Friday Reads!

Elizabeth Norris:

I'm just started reading CITY OF FALLEN ANGELS by Cassandra Clare.

Susanne Winnacker

I started ABOVE by fellow 2012 debut author Leah Bobet yesterday and I’m really enjoying it so far. A magical read!

Kristen Simmons

I just started Name of the Stars by Maureen Johnson. Only a chapter in, but so far seems verrrrrry intriguing!

Merry Christmas!

Friday Reads!

Heather Anastasiu
I'm reading Lauren Kate's Passion. I enjoyed the previous two books in this series and I'm excited about the premise of this one--getting to see first hand how Luce and Daniel fell in love in their past lives.

Elizabeth Norris
I'm continuing my Cassandra Clare kick and reading CLOCKWORK ANGEL this week. I love the steampunk elements and all of the little hints of what's to come in this world. I'm so addicted to the book!

Jay Kristoff
Just started Scott Westerfeld's BEHEMOTH. I loved LEVIATHAN, so really looking forward to getting into the second installment.

Emily Hainsworth

I finally picked up THE FUTURE OF US by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler. Having been an AOL-using teenager in the 90s *cough*, the premise really intrigues me. Can't wait to experience the online mashup!

Lenore Appelhans

I just finished Megan Miranda's FRACTURE. Don't go into this expecting an epic paranormal tale - it's not. Instead, it's a deeply touching look at relationships and what's important in life. Delaney and Decker have been friends & neighbors forever, and they've been skating around their romantic feelings for each other. Then, Delaney falls into an icy lake and it takes Decker 11 minutes to pull her out. That she survives is a miracle - but will she survive long enough to get her priorities in order? What would any of us do if we had only one day to live? Why aren't we doing it?


What are you reading this week?

Friday Reads!

Susanne Winnacker

I’m reading BORN WICKED by Jessica Spotswood and loving it. Beautiful prose + a strong heroine + alternate history = win!

Claire Vinson Merle

My friday read is 'Grass for his Pillow' by Lian Hearn -- 2nd book in the Tales of the Otori trilogy.
I'm loving it as much as 'Across the Nightingale Floor' and especially enjoying the chapters from Kaede's pov. An interesting and unusual mix of first person and third person.

Emily Hainsworth

I'm reading TWENTY BOY SUMMER by Sarah Ockler. It's a beautifully written, tragic story of first love, first kisses, and the healing process after someone dies unexpectedly. I'm only about halfway through but I'm savoring every word.

Jodi Meadows

I'm reading HEREAFTER by Tera Hudson. I love the concept of a ghost story romance told from the ghost's POV, and there are some really nice moments in there.

Lenore Appelhans

Just finished HERE LIES BRIDGET.  It reminded me of A Christmas Carol in that a hugely unlikeable character gets to see how she affects others and may have a chance to change for the better. Was expecting more of an afterlife book, but did enjoy what I got instead.

Elizabeth Norris

I've been flying through Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series. Right now I just finished reading CITY OF ASHES, which is amazing. I love how amazing the plot and the world are.

Susanne Winnacker is the author of THE OTHER LIFE in which the seeds of first love are sown amongst the death and destruction of a nightmare future. You can find her on her blog

Friday Reads!

Lenore Appelhans

I just read CRACKED by KM Walton. I cannot rave enough about this novel. I was so completely emotionally invested in these characters that I cried at least four times - and I hardly ever am moved to tears by books (maybe only around 10 in the whole history of my reading life post childhood).  Seriously amazing.

Elizabeth Norris

I just finished reading VARIANT by Robison Wells, and I read the whole book in two days. It was incredibly page turning. I'm dying for someone else to read it so that I can discuss the ending!

Emily Hainsworth

I am reading BEFORE I DIE by Jenny Downham. I've heard so many good things about this book, and they're all true. The writing is beautiful, the POV is almost too close, being told by a teen girl trying to LIVE as much as possible while dying from leukemia. Truly an emotional, well-written book.

Susanne Winnacker

I’m reading FOOL MOON by Jim Butcher. It’s the second book of “The Dresden Files” and I really enjoy it so far. Harry Dresden is such an anti-hero that I just can’t help liking him!

Friday Reads!

Kristen Simmons

I recently had the opportunity to meet award-winning author Greg Neri, and am reading his middle-grade novel GHETTO COWBOY, a story about a boy who is sent to live with his father on an intercity horse ranch in Philadelphia. It's incredibly interesting and engaging; the language and setting pulled me in immediately. I'm so intrigued to see how it ends!

Jodi Meadows

I'm reading THE NAME OF THE STAR by Maureen Johnson and I'm loving it! The murders, the humor, the spookiness! Yes!

