Welcome back to part 4 of the YALC reading list!
Here are parts one, two and three, for those catching up or rereading!
The YALC Reading List is posted every Sunday evening.
28. Alex Wheatle
Book to read: Brixton Rock
Alex Wheatle, aka the Brixton Bard, grew up in Brixton, where most of his books are set. His debut novel, Brixton Rock, is about a mixed race teen in 1980s Brixton, who has grown up in a children’s home for most of his life – and when he’s reunited with his mother, he falls for his half-sister, Juliet. This sounds like a really gripping story, and I’d like to expand the diversity of my YA reads, so this looks like one I’ll be picking up. Wheatle’s latest novel, Crongton Knights, is out this year.
29. Alex Scarrow
Book to read: Time Riders / Re-Made
Time Riders won a RedHouse award, a Catalyst award and Hampshire Book aware, as well as being shortlisted for Galaxy Children’s Book of the Year. The series is now on its ninth book, following three teens who are recruited by ‘The Agency’ moments before their deaths, to make sure key moment in history stay constant. Scarrow’s latest book, REMADE follows a brother and sister team as a deadly virus spreads across the world, turning people to liquid before their eyes.
30. Sara Barnard
Book to read: Beautiful Broken Things
Beautiful Broken Things has been one of my favourite books this year (review here) – it deals with toxic friendships and mental illness, and has been a refreshing and original addition to the UK YA literature scene. I’d definitely recommend picking this one up before YALC (especially if you’re bored of the same old YA romance), and Sara has just announced her next novel, which will be called A Quiet Kind of Thunder (and which I will be eagerly awaiting!).
31. Sophia Bennett
Book to read: Love Song
Threads, Sophia’s first book, is a book I was aware of but just never got round to reading. Love Song has been receiving a lot of high praise on Twitter recently, so perhaps I will have to pick some of Sophia’s work up. Love Song was release in April, and is the story of Nina, who has just become the assistant to the fiancee of the lead singer of the hottest band in the world. This one has really good reviews, so it’s probably not long until I cave and buy it.
32. Katy Birchall
Book to read: The It Girl series
The first It Girl book I read as it was included in Chelley Toy’s introduction to book blogger -ing gift bag at YALC, and I really enjoyed it – review here. These are really fun books about a girl whose father happens to start dating one of the most famous actresses ever. Highly recommended for fans of the Georgia Nicholson series, the second book, Team Awkward, was released in the UK in January.
33. Nicole Burstein
Book to read: Other Girl
Nicole’s fist novel, Other Girl, was released in April last year and is a bout a pair of best friends, one of whom has super powers. This sounds like such a great concept, and the reviews for this book have been outstanding, so it’s one for my to-buy list. Nicole’s next novel, Wonder Boy, is set in the Othergirl universe and is out Summer 2016.
34. Katy Cannon
Book to read: Secrets, Schemes and Sewing Machines
As well as being the author of the Pooch Parlour series, Katy has also written two YA novels – Love, Lies and Lemon Pies and Secrets, Schemes and Sewing Machines. Both have excellent reviews, but it’s the latter which has really caught my eye – focusing on Grace, a girl who is stuck making costumes for the school play instead of playing the starring role.
35. Honor and Perdita Cargill
Book to read: Waiting for Callback
Another book which has benefited from Twitter hype has been Waiting For Callback, written by the mother-daughter writing duo, Honor and Perdita (how cool is that?). Billed as Geek Girl meets Fame meets New Girl (and who doesn’t like all three?), Waiting For Callback is the story of Elektra, your average girl-next-door trying to make it in the world of acting whilst also juggling family, friends and crushes.
So those are our additions to the YALC Reading List this week – come back next Sunday for more great YA reads!
Which books have you read? Which books are you planning to read? Tweet me at @annalisebooks or comment below!
Annalise x
AnnaliseBooks 