Spring 2018 Frenzy Presents!
I went to Toronto for the day and got to spend a few hours surrounded by friends and book people, which is always a good mix! The swag bags we were given were AMAZING and I received an ARC of THE DIMINISHED by Kaitlyn Sage Patterson in my bag, which I already had a copy of (and loved!), so I am giving it away below with some other goodies as well so be sure to check it out!
Below are the books we learned about, so let's get to it!
Below are the books we learned about, so let's get to it!
PAST TENSE
Author: Star SpiderSeries: N/A
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: April 10, 2018
Summary:
How do you live after death?
Julie Nolan is a pretty average girl with pretty average problems. She’s been in love with her best friend, Lorelei, ever since they met in grade three. Only Lorelei doesn’t know about it — she’s too busy trying to set Julie up with Henry, her ex, who Julie finds, in a word, vapid.
But life gets more complicated when Julie comes home to find her mother insisting that her heart is gone. Pretty soon it becomes clear: Julie’s mom believes that she has died.
How is Julie supposed to navigate her first year of high school now, while she’s making midnight trips to the graveyard to cover her mother with dirt, lay flowers and make up eulogies? And why is Henry the only person Julie feels comfortable turning to? If she wants to get through this, Julie’s going to have to find the strength she never knew she had, and to learn how to listen to both her mom’s heart and her own.
What we learned...
I already had a copy of PAST TENSE, which I've read and LOVED. It has such an amazing story of love, loss, and learning how to be yourself when everything around you seems to be falling apart. With a good LGBTQ+ romance - and a Toronto setting - there is nothing not to love about PAST TENSE!
THE FATES DIVIDE
Author: Veronica RothSeries: Carve the Mark #2
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication Date: April 10, 2018
Summary:
In the second book of the Carve the Mark duology, globally bestselling Divergent author Veronica Roth reveals how Cyra and Akos fulfill their fates. The Fates Divide is a richly imagined tale of hope and resilience told in four stunning perspectives.
Fate brought them together. Now it will divide them.
The lives of Cyra Noavek and Akos Kereseth are ruled by their fates, spoken by the oracles at their births. The fates, once determined, are inescapable.
Akos is in love with Cyra, in spite of his fate: He will die in service to Cyra’s family. And when Cyra’s father, Lazmet Noavek—a soulless tyrant, thought to be dead—reclaims the Shotet throne, Akos believes his end is closer than ever.
As Lazmet ignites a barbaric war, Cyra and Akos are desperate to stop him at any cost. For Cyra, that could mean taking the life of the man who may—or may not—be her father. For Akos, it could mean giving his own. In a stunning twist, the two will discover how fate defines their lives in ways most unexpected.
What we learned...
The sequel to CARVE THE MARK, the Frenzy team was really excited for the next book to be released!THE DIMINISHED
Author: Kaitlyn Sage PattersonSeries: Untitled Duology #1
Publisher: HarlequinTeen
Publication Date: April 10, 2018
Summary:
In the Alskad Empire, nearly all are born with a twin, two halves to form one whole…yet some face the world alone.
The singleborn
A rare few are singleborn in each generation, and therefore given the right to rule by the gods and goddesses. Bo Trousillion is one of these few, born into the royal line and destined to rule. Though he has been chosen to succeed his great-aunt, Queen Runa, as the leader of the Alskad Empire, Bo has never felt equal to the grand future before him.
The diminished
When one twin dies, the other usually follows, unable to face the world without their other half. Those who survive are considered diminished, doomed to succumb to the violent grief that inevitably destroys everyone whose twin has died. Such is the fate of Vi Abernathy, whose twin sister died in infancy. Raised by the anchorites of the temple after her family cast her off, Vi has spent her whole life scheming for a way to escape and live out what's left of her life in peace.
As their sixteenth birthdays approach, Bo and Vi face very different futures—one a life of luxury as the heir to the throne, the other years of backbreaking work as a temple servant. But a long-held secret and the fate of the empire are destined to bring them together in a way they never could have imagined.
What we learned...
This was another one I already had a copy of (and loved!) but it follows two characters in a new fantasy world where most people are born with a twin, but those without are expected to rule. With twists and turns that you'll never see coming - THE DIMINISHED will wow every YA fantasy fan. This one came out YESTERDAY but you can win an ARC below!LEAH ON THE OFFBEAT
Author: Becky AlbertalliSeries: Creekwood #2
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: April 24, 2018
Summary:
Leah Burke—girl-band drummer, master of deadpan, and Simon Spier’s best friend from the award-winning Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda—takes center stage in this novel of first love and senior-year angst.
