade Review Bonanza is a new feature of 2-3 mini-reviews for short (typically 250 pages or less) MG books we both really wanted to read. It’s a new Regular Thing (and we’d love to hear your thoughts…
Title: The Archived Author: Victoria Schwab Genre: Contemporary, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult Publisher: Hyperion Publication Date: January 2013 Hardcover: 328 Pages Imagine a place where the dead rest on shelves like books. Each body has a story to tell,…
Over at Kirkus: Summer of the Mariposas by Guadalupe Garcia Mccall
It’s Friday, which means we are over at Kirkus! Today Ana reviews Summer of the Mariposas by Guadalupe Garcia McCall. The book – a retelling of The Odyssey featuring 5 sisters travelling in Mexico, guided by the ghostly La…
Title: When We Wake Author: Karen Healey Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers Publication date: March 5 2013 Hardcover: 304 pages My name is Tegan Oglietti, and on the last day of my…
Title: Frost Burned Author: Patricia Briggs Genre: Contemporary, Urban Fantasy Publisher: Ace Publication Date: March 2013 Hardcover: 342 Pages Mercy Thompson returns in the seventh novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling series. Mercy Thompson’s life has undergone…
Joint Review (& Giveaway): The Madness Underneath by Maureen Johnson
Title: The Madness Underneath Author: Maureen Johnson Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Thriller, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult Publisher: Putnam Juvenile (US) / HarperCollins (UK) Publication date: February 2013 Hardcover: 290 pages After her near-fatal run-in with the Jack the Ripper copycat,…