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: FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, NATE! by Tim Federle

Title: Five, Six, Seven, Nate!
Author: Tim Federle
Pub info: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2014; 304 pp
Genre: MG/YA contemporary, ages 10+

For me, this does qualify as a book I've been meaning to read for a while (TBR Book No. 7) because Tim was kind enough to give me an advanced readers' copy at last summer's ALA Conference. (We shared a time slot at the Simon & Schuster booth, but believe me, the fans were all at Tim's table!) If you're interested in this book, I'd recommend you read the first, Better Nate Than Ever, before reading Five, Six. It's not strictly necessary, but it's definitely more fun.

Goodreads summary:

Nate Foster's Broadway dreams are finally coming true. Armed with a one-way ticket to New York City, small-town theater geek Nate is off to start rehearsals for E.T.: The Broadway Musical . It's everything he ever practiced his autograph for! But as thrilling as Broadway is, rehearsals are nothing like Nate expects: full of intimidating child start, cutthroat understudies, and a director who can't even remember Nate's name. Now, as the countdown to opening night is starting to feel more like a time bomb, Nate is going to need more than his lucky rabbit's foot if he ever wants to see his name in lights. He may even need a showbiz miracle.

Status: finished 3/7/14

My impressions:
It should come as no shock that I adored Five, Six, Seven, Nate! After all, I fell head over heels for Nate in his first book, Better Nate Than Ever (S&S Books for Young Readers, 2013). This isn't a typical story--how many novels for preteens have you read about a theatrical debut?--and yet it is. The beauty of Tim Federle's story is that he takes ordinary preteen angst issues--a first crush, bullying, trying to fit in, longing to live your dream--and drops them into a world that few readers will have firsthand knowledge of. So the ground is familiar enough for readers to grab hold and say, Yeah, that's me, but new enough to sustain their ever-wavering attention.

And because it's Tim Federle, you can expect Nate's second tale to make you laugh and warm your heart with very real characters. From best friend Libby to pampered Broadway star Jordan, each one will at first bring a nod of recognition and then, like real people do, they'll surprise you. And an added bonus: This book has perhaps the sweetest first kiss I've ever read.

So, yeah. I love Nate. As a mom, I want to adopt him and yank him away from provincial Jankburg, Pennsylvania. (And bring him where? Provincial Shawnee, Kansas?) I can't do that, but I can remember, as we all should, that everyone's dreams are legitimate, and everyone has the right to play them out, whatever their ends. Enjoy this book. You certainly won't forget it.

About Tim:
Tim Federle grew up in San Francisco and Pittsburgh before moving to New York to dance on Broadway. Tim's debut novel, Better Nate Than Ever, was featured on several Best of 2013 lists, including the New York Times Book Review, Slate.com, Amazon.com, and Publishers Weekly. Tequila Mockingbird: Cocktails with a Literary Twist, Tim's novelty recipe guide, was voted the #1 Cookbook of the Year on Goodreads. Currently Tim is working on a new book series about kids at theater camp.

Online:
Visit Tim's website here. He's also active on Twitter, where he's just as funny as he is in real life. You can view a trailer for Five, Six, Seven, Nate! right 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: April 7.

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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Check out more great MMGM links at Shannon Messenger's blog!

Introducing LANDRY PARK

 Landry Park by Bethany Hagen
Dial, 2014
YA dystopia/sci-fi
374 pp














For those of you who don't know, I'm a member of a group called The Lucky 13s. We're authors who were lucky enough to have our debut kidlit novels published in 2013. It's a fantastic community of writers who share wisdom, tears, and occasionally taxicabs and barstools.

Only one other Lucky 13 lives in my hometown--Bethany Hagen, author of the brand-new YA sci-fi novel Landry Park. Bethany's pub date was nudged along in 2013 until finally it fell over into 2014. (Yeah, it happens. Quite a bit, in fact.) But she's still a Lucky 13 in my eyes, and last night I attended her fabulous launch party at the Johnson County Central Resource Library.

There Bethany answered a host of questions posed to her by one of the library staff, including a personality quiz (Which Disney Character Are You Most Like?) that revealed Bethany's main character to be most similar to Belle from Disney's Beauty & the Beast. We also learned that Bethany loves the Myers-Briggs Personality Test and that with her dreamy, intuitive nature, she's lucky to be married to someone who remembers to feed the children.

About the Book
Bethany says she was inspired to write Landry Park while working at the Johnson County Museum, where she saw exhibits from the Edwardian era juxtaposed with those from the nuclear age. Her vision of a future with the technology of the nuclear age meshed with the strictures of Downton Abbey society makes for a fascinating tale of romance and rebellion.

The Goodreads summary:

In a fragmented future United States ruled by the lavish gentry, seventeen-year-old Madeline Landry dreams of going to the university. Unfortunately, gentry decorum and her domineering father won't allow that. Madeline must marry, like a good Landry woman, and run the family estate. But her world is turned upside down when she discovers the devastating consequences her lifestyle is having on those less fortunate. As Madeline begins to question everything she has ever learned, she finds herself increasingly drawn to handsome, beguiling David Dana. Soon, rumors of war and rebellion start to spread, and Madeline finds herself and David at the center of it all. Ultimately, she must make a choice between duty--her family and the estate she loves dearly--and desire.

"An exciting YA debut with an intricately built dystopian world inhabited by a set of highly opposed characters which are complex and well-drawn."      --Challenging Reads blog

You can get your very own copy of Landry Park at chain and indie bookshops everywhere as well as these online outlets:

Amazon
Barnes & Noble

Connect with Bethany online at her website and on Twitter.

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.

