Review: IF YOU FIND ME by Emily Murdoch

Title: If You Find Me

Author: Emily Murdoch

Pub info: St. Martin's / Griffin, 2013; 256 pp

Genre / Audience: contemporary / YA

Caveats for Younger Readers: contains sexual abuse & harsh language

This book first grabbed my attention as the debut novel of a fellow Lucky 13 author. Somehow I missed reading it as an ARC, but when I saw it in the bookstore, I snapped it up. Universally well reviewed and shortlisted for all kinds of awards, it intrigued me.

Goodreads summary:

A broken-down camper hidden deep in a national forest is the only home fifteen-year-old Carey can remember. The trees keep guard over her threadbare existence, with the one bright spot being Carey’s younger sister, Jenessa, who depends on Carey for her very survival. All they have is each other, as their mentally ill mother comes and goes with greater frequency--until one fateful day their mother disappears for good, and two strangers arrive. Suddenly, the girls are taken from the woods and thrust into a bright and perplexing new world of high school, clothes, and boys.

Now, Carey must face the truth of why her mother abducted her ten years ago, while haunted by a past that won’t let her go--a dark past that hides many a secret, including the reason Jenessa hasn’t spoken a word in over a year. Carey knows she must keep her sister close, and her secrets even closer, or risk watching her new life come crashing down.

Status: finished 8/27/14

My impressions:
First of all, let me say that I'm not typically drawn to issue books. If the book has a big hook, like "Comatose girl's family fights for the right to keep her alive," I tend to stay away. Why? Because these issues are tough to write about well without getting melodramatic and clicheed. Every once in awhile, an author nails it with unique characters who know how to tell their own story, not just the story grabbed from the latest headlines. R.J. Palacio pulled it off with Wonder. And Emily Murdoch does a fantastic job with If You Find Me. It's all due to Carey's first-person POV. Sure, Carey's a strong, gutsy young woman--she survived in the woods for weeks on end, caring for her sister--but she's also a musician, a lover of poetry, a girl who longs to be loved and still holds people at arm's length. I love the touches that make Carey so believable, the fierceness with which she guards her secrets. This story unfolds with clarity, heart, and marvelous storytelling. Frankly, I picked it up and thought, Do I really want to read this right now? I skimmed a couple of pages and was hooked. It's fantastic!

About Emily:
When she's not reading or writing, you'll find Emily caring for her horses, dogs, and family on a ranch in rural Arizona, where the desert's tranquil beauty and rich wildlife often enter into her poetry and writing. If You Find Me, shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2014, is a YALSA BFYA selection of 2014 and earned starred reviews from Booklist, Kirkus, and School Library Journal. It was named a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice for June 2013 as well as garnering several other honors. Currently Emily is working on a second novel, Forget Me Knots, due out from Indigo in summer 2015.

Online:
You can read Emily's poetry as well as news and events at her website here. She's also on Twitter, here. If You Find Me has a reader's guide with discussion questions that you can access here.

Want to win a free copy of this book? The first Monday of each month features a giveaway of any of the titles I've reviewed the previous month. Pick your fave, enter, and win! Next giveaway: September 1.  SIGN UP HERE TO RECEIVE A BRIEF EMAIL WHENEVER A NEW GIVEAWAY BEGINS.

To follow my progress as I bulldoze my way through a stack of 51 to-be-reads this year, search for the tag 2014 TBR Shelf. Read all the reviews here.

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TBR 2014: Book No. 23

First of all, true confessions: If You Find Me (St. Martin's / Griffin, 2013) was written by Emily Murdoch, one of my Lucky 13 pals. But because this is my blog, not Goodreads, I don't have to worry about trashing Emily's ratings if I hate the book. But I don't mind telling you, with all the buzz and glowing reviews this novel has received, I seriously doubt that will be the case. I'm thinking it could turn out to be one of my favorite Lucky novels.

"Carey and Nessa’s story is memorable and deeply moving, and readers will find it very easy to fall in love with these girls.” – Publishers Weekly

“A compelling narrative that is both unflinching about life’s pain and hopeful about its possibilities.” – Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)

Feeling Lucky? Grab a copy of If You Find Me and read along!

That's right: I've committed to reading all the books on my TBR Shelf this year--and blogging them! Click here to read the reviews I've posted so far.

