YA Book Chat

Today I am chatting with my friend and author Victoria Koops about The Lies We Conjure by Sarah Henning. If you love magic, witches, The Inheritance Games, murder mysteries, and treasure hunts, this book is perfect for you! Take a listen as Victoria and I take a deep dive into all things magical and witchy! We chat about the characters, plot, witches, magic, scavenger hunts, murder, how our personalities relate to the lead characters, Renaissance festivals, and so much more! We had so much fun chatting about this fantastic book and I know you'll enjoy listening.  A little about The Lies We Conjure: Ruby and her sister, Wren, are normal, middle-class Colorado high school students working a summer job at the local Renaissance Fest to supplement their meager college savings.So when an eccentric old lady asks them to impersonate her long-absent grandchildren at a fancy dinner party at the jaw-dropping rate of two grand―each―for a single night… Wren insists it’s a no-brainer. Make some cash, have some fun, do

Today I am chatting with NY Times Bestselling author Jason June! We are going to be chatting about his brand new holiday rom com, Flopping in a Winter Wonderland.Flopping in a Winter Wonderland is a deliciously fun YA Queer romance set during the Christmas season. It is reminiscent of all your favorite Hallmark Christmas movies, is full of all kinds of holiday antics, boasts a wonderful setting, and will give you all the feels! Join Jason June and me as we chat about his writing, Jason June's love for Christmas, his inspiration for Flopping in a Winter Wonderland, what it means to be a hopeless romantic, the fantastic characters in this book, the storyline, and so much more! A little about Flopping in a Winter Wonderland: All Aaron wants for Christmas is for his brother, Casey, to get over his ex, Raquel. He’d prefer not to be at Winter Wonderland, the island north of Alaska that’s home to a year-round Christmas theme park. But Casey loves Christmas, so here they are. Unfortunately for Aaron, Casey’s det

Today I am chatting with my friend Rebecca about YA magical realism novel, The Stones of Burren Bay, by Emily De Angelis. Take a listen as Rebecca and I chat about the plot, characters, Irish/Celtic spiritualism, Native American culture and spiritualism, grief/grieving, and more! The first fifteen minutes are spoiler free!A little about The Stones of Burren Bay: In a tragic car accident, 15-year-old Norie loses her deadbeat father while her distant mother is injured. Her prized possession, an antique artist’s box that traveled from Ireland with her great-great-grandmother, is destroyed along with her deep connection to her art. As Norie grapples with her self-identity, obscured by grief and anger, she and her physically and emotionally fragile mother are forced to relocate. With no other relatives to rely on, they call on the kindness of her mother’s oldest friend Dahlia and her daughter Wil, who run the Jolly Pot Tearoom and Burren Bay Lighthouse Museum on Manitoulin Island. Dahlia introduces Norie to ancien

Today I am chatting with YA Heist Thriller author Kavion Lewis! Kavion previously joined me to chat about her debut novel, Thieves' Gambit, and today we are chatting about the second book in that duology, Heist Royale. Take a listen as Kavion and I chat all about the book, it's characters, the research necessary to write these amazing heists, how her characters have grown since book one, the fact that Thieves' Gambit is getting made into a movie (!!), how Kavion's brother played a small part in this book, and so much more! This is a super fun episode you won't want to miss! The entire episode is spoiler free!A little about Heist Royale: It's been six months since the end of the Gambit. Instead of winning an impossible wish, Ross has the threat of her family’s execution hanging over her head. Devroe, the only person Ross thought she could trust, could wish the Quests into oblivion at any time. Shockingly, despite his betrayal, Devroe is still making a play for Ross’s heart as the

Today I am chatting with New York Times Bestselling author Ellen Hopkins about her new Young Adult novel, Sync. Written in verse, Sync is the story of twins Storm and Lake as they are shuffled through the foster care system and kept apart from each other. In this episode Ellen and I chat about her writing style, what it's been like being the author of multiple banned books, the foster care system, the plot of Sync, her characters, and more. The entire episode is spoiler free! A little about Sync: Seventeen-year-old twins Storm and Lake have always been in perfect sync. They faced the worst a parent could do and survived it together. In the wake of their mother’s rejection, they’ve spent the last five years moving from foster home to foster home—sometimes placed together, sometimes apart.After being separated from his sister once again, Storm is devastated. He’s the older brother and promised to always take care of Lake. But after a stint in juvie, his newest placement has him feeling almost hopeful. His