Introducing Tracey Adams

Blogfrogs, I'm chuffed to bits (as the Brits like to say) to introduce my new agent, Tracey Adams of Adams Literary. I feel very lucky to have met and "clicked" with Tracey, who has a stellar reputation in the kidlit field.

Some info from her official website bio:

Tracey Adams co-founded Adams Literary in 2004, after nearly a decade with literary agencies Writers House and McIntosh & Otis, where she was the head of the children's department. Prior to becoming an agent, she worked in the marketing and editorial departments of Greenwillow Books and Margaret K. McElderry Books.

A graduate of Mount Holyoke College, Tracey speaks frequently about her profession and the children's book industry at conferences across the country. She is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), the Association of Author Representatives (AAR), and a founding member of the Women's National Book Association (WNBA) chapter in Charlotte, NC. 

So not only is Tracey a seasoned agent, she once worked with the venerable Margaret K. McElderry herself (whose legendary imprint I am a proud part of). Today her client list includes authors like Margaret Peterson Haddix (The Missing and The Shadow Children series), Jenny Nimmo (the Charlie Bone series), and Megan Shepherd (The Madman's Daughter).

A giant box of thanks goes to author, friend, and fellow Lucky 13er  Amie Kaufman (These Broken Stars), who introduced me to Tracey with such enthusiasm. I look forward to a long, fruitful career with Adams Literary!

My Kind of Town

It was fantastic to meet up with some Lucky 13s, readers, and librarians at last weekend's American Library Association conference in Chicago! If you're thinking of Marian the Librarian, think again--these folks are hard-core book fiends. Here are some highlights from the weekend:

Signing copies of The Key & the Flame at the Simon & Schuster booth at the exhibit hall

The Middle Grade Mania signing at Anderson's Bookshop (Two Doors East) in Naperville. From left: Sarah Stewart Taylor, author of The Expeditioners and the Treasure of Drowned Man's Canyon; me; Tim Federle, author of Better Nate Than Ever; Lisa Greenwald, author of Reel Life Starring Us; Elisabeth Dahl, author of Genie Wishes; and Margaret McNamara, author of Sylva and the Fairy Ball.

With fellow Lucky 13 authors Tim Federle, Elisabeth Dahl, and Nancy J. Cavanaugh (This Journal Belongs to Ratchet). I owe Tim a big kiss of gratitude for playing chauffeur. He got my sister and me from Chicago to Naperville and back in one piece and with plenty of laughs.

My sis (who prefers her name not be mentioned, in case anything comes back to haunt her) poses in our fabulous Palmer House Hotel room. Honestly, the Palmer House is one of the most beautiful hotels on the planet.

See? This is the lobby. No kidding. It's gorgeous.

We had a fantastic dinner at the lovely Italian Village restaurant, just a block or two from the Palmer. Highly recommended, and the oldest Italian joint in Chicago.











Thank you, Simon & Schuster, for making my first trip to ALA a fabulous experience! I loved meeting all of you and seeing a tiny sliver of Chicago. I can't wait to do it again!

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!

Flame Sisters Unite!

Hey, blogfrogs, just a quickie to direct you to hop on over to The Lucky 13s blog today, where author Kit Grindstaff (The Flame in the Mist) and I are dishing about our books. And check out the post below, where Laurisa White Reyes kicks off the Super Swag Sunday event. You won't want to miss it!

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!

Introducing ... PARCHED!

This week I'm highlighting a very special new novel by the amazing author Melanie Crowder. Parched released yesterday to rave reviews, including positive nods from Kirkus Reviews, The Wall Street Journal, School Library Journal, and Booklist. (You can read my own review on the Lucky 13 blog right here.)

Part survival story, part friendship story, Parched is a book you'll swallow whole. Don't be put off by its brief page count--like a beautiful poem, the depth is in its spare, gorgeous prose and its heartfelt story.

Melanie's website
Follow Melanie on Twitter
Like her on Facebook

In fact, I'm so moved by this story that ... yeah! I feel compelled to give a copy away to one lucky winner! The giveaway runs for 1 week only, so get in on it.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Join the Kid Lit Blog Hop! Plenty of great reviews and commentary on children's literature from all over the blogosphere every first and third Wednesday of the month.

The May Books!

The Lucky 13s* are offering up some super reads in May  to kickstart your summer, from dystopian sci-fi to fun mystery and fantasy to page-turning contemporaries. The sand is calling, blogfrogs! Load up those beach bags.

The Path of Names by Ari Goelman
May 1 (Arthur A. Levine Books / Scholastic)
MG mystery / magic

 Coda by Emma Trevayne
May 7 (Running Press Kids)
YA science fiction / dystopia

The End Games by T. Michael Martin
May 7 (HarperCollins)
YA horror

How My Summer Went Up in Flames by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski
May 7 (Simon Pulse)
YA contemporary

Maid of Secrets by Jennifer McGowan
May 7 (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)
YA historical mystery

Reboot by Amy Tintera
May 7 (HarperTeen)
YA  science fiction / dystopian

Riptide by Lindsey Scheibe
May 8 (Flux)
YA contemporary

Oh My Godmother: The Glitter Trap by Barbara Brauner & James Iver Mattson
May 14 (Hyperion Books)
MG fantasy

The Rules for Disappearing by Ashley Elston
May 14 (Disney/Hyperion)
YA contemporary thriller

Truth or Dare by Jacqueline Green
May 14 (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
YA contemporary thriller

The Neptune Project by Polly Holyoke
May 21 (Disney/Hyperion)
MG science fiction / dystopian

Boom! Boom! Boom! by Jamie A. Swenson; illustrated by David Walker
May 28 (Farrar, Straus, Giroux Books for Young Readers)
picture book








* 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.