Yup, it’s Wednesday again. So, as you’ve probably guessed already, it’s time to look at the newest releases of the month. So, let’s take a look at the top 5 of the young adult genre! I’m going to guess the first cover hides something magical and for a quite young YA audience. The second book is more spiritual, dealing with death and the afterlife. The third is definitely a darker young adult book, set in an earlier time – I’m getting a medieval/King Arthur vibe. The fourth cover is a little more difficult. It’s obviously about a male main character, but the cover feels quite feminine with all the flowers. So I’m not sure what it will be about exactly. And then the fifth and final cover is the complete opposite: this is obviously a story set in space and in the future. I’m guessing something along the lines of I Am Number Four? Let’s go and find out how I did! Other new releases of March can be found right here on Goodreads.
- Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi (Legacy of Orïsha #1)
Publication date: March 6th, 2018
Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zelie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls. But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were targeted and killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope. Now, Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good. Danger lurks in Orïsha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers—and her growing feelings for the enemy. - The Astonishing Colour of After by Emily X. R. Pan
Publication date: March 20th, 2018
Leigh Chen Sanders is absolutely certain about one thing: When her mother died by suicide, she turned into a bird. Leigh, who is half Asian and half white, travels to Taiwan to meet her maternal grandparents for the first time. There, she is determined to find her mother, the bird. In her search, she winds up chasing after ghosts, uncovering family secrets, and forging a new relationship with her grandparents. And as she grieves, she must try to reconcile the fact that on the same day she kissed her best friend and longtime secret crush, Axel, her mother was taking her own life. Alternating between real and magic, past and present, friendship and romance, hope and despair, The Astonishing Color of After is a novel about finding oneself through family history, art, grief, and love. - To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo
Publication date: March 6th, 2018
Princess Lira is siren royalty and the most lethal of them all. With the hearts of seventeen princes in her collection, she is revered across the sea. Until a twist of fate forces her to kill one of her own. To punish her daughter, the Sea Queen transforms Lira into the one thing they loathe most—a human. Robbed of her song, Lira has until the winter solstice to deliver Prince Elian’s heart to the Sea Queen or remain a human forever. The ocean is the only place Prince Elian calls home, even though he is heir to the most powerful kingdom in the world. Hunting sirens is more than an unsavoury hobby—it’s his calling. When he rescues a drowning woman in the ocean, she’s more than what she appears. She promises to help him find the key to destroying all of sirenkind for good—But can he trust her? And just how many deals will Elian have to barter to eliminate mankind’s greatest enemy? - Tyler Johnson Was Here by Jay Coles
Publication date: March 20th, 2018
When Marvin Johnson’s twin, Tyler, goes to a party, Marvin decides to tag along to keep an eye on his brother. But what starts as harmless fun turns into a shooting, followed by a police raid. The next day, Tyler has gone missing, and it’s up to Marvin to find him. But when Tyler is found dead, a video leaked online tells an even more chilling story: Tyler has been shot and killed by a police officer. Terrified as his mother unravels and mourning a brother who is now a hashtag, Marvin must learn what justice and freedom really mean. - The Final Six by Alexandra Monir
Publication date: March 6th, 2018
When Leo, an Italian championship swimmer, and Naomi, a science genius from California, are two of the twenty-four teens drafted into the International Space Training Camp, their lives are forever altered. After erratic climate change has made Earth a dangerous place to live, the fate of the population rests on the shoulders of the final six who will be scouting a new planet. Intense training, global scrutiny, and cutthroat opponents are only a few of the hurdles the contestants must endure in this competition. For Leo, the prospect of travelling to Europa—Jupiter’s moon—to help resettle humankind is just the sense of purpose he’s been yearning for since losing his entire family in the flooding of Rome. Naomi, after learning of a similar space mission that mysteriously failed, suspects the ISTC isn’t being upfront with them about what’s at risk. As the race to the final six advances, the tests get more challenging—even deadly. With pressure mounting, Naomi finds an unexpected friend in Leo, and the two grow closer with each mind-boggling experience they encounter. But it’s only when the finalists become fewer and their destinies grow nearer that the two can fathom the full weight of everything at stake: the world, the stars, and their lives.
The first book is indeed magical, no idea about the age of the intended audience though. Maybe not as young as I thought. Second is indeed about death and the afterlife – but in a different way than I expected. It’s not about someone dying herself, but about a daughter learning to cope with her mother’s death. The third book is absolutely not what I expected. Knowing what it is about and zooming in, I do see that the background represents the sea and that they aren’t just lines but tentacles from an octopus. The fourth is quite heartbreaking and absolutely not something I like to read. It’s also quite American, but I guess it’s good these kinds of books exist to help young Americans deal with all that’s been going on. The fifth is kind of what I was expecting yes: teenagers, outer space and the fate of the world resting on their shoulders.
Happy reading,
Loes M.