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All boxed reviews in this issue are free! Subscribers who have created a profile QUICK MENU can access the full text of these 140 Booklist Online exclusive reviews, and more The Booklist Reader than 8,000 in all, on Booklist Online. Want in? Start a new subscription today! Adult Nonfiction Adult Fiction Graphic Novels Youth Nonfiction Youth Fiction
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In September of last year, the five Booklist blogs—Likely Stories, Bookends, Audiobooker, Shelf Renewal, and Book Group Buzz—combined as one unstoppable super blog, The Booklist Reader, and we're delighted with the result. For your professional enrichment and a healthy dose of fun diversion, posts are sortable in many different ways, allowing you to browse by department (Bookends, for example), post author (Mary Burkey, let's just say), big-picture categories (book awards, book trailers, YA, etc.), or a wide assortment of tags (multiculturalism & diversity, literary feuds).
Here are just a few of our favorite recent posts; read, explore, and tell us what you like in the comments! We love hearing from you.
Publishing U: Advice for Aspiring Authors from Publishing Professionals By Keir Graff
Usually, we at Booklist concern ourselves only with the end product of an author's efforts: the finished book. We read the books and then review them, offering librarians advice on what to purchase, what to recommend, and what the big books are likely to be.
But that's not to say we aren't also interested in how books are made. We do sometimes interview authors about their inspirations, their writing processes, and all the intangible things that don't fit between the covers. >>read more
Get more publishing advice
Keep the Holds List Happy: 2015 Movies Based on Teen Books By Erin Downey Howerton
Everybody wants them: the books that this year's hot movies are based on. Movie buzz gives books a nice bump, so be ready for the next "new" thing. When you run short on stock, here's what to display and recommend next. Leave your own recommendations in the comments section for a chance to win a free copy of The DUFF by Kody Keplinger! >>read more
Learn more about pleasing that particular YA audience
An Overlooked Gem for Your Next Book Group Read: Amanda Hodgkinson's 22 Britannia Road By Sue Dittmar
When I am putting together a list for one of my book clubs, I always like to include an overlooked gem. This is usually a book that has not received a lot of publicity or media attention but is still rich and engaging. One year, I was lucky to come across an ad for an author visit in a local, independent bookstore's newsletter. I couldn't have asked for anything better when searching for such an unheralded read! >>read more
Find your book group's next great read here
The Real Meaning of "Books for Youth" By Katharine Uhrich
At Booklist we use the phrases "Adult Books" and "Books for Youth" to sort titles for old people from those for young ones. (That's a tad oversimplified, but you get the idea.) It's also how we define editors. (Kind of like the Sharks v. Jets but with less snapping.) >>read more
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BOOKLIST ONLINE EXCLUSIVE REVIEWS
Adult - Nonfiction
Philosophy
The Next Happy: Let Go of the Life You Planned and Find a New Way Forward, by Tracey Cleantis
Social Sciences
The Rainman's Third Cure: An Irregular Education, by Peter Coyote
Raising Generation Rx: Mothering Kids with Invisible Disabilities, by Linda M. Blum
So, How Long Have You Been Native? Life as an Alaska Native Tour Guide, by Alexis C. Bunten
Health & Medicine
The Anxiety Toolkit: Strategies for Fine-Tuning Your Mind and Moving Past Your Stuck Points, by Alice Boyes
Spring Chicken: Stay Young Forever (or Die Trying), by Bill Gifford
"Along with his ability to explain complicated topics in plain English, Gifford's wit and keen eye for interesting details will endear his work to both aging baby boomers and anyone who appreciates top-notch popular-science writing."
Success through Stillness: Meditation Made Simple, by Russell Simmons and Chris Morrow
Gardening
Roses without Chemicals: 150 Disease-Free Varieties That Will Change the Way You Grow Roses, by Peter Kukielski
Arts
Wagstaff: Before and after Mapplethorpe, by Philip Gefter
Poetry
Itself, by Rae Armantrout
Sports & Recreation
No Such Thing as Failure: My Life in Adventure, Exploration, and Survival, by David Hempleman-Davis
Adult - Fiction General Fiction
The Collector of Names, by Patrick Hicks
The Favorite Son, by Tiffany L. Warren
Girl Underwater, by Claire Kells
"As a former competitive swimmer and the recipient of a medical degree, first-novelist Kells amply demonstrates her technical knowledge, lending realism to the story."
One Day I'll Tell You the Things I've Seen, by Santiago Vaquera-Vasquez
Snowblind: Stories of Alpine Obsession, by Daniel Arnold
"Once readers open this collection of eight short stories and novellas, they will not want to put it down. Arnold's mastery of voice is exceptional."
Crime Fiction
Blood Infernal, by James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell
The City of Blood, by Frédérique Molay
Fractured, by Kate Watterson
The Jade Butterfly, by Jeffrey Round
"Round (Pumpkin Eater, 2014) doesn't even mention the titular jade butterfly until halfway through the latest installment in his Dan Sharp mystery series, but that's OK because Toronto-based, gay PI Sharp is such an interesting character."
