YA Book Chat

Today I am chatting with author Margot Harrison about her brand new book, We Made It All Up.Margot is the author of The Glare and The Killer in Me. You won't want to miss this episode, as we chat all about her brand new thriller! This murder mystery will keep you on the edge of your toes, questioning who the killer could be. Not only that, Harrison tackles some strong themes that are important for young adult readers. So, join Margot and me as we chat all about We Made It All Up!Episode is 100% spoiler free!A little about We Made It All Up: Celeste is the talk of the town when she moves to Montana from Montreal, but the only friend she makes is Vivvy, the heir to the town’s founder and a social pariah. Inspired by a passion-fueled school incident, they begin writing a love-story fanfic between the popular guy and the school stoner, one that gradually reveals Celeste’s past. While her bond with Vivvy makes Celeste feel safe and alive again, Vivvy keeps prodding Celeste to turn fantasy into reality. When t

Today my friend Sarah and I are chatting about Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller. This was the first book by Tricia Levenseller that I've read, and I loved it so much that now she is an automatic buy for me. Both Sarah and I devoured this book and its sequel. If you like pirates, this book is for you. It's like Pirates of the Caribbean but with a female lead. There's treasure hunting, greedy pirates, trickery, Siren's, a pirate romance, and more! You won't want to miss this fantastic story!First 15 minutes are spoiler FREE!A little about Daughter of the Pirate King: Sent on a mission to retrieve an ancient hidden map―the key to a legendary treasure trove―seventeen-year-old pirate captain Alosa deliberately allows herself to be captured by her enemies, giving her the perfect opportunity to search their ship. More than a match for the ruthless pirate crew, Alosa has only one thing standing between her and the map: her captor, the unexpectedly clever and unfairly attracti

Today my friend Victoria and I are chatting about the book Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch.Love & Gelato is such a fun book! It's the story of a young girl who goes to Florence, Italy to stay with a man she's never met before; a man who may just be her father. While in Italy, Lina discovers a lot about Florence, her mom, and herself. It's such a fantastic coming of age story that will make you want to travel to Italy yourself, to take in the local cuisine and all the sights! So, join Victoria and me as we chat about this fun book. We'll also chat about the new Netflix movie, of the same name. First 15 minutes are spoiler free!A little about Love & Gelato: Lina is spending the summer in Tuscany, but she isn’t in the mood for Italy’s famous sunshine and fairy-tale landscape. She’s only there because it was her mother’s dying wish that she get to know her father. But what kind of father isn’t around for sixteen years? All Lina wants to do is get back home.But then Lina is given

I am excited to welcome author Sarah Henning back to YA Book Chat! When she was first here, Sarah and I discussed her book The Princess Will Save You, book 1 in her Kingdoms of the Sand and Sky trilogy. Today, Sarah and I are chatting about her brand new book, The King Will Kill You, book 3 in this fantastic trilogy.Join us as we chat about what it was like going from book one to book three, the characters, plot line, Sarah's writing process, what it was like for her to write two books at the same time, and more! The King Will Kill You will be available August 2, 2022. A little about The King Will Kill You: Princess Amarande is finally on the verge of having everything she wants. To be with her true love Luca, no one nor law standing in the way. To rule Ardenia as queen outright, no marriage necessary, as Luca does the same with the reformed Torrence. To rebuild the continent of The Sand and Sky into a place not defined by archaic, patriarchal laws, but by the will of its people.However, threats await in

Today I am excited to welcome author Elayne Audrey Becker to the podcast!Join us as Elayne and me chat about her Forestborn duology. Wildbound, book two, will be released August 30, 2022. In this episode Elayne and I chat about the publishing process, character development, worldbuilding, and so much more! You won't want to miss this!Check out my previous episode to learn more about Forestborn. Read below to learn a bit about Wildbound. With the assassination of Telyan’s king, the time for peace has passed.Determined to make up for his failure to procure the stardust, Helos finds work as a healer at Fendolyn’s Keep, the historic garrison to which Telyan’s exiled royals—and half its civilians—have fled. Racing against the Fallow Throes’ ticking clock, he endeavors to repair his relationship with Prince Finley and dreams of his claim to a faraway throne, as the base around him prepares for war.Half a continent away, his sister Rora is doing everything she can to reawaken the land and end Eradain’s slaught

