2016: First 3 Books Read and What's On My TBR List

So we're off to a new year of reading! So far, I've finished one adult book and two middle grades:


THE FAIR FIGHT kind of blew me away. I haven't read something that got me into the head of different characters in that particular way in quite awhile. I recommend it a whole bunch.



ORBITING JUPITER by Gary Schmidt just killed me in the best of ways. I knew it was going to be good after reading this BookPage interview/review, but I wasn't prepared for the raw power of the simple, pure, honest prose. I wasn't prepared for the ending, either. This is a book that I'm glad that I've read. One of those ones that you quietly think about every now and then long after finishing.
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I adored RED by Liesl Shurtliff! Her world-building is so rich in the senses. There are scenes full of enchantment and danger, and characters full of humor, heart, desires, and flaws. I can't wait for the next one in this companion novel series (RUMP, JACK, RED). I have an inkling about whose story might be next, but I'll keep it to myself.

More books I'm dying to read this year (please let me know in the comments what's on your list!):

The Skylighter, Becky Wallace  *will be doing a givaway*
Stars so Sweet, Tara Dairman *will be doing an ARC giveaway of this title!*
Booked, Kwame Alexander
The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle, Janet Fox
Lily and Dunkin, Donna Gephart
The Wild Robot, Peter Brown
Counting Thyme, Melanie Conklin
Hour of the Bees, Lindsay Eager
Grayling's Song, Karen Cushman
A Clatter of Jars, Lisa Graff
Pilfer Academy, Lauren Magaziner
Some Kind of Happiness, Claire Legrand

The Remarkable Journey of Charlie Price, Jennifer Maschari

Forest of Wonders, Linda Sue Park

Paper Wishes, Lois Sepahban

The Key to Extraordinary, Natalie Lloyd

Pax, Sara Pennypacker

The Last Great Adventure of the PB&J Society, Janet Sumner Johnson

A Rambler Steals Home, Carter Higgins
The Luck Uglies 3: Rise of the Ragged Clover, Paul Durham

On a 2017 note, I'm already looking forward to Linda Jackson's MIDNIGHT WITHOUT A MOON, which is MG historical fiction. It comes out on January 3, 2017. As I understand it, there will be a cover reveal and giveaway of that over at Caroline Starr Rose's blog soon!

Oh, and I should probably mention that my next book, Waiting for Augusta, will be out on May 10!