This feature is where I spotlight older, recent, or upcoming releases I am looking forward to. The lists will include all genres I like to read, everything from picture books to comics, children’s lit to adult fiction!

This week: new and upcoming young adult fiction titles on my radar! Since reading Nina LaCour‘s Hold Still and absolutely loving it, the author has been on my must-read- and I have adored all of her books. I’m eagerly anticipating We Are Okay; it has been receiving some terrific reviews from review journals as well! Next up is A List of Cages by Robin Roe– another YA title that’s been receiving some incredible praise from journals and love from YA book bloggers I follow. Last but not least is Katie Kennedy‘s Learning to Swear in America– a title that came up as a recommended read on Goodreads, if I recall, and immediately hooked me with its great, stand-out description. All three look like stellar YA reads!

We Are Okay by Nina LaCour
Expected publication: February 14, 2017 by Dutton Books for Young Readers
Book Description:

“You go through life thinking there’s so much you need. . . . Until you leave with only your phone, your wallet, and a picture of your mother.”

Marin hasn’t spoken to anyone from her old life since the day she left everything behind. No one knows the truth about those final weeks. Not even her best friend Mabel. But even thousands of miles away from the California coast, at college in New York, Marin still feels the pull of the life and tragedy she’s tried to outrun. Now, months later, alone in an emptied dorm for winter break, Marin waits. Mabel is coming to visit and Marin will be forced to face everything that’s been left unsaid and finally confront the loneliness that has made a home in her heart.

A List of Cages by Robin Roe
Publication: January 10, 2017 by Disney-Hyperion
Book Description:

When Adam Blake lands the best elective ever in his senior year, serving as an aide to the school psychologist, he thinks he’s got it made. Sure, it means a lot of sitting around, which isn’t easy for a guy with ADHD, but he can’t complain, since he gets to spend the period texting all his friends. Then the doctor asks him to track down the troubled freshman who keeps dodging her, and Adam discovers that the boy is Julian—the foster brother he hasn’t seen in five years.

Adam is ecstatic to be reunited. At first, Julian seems like the boy he once knew. He’s still kindhearted. He still writes stories and loves picture books meant for little kids. But as they spend more time together, Adam realizes that Julian is keeping secrets, like where he hides during the middle of the day, and what’s really going on inside his house. Adam is determined to help him, but his involvement could cost both boys their lives…

Learning to Swear in America by Katie Kennedy
Publication: July 5, 2016 by Bloomsbury
Book Description:

An asteroid is hurtling toward Earth. A big, bad one. Yuri, a physicist prodigy from Russia, has been called to NASA as they calculate a plan to avoid disaster. He knows how to stop the asteroid: his research in antimatter will probably win him a Nobel prize–if there’s ever another Nobel prize awarded. But Yuri’s 17, and having a hard time making older, stodgy physicists listen to him. Then he meets Dovie, who lives like a normal teenager, oblivious to the impending doom. Being with her, on the adventures she plans when he’s not at NASA, Yuri catches a glimpse of what it means to save the world and save a life worth living.

Prepare to laugh, cry, cringe, and have your mind burst open with questions of the universe.

This week: title you’ve added recently to your to-read list. Well, this topic doesn’t require much preamble- I’m always and forever adding to my to-read list!  Here, in no particular order, are some of the recent books added:

Everything Beautiful Is Not Ruined by Danielle Younge-Ullman. Author and reviewer Vikki VanSickle gave this book five stars and I have pretty much loved every book she has given high commendation to!
Expected publication: February 21, 2017 by Razorbill Canada

Windfall by Jennifer E. Smith. The latest from a great YA author- description sounds intriguing!
Expected publication: May 2, 2017 by Delacorte Press

The Witches of New York by Ami McKay. I am fascinated by the book’s description- a nineteenth century set paranormal story revolving around a trio of young women.
Publication: October 25, 2016 by Knopf Canada

A Study in Scarlet Women (Lady Sherlock #1) by Sherry Thomas. A twist on the oeuvre with a historical fiction series featuring female Holmes. Sounds fun!
Publication: October 18, 2016 by Berkley

Maud by Melanie J. Fishbane. A historical young adult title about the teen years of Lucy Maud Montgomery? I am there.
Expected publication: May 16, 2017 by Razorbill Canada

Ghost by Jason Reynolds. A National Book Awards Finalist in the category of Young People’s Literature, this title has been receiving a tremendous number of accolades.
Publication: August 30, 2016 by Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books

Fear the Drowning Deep by Sarah Glenn Marsh. Another historical paranormal title- but this one is YA and has also been receiving some solid reviews.
Publication: October 11, 2016 by Sky Pony Press

We Are Okay by Nina LaCour. I adore Nina LaCour’s writing and her novels, so anything new or upcoming from the author is on my immediate must-read.
Expected publication: February 14, 2017 by Dutton Books for Young Readers

My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella. A new adult contemporary title from Sophie Kinsella? That will likely always be an immediate add to my must-read!
Expected publication: February 9, 2017 by Bantam Press

Goodbye Days by Jeff Zenter. I just loved Zentner’s YA debut The Serpent King, so I cannot wait to read what he publishes next!
Expected publication: March 7, 2017 by Crown Books for Young Readers

Be sure to check out the other Top Tens this week!

This week: ten books that celebrate diversity and/or diverse characters*! In no particular order, my list of twelve terrific young adult and middle-grade titles and series featuring and celebrating diverse characters:

*To borrow from The Broke and the Bookish’s reference:

For the purposes of this topic our definition of diversity is aligned with that of WNDB: “We recognize all diverse experiences, including (but not limited to) LGBTQIA, people of color, gender diversity, people with disabilities, and ethnic, cultural, and religious minorities

Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli (Contemporary YA; LGBTQIA)
Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour (Contemporary YA; LGBTQIA)
So B. It by Sarah Weeks (Middle-grade title; main characters with disabilities)
Wonder by R.J. Palacio (Middle-grade title; main characters with disabilities)
The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen (Contemporary YA title featuring protagonist with prosthesis and a main character with cerebral palsy)
The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B by Teresa Toten (Contemporary YA featuring main characters with mental health issues)
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie (Contemporary YA featuring Native American narrator/protagonist)
Ask the Passengers by A.S. King (Contemporary YA; LGBTQIA)
The Wig in the Window by Kristen Kittscher (Middle grade mystery title featuring female ethnic minority main character)
The Agency (Mary Quinn mystery series) by Y.S. Lee (YA historical mystery series featuring female ethnic minority main character)
Origami Yoda (series) by Tom Angleberger (Middle-grade contemporary series; LGBTQIA, gender diversity, ethnic minorities, mental health issues)
Wells & Wong (series) by Robin Stevens (Middle-grade historical mystery series featuring female ethnic minority main character)

Bonus picture book pick:
Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Pena, illus. Christian Robinson

What are your picks this week?

My picks for top 5 children’s and top 5 YA fiction I read this year:

Murder Most Unladylike (Wells and Wong #1) by Robin Stevens

The Return of Zita the Spacegirl (Zita the Spacegirl #3) by Ben Hatke

Now Look What You’ve Done (Timmy Failure #2) by Stephen Pastis

We Meet Again (Timmy Failure #3) by Stephan Pastis

Emperor Pickletine Rides the Bus (Origami Yoda #6) by Tom Angleberger

The Sweetest Thing You Can Sing by C.K. Kelly Martin

Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour

All the Truth That’s in Me by Julie Berry

Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson

A Mad, Wicked Folly by Sharon Biggs Waller

*Note: These are titles I have read in 2014; titles may have been published in previous years. Rereads are not included on this list.