Tuesday, February 28, 2017

10 Best YA Book Covers From 2016 to Today

If you're like me, you try not to judge a book by its cover, but it sure can be difficult! Good cover art can entice someone to read your book (or at least read the summary!) just in the same way that bad art can cause your work to be left untouched on the shelf. And you know what? Your title is the same - it's the first way to get everyone's attention.
That being said, it's incredibly subjective. What appeals to me might not appeal to you, and vice versa, but I figured I'd share some of my favourite YA cover art that has come out within the past year. In no particular order, here we go:

1. The Beauty of Darkness - Mary E. Pearson
marypearson.com

2. Sword and Verse - Kathy MacMillan
harpercollins.ca

3. Like a River Glorious - Rae Carson
harpercollins.com

Friday, February 24, 2017

YA in Review: Lady Midnight (Cassandra Clare)

First of all, this post will essentially be Spoiler Free, however if there are any I need to mention, they will be marked by an asterisk and will be elaborated on following a dividing line. Any comments by other users will not necessarily be spoiler free, so read at your own risk. Ready? Here we go!

shadowhunters.wikia.com

Lady Midnight is the first book in the Dark Artifices series by Cassandra Clare. Chronologically, this is the third series in the Shadowhunter Chronicles (although there will be a series coming out that will push this down to being the fourth), and it will be at minimum a trilogy.

What it's about:

Shadowhunter Emma Carstairs of the Los Angeles Institute is an orphan of the Dark War. But protecting the world from demons while seeking revenge for her parents death isn't an easy task. When Faeries are turning up dead without any explanation, Emma along with her best friend and parabatai Julian must uncover the mystery behind these murders...but there's a catch. Julian's brother Mark, taken by the Faeries years ago has been allowed to return to his family to help solve these crimes. He can only remain if  they solve it in time. Will Emma be able to focus on the task at hand, rather than avenging her parents? Will they catch the killer before Mark is forced to return to the land of Faerie?

Monday, February 20, 2017

YA in Review: Throne of Glass (Sarah J. Maas)

First of all, this post will essentially be Spoiler Free, however if there are any I need to mention, they will be marked by an asterisk and will be elaborated on following a dividing line. Any comments by other users will not necessarily be spoiler free, so read at your own risk. Ready? Here we go!
sarahjmaas.com

Throne of Glass is the debut novel of Sarah J. Maas, which she started writing at 16. Consequently, there are some things about this story that feel a little juvenile and not properly fleshed out. BUT, not only did I finish it, I am currently on the fourth book of the series.

What it's about:
Celaena Sardothien is seventeen, beautiful, and adores clothes. But don't let that fool you - she isn't like other seventeen year olds. Celaena is an assassin - not just any assassin, but the famed Adarlan's Assassin. After being betrayed and spending a year in the prison mining camp Endovier, she is offered the chance to be free by no other than the crown prince of Adarlan. There's just one teensy tiny condition: she has to compete against 23 other criminals, assassins, and soldiers in various trials and battles. Oh, and if she wins? Then she serves the King as his personal assassin for several years before earning her freedom. Sounds fun, right?

Thursday, February 9, 2017

Intro to Book Recommendations

Have you ever had to recommend a book you've never read? What about suggest a read-alike to a novel you've barely even glanced at? Welcome to my daily life in a Children's Library - and I won't pretend for a second that I don't love it.

Over the past few years especially, finding time to read for pleasure has been nearly impossible, save for a random picture book or two. University afforded me little time to keep up to date on the most current books. However, even with tons of spare time and a good reading pace, it's still highly unlikely for someone to be comfortable with the whole Library collection.

So, what does this mean? Fake it until you make it.