Cat Girl’s Day Off (Tu Books, 2012) by Kimberly Pauley has a main character who can hear cats speak. Add to that fun, cat analogies, and a movie being filmed at school, and what’s not to like?
Here’s a brief description:
Natalie Ng can hear cats speak. Although in her super-talented family that’s probably only a Class D “party trick” talent. Nothing compared to her older sister Viv’s Class A talents of truth divination, levitation and X-ray vision. Nor her 12- year-old sister’s Class B chameleon blending ability. Natalie doesn’t want people besides her best friends, Oscar and Melly, to know about her ability, but when one of the movie stars filming at her high school has a cat claiming the woman is an imposter, how can Natalie not get involved? Even if it means revealing her talent.
Kimberly is the author of the Sucks to Be Me Series. Her newest book is called Ask Me and sounds fascinating: “Ask Aria Morse anything…and she’ll have to tell you.” Read more about the author and her books at www.kimberlypauley.com.
Category: YA Novels
young adult novels (for 13+ yo)
The Last Dragon Slayer
I loved the Thursday Next* series written for adults so of course, I expected to love the YA book by the same author and Jasper Fforde did not disappoint me. Right from the lovely prologue, The Last Dragon Slayer (Hodder & Stoughton, 2012 in the US, 2010 in the UK) is very funny. But I’ll admit I was really sad about something that happened with one nonhuman character…
Here’s a brief look at the story: 15-year-old, Jennifer Strange is the acting manager (and indentured servant) of Kazam since Mr. Zambini disappeared. The magic is failing, so sorcerors, magicians, etc. are reduced to doing things such as rewiring a house. Magic carpets are used to deliver pizza. People start having visions predicting the death of the last dragon and that Jennifer will be the dragonslayer. However, she doesn’t want to kill the dragon.
The sequel, The Song of the Quarkbeast, comes out in September in the US. Both covers are 
the UK covers which I like a lot!
I’m hoping Mr. Fforde continues to write YA.
I got to hear him speak last year–he’s a fun speaker to listen to as well. My favorite in the Q&A was when someone commented that they couldn’t get their friends to read his books and Mr. Fforde said, “maybe you need new friends.” I wasn’t the only one to chuckle.
*The first book is The Eyre Affair–find out the story behind the story… Here’s the author’s website
Daughter of Smoke and Bone
I love it when I read a book and, knowing a sequel is in progress, can’t wait for the next one. That’s what it was like for me when I read Daughter of Smoke & Bone (Little, Brown, 2012) by Laini Taylor. And isn’t the cover beautiful?
Here’s a brief summary of Book 1: Karou is an artist living in Prague, going to art school, has bright blue hair, and draws fantastical creatures that her artist friends don’t believe are real. Not even her best friend Zuzana. But Brimstone aka the Wishmonger, Issa, Twiga and Yasri are real. In fact they raised her. Karou tells stories about them with a wry smile and there’s no risk of being believed. Of course she wishes she knew who she really was. Then while on one of Brimstone’s errands to collect teeth, Karou meets and fights an angel. Everything gets worse from there. (The story is told in Akiva, the angel’s viewpoint too.)
I haven’t managed to read Book 2: Days of Blood and Starlight yet–it’s on my list–but the third book in the trilogy has been announced too! It’s called Dreams of Gods and Monsters and comes out next spring.
Book 1 has been optioned for a movie; waiting with bated breath for more information on that.
And it all couldn’t have happened to a nicer author. Read more about Laini on her website.
Jepp, Who Defied the Stars
Jepp, Who Defied the Stars (Hyperion, 2012) by Katherine Marsh was eye-opening for me. I had no idea that dwarfs were treated so badly.
Jepp, who has always lived with his mother at their inn, has been offered a chance to go to Coudenberg Palace. He takes it and then finds he is to be humiliated to serve as entertainment for the Spanish Infanta and her royal court. He and the other dwarfs are held prisoner and live at the whims of those around them. However, this intelligent young man doesn’t resignedly accept his fate.
The story was inspired by real characters in history and the author’s mother’s interest in astrology. Read more here.
I encourage anyone who starts reading this book and finds the formality of the writing a bit off-putting to push through–soon you’ll not notice it at all as you become engrossed in the story.
King of Ithaca
Tracy Barrett has given us a new look at Greek Mythology with her coming of age novel, King of Ithaca (Henry Holt, 2010). These characters become real under the author’s skilled hands.
Telemachos, son of Odysseus, lives on the small island of Ithaka. His father has been missing since the Trojan war, but now that Telemachos is almost grown up, neighbors are saying the king must be dead and the queen needs to remarry one of them. Telemachos goes on a journey to find his father.
Tracy has published 19 books for young readers. Her newest book is Dark of the Moon, a retelling of the Minotaur myth. Read more about the author on her website.