Top Ten Potential New Favorite Books

The other morning, I was browsing Twitter and saw a blogger talking about how hard it is when someone asks you your favorite book. She asked, “Do you have an answer?”

So predictably, the responses were all over the place from some people easily listing one top favorite to others totally (but understandably) cheating and posting a list, and others saying no way, the question is too hard!

But the answer that stuck with me was this one person who said that her favorite book hadn’t changed in 15 years.

Hold the phone.

What?

I just.

I mean, I get it at a level, because like, there’s never going to be another TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, you know? It’s written. Done. And it’s kind of incomparable. (Bookish Hint: This is NOT the time to bring up GO SET A WATCHMAN. Just do not.)

But really… no new favorites in fifteen years? Thinking about it, I felt like the years stretched out in front of me like this vast reading desert, which resulted in me stress eating more chocolate-covered Oreos than I’ll ever admit. Yikes. I could not handle that.

I think that’s one of the reasons I keep blogging — because the next book I pick up might blow me away, and seeing authors (or other bloggers) I love post about upcoming releases gets me super excited.

Which brings me to… ta-dah! A list of upcoming books! (Courtesy of Top Ten Tuesday with That Artsy Reader Girl.)

Here are ten of the books I’m predicting will become my new favorites this year.

Note: This post contains affiliate links which don’t cost you anything to use but generate a small amount of support for this blog.

Ten Potential New Favorite Books

The Life and (Medieval) Times of Kit Sweetly by Jamie Pacton

Amazon | Goodreads | Book Depository

Expected publication: May 5, 2020.

I’m pretty much loving the book description here. Working at a medieval times-themed restaurant? Sounds like fun! Conflict over the policy not allowing girls to be knights? I love it. I realize this kind of thing has been done before, but with the right voice and some fresh elements, I think it could prove to be a funny, inspiring book.

The Queen Bee and Me by Gillian McDunn

Amazon | Goodreads | Book Depository

Expected publication: March 3, 2020.

You might recognize this author as the same one who wrote CATERPILLAR SUMMER, which I absolutely loved. I thought the way she made fishing (and a GIRL fishing) a critical part of the story was awesome. So THE QUEEN BEE AND ME has some big shoes to fill in terms of being my favorite book by this author, but I am very optimistic about it.

The way Gillian McDunn brings relationships and characters to life on the page made that book a huge win, so I’m hoping for another great cast of characters and interesting relationship arcs.

The Lost Tide Warriors (Storm Keeper #2) by Catherine Doyle

Amazon | Goodreads | Book Depository

Published: January 14, 2020.

THE STORM KEEPER’S ISLAND was another book I fell head over heels for last year. It’s definitely now one of my favorite books. The super imaginative story world. The unexpected twists. The connections between the characters– and Fionn’s grandfather! I want him to adopt me.

I’ve been waiting to dive back into this story ever since I finished the last page of the first book, and I still can’t wait.

One of Us Is Next by Karen McManus

Amazon | Goodreads | Book Depository

Published: January 7, 2020.

I feel like this one is kind of a given, honestly. It’s one that I’ll probably see a lot on lists of this theme, but for good reason. Karen McManus wrote a super twisty, edge-of-your-seat, emotionally explosive tale introducing this cast of characters in ONE OF US IS LYING, and I totally bought in. I am crazy excited to get to visit these characters again and follow them through another wild ride.

I’ve also only recently discovered how much I like suspense. For some reason it was never a genre I sought out, but authors like Karen McManus and Caleb Roehrig have totally won me over.

Don’t Read the Comments by Eric Smith

Amazon | Goodreads | Book Depository

Published: January 28, 2020.

So… I’ve actually never read anything by this author, but I follow him on social media, and really enjoy his posts, so maybe it’s not such a big leap to think that if I enjoy 240 characters at a time, I’ll probably enjoy 70K-ish words he wrote? I’m game. This plot reminds me a little bit of GEEKERELLA by Ashley Poston, which I also liked. And I’m always game for fun contemporary stories.