Today I am chatting with award winning author, and fellow Princess Bride lover, Sarah Henning! Sarah is no stranger to YA Book Chat, as she has been here previously to discuss her Kingdoms of Sand and Sky series (The Princess Will Save You, The Queen Will Betray You, The King Will Kill You), and I have previously reviewed her book Sea Witch. Take a listen as Sarah and I chat all about her brand new YA standalone supernatural thriller, The Lies We Conjure. Hear about Sarah's writing process for this book, her magic system, what it was like to combine a murder mystery with magic, the fantastic characters and plot line, Sarah and my favorite Renaissance Festival foods (yes, it's applicable!), slow burn romance, and so much more! The entire episode is spoiler free!A little about The Lies We Conjure: Thirteen witches, a locked-room murder, and two non-magical sisters trapped in a deadly game of Clue.Ruby and her sister Wren are normal, middle-class Colorado high school students working a summer job at th

Today I am chatting with author Nancy McCabe about her debut YA novel, Vaulting Through Time, a story that follows a teen gymnast as she travels through time to learn about her family and discover who she is.  Take a listen as Nancy and I chat about her writing style, what it's like being a gymnastics mom, the rules of time travel (we need Marty McFly!), the research that needs to be done for a book that spans multiple decades, adoption, character development, the Olympics, this creative story, and more!The entire episode is spoiler free! A little about Vaulting Through Time: Sixteen-year-old gymnast Elizabeth Arlington doesn't care that her mother is older than the other girls' moms or that she doesn't look anything like her parents. She has too much other stuff to worry about: an embarrassing crush on her ex-best-friend Zach, and changes in her body that affect her center of gravity and make vaulting and tumbling more terrifying than they used to be. But when she makes a discovery that

Today I am chatting with young adult author Rachel A. Greco! Rachel is no stranger to the podcast, as she has been on previously to discuss her first book, The Gift of Dragons. Today we are chatting about its sequel, The Hope of Dragons. Take a listen as Rachel and I chat all about her writing process, the complicated characters and their character arcs, world building, creating dragons who have fun personalities, finding hope in the darkness, and more! Please note: While most of this episode is spoiler free, there is one question where we discuss spoilers from The Gift of Dragons. But you will hear a warning before that happens. A little about The Hope of Dragons: In the aftermath of Adelaide's failed attempt to save her people and her beloved man-dragon, Klinhun is left vulnerable and on the brink of war with the neighboring country of Gyndilad. Determined to ensure her people's survival and secure lasting peace, Adelaide embarks on a perilous quest alongside her loyal hawk, Cyr, in search of the

Today I'm chatting about a wonderful new YA Rom Com, All Roads Lead to Rome by Sabrina Fedel. Take a listen as my friend Dani and I chat all about the romance, hot Scottish guys, old Hollywood movies, trips to Italy, tropes we love like "he falls first," "normal girl falls for royalty," "European romance," "fake dating," and so much more!The first fifteen minutes are spoiler free!A little about All Roads Lead to Rome: Introverted, slightly anxious Astoria “Story” Herriot knows everything about Rome—her mom’s an attorney here and the two of them are living la dolce vita… at least until Story’s off to college in the fall.But when Story is in the wrong gelato shop at the right time, she’s swept up in a fake dating scheme with Scottish heartthrob, Luca Kinnaird, to protect his relationship with a pop princess. There’s something in it for her, too—Luca promises to help fund a scholarship in her dad’s memory. Soon she’s showing Luca the best cafés, sightseeing at the Mou

Today I am chatting about The Dangerous Ones by Lauren Blackwood. Joining me to chat about this wonderful YA Historical Fantasy, is first time guest Rebecca Ahola. You'll want to take a listen to this episode because I have finally found a YA book with vampires in it that I LOVE! Vampires set in the Civil War...and it's sooooo good! Take a listen as Rebecca and I chat all about the plot, characters, the American civil war, slavery, the fabulous audiobook narrators, Lauren Blackwood's powerful and beautiful writing, gorgeous vampires, a hot power couple, a love for cute little snails, and more! Trigger warning: This episode does include talk of slavery, rape, death, and graphic visuals that are portrayed in the book.  A little about The Dangerous Ones: One vampire to kill. Another to love.War doesn’t scare Jerusalem. She’s a Saint. Thanks to powerful demigod-style reflexes, endurance, and strength, she’s fearless. And she has one goal - revenge.But she never expects to team up with the handsome,