Review: IN THE SHADOW OF BLACKBIRDS by Cat Winters

Title: In the Shadow of Blackbirds

Author: Cat Winters

Pub info: Amulet Books, 2013; 387 pp

Genre: YA ghost story / historical 

Second up on my list of TBR books this year is Cat Winters's debut novel, In the Shadow of Blackbirds. I finished it up in about 48 hours.

Goodreads summary:

In 1918, the world seems on the verge of apocalypse. Americans roam the streets in gauze masks to ward off the deadly Spanish influenza, and the government ships young men to the front lines of a brutal war, creating an atmosphere of fear and confusion. Sixteen-year-old Mary Shelley Black watches as desperate mourners flock to séances and spirit photographers for comfort, but she herself has never believed in ghosts. During her bleakest moment, however, she’s forced to rethink her entire way of looking at life and death, for her first love—a boy who died in battle—returns in spirit form. But what does he want from her?

Featuring haunting archival early-twentieth-century photographs, this is a tense, romantic story set in a past that is eerily like our own time.

Status: Finished 1/25/14

My impressions:

I love a good historical novel, and I love a good ghost story. In the Shadow of Blackbirds succeeds on both levels. On the realistic side, there's the suspenseful, horrifying true stories--the harrowing Spanish flu pandemic that claimed millions of lives worldwide in 1918, and the devastating conflict that claimed millions more and changed the face of warfare forever. You'll be immersed in that world: fearing to leave your home without your protective mask; eating onions and garlic to ward off the sickness until your sweat smells of them; chilling at the sound of the ambulance sirens, praying they don't come down your street; afraid to read the papers for fear of seeing another young boy's name on the lists of the war dead. Cat Winters's writing, told from heroine Mary Shelley Black's point of view, plants you front and center in 1918. Her research seamlessly interweaves with the grief and stories of real people. In that way, it reminded me of Laurie Halse Andersen's Fever 1793, a story of the yellow fever pandemic in the eighteenth century.

But this isn't just a tragedy. The grief that swept the nation that year fed the Spiritualism craze, and both laypeople and scientists flocked to seances, seeking confirmation of life after death. When the dead start speaking to Mary Shelley, this already gripping tale takes on a new layer of horror, and the mystery deepens. Can her true love's brother really photograph the dead? Does the answer lie in the letters and mementoes of a dead soldier? Is Death really just waiting for Mary Shelley around the next corner?

I was pulled into this story from the start, and the further in I sank, the faster it yanked me along, like a runaway train. Sprinkled throughout with period photographs, this gripping, suspenseful novel chills with its verisimilitude. In the Shadow of Blackbirds is fantastic. 

• a finalist for the YALSA 2014 Morris Award 
• a School Library Journal Best Book of 2013

About Cat Winters:

Cat Winters was born and raised in southern California, near Disneyland, which may explain her love of haunted mansions, bygone eras, and fantasylands. She received degrees in drama and English from the University of California-Irvine. She lives in Portland with her husband and two children. This year, she will  publish The Cure for Dreaming (Amulet Books, Fall 2014), another early-twentieth-century paranormal tale. And, like Stefan Bachmann (see the last review), she's a contributor to the upcoming YA horror anthology Slasher Girls & Monster Boys (Dial, 2015).

Online: Visit Cat's website here, and the website for the book here. Connect with her here on Twitter.

View the novel's creepy trailer here.

To follow my progress as I bulldoze my way through a stack of 51 to-be-reads this year, search for the tag 2014 TBR Shelf. Read all the reviews here.

TBR 2014: Book No. 2

Next up on my clearing-the-TBR-shelf goal: In the Shadows of Blackbirds by Cat Winters (Amulet Books, 2013)!

I've been meaning to read this book for ages, and today's the day I start it! Cat Winters's debut novel takes place in 1918: The world's nations are at war--not only with each other but against the deadly influenza epidemic that spreads like a modern-day plague. Mary Shelley Black's sweetheart is on the battlefields of France and her aunt thinks Mary holds the power to contact the dead. Can she?

"Words like 'unputdownable' and 'irresistible' are simply not enough for Cat Winters's In the Shadow of Blackbirds."

--author Saundra Mitchell (Shadowed Summer)

Don't tell me you're not hooked. I know you want to join me on this reading journey!


That's right: I've committed to reading all the books on my TBR shelf  this year. First up was Stefan Bachmann's The Peculiar. Read the review here.

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The December Luckies!

