Tag: YA fantasy

cover of The Kingdom of Back
Posted in So Many Good Books, YA Novels

The Kingdom of Back

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

The Kingdom of Back (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2020) by Marie Lu is such an unexpected story–history and fantasy–about the other Mozart. The sister.

It’s 1759 and Nannerl Mozart wants to be recognized as a musical prodigy. She doesn’t want to be forgotten. Her younger brother Wolfgang is getting more and more attention. While she helps him with his compositions, she is secretly composing herself. But when a stranger from a dream promises she’ll be remembered, things go oddly wrong.

This is Marie’s first historical novel. And is a standalone book. Most of her other books are series. Read about all her titles here. Read about The New York Times bestselling author here. I’m really looking forward to her newest title coming next April: Stars and Smoke.

cover of Winterwood novel
Posted in So Many Good Books, YA Novels

Winterwood

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Winterwood (Simon Pulse, 2019) is another winner by Shea Ernshaw the author of The Wicked Deep.

Each month at full moonrise, Nora Walker enters the woods in search of lost things. “The things that are lost at Jackjaw Lake in summers past are once again found in the woods. Appearing as if the forest is giving them back.” But she never expected to find a body.

I found this spooky romantic book unputdownable. There’s a fun trailer on the author’s website for this book.

Read about NY Times bestselling author Shea and her other books here. I’ve got more books to read! 🙂

Posted in So Many Good Books, YA Novels

The Kingdom

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

The Kingdom (Henry Holt, 2019) by Jess Rothenberg is a freaky good YA novel. The story is told in an interesting way with a mixture of events in the present, such as post trial interviews, and those in the past with what happened from the main character’s viewpoint. It will keep you guessing and on edge.

Ana is a Fantasist at a theme park where everyone’s fantasy can come true. Bioengineered species–formerly extinct–exist along with the beautiful Fantasist sisters. But then Ana, and others, experience things beyond their programming. When a maintenance worker goes missing, Ana is put on trial for murder. Did she really kill someone?

This is Jess Rothenberg’s second book. Read about the author here. And check out the foreign additions of The Kingdom here.

Posted in Award Winners, So Many Good Books, YA Novels

The Wicked Deep

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

TheWickedDeepIf you loved Maggie Siefvater’s Scorpio Races, I think you’ll love The Wicked Deep (Simon Pulse, 2018) by Shea Ernshaw. Both books are eerie.
Two centuries ago, in the small town of Sparrow, three teen girls were drowned in the harbor for being witches. Each June since, they return and take possession of teen girls’ bodies. The locals call it the Swan season after the dead girls. And each season at least three boys will be drowned for revenge. Sometimes it is local boys and sometimes tourists.
Our main character is seventeen-year-old Penny Talbot who lives on Lumiere Island with her grief-stricken mother. A boy comes to town looking for work and Penny gets involved with him. Can she save him from the three sisters?
This books has unexpected twists and turns, flashbacks to the past, and keeps one turning the pages. I highly recommend it.
This is author Shea Ernshaw’s debut and it quickly became a NY Times Best Seller. Netflix won the screen rights to the book–I hope they make the movie! Though I might not be able to watch it alone…
Read Shea’s bio here. I’m looking forward to her next book. Read this tweet about it.

Posted in So Many Good Books, YA Novels

Steelheart

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

SteelheartSteelheart (Delacorte Press, 2013) by Brandon Sanderson is the first book of the Reckoners trilogy. In this world there are people with superpowers, but they aren’t superheroes, instead they are evil. Ordinary people call them Epics.
David saw the evil firsthand when he was a child. The all powerful Steelheart came to take over the city and bring all other Epics under his control. In the process Steelheart heartlessly kills David’s father right in front of him. David will never forget.
Now a teen, David has been studying Epics and a hidden group of people called the Reckoners who are fighting back. David wants to join them and help take out Steelheart.
FirefightThe second book is Firefight and the last one Calamity. There’s also a novelella set between books one and two called Mitosis. I’ll need to check them out, too.
Read about the author here and all of his other books here.