My debut novel comes out this year (THIS YEAR!!!) Still, there’s a good few months to go between now and the summer, so what should you read while you’re waiting for my book to come out?
Scythe by Neal Shusterman.
10/10.
I’m still to finish this trilogy (I’m just partway into The Toll) but I can honestly say it’s been a long time since I read a book that gripped me like Scythe did. Neal Shusterman’s writing style is exceptional and his ability to create multi-faceted characters is incredible.
Katy by Jacqueline Wilson.
8/10.
Like most 90s babies, I grew up devouring Jacqueline Wilson books. I went on the run with Lola Rose, I learned about Victorians with Charlie, I felt left out like Dolphin and I wanted to be a twin like Ruby and Garnet. However, I wasn’t sure the inimitable Ms Wilson could pull off a retelling of the classic story What Katy Did Next. I was wrong.
I should point out I’ve never read the original by Susan Coolidge so there was never any risk of me making any comparisons but I will say Ms Wilson’s version is exceptional in its own right. I’ve no idea if she includes any nods to the original, but she has done a fantastic job of telling a heart-breaking story.
The book is directed at readers that are slightly younger than my target audience, but I’m confident even teenagers would enjoy this one. It did lose marks in my opinion for having quite a slow-moving opening. There is a lot of scene setting before the crux of the story begins. Fortunately, Ms Wilson’s unique writing style pulls the reader through without feeling like it drags.
Heist Society by Ally Carter.
7/10.
I’m showing my age with this one, which was published in 2011! Thirteen years ago?! But it’s one of my go-to novels when I want something slick and suspenseful. As a teenager, I loved Kat’s personality – arguably more than Cammie in Ms Carter’s other popular series, Gallagher Girls – and how her brain worked. Toss in a cast full of characters, like rich boy Hale, and you have the magic formula for keeping me entertained.
What YA books have you read recently? Maybe you’ve written one? If so, I’d love to read it and review it on the blog – so please get in touch.
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