We all know that December is the luckiest month. Some of us were even born in that month. (Not that I'm naming any names. Or asking for any gifts. Much.) December is especially lucky for the very end of the "caboose"--the last two Lucky 13 authors whose books debut this month. Go on, fill out that Christmas list. You know you want to.

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

December 10 (Disney Hyperion)

YA sci-fi/romance

Control by Lydia Kang

December 26 (Dial Books for Young Readers)

YA sci-fi

What's a Lucky 13? It's an author who was lucky enough to have her or his first book for kids or teens published in 2013. All year I've been tracking the Lucky 13s' releases! You can read about them here. The Lucky 13s blog can be found here.

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November and December Luckies

I can't believe we're finally coming to the end of a spectacular year for all of us Lucky 13 debut authors. It is my great honor and pleasure to introduce the caboose--the final debuts to come out this year. So, with no further ado, here they are. Pre-order these YA sci-fi beauties!

After Eden by Helen Douglas
November 5 (Bloomsbury Children's USA)
YA science fiction

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner
December 10 (Disney Hyperion)
YA science fiction

Control by Lydia Kang
December 26 (Dial Books for Young Readers)
YA science fiction/dystopia














* What's a Lucky 13? An author lucky enough to be publishing his or her very first book for kids or teens in 2013! Each month of this year, I've introduced e a new crop of fabulous debut fiction. Search for the tag 2013 debuts to see more, and read the Lucky 13 blog right here.

Here Come the October Books!

As we wind down the Lucky 13s* year of publication, our numbers get lower, but the quality stays high. This month we have one fabulous middle-grade read and one juicy YA read. Ready? Get out your credit cards ...

Sunny Sweet Is So Not Sorry by Jennifer Ann Mann
October 1 (Bloomsbury USA)
MG contemporary

Red by Alison Cherry
October 8 (Delacorte Books for Young Readers)
YA contemporary
















* What's a Lucky 13? An author lucky enough to be publishing his or her very first book for kids or teens in 2013! Each month, I'll introduce a new crop of fabulous debut fiction. Search for the tag 2013 debuts to see more, and read the Lucky 13 blog right here.

Fabulous New YA Books!

I've already beaten myself silly for being a blogging slug all summer, so let's send that poor horse back to his stall for a nice rubdown. Meanwhile, you can take a look at all the cool YA books that have recently come out. Links go to Kirkus Reviews unless otherwise noted (PW = Publishers Weekly).

 Contemporary

The Distance Between Us by Kasie West
OCD Love Story by Corey Ann Haydu
Riptide by Lindsey Scheibe  (The Reader's Den)
The S-Word by Chelsea Pitcher (Rebecca-Books)

How My Summer Went Up in Flames by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski (Tabitha's Book Blog)
45 Pounds (More or Less) by K.A. Barson
Since You Asked by Maureen Goo (School Library Journal)
Gated by Amy Christine Parker
Taste Test by Kelly Fiore


Paranormal & Fantasy

Between the Devil & the Deep Blue Sea by April Genevieve Tucholke (Pretty Deadly Reviews)
Some Quiet Place by Kelsey Sutton

Insomnia by J. R. Johansson
Charm & Strange by Stephanie Kuehn (School Library Journal)


Thrillers / Mystery

Rules for Disappearing by Ashley Elston
Truth or Dare by Jacqueline Green
Another Little Piece by Kate Karyus Quinn (Xpresso Reads)
Find Me by Romily Bernard (Sept 24)

Prep School Confidential by Kara Taylor

Science Fiction, Dystopia, & Horror

 










Reboot by Amy Tintera
Starglass by Phoebe North (Book Smugglers)
Linked by Imogen Howson

Rush by Eve Silver
In the After by Demitria Lunetta 
The End Games by T. Michael Martin (Reading Teen)
Coda by Emma Trevayne

Historical

Belle Epoque by Elizabeth Ross 
Maid of Secrets by Jennifer McGowan

Did you catch yesterday's post, which featured new middle-grade releases? Check it out here.

Fabulous New Middle Grade Books!

