On Tuesday, March 15th, I followed the yellow-edged subway platforms downtown from our NYC offices for a very special launch party for YELLOW BRICK WAR, the third book in Danielle Paige's Dorothy Must Die series.
March 18, 2016
It’s no secret that this week is simultaneously everyone’s favorite and also the most hated of the year. Daylight savings means we’re getting longer hours of light in the evening, but we all lost an hour of sleep, which really did us in. In fact, we’re still feeling the effects. The upside is that those chill rays are giving us some much-needed vitamin D. Once we recover from this grogginess, we’re sure we’ll hit the streets fast and loose. Not to mention this unseasonably warm NYC weather --- no one tell Leo, but global warming is real. We hear street crime goes down during daylight savings time, so we have no more excuses for not getting out there and finding some spring hunnies. Spring got us #sprung, so to speak. (In the spirit of optimism, we are ignoring the snow predictions for Sunday into Monday!)
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Editorial Content for The Way I Used to Be
Book
Contributors
Reviewer (text)
Grace P., Teen Board Member
THE WAY I USED TO BE is the powerful debut novel written by Amber Smith. This novel approaches the tough topic of sexual assault and walks us through the time after something like this happens. The main character, Eden, is raped by her brother’s best friend during her freshman year of high school. Although she was always a good, "perfect" girl, her trauma changes her entirely, putting her at odds with the people around her. The story follows her journey through her high school years dealing with the aftermath of the assault. Read More
Teaser
Eden was always good at being good. Starting high school didn’t change who she was. But the night her brother’s best friend rapes her, Eden’s world capsizes. What was once simple, is now complex. What Eden once loved --- who she once loved --- she now hates. What she thought she knew to be true, is now lies. Nothing makes sense anymore, and she knows she’s supposed to tell someone what happened but she can’t. So she buries it instead. And she buries the way she used to be.
Promo
Eden was always good at being good. Starting high school didn’t change who she was. But the night her brother’s best friend rapes her, Eden’s world capsizes. What was once simple, is now complex. What Eden once loved --- who she once loved --- she now hates. What she thought she knew to be true, is now lies. Nothing makes sense anymore, and she knows she’s supposed to tell someone what happened but she can’t. So she buries it instead. And she buries the way she used to be.
About the Book
In the tradition of SPEAK, this extraordinary debut novel shares the unforgettable story of a young woman as she struggles to find strength in the aftermath of an assault.
Eden was always good at being good. Starting high school didn’t change who she was. But the night her brother’s best friend rapes her, Eden’s world capsizes.
What was once simple, is now complex. What Eden once loved --- who she once loved --- she now hates. What she thought she knew to be true, is now lies. Nothing makes sense anymore, and she knows she’s supposed to tell someone what happened but she can’t. So she buries it instead. And she buries the way she used to be.
Told in four parts --- freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior year --- this provocative debut reveals the deep cuts of trauma. But it also demonstrates one young woman’s strength as she navigates the disappointment and unbearable pains of adolescence, of first love and first heartbreak, of friendships broken and rebuilt, and while learning to embrace a power of survival she never knew she had hidden within her heart.
March 2016
Happy "Day After St. Patrick’s Day"! My name is Rebecca, and I definitely feel like the luck of the Irish has been on my side lately, because I’m the new Editorial Coordinator at Kidsreads. I’ve been here about three weeks, and thus far I’ve been attending tons of really fun previews where publishers present upcoming books so I can plan fun features and reviews (you can see some pictures of these adventures above, along with some St. Patty's Day office treats).
Editorial Content for The Last ExecutionBookContributorsReviewer (text)Lauren H., Teen Board Member
THE LAST EXECUTION by Jasper Wung-Sung is an historical fiction account about the execution of 15-year-old Niels Nielsen. The book recounts the hours leading up to the execution and the differing opinions on the boy and his actions. The reader is even able to experience the last hours with Niels and discover what thoughts might have ran through his mind on his final day. Read More Teaser
Based on the chilling true story of the last execution in Denmark’s history, this award-winning, mesmerizing novel asks a question that plagues a small Danish town: does a 15-year-old boy deserve to be put to death? Niels Nielson, a young peasant, was sentenced to death by beheading on the dubious charges of arson and murder. Does he have the right to live despite what he is accused of? That is the question the townsfolk ask as the countdown begins. PromoBased on the chilling true story of the last execution in Denmark’s history, this award-winning, mesmerizing novel asks a question that plagues a small Danish town: does a 15-year-old boy deserve to be put to death? Niels Nielson, a young peasant, was sentenced to death by beheading on the dubious charges of arson and murder. Does he have the right to live despite what he is accused of? That is the question the townsfolk ask as the countdown begins. About the BookBased on the chilling true story of the last execution in Denmark’s history, this award-winning, mesmerizing novel asks a question that plagues a small Danish town: does a 15-year-old boy deserve to be put to death? On February 22, 1853, a 15-year-old Niels Nelson is prepared to be executed on Gallows Hill. This remarkable, wrenching story is told with the alternating perspectives of 11 different bystanders --- one per hour --- as the clock ticks ever closer to the moment when the boy must face his fate. Niels Nielson, a young peasant, was sentenced to death by beheading on the dubious charges of arson and murder. Does he have the right to live despite what he is accused of? That is the question the townsfolk ask as the countdown begins. With strong social conscience, piercing intellect, and masterful storytelling, Jesper Wung-Sung explores the age-old question: who determines who has the right to live or die? Copyright © 2026 The Book Report, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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