It’s my favorite time of the month – the time where I open my inbox and have a YA newsletter from Goodreads detailing the “can’t miss” YA releases for the month!
Sometimes I think I like reading about books more than I actually enjoy reading the books. Although I haven’t done so of late, I used to love walking through Barnes & Noble and examining all of the “display” books and new releases. This Young Adult Newsletter delivered to my inbox once a month lets me browse the “new YA release” section at B&N from the comfort of my home!
I thought it would be fun (maybe more so for me) to go through this month’s highlights and offer my thoughts on just the mini blurb and the book covers – just as I would normally do by myself while browsing through B&N.
Welcome to Britney’s inner-monologue.
The first book on the list is Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett. Here’s the cover and blurb provided in my email by my dear friends at Amazon Goodreads:
In this charming spin on You’ve Got Mail, two teen film buffs fall for each other online…while annoying each other in person. During a sun-soaked summer in a small surfing town, they discover real life is so much messier than in the movies.
I’m honestly too old for You’ve Got Mail so I’m curious how that will hold up with today’s YA audience (don’t get me wrong, I hope it does hold up!) but I’m always a sucker for a summer novel. I’ll wait to reserve this one at the library until summer comes, though.
Next up on the list we have Maud: a Novel Inspired by the Life of L.M. Montgomery, written by Melanie J. Fishbane:
Meet 14-year-old Maud. Like the beloved main character of Anne of Green Gables, she grows up on Prince Edward Island, an imaginative misfit who dreams of one day sharing her stories with the world.
I am super embarrassed to say that I have never read Anne of Green Gables but everyone I know who has read it acts like it defines their childhoods (my childhood was instead defined by Nancy Drew, thank you very much). As my initial thoughts on Alex, Approximately, I wonder how Anne of Green Gables holds up with today’s YA audience (and, yet again, I hope well). As a big fan of Canada (PEI!) I not only want to read this novel but also kind of want to delve into some Anne of Green Gables. I’ll add Anne to my reading list first, and then check out this novel.
(I do have to add that I think this cover is gorgeous, but green is my absolute favorite color, so there’s a decent chance I’m biased.)
Third on the list is Geekerella by Ashley Poston, and I’m obsessed already by the name alone:
With no fairy godmothers or helpful mice in sight, proud geek Elle has to rely on her Magic Pumpkin food truck to get her to a cosplay contest—and to Darien Freeman, the dreamy star of an upcoming sci-fi show.
Don’t get me wrong, I was (am?) a geek, but cosplays and sci-fi shows? This book might out-geek even me. But hey, that’s okay. I love this emphasis in YA novels on characters having weird little quirks/interests and it being okay. I know when I was a teen, I was far more into obsessing over a Japanese rock star than I was the boys around me, so I’m glad people like me are getting to have their stories told. Also… food truck? I’m in.
Alright, moving onto number four – Given to the Sea by Mindy McGinnis:
Khosa is Given, a girl born to be fed to the water. In the Kingdom of Stille, such sacrifices are the only way to appease the deadly waves. But as the sea calls for her, Khosa rebels, ready to change the tides once and for all.
I have to preface right now by saying this isn’t my cup of tea. In order for me to read non-contemporary YA, it’s gotta be really, really good. Which isn’t to say that I don’t think this sounds intriguing (although at first by the title I thought it was about mermaids and was a bit disappointed when I realized it doesn’t seem to be about mermaids). But this one won’t make it on my very long library-reserve list just yet. It’s a me-problem.
What’s next? Ah yes, Between Two Skies by Joanne O’Sullivan which has my idea type of cover – pretty colors and no pics:
Evangeline’s old life was sailing and fishing in the tiny town of Bayou Perdu. Her new life, one forced upon her by Hurricane Katrina, is characterized by absence. Without a home, she searches for a sense of place with fellow refugee Tru.
I love the sound of this. I mean, I don’t have to sit here and type out how devastating Hurricane Katrina is, but I love the idea of a YA novel doing it and showing the devastation for me. I definitely plan on checking this one out as soon a I get the chance.
Finally – and I do believe they saved the best for last, at least in my opinion based on these small blurbs alone – we have The Takedown by Corrie Wang:
When a scandalous (and completely fake) video of Kyla and her English teacher goes viral, the once-popular high school girl dives into a world of hackers, haters, and stalkers to expose the culprit and clear her name.
First of all, I love the title. The Takedown. It’s awesome. Second, Asian-American on the cover? Yes, please. And finally, it sort of has a less-morbid Thirteen Reasons Why feel to it (I’m watching the Netflix show right now and am I the only one who honestly truly prefers the book?) with a hint of revenge and a whodunit flavor. As soon as there’s room on my reserve list, I’ll be checking this one out.
And there we have it! The top-5 can’t-miss YA releases per Goodreads’ April Young Adult Newsletter. The newsletter doesn’t include release dates, but if you’re interested, just click the links I’ve provided and you’ll find the information you need. Happy reading!
britney brouwer 