A ton of great middle-grade and picture books have come out the past couple of months, and I've not posted about them because it's been, well, summer and everything. But anyway. Back to it! Click on the title to read reviews, which are pulled from Kirkus Reviews unless otherwise noted. (PW = Publishers Weekly)

Picture Books

Sophie's Squash by Pat Zietlow Miller & Anne Wilsdorf
Chick-o-Saurus Rex by Lenore & Daniel Jennewein (PW)
The Monstore by Tara Lazar & James Burks (Picture Book Academy)
Year of the Jungle by Suzanne Collins (for somewhat older readers)

MIDDLE GRADE BOOKS

Dystopia/Science Fiction

The Neptune Project by Polly Holyoke

Parched  by Melanie Crowder (dystopia) (Wall St Journal)

Sky Jumpers by Peggy Eddleman (dystopia/sci fi, coming Sept 24) (rev by The Moonlight Library)

Wake Up Missing by Kate Messner (sci fi)

Contemporary

Golden Boy by Tara Sullivan

Sure Signs of Crazy by Karen Harrington

Trash Can Days: A Middle School Saga by Teddy Steinkellner (PW)

Mystery, Adventure, & Magic

The Path of Names by Ari Goelman (mystery/ghost story) (rev by KidsReads)

The Wig in the Window by Kristen Kittscher(contemporary mystery)

Magic Marks the Spot by Caroline Carlson (fantasy adventure) (rev by PW)

The Book of Lost Things by Cynthia Voigt (mystery/adventure)

The Glitter Trap by Barbara Brauner & James Iver Mattson (magic/paranormal)

Fallout by Todd Strasser (thriller)

Historical

Every Day After by Laura Golden (1930s)

Brotherhood by A.B. Westrick (Civil War)

Giveaway: 1 Week Only!
I know they ALL look fantastic, but you can win only one! Enter the Rafflecopter below and tell which book you want AND WHY.  U.S. entrants only, please.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Come back tomorrow for a roundup of recently released YA books. There are a ton! 

The July Books!

I know a lot of you blogfrogs are packing for vacation right now (or you will be, after you read this post). Don't forget to take along some fab reading material! Check out this month's crop of Lucky 13* releases:

Since You Asked by Maureen Goo
July 1 (Scholastic)
YA contemporary

The Distance Between Us by Kasie West

July 2 (HarperTeen)
YA contemporary 

Some Quiet Place by Kelsey Sutton
July 8 (Flux)
YA paranormal

45 Pounds (More or Less) by K.A. Barson
July 11 (Viking Juvenile)
YA contemporary

Chick-o-Saurus Rex by Lenore Jennewein; illus. by Daniel Jennewein
July 23 (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)
picture book

OCD Love Story by Corey Ann Haydu
July 23 (Simon Pulse)
YA contemporary romance

Starglass by Phoebe North
July 23 (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)
YA sci-fi

Prep School Confidential by Kara Taylor
July 30 (St. Martin's Griffin)
YA contemporary








* What's a Lucky 13? An author lucky enough to be publishing his or her very first book for kids or teens in 2013! Each month, I'll introduce a new crop of fabulous debut fiction. Search for the tag 2013 debuts to see more, and read the Lucky 13 blog right here. And hey, if you love BOOK TRAILERS, head over to my Pinterest board, where I'm putting up Lucky 13 trailers as they become available!

Middle Grade Mania!

I missed Marvelous Middle Grade Monday this week--well, okay, I've missed it most weeks, sorry--but it wasn't until yesterday that I had full details on this cool event coming up in just over a week:

That's right, six authors will be signing books at Anderson's Two Doors East in Naperville, IL (just outside Chicago) at 4:30 pm, June 29 (including me)! It's all part of the author-packed weekend that comes from having the American Library Association Conference in town. Check out these events! Click on the links for more details:

Venues:
Anderson's Bookshop Naperville: 123 W. Jefferson Ave., Naperville, IL |  (630) 355-2665
Anderson's Two Doors East: (2 doors down from the Naperville store): 111 W. Jefferson Ave., Naperville, IL |  (630) 355-2665
Anderson's Bookshop Downer's Grove:  5112 Main St, Downers Grove, IL | (630) 963-2665
The Book Cellar: 4736 N Lincoln Ave #1,  Chicago | (773) 293-2665

FRIDAY, JUNE 28

4:00 pm: 2k13 Middle Grade Writers (Reading & Book Signing) featuring Liesl Shurtliff (Rump: The True Story of Rumplestiltskin), Tamera Will Wissinger (Gone Fishing), Polly Holyoke (The Neptune Project), & Tara Sullivan (Golden Boy). Event held at The Book Cellar.

