December Book of the Month Selections

I am so excited that December is here because I have some really exciting news for you. Have you been wanting to try YA Book of the Month but you just aren’t sure whether or not it’s worth it? Well…

For the rest of the year, you can join YA Book of the Month for only $5 by using code YES5. That gets you one of the books I’m about to tell you about, a book that just released or is about to release, for five dollars. Plus, you can cancel at any time, skip any month, and you’ll never pay shipping. This is the best deal you’ll find! Click here to join today!

Here’s a look at what books are available this month and what they’re about!

The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black

The Queen of Faerie is back with a delicious, revenge-filled finale. Just make sure you’ve read the first two books.

Are you a fan of The Folk of the Air series? Do you collect different editions of the books? Then don’t miss out on adding this exclusive edition to your collection for only $5!

Sensational Sophomores: Interview with Chris Bedell

Sensational Sophomores is a periodic blog series highlighting authors who are releasing their second book. Today, I am honored to be welcoming Chris Bedell, author of In the Name of Magic and Deathly Desires, for an interview!

If you are an author interested in being featured in this series please click here to fill out the Google form.

Chris Bedell’s previous publishing credits include Thought Catalog, Entropy Magazine, Chicago Literati, and Foliate Oak Literary Magazine, among others. His debut YA Fantasy novel IN THE NAME OF MAGIC was published by NineStar Press in 2018. In addition to his YA Paranormal Romance novel DEATHLY DESIRES, Chris has other forthcoming books. A YA Thriller I KNOW WHERE THE BODIES ARE BURIED (Magnolia Press) and a NA Thriller BURNING BRIDGES (BLKDOG Publishing). Furthermore, Chris graduated with a BA in Creative Writing from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 2016. You can find Chris on Twitter.

Hi, Chris! I’m so excited to have you here today! How different was the publishing and writing process between your first book, In the Name of Magic, and your second, Deathly Desires?

Review: Ziggy, Stardust and Me by James Brandon

Title: Ziggy, Stardust and Me
Author: James Brandon
Release Date: August 6, 2019
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Pages: 368

Content Warnings: homophobia (internalized and externalized), bullying, racism (specifically towards Native Americans), derogatory language, abuse (parental, psychological, and physical), shock/conversion therapy, misgendering, suicide, suicidal thoughts, sexism, disassociation, self-harm, possible PTSD, anxiety, asthma attacks, physical violence, police brutality, death of a parent, attempted rape

This post does contain affiliate links. I will receive a small amount from any purchases made through Book Depository at no extra cost to you.

The year is 1973. The Watergate hearings are in full swing. The Vietnam War is still raging. And homosexuality is still officially considered a mental illness. In the midst of these trying times is sixteen-year-old Jonathan Collins, a bullied, anxious, asthmatic kid, who aside from an alcoholic father and his sympathetic neighbor and friend Starla, is completely alone. To cope, Jonathan escapes to the safe haven of his imagination, where his hero David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust and dead relatives, including his mother, guide him through the rough terrain of his life. In his alternate reality, Jonathan can be anything: a superhero, an astronaut, Ziggy Stardust, himself, or completely “normal” and not a boy who likes other boys. When he completes his treatments, he will be normal—at least he hopes. But before that can happen, Web stumbles into his life. Web is everything Jonathan wishes he could be: fearless, fearsome and, most importantly, not ashamed of being gay.

Inside and Out Book Tag

Did I do a book tag just a few days ago? Yes, yes I did. But you know what? This is a busy week and I didn’t prepare my blog ahead of time like I should have so we’re doing another one!

Thank you to Grey from Use Your Words for tagging me in this! I tried to research who originally created the tag but I was unable to figure it out. Looks like this one has maybe been around for a while? If you have any leads please let me know down in the comments! I hate not giving credit where it’s due.

Inside flap/back of the book summaries: too much info or not enough?

Review: Hearts, Strings, and Other Breakable Things by Jacqueline Firkins

Title: Hearts, Strings, and Other Breakable Things
Author: Jacqueline Firkins
Release Date: December 17, 2019
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Pages: 384

Content Warnings: parental abandonment, death of a parent, foster care, fatphobia, underage drinking

This post does contain affiliate links. I will receive a small amount from any purchases made through Book Depository at no extra cost to you.

In this charming debut about first love and second chances, a young girl gets caught between the boy next door and a playboy. Perfect for fans of To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before.

Mansfield, Massachusetts is the last place seventeen-year-old Edie Price wants to spend her final summer before college. It’s the home of wealthy suburbanites and prima donnas like Edie’s cousins, who are determined to distract her from her mother’s death with cute boys and Cinderella-style makeovers. Edie has her own plans, and they don’t include a prince charming.