When it comes to drumming, Leah Burke is usually on beat—but real life isn’t always so rhythmic. An anomaly in her friend group, she’s the only child of a young, single mom, and her life is decidedly less privileged. She loves to draw but is too self-conscious to show it. And even though her mom knows she’s bisexual, she hasn’t mustered the courage to tell her friends—not even her openly gay BFF, Simon.
So Leah really doesn’t know what to do when her rock-solid friend group starts to fracture in unexpected ways. With prom and college on the horizon, tensions are running high. It’s hard for Leah to strike the right note while the people she loves are fighting—especially when she realizes she might love one of them more than she ever intended.
What we learned...
What more is there to say than what you probably already know about LEAH ON THE OFFBEAT? A companion to SIMON VS. THE HOMOSAPIENS AGENDA, we get to follow bisexual Leah in senior year as she navigates the world.9 DAYS AND 9 NIGHTS
Author: Katie CotugnoSeries: 99 Days #2
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: May 1, 2018
Summary:
The irresistible sequel to the bestselling 99 Days.
Molly Barlow isn’t that girl anymore. A business major at her college in Boston, she’s reinvented herself after everything that went down a year ago . . . after all the people she hurt and the family she tore apart.
Slowly, life is getting back to normal. Molly has just said “I love you” to her new boyfriend, Ian, and they are off on a romantic European vacation together, starting with scenic London. But there on a Tube platform, the past catches up to her in the form of Gabe, her ex, traveling on his own parallel vacation with new girlfriend Sadie.
After comparing itineraries, Ian ends up extending an invite for Gabe and Sadie to join them on the next leg of their trip, to Ireland. Sadie, who’s dying to go there, jumps at the prospect. And Molly and Gabe can’t bring themselves to tell the truth about who they once were to each other to their new significant others.
Now Molly has to spend nine days and nine nights with the boy she once loved, the boy whose heart she shredded, without Ian knowing. Will she make it through as new, improved Molly, or will everything that happened between her and Gabe come rushing back?
What we learned...
Katie Cotugno is a powerhouse in YA Contemporary novels. As a sequel to 99 DAYS, this new novel is going to rock your socks and give you everything you could ever ask for in a YA contemporary. Perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Morgan Matson!TIFFANY SLY LIVES HERE NOW
Author: Dana L. DavisSeries: N/A
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication Date: May 1, 2018
Summary:
I’ve got seven days to come clean to my new dad. Seven days to tell the truth…
For sixteen-year-old Tiffany Sly, life hasn’t been safe or normal for a while. Losing her mom to cancer has her a little bit traumatized and now she has to leave her hometown of Chicago to live with the biological dad she’s never known.
Anthony Stone is a rich man with four other daughters—and rules for every second of the day. Tiffany tries to make the best of things, but she doesn’t fit into her new luxurious, but super-strict, home—or get along with her standoffish sister London. The only thing that makes her new life even remotely bearable is the strange boy across the street. Marcus McKinney has had his own experiences with death, and the unexpected friendship that blossoms between them is the only thing that makes her feel grounded.
But Tiffany has a secret. Another man claims he’s Tiffany’s real dad—and she only has seven days before he shows up to demand a paternity test and the truth comes out. With her life about to fall apart all over again, Tiffany finds herself discovering unexpected truths about her father, her mother and herself, and realizing that maybe family is in the bonds you make—and that life means sometimes taking risks.
What we learned...
You should definitely move this onto your pre-order list if you haven't already. Family drama, amazing writing, and a fantastic main character, TIFFANY SLY LIVES HERE NOW is the book you need in 2018.PUDDIN'
Series: Dumplin' #2
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: May 8, 2018
Summary:
It is a companion novel to Dumplin', which follows supporting characters from the first book in the months after Willowdean's star turn in the Clover City pageant.
Millie Michalchuk has gone to fat camp every year since she was a girl. Not this year. This year she has new plans to chase her secret dream—and to kiss her crush. Callie Reyes is the pretty girl who is next in line for dance team captain and has the popular boyfriend. But when it comes to other girls, she’s more frenemy than friend. When circumstances bring the girls together over the course of a semester, they will surprise everyone (especially themselves) by realizing they might have more in common than they ever imagined.