Honestly this book seems part GEEKERELLA, part READY PLAYER ONE? Gamers meeting online to escape real-life problems, humor, relationships, hopefully lots of snarky dialogue?? What could possibly go wrong?

Lucky Caller by Emma Mills

Amazon | Goodreads | Book Depository

Published: January 14, 2020.

Speaking of fun contemporary stories: enter the champion, Emma Mills. Everything I’ve read by her has been amazing. The writing is witty and charming. The characters are totally unforgettable. My favorite so far is THIS ADVENTURE ENDS.

So I’m hoping for all of that in this book, too. Plus, I’m intrigued by the description– a girl taking a radio broadcasting class? I love that, and I’ve never read anything like it. The closest might be JUST LISTEN by Sarah Dessen (another that I loved) in which the love interest boy works as a deejay on a sort of obscure show. (I think?)

Anyway– Yes! Totally looking forward to this one.

Empress of Flames by Mimi Yu

Amazon | Goodreads | Book Depository

Expected publication: May 12, 2020.

The characters and complex story world in THE GIRL KING pretty much blew me away, so I’ve been eagerly waiting for a chance to read the next piece of the story.

In EMPRESS OF FLAMES, it looks like sisters Lu and Min, will face off, an army between them, each determined to rule the Empire of the First Flame. I’m a huge fan of sister stories– it seems like there are a LOT of these lately, too– so I’m really excited about seeing how that relationship plays out in this book, and I can’t wait to read it.

The Enigma Game by Elizabeth Wein

Amazon | Goodreads | Book Depository

Expected publication: May 26, 2020.

I love the way Elizabeth Wein brings World War II stories to life using unexpected characters. Here’s a story of a fifteen-year-old girl who wants to make a difference in the war, and finds an opportunity when she hears of an Enigma machine that can translate German code.

So that sounds exciting enough, but add to it the fact that characters from CODE NAME VERITY will appear in the book, and I’m 100% completely hooked. Must. Read.

The Bridge by Bill Konigsberg

Amazon | Goodreads | Book Depository

Expected publication: September 1, 2020.

I’ve only read one other book by Bill Konigsberg, but I loved the difference in the voices of the characters in the story and the way they were so easy to connect with. I’ve got a few lighthearted contemporary titles on this list, but this one appeals to me because it promises a lot of angst.

The description of THE BRIDGE reminds me a little bit of A TRAGIC KIND OF WONDERFUL by Eric Lindstrom. I’m hoping for one of those books that makes you ugly cry. Sometimes I just really need one of those.

Today Tonight Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon

Amazon | Goodreads | Book Depository

Expected publication: June 16, 2020.

I read Rachel Lynn Solomon’s first book, YOU’LL MISS ME WHEN I’M GONE while I was in the hospital, so I was really distracted and needed something to ground me. The story pulled me in, held my attention with intense characters and strong writing. I enjoyed reading it even if some of the themes made me uncomfortable (mostly I think it was meant to be that way). So I really can’t wait to read this next book. I’m a huge fan of the enemies-to-lovers type of story, so I’m hoping for a great read here.

What books are you predicting you’ll love this year?

Are there books at the top of your pre-order/buy list coming soon that you are betting will be among your new favorite books? What should I add to my list? Leave a comment and let me know.

Review: Chirp by Kate Messner

Chirp
Kate Messner
Bloomsbury USA Children’s
Published February 4, 2020

Amazon |Book Depository | Goodreads

About Chirp

From acclaimed author Kate Messner comes the powerful story of a young girl with the courage to make her voice heard, set against the backdrop of a summertime mystery.

When Mia moves to Vermont the summer after seventh grade, she’s recovering from the broken arm she got falling off a balance beam. And packed away in the moving boxes under her clothes and gymnastics trophies is a secret she’d rather forget.

