Articles tagged "Kirkus Reviews"
Teen Talk (6/14/2018 Edition)
Happy Thursday, YA librarians!
Check out our latest & greatest teen titles out this month, then join us on Twitter today at 2:30pm EST for Early Word YA Galley Chat (hashtag: #ewgcya) and tell us what you’ve been reading & loving!
KISSING GAMES by Tara Eglington
9781250075260
Ages 12 to 18
After a perfect first kiss, Aurora’s second kiss lands her boyfriend in the hospital, and her matchmaking strategies start to backfire in this sequel to HOW TO KEEP A BOY FROM KISSING YOU. When Aurora’s best friend decides to run for class president and offers up Aurora’s matchmaking service as one of her campaign initiatives, the kissing games begin. Aurora has to convince everyone that her program works—but that might be hard to do when it seems like her own love life might be falling apart.
“This light, dreamy, and easy read is filled with strong character development as the teens find their way in their everyday lives.” —School Library Journal
BRING ME THEIR HEARTS by Sara Wolf
9781640631465
Ages 14 and up
Zera is a Heartless—the immortal, unageing soldier of a witch. Bound to the witch Nightsinger ever since she saved her from the bandits who murdered her family, Zera longs for freedom from the woods they hide in. With her heart in a jar under Nightsinger’s control, she serves the witch unquestioningly . . . until Nightsinger asks Zera for a Prince’s heart in exchange for her own. So begins a game of cat and mouse between a girl with nothing to lose and a boy who has it all. Winner takes the loser’s heart. Literally.
“Zera is an exemplar of confident, capable, relentlessly witty young womanhood. She is assertive, proactive, and, above all, a fun character to follow . . . ” —Kirkus Reviews
Also available this month in trade paperback from Flatiron Books:
IF I WAS YOUR GIRL by Meredith Russo
9781250078414
Ages 13 to 18
Amanda Hardy is the new girl in school in Lambertville, Tennessee. Like anyone else, she wants to make friends and fit in. But Amanda has a secret. She’s determined not to get too close to anyone. Because the secret that Amanda’s been keeping? At her old school, she used to be Andrew. IF I WAS YOUR GIRL is an award-winning, bighearted novel about being seen for who you really are, and a love story you can’t help rooting for.
“Above all, this is a necessary, universal story about feeling different and enduring prejudices, and it’s full of love, hope, engaging writing, and truth.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
AFTERCARE INSTRUCTIONS by Bonnie Pipkin
9781250114853
Ages 12 to 18
“Troubled.” That’s seventeen-year-old Genesis according to her small New Jersey town. She finds refuge and stability in her relationship with her boyfriend, Peter—until he abandons her at a Planned Parenthood clinic during their appointment to terminate an unwanted pregnancy. The betrayal causes Gen to question everything. This powerfully immersive and format-crushing debut follows Gen from dorm rooms to diners to house parties to auditions—and ultimately, right into readers’ hearts.
“Genesis’s conflicted relationships with her mother, grandparents, and friends are as engrossing as her breakup with Peter, and her story packs a big emotional punch.” —Publishers Weekly
Check out all of our 2018 Books for Teens!
April 2018 All-Stars
These books are swimming in stars—make sure to add them to your shelves ASAP!
WITCHMARK by C.L. Polk
“Polk’s stellar debut, set in an alternate early 20th century in an England-like land recovering from a WWI-like war, blends taut mystery, exciting political intrigue, and inventive fantasy . . . The final revelations are impossible to see coming and prove that Polk is a writer to watch for fans of clever, surprising period fantasy.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Polk has created an amazing new world with hints of Edwardian glamour, sizzling secrets, and forbidden love that crescendos to a cinematic finish. WITCHMARK is a can’t-miss debut that will enchant readers.” —Booklist, starred review
SONG OF BLOOD & STONE: Earthsinger Chronicles, Book One by L. Penelope
“Penelope delivers an engrossing story with delightful characters in this fantastic opening to a promising series . . . The tale is infused with optimism but never cloying, and it culminates in a well-earned and satisfying ending, leaving readers impatient for the next installment of the series.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
“This debut . . . shines a bright light into epic fantasy. Battle-scarred lands and peoples, ancient powers at war, star-crossed loves and hints of racial and refugee themes give this a solid place on library shelves.” —Library Journal, starred review
MOTHERHOOD by Sheila Heti
A May Indie Next Pick!
“This lively, exhilaratingly smart, and deliberately, appropriately frustrating affair asks difficult questions about women’s responsibilities and desires, and society’s expectations.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
“As her character seeks and ultimately chooses, as she must, the aspects of life and art she’ll lay claim to, Heti writes with courage, curiosity, and uncommon truth: ‘To go along with what nature demands and to resist it—both are really beautiful—impressive and difficult in their own ways.'” —Booklist, starred review readmoreremove
All-in-One “Best Books of 2017”
*drumroll please* For your collection development joy, here are all of our “Best Books of 2017” lists in one place!
