Summer vacation is just kicking off for many of you, so why not take some time to decompress after a grueling school year? Sleep in, fine-tune your TV-watching skills, and most importantly, kick back in the warm weather and lose yourself in a juicy beach read. This week's new releases promise to take you away from the day-to-day with a little action from James Patterson's WATCH THE SKIES; some over-the-top drama in Jen Calonita's REALITY CHECK; and a dose of quirky romance in Andrew Ausseon's FREAK MAGNET. And there's plenty more to suit your every mood, so be sure to check these out!
New Releases for June 14th
Hardcover
REALITY CHECK by Jen Calonita (Poppy/Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
Sixteen-year-olds Charlie, Keiran, Brooke and Hallie have just been signed up for their own reality television show. They can't even believe it. "You'll be ‘The Hills’ meets ‘The Secret Life of the American Teenager’," the Armani-suited executive tells them, "and the hottest thing on our network." How could they say no?
But soon enough, cameras following them everywhere and interfering producers surreptitiously scripting their lives start to affect the four best friends' relationship. Brooke seems to want all the screen time. Keiran is abruptly written out of the show-and consequently the group's friendship-when she doesn't rate well. As soon as Charlie realizes what's going on, she figures out the perfect way to give the studio and her home audience a much-needed reality check.
Because friends don't let friends do reality shows.
New Releases for June 15th
Hardcover
ALICE IN CHARGE by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor(Atheneum)
At last, it's ALICE IN CHARGE --- of her life, of her future...but, is it too much?
DANIEL X: WATCH THE SKIES by James Patterson and Ned Rust (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
Daniel X thought he'd seen it all in his dangerous days of hunting outlaws --- but there's no business like show business and Number Five on his list of deadly targets is the most appalling criminal yet. An intergalactic reality television producer, he's orchestrated-literally-the extermination of millions, with a soundtrack and laugh track to accompany it. The evil entertainer's catching it all on film and he's looking for a big-ticket draw. Who better to star than the Alien Hunter himself? Daniel finds himself cast in the lead role of a terrifying season premiere…of the gravest show on Earth.
- Click here to read our review and an excerpt of DANIEL X: WATCH THE SKIES.
FREAK MAGNET by Andrew Auseon (HarperTeen)
This is a novel about freaks, geeks, crushes and friends --- and how sometimes you can be all of them at once.
Charlie is the freak. Gloria is the freak magnet. They're pretty much destined to meet. And when they do, sparks fly…for Charlie. Gloria, well, she just thinks he's like every other freak who feels compelled to talk to her, although a little better-looking than most.
While Charlie has his head in the clouds, Gloria's got hers in a book: her Freak Folio --- a record of every weirdo who's talked to her in the last year (it's a big book). But never before has she felt the pull to get to know one of them better --- until now.
In this he-said-she-said tale of love, loss and lucky signs from the author of the acclaimed FUNNY LITTLE MONKEY, two young strangers at a crossroads in their lives become friends by happy accident (okay, maybe some harmless stalking is involved --- and not by the person you'd think!) and forever change each other.
THE HALF-LIFE OF PLANETS by Emily Franklin and Brendan Halpin (Hyperion Books for Children)
Lianna is an aspiring planetary scientist…and also a kissing expert. She's got a lot of experience, maybe too much. So this summer she decides to conduct an experiment: She's going to give up the kissing part. It shouldn’t be too hard for her --- after all, none of her kissing partners so far have been worth the lip time. That is, until Hank comes along.
Hank has never been kissed. He’s smart and funny --- sometimes without intending to be --- and a little socially challenged. Hank’s got Asperger’s syndrome. This means he knows nearly every track that Kirsty Maccoll has ever appeared on, but not when to shut up about it. Despite his loquaciousness, he also doesn’t know when to say the things he should. Things like “I don’t have a father. I want to hold your hand, I want to kiss you”.
It would appear that Hank and Liana are in for an interesting summer --- if the planets align correctly.
TOUCH by Francine Prose (HarperTeen)
Did they, or didn't they?
Did she, or didn't she?
Something happened to 14-year-old Maisie Willard --- something involving her three friends, all boys. But their stories don't match and the rumors spin out of control. Then other people get involved…the school, the parents, the lawyers. The incident at the back of the bus becomes the center of Maisie's life, the talk of the school and, horribly, it becomes news. With just a few words and a touch, the kids and their community are changed forever.
- Click here to read our review of TOUCH.
Paperback
CAN’T HOLD ME DOWN (COME UP) by Lyah B. LeFlore (Simon Pulse)
The higher the rise, the harder the fall?
Blue had his one shot. His entertainment production company had everything: talented artists, professional endorsements and underground appeal. But after one catastrophic night, Blue is left with nothing. His best friend and business partner turned his back on him. The artists he discovered left him. Worst of all, his girlfriend broke up with him at a time they need each other most.
With his dreams crumbling around him, Blue has hit rock bottom. But to really come up in the world, there is no surrender. Now, all Blue needs is a miracle.
THE DEATHDAY LETTER by Shaun David Hutchinson (Simon Pulse)
The clock is ticking?
Ollie can't be bothered to care about anything but girls until he gets his Deathday Letter and learns he's going to die in 24 hours. Bummer.
Ollie does what he does best: nothing. Then his best friend convinces him to live a little and go after Ronnie, the girl who recently trampled his about-to-expire heart. Ollie turns to carloads of pudding and over-the-top declarations, but even playing the death card doesn't work. All he wants is to set things right with the girl of his dreams. It's now or never?
KISS IT by Erin Downing (Simon Pulse)
A girl's gotta do who a girl's gotta do.
Chastity Bryan has never been shy about going after what she wants. And when sexy, mysterious, so-not-from-this-town Sebastian walks into Chaz's life, she knows in an instant that what she wants next is him. Chaz has no intention of playing for keeps --- but she most definitely has intentions. Who needs true love when you've got true lust?
Sebastian has no idea what he's in for --- but maybe neither does Chaz?.