Elizabeth Norris

I read THE SHADOW READER by Sandy Williams this week. I read it
overnight! It's an amazing debut urban fantasy novel about MacKenzie
Lewis, a Houston college student who has the ability to see the fae
and read the shadows they leave behind (like a map) when they portal
in and out of certain places. She works mostly for the king of the fae
and is in love with his swordsmaster, but she finds herself caught up
in the rebellion when she's kidnapped by a rebel leader. My favorite
thing about this book is that for the the most part, I never knew who
was a good guy, who was bad, and who was lying! Such a great book. One
of my favorites this year.

Susanne Winnacker

I started SPELLS by Aprilynne Pike today. I really liked WINGS, so I can’t wait to find out what happens to Laurel, Tamani and David in this book.

Friday Reads!

Heather Anastasiu

I'm reading A CLASH OF KINGS by George R.R. Martin, the 2nd in the Game of Thrones series. My secret love = super epic high fantasy series. This one reminds me of LOTR--it's long, is sometimes a slow read, and very different from the YA I read the rest of the time, but it has this slow-building-yet-satisfying storytelling quality that I find continually compelling.

Jay Kristoff

I'm alllllmost finished Article 5 by our very own Kristen Simmons. A5 has kept me guessing the ENTIRE trip and has taken some totally unexpected turns - even two chapters from the finale, I have NO IDEA how it's going to end. It's beautifully written, wonderfully paced and extraordinarily intimate - I feel like I'm literally inside the MC's head. Love love love love love.

Kristen Simmons

I just finished Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins. It was great - quirky and passionate and fun. I loved Anna and the French Kiss, and was so excited to see Anna and St. Claire pop up throughout the sequel!

Susanne Winnacker

I finished UNEARTHLY by Cynthia Hand this week and loved it, especially Tucker! I need to read the sequel asap!

What are you reading this week?

Friday Reads

Heather Anastasiu

I just finished Myra McEntire's HOURGLASS. I loved the intelligent concepts the book was built around, the unique characters, and the wicked suprises throughout.

Lenore Appelhans

I just finished WHEREVER YOU GO by Heather Davis.  She's a master of the quiet scene - they sneak up on you with their depth of feeling and leave you spinning.  This one features a intriguing premise: Rob is a ghost that wants to try to speak to his girlfriend through the grandfather with Alzheimers that she cares for. Not as romantic as her last one, THE CLEARING, but has a lot to say about the realities of life and love.

Susanne Winnacker

I just finished DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE. And wow this book is stunning. The end left me breathless. Laini Taylor created a rich and believable world. So believable that I wish I was in Prague to search for the places she described in the book. Poison Kitchen and the door to Brimstone's shop. They have to be somewhere because they are just too vivid in my mind to be figments of someone's imagination.

Jennifer Rush

I'm also reading DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE. At the halfway point, I'm blown away at how rich Laini's writing is. I don't think she's described a look between characters the same way twice. Major feat, as any writer knows! Can't wait to see how it ends.

Emily Hainsworth

I'm reading ACCOMPLICE by Eireann Corrigan. This is a strictly contemp book, but it's so high concept and intriguing, I couldn't resist. A couple of teen girls plan for one of them to go missing in order to stand out better on their college applications (I know, right?), but things don't go exactly according to their plan. I'm about 1/4 into it and already the stakes are so high and the voice is so intense, I'm totally hooked. 

Kristen Simmons

I just finished STORMDANCER by (drum roll please...) our very own Jay Kristoff and it was INCREDIBLE. I was blown away by the writing, the characters, the world. Nothing about this book is superficial - every layer is well thought out and perfectly woven. It had everything I wanted - action, romance, snarky humor, things blowing up, samurais, a world caving in on itself, a kick ass heroine. And yes, a griffin. I loved it. Cannot wait to see what happens in book 2.

Susanne Winnacker is the author of THE OTHER LIFE in which the seeds of first love are sown amongst the death and destruction of a nightmare future. You can find her on her blog (where she's currently giving away an ARC of her book).

What are you reading this week?

Friday Reads

Find out what we're reading this week:

Jodi Meadows

I'm reading ROT & RUIN by Jonathan Maberry and really enjoying it. I love the voice, the invisible way he introduces the world, and all of Benny's antics.

Lenore Appelhans

I am reading EVERYBODY SEES THE ANTS by AS King. I'm an AS King fangirl, and this novel is only confirming my opinion of her as a writing genius of the highest order.  Lucky's voice feels so authentic, and I love his wry observations.

Jennifer Bosworth

I'm on book three, A Storm of Swords, in George R.R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series. These books have consumed my life. I can barely come up for air. 