What we learned...
Everyone is really excited for a new Julie Murphy book - me included. This is going to blow you away so be prepared for another amazing novel by Julie Murphy!ALL OF THIS IS TRUE
Author: Lygia Day PeñaflorSeries: N/A
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: May 15, 2018
Summary:
Miri Tan loved the book Undertow like it was a living being. So when she and her friends went to a book signing to meet the author, Fatima Ro, they concocted a plan to get close to her, even if her friends won’t admit it now. As for Jonah, well—Miri knows none of that was Fatima’s fault.
Soleil Johnston wanted to be a writer herself one day. When she and her friends started hanging out with her favorite author, Fatima Ro, she couldn’t believe their luck—especially when Jonah Nicholls started hanging out with them, too. Now, looking back, Soleil can’t believe she let Fatima manipulate her and Jonah like that. She can’t believe that she got used for a book.
Penny Panzarella was more than the materialistic party girl everyone at the Graham School thought she was. She desperately wanted Fatima Ro to see that, and she saw her chance when Fatima asked the girls to be transparent with her. If only she’d known what would happen when Fatima learned Jonah’s secret. If only she’d known that the line between fiction and truth was more complicated than any of them imagined.
What we learned...
I loved UNSCRIPTED JOSS BYRD so I was really happy to hear Lygia had a new book coming out in 2018. But ALL OF THIS IS TRUE is so much more than I could have ever hoped for. Fans of an author become part of the story and there are so many mysteries to be solved. Told in reports and interviews, this will be a fantastic book.ONYX & IVORY
Author: Mindee ArnettSeries: N/A
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: May 15, 2018
Summary:
They call her Traitor Kate. It’s a title Kate Brighton inherited from her father after he tried to assassinate the high king years ago. Now Kate lives as an outcast, clinging to the fringes of society as a member of the Relay, the imperial courier service. Only those most skilled in riding and bow hunting ride for the Relay; and only the fastest survive, for when dark falls, the nightdrakes—deadly flightless dragons—come out to hunt. Fortunately, Kate has a secret edge: she is a wilder, born with magic that allows her to influence the minds of animals. But it’s this magic that she needs to keep hidden, as being a wilder is forbidden, punishable by death or exile. And it’s this magic that leads her to a caravan massacred by nightdrakes in broad daylight—the only survivor her childhood friend, her first love, the boy she swore to forget, the boy who broke her heart.
The high king’s second son, Corwin Tormane, never asked to lead. Even as he waits for the uror—the once-in-a-generation ritual to decide which of the king’s children will succeed him—he knows it’s always been his brother who will assume the throne. And that’s fine by him. He’d rather spend his days away from the palace, away from the sight of his father, broken with sickness from the attempt on his life. But the peacekeeping tour Corwin is on has given him too much time to reflect upon the night he saved his father’s life—the night he condemned the would-be killer to death and lost the girl he loved. Which is why he takes it on himself to investigate rumors of unrest in one of the remote city-states, only for his caravan to be attacked—and for him to be saved by Kate.
With their paths once more entangled, Kate and Corwin have to put the past behind them. The threat of drakes who attack in the daylight is only the beginning of a darker menace stirring in the kingdom—one whose origins have dire implications for Kate’s father’s attack upon the king and will thrust them into the middle of a brewing civil war in the kingdom of Rime.
What we learned...
This was described to us as the "perfect fantasy to read," so you best believe I pre-ordered it immediately! I can't wait to see the dynamics between a girl with nothing left to lose and the boy who stands to gain everything. May can't get here soon enough.WAR STORM
Author: Victoria AveyardSeries: Red Queen #4
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: May 15, 2018
Summary:
VICTORY COMES AT A PRICE.
Mare Barrow learned this all too well when Cal’s betrayal nearly destroyed her. Now determined to protect her heart—and secure freedom for Reds and newbloods like her—Mare resolves to overthrow the kingdom of Norta once and for all… starting with the crown on Maven’s head.
But no battle is won alone, and before the Reds may rise as one, Mare must side with the boy who broke her heart in order to defeat the boy who almost broke her. Cal’s powerful Silver allies, alongside Mare and the Scarlet Guard, prove a formidable force. But Maven is driven by an obsession so deep, he will stop at nothing to have Mare as his own again, even if it means demolishing everything—and everyone—in his path.
