Hey YA Fans!
This week’s edition of “What’s Up in YA?” is sponsored by Nothing by Annie Barrows from Epic Reads.
#1 New York Times bestselling author Annie Barrows’s teen debut tells the story of Charlotte and Frankie, two high school students and best friends whose lives are nothing like the lives of the girls they read about in their YA novels. But when Charlotte decides to write down everything that happens during their sophomore year, to prove that nothing happens in real life, she’s surprised to find that being fifteen isn’t as boring as she thought. It’s weird, heartbreaking, silly, and complicated. This funny flip on archetypal YA is a great read for fans of Becky Albertalli and Louise Rennison
It’s really hard for me to believe, but the leaves are starting to change here in ye old upper midwest. As the trees begin their beautiful transformations, it seems only right to use today’s newsletter to catch up on what we’ve been talking about in the YA world at Book Riot this last month.
- Did you see the news about a Sweet Valley High movie? Now you have.
- Excellent Harry Potter enamel pins worth shelling out your Sickles for.
- Reviews of some historical YA fiction and which titles are worth your dollars, your library borrow, or skipping all together.
- YA novels that actually earn their comps to Veronica Mars (see my TBR growing longer!).
- When you’ve finished your Veronica Mars read alikes, how about some Nancy Drew read alikes?
- On pioneering YA writer Robin McKinley.
- A big ole round-up of nonfiction YA titles highlighting social justice.
- How one badass school librarian gets teens into his library.
- 100 must-read inclusive SFF YA books. #SorryNotSorry about your TBR.
- By reader request: YA soccer books.
- YA books titles that will ruin your day. (If you click that, you’ll know that’s a big JK).
- Instead of more Twilight films, how about about adapting these rad books?
- A look at the talk of the Flame Con event in NYC last month, with a special exploration of queer YA.
- Great YA books for your adult book club discussion.
- Mythology-inspired YA books you’ll want to pick up.
- The most banana-pants story you’ll read about a fake New York Times bestseller, YA Twitter, Blues Traveler, N*Sync, and more. Really.
- Leigh Bardugo talks about writing a Wonder Woman YA novel.
- Excellent bookish gifts for YA lovers.
- One reader on how Megan Whalen Turner’s “The Queen’s Thief” series rekindled her love of YA fantasy.
Snap up some cheap YA reads…
These ebooks are super cheap and you’re going to want to drop your pennies on them. If the ebook doesn’t pop up with the link, you can simply toggle over.
Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson is the first book in a series which will end soon, so no better time to jump in, especially for $1.99.
Adam Silvera’s History is All You Left Me is more than worth this $1.99 price point. A moving, aching story. One of my favorite reads from this year.
Shallow Graves by Kali Wallace is pitched as being great for fans of Holly Black and Nova Ren Suma and looks like the deliciously creepy type of read perfect for this time of year. Pick it up for $1.99.
Thanks for hanging out. Next week’s newsletter will be written by colleague and YA experthusiast Eric Smith (expert + enthusiast extraordinaire!). The following week we’ll highlight backlist Hispanic YA authors in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. September is shaping up to be a great one!
–Kelly Jensen, @veronikellymars
Currently reading Vincent and Theo by Deborah Hopkinson