Kirkus Reviews — Fiction, Nonfiction, Teen
Library Journal — Best Books of 2017 & Notable Books of 2017
School Library Journal‘s Best Adult Books 4 Teens
Booklist Editors’ Choice 2017
New York Times Book Review Top 10 & Editor’s Choice picks
New York Times Notable Books
Vulture (New York Magazine)
Goodreads Choice Awards nominees
Chicago Public Library “Best of the Best of 2017“
See all these titles in Macmillan’s Best Books of 2017 Edelweiss collection. #CollectionDevelopmentMadeEasy
Kirkus Best Teen Books of 2017
Kirkus Reviews announced their Best of 2017 Teen lists which include 2 Macmillan titles:
WONDERFUL FEELS LIKE THIS by Sara Lovestam
POPPIES OF IRAQ by Brigitte Findakly & Lewis Trondheim
Best Contemporary Teen Reads of 2017 (full list)
WONDERFUL FEELS LIKE THIS by Sara Lovestam
Best Teen Nonfiction of 2017 (full list)
POPPIES OF IRAQ by Brigitte Findakly & Lewis Trondheim
Visit KirkusReviews.com to see the full Teen lists and see our Kirkus Best of 2017 Fiction picks. Nonfiction picks will be revealed next week!
See these and many more titles in Macmillan’s Best Books of 2017 Edelweiss collection. We’ll update it as more “Best of 2017” lists come in. #CollectionDevelopmentMadeEasy
Kirkus Best Books of 2017 – Fiction
Kirkus Reviews announced their Best of 2017 Fiction lists which include 19 Macmillan titles:
Best Fiction (full list)
4 3 2 1 by Paul Auster
THE FIFTH ELEMENT by Jorgen Brekke
MARLENA by Julie Buntin
DUKE WITH BENEFITS by Manda Collins
WALKAWAY by Cory Doctorow
FRESH COMPLAINT by Jeffrey Eugenides
A CAST OF VULTURES by Judith Flanders
TRAIL OF ECHOES by Rachel Howzell Hall
THE DARK DARK by Samantha Hunt
THE ANSWERS by Catherine Lacey
HER BODY AND OTHER PARTIES by Carmen Maria Machado (a finalist for the 2017 Kirkus Prize in Fiction)
THE NINTH HOUR by Alice McDermott (a finalist for the 2017 Kirkus Prize in Fiction)
RECLUCE TALES: Stories from the World of Recluce by L.E. Modesitt Jr.
AUTONOMOUS by Annalee Newitz
A CONJURING OF LIGHT by V.E. Schwab
EXPOSED by Lisa Scottoline
WAIT TILL YOU SEE ME DANCE by Deb Olin Unferth
BORNE by Jeff VanderMeer
THE RESURRECTION OF JOAN ASHBY by Cherise Wolas
Best Mysteries and Thrillers of 2017 (full list)
EXPOSED by Lisa Scottoline
THE FIFTH ELEMENT by Jorgen Brekke
A CAST OF VULTURES by Judith Flanders
Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of 2017 (full list)
BORNE by Jeff VanderMeer
RECLUCE TALES: Stories from the World of Recluce by L.E. Modesitt Jr.
AUTONOMOUS by Annalee Newitz
A CONJURING OF LIGHT by V.E. Schwab
WALKAWAY by Cory Doctorow
Best Literary Fiction of 2017 (full list)
HER BODY AND OTHER PARTIES by Carmen Maria Machado
THE NINTH HOUR by Alice McDermott
Best Romance Novels of 2017 (full list)
DUKE WITH BENEFITS by Manda Collins
Best Historical Fiction of 2017 (full list)
THE NINTH HOUR by Alice McDermott
Best Fiction of 2017 To Get Your Book Club Talking (full list)
4 3 2 1 by Paul Auster readmoreremove
Kirkus’s Most Anticipated Books of 2017 Thus Far
Kirkus Reviews shared their Most Anticipated Books of 2017 Thus Far, including these two Macmillan titles:
TEARS WE CANNOT STOP by Michael Eric Dyson
“The provocateur-scholar returns to the pulpit to deliver a hard-hitting sermon on the racial divide, directed specifically to a white congregation. The readership Dyson addresses may not fully be convinced, but it can hardly remain unmoved by his fiery prose.” — Kirkus Reviews, starred review
4 3 2 1 by Paul Auster
“Auster’s first novel in seven years is nothing if not ambitious: a four-part invention, more than 800 pages, that follows the life (or lives) of Archie Ferguson. With this novel, Auster reminds us that not just life, but also narrative is always conditional, that it only appears inevitable after the fact.” — Kirkus Reviews, starred review
Kirkus Best Books of 2016 – Teen
Kirkus Reviews announced their Best of 2016 Teen lists which include 3 Macmillan titles:
WHEN THE MOON WAS OURS by Anna-Marie McLemore
IF I WAS YOUR GIRL by Meredith Russo
AMERICAN GIRLS by Alison Umminger
Best Teen Fantasy of 2016
WHEN THE MOON WAS OURS by Anna-Marie McLemore
Best Teen Books of 2016 with Unforgettable Protagonists
IF I WAS YOUR GIRL by Meredith Russo
Best Teen Coming-of-Age Novels of 2016
AMERICAN GIRLS by Alison Umminger readmoreremove
Kirkus Best Books of 2016 – Nonfiction
Kirkus Reviews announced their Best of 2016 Nonfiction lists which include 11 Macmillan titles:
Best Nonfiction of 2016
BULLIES: A FRIENDSHIP by Alex Abramovich
THE ART OF WAITING: ON FERTILITY, MEDICINE, AND MOTHERHOOD by Belle Boggs
CONSEQUENCE: A MEMOIR by Eric Fair
IN THE DARKROOM by Susan Faludi (winner of the 2016 Kirkus Prize for Best Nonfiction!)