5:00 pm: 2k13 YA Authors (Reading & Book Signing) featuring Debra Driza (MILA 2.0), Caela Carter (Me, Him, Them, & It), Kate Karyus Quinn (Another Little Piece), Jennifer McGowan (Maid of Secrets), Nicole McInnes (Brianna on the Brink), & Demitria Lunetta (In the After). Event held at The Book Cellar.

6:00 pm: 2k13 YA Authors Preview for Upcoming Releases featuring Mindy McGinnis (Not a Drop to Drink), Geoffrey Girard (Project Cain), K.A. Barson (45 Pounds More or Less), Lydia Kang (Control), & Cristin Terrill (All Our Yesterdays). Event held at The Book Cellar.

7:00 pm: YA Night featuring Sonia Manzano (The Evolution of Evelyn Serrano), Jacqueline Woodson (Beneath a Meth Moon), James Preller (A Pirate's Guide to Recess--children's, not YA), & Paul Rudnick (Gorgeous). Event held at Anderson's Two Doors East.

SATURDAY, JUNE 29

2:00 pm: Newbery winner Katherine Applegate (The One and Only Ivan). Event held at Anderson's Bookshop Naperville.

4:30 pm: Middle Grade Mania featuring Tim Federle (Better Nate Than Ever), yours truly--squee! (The Key & the Flame), Elisabeth Dahl (Genie Wishes), Lisa Greenwald (Reel Life Starring Us), Sarah Stewart Taylor (The Expeditioners and the Treasure), & Margaret McNamara (Sylva and the Fairy Ball). Event held at Anderson's Two Doors East.

4:30 pm: YA Afternoon featuring Hilary Smith (Wild Awake), Michael Grant (Fear: A Gone Novel), Ellen Hopkins (Tilt), Lauren Myracle (Shine), & A.G. Howard (Splintered). Event held at Anderson's Bookshop Naperville.    

SUNDAY, JUNE 30

1:00 pm: Picture Book Fun featuring Chris Raschka (Everyone Can Learn to Ride a Bike) Loren Long (Otis and the Puppy), Molly Idle (Tea Rex), & Jesse Klausmeier (Open This Little Book)

3:00 pm: Even More YA! featuring Annabel Pitcher (My Sister Lives on the Mantlepiece), Marcus Sedgwick (Midwinter Blood), S.A. Bodeen (The Raft), Sara Zarr (Lucy Variations), Tara Sullivan (Golden Boy), and Matthew Quick (Boy 21). Event held at Anderson's Bookshop Naperville.

3:00 pm: Tom Angleburger (Art 2 D2’s Guide to Folding and Doodling). Event held at Anderson's Bookshop Downer's Grove.
 

The June Books!

Yeah, I know--we're halfway through the month already. I plead an insane May schedule due to my One & Only graduating high school and then spiriting me away to Florida. But however late I may be, I can't neglect showing off these fabulous debut kidlit authors' releases from the Lucky 13s!*

The Monstore by Tara Lazar; illus. by James Burks
June 4 (Aladdin)
picture book

Parched by Melanie Crowder
June 4 (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
MG near-future

The Oathbreaker's Shadow by Amy McCulloch
June 6 (Random House Children's Publishers--UK only)
YA fantasy

Insomnia by J.R. Johansson
June 8 (Flux)
YA paranormal

Another Little Piece by Kate Karyus Quinn
June 11 (HarperTeen)
YA thriller

Belle Epoque by Elizabeth Ross
June 11 (Delacorte Books for Young Readers)
YA historical

Charm & Strange by Stephanie Kuehn
June 11 (St. Martin's Griffin)
YA paranormal

Every Day After by Laura Golden
June 11 (Delacorte)
MG historical

Linked by Imogen Howson
June 11 (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)
YA sci-fi

Rush by Eve Silver
June 11 (Katherine Tegen Books)
YA sci-fi

The Wig in the Window by Kristen Kittscher
June 18 (HarperCollins Children's)
MG mystery

In the After by Demitria Lunetta
June 25 (HarperTeen)
YA sci-fi

Golden Boy by Tara Sullivan
June 27 (G.P. Putnam's Sons / Penguin)
MG contemporary









* What's a Lucky 13? An author lucky enough to be publishing his or her very first book for kids or teens in 2013! Each month, I'll introduce a new crop of fabulous debut fiction. Search for the tag 2013 debuts to see more, and read the Lucky 13 blog right here. And hey, if you love BOOK TRAILERS, head over to my Pinterest board, where I'm putting up Lucky 13 trailers as they become available!