War is coming, and all Mare has fought for hangs in the balance. Will victory be enough to topple the Silver kingdoms? Or will the little lightning girl be forever silenced?
In the epic conclusion to Victoria Aveyard’s stunning series, Mare must embrace her fate and summon all her power… for all will be tested, but not all will survive.
What we learned...
The stunning and fast-paced conclusion to the RED QUEEN series, Victoria Aveyard will blow your mind with WAR STORM. And best of all?
Victoria will be in Toronto at the Yorkdale Indigo on May 23rd!
MONDAY'S NOT COMING
Author: Tiffany D. JacksonSeries: N/A
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication Date: May 22, 2018
Summary:
A gripping, relentless, and timely new novel from critically acclaimed author of Allegedly, Tiffany D. Jackson, about the complex mystery of one teenage girl’s disappearance and the traumatic effects of the truth.
Monday Charles is missing, and only Claudia seems to notice. Claudia and Monday have always been inseparable—more sisters than friends. So when Monday doesn’t turn up for the first day of school, Claudia’s worried. When she doesn’t show for the second day, or second week, Claudia knows that something is wrong. Monday wouldn’t just leave her to endure tests and bullies alone. Not after last year’s rumors and not with her grades on the line. Now Claudia needs her best—and only—friend more than ever. But Monday’s mother refuses to give Claudia a straight answer, and Monday’s sister April is even less help.
As Claudia digs deeper into her friend’s disappearance, she discovers that no one seems to remember the last time they saw Monday. How can a teenage girl just vanish without anyone noticing that she’s gone?
What we learned...
MONDAY'S NOT COMING is another poignant novel by Tiffany D. Jackson, author of ALLEGEDLY. I got an ARC of this one in my swag bag, so I am very excited to start reading ASAP!INVISIBLE GHOSTS
Author: Robyn SchneiderSeries: N/A
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication Date: June 5, 2018
Summary:
Rose Asher believes in ghosts. She should, since she has one for a best friend: Logan, her annoying, Netflix-addicted brother, who is forever stuck at fifteen. But Rose is growing up, and when an old friend moves back to Laguna Canyon and appears in her drama class, things get complicated.
Jamie Aldridge is charming, confident, and a painful reminder of the life Rose has been missing out on since her brother's death. She watches as Jamie easily rejoins their former friends--a group of magnificently silly theater nerds--while avoiding her so intensely that it must be deliberate.
Yet when the two of them unexpectedly cross paths, Rose learns that Jamie has a secret of his own, one that changes everything. Rose finds herself drawn back into her old life--and to Jamie. But she quickly starts to suspect that he isn't telling her the whole truth.
All Rose knows is that it's becoming harder to choose between the boy who makes her feel alive and the brother she isn't ready to lose.
What we learned...
Robyn Schneider is a fantastic writer, so you know INVISIBLE GHOSTS will be an amazing YA Contemporary novel... with ghosts. Fans of John Green and Nicola Yoon will love this girl-meets-boy novel with a twist: boy-also-meets-girl's-ghost-brother.MARIAM SHARMA HITS THE ROAD
Author: Sheba KarimSeries: N/A
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: June 5, 2018
Summary:
The summer after her freshman year in college, Mariam is looking forward to working and hanging out with her best friends: irrepressible and beautiful Ghazala and religious but closeted Umar. But when a scandalous photo of Ghaz appears on a billboard in Times Square, Mariam and Umar come up with a plan to rescue her from her furious parents. And what better escape than New Orleans?
The friends pile into Umar's car and start driving south, making all kinds of pit stops along the way--from a college drag party to a Muslim convention, from alarming encounters at roadside diners to honky-tonks and barbeque joints.
Along with the adventures, the fun banter, and the gas station junk food, the friends have some hard questions to answer on the road. With her uncle's address in her pocket, Mariam hopes to learn the truth about her father (and to make sure she didn't inherit his talent for disappearing). But as each mile of the road trip brings them closer to their own truths, they know they can rely on each other, and laughter, to get them through.
What we learned...
Road trip to New Orleans anyone? That's what you will get if you pick up MARIAM SHARMA HITS THE ROAD! I can't wait for this book to hit shelves so I can read it.SUMMER OF SALT
Author: Katrina LenoSeries: N/A
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: June 5, 2018
Summary:
A magic passed down through generations . . .