Mia’s change in scenery brings day camp, new friends, and time with her beloved grandmother. But Gram is convinced someone is trying to destroy her cricket farm. Is it sabotage or is Gram’s thinking impaired from the stroke she suffered months ago? Mia and her friends set out to investigate, but can they uncover the truth in time to save Gram’s farm? And will that discovery empower Mia to confront the secret she’s been hiding–and find the courage she never knew she had?

In a compelling story rich with friendship, science, and summer fun, a girl finds her voice while navigating the joys and challenges of growing up.

My Review

I got kind of nervous as I started to read this book. The way it talked about Mia having a secret, I assumed it had something to do with an adult having inappropriate contact with her, and I wasn’t sure how explicit or intense that would be. Since I’m pretty sensitive to the topic, I felt a little tense until I got to that part of the story. It didn’t include anything nightmarishly explicit. I don’t say that to downplay what Mia experienced at all, simply that as a reader, it didn’t end up being something I couldn’t handle reading.

Mia’s grandmother made me smile so much. She’s strong and brave and pretty committed to her course. I liked the relationship she has with Mia, and the way each encouraged the other. Mia’s friendships with Clover and Anna were great, too. I loved how they bonded over their shared passion for their Launch Camp projects and then over other experiences.

Solidarity Between Women

At one point in the book, after Mia has heard from several of the women in her life about experiences where they were harrassed or treated inappropriately by men, she wonders if this is something that all women experience. I felt like it’s such a reasonable question, and such a hard part about growing up, right? Because too many women do have those stories. I know I do.

While it’s heartbreaking watching someone realize something troubling about the world, I loved the way it becomes part of Mia’s healing, too. She’s not alone. She’s not wrong for feeling the way she did, even though at the time, she felt completely alone and ashamed for feeling uncomfortable.

I also loved that, even though I thought the topic was really well-addressed, the story wasn’t only about these things. Mia is never defined by that experience. She’s always many things– a girl with lots of interests and talents and relationships.

Plus I have to talk about the cricket farm. I know I say this every time I read a book with a protagonist with an unusual interest or talent, but I love that the author brought such a different family business to the story– not only a cricket farm, but crickets for a food source! I thought that was really fun.

Readers who are looking for a balance of light and heavy topics will enjoy CHIRP a lot, especially fans of BE LIGHT LIKE A BIRD by Monika Schröder or FLORA & ULYSSES by Kate DiCamillo.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 to 14.

Representation
Mia’s friend Anna is Indian. A couple other minor characters are also Asian.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Mia recalls situations in which a man made her uncomfortable and left her feeling icky.

Spiritual Content
A brief mention that Mia’s family has gone to church on Sunday.

Violent Content
A man verbally threatens a girl.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog. I received a free copy of CHIRP in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor

Dreams of Gods and Monsters (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #3)
Laini Taylor
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published April 8, 2014

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Goodreads

About Dreams of Gods and Monsters

Two worlds are poised on the brink of a vicious war. By way of a staggering deception, Karou has taken control of the chimaera’s rebellion and is intent on steering its course away from dead-end vengeance. The future rests on her.

When the brutal angel emperor brings his army to the human world, Karou and Akiva are finally reunited – not in love, but in a tentative alliance against their common enemy. It is a twisted version of their long-ago dream, and they begin to hope that it might forge a way forward for their people. And, perhaps, for themselves.

But with even bigger threats on the horizon, are Karou and Akiva strong enough to stand among the gods and monsters?

The New York Times bestselling Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy comes to a stunning conclusion as – from the streets of Rome to the caves of the Kirin and beyond – humans, chimaera, and seraphim strive, love, and die in an epic theater that transcends good and evil, right and wrong, friend and enemy.

My Review

At last! The final book in the series. This is my second read-through, and there were so many moments in this one that I really looked forward to.

There were also some pretty dark things I had forgotten about. Karou experiences some trauma that’s pretty graphic. See the trigger warnings below.

I think what I love best about this series is what it says about the power of love to heal a breach caused by hate. The story shows how destructive hate can be, not only to between two groups that hate each other, but the way nursing the hate causes its own corruption, too.

