Monday, January 11, 2016

Four Great YA Reads - Bon Voyage Recommendations from Phoebe.

It’s the last hurrah for Phoebe at Boswell as she ventures off to New York to conquer the world of children’s publishing. Before she goes, here are her four last recommendations for books coming out this spring.

First up is The Hunt, by Megan Shepherd, Balzer and Bray. Phoebe’s take: “After being deceived so thoroughly, Cora wants nothing to do with Cassian or the rest of the Kindred. Problem is, she doesn't have a choice. She has been reassigned to a menagerie known as "The Hunt" and Cassian is training her to complete the Gauntlet. If she succeeds, humans will be elevated to intelligent status. But there are some who don't want that to ever happen, and Cora will have to battle them and her inner turmoil in order to survive the Hunt and pass the Gauntlet. Meghan Shepherd delivers an explosive sequel to The Cage that had me flipping pages as fast as possible. The characters continue to evolve as they are thrust into their new environments. I still love the POV switches. The story reads like a sci-fi political thriller and Cora's character adds the dystopian element of a reluctant, desperate, and selfless heroine. This book is awesome!” It's out in May!

Emily Henry's The Love that Split the World is per Phoebe, one of a kind: "Natalie Cleary knows she has three months to save him, at least that's what Grandmother told her the last time she appeared in her room. The only problem is that she has no idea who this mysterious "him" is. Then she meets Beau, a captivating boy who lives in her small town in Kentucky, but also doesn't. Unraveling the mystery of what connects them leads Natalie to truths that will change her world and her life forever. Oh my goodness, this book. I loved it in a way that is tough to put to words. Henry weaves folklore, parallel worlds, questions of identity, and powerful romance together into a beautiful story. This book is poignant, and magnificent, and one of a kind." This novel comes out at the end of January.

Coming February 16 is The Shadow Queen, by C.J. Redwine, Balzer and Bray. The Phoebe facts: "Irina, the wicked queen of Ravenspire, is a mardushka with magic that is slowly destroying the land from the inside out. Lorelai, the rightful heir to the throne, is a mardushka herself and has been on the run ever since Irina killed her father. With her people and the land dying, Lorelai has to decide what she is willing to risk to save her kingdom. This is a standalone fairy tale retelling/ fantasy. Yes, a standalone! And it's wonderful. The world is fully fleshed out, the characters are very original spins on the standard fairy tale characters (especially the Huntsman), and the pacing of the book is spot on. This book is a stellar example of a retelling done right and a satisfying and gripping fantasy that perfectly fits inside of one book."

You'll have to wait until May for The Last Star, the final book in Rick Yancey's Fifth Wave series. "Perfect" is Phoebe's take on this one: "Cassie, Ringer, Zombie, Evan, and the others in their group are nearing the inevitable conclusion to what started with the 1st wave and is now ending with the 5th. Either the others go, or humanity does. Wow doesn't even begin to cover it. After the greatness of the first book, I admit the second one let me down a bit. I was worried about this book, excited to read it, but worried. I shouldn't have been worried. This conclusion to the trilogy matches and then surpasses the brilliance of the first book. From the first page to the last, it blew me away. It's so humanly, heart-wrenchingly, edge-of-your-seat good."

Soon enough, Phoebe will be talking up these publisher's books from the inside. All the best to her!

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