Today I am chatting about a fabulous YA Rom Com, The Breakup Artists, by Adriana Mather. Joining me today is my friend Morgan, lover of all things Rom Com.Take a listen as Morgan and I chat all about the plot, characters (including characters we love to hate), my obsession with the 1996 movie version of Romeo and Juliet, how there is a character with my name in this book, our favorite swoony moments, and so much more! First fifteen minutes are spoiler free!A little about The Breakup Artists: August and Valentine, seventeen-year-old best friends, run a business called Summer Love, Inc. They hire themselves out to unhappy parents whose kids are in bad relationships, adopting fake identities and going undercover to break up these relationships by any means necessary.Valentine, the brains of the operation, believes that they're making the world a better place by steering people away from a relationship precipice so they can someday find true love. But for August, every case is personal--another chance to pr

Today I am chatting with debut author Amber Chen about her brand new YA Silkpunk Fantasy novel, Of Jade and Dragons. Take a listen as Amber and I chat about what it's like being a debut author, her journey from writing for Wattpad to being traditionally published, what Silkpunk fantasy is, the beautiful cover design, the world building, strong characters, plot line, and more! The entire episode is spoiler free! A little about Of Jade and Dragons: Eighteen-year-old Aihui Ying dreams of becoming a world-class engineer like her father, but after his sudden murder, her life falls apart. Left with only a journal of her father’s engineering secrets and a jade pendant snatched from the assassin, a heartbroken Ying follows the trail to the capital and the prestigious Engineers Guild—a place that harbors her father’s hidden past—determined to discover why anyone would threaten a man who ultimately chose a quiet life over fame and fortune.Disguised as her brother, Ying manages to infiltrate the guild’s male-only a

Today I am chatting about The Infinite Noise by Lauren Shippen. This is the first book in her Bright Sessions novels. Joining me today is Priscilla from the Novel Feelings podcast. Take a listen as Priscilla and I chat all about what it would be like to be an empath who can feel the emotions of everyone around them, the characters, the plot, how I obsessed over a boy when I was in high school (yes, it's related), the friendship and love story between our main characters, and so much more! The first fifteen minutes are spoiler free!A little about The Infinite Noise: Caleb Michaels is a sixteen-year-old champion running back. Other than that his life is pretty normal. But when Caleb starts experiencing mood swings that are out of the ordinary for even a teenager, his life moves beyond “typical.”Caleb is an Atypical, an individual with enhanced abilities. Which sounds pretty cool except Caleb's ability is extreme empathy―he feels the emotions of everyone around him. Being an empath in high school would

Today I am chatting with NY Times Bestselling author Marie Lu! We will be chatting all about her new book, Icon and Inferno; the sequel to Stars and Smoke. Take a listen as Marie and I chat about her writing process, what inspired her to take a break from writing fantasy and write a thriller instead (it'll surprise you!), the research she did for these two books, how Starbucks gift cards can be used as spy tech, the romance between Sydney and Winter, what's up next for Marie, and more! The entire episode is spoiler FREE!A little about Icon and Inferno: A year has passed since superstar Winter Young last saw secret agent Sydney Cossette. After barely surviving their first assignment together in London -- and their intense chemistry – the two haven’t spoken at all. Though they’re never far from the other’s thoughts, or fantasies.So when Syndey shows up at Winter’s studio one day with a new mission from Panacea, he has no choice but to accept. With the clock ticking, the duo prepares to head to Singapo

Today I am chatting with debut author Trish Lundy about her brand new YA thriller, The One That Got Away With Murder.Join us as Trish and I chat all about our hometown of Rochester, NY, (Yes! We grew up in the same place!), what it's been like for Trish as a debut author, her writing process for writing a thriller/murder mystery, our main characters with a troubled past, and more!The entire episode is spoiler free!A little about The One That Got Away With Murder: Robbie and Trevor Cresmont have a body count―the killer kind. Handsome and privileged, the Crestmont brothers have enough wealth to ensure they’ll never be found guilty of any wrongdoing, even if all of Happy Valley believes they're behind the deaths of their ex-girlfriends. First there was soccer star Victoria Moreno, Robbie’s ex, who mysteriously drowned at the family lake house. Then, a year later, Trevor’s girlfriend died of a suspicious overdose.But the Crestmonts aren’t the only ones with secrets. Lauren O'Brian might be the new

