Buzzworthy Books 2017 From Little, Brown Books For Young Readers

Buzzworthy Books is a semi-annual series on Pop! Goes The Reader in which my nearest and dearest friends in publishing discuss the books they’re most excited about releasing from their respective publishing houses in the following six months.

About Saraciea Fennel

Saraciea J. Fennel is a publicist in the book publishing industry. She’s worked with many award winning and New York Times bestselling authors like Javaka Steptoe, Daniel José Older, Tui T. Sutherland, Peter Sís, Jennifer A. Nielsen, Chris Colfer, Deborah Wiles, and many more. Saraciea is passionate about books and devours anything sci-fi/fantasy related in books, TV and movies. You can find her somewhere in NYC boxing or practicing yoga at the next up and coming studio. She lives in Brooklyn, NY, but will always rep the Bronx. Follow her shenanigans on Twitter @SJ_Fennell.

To Be Published March 7th, 2017 by Little, Brown Books For Young Readers
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Seventeen-year-old Sophia has seven days left as a student at the international school in Tokyo, Japan, before she moves back to the States with her family. One week to say good-bye to her friends, school, and – after a lifetime of moving around the globe – the closest thing to home she’s ever known. Sophia intends to make the most of every karaoke- and konbini-filled second. Until Jamie Foster-Collins reappears after three years away and ruins everything.

Jamie and Sophia have a history of heartbreak; one that Sophia thought was far behind her. She just wants to spend her remaining time with her wild best friend Mika and her eternal crush David. But as the week counts down, the relationships she thought were so stable begin to crash around her, and Sophia and Jamie forge a last-minute connection neither of them anticipated. When Sophia’s with Jamie, it’s as though she is seeing Tokyo again for the first time. Can their seven short days of Tokyo adventures end in anything but good-bye?

Perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, Stephanie Perkins, and Jenny Han, this debut novel from former LBYR staffer Cecilia Vinesse is a smart, swoony, funny, and believably complicated story of family, friends, and first loves.

A smart and swoony novel, Seven Days Of You has just enough romance and adventure for me.  I love how debut author Cecilia Vinesse paints a love letter to Tokyo, featuringa girl named Sophia who has her heart set on making the most of her last week in the vibrant city. A funny and believably complicated story about family, friends, and first loves. This story is perfect for YA romance readers and will resonate with anyone who has fallen in love and had to let go.

To Be Published March 28th, 2017 by Little, Brown Books For Young Readers
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Twelve years ago, there was a war between gods and mortals…and the mortals won. The gods are gone – driven away – but they left something precious behind.

They left their children.

In the savagery of the war and its aftermath, the humans rounded up the half-caste bastard children of the gods, and put them to death.

But they missed a few.

Teenagers now, Sarai, Minya, Feral, Sparrow, and Ruby live in the gods’ citadel – full of power and with nothing to do, but survive.

Until one day…their life in hiding is threatened.

THE most anticipated book of the year. 🙂 I think I speak for everyone when I say, this story is everything you’d want in a Laini Taylor book. A complex mythical world filled with dread and wonder, moths and nightmares, love and carnage. Possibly the best and most complex thing I’ve ever read from Laini Taylor. 

To Be Published April 11th, 2017 by Little, Brown Books For Young Readers
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The constellations come to life in this imaginative fantasy adventure debut.

Honorine’s life as as maid at the Vidalia mansion is rather dull, dusting treasures from faraway places and daydreaming in front of maps of the world. But everything changes when she catches two brutish sailors ransacking Lord Vidalia’s study, and then follows a mysterious girl with wings out into the night…

Suddenly, Honorine is whisked into the middle of a battle between the crew of a spectacular steamship and a band of mythical constellations. The stars in the sky have come to life to defend themselves against those who want to harness their powers. Much to her surprise, Honorine is the crux of it all, the center of an epic clash between magic and science, the old ways and the new. But can this spirited young girl bring both sides of a larger-than-life fight together before they unleash an evil power even older than the stars?

The Star Thief is brimming with secrets, lure, and fast-paced adventure perfect for middle grade fantasy readers! It’s exactly the book I would’ve loved as a child, right on par with JK Rowling and Rick Riordan. Beautifully written, The Star Thief tackles the meaning of loyalty, friendship and family when faced with conflict. Becker’s ability to create beautiful descriptions, loveable characters wrapped in a complex world is stunning for a debut writer! I can’t wait for middle grade readers to read the book and be swept off their feet just like I was. 

To Be Published August 8th, 2017 by Little, Brown
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A stunning novel on love, loss, identity, and redemption, from Publishers Weekly Flying Start author Brandy Colbert.

When Suzette comes home to Los Angeles from her boarding school in New England, she isn’t sure if she’ll ever want to go back. L.A. is where her friends and family are (along with her crush, Emil). And her stepbrother, Lionel, who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, needs her emotional support.

But as she settles into her old life, Suzette finds herself falling for someone new…the same girl her brother is in love with. When Lionel’s disorder spirals out of control, Suzette is forced to confront her past mistakes and find a way to help her brother before he hurts himself – or worse.

A refreshing and bold voice in YA, Brandy touches on many things I can personally relate to in Little & Lion such as sexuality, race and racism, mental illness, and identity. A touching realistic fiction story that will tug on readers heart strings. 

To Be Published August 8th, 2017 by Little, Brown Books For Young Readers
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A thrilling blend of sci-fi, paranormal horror, and romance-perfect for fans of Holly Black and Leigh Bardugo.

When Dee Moreno makes a deal with a devil – her heart in exchange for an escape from a disastrous home life – she finds her trade may be more than she bargained for. And becoming “heartless” is only the beginning. What lies ahead is a nightmare far bigger, far more monstrous than anything she ever could have imagined.

