Early March 2017
 March 16, 2017 Quick Links to Features on Teenreads.com Buying a book online? Use these links and support Teenreads.com!
Ring Ring, it's Time for Spring Fling!The last time we spoke, I was just about to dash out the door to head to an author meet and greet featuring Susan Dennard, Erika Lewis, Kim Liggett and Victoria Schwab. As I mentioned, I was absolutely dying to meet Susan Dennard --- and let me tell you, she did not disappoint. In between getting teary about great YA, talking about WINDWITCH and recommending books to each other, we had just enough time to snap one selfie, which you can see above. I also had the chance to speak with author Erika Lewis, whose book, GAME OF SHADOWS, released last month. Erika has one of the most interesting background stories ever: not only did she major in...wait for it...math in college, she also has a long career in television. Of course, I had to ask her to tell me more, and she was happy to explain it all on our blog. Click here to read about her unusual journey to authordom, and check out our photo (and Erika's awesome bomber jacket) above. To cap off the meet and greet, I had the totally out-of-this-world opportunity to have a mini-photo shoot on the Throne of Schwabs, a bookstagram-worthy throne constructed from copies of V.E. Schwab's A CONJURING OF LIGHT. Luckily, I also had the chance to take some pictures of the queen herself before she dashed off to an author event at a local bookstore. You can see photos of Victoria and me on the throne above! This month, we celebrate both Women's History Month and the beginning of spring, and we're kicking off the festivities in some really fun ways. Up first, we're delighted to share our annual Spring Fling contest, which officially starts today! From now until Monday, May 1st at noon ET, you can enter to win one of our five Spring Fling prize packages, which includes one copy of each of our five featured books. Click here or scroll down to learn more! Our Women's History Month celebration begins in this month's Teen Board question, where we asked our members about their favorite female authors and heroines. My obvious answer is Lyra Belacqua from THE GOLDEN COMPASS, but to keep things fresh, here are some of my new favorites: Nemesis from THE DIABOLIC for her bravery; Audrey from STALKING JACK THE RIPPER for never giving up on her interests; and Piper from PIPER PERISH for her jazzy style and sense of creativity. Continuing our spotlight on awesome ladies, we have our Special Feature for LIFEBLOOD, the second book in Gena Showalter's Everlife series. Click here to read our rave review from Teen Board member Isabel C. and get ready for our interview with Gena, which will appear in our next newsletter. The fun continues on our blog, where we have some great posts from fabulous female authors. Up first, SECRETS OF A RELUCTANT PRINCESS author Casey Griffin shares her tips for creating a relatable heroine. If you're already in a spring break sort of mood, you'll love this post, where author Diana Rodriguez Wallach explains how she was able to turn a trip to Italy into a work expense by researching everyday details to flesh out her book, PROOF OF LIES. In books on screen news, we are just about two weeks away from the Netflix premiere of "13 Reasons Why," leaving you just enough time to give the book a re-read. If you can't wait for your YA film fix, you're in luck, as Before I Fall is finally in theaters. While the film is getting mixed reviews, star Zoey Deutch supposedly kills it --- and who doesn't want more Lauren Oliver in their lives? Last, but certainly not least, be sure to let us know when you find time to read in this month’s poll. Happy reading, --- Rebecca Munro (rebecca@bookreporter.com)  Enter Our Annual Spring Fling Contest!Spring is finally here, and with it comes warmer weather, blooming flowers...and the chance to win some great new YA books! From now through Monday, May 1st at noon ET, readers will have the chance to win one of our five Teenreads.com Spring Fling prize packages, which includes one copy of each of our featured books. Our featured Spring Fling titles are:
Special Feature: LIFEBLOOD by Gena ShowalterLast year, readers were introduced to Gena Showalter's FIRSTLIFE, a book set in a world where life begins after death. The star of the book, Tenley "Ten" Lockwood, is only 17, but has spent the last year of her life in an insane asylum --- not because of a mental instability, but because she has refused to allow her parents to choose where she will live after she dies. In the Everlife, your Firstlife is only a dress rehearsal for what comes after, and Ten is caught in the middle of a deadly battle for her soul. With two powerful, but deadly, realms fighting over her, Ten must stay alive long enough to make the right choice. Now, Showalter returns with LIFEBLOOD, the explosive sequel where we reunite with Ten, who must learn about her chosen realm from the ground up --- all while struggling to launch her first mission. You can learn more about LIFEBLOOD through our Special Feature, which includes a review and an excerpt, with an interview coming soon.  Vote for the Teen Choice Book Award!Time to vote for the Teen Choice Book Award! This is a big deal in the publishing industry, as it is the only national book awards program where kids and teens decide all of the finalists. From now until May 7th, you have the chance to share your opinion by casting your vote for the best book of 2016. This is your chance to make a difference, so click here to show your favorite books and authors some well-deserved love!
Featured Review and Interview:
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Did you know that you can technically be considered an athlete if you're a professional video game player? Author Dan Wells explores this and other concepts in his action-packed Mirador series, which began last year with BLUESCREEN. In celebration of the release of ONES AND ZEROES, the second book in the series, Teen Board member Rachel D. interviewed Dan Wells about the inspiration behind his books, computer science and his love of video games.
ONES AND ZEROES (Mirador) by Dan Wells (Science Fiction)
Audiobook available, narrated by Roxanne Hernandez.
Overworld. It’s more than just the world’s most popular e-sport --- for thousands of VR teams around the globe, Overworld is life. It means fame and fortune, or maybe it’s a ticket out of obscurity or poverty. If you have a connection to the internet and four friends you trust with your life, anything is possible. Marisa Carneseca is on the hunt for a mysterious hacker named Grendel when she receives word that her amateur Overworld team has been invited to Forward Motion, one of the most exclusive tournaments of the year. Reviewed by Rachel D., Teen Board Member.
Click here to read a review.
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March's Books On Screen
March's Books on Screen roundup includes the feature films Before I Fall, Beauty and the Beast, The Boss Baby, and Ghost in the Shell; the series premiere of "13 Reasons Why," along with the currently airing shows "The Flash" and "Arrow"; and the DVD releases of Jurassic World and A Monster Calls.
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March's Books to Add to Your Guy-Brary Bookshelf
March's Books to Add to Your Guy-Brary bookshelf includes STRANGE THE DREAMER, the breathtaking new fantasy novel from Laini Taylor, which tells the story of a haunted past where gods were murdered and all that was left behind was the city of Weep. Next, we have the highly anticipated THE INEXPLICABLE LOGIC OF MY LIFE from the multi-award-winning Benjamin Alire Saenz about a boy's journey of identity, love and family. Finally, there is ULTIMATUM by K. M. Walton, which follows two brothers who must decide whether to let their differences divide them or come together when they need each other the most.
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March's Teen Board Update
Monthly Question: March is Women’s History Month, a time when we celebrate all the rockin’ ladies who gave their lives and efforts to making the world a much better (and more equal) place. With that in mind, we asked our Teen Board members about some of their favorite female authors or heroines, whether they are endlessly witty, fiercely strong, or always writing the perfect endings to complicated scenes. Click here to see Part 1 of their answers.
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More New Reviews
AMERICAN STREET by Ibi Zoboi (Fiction)
Audiobook available, narrated by Robin Miles.
On the corner of American Street and Joy Road, Fabiola Toussaint thought she would finally find une belle vie --- a good life. But after they leave Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Fabiola’s mother is detained by U.S. immigration, leaving Fabiola to navigate her loud American cousins, Chantal, Donna and Princess; the grittiness of Detroit’s west side; a new school; and a surprising romance, all on her own. Just as she finds her footing in this strange new world, a dangerous proposition presents itself and Fabiola soon realizes that freedom comes at a cost. Reviewed by Zoe I., Teen Board Member.
WIRES AND NERVE: Volume 1 written by Marissa Meyer with illustrations by Douglas Holgate (Graphic Novel)
When rogue packs of wolf-hybrid soldiers threaten the tenuous peace alliance between Earth and Luna, Iko takes it upon herself to hunt down the soldiers' leader. She is soon working with a handsome royal guard who forces her to question everything she knows about love, loyalty, and her own humanity. Reviewed by Zoe I., Teen Board Member.
KING'S CAGE by Victoria Aveyard (Fantasy)
Audiobook available narrated by Amanda Dolan, Adenrele Ojo and Erin Spencer
Mare Barrow is a prisoner, powerless without her lightning, tormented by her lethal mistakes. She lives at the mercy of a boy she once loved, a boy made of lies and betrayal. Now a king, Maven Calore continues weaving his dead mother's web in an attempt to maintain control over his country --- and his prisoner. As Mare bears the weight of Silent Stone in the palace, her once-ragtag band of newbloods and Reds continue organizing, training, and expanding. They prepare for war, no longer able to linger in the shadows. Reviewed by Caitlyn K., Teen Board Member.
THE VALIANT by Lesley Livingston (Fantasy)
Fallon is the daughter of a proud Celtic king and the younger sister of the legendary fighter Sorcha. When Fallon was just a child, Sorcha was killed by the armies of Julius Caesar. On the eve of her seventeenth birthday, Fallon is excited to follow in her sister's footsteps and earn her place in her father's war band. She never gets the chance. Fallon is captured and sold to an elite training school for female gladiators --- owned by none other than Julius Caesar himself. In a cruel twist of fate, the man who destroyed Fallon’s family might be her only hope of survival. Reviewed by Kate F., Teen Board Member.
RISE OF FIRE (Reign of Shadows, Book 2) by Sophie Jordan (Fantasy)
Audiobook available, narrated by Phoebe Strole and James Fouhey.
Luna and Fowler have escaped the kingdom of Relhok, but they haven’t escaped the darkness. When a battle against the dark dwellers mortally injures Fowler, Luna is faced with a choice: put their fate in the hands of mysterious strangers or risk losing Fowler forever. Desperate to keep the one bright part of her life alive, Luna accepts the help of soldiers from a nearby kingdom. Lagonia’s castle offers reprieve from the dangerous outside world --- until the King discovers both Fowler and Luna’s true ties to Relhok and their influence over the throne. Reviewed by Brynn S., Teen Board Member.