Join my friend Morgan and me as  we chat about Forestborn by Elayne Audrey Becker. Forestborn is a fantastic, magical adventure that will keep you on your toes! It's true fantasy with magic forests, creatures, and people; a quest for our main characters, two love stories, and more! Come along and join us on this fantastic journey!A little about Forestborn:Rora is a shifter, as magical as all those born in the wilderness―and as feared. She uses her abilities to spy for the king, traveling under different guises and listening for signs of trouble.When a magical illness surfaces across the kingdom, Rora uncovers a devastating truth: Finley, the young prince and her best friend, has caught it, too. His only hope is stardust, the rarest of magical elements, found deep in the wilderness where Rora grew up―and to which she swore never to return.But for her only friend, Rora will face her past and brave the dark, magical wood, journeying with her brother and the obstinate, older prince who insists on coming. Tog

Today my friend Bethanie and I will be chatting about the book Sea Witch, by Sarah Henning. Sea Witch is the beautifully told origin story of the Sea Witch from Hans Christian Anderson's classic fairy tale, The Little Mermaid.  Sarah Henning takes Hans Christian Anderson's beautiful story and weaves it's elements into her own story in such a breathtaking way. Don't believe everything Disney throws at you...Ursula is not the real Sea Witch. Evie is. And her story is like none you've ever read before. So, come along as Bethanie and I chat all about this fantastic story!A little about Sea Witch: Ever since her best friend Anna died, Evie has been an outcast in her small fishing town. Hiding her talents, mourning her loss, drowning in her guilt.Then a girl with an uncanny resemblance to Anna appears on the shore, and the two girls catch the eyes of two charming princes. Suddenly Evie feels like she might finally have a chance at her own happily ever after. But magic isn’t kind, and her ne

Today I am featuring a special crossover episode with Bethanie of Prince Kai Fan Pod!Bethanie is celebrating the three year anniversary of PKFP! So, to celebrate, we asked our listeners to send us questions about anything, and Bethanie and I answered them ALL! Join us for this super fun Q&A episode!Check out Prince Kai Fan PodFollow PKFP on Instagram Have a book you want me to review on the podcast? Just want to say hi? Send me an email at yabookchat@gmail.comDon't forget to give the podcast a 5 star rating, and leave a review! Thank you for your support!Check out my Patreon! Join now for some great benefits and perks!Have a question about today's book or author? Have a book you want me to review on the podcast? Just want to say hi? Send me an email at yabookchat@gmail.comDon't forget to give the podcast a 5 star rating, and leave a review! Thank you for your support!Check out my Patreon! Join now for some great benefits and perks!

Today I am joined by YA author Rachel A. Greco to chat about her brand new YA Fantasy, The Gift of Dragons!Join Rachel and me as we chat about this incredible new world she has created, where humans and dragons strive to live together. We chat about the plot, characters, world building, Rachel's writing style, what Rachel is working on next, and more!Join us!A little about The Gift of Dragons:When the prince Adelaide seeks to overthrow tries convincing her that the legendary dragons exist and need help, Adelaide must decide where her true allegiance lies before the kingdom shatters.Ever since the Gyndilians murdered her sister, Adelaide has plotted a rebellion to overthrow the king and prince who failed to protect them during the attack.Following her across the country is a stranger–not just any stranger, but the prince she’s hoping to overthrow–and Adelaide’s plans begin to collapse. But Prince Elias has his own dangerous secrets–secrets connected to the dragons that once lived in the land. If he can’t

Today I will be chatting with my friend Victoria about the critically acclaimed book Firekeepers Daughter, by Angeline Boulley. *Content Warning: This book deals with drug abuse, gun violence, murder, physical assault, and sexual assault. Please keep that in mind before you read the book and/or listen to this episode.*In this episode, Victoria and I chat not just about the plot of the book, but about the importance of representation of Indigenous peoples in literature, and some of the challenges Indigenous women specifically, face each day. We also chat about drug abuse, violence, and sexual assault (as per the content of the book). A little about Firekeeper's Daughter: Eighteen-year-old Daunis Fontaine has never quite fit in, both in her hometown and on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. She dreams of a fresh start at college, but when family tragedy strikes, Daunis puts her future on hold to look after her fragile mother. The only bright spot is meeting Jamie, the charming new recruit on her brother Levi’s