The Kizuna Coast, by Sujata Massey
The Sniper and the Wolf, by Scott McEwen and Thomas Koloniar
Romance
And I Love Her, by Marie Force
Confess, by Colleen Hoover
The Dangers of Dating a Rebound Vampire, by Molly Harper
His Wicked Reputation, by Madeline Hunter
Mate Bond, by Jennifer Ashley
One Wish, by Robyn Carr
Recipe for Disaster, by Stacey Ballis
The Tomb, by Stephanie Landsem "Landsem substitutes sermonizing with compelling subplots and poignant drama, so that her novel manages to honor and transcend its biblical content through the voice of Martha, a flawed heroine who struggles with duty, consequences, and truth."
Vampires Never Cry Wolf, by Sara Humphreys
Would-Be Wilderness Wife, by Regina Scott
Graphic Novels
Adult Books
Brass Sun: The Wheel of Worlds, by Ian Edginton and illustrated by I. N. J. Culbard
Change, by Ales Kot and illustrated by Morgan Jeske
Fire, written and illustrated by Brian Michael Bendis
IDP: 2043, by Denise Mina
Sally Heathcote, Suffragette, by Mary M. Talbot and Bryan Talbot and illustrated by Kate Charlesworth
"Brian Talbot's style, arguably the handsomest in mainstream comics, prevails in the art . . . and perhaps it's not too much to say that language-and-gender analyst Mary Talbot assures the veracity and feminine intelligence of this outstanding graphic historical novel."
Superman/Wonder Woman, v.1: Power Couple, by Charles Soule and illustrated by Tony Daniel
Books for Youth
Cool Japan Guide: Fun in the Land of Manga, Lucky Cats, and Ramen, written and illustrated by Abby Denson
Mr. Pants: Slacks, Camera, Action!, by Scott McCormick and illustrated by R. H. Lazzell
Secret Avengers: Let's Have a Problem, by Ales Kot and illustrated by Michael Walsh
Youth - Nonfiction
Science
Fuzzy Forensics: DNA Fingerprinting Gets Wild, by L. E. Carmichael
"Carmichael manages to successfully couple two high-interest topics—forensics and wildlife—into one satisfying and original read for science lovers." Saturn Could Sail, by Laura Lyn DiSiena and Hannah Eliot and illustrated by Pete Oswald
Health & Medicine
Positive: A Memoir, by Paige Rawl
Super Human Encyclopedia, by DK Publishing
Feelings & Behavior
Depression: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Tina P. Schwartz
Popular: Vintage Wisdom for a Modern Geek, by Maya Van Wagenen
Poetry
On the Wing, by David Elliott and illustrated by Becca Stadtlander
History
That's Sneaky: Stealthy Secrets and Devious Data That Will Test Your Lie Detector!, by Crispin Boyer
"With a bold appearance, irresistible subject matter, pop-culture references, and interactive activities throughout, this book will provide hours of engaged fun."
Geography, Travel, & Culture
The Kid's Guide to Chicago, by Eileen Ogintz
Where Is Mount Rushmore?, by True Kelley and illustrated by John Hinderliter
Youth - Fiction
General Fiction
All Aboard!, By Rebecca Kai Dotlich and illustrated by Mike Lowery
"The chugga-chugga beat and appealing anthropomorphized trains will charm young train-lovers in this entertaining title that's a perfect fit for storytime."
The Amazing Stardust Friends: Step into the Spotlight, by Heather Alexander and illustrated by Diane Le Feyer
A Bed for Bear, written and illustrated by Clive McFarland
The Big Blue Thing on the Hill, written and illustrated by Yuval Zommer
The Biggest Pumpkin, by Sandra Horning and illustrated by Holly Stone-Barker
Blown Away, written and illustrated by Rob Biddulph
"Enthusiasts of Helen Lester and Lynn Munsinger's Tacky the Penguin series and those who enjoy the wry humor of Mo Willems will be enthralled by this author's inaugural offering."
Busy Trucks on the Go, by Eric Ode and illustrated by Kent Culotta
The Chosen Prince, by Diane Stanley
Damsel Distressed, by Kelsey Macke
Engineer Ari and the Passover Rush, by Deborah Bodin Cohen and illustrated by Shahar Kober
Everything, written and illustrated by Emma Dodd
The Frail Days, by Gabrielle Prendergast
Glamourpuss, by Sarah Weeks and illustrated by David Small
A Heart like Ringo Starr, by Linda Oatman High
"High writes in a definitively sparse rhyming text with elements of concrete poetry, which should engage readers willing to appreciate topics of terminal illness, death, and despair, and—hey now!—romance and renewal."
