BOUNDERS by Monica Tesler
When the ARC for BOUNDERS passed my desk, the first thing that drew me in was the cover. That was immediately followed by the story, and I was quick to order copies for the Sacramento Public Library.Thirteen years ago, Earth Force—a space-military…
REAWAKENED by Colleen Houck
I've been a fan of Colleen Houck ever since Tiger's Curse, and if you haven't read her books yet, they offer wonderful examples of effective world-building. I had the fortune of meeting her at the Northern California Independent Booksellers…
KILL THE BOY BAND by Goldy Moldavsky
I randomly met Goldy Moldavsky at last year's BEA, in an autograph line for Libba Bray. The more she described KILL THE BOY BAND, the more I couldn't wait to read it, and when I saw an ARC at a Scholastic booth at a conference the following…
YOU’RE STILL THE ONE by Rachel Harris: Inkslinger Blog Tour
I was lucky enough to meet Rachel at last year's UTOPIAcon, and I was immediately drawn in to the My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century series. So when @InkSlingerPR offered a chance to be part of the blog tour for YOU'RE STILL THE ONE, Rachel's…
THE SHADOW QUEEN by C.J. Redwine
I've been a fan of C.J. Redwine ever since Defiance, and was thankful for the chance to interview her back in 2012. I was also lucky enough to attend one of her workshops, and it was worth every penny (they all are). While there, I found out…
FIRSTS by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn
I was intrigued by FIRSTS when it came across my desk as an ARC. I started reading the first chapter...and then I couldn't stop. Not only does this book have great characterization and voice, but it tactfully handles a difficult topic, and will…
THE MYSTERY OF HOLLOW PLACES by Rebecca Podos
I first met Rebecca Podos when she took part in one of Operation Awesome's Mystery Agent contests. About year and a half later, I stumbled upon her starred review in Booklist, and immediately ordered THE MYSTERY OF HOLLOW PLACES for my library…
THE BLUE WOODS by Nicole Maggi
Last year, I featured Nicole Maggi's Twin Willows series. I also had a chance to meet her at the American Library Association (ALA) conference last June:She's doing an excellent job of modeling the first two Twin Willows books.The final book…
WE ARE THE ANTS and VIOLENT ENDS by Shaun David Hutchinson
When these books passed by my desk, I was so impressed with the writing in both that I knew I had to feature them. Shaun's WE ARE THE ANTS offers a wry look at a possible apocalypse when Henry Denton is given a choice to press a button and end…
THE GIRL WHO COULD NOT DREAM by Sarah Beth Durst
The moment this book passed my desk, I knew I had to feature it. It's a wonderful middle grade fantasy romp that goes beyond the usual tropes of dream catching. Sarah Beth Durst also writes in multiple genres, which brings a lot of richness…