I go bananas for books featuring female characters with agency. I go crazy for stories where the heroine’s story is her own, and she isn’t immediately (or at any point of the journey) chasing after a male stud. I go berserk for novels where the ‘strong’ female lead is something other than an Arthurian / … Continue reading
Growing up like many of my fellow die hard readers, I came to have a bit of a ‘Matilda’ reputation with the elementary school librarians because I was one of the few 9 year olds with a penchant for biographies. I devoured these real life stories of men and women who’d composed symphonies, traveled the world, … Continue reading
Holy Crow, there are soo many amazing books coming out this summer that I just had to spread the love/proselytize their greatness! Series Closers! Assassins! Supernatural Creatures! Mystery! Oh my! Cassandra Clare (along with Kristin Cashore) was pretty much my ‘gateway drug’author to YA, thus it’s with baited breath that I reunite with the ole shadowhunter/downworlder … Continue reading
*It is known* that I’m not the biggest fan of contemporary YA fiction around here. Actually, that’s kind of an understatement. Until recently I pretty much avoided this sub-genre like the annoying popular clique at my high school. Rolling my eyes as mentions of it passed me by on twitter, and scurrying down back alleys … Continue reading
There’s a a spectacularly eerie song, called “Danse Macabre” composed by Camille Saint-Saëns, that is woven through the narrative of Samantha Shannon’s The Bone Season. You should definitely listen to it if you’re thinking about reading this book. It’s fevered, emotional, dark, at times frenzied, rich and innovative; a tone poem set for orchestra that is … Continue reading
At first glance, white tea appears soft and delicate, and one doesn’t expect any surprises from this subtle blend. However, once brewed the White Peony tea takes on another character entirely, as if its true strength is only emboldened when tested with hot water. It gives off a floral aroma, but a rich taste of … Continue reading
The title of Susan Dennard’s A Darkness Strange and Lovely essentially sums up my literary experience of this enriching sequel. While I read her first book, Something Strange and Deadly, and thoroughly enjoyed it, I knew at the end that there was much to be explored and I found myself waiting on tenterhooks for Part … Continue reading
Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson is a bittersweet tale of adolescence; beautifully but painfully capturing the missed connections, the longing, and the growth that frames this defining period of life. Narrated by Tinker Bell, and populated with twists on the classic characters, pervasive quality of magic, and darkness that is Neverland, Anderson leads the reader … Continue reading
Siege and Storm comes out today (!) by the marvelous and creative Leigh Bardugo, and while I’m waiting patiently to get my hands on a copy of the much talked-about sequel to Shadow and Bone, I’ve devoured the novella that Tor Books released today to celebrate, called The Too-Clever Fox (which you can read online for … Continue reading
Once every few weeks, I find myself skipping away from my mailbox with a little gem peeking out from my pile of bills and junk mail: The Horn Book Magazine. It’s a wonderful journal that features independent articles, editorials and reviews about children’s and young adult literature. Sitting down with it, feels like I’m joining … Continue reading
