Books I’m most looking forward to in 2011
January 4, 2011
Young Adult
There are lots of other books I plan to read, but these are the ones I really, really, really want to read.
- Abandon by Meg Cabot. The myth of Persephone, “darkly reimagined” by Meg Cabot. I am intrigued.
- Deadly by Julie Chibbaro. The early 1900s New York setting got my attention. Throw in words like typhoid and investigation, and you’ve *really* got my attention.
- The Revenant by Sonia Gensler. A ghost! And a mystery! In 1896! At a Cherokee school!
- How I Stole Johnny Depp’s Alien Girlfriend by Gary Ghislain. Doesn’t matter what it’s about, I can’t resist the title.
- The Girl is Murder by Kathryn Miller Haines. World War II-era historical mystery. Oh, yes.
- Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris. Okay, zombies are getting a bit old, but it sounds fun and I really like the cover.
- The Returning by Christine Hinwood. I usually don’t put much stock into author blurbs, but this was blurbed by Megan Whalen Turner AND Melina Marchetta, and Adele raved about it.
- The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson. Johnson is a hit-or-miss author for me, but this just sounds soooooo good. Between Jack the Ripper and a paranormal branch of the British police, I can’t wait.
- Putting Makeup on Dead People by Jen Violi. See above, How I Stole Johnny Depp’s Alien Girlfriend.
- All These Things I’ve Done by Gabrielle Zevin. Even though the second half of Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac fell apart for me, I’m curious to see what she does with a dystopia.
I know, none of these are multicultural. There are some that I do want to read (namely Alex Sanchez’s Boyfriends with Girlfriends and Dawn Metcalf’s Luminous), but nothing that I want to read as much as any of the above. Here are two booklists if you’re looking for more 2011 multicultural books, from Color Online and Crazy Quilts.
Not YA
- The Night Season by Chelsea Cain. I’ve been a fan since I snagged the last ARC of Heartsick (and got it autographed) at ALA in 2007, so even though I’m not sure how I feel about a new villain, I still really want to read this. But Gretchen’s gotta make an appearance anyway, right?
- Killed at the Whim of a Hat by Colin Cotterill. New mystery series set in present-day Thailand by one of my favorite authors.
- The October Killings by Wessel Ebersohn. I’ve been curious since this Wall Street Journal article and the “Foreign Affairs” booklist, which mentioned Ebersohn along with Deon Meyer and Malla Nunn.
- Vienna Waltz by Teresa Grant. Under the name Tracy Grant, she wrote Daughter of the Game (aka Secrets of a Lady) and Beneath a Silent Moon, two books with basically everything I could ask for in historical thrillers: spies and satisfying political intrigue, mystery, family secrets, and romance. (Links are to the reviews at All About Romance that introduced me to the series.) Vienna Waltz, if I understand it correctly, is a new story that features the same main characters. I feel a reread coming on.
- The Snowman by Jo Nesbø. Although, what is up with bringing over these books out of order? I mean, The Redbreast/Nemesis/The Devil’s Star are actually books 3-5, and The Snowman is book 7. What happened to The Redeemer?
YA Books Mentioned in Previous Posts
- You Killed Wesley Payne by Sean Beaudoin
- Betrayal by Lee Nichols
- Daughter of Xanadu by Dori Jones Yang
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Okay, I’m going to have to check out the Tracy Grant. I forget if you’ve read the Lady Julia Grey books, Trisha. But these sound similar and so have me wanting to know more.
And The Returning really does sound like something.
I think I tried the first one. Or was that Tasha Alexander? I can’t remember. In any case, I know you and Leila and so many others are fans that I’m giving it another (or first) chance.
So great to find “Vienna Waltz” on your list! Here are some details about how it fits into the series:
http://tracygrant.wordpress.com/2010/01/02/new-year-new-book-contracthttptracygrant-wordpress-comwp-adminpost-new-php/
Happy New Year!!
Tracy
Thanks for the link!
I’ve added four of these to my 2011 list. Thanks
I’m curious. Which ones? And you’re welcome!
The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson – I am a fan and it sounds really good.
The Return by Hinwood – You had me at blurbed by Melina Marchetta
Putting Makeup on Dead People – I love the title and summary.
I was tempted to add the new Zevin title but I am taking a break from dystopia fiction.
I already had Abandon on my list and I am looking forward to it. I really miss reading Cabot. Her MG voice doesn’t do it for me.
Posted my predictions today. If you read this before Monday there’s still time to make a few guesses of your own.
Persephone is my favorite myth, definitely reading Abandon!! Must have the Zevin book as well =)
It’s one of my favorite myths, too.
Still no The Redeemer? Huh. That makes zero sense to me. I buy his books from the UK and am looking forward to The Leopard in about a week.
Yeah, I don’t get it, either.
They just named the Printz winner. I got zero correct. I suck. This is the last year I try to guess anything.
No, keep making predictions. You did better than me on the non-Printz awards. Especially the Alex!
I only got two of the Alex right.
I can’t believe I forget Bryan Collier’s illus. for Dave the Potter. Rookie mistake.
What happened to They called themseleves the kkk? I am very surprised and disappointed.
Nothing did get a Printz Honor.