With reality turned on its head, Dee has only a group of other deal-making teens to keep her grounded, including the charming but secretive James Lancer. And as something like love grows between them amidst an otherworldly ordeal, Dee begins to wonder: can she give James her heart when it’s no longer hers to give?

The Hearts We Sold is a Faustian tale for the modern age that will steal your heart and break it, and leave you begging for more.

This book was such a refreshing read! It’s the perfect mash up of science fiction and paranormal horror. It reminded me of the Sookie Stakehouse series in the vein that people know demons exists. The main character is strong, funny, and very relatable. I love how Emily was able to include so many different themes in this book touching on family, friendships, hardships, school, love and more. Really, I recommend this book to any and everyone no matter what genre they like because it’s a universal story at the core. 

About Elisabeth Ferrari

Elisabeth Ferrari is a Publicity Assistant at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. She graduated from S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications in 2015 with a Bachelor’s in journalism. She values the power of storytelling and takes great pride in her role as a literary publicist. She’s an avid reader and writer and is looking forward to expand her knowledge of the publishing industry.

To Be Published February 7th, 2017 by Poppy
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For sixteen-year-old Mel Hannigan, bipolar disorder makes life unpredictable. Her latest struggle is balancing her growing feelings in a new relationship with her instinct to conceal her diagnosis by keeping everyone at arm’s length. But when a former friend confronts Mel with the truth about the way their relationship ended, deeply buried secrets threaten to come out and upend her shaky equilibrium.

As the walls of Mel’s compartmentalized world crumble, she fears the worst–that no one will accept her if they discover what she’s been hiding. But would her friends really abandon her if they learned the truth? More importantly, can Mel bring herself to risk everything to find out.

It’s rare to come across a title like A Tragic Kind Of Wonderful that so accurately depicts mental illness. Instead of focusing solely on Mel’s Bipolar Disorder, A Tragic Kind Of Wonderful explores all aspects of Mel’s life: friendship, family, school, love, etc. and humanizes it. I finished A Tragic Kind Of Wonderful with a much better understanding of Bipolar Disorder and how I can help those affected by it.

To Be Published February 21st, 2017 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
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When seventeen-year-old Rowan Chase finds a skeleton on her family’s property, she has no idea that investigating the brutal century-old murder will lead to a summer of painful discoveries about the past…and the present.

Nearly one hundred years earlier, a misguided violent encounter propels seventeen-year-old Will Tillman into a racial firestorm. In a country rife with violence against blacks and a hometown segregated by Jim Crow, Will must make hard choices on a painful journey towards self discovery and face his inner demons in order to do what’s right the night Tulsa burns.

One of the deadliest race riots in US history happened in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on a hot 1921 night when the economically and culturally thriving black community of Greenwood was burned to the ground. Dreamland Burning gives voice to this little-known moment in history, crossing historical fiction with a cold case mystery in a story that makes bold statements about how racial tensions have changed – or haven’t – in nearly 100 years. Jennifer Latham brings her unique talent to this well-researched project, delivering a voice-driven, fast-paced, compelling read.

Dreamland Burning blends my two favorite genres: mystery and historical fiction and I couldn’t be more excited for its release. I’m a big fan of dually narrated books and Dreamland Burning couldn’t do a better job of this. Rowan and Will’s story hooked me from the very beginning until the very end. This is definitely a must-read!

To Be Published April 11th, 2017 by Little, Brown Books For Young Readers
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A timely coming of age novel set against a backdrop of the controversial issue of fracking.

Eleven-year-old Fern’s rundown home borders a pristine forest, where her impoverished family hunts and forages for food. It’s also her refuge from the crushing responsibility of caring for her wild younger brothers and PTSD-stricken stepfather. But when a fracking company rolls into town, Fern realizes that her special grove could be ripped away, and no one else seems to care.

Her stepfather thinks a job with the frackers could help pull the family out of poverty. Her wealthy grandfather – who wants to take custody of Fern and her brothers – likes the business it brings to his manufacturing company. Facing adversity from all sides, can one young girl make a difference in the fate of her family and their way of life?

This modern, beautifully written story from the acclaimed author of Wonder At The Edge Of The World explores the timely themes of poverty, environmental protection, what makes a family, and finding your place in the world.

I’m SO excited for this title because it’s unlike anything I’ve ever read and it couldn’t come at a better time. The End Of The Wild is one of the first children’s books set against the backdrop of the controversial issue of fracking and explores timely issues like climate change that young readers will understand. Plus, the book’s protagonist, Fern, is awesome and so relatable, despite the fact that her lifestyle is most definitely unconventional. She hunts and forages for food – how cool is that?!

To Be Published April 18th, 2017 by Little, Brown Books For Young Readers
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When Sebastian was just four years old, he picked up a gun his father left unattended, and shot and killed his infant sister. With no recollection of the tragic event, the ramifications and guilt still have a profound effect on his daily life. Neither Sebastian nor his parents have been able to fully put their lives back together, and their divorce is yet another after effect from that day, long ago.

Now fourteen, Sebastian has no hope for the future, and begins to secretly plan his suicide. That is, until he meets his new neighbor, Aneesa. As their friendship grows, so does Sebastian’s reasons for living. With new plans, new hopes, and the ability to let go of the past, Sebastian realizes that maybe he can be happy for once in his life.

This is another title I’m looking forward to! It’s definitely a heartbreaker, ripped right from the headlines. I hope that Sebastian’s story enables readers of all ages to gain a better understanding of gun control as it’s told from a unique first-person perspective. Many would label Sebastian a villain, but my heart broke for him from the very first page.