I Am Her Revenge, by Meredith Moore
I Don't Want to Be a Frog, by Dev Petty and illustrated by Mike Boldt
Is It Passover Yet?, by Chris Barash and illustrated by Alessandra Psacharopulo
The Jacket, by Kirsten Hall and illustrated by Dasha Tolstikova
Little Boo, by Stephen Wunderli and illustrated by Tim Zeltner
Love and Other Unknown Variables, by Shannon Lee Alexander
Love Monster and the Perfect Present, written and illustrated by Rachel Bright
Lulu Bell and the Birthday Unicorn, by Belinda Murrell and illustrated by Serena Geddes
Mimi and Bear in the Snow, written and illustrated by Janee Trasler
Misty, by Christine Dencer and illustrated by Jessica Meserve
Movi la Mano / I Moved My Hand, by Jorge Lujan and illustrated by Mandana Sadat
Must. Push. Buttons!, by Jason Good and illustrated by Jarrett J. Krosoczka
Nanny Piggins and the Runaway Lion, by R. A. Spratt and illustrated by Dan Santat
The Nuts: Bedtime at the Nut House, by Eric Litwin and illustrated by Scott Magoon
One Red Shoe, by Karin Gruss and illustrated by Tobias Krejtschi
Otto the Owl Who Loved Poetry, written and illustrated by Vern Kousky
Ping Wants to Play, written and illustrated by Adam Gudeon Pretty Wanted, by Elisa Ludwig
The Prince's Breakfast, by Joanne Oppenheim and illustrated by Miriam Latimer
Revenge, Ice Cream, and Other Things Best Served Cold, by Katie Finn
Share!, by Anthea Simmons and illustrated by Georgie Birkett
Sleep Tight, Little Bear, written and illustrated by Britta Teckentrup
"This gentle story works well as both a lulling bedtime tale as well as a breezy exploration of hibernation habits. A closing note with additional facts about animal hibernation makes this a good choice for science-themed storytimes."
Stink Moody in Master of Disaster, by Megan McDonald and illustrated by Erwin Madrid
Tagged, by Diane C. Mullen
Taking Sides, by Patrick Jones
Tallulah's Tap Shoes, by Marilyn Singer and illustrated by Alexandra Boiger
Tap Out, by Sean Rodman
Ten Rules of Being a Superhero, written and illustrated by Deb Pilutti
Time for a Bath, by Phillis Gershator and illustrated by David Walker
Vicious, by Sara Shepard
Yeti and the Bird, written and illustrated by Nadia Shireen
You and Me, by Susan Verde and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds
Action/Adventure
The Secret Cipher, by Whitaker Ringwald
The Silence of Six, by E. C. Myers
Star Rise, by Kathryn Lasky
Stealing the Game, by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Raymond Obstfeld
"Along with vividly drawn characters, the coauthors craft a mystery with artfully placed clues that Jax might not be the loser he seems to be, and also inject plenty of exciting, hard- fought basketball in which speed, strategy, and heart play equally strong roles."
SF/Fantasy
The 100: Day 21, by Kass Morgan
Catalyst, by Lydia Kang
City 1, by Gregg Rosenblum
Compass of Dreams, by P. D. Baccalario and illustrated by Iacopo Bruno
Deception's Pawn, by Esther Friesner
The Eternity Key, by Bree Despain
The Guardian Herd: Stormbound, Jennifer Lynn Alvarez Hide and Go Fetch, by Kristin Earhart and illustrated by Vivienne To
The Hunted, by C. J. Hart
In the Time of Dragon Moon, by Janet Lee Carey
Invasion of the Overworld, by Mark Cheverton
The Mad Apprentice, by Django Wexler
Outer Space Bedtime Race, by Rob Sanders and illustrated by Brian Won
Pillars of Fire, by Laurice E. Molinari
The Replaced, by Kimberly Derting
Rogue Wave, by Jennifer Donnelly
The Schnoz of Doom, by Andrea Beaty and illustrated by Dan Santat
Shadow of the War Machine, by Kristin Bailey
The Shark Rider, by Ellen Prager and illustrated by Antonio Javier Caparo
Stolen Magic, by Gail Carson Levine
The Storyspinner, by Becky Wallace
The Whisper, by Aaron Starmer
Winter Falls, by Nicole Maggi
"Believable relationships, transformation into glorious animals, and the inclusion of environmental issues add freshness to the paranormal genre. Well-paced and exciting, this first installment in the Twin Willows trilogy will satisfy readers looking for another strong female protagonist in the fight between good and evil."
Wonderment, illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger
The Wondrous and the Wicked, by Page Morgan
Historical Fiction
The Carnival at Bray, by Jessie Ann Foley
Diary of Dorkius Maximus, by Tim Collins and illustrated by Andrew Pinder
The Last Sister, by Courtney McKinney-Whitaker
Mystery
Chaos Theory, M. Evonne Dobson
Knightley & Son: K-9, by Rohan Gavin
Liars, Inc, by Paula Stokes
The Sign of the Black Dagger, by Joan Lingard
"Brisk pacing, sophisticated writing, and deftly woven parallel plots build to a satisfying conclusion. The banter and bickering between both sets of twins is especially authentic, and fans of historical fiction will enjoy the many details about life in eighteenth-century Scotland."
The Sweetest Heist in History, by Octavia Spencer Romance
Bad Romeo, by Leisa Rayven
The Book of Ivy, by Amy Engel
Love or Something like It, by Laurie Friedman
Playing with Matches, by Suri Rosen
Scary Stories
The Crimson Gate, by Whitney A. Miller
Zombified, by Adam Gallardo
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