Two magical books topped off our April reading, both earning starred reviews. The Golem and the Jinni is a mash-up of Jewish and Arab folklore, historical fiction and fantasy, new and old world sensibilities. Helene Wecker’s debut seems destined to be among the best of the year. The publisher has certainly gone all-out. The physical package is richly [...]
In The Reader’s Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction (ALA, 2009), Joyce Saricks divides genre fiction into four categories: Adrenaline Genres, Emotion Genres, Intellect Genres, and Landscape Genres (h/t to Jonathan Hunt for pointing me to this wonderful resource–and click through that link to read some fascinating commentary on the categories). I find this categorization much more [...]
Today’s reviews are all notable debut novels by women. I spent part of my spring break tearing through Kimberly McCreight’s Reconstructing Amelia, and let me tell you — teens are going to eat this up. It came out just yesterday, so go order a couple copies now. There are several appeal elements here. First, the [...]
We have a huge backlog of wonderful reviews right now, so this week we’re giving you even more weekly reviews. The great film reviewer Jonathan Rosenbaum once commented that “it’s pretty safe to say that there are more serial killers in movies than there are in real life” and puzzled over why so many viewers [...]
Sometimes a book resonates so strongly with its reviewer that the 250-work limit placed on an official review is simply too constricting. Thank you to AB4T reviewer Carla Riemer for her in-depth look at Tara Conklin’s debut novel, The House Girl. The House Girl is a story of deceptions and the people who benefit from [...]
Back at the end of last year, I posted a link to VOYA’s top adult mysteries for teens. Since, as I said at the time, this blog hadn’t gotten to many (read: almost any) of them, I thought I would take a closer look at the books on VOYA’s list. But since I am somewhat [...]
They found a body. I know who it is. Such a great tag line! Three teenage girls and the jealousy-filled triangle of their friendships are at the center of Jenn Ashworth‘s dark, contemporary British murder mystery. The author is currently on a virtual (blog) tour of the U.S. that started Tuesday. ASHWORTH, Jenn. Cold Light. [...]
Zoe Fishman‘s sophomore effort mirrors her own experience. “As a sassy, liberal and ragingly insecure Jewish girl amongst my overwhelmingly blonde and Baptist peers, I always felt like a bit of an outsider growing up. The novel reflects that perspective.” This and more can be found in a USA Today interview with the author, which also [...]
Simon Toyne is back with the second in the trilogy that began with last year’s widely-praised Sanctus. The Key is a well-written, intriguing, action-packed conspiracy thriller, and a great recommendation for kids who like a Da Vinci Code kind of book. The book trailer is OK, but this (the author’s visit to The British Museum in [...]
Although far from being his first book, this is the first full autobiography by Bear Grylls, star of Man vs. Wild on the Discovery Channel. After 7 seasons, the show closed this spring, but Grylls’ fans are many. In 1998, at 23 years old, Bear Grylls became the youngest British climber to successfully climb Everest. This [...]
Recent Comments