Today I am chatting with my friend Dani about Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross.Divine Rivals is a beautiful fantasy set in an old fashioned war-torn world where two journalistic rivals form a connection that will be tried and tested. This book is a sweet enemies/rivals to lovers romance where are main characters are drawn together through writing letters. It's a book that could be considered Greek Mythology meets You've Got Mail, meets a Hallmark movie. It's sweet and timeless and will give you ALL the feels!Take a listen as Dani and I chat all about the plot, characters, Greek mythology, how men shouldn't start a war in order to get a woman's attention, and more! We might even discuss a little of the sequel, Ruthless Vows...just maybe... First 15 minutes are spoiler free!A little about Divine Rivals: After centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again. But eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow just wants to hold her family together. Her mother is suffering from addiction and her brother is mis

Today I am chatting with NY Times Bestselling author of fiction for all ages, Jennifer Donnelly! Today Jennifer and I are chatting about her brand new fairy tale retelling, a gender swapped reimagining of Beauty and the Beast, Beastly Beauty. Beastly Beauty is Jennifer's third fairy tale retelling. Her others are Stepsister and Poisoned, which tell the tales of Cinderella's "ugly" stepsister, and Snow White.  Take a listen as Jennifer and I chat all about her writing style, her inspiration for these fairy tale reimagining's, the messages society sends young women and how we can combat them, pulling inspiration from Grimm's fairy tales, and so much more! You won't want to miss it!A little about Beastly Beauty: What makes a girl "beastly?" Is it having too much ambition? Being too proud? Taking up too much space? Or is it just wanting something, anything, too badly?That's the problem Arabella faces when she makes her debut in society. Her parents want her to be

Today I am chatting with New York Times Bestselling author F. T. Lukens. Take a listen as F. T. and I chat all about their latest queer speculative fiction young adult novel, Otherworldly. You'll hear us chat not just about this fantastic supernatural story, but about F. T. Lukens' writing process, what it would be like to live in a never ending winter for five years, mythology, meet cutes vs. meet disasters, how M. Night Shyamalan  scared the heck out of both of us, and how both F. T. and I worked as dish washers at one point (just like our main character, Ellery). Otherworldly is a sweet cozy fantasy filled with magic, mythology, supernatural characters, and more! You'll travel into Ellery and Knox's worlds, discover their found family, hope along with them as they go on this incredible journey. And, while there are definitely creepy magical moments in this book, Otherworldly will leave you  feeling like you just received a warm hug. This is one young adult fantasy you don't want to

Today I am chatting about These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong. Joining me as my guest is Rachel from the Barely Bookish podcast.  If you love the story of Romeo and Juliet, you will love this re-imagining of Shakespeare's classic story. Chloe Gong takes the story of Romeo and Juliet and plunges it into 1926 Shanghai. This story has it all; warring gangster families, a forbidden romance, war in the city, and a monster who wants to destroy them all. And in the midst of it all, is the classic star-crossed lovers story of Romeo and Juliet, complete with a vast amount of Easter eggs from Shakespeare's original story. Join Rachel and me as we chat all about the story, characters, Romeo and Juliet Easter eggs, 1926 Shanghai and U.S. fashion, monsters, and more!A little about These Violent Delights:The year is 1926, and Shanghai hums to the tune of debauchery.A blood feud between two gangs runs the streets red, leaving the city helpless in the grip of chaos. At the heart of it all is eighteen-year-old Ju

Today I am joined by debut author Emily Locker to chat about her YA Rom Com, Running Mates!Take a listen as Emily and I chat about her journey to becoming a traditionally published author, romance novels, our love for independent bookstores, the fantastic characters and plot line, our swoony cinnamon role love interest, youth activism, star-crossed love, and more! The entire episode is spoiler free!A little about Running Mates: In the quaint yet politically charged town of Edgartown, North Carolina, two worlds are about to collide. Meet Annabelle Morningstar, an impassioned, quirky high school activist raised by her news anchor and surgeon mothers, both champions of progressive ideals. Across town, there's Gabe Delgado, the quintessential all-American boy, molded by his conservative, Cuban senator father. Edgartown is a town literally divided―the Liberal East and the Conservative North coexisting as neighbors but rarely as friends. But what happens when the two sides meet in the least likely of places: a