Georgina Fernweh waits with growing impatience for the tingle of magic in her fingers—magic that has been passed down through every woman in her family. Her twin sister, Mary, already shows an ability to defy gravity. But with their eighteenth birthday looming at the end of this summer, Georgina fears her gift will never come.
An island where strange things happen . . .
No one on the island of By-the-Sea would ever call the Fernwehs what they really are, but if you need the odd bit of help—say, a sleeping aid concocted by moonlight—they are the ones to ask.
No one questions the weather, as moody and erratic as a summer storm.
No one questions the (allegedly) three-hundred-year-old bird who comes to roost on the island every year.
A summer that will become legend . . .
When tragedy strikes, what made the Fernweh women special suddenly casts them in suspicion. Over the course of her last summer on the island—a summer of storms, of love, of salt—Georgina will learn the truth about magic, in all its many forms.
What we learned...
This is going to be a perfect beach read with magic. If you like magical realism books like BONE GAP, this is the book you want to put on your June TBR!FAT GIRL ON A PLANE
Author: Kelly deVosSeries: N/A
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication Date: June 5, 2018
Summary:
Don’t miss this unforgettable debut novel, told in two timelines, about smart fashion, pursuing your dreams, and loving yourself!
FAT.
High school senior Cookie Vonn’s post-graduation dreams include getting out of Phoenix, attending Parsons and becoming the next great fashion designer. But in the world of fashion, being fat is a cardinal sin. It doesn’t help that she’s constantly compared to her supermodel mother—and named after a dessert.
Thanks to her job at a fashion blog, Cookie scores a trip to New York to pitch her portfolio and appeal for a scholarship, but her plans are put on standby when she’s declared too fat too fly. Forced to turn to her BFF for cash, Cookie buys a second seat on the plane. She arrives in the city to find that she’s been replaced by the boss’s daughter, a girl who’s everything she’s not—ultrathin and superrich. Bowing to society’s pressure, she vows to lose weight, get out of the friend zone with her crush, and put her life on track.
SKINNY.
Cookie expected sunshine and rainbows, but nothing about her new life is turning out like she planned. When the fashion designer of the moment offers her what she’s always wanted—an opportunity to live and study in New York—she finds herself in a world full of people more interested in putting women down than dressing them up. Her designs make waves, but her real dream of creating great clothes for people of all sizes seems to grow more distant by the day.
Will she realize that she’s always had the power to make her own dreams come true?
What we learned...
You all know how excited I am for FAT GIRL ON A PLANE. It is going to be an amazing book full of body positivity and fashion, so what more could you ask for?THE BIRD AND THE BLADE
Author: Megan BannenSeries: N/A
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: June 5, 2018
Summary:
As a slave in the Kipchak Khanate, Jinghua has lost everything: her home, her family, her freedom … until she finds herself an unlikely conspirator in the escape of Prince Khalaf and his irascible father as they flee from their enemies across the vast Mongol Empire. On the run, with adversaries on all sides and an endless journey ahead, Jinghua hatches a scheme to use the Kipchaks’ exile to return home, a plan that becomes increasingly fraught as her feelings for Khalaf evolve into a hopeless love.
Jinghua’s already dicey prospects take a downward turn when Khalaf seeks to restore his kingdom by forging a marriage alliance with Turandokht, the daughter of the Great Khan. As beautiful as she is cunning, Turandokht requires all potential suitors to solve three impossible riddles to win her hand—and if they fail, they die.
Jinghua has kept her own counsel well, but with Khalaf’s kingdom—and his very life—on the line, she must reconcile the hard truth of her past with her love for a boy who has no idea what she’s capable of ... even if it means losing him to the girl who’d sooner take his life than his heart.
THE BIRD AND THE BLADE is a lush, powerful story of life and death, battles and riddles, lies and secrets from debut author Megan Bannen.
What we learned...
"This book blew me away" - when someone gives you a recommendation like that, how can you not immediately want to pick up the book? On top of that, a YA Historical Fiction novel? That is exactly what I need in my life right now.THE LONELIEST GIRL IN THE UNIVERSE
Author: Lauren JamesSeries: N/A
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: July 3, 2018
Summary:
A surprising and gripping sci-fi thriller with a killer twist
The daughter of two astronauts, Romy Silvers is no stranger to life in space. But she never knew how isolating the universe could be until her parents’ tragic deaths left her alone on the Infinity, a spaceship speeding away from Earth.
