The Book Smugglers have a weekly feature, Old School Wednesdays, when they look at titles that aren’t “new and shiny”. This past Wednesday, they did a middle grade blogger roundtable and I was one of the participants. One of the fun things about a roundtable like this is, of course, seeing what titles that people [...]
2014 ALA Program Proposals
By on August 17, 2013
I know, the ALA Annual Conference just happened, why already post about the 2014 Annual Conference? Because YALSA is seeking input into the programs that have been proposed for 2014. As explained at the YALSA wiki, “please help YALSA select which continuing education sessions.” The YALSA wiki has information on all the proposed programs. The input [...]
Review: Leonard Peacock
By on August 15, 2013
Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick. Little, Brown. 2013. Reviewed from ARC from publisher. The Plot: It is Leonard Peacock’s birthday. No one remembers. He has wrapped up four gifts, to give to his four best friends. And he is bringing his grandfather’s handgun to school. Today is the day he will shoot Asher [...]
Flashback August 2009
By on August 14, 2013
And now, a look back at what I reviewed in August 2009: Julie & Julia : 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen by Julie Powell. Little Brown, 2005. Paperback edition renamed Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously. From my review: “I really enjoyed Powell’s memoir; what led her to start cooking Julia Child’s book, and to blog about [...]
Review: Spirit and Dust
By on August 13, 2013
Spirit and Dust by Rosemary Clement-Moore. Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House. 2013. Review from ARC from publisher. Companion to Texas Gothic (2011). The Plot: Daisy Goodnight is seventeen (so, so close to 18!), a college freshman, and a psychic consultant to the FBI. Yep, that’s right. Daisy, like all the Goodnight women, has a [...]
What In My Teenager’s Room?!
By on August 12, 2013
One of the articles that caught my eye this weekend was Sex in a Teenager’s Room. A few things first: It’s in The New York Times, in the Fashion & Style section, in the monthly Circa Now column. It’s written by Henry Alford, an American humorist and journalist. I mention all that to say: Sex [...]
Review: Jersey Angel
By on August 8, 2013
Jersey Angel by Beth Ann Bauman. Wendy Lamb Books, an imprint of Random House. 2012. Review copy from publisher. Guest post about this book at this blog by Beth Ann Bauman. The Plot: It’s the summer before Angel Cassonetti’s senior year of high school. “Summer has begun, and I am filled with hope.” Angel just wants [...]
Flashback August 2011
By on August 7, 2013
And now, a look back at what I reviewed in August 2011: The West Memphis Three: A look at the case includes a brief review of The Devil’s Knot by Mara Leveritt: “filled in a lot about the case and gave much more background and details. It addresses questions such as why Echols was a suspect from [...]
Review: Wise Young Fool
By on August 6, 2013
Wise Young Fool by Sean Beaudoin. Little, Brown. 2013. Reviewed from ARC from publisher. The Plot: Ritchie Sudden is locked up for ninety days. He’s about to tell you why he got here. Well, eventually. Ritchie is about to tell you about his senior year. And how he and his best friend, Elliot Hella, started a [...]
What’s Selling
By on August 5, 2013
And now, a look at The New York Times Best Sellers for Young Adult and Children’s Series. Over in Young Adult, the highest number you’ll see is 35, because that is how long there has been a separate list for Young Adult. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green continues to be real powerhouse [...]
Flashback July 2006
By on August 2, 2013
A flashback to what I was reading in July 2006. The Case of the Missing Marquess by Nancy Springer. From my review: “Enola Holmes’ mother has disappeared. The fourteen year old calls on her two older brothers, Mycroft and Sherlock, to assist; but they seem more interested in Enola being turned into a proper young [...]
Review: The Lucy Variations
By on August 1, 2013
The Lucy Variations by Sara Zarr. Little, Brown. 2013. Reviewed from ARC from publisher. The Plot: Eight months ago, Lucy Beck-Moreau stopped playing the piano. Teens do that all the time, right? Except Lucy Beck-Moreau, 16, isn’t your typical teen. She was a concert pianist, who was in Prague for a major event when she [...]
It’s Like Santa…
By on July 31, 2013
You may remember my post, It’s That Time Of Month, about books and periods. If so, you can understand my delight in the commercial, The Camp Gyno, from Hello Flo. I found out about it through Jezebel’s post, Tiny Tampon Queen Stars in Best Menstrual Marketing Ever. In a nutshell, Hello Flo is a new [...]
Review: Uses for Boys
By on July 30, 2013
Uses for Boys by Erica Lorraine Scheidt. St. Martin’s Griffin. 2013. The Plot: Slut. That’s the word thrown at Anna. Cutting as a knife. Creating a barrier between herself and the world. Except for the boys. Desmond, Joey, Todd, and the others. Yes, they take something, but they also give her something she needs. Warmth; [...]
Spoil This
By on July 29, 2013
Plagiarism, Indie Authors, Libraries
By on July 28, 2013
Plagiarism stinks. No two ways about it. It happens. The question is, what to do when you see it? That was the issue presented to readers of some indie authors recently; they saw that one author had plagiarized others, and saw that the author had been mentioned on a blog post. So, what to do? [...]
Guest Post by Beth Bauman
By on July 26, 2013
One of the things I really like New Adult is the conversations it inspires. While I’ve joked about how “sexytimes” figures into whether a book is Young Adult or New Adult, I’m dead serious about young adult books and female sexuality. Want to see me rant? Just drop the s-word when talking about teenage girls. [...]
Review: Fuse
By on July 25, 2013
Fuse: Book 2 of the Pure Trilogy by Julianna Baggott. Grand Central Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Group. 2013. Review copy from conference. Sequel to Pure. Part of my “vacation reads,” books for adults to read during their vacation — hey, it’s summer vacation! Also, this is a sequel to an Alex Award winner; [...]
Flashback July 2008
By on July 24, 2013
SummerTeen tomorrow!
By on July 23, 2013
Just a reminder about SummerTeen tomorrow! The line up is at the SLJ SummerTeen website. I will be moderating the Historical Fantasy panel. Deb Noyes, Plague in the Mirror (Candlewick) (My review) Robin LaFevers, Dark Triumph (HMH) (My review of Grave Mercy, the first book in this series, and Dark Triumph) Elizabeth Wein, The Winter [...]
