March definitely seems like a quiet month on the YA front. Or maybe that’s just me? It’s going to be a month of catching up on books that I’ve missed out on in previous months and also getting ahead for the next few months too.
Here are some of the books I think you should be watching out for in March:
Crush by Eve Ainsworth
I first read Crush last summer and absolutely loved it. It’s quite easy to get fed up with stereotypical “boy meets girl and they fall madly in love, the end” type novels, so Crush is very refreshing. It tells the story of Anna who meets a boy called Will. He’s everything that Anna has ever dreamt of, but how much does perfect cost? It’s an emotional but captivating story told in a dual narrative about the toxic relationship, and dual narrative is what Eve does best.
The Girl from Everywhere by Heidi Heilig
The Girl From Everywhere has one of the most amazing and intriguing synopses that I’ve read this year: a time-travelling pirate ship. Nix and her father can travel around the world and through time using old maps, but her father is determined to find the map that will reunite him with Nix’s mother. Problem is, this could erase Nix’s existence. How cool does that sound?! READ IT!
Half Lost by Sally Green
This is the concluding book in the Half Bad trilogy and I’m not entirely sure if I can handle the trilogy ending yet. The books have been so, so good and it will be very hard to say goodbye once Half Lost is over. If you haven’t started the trilogy yet, you should! You won’t regret it.
The past few weeks have been seriously good for books. I seem to be buying a lot more than usual lately because there are so many books I’m excited to read, and I’ve also been very lucky to receive some from lots of lovely publishers. SO MANY AMAZING BOOKS!
Spot the Difference by Juno Dawson is one of this year’s World Book Day titles and I’m currently reading it. Juno always delivers amazing books, so of course I’m loving it!
Kindred Spirits by Rainbow Rowell is the other YA World Book Day title for 2016 and tells the story of Elena, who is queueing outside her local cinema for the opening of the new Star Wars film. It was super cute and a great choice of book to read if you’re in between books and want something quick but extremely gripping.
The Trouble with Women by Jacky Fleming is a look at women through history and how, as Fleming puts it, men have put women in the Dustbin of History. Its witty illustrations and satirical tone make it impossible not to laugh whilst read it, or bang your head against your bookshelf in horror at all Mankind.
Radio Silence by Alice Oseman is one of my most-anticipated releases of 2016, especially as I loved Solitaire so much. I’m going to be starting it right away because I can’t wait any longer! Alice is an incredible writer and I already know I’m going to love Radio Silence just as much as I loved Solitaire.
The #1 Rule for Girls by Rachel McIntyre looks at life post-break up for main character, Daisy. I enjoyed Me and Mr J, her debut novel, when I read it last year, so I was very pleased to hear that Rachel had a new book out this year. Thank you, Electric Monkey!
I read Crush by Eve Ainsworth last summer and have been desperate to talk about it since, but it’s only just been released! Eve is perfect at writing gritty contemporaries, and Crush explores what it’s like to be in a toxic relationship. Highly recommended! Thank you, Scholastic!
Half Lost by Sally Green is the conclusion to the Half Bad trilogy and I am so excited to see what happens! The trilogy has been absolutely amazing, so it will be a tiny bit sad to say goodbye to it, but I know there will be lots of other exciting books from Sally Green in the future. Thank you, Penguin Platform!
I’ve never read anything by Emery Lord before so when a copy of When We Collided popped through my letterbox, I was very happy. It comes out in April, so I’ll hopefully be reading and reviewing it before then. I’ve heard great things about Emery’s books. Thank you, Bloomsbury!
Kill the Boy Band by Goldy Moldavsky looks at fandom culture and what happens when it goes wrong. Fandom culture is everywhere at the moment, so Kill the Boy Band is going to be very current. Thank you, My Kinda Book!
Finding a copy of the Complete Sonnets by William Shakespeare probably shouldn’t have excited me as much as it did, but I’ve been looking for a copy for ages. I’m reading lots of poetry at the moment and have read a few of Shakespeare’s sonnets, so I’m looking forward to reading the rest. SUPER EXCITED!
Head Over Heels by Holly Smale is the latest instalment in the Geek Girl series and I’m hoping to marathon read this and the previous book, All That Glitters, sometime in the next month. I need to catch up with Harriet! Thank you, Harper Children’s!
What books have you acquired recently? Are there any books on my list that you’ve read or are excited to read?
I’ve owned a copy of Half Bad since it was released and have since wanted to read it regularly. I’m not entirely sure what was stopping me – possibly the huge buzz surrounding it – but I wish I had started to read it as soon as I bought it.
In a version of modern society, witches live among fains (humans) and there are two types of witch: black and white. The white witches outnumber the black, and the white witches are hugely prejudiced against the black. Nathan, the protagonist, is a Half Code – he’s half black witch, half white witch. In the witches’ eyes, Nathan will only ever be half black and therefore half bad.
The most striking thing about Half Bad is the beautiful way it is written. Green makes every single word matter, and there are so many different styles and techniques she uses to grip the reader. In particular, I loved the parts written in second person narrative. They really stood out!
I became so invested in Nathan’s story. The book covers a long timeline, from when Nathan is very young to him becoming a teenager. I loved this because it felt as if I was watching him grow up and the reader gets to see so many different sides to him. It was such a brilliant way to let the story flow.
I LOVED Half Bad SO MUCH and I am beyond excited to read the rest in the trilogy. I know they will be amazing!