While the earlier books in the series introduce the idea of the star-crossed love and the two groups at war, DREAMS OF GODS AND MONSTERS focuses on the process of healing that must happen in order for the warfare to truly end.

And okay, all that is really awesome, and I’m totally a fan, but the characters make the series truly memorable. Karou and Akiva. Zuzana, Ziri, Leroz, Issa, and Brimstone. All completely unforgettable.

So yes. I loved all three of these books, and I would probably read them all for a third time at some point. It’s the kind of story with the kind of characters that you just want to revisit every so often. The kind of story that reminds you about the power of love and the fact that it takes courage and work for those good things to triumph over evil, but it can and does happen.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Representation
Most characters are chimaera or angels.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content – Trigger Warning
Kissing between boy and girl. References to sex and nudity.

One scene shows a character trying to rape another character. It’s graphic and intense. There are some references to other rapes, but those are not shown on scene.

Spiritual Content
Chimaera and angels each have myths about their origins involving the gods and goddesses they worship.

Some characters have magic, though the magic comes with a price, usually a toll in pain. Other characters have coins that represent wishes, in large or small denominations.

Violent Content – Trigger Warning
Some descriptions of battle or fighting and situations of peril. References to war. References to some grisly murders and mutilation of bodies. Some references to torture.

One scene shows a character trying to rape another character. It’s graphic and intense.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.

Has Clean Become a Dirty Word in Book Reviews?

I’m super late to the conversation, but I’ve been thinking about this topic a lot. The first I’d seen of the discussion was a Twitter post positing that calling a book “clean” was the same as calling books with explicit sexual content or profanity “dirty”, which the tweet named as shaming language and not okay.

It takes me a long time to process things like that. I’m kind of a people pleaser by nature, so there was a part of me that wanted to go back through every post and page on my blog and replace the term “clean” with something more friendly and less potentially offensive.

Obviously, I ended up not doing that, partly because I could never think of a succinct alternate term. Still. Totally at a loss here. I’m open to ideas.

Trigger-free? Doesn’t that assume we understand all reader’s triggers and still leave room for offense? I don’t feel comfortable with that either. Explicit-free? That seems weird, too.

At some point, the whole conversation shaming bloggers/publishers/anyone for using “clean” to describe books made me a little angry, to be honest. I’ve worked really hard to try to make this blog space welcoming and open. It felt like I was being attacked for things I *didn’t* say rather than things I’d said.

Using Clean in Book Reviews

I’ve been using “clean” as a way to describe a particular kind of book, one without profanity, explicit drug or alcohol use, graphic violence, or explicit sexual content. But I don’t think anywhere in my blog have I ever reviewed a book with explicit content and called it dirty. In fact I’ve tried to be very careful to phrase any dislike on my part as personal preference.

It feels a little like if, as a parent, I tell one child she’s done something really good, and the other child immediately panics because she thinks I’m implying what she’s done is bad.

The solution, to me, isn’t to stop telling a child when she’s done something good. I simply explain to the other child that it’s an independent observation. That telling her sister she’s done something good has nothing to do with her own behavior.

It’s less simple to translate that across the reading sphere, though, right? I can model respect for books with explicit content by reviewing them in a non-judgmental way, and I strive to do that. But I worry that labeling some books “clean” may cause offense or mean that viewers assume things about me that aren’t true. Which isn’t fair and is frustrating.

How Readers Use the Term Clean in Book Reviews

A fair amount of traffic on this site comes from google searches for things like “clean books,” which also matters. Honestly, I’m not super concerned about the Google hits, but I want to take a minute and talk about why people are using that label in searches in my experience.

Lots of times it’s a parent or teacher looking for books they can have on a family bookshelf or in a classroom. If you’ve got children of various ages in your home, you may want to focus your book budget on stories that are accessible to the most readers in your home, and that’s not a bad thing.

As a teacher, you may also face limitations on what you can have in your classroom. A local high school teacher here has told me she’s not allowed to have books on her classroom shelves that have explicit sex or other types of content in them.