Today I am joined by Abby and Mo from The Book Life Podcast to chat about Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim.Take a listen as Abby, Mo, and I chat about this beautiful retelling of The Six Swans by the Brothers Grimm. You'll also get a sneak peek into what's to come in book two of this fantastic duology! A little about Six Crimson Cranes: Shiori'anma, the only princess of Kiata, has a secret. Forbidden magic runs through her veins. Normally she conceals it well, but on the morning of her betrothal ceremony, Shiori loses control. At first, her mistake seems like a stroke of luck, forestalling the wedding she never wanted. But it also catches the attention of Raikama, her stepmother.A sorceress in her own right, Raikama banishes the young princess, turning her brothers into cranes. She warns Shiori that she must speak of it to no one: for with every word that escapes her lips, one of her brothers will die.Penniless, voiceless, and alone, Shiori searches for her brothers, and uncovers a dark cons

Today I am joined by Bethanie of the Prince Kai Fan Pod podcast and my friend Lily, and we will be chatting about Red Wolf by Rachel Vincent. Join us as we dive into this fantastic Red Riding Hood retelling that is also a Big Bad Wolf origin story. We'll chat not just about the book, but about the original Red Riding Hood fairy tales by Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm, and will discover how they tie into Red Wolf. A little about Red Wolf: For as long as 16-year-old Adele can remember, the village of Oakvale has been surrounded by the dark wood - a forest filled with terrible monsters. A forest that light itself cannot penetrate. Unlike her fellow villagers, Adele cannot avoid the dark wood.Adele is one of a long line of guardians: women who secretly take on the form of a wolf, in order to protect their village. But when accepting her fate means giving up the boy she loves, abandoning the future she imagined for herself, and breaking her own moral code, she must decide how far she is willing to go

Join me today as I chat with #1 NY Times, USA, and Indie Best Selling author V. E. Schwab!V. E. and I are chatting (100% spoiler FREE!) about her brand new thriller, Gallant! We chat all about her writing career, how writing Gallant was different than her previous books, what Gallant is all about, what it was like for her writing a main character that is non-verbal, and more!Join us!A bit about Gallant:Olivia Prior has grown up in Merilance School for Girls, and all she has of her past is her mother’s journal—which seems to unravel into madness. Then, a letter invites Olivia to come home to Gallant. Yet when Olivia arrives, no one is expecting her. But Olivia is not about to leave the first place that feels like home; it doesn’t matter if her cousin Matthew is hostile, or if she sees half-formed ghouls haunting the hallways.Olivia knows that Gallant is hiding secrets, and she is determined to uncover them. When she crosses a ruined wall at just the right moment, Olivia finds herself in a place that is Gallant

Today I am joined by debut author Vanessa Len!Vanessa and I are chatting (100% spoiler free!!) about her brand new YA novel, Only A Monster. Take a listen as we chat about what it was like for Vanessa to debut her first novel, her writing process, the characters and stories, time travel, and more! I highly recommend this book, so take a listen to discover if you'll love it as well. A little about Only A Monster: Don’t forget the rule. No one can know what you are. What we are. You must never tell anyone about monsters.Joan has just learned the truth: her family are monsters, with terrifying, hidden powers.And the cute boy at work isn’t just a boy: he’s a legendary monster slayer, who will do anything to destroy her family.To save herself and her family, Joan will have to do what she fears most: embrace her own monstrousness. Because in this story…she is not the hero.A special thank you to Vanessa Len for joining me today!And thank you to Lauren Levite at Harper Collins for setting up this interview!Purch

Join me and special guests New York Times Bestselling authors Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman as we discuss their Aurora Cycle series, and hit specific points about the most recent release in the series, Aurora's End.Jay, Amie, and I chat about all things Aurora Cycle (LOTS of spoilers!!), sci-fi interests, hidden Easter eggs, what the most difficult part of writing Aurora's End was, The Princess Bride, and more!SPOILER WARNING: This ENTIRE episode contains spoilers for all three books in the Aurora Cycle series.A special thank you to both Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman for taking the time to chat with me. And thank you to Josh Redlic at Random House for setting up this interview. Check out Jay Kristoff's websiteCheck out Amie Kaufman's websiteFollow Jay and Amie on InstagramPurchase the Aurora Cycle seriesA little about the Aurora Cycle:The year is 2380, and the graduating cadets of Aurora Academy are being assigned their first missions. Star pupil Tyler Jones is ready to recruit the squad o