Emily Hainsworth

I'm reading THE UNIDENTIFIED by Rae Mariz. It's sort of a dystopian in that the kids go to high school in a converted mall and are basically marketed to in advertisement all day, but there's also a layer of mystery to it. A subversive groups seems to be playing pranks to break the kids out of their consumer loop. I'm less than a third of the way in, but it's a well-paced story and incorporates language that sound futuristic enough to be unique, but not difficult to follow. 

Elizabeth Norris

I'm about to start THE AFFAIR by Lee Child. It's my first foray into the world of Jack Reacher but I've heard good things. And even though this is his newest book it's a prequel so a good place to start.

Debra Driza

I just started on THE NIGHT CIRCUS by Erin Morgenstern. I'm super duper excited because I was in a discussion group with Erin back before she was agented and her book took over the world (*grin*), so I feel like I've been waiting for this one for a LONG TIME. Plus, I've heard nothing but rave reviews so far!
Magic + Romance = Huge Win!

Heather Anastasiu

Fateful by Claudia Gray. I LOVED her Evernight series, and I was hooked immediately by the story idea for this new book: Gray's writing + The Titanic + paranormal elements = Excited Heather!

Jay Kristoff

I'm reading DREADNOUGHT by Cherie Priest. Very cool premise, and Mercy Lynch is a great protagonist. Really enjoying it so far.

What are you reading this week?

Friday Reads!

Kristen Simmons

I'm delirious for DELIRIUM!

Emily Hainsworth

I'm reading THIS IS NOT A TEST by Courtney Summers, which is a departure from her other gritty, contemporary YA books, if only because this one also has...ZOMBIES. It's a refreshing addition to the zombie/horror genre because instead of making the zombies the focus, Summers brings her real, flawed characters to the scene. As anyone familiar with her books will know, they are already their own worst enemies, but then she turns the intensity up a notch by surrounding them with hungry, undead corpses. I'm tearing through this book!

Elizabeth Norris

I'm reading POSSESS by fellow Apocalypsie Gretchen McNeill. Bridget is such a great character. Within the first two pages, I was completely sucked into the world and the story. It's tense and scary, and I can't wait to finish.

Claire Merle
This week I finished Across the Universe by Beth Revis. I was immediately swept in by the convincing and claustrophobic world-building in Across the Universe. The telling in first person from two POVs was enjoyable and effective, and I loved the early internal narrative from Amy when she was frozen. The plot kept me intrigued and turning pages throughout.

Jennifer Bosworth

I'm possessed by Gretchen McNeil's POSSESS. I was immediately drawn in by the voice and situation, and I want to be friends with the main character. She's a cool cat.

Jessica Souders

Ha! I just finished Gretchen McNeil's POSSESS and yes I never want to step foot in a doll shop EVER AGAIN!  Now I'm reading the DARK AND HOLLOW PLACES by Carrie Ryan.  I'd started listening to it when it was first released, but my iPod has been swiped by my oldest, so I had to go and buy the hardcopy as well. :)  I've never been a fan of Zombie stories, but this series pretty much has me hooked.  And Annah is a great protagonist.  She combines the characteristics I liked in both of the previous ones and none of the ones I didn't.  She's also one tough cookie.  And I fell in love with Catcher in the 2nd book, so I'm glad to see him back and in a new light in the 3rd.

Lenore Appelhans

I'm taking a reading break for a few days, but I recently finished our own Jodi Meadows' INCARNATE and reviewed it on my blog as part of Dystopian August.  It's so inventive!  I want to give it to everyone right now so we can discuss.

Susanne Winnacker is the author of THE OTHER LIFE in which the seeds of first love are sown amongst the death and destruction of a nightmare future. You can find her on her blog.

Friday Reads!

Find out what we're reading this week:

Veronica Rossi

My Friday read is SHATTER ME by Tahereh Mafi. I'm devouring it because it is both refreshing and delicious.

Catherine Knutsson

I just finished DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE, by Laini Taylor, and really enjoyed it!

Elizabeth Norris

This week I read the latest two books in the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs: SILVER BORNE and RIVER MARKED. For me this is one of those series that just keeps getting better and better. Mercy is such a great character. I love how tough she is and protective of the people she cares about. If I was badass I hope I'd be the same way!

Lenore Appelhans

On the suggestion of my editor, I am reading Neal Shusterman's EVERLOST. The worldbuilding is very smooth and easy to follow.

Kristen Simmons

I read PERFECT CHEMISTRY by Simone Elkeles (in one sitting). This book is smokin' hot. Loved it.

Susanne Winnacker

I read WANDERLOVE by Kirsten Hubbard and absolutely loved it. The setting is vivid and there are beautiful drawings in the book!