I also see parents and educators looking for books for teens who’ve sort of fallen between middle grade lit (which is aimed at kids 8 to12) and young adult lit (much of which is aimed at ages 15 to 18). As a parent of a child in the gap myself, it’s become really important to me to find books that both challenge my reader but meet her at her current maturity and level of comfort.

Using the label “clean” helps simplify those searches. You can find a book for your reader in the right age range and find content that you and your reader find appropriate.

I can’t stress enough how important I feel this is. We talk a lot in the YA sphere about freedom of speech and freedom to read books with whatever content we want, and that’s a freedom I really appreciate. I love that there are so many books in such a vast spectrum of topics and genres and ideas.

But we can’t forget that some kids aren’t ready to read everything today, and we shouldn’t shame them for not being ready or make it more difficult for them to find books that they can feel comfortable reading and fall in love with.

My Plan for Describing Books without Explicit Sexual/Violent/Language Content

I’m continuing to use the term “clean” at least for the present. It means something to readers who visit my blog. It feels to me like the word isn’t really the problem. The problem is a lack of respect that some bloggers have for books with explicit content in them.

To which I kind of want to say, okay, rudeness sucks. It really does. That’s not okay. So here’s what I suggest.

Vote with your mouse. Don’t click those pages written by a snooty blogger. Don’t visit that blog. Invest in relationships with readers and bloggers who appreciate the books you do.

There are lots of really amazing book blogger sites. Find some with values and a tone that you love. Follow them. Comment on their posts. Shop their affiliate links. Thank them for their hard work.

What are your thoughts on using the word “clean” in book reviews?

As a blogger or reader, are you still (or did you ever) using “clean” in book reviews? Do you think it constitutes shaming language or is offensive? Do you have suggestions for alternative descriptions? (Because I’m so open to ideas!)

What do you do when you find yourself on the outside of changing trends like this?

Review: Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibañez

Woven in Moonlight
Isabel Ibañez
Page Street Books
Published January 7, 2020

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Goodreads

About Woven in Moonlight

A lush tapestry of magic, romance, and revolución, drawing inspiration from Bolivian politics and history.

Ximena is the decoy Condesa, a stand-in for the last remaining Illustrian royal. Her people lost everything when the usurper, Atoc, used an ancient relic to summon ghosts and drive the Illustrians from La Ciudad. Now Ximena’s motivated by her insatiable thirst for revenge, and her rare ability to spin thread from moonlight.

When Atoc demands the real Condesa’s hand in marriage, it’s Ximena’s duty to go in her stead. She relishes the chance, as Illustrian spies have reported that Atoc’s no longer carrying his deadly relic. If Ximena can find it, she can return the true aristócrata to their rightful place.

She hunts for the relic, using her weaving ability to hide messages in tapestries for the resistance. But when a masked vigilante, a warm-hearted princess, and a thoughtful healer challenge Ximena, her mission becomes more complicated. There could be a way to overthrow the usurper without starting another war, but only if Ximena turns her back on revenge—and her Condesa.

My Review

I’m kind of a sucker for books that explore post-war relationships between former enemy groups. In this case, they’re still enemies, still at war, but in WOVEN IN MOONLIGHT, Ximena finds the hate she’s nursed for Lllacsans her whole life may be based on things that aren’t true. Or based on only parts of truth.

Her emotional journey as she lives among her enemies really drew me into the story. It was complex and sometimes rough or ugly, but felt so real and understandable. I loved her character and all the layering to it. Condesa. Decoy. Survivor. Weaver. She’s so many things, and it’s really only through seeing all those things about herself that she begins to see what her future could be and what her place in that future would look like.

I kind of have to talk about El Lobo, the masked vigilante. I loved the way those threads were woven into the story. And the scenes where Ximena meets him. I was pretty sure I knew who it was from early on, but I don’t think that detracted anything from the story. I also think the author may have meant for there to be a trail of breadcrumbs, because a few of the clues were pretty pointed. So it was kind of fun feeling like I was figuring out El Lobo’s identity right along with Ximena.

