writer & bookseller
If you missed my top 19 books of 2019 on my Instagram, you have another chance to go through the list and see what books most captivated me this last year. I've opened up an affiliate shop at Bookshop, which is the independent bookstore answer to online retail. Most of the profits go back to… Continue reading Bookshop Launch and My Top 19 of ’19
This week I'd like to introduce a new column in which I share tips for writing in the Young Adult genre based on what does and doesn't work for teen readers, as informed by my education and experience as a bookseller. The goal is for this to be a monthly column, but depending on the… Continue reading Introducing: Writing Advice from the YA Aisle
In my last post, I talked about "age appropriateness" and what we mean by that when choosing books for tweens. In this post, I'm going to highlight some of my favorite Young Adult books that (in my opinion) are appropriate for the 11-14 crowd and why I think they're a good fit. Let's dive in!… Continue reading 5 YA Books for Tweens with Nervous Parents
One of the biggest fights you'll witness in a bookstore is between the tween who feels ready to dive into more "grown-up" books and the adult who is terrified that they will read something too mature for them. As a children's bookseller, I'm often the referee in that fight. It isn't easy. I sympathize with… Continue reading “Is That Age Appropriate?” : Tweens and YA
Earlier this year I started a project to make a prop spellbook based on the blood mage spellbooks from the novel Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan. I decided to upload some of the photos of the completed pages here on my site for ease of access. You can find the whole Twitter thread at… Continue reading The #WickedSpellbook
(Disclaimer: I am a white, queer cis woman. The books I am discussing in this post are mostly about white, queer cis girls and women. There is a lot that can be said about books by and about queer women who are trans, PoC, disabled, and more, but since I am not, I do not… Continue reading On the Unlikables
Long time, no see! We're on the home stretch of 2018, which means it's the perfect time to reflect on books we loved this year (and say a prayer for all the booksellers trying to send them home with readers this holiday season.) There were a lot to choose from, but I have narrowed it… Continue reading Top 18 of ’18
The weather is warm, school is officially over, and the season of lounging in the backyard with a good book and a glass of lemonade is upon us. Summer is a great time for fun, flirty stories that make you feel as bright and happy as a day at the beach. Below you'll find some… Continue reading A Book Like Summer
Release Date: August 16th, 2016 Author: N.K. Jemisin Website: http://nkjemisin.com/ ISBN: 9780316229265 Review: When a customer comes to me for a science-fiction recommendation, the first thing I pull from the shelf is N.K. Jemisin's The Fifth Season. "It's like Between the World and Me written as an apocalyptic revenge saga," I say with a grin, probably for the… Continue reading Review: The Obelisk Gate
Release Date: June 7th, 2016 Author: Nina LaCour and David Levithan Website: http://davidlevithan.com/ and http://ninalacour.com/home ISBN: 9781250098641 Review: At the end of the day, all you really need to know about this book is that it's a fantastic collaboration between two of YA's best and brightest, Nina LaCour and David Levithan. There is no question of the quality… Continue reading Review: You Know Me Well
