Bitterblue

By Kristin Cashore

This book is lovely, sad and beautiful. Heartbreaking, but hopeful. And full of touches of humor, too. (Check out these bonus letters for extra fun.) Fans of the previous two books, Graceling and Fire, will find many familiar characters, and are sure to enjoy Bitterblue, too.

The story is not fast-paced, but I couldn't put it down. Kristin Cashore's writing has a way of drawing you in and mesmerizing you, not unlike some of her characters. The world she's created is such a rich tapestry, and this book ends in a way that leaves plenty of room to grow, either with these same characters or new ones. I expect there will be more books in this universe, but either way, I'm eager to read whatever she writes next.

Book Recommendations for Hunger Games Fans

Divergent & Insurgent by Veronica Roth
Matched & Crossed by Ally Condie
Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld
Unwind by Neal Shusterman
The Giver by Lois Lowry
Surviving Antarctica by Andrea White
Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Visit Maggie's blog for more info and a chance to win an ARC.

The Writer's Voice

UNDECIDED
YA contemporary
60,000 words

Query:

High school graduation: Check. College Apps: Check. Actually deciding where to start the rest of your life: Uhhh.

For Ryan, deciding where to go to college is easy: he lets someone else choose. His girlfriend Marcy’s the planner, not him. And he’d rather not think about all the changes graduating and leaving home will bring. Then their chosen school, Texas Central, cuts their soccer program. One more thing he’ll have to give up now that high school’s done. But he doesn’t think there’s anything he can do about it. He’s already committed to both TC and Marcy.

His neighbor Summer learned the hard way that avoiding decisions doesn’t make them go away. Like last June, when she missed her chance to cross the friends’ line with Ryan. She’s spent the last year avoiding him, denying the mistake she made—but that has to stop. She has one more of year of high school, but Ryan’s leaving soon. It’s time she let go of the past and fixed their derailed friendship—especially since she might be the only one who can help him figure out what he wants from the future.

If Ryan and Summer can’t learn to start calling the shots in their own lives, they’ll never reach their goals—and they’ll all end up where they don’t belong. UNDECIDED should appeal to fans of Susane Colasanti and Jenny Han.

First 250:

Summer

His music is too loud—not exactly a problem, except that it’s louder than mine. I jack up my iPod. My tiny speakers can’t drown out the noise.

Especially since they aren’t just competing with music, but laughter, splashing, screams. Fun. That’s what’s on the other side of the fence.

My phone buzzes and skitters across the swing’s seat. Amber’s name flashes on the screen, followed almost immediately by Max’s. Their texts are identical. She’s headed to his house, his parents are headed out, I can come if I want.

Half an invitation from each that doesn’t add up to a whole.

Can’t make it, I text back. Family movie night.

Not a complete lie. The windows flicker with light from a DVD.

I give up the fight with the music and shut mine off. Despite the dark sky, the air is hot.

I could join my parents, but instead I stay outside, between my house and Ryan’s, pushing myself in the swing, digging my bare toes into the grass, listening to the party I’m definitely not invited to.

Until the soccer ball lands in my lap. I clutch it and blink into the darkness, trying to see if anyone’s there to claim it. A head pops over the back fence, followed by a body, which lands with a two-footed thump on my side.

“Nice one, man,” Ryan yells over the fence, then jogs toward me.

I could throw the ball back, but I wait for him to come to me.

Unraveling

By Elizabeth Norris

 

This book is amazing, and that blurb above is a perfect description. A mix of X-Files and Veronica Mars, but also ... and ... and I'm not going not to tell you--because I'm like that. You'll just have to read the book to discover the awesomeness for yourself. So go out right now. Find it. Oh wait, it doesn't come out till April 24. But you can it pre-order it here.

Bitterblue

Check out this post on The Enchanted Inkpot for a great interview with Kristin Cashore and a chance to win an ARC of Bitterblue.

I loved Graceling and Fire, and can't wait to read this next book.

Awesome Articles

I just read two great posts from Adventures in YA & Children's Publishing. I'm posting them here not only to share with other writers, but also so I'll be able to find them again.

Crafting Memorable Scenes in Fiction 
Contains a great checklist of everything a scene should do and include. Extremely helpful for both first drafts and revisions.

Sometimes Revision Means Rewriting
Debut novelist Talia Vance (SILVER, Flux, 9/8/12) shares her revision-filled journey to publication.