#FAMOUS by Jilly Gagnon (Fiction)
Audiobook available, narrated by Arielle DeLisle and James Fouhey.
In this modern day love story: Girl likes boy. Girl snaps photo and posts it online. Boy becomes insta-famous. And what starts out as an innocent photo turns into a whirlwind adventure that forces them both to question whether fame --- and love --- are worth the price...and changes both of their lives forever. Reviewed by Taylor F., Teen Board Member.
LONG WAY HOME by Katie McGarry (Romance)
Audiobook available, narrated by Em Eldridge and Cody Hammersmith
It's the code her father, a member of the Reign of Terror motorcycle club, raised her to live by. Yet when her dad is killed carrying out Terror business, Violet knows it's up to her to do the saving. To protect herself, and her vulnerable younger brother, she needs to cut all ties with the club --- including Chevy, the boy she's known and loved her whole life. Reviewed by Isabel C., Teen Board Member.
DENTON LITTLE'S STILL NOT DEAD by Lance Rubin (Fiction)
Audiobook available, narrated by Lance Rubin
Denton Little lives in a world exactly like our own except that everyone knows the day on which they will die. The good news: Denton has lived through his deathdate. Yay! The bad news: He’s being chased by the DIA (Death Investigation Agency), he can never see his family again, and he may now die anytime. Huh. Cheating death isn’t quite as awesome as Denton would have thought...Lance Rubin’s debut novel, DENTON'S LITTLE DEATHDATE, showed readers just how funny and poignant imminent death could be. Reviewed by Mikenzie R., Teen Board Member.
THE IMPOSSIBLE FORTRESS by Jason Rekulak (Fiction)
Until May 1987, 14-year-old Billy Marvin of Wetbridge, New Jersey, is a nerd, but a decidedly happy nerd. Afternoons are spent with his buddies, watching copious amounts of television, gorging on Pop-Tarts, debating who would win in a brawl (Rocky Balboa or Freddy Krueger? Bruce Springsteen or Billy Joel? Magnum P.I. or T.J. Hooker?), and programming video games on his Commodore 64 late into the night. Then Playboy magazine publishes photos of “Wheel of Fortune” hostess Vanna White, Billy meets expert programmer Mary Zelinsky, and everything changes. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
CRAZY MESSY BEAUTIFUL by Carrie Arcos (Fiction)
Audiobook available, narrated by Michael Crouch.
When your namesake is Pablo Neruda --- the greatest love poet of all time --- finding “the one” should be easy. After all, 16-year-old aspiring artist Neruda Diaz has been in love many times before. So it’s only a matter of time before someone loves him back. Callie could be that someone. She’s creative and edgy, and nothing like the girls Neruda typically falls for, so when a school assignment brings them together, he is pleasantly surprised to learn they have a lot in common. With his true love in reach and his artistic ambitions on track, everything is finally coming together. Reviewed by Janine Chouinard.
VELOCITY by Chris Wooding (Science Fiction)
Audiobook available, narrated by Brittany Pressley.
Cassica and Shiara are best friends. They couldn't be more different, but their differences work to their advantage --- especially when they're drag racing. Cassica is fearless and determined, making her the perfect driver for daring, photo-finish victories. Shiara is intelligent and creative, able to build cars out of scrap and formulate daring strategies from the passenger's seat. Now they've set their sights on the Widowmaker --- the biggest, most anticipated and most dangerous race of the year. The winners get a pass to a life of luxury and fame. Reviewed by Alyssa L., Teen Board Member.
WILD LILY by K.M. Peyton (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, narrated by Lauren Irwin.
It's the 1920s ---- cars and planes are new. Lily Gabriel is scruffy and confident and takes no nonsense from anyone. Antony is rich, spoiled, and arrogant, and Lily is completely and utterly --- no nonsense! --- in love with him. So join Lily as she falls... Falls in love... Falls out of the sky... Falls through time...and effortlessly, inescapably, falls into her future. Life is never what you expect or what you predict. But if you're lucky, you hold onto exactly what you need --- a young and wild heart. WILD LILY is a striking, timeless coming-of-age story that reminds us that the untamed life is always worth living. Reviewed by McKenzie S., Teen Board Member.
ALICE PAUL AND THE FIGHT FOR WOMEN'S RIGHTS: From the Vote to the Equal Rights Amendment by Deborah Kops (Nonfiction)
Here is the story of extraordinary leader Alice Paul, from the woman suffrage movement --- the long struggle for votes for women --- to the “second wave,” when women demanded full equality with men. Reviewed by Anita Lock and Sally Tibbetts.
March Poll
Between friends, school, chores, college applications and after-school jobs, it can be really hard to find the time to sit down and read. When do you get most of your reading done? Please check as many as apply.
- Weekday mornings right before school.
- Weekdays during school, in class or study hall.
- Weekdays during lunchtime at school.
- Weekdays right after school.
- Weekday evenings before bed.
- Weekends.
