This week on AWW YA, Kate and Darran talk through their thoughts on all ten books from the 2016 YA Book Prize shortlist, and the winner, One by Sarah Crossan. That means it’s a bit of a bumper episode but we hope you find it enjoyable. Continue reading “YA Podcast: The YA Book Prize 2016”
Tag: young adult
S is for Spindlebridge – the Railhead Blog Tour
As well as taking the time to chat to us about Railhead and his other work, Philip Reeve has written this fascinating blog post about the Spindlebridge, which forms a key part of the story of his new book. As a science fiction fan from a young age, I found Railhead a wonderful adventure and a very interesting take on space travel, and this article gives a bit more insight, without any spoilers, into the world of Railhead and the amazing way in which the characters travel.
Continue reading “S is for Spindlebridge – the Railhead Blog Tour”
Podcast: Philip Reeve on Railhead, and more
This week, we’re very pleased to welcome Philip Reeve to the podcast, talking about his new book Railhead, published by Oxford University Press Children’s Books, and more…!
Continue reading “Podcast: Philip Reeve on Railhead, and more”
House of Windows guest post, from Alexia Casale
I always think it’s fascinating to get an insight ‘behind the scenes’ into the process which brings a book from a concept to the finished article, ready to be read and enjoyed. House of Windows is Alexia Casale’s second young adult novel, published by Faber, who also published her highly-acclaimed debut The Bone Dragon, and, as I mentioned on the podcast, is the story of Nick, who heads to university at the age of 15. That university is Cambridge and soon he is selected to cox for the college rowing crew, and things take an interesting turn.
Not only was my interest grabbed by those plot points, but Alexia has kindly written a brilliant article which introduces the way in which House of Windows has been shaped by herself as the author but also by the editorial team at Faber, and what that process has been like. It’s illuminating reading for anyone, but especially for any budding writers out there. Continue reading “House of Windows guest post, from Alexia Casale”
Review: The Lost and the Found by Cat Clarke – #laurelloganlost blog tour
LOST.
When six-year-old Laurel Logan was abducted, the only witness was her younger sister. Faith’s childhood was dominated by Laurel’s disappearance – from her parents’ broken marriage and the constant media attention to dealing with so-called friends who only ever wanted to talk about her sister.
FOUND.
Thirteen years later, a young woman is found in the garden of the Logans’ old house, disorientated and clutching the teddy bear Laurel was last seen with. Laurel is home at last, safe and sound. Faith always dreamed of getting her sister back, without ever truly believing it would happen. But a disturbing series of events leaves Faith increasingly isolated and paranoid, and before long she begins to wonder if everything that’s lost can be found again…
Continue reading “Review: The Lost and the Found by Cat Clarke – #laurelloganlost blog tour”
Review: Remix by Non Pratt
From the author of Trouble comes a new novel about boys, bands and best mates.
Kaz is still reeling from being dumped by the love of her life… Ruby is bored of hearing about it. Time to change the record.
Three days. Two best mates. One music festival. Zero chance of everything working out. Continue reading “Review: Remix by Non Pratt”
Podcast: Hot Key Hot Titles 2015
In May’s YA Edition podcast, Kate mentions the YA titles from the Pan Macmillan/MyKindaBook Vlogger Evening Pub(lishing) Quiz, and then gives the lowdown on Hot Key Books’ hot titles coming up in the second half of 2015, which she heard about at the recent bloggers’ brunch. Continue reading “Podcast: Hot Key Hot Titles 2015”
Review: Me & Mr J by Rachel McIntyre
Lara’s life is far from perfect, but being an upbeat kind of person she saves her venting for her diary. It’s the only place she can let out her true feelings about the family dramas and hideous bullying she has to face every day.
And then a shining light comes out of the darkness – the new, young and MALE teacher, Mr Jagger. The one person who takes Lara seriously and notices her potential. The one person who is kind to her. The one person who she falls madly and hopelessly in love with.
The one person who can never love her back…can he? Continue reading “Review: Me & Mr J by Rachel McIntyre”
Podcast: The Earth Is Singing and YA War Novels
It’s the February episode of Adventures With Words Young Adult Edition, and this month Kate talks to Vanessa Curtis about her new novel The Earth Is Singing, telling the story of the Jews of Riga during World War Two. Continue reading “Podcast: The Earth Is Singing and YA War Novels”
Review: The Earth Is Singing by Vanessa Curtis
My name is Hanna Michelson. I am fifteen. I am Latvian.
I live with my mother and grandmother. My father is missing – taken by the Russians.
I’m training to be a dancer. But none of that matters now.
Because the Nazis have arrived, and I am a Jew. And as far as they are concerned, that is all that matters.
This is my story. Continue reading “Review: The Earth Is Singing by Vanessa Curtis”
Podcast: YA Edition – Lisa Williamson and The Art of Being Normal
The Art of Being Normal is Lisa Williamson’s debut novel. She chats to Kate at Waterstones Hampstead, just before her publication party, discussing what the book is about, her writing processes, the importance of diverse books for young people and what she’s writing next. Continue reading “Podcast: YA Edition – Lisa Williamson and The Art of Being Normal”
Review: No True Echo by Gareth P Jones
Eddie is pretty certain nowhere could be more small-town, more boring, and more inconsequential than his home town of the Wellcome Valley. Unfortunately, he is about to be proved spectacularly wrong.
Eddie’s problems start when he sees his teacher getting shot (possibly with an elastic band) and then promptly vanish into thin air. Or maybe they start just a little bit before then, with the arrival of Scarlett, a new girl in town who seems rather too confident and mysterious for your average schoolgirl. She attracts trouble (and Eddie) like a magnet, and she’s apparently only interested in two very strange things – protecting the local crackpot scientist, Dr Wolf, and telling Eddie absolutely nothing about what on earth is going on. Because things quickly go from weird to worse for Eddie, and he’s about to find himself in the middle of a dangerous battle for the fate of not just himself, Scarlett and the town – but Time itself. Continue reading “Review: No True Echo by Gareth P Jones”
Review: The Door That Led To Where by Sally Gardner
Sixteen-year-old AJ Flynn holds a key is his hand. It has his name and date of birth on it. But it’s a key to a door that leads to where? Or when?
On the other side of the door is a tumbledown house, a city booming with trade, and a murder mystery that echoes through the centuries.
AJ steps through the door and finds himself at the centre of it all. It is London and it is 1830.
Life is tough in 1830 – sickness murder and crime abound – but is it so different from the London of now that AJ and his friends know?
AJ needs to find the answers to the mystery and decide where he belongs. Continue reading “Review: The Door That Led To Where by Sally Gardner”
Introducing The Art of Being Normal blog tour
We’re thrilled to tell you that we’re part of the blog tour for The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Williamson, one of the most talked-about – and significant – YA debuts of 2015. I read this last year and was bowled over by the story, characters and issues covered and I think you will be too. Continue reading “Introducing The Art of Being Normal blog tour”
Review: Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige
I didn’t ask for any of this. I didn’t ask to be some kind of hero.
But when your whole life gets swept up by a tornado – taking you with it – you have no choice but to go along, you know?
Sure, I’ve read the books. I’ve seen the movies. But I never expected Oz to look like this. A place where Good Witches can’t be trusted and Wicked Witches may just be the good guys. A place where even the yellow brick road is crumbling.
What happened? Dorothy.
My name is Amy Gumm – and I’m the other girl from Kansas.
I’ve been recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked, and I’ve been given a mission:
Remove the Tin Woodman’s heart.
Steal the Scarecrow’s brain.
Take the Lion’s courage.
And then – Dorothy must die. Continue reading “Review: Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige”