Late Summer Books

It is a great time to be a teen reader. YA shelves in bookstores keep expanding to hold all the fantastic books coming out for teens and young adults. Combing through the releases for one month is overwhelming with awesome. Here are just some highlights some of the recent releases for teens, young adults, and not so young adults who enjoy all kinds of fiction. (Because here’s a secret: no one checks your ID at the YA aisle. Anyone can read, and love, these stories.)

Since this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship, the theme for this month is “Debuts.” How better to start than by catching up with debut author Melissa Francis as she was basking in the glow of her release day. I asked her to tell me a little bit about her addition to the wildly popular vampire sub-genre.

Melissa describes it this way: Bite Me! is about a girl and her struggle between being a vampire and being a teenager. She'd rather be more human than vampire but her plan to keep her fangs hidden is foiled when she discovers something dark lingering in her family's history.

RCM: It sounds like AJ, your heroine, has a lot of problems that girls can relate to--romantic troubles, a new step family, fitting in--as well as the supernatural ones. Have you always wanted to write for teens, or did you fall into it?

Melissa Francis: I've always loved YA but wasn't sure if I wanted to write it. I had this 17 year old vampire girl talking to me and I just kept ignoring her until my agent said, "So have you ever thought about writing YA? And would you be interested in vampire YA?" I decided that was fate telling me to stop ignoring the character in my head and viola! Bite Me! was born!

With a title like that, I suspect AJ is going to be a character with a lot of attitude. Pick up Bite ME! for a fun, fresh take on the vampire mythology. (HarperTeen, 7/28/09)

For a slightly different take on the theme, let's visit with New York Times Bestselling author Rachel Vincent, who now makes her YA debut with “The Soul Screamers” series from the brand new YA line from Harlequin. (That’s a double dose of debut, if you’re keeping score.)

Read Rosemary's interview with Rachel Vincent.

Rachel’s description really sold me on this book. Pick up My Soul To Take if you’re looking for an emotionally rich story full of suspense, mystery, romance and a different sort of paranormal twist. (Harlequin Teen, 8/1/09)

Here are a few more YA books coming out this month, all from first time novelists:

This month’s debuts definitely evidence the continued rein of paranormal elements. Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink is one of two very gothic novels getting great buzz. This Victorian paranormal thriller about orphan twins with a fantastic destiny is full of all the things I love in a book: dreams, magic, myth, strong characters and a unique concept. This came highly recommended to me, and I’m passing that on. (Little, Brown; 8/1/09)

Likewise, Immortal by Gillian Shields is classic gothic romantic suspense, with a remote, windswept boarding school, another orphan, a mysterious young man, and a ghost that tangles everything up together. Atmospheric, romantic and eerie, I can’t resist this. (HarperCollins; 8/4/09). Pick either (or both) of these up if you love Libba Bray’s A Great And Terrible Beauty, Twilight, or the works of Barbara Michaels and Mary Stewart. (And if you don’t know who those authors are, go read them, too.)

Never Slow Dance With a Zombie is from Emmy nominated TV writer E. Van Lowe. Described as Romy and Michele's High School Reunionmeets Night of the Living Dead and “laugh-out-loud funny”. Sounds like a scream. Pick up if you have a healthy sense of humor about your supernatural creatures and/or your high school days. (Tor Teen; 8/18/09)

Here’s a non-paranormal offering from new novelist Alicia Thompson: Psych Major Syndrome features a college age protagonist, and an Emma sounding plot--that is, a heroine who is much better at solving other people’s problems than her own. Pick this up if you like Bridget Jones and her sisters, and want a light, fun read. (Hyperion; 8/14/09)

Another Faust is by brother and sister authors Daniel And Dina Nayeri. Five teens soar to suspicious heights thanks to inexplicable and extra-ordinary gifts. I thought this might be flip--a kind of Bedazzled meets Gossip Girl - The Complete First Season (not that I wouldn’t read that in a hot minute)--but I’m even more intrigued to hear it described as ‘chilling’ and ‘wickedly satirical’ tale of “ambition, consequences, and ultimate redemption.” Pick this up if you want some social commentary with your paranormal, or vice versa. (Candlewick; 8/25/09)

To balance out all the paranormal on this list, here are two quick e-book picks from Wild Rose Press: House of Wacks by Denise Gwen (Love blooms behind the scenes on the set of a horror movie) and When Mike Kissed Emma by Christine Marciniak (Life imitates art during rehearsals for the school musical). (Wild Rose Press; 8/19/09) Give them a try if you like cute, sweet romances where opposites attract.

Until next time...Rosemary Clement-Moore

Rosemary Clement-Moore writes Young Adult books because she loves to read them. Visit her webpage or blog to find out more about her award winning Maggie Quinn: Girl vs. Evil series, and upcoming gothic romance, The Splendor Falls.