We are at the start of the 2022 Winter Olympics! What better way to kick off this special time of year than by covering a book about two Winter Olympic hopefuls?Today I am chatting with author Sara Fujimura about her book Every Reason We Shouldn't. This heartwarming contemporary YA book, tells the story of sixteen year old figure skater Olivia Kennedy, who's Olympic dreams have been shattered, and new boy in town, Jonah Choi, an up and coming speed skater with Olympic dreams of his own. This book will give you all the feels! It's filled with complicated family relationships, uplifting friendships, a sweet romance, and a look into life as an Olympic hopeful. Inspired by the story of real Olympian Apollo Ohno, this book does not disappoint!So, pull up a chair and take a listen and Sara and I chat all about her fantastic book, the Olympics, Apollo Ohno, figure skating, and so much more!Check out Sara's website!Follow Sara on Instagram!Buy Every Reason We Shouldn't!Check out the books Sar

I am excited to be joined by award winning author Kris Faryn today! Kris and I will be discussing her latest YA series, the Siren's Call series. We will be chatting about books 1 and 2 in the series (Song of Destiny, and Song of Wings). You will also get a sneak peek at book 3 in the series (Song of Curses, available February 14, 2022)). The Siren's Call series, a YA dark fantasy series, follows the story of Korrina Lore. Korrina is a teenage girl with a secret, she has a voice with a song inside of her that can kill. One day she meets someone who can silence her song, and she thinks he can help solve her problems. But she'll soon discover there is more to her song than she thought.If you enjoy Greek mythology, you will love the Siren's Call series! Join us to hear all about it.For more information on Kris and her books, check out her website.Follow Kris on Instagram.Have a question about The Siren's Call Series? Have a book you want me to review on the podcast? Just want to say hi? S

Today my friend Sarah and I are chatting about Lore by Alexandra Bracken! Join us as we chat about this exciting contemporary, urban fantasy based on Greek mythology. We chat about the plot, our favorite characters, how this particular love trope was torturous, hear all my favorite quotes, and more!A little about Lore: For centuries, Zeus has punished the gods with a game called the Agon, which turns them mortal for one week, and at the mercy of being hunted by those with godly ambitions. Only a handful of the original Greek gods remain, the rest replaced by the mortals who killed them and ascended.After her family's sadistic murder by a rival bloodline, Lore escapes and vows to repay her parents' sacrifice by doing one thing - surviving. For seven years, she has pushed back dark thoughts of revenge against the man responsible for their murder, a man by the name of Wrath who has attained unimaginable power. Except for one week, every seven years. A week that is fast approaching ...When Lore comes ho

Calling all fans of Peter Pan! If you love the story of the boy who never grew up, you will LOVE Lost in the Never Woods by Aiden Thomas. Today I am joined by self proclaimed Peter Pan expert Drew and his lovely podcasting partner Cassie (Of Slippers and Spindles Podcast). We will chat all things Peter Pan (book, movie, and Broadway) as we dive into Lost in the Never Woods. This is a wonderful Peter Pan retelling, and a must read for anyone who is a fan of Peter Pan. This is my favorite Peter Pan story by far. First 15 minutes are spoiler free! Join us!A little about Lost in the Never Woods: It’s been five years since Wendy and her two brothers went missing in the woods, but when the town’s children start to disappear, the questions surrounding her brothers’ mysterious circumstances are brought back into the light. Attempting to flee her past, Wendy almost runs over an unconscious boy lying in the middle of the road...Peter, a boy she thought lived only in her stories, asks for Wendy’s help to rescue the miss

Join fellow podcaster Abby and me as we chat about Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo! Hear the story of why it took me so long to get around to reading this book and covering it on the podcast. There is a (funny and crazy) reason. In addition to chatting about the book, Abby and I also dive into the Netflix television series as well.First 15 minutes are spoiler free! Join us!A little about Shadow and Bone: Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves her life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha,