Hey YA Readers!
It’s feeling like fake spring here, and even though it is mid-ish February and we will certainly be getting more snow here in the upper midwest, it’s sure been nice to roll the window down while in the car (it’s midwest culture to do so when the temperature hits 40 degrees). That fresh air has been so energizing and has not hurt my reading one bit — honestly, this has been my most consistent reading year so far. I found a routine that works, and it’s working!
Are you looking for the perfect Valentine’s gift for your bookish boo? Gift Tailored Book Recommendations. Your boo will tell our professional booknerds about what they love and what they don’t, what they’re reading goals are, and what they need more of in their bookish life. Then, they sit back while our Bibliologists go to work selecting books just for them. TBR has plans for every budget. Surprise your bookish boo with Tailored Book Recommendations this Valentine’s and visit mytbr.co/gift.
Bookish Goods
Book of Love Vintage Novel Wallet by WildLuxeCo
How stinkin’ cute is this vintage book inspired wallet? There are a few styles available, but since it’s almost Valentine’s Day, this seemed like the perfect one to share. $32, vegan leather.
New Releases
A lot of great YA paperbacks hit shelves this week. Here’s a look at two of them. You might need to toddle your view after you click the link to find the paperback edition.
Curious what else released in the portable paperback format? You can peep the whole list of Winter 2023 YA Paperbacks here.
Survive the Dome by Kosoko Jackson
Jamal Lawson is an aspiring journalist, and he decides to head to Baltimore to cover the news of a rally being held to protest the murder of a Black man by police. Once he arrives, though, the city implements the Dome — it’s a way of locking those inside the city within its limits and those outside the city cannot enter. This is Baltimore’s new safety measure. But stuck inside, alone, in a place that is not his own, Jamal does not know what to do. It’ll take teaming up with two others, Catherine and Marco, to get through the days-long lockdown measures. There is untold unrest, and the trio know they need to stand up to the police chief to help take down the Dome and work to build justice for all within the city.
Think The Hate U Give meets a thriller-like pace with a dystopian setting.
Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood
This Ethiopian-inspired debut novel is a fantasy reimagining of Jane Eyre, following Andromeda, a debtera. Debteras are exorcists who cleanse the homes of Evil Eyes, and Andromeda has been hired by Magnus Rochester for a job. But…it’s not like any job she’s done before and chances are she herself may not survive what is happening in his household. And yet, Andromeda also knows she can’t leave Magnus to deal with his curse on his own, either.
For a more comprehensive list, check out our New Books newsletter.
YA Book News
We were too busy with book releases this week to have a whole lot of YA news!
- Will I Know What You Did Last Summer see a reboot?
- There’s a new YA Star Wars book from EK Johnston hitting shelves in October.
- Why does The Outsiders continue to resonate with readers?
As always, thanks for hanging out. We’ll see you on Saturday with some more YA ebook deals (the deals this month have been so good!).
Until then, happy reading!
— Kelly Jensen, currently reading Nocturne by Alyssa Wees