Late April 2017

April 28, 2017

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Celebrating Books with Giveaways & Indie Bookstore Day

Last week, I attended a dinner in celebration of young adult authors Ann Brashares (THE WHOLE THING TOGETHER, now in stores), Jennifer E. Smith (WINDFALL, out May 2nd), and Julie Buxbaum (WHAT TO SAY NEXT, out July 11th). You can see a photo of Jennifer, Julie and Ann above.

Believe it or not, this dinner marked my third time seeing Jennifer Smith in the past month, so we joked that we’re basically best friends now. As we were talking, Jennifer mentioned that she was very excited for her upcoming book tour and was even considering bringing along the golden charms that appear on the cover of WINDFALL, which you can see above. Fun fact: the charms are actually regular plastic figures that have been spray-painted gold; the bear is a panda in disguise! Who knew so much effort could go into even the tiniest detail of a book cover?

Teenreads had such an awesome time dining with these amazing authors that we decided to bring the fun to you by hosting an Instagram giveaway for their books. If you haven’t entered yet, head over to our Instagram now to like and comment on the photo you see above --- and be sure to tag your friends, too. This giveaway is ending this Sunday, April 30th, at midnight ET, so this will be your only newsletter reminder!

Speaking of giveaways, our Spring Fling Contest will be ending on Monday, May 1st at noon ET, so enter now if you haven’t already. This might be one of my favorite giveaways yet, as we’re not only giving away five fantastic books, but a Teenreads tote bag, too. (Anyone who knows me will tell you that tote bags are my bookish kryptonite --- I have a whole stack of book-themed bags under my desk.)

While you're feeling lucky, click here to enter to win a copy of the ALEXANDER HAMILTON COLORING BOOK over on Kidsreads.com --- and don’t worry, coloring is definitely not just for kids. The deadline for entries for this contest is Tuesday, May 2nd at noon ET.

One of our featured reviews in this week's newsletter is BANG by Barry Lyga. I wrote about this book in an earlier newsletter, but ICYMI, BANG is the story of a boy who accidentally murdered his baby sister when he was only four years old and picked up an unattended loaded gun. Brutal, I know, but this is easily one of the best books I have ever read, young adult or otherwise. In fact, I read BANG in one sitting on the floor of New York Comic Con as I waited in line for various panels and signings. Lyga captures all of the pain, grief and disbelief the main character feels in pitch-perfect, immediate prose, and while the topic is (hopefully) unrelatable for most of you, the earnest emotions and gripping plot will make this an important book for readers of all ages. Make sure you check out our review and excerpt below.

In our last newsletter, I talked about my new favorite addiction, “13 Reasons Why,” and why it’s such a cinematic success. Clearly I’m not the only one talking, as the show has dominated social media and become the most-tweeted-about Netflix show, largely thanks to viewers like you! If you just finished watching the show, or haven’t started yet (WHY?), make sure you check out our “13 Books to Read After Watching ’13 Reasons Why’ Bookshelf,” which we first shared in our last newsletter.

Tomorrow, Saturday, April 28th, is Indie Bookstore Day, a day when we celebrate small, independent bookstores and the work they do to bring great books, authors and events to readers like you. Many indie bookstores across the country will be celebrating with ongoing activities for teens and adults, so your friends and family can all attend and enjoy. To find a participating store near you, click here. If you'll be celebrating Indie Bookstore Day, shoot me a note about your experience --- I'd love to hear about events at different stores nationwide!

I’ll be heading to one of my favorite towns, Madison, New Jersey, this weekend to celebrate Indie Bookstore Day at Short Stories Bookshop, a little gem I discovered back in January and have visited almost every weekend since. This bookstore has a perfect old-timey feel and plenty of cozy reading spaces, making it the perfect place to celebrate.

Our Californian readers are in for a treat this weekend, as YALLWest --- a sibling festival to YALLFest, a massive book festival devoted to young adult and middle grade books --- is coming to Santa Monica. The lineup looks incredible, and I cannot wait to hear how it goes, so if you're attending, be sure to write me about it!

Happy reading,

--- Rebecca Munro (rebecca@bookreporter.com)

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:

• ALL THE FOREVER THINGS by Jolene Perry

• DAUGHTER OF THE PIRATE KING by Tricia Levenseller

• GENIUS: The Game by Leopoldo Gout

• LOVE AND FIRST SIGHT by Josh Sundquist

• REBELS LIKE US by Liz Reinhardt

Vote for the Teen Choice Book Award!

Time to vote for the Teen Choice Book Award!  From now until May 7th, vote for the best book of 2016 from a list of five finalists that Teenreads readers helped select.

Click here to show your favorite books and authors some well-deserved love!

Featured Review: BANG by Barry Lyga

Featured Review: GIVEN TO THE SEA by Mindy McGinnis

Featured Review: THE UPSIDE OF UNREQUITED by Becky Albertalli

13 Books to Read After Watching "13 Reasons Why" Bookshelf

After binge-watching all of "13 Reasons Why" in less than 24 hours, we knew we needed more. With that in mind, we have compiled a selection of 13 books to read after you've finished the series. From titles like Adam Silvera's HISTORY IS ALL YOU LEFT ME to GOODBYE DAYS by Jeff Zentner, these books will have you on the edge of your seat as you follow their complicated characters through mysteries, grief and acceptance.