THE BITTER TASTE OF VICTORY: IN THE RUINS OF THE REICH by Lara Feigel
BEING A BEAST: ADVENTURES ACROSS THE SPECIES DIVIDE by Charles Foster
THANK YOU FOR BEING LATE: AN OPTIMIST’S GUIDE TO THRIVING IN THE AGE OF ACCELERATIONS by Thomas L. Friedman
MAD ENCHANTMENT: CLAUDE MONET AND THE PAINTING OF THE WATER LILIES by Ross King
RIVERINE: A MEMOIR FROM ANYWHERE BUT HERE by Angela Palm
AMERICAN RHAPSODY: WRITERS, MUSICIANS, MOVIE STARS, AND ONE GREAT BUILDING by Claudia Roth Pierpont
CITY OF THORNS: NINE LIVES IN THE WORLD’S LARGEST REFUGEE CAMP by Ben Rawlence
Best History Books of 2016
THE BITTER TASTE OF VICTORY: IN THE RUINS OF THE REICH by Lara Feigel
Best Books of 2016 to Explain Current Politics
THANK YOU FOR BEING LATE: AN OPTIMIST’S GUIDE TO THRIVING IN THE AGE OF ACCELERATIONS by Thomas L. Friedman
CONSEQUENCE: A MEMOIR by Eric Fair
Best Memoirs of 2016
THE ART OF WAITING: ON FERTILITY, MEDICINE, AND MOTHERHOOD by Belle Boggs
CONSEQUENCE: A MEMOIR by Eric Fair
IN THE DARKROOM by Susan Faludi
RIVERINE: A MEMOIR FROM ANYWHERE BUT HERE by Angela Palm
BULLIES: A FRIENDSHIP by Alex Abramovich
Best Books of 2016 for Lovers of the Literary Arts
MAD ENCHANTMENT: CLAUDE MONET AND THE PAINTING OF THE WATER LILIES by Ross King
AMERICAN RHAPSODY: WRITERS, MUSICIANS, MOVIE STARS, AND ONE GREAT BUILDING by Claudia Roth Pierpont
Best Books of 2016 About Shocking Tales of Injustice
CITY OF THORNS: NINE LIVES IN THE WORLD’S LARGEST REFUGEE CAMP by Ben Rawlence
Best Heartrending Nonfiction of 2016
CITY OF THORNS: NINE LIVES IN THE WORLD’S LARGEST REFUGEE CAMP by Ben Rawlence readmoreremove
Kirkus Best Books of 2016 – Fiction
Kirkus Reviews announced their Best of 2016 Fiction lists which include 13 Macmillan titles:
Best Fiction
ALL THE BIRDS IN THE SKY by Charlie Jane Anders
HERO IN THE HIGHLANDS by Suzanne Enoch
SCARY OLD SEX by Arlene Heyman
THE ADVENTURIST by J. Bradford Hipps
COLLECTING THE DEAD by Spencer Kope
HOT MILK by Deborah Levy
DEATH’S END by Cixin Liu
HYSTOPIA by David Means
THE SPORT OF KINGS by C.E. Morgan (winner of the 2016 Kirkus Prize for Best Fiction!)
INFOMOCRACY by Malka Older
A GREAT RECKONING by Louise Penny
THE LAST PAINTING OF SARA DE VOS by Dominic Smith
THE LAST MORTAL BOND by Brian Staveley
Best Mysteries and Thrillers of 2016
COLLECTING THE DEAD by Spencer Kope
A GREAT RECKONING by Louise Penny readmoreremove
2016 Kirkus Prize Finalists
Congrats to our two finalists for the 2016 Kirkus Prize:
THE SPORT OF KINGS by C. E. Morgan
“Vaultingly ambitious, thrillingly well-written, charged with moral fervor and rueful compassion. How will this dazzling writer astonish us next time?” — Kirkus Reviews, starred review
IN THE DARKROOM by Susan Faludi
“A moving and penetrating inquiry into manifold struggles for identity, community, and authenticity.” — Kirkus Reviews, starred review
The winner will be announced on November 3.