Romy tries to make the best of her lonely situation, but with only brief messages from her therapist on Earth to keep her company, she can’t help but feel like something is missing. It seems like a dream come true when NASA alerts her that another ship, the Eternity, will be joining the Infinity.
Romy begins exchanging messages with J, the captain of the Eternity, and their friendship breathes new life into her world. But as the Eternity gets closer, Romy learns there’s more to J’s mission than she could have imagined. And suddenly, there are worse things than being alone…
What we learned...
Pitched to us as "not your average space book," THE LONELIEST GIRL IN THE UNIVERSE will be a thrill ride for everyone who enjoys books by Claudia Gray and Amie Kauffman. Also it's basically the story of my life.NOTES FROM MY CAPTIVITY
Author: Kathy ParksSeries: N/A
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication Date: July 10, 2018
Summary:
Girl meets boy… and the family holding her hostage.
Adrienne Cahill cares about three things: getting into a great college; becoming a revered journalist like her idol, Sydney Declay; and making her late father proud of her.
So when Adrienne is offered the chance to write an article that will get her into her dream school and debunk her foolishly optimistic stepfather Dan’s claim—no, belief—that a legendary family of hermits is living in the Siberian wilderness, there’s no question that she’s going to fly across the world.
After all, it is the trip of a lifetime.
But the Russian terrain is even less forgiving than Adrienne. And when disaster strikes, nothing—not the flirtatious guide or her stepdad’s obsessively detailed preparations—can protect Adrienne from the sheer force of nature. Now, Adrienne’s being held captive by the family she was convinced didn’t exist, and her best hope for escape is to act like she cares about befriending them, even if it means wooing the youngest son.
What we learned...
With ups and downs in NOTES FROM MY CAPTIVITY, you will laugh and cry before the last page ends. Reminiscent of MORE HAPPY THAN NOT by Adam Silvera, you will want to put NOTES FROM MY CAPTIVITY on your TBR!HEART OF THORNS
Author: Bree BartonSeries: Heart of Thorns #1
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication Date: July 31, 2018
Summary:
In the ancient river kingdom, touch is a battlefield, bodies the instruments of war. Seventeen-year-old Mia Rose has pledged her life to hunting Gwyrach: women who can manipulate flesh, bones, breath, and blood.
Not women. Demons. The same demons who killed her mother without a single scratch.
But when Mia's father suddenly announces her marriage to the prince, she is forced to trade in her knives and trousers for a sumptuous silk gown. Only after the wedding goes disastrously wrong does she discover she has dark, forbidden magic—the very magic she has sworn to destroy.
What we learned...
According to the amazing publicists at HarperCollins Canada, HEART OF THORNS "should be at the top of your TBR pile if you like Fantasy." So that's exactly what I did.SEA WITCH
Author: Sarah HenningSeries: N/A
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication Date: July 31, 2018
Summary:
Everyone knows what happens in the end.
A mermaid, a prince, a true love’s kiss.
But before that young siren’s tale, there were three friends.
One feared, one royal, and one already dead.
~~~~~~~~~~
Ever since her best friend, Anna, drowned, Evie has been an outcast in her small fishing town. A freak. A curse. A witch.
A girl with an uncanny resemblance to Anna appears offshore and, though the girl denies it, Evie is convinced that her best friend actually survived. That her own magic wasn’t so powerless after all. And, as the two girls catch the eyes—and hearts—of two charming princes, Evie believes that she might finally have a chance at her own happily ever after.
But her new friend has secrets of her own. She can’t stay in Havnestad, or on two legs, unless Evie finds a way to help her. Now Evie will do anything to save her friend’s humanity, along with her prince’s heart—harnessing the power of her magic, her ocean, and her love until she discovers, too late, the truth of her bargain.
The rise of Hans Christian Andersen’s iconic villainess is a heart-wrenching story of friendship, betrayal, and a girl pushed beyond her limits—to become a monster.
What we learned...
An Ursula backstory - and when that was said, the entire room said "OOOH!!!!" - this debut novel is going to rock your socks when it comes out at the end of July! I can't wait to get my hands on a copy!HERETICS ANONYMOUS
Series: N/A
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication Date: August 7, 2018
Summary:
Michael is an atheist. So as he walks through the doors at St. Clare’s—a strict Catholic school—sporting a plaid tie, things can’t get much worse. His dad has just made the family move again, and Michael needs a friend. When a girl challenges their teacher in class, Michael thinks he might have found one, and a fellow nonbeliever at that. Only this girl, Lucy, is not just Catholic . . . she wants to be a priest.
