BookNotes// vol. 11
February new YA book releases and book related links
This past week has been heavy in the D.C. area; it’s hard to write this intro without acknowledging that. I did get some quality time with my family this past weekend, so am thankful for that.
I did have a highlight of taking my 9 year old son to the Library of Congress for the Dogman Hero Party and to meet Dave Pilkey. It was just a really sweet time with him, especially as he wants to be an author/illustrator so was absolutely enthralled. Mom got some cool points and some core memories from the adventure.
Now onto the books, which is always a great escape from reality.
What have you been reading this month?
Book Buzz
Feb.4
The Meadowbrook Murders by Jessica Goodman. Senior year at Meadowbrook Academy takes a dark turn when Amy’s best friend and her boyfriend are brutally murdered; it gets worse when Amy becomes a suspect. “And even though they were best friends, with every passing day, Amy begins to learn that Sarah lied about a lot of things.”
All Better Now by Neal Shusterman. “ A deadly and unprecedented virus is spreading. But those who survive it experience long-term effects no one has ever seen before: utter contentment… People in power--who depend on malcontents and prey on the insecure to sell their products, and convince others they need more, new, faster, better everything--know this new state of being is bad for business…”
The Rose Bargain by Sasha Peyton Smith. “ Vying for the hand of one brother. Falling in love with the other. A new Victorian-inspired romantasy, perfect for fans of Bridgerton, The Selection, and The Cruel Prince.”
Under the Same Stars by Libby Bray. A historical fiction novel set in 3 different time periods: 1940’s Germany, 1980’s West Germany, and 2000 in NYC. Really good and hard to put down.
Feb. 11
(S)kin by Ibi Zoboi. “Fifteen-year-old Marisol is the daughter of a soucouyant. Every new moon, she sheds her skin like the many women before her, shifting into a fireball witch… Seventeen-year-old Genevieve [finds a secret] … connecting her to Marisol is revealed, and Gen begins to find answers to questions she hasn’t even thought to ask.But the girls soon discover that the very skin keeping their flames locked beneath the surface may be more explosive to the relationships around them than any ancient magic.”
Wicked Darlings by Jordyn Taylor. “ Noa sets out to infiltrate the seedy underbelly of Manhattan high society to investigate her sister [Leah's] final days. Along the way she finds herself entangled with the glamorous Avalons and their close-knit circle of friends and frienemies.” Look out for my full review of this book coming later this month!
Feb. 18
I am the Cage by Allison Sweet Grant . “In a searing own-voices story accented by poignant childhood flashbacks and stunning poetry, Allison Sweet Grant’s young adult debut is a quietly powerful portrait of a young woman’s journey to confront the medical trauma inflicted to “fix” her—and heal her heart in the process.”
Feb. 25
The Otherwhere Post by Emily J. Taylor. “ Seven years ago, Maeve Abenthy lost everything: her world, her father, even her name. Desperate to escape the stain of her father's crimes, she lives under a fake name, never staying in one place long enough to put down roots. Then she receives a mysterious letter with four impossible words: Your father was innocent.”
From the Librarian’s Desk
Currently Reading:
Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I just got approved for this arc and I am SO excited to read her latest, about a woman who joins NASA’s space shuttle program in the 1980’s. It will be released on June 3 of this year.
Read this month:
I read Onyx Storm with the rest of the world last week. My succinct and non-spoiler summary: it really felt like the middle book of a series in that there was a lot of setting up for the next one.
I read two arc’s for books that were released in January: After Life by Gayle Forman and The Queen’s Spade by Sarah Raughley. You can read my full review of After Life here. I’ll be publishing one for The Queen’s Spade next week.
Beyond the Pages
SoNovelicious shared The Young Adult Library in their New Year’s Substack, which was really exciting to find out!
And one of the other links Gayla shared was one I had missed, about how celebrity book clubs work. It’s fascinating (and not a take down of celebrity book clubs, which I enjoyed. Promoting reading is always a good thing!).
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