April's Books On Screen

April's Books on Screen roundup includes the feature films The Lost City of Z and The Circle; the series premiere of "Famous in Love," along with the currently airing shows "The Flash" and "Arrow"; and the DVD releases of Hidden Figures and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

April's Books to Add to Your Guy-Brary Bookshelf

April's Books to Add to Your Guy-Brary bookshelf includes BANG, from bestselling author Barry Lyga, an utterly riveting and heartbreaking novel about living with your worst mistake. Next, we have three-time Printz Award honoree Marcus Sedgwick's new novel, SAINT DEATH, which is a compelling and dark novel set in the violent world of human trafficking and drug trade at the US-Mexican border. Lastly, there is NORTH OF HAPPY, the third novel from Adi Alsaid, which follows Carlos Portillo as he deals with the grief of losing his brother and the life-changing experience of running away from home.

April's Teen Board Update

Monthly Question: It's easy to dream of all of the different places you would go if money (and packing) weren't issues. With that in mind, we asked our Teen Board members about the YA-inspired places they would visit if they could. Some of the places they noted were found in the books above! Click here to see Part 1 of their replies and click here for Part 2.

More New Reviews

ROYCE ROLLS by Margaret Stohl (Fiction)
Sixteen-year-old Bentley Royce seems to have it all: an actual Bentley, tuition to a fancy private school, lavish vacations, and everything else that comes along with being an LA starlet. But after five seasons on her family's reality show, "Rolling with the Royces," and a lifetime of dealing with her narcissistic sister, Porsche, media-obsessed mother, Mercedes, and somewhat clueless brother, Maybach, Bentley wants out. Luckily for her, without a hook for season six, cancellation is looming and freedom is nigh. Reviewed by Juliette G., Teen Board Member.

BULL by David Elliott (Mythological Retelling)
Much like Lin-Manuel Miranda did in "Hamilton," New York Times bestselling author David Elliott turns a classic on its head in form and approach, updating the timeless story of Theseus and the Minotaur for a new generation. A rough, rowdy and darkly comedic young adult retelling in verse, BULL will have readers reevaluating one of mythology's most infamous monsters. Reviewed by Caitlyn K., Teen Board Member.

A LIE FOR A LIE by Robin Merrow MacCready (Mystery/Thriller)
People say that when you have a life-altering experience, your brain takes a picture and that snapshot stays forever in your memory to retrieve again. And again, and again. Kendra Sullivan loves taking pictures. But when a photograph reveals something unexpected, she sets out to investigate the situation. Before long, Kendra is torn between destroying her family as she's known it and keeping a very dark secret that might ultimately destroy her. Reviewed by Aliza M., Teen Board Member.

TRAVELER by L.E. DeLano (Fantasy)
Jessa has spent her life dreaming of other worlds and writing down stories more interesting than her own, until the day her favorite character, Finn, suddenly shows up and invites her out for coffee. After the requisite nervous breakdown, Jessa learns that she and Finn are Travelers, born with the ability to slide through reflections and dreams into alternate realities. But it’s not all cupcakes, pirates, and fantasy lifestyles --- Jessa is dying over and over again in every reality and Finn is determined that this time, he’s going to stop it….This Jessa is going to live. Reviewed by Jessica K., Teen Board Member.

THE ENEMY: Detroit, 1954 by Sara Holbrook (Historical Fiction)
Set in 1954, this compelling historical novel tells the story of a young girl’s struggles and triumphs in the aftermath of World War II. In Detroit, Michigan, 12-year-old Marjorie Campbell struggles with the ups and downs of family life, dealing with her veteran father’s unpredictable outbursts, keeping her mother’s stash of banned library books a secret and getting along with her new older “brother." When a new girl from Germany transfers to Marjorie’s class, Marjorie finds herself torn between befriending Inga and pleasing her best friend, Bernadette. In all this turmoil, Marjorie tries to find her own voice and figure out what is right and who the real enemies actually are. Reviewed by Christine M. Irvin.

POP GIRL by Tallia Storm (Fiction)
Fourteen-year-old Storm Hall lives to sing. So when she's forced to miss a national competition to go on a once-in-a-lifetime family vacation to Hawaii, her life is over! When Storm meets a Hawaiian band who needs a last minute singer she starts to think vacation might not be so bad after all. And when she hears her voice and her song on the local radio the next day, she thinks all of her dreams are coming true! That is until the band introduces their singer on air. It's NOT her. There's a Storm coming! Reviewed by Rebecca N., Teen Board Member.

UNDEFEATED: Jim Thorpe and the Carlisle Indian School Football Team by Steve Sheinkin (Biography)
Audiobook available, narrated by Mark Bramhall. 
Before these men became legends, they met in 1907 at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania, where they forged one of the winningest teams in American football history. Called "the team that invented football," they took on the best opponents of their day, defeating much more privileged schools such as Harvard and the Army in a series of breathtakingly close calls, genius plays, and bone-crushing hard work. Reviewed by Aimee Rogers.

A SEASON OF DARING GREATLY by Ellen Emerson White (Fiction)
Eighteen-year-old Jill Cafferty just made history. Her high school’s star pitcher, she is now the first woman drafted by a major league baseball team. Only days after her high school graduation, she’ll join the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Class A Short Season team...but not everyone is happy to have her there. On top of the pressure heaped on every pitcher, Jill must deal with defying conventions and living up to impossible expectations, all while living away from home for the first time. She’ll go head-to-head against those who are determined to keep baseball an all-male sport. Reviewed by Sheridan N., Teen Board Member.

April Poll