But Lucy introduces Michael to other St. Clare’s outcasts, and he officially joins Heretics Anonymous, where he can be an atheist, Lucy can be an outspoken feminist, Avi can be Jewish and gay, Max can wear whatever he wants, and Eden can practice paganism. After an incident in theology class, Michael encourages the Heretics to go from secret society to rebels intent on exposing the school’s hypocrisies. When Michael takes one mission too far—putting the other Heretics at risk—he must decide whether to fight for his own freedom, or rely on faith, whatever that means, in God, his friends, or himself.
What we learned...
A funny teen voice is what you will find in HERETICS ANONYMOUS by Katie Henry! Tackling religion, finding yourself, and navigating high school, you should definitely check out HERETICS ANONYMOUS on August 7th.THESE REBEL WAVES
Author: Sara RaaschSeries: Stream Raiders #1
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: August 7, 2018
Summary:
Adeluna is a soldier. Five years ago, she helped the magic-rich island of Grace Loray overthrow its oppressor, Argrid, a country ruled by religion. But adjusting to postwar life has not been easy. When an Argridian delegate vanishes during peace talks with Grace Loray’s new Council, Argrid demands brutal justice—but Lu suspects something more dangerous is at work.
Devereux is a pirate. As one of the outlaws called stream raiders who run rampant on Grace Loray, he pirates the island’s magic plants and sells them on the black market. But after Argrid accuses raiders of the diplomat’s abduction, Vex becomes a target. An expert navigator, he agrees to help Lu find the Argridian—but the truth they uncover could be deadlier than any war.
Benat is a heretic. The crown prince of Argrid, he harbors a secret obsession with Grace Loray’s forbidden magic. When Ben’s father, the king, gives him the shocking task of reversing Argrid’s fear of magic, Ben has to decide if one prince can change a devout country—or if he’s building his own pyre.
As conspiracies arise, Lu, Vex, and Ben will have to decide who they really are . . . and what they are willing to become for peace.
What we learned...
This has pirates and an LGBTQ+ romance. Need I say more?HERE SO FAR AWAY
Author: Hadley DyerSeries: N/A
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: March 20, 2018
Summary:
Award-winning author Hadley Dyer’s YA debut is smart, snarky, and emotionally gripping, about a rebellious cop’s daughter who falls in love with an older man, loses her best friend, and battles depression, all while trying to survive her last year of high school.
Feisty and fearless George Warren (given name: Frances, but no one calls her that) has never let life get too serious. Now that she’s about to be a senior, her plans include partying with her tight-knit group of friends and then getting the heck out of town after graduation.
But instead of owning her last year of high school, a fight with her best friend puts her on the outs of their social circle. If that weren’t bad enough, George’s family has been facing hard times since her father, a police sergeant, got injured and might not be able to return to work, which puts George’s college plans in jeopardy.
So when George meets Francis, an older guy who shares her name and her affinity for sarcastic banter, she’s thrown. If she lets herself, she’ll fall recklessly, hopelessly in love. But because of Francis’s age, she tells no one—and ends up losing almost everything, including herself.
This is a gorgeous, atmospheric, and gut-wrenching novel that readers won’t soon forget.
What we learned...
With secret relationships, unexpected turns, and family dilemmas, readers will keep turning pages in HERE SO FAR AWAY. And when the plot thickens, it will feel earned. But the best part? The East Coast textural vibe!
AND the lovely people at HCC Frenzy gave us AMAZING swag bags! On top of the three books I had in mine, I also got such cool things like a Love, Simon button, David's Tea, and a bag tag that is shaped like an owl! Watch my Instagram to see everything I received!
Since I received a copy of THE DIMINISHED by Kaitlyn Sage Patterson and already had a copy, I thought I would give it away! Enter below before April 30th to win an ARC plus some other bookish goodies I have - and it is International!
I haven't read this book yet, but it's on my must read list for my debut author challenge this year.
ReplyDeletedhammelef(at)yahoo(dot)com
DeleteI haven't read The Diminished yet, but I'm planning to.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read this book yet but I'd like to.
ReplyDelete