I kind of wish the tapestries had had more of a role in the story. They do have a role, for sure. I guess I wanted there to be more to them – something special they could do. There is something critical to the plot that happens because of them, so it’s not like they were pointless. I loved how creative and unusual they were.

Overall, I loved so many things about this book. I can’t tell from the ending– it might be that there’s a sequel or at least a companion novel to follow? I would love to see more of this story world, and especially would love to know what happens next with Ximena and the Condesa.

If you’re a fan of stories like Zorro or the Scarlet Pimpernel– put WOVEN IN MOONLIGHT on your list! I think it’s also a great pick for fans of fantasy like The Lumatere Chronicles by Melina Marchetta.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Characters are POC – this is a Latinx-inspired fantasy.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
A couple instances of swearing in Spanish.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. One scene shows a girl waking with a boy in her bed.

Spiritual Content
Each people worship different gods/goddesses. Ximena worships Luna, a moon goddess, who blesses her weaving. Each character has some kind of magical ability.

Violent Content – trigger warning.
Battle scenes, references to torture and brief descriptions of execution. Some graphic violence described. There is also one scene in which a man gets violent with a woman.

Drug Content
Characters drink wine.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog. I received a free copy of WOVEN IN MOONLIGHT in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Lost Tide Warriors by Catherine Doyle

The Lose Tide Warrior (The Storm Keeper’s Island #2)
Catherine Doyle
Bloomsbury USA Children’s
Published January 14, 2020

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Goodreads

About The Lost Tide Warriors

In the brilliant sequel to The Storm Keeper’s Island, winner of the Books are My Bag Readers Award, Fionn Boyle finds himself at the heart of the fight for the island’s survival.

Fionn Boyle has been Storm Keeper of Arranmore for less than six months when thousands of terrifying Soulstalkers arrive on the island. The empty-eyed followers of the dreaded sorceress, Morrigan have come to raise their leader and Fionn is powerless to stop them. The Storm Keeper’s magic has deserted him and with his grandfather’s memory waning, Fionn must rely on his friends Shelby and Sam to help him summon Dagda’s army of merrows.

But nobody else believes the ferocious sea creatures even exist. And how can he prove he’s right without any magic? As Fionn begins his search for the lost army, the other islanders prepare for invasion. The battle to save Arranmore has begun.

My Review

Oh. My. Gosh. Reading this book, I laughed out loud. I ugly cried. It was a wild ride all the way through, and I loved every minute of it.

While Fionn wrestles with his unresponsive magic and his fears about failing the island, he’s surrounded by spunky, quirky characters. So there’s this constant balance between serious and silly that I thought really worked.

I love the way the whole community was involved in the battle to save the island. This isn’t one of those books where the hero has to go solo despite everyone telling him to go to bed or stop pestering them with prophesies of certain doom. Fionn definitely fights his own battles, but the community rallies around him. I found that really refreshing and awesome.

Altogether, this is a totally worthy sequel to THE STORM KEEPER’S ISLAND, which was one of my favorite books last year. I can tell this is a series I’m going to be talking about and recommending far and wide.

If you liked A SNICKER OF MAGIC by Natalie Lloyd or THREE TIMES LUCKY by Sheila Turnage, or you are breathing and love a good story, please add this series to your reading list.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 9 up.

Representation
Characters are Irish.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Two instances of mild profanity, but used more in a classical sense? Like “such and such will damn the island forever.”

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Fionn has been chosen as the island’s new Storm Keeper, which means he should have a kind of elemental magic. He’s also having nightmares in which an evil sorceress visits him. She is awake and gathering followers to her so that they can perform a ritual to raise her. Her followers, called Soul Stalkers are sort of like zombies that gather on the island. Fierce mermaid-like creatures called Merrows are supposed to answer to the Storm Keeper’s call and defeat the Soul Stalkers.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Some graphic descriptions of shark-toothed Merrows and Soul Stalkers battling.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog. I received a free copy of THE LOST TIDE WARRIORS in exchange for my honest review.