One of the things I find frustrating about this blogging thing is the December blahs. At this point in the game, I have a sense of what the year has brought us. I’m not a seer, so I don’t know what books will take the RealPrintz (and judging by last year, don’t listen even if [...]
Roundup: Vaguely Paranormal
By on December 12, 2012
Paranormal fantasy, which is to say fiction with a fantastic angle, but not set in a secondary world, with at least one character who is not human or not, technically, alive, and a romance plot or subplot, continues to go strong. (Even if we, as adults who have seen vast quantities of formulaic fiction pass [...]
Another Year-End List, with STATS!
By on December 11, 2012
My Book of Life By Angel
By on December 7, 2012
My Book of Life by Angel, Martine Leavitt Margaret Ferguson Books, Farrar Straus Giroux, September 2012 Reviewed from ARC A four star book from an author whose last book netted an NBA finalist nod? Yes please! But just to put it right out there — Leavitt’s latest is nothing like Keturah and Lord Death, with [...]
My Book of Life By Angel
By on December 7, 2012
My Book of Life by Angel, Martine Leavitt
Margaret Ferguson Books, Farrar Straus Giroux, September 2012
Reviewed from ARC
A four star book from an author whose last book netted an NBA finalist nod?
Yes please!
But just to put it right out there — Leavitt’s latest is nothing like Keturah and Lord Death, with its mythopoeic elements and historical/fantastical [...]
What a Day!
By on December 6, 2012
Today we had not one but two great lists (I’d like to say “that go great together,” but actually there is zero overlap).
First, the morning greeted me with the Morris shortlist, which I wasn’t expecting until Monday, and settled the pesky question of whether Seraphina counts as a debut. (It does, clearly, since it made [...]
What a Day!
By on December 6, 2012
Today we had not one but two great lists (I’d like to say “that go great together,” but actually there is zero overlap). First, the morning greeted me with the Morris shortlist, which I wasn’t expecting until Monday, and settled the pesky question of whether Seraphina counts as a debut. (It does, clearly, since it [...]
Nonfiction! Finalists!
By on December 4, 2012
Probably you have all seen the shortlist for The YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction already, but just in case: Bomb We’ve Got a Job Moonbird Titanic Steve Jobs: The Man Who Thought Different (Click through for descriptions/why statements and cover art.) Of the five finalists, we thought We’ve Got a Job skewed a bit [...]
Nonfiction! Finalists!
By on December 4, 2012
Probably you have all seen the shortlist for The YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction already, but just in case:
Bomb
We’ve Got a Job
Moonbird
Titanic
Steve Jobs: The Man Who Thought Different
(Click through for descriptions/why statements and cover art.)
Of the five finalists, we thought We’ve Got a Job skewed a bit young (but will be posting [...]
Get Ready, Get Set, READ!
By on December 2, 2012
Well, folks, the results are in! We voted down the Pyrite Nominations to create a shortlist, and here it is:
I don’t think there are any real surprises here, except maybe the margin; Code Name Verity pretty much swept it.
Your task now, should you choose to join the fun (and regardless of whether you voted on [...]
Seraphina
By on November 30, 2012
Seraphina, Rachel Hartman
Random House, July 2012
Reviewed from ARC
Gosh golly, but I love rereading.
Books change upon acquaintance. They get deeper (or, sometimes, shallower, but let’s not go there); different aspects bubble to the top; when the reader is no longer at the mercy of the plot’s momentum there is time to really savor all the different [...]
Seraphina
By on November 30, 2012
Seraphina, Rachel Hartman
Random House, July 2012
Reviewed from ARC
Gosh golly, but I love rereading.
Book change upon acquaintance. They get deeper (or, sometimes, shallower, but let’s not go there); different aspects bubble to the top; when the reader is no longer at the mercy of the plot’s momentum there is time to really savor all the different [...]
Pyrite Poll!
By on November 29, 2012
The poll is up! I realized, belatedly, that actually it should probably have been that everyone votes for 5, and the top ten most selected titles are the Pyrite* shortlist. Next year, hopefully we’ll get the math bits figured out. Data nerds, feel free to give statistical collection tips if you have any.
But hey! [...]
Lists, Lists, Lists!
By on November 29, 2012
Yesterday was full of goodness! We saw the New York Times Notables, Library Journal’s YA for Adults list (which has strong crossover with the contender list, no surprise), and a peek (via Twitter) at the SLJ list, which is full of goodness and a few surprises.
Sometime in the next few days, and as even more [...]
Second Chance Summer (Doesn’t Have a Chance at the Gold)
By on November 25, 2012
Second Chance Summer, Morgan Matson
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, May 2012
Reviewed from final copy
My friends, I have failed. For the first time this season, I’m calling DNF on an auto-contender I’m meant to be reviewing.
Second Chance Summer is a fine book. But 100 pages in, I can see that the literary merits don’t [...]
Code Name Verity
By on November 21, 2012
Code Name Verity, Elizabeth Wein
Hyperion, May 2012
Reviewed from ARC
At last! I finally get to write about my one true love of the year, the book I will champion against all others as the be all, end all best book of the year.
(Sorry, Railsea, you rock, but you’re still not number one, Pyrite nomination notwithstanding.)
Oh god, [...]
Pyrite Printz: Deadlines!
By on November 19, 2012
The Pyrite Printz nomination period is drawing to a close!
Nominations are scheduled to close Wednesday, 11/28.
You may nominate any YA title published in the US in 2012. You may only nominate one book. Ready? Head over to the original nomination post to nominate via commenting.
Straw polling/ranking/winnowing will take place on 11/29-30, with the goal [...]
The NBA Winner!
By on November 15, 2012
More Roundup (Debut Style!)
By on November 13, 2012
Amelia Anne Is Dead and Gone, Kat Rosenfield
Dutton, May 2012
Reviewed from ARC
Buzz and anticipation, impressive writing, and a whole that ends up not quite hitting it out of the park — haven’t we heard this story before?
Amelia Anne Is Dead and Gone has some really magnificent sentence level writing. Some of the best out there [...]
The Wonders of the Railsea
By on November 9, 2012
Railsea, China Miéville
Ballantine, May 2012
Reviewed from final copy
Oh this book!
This marvelous & bizarre book, with far too many ampersands & lots of literary antecedents. It is a marvelous invention full of fun & surprises. & it begs for rereading, often a Printzly quality.
China Miéville is, among adult genre circles, a serious literary darling. He has [...]
