YA Book Chat

Today I am chatting with my friend Abigail about The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes.Join Abigail and me as we chat all about this enthralling book! We will not only be chatting about the plotline, but about all the characters (including those we love to hate), the Hawthorne family secrets, Hawthorne Manor, our favorite Hawthorne brothers, if we are Team Jamison or Team Grayson, and more! First 15 minutes are spoiler free!A little about The Inheritance Games:Avery Grambs has a plan for a better future: Survive high school, win a scholarship, and get out. But her fortunes change in an instant when billionaire Tobias Hawthorne dies and leaves Avery virtually his entire fortune. The catch? Avery has no idea why - or even who Tobias Hawthorne is. To receive her inheritance, Avery must move into sprawling, secret passage-filled Hawthorne House, where every room bears the old man's touch - and his love of puzzles, riddles, and codes. Unfortunately for Avery, Hawthorne House is also occupied by the family that Tobias Hawthorne just dispossessed. This includes the four Hawthorne grandsons: Dangerous, magnetic, brilliant boys who grew up with every expectation that one day, they would inherit billions. Heir apparent Grayson Hawthorne is convinced that Avery must be a con-woman, and he's determined to take her down. His brother, Jameson, views her as their grandfather's last hurrah: A twisted riddle, a puzzle to be solved. Caught in a world of wealth and privilege, with danger around every turn, Avery will have to play the game herself just to survive.Support the showHave 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 chatting with New York Times Bestselling author Susan Dennard! Susan is the author of the Witchlands series as well as The Luminaries series. Today,  Susan and I are chatting about book two in her Luminaries series, The Hunting Moon. Take a listen as Susan and I chat about Susan's writing process, world-building, character development, and all the Nightmares who live in Hemlock Falls...The entire episode is spoiler-free!A little about The Hunting Moon...Winnie Wednesday has gotten everything she thought she wanted. She passed the deadly hunter trials, her family has been welcomed back into the Luminaries, and overnight, she has become a local celebrity.The Girl Who Jumped. The Girl Who Got Bitten.Unfortunately, it all feels wrong. For one, nobody will believe her about the new nightmare called the Whisperer that's killing hunters each night. Everyone blames the werewolf, even though Winnie is certain the wolf is innocent.On top of that, following her dad's convoluted clues about the Dianas, their magic, and what happened in Hemlock Falls four years ago is leaving her with more questions than answers.Then to complicate it all, there is still only one person who can help her: Jay Friday, the boy with plenty of problems all his own.As bodies and secrets pile up around town, Winnie finds herself questioning what it means to be a true Wednesday and a true Luminary―and also where her fierce-hearted loyalties might ultimately have to lie.A special thank you to Susan Dennard for chatting with me today! And thank you also to Giselle Gonzalez at Tor Teen for setting up the interview!Check out Susan's websiteFollow Susan on Instagram, and Twitter (X)Check out Susan's monthly newsletter for writers!Support the showHave 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 chatting with Adult, Middle Grade, and Young Adult fiction author Kate Alice Marshall about her newest book, The Narrow.  The Narrow is a haunting ghost story that will give you chills down your spine...Join Kate and I as we chat about the challenges of writing a ghost story with a mystery element, the complicated characters, Kate's writing style, and the hauntingly dangerous river that inspired it all.The entire episode is spoiler free!A little about The Narrow:Everyone has heard the story of the Narrow. The river that runs behind the Atwood School is only a few feet across and seemingly placid, but beneath the surface, the waters are deep and vicious. It’s said that no one who has fallen in has ever survived.Eden White knows that isn’t true. Six years ago, she saw Delphine Fournier fall into the Narrow—and live.Delphine now lives in careful isolation, sealed off from the world. Even a single drop of unpurified water could be deadly to her, and no one but Eden has any idea why. Eden has never told anyone what she saw or spoken to Delphine since, but now, unable to cover her tuition, she has to make a deal: her expenses will be paid in return for serving as a live-in companion to Delphine.Eden finds herself drawn to the strange and mysterious girl, and the two of them begin to unravel each other’s secrets. Then Eden discovers what happened to the last girl who lived with Delphine: she was found half-drowned on dry land. Suddenly Eden is waking up to wet footprints tracking to the end of her bed, the sound of rain on the windows when the skies are clear, and a ghostly silhouette in her doorway. Something is haunting Delphine—and now it’s coming for Eden, too.A special thank you to Kate for chatting with me on the podcast today. And a special thank you to Kaitlin Kneafsey at Penguin Young Readers/Penguin Random House. Check out Kate's website.Follow Kate on Instagram and Goodreads.Support the showHave 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 interviewing YA author Kayvion Lewis about her brand new book Thieves' Gambit!Join Kayvion and me as we chat all about this heart-pounding, high-octane, thrill ride! You'll hear us talk about Kayvion's writing process, the fantastic characters, what you need to Google in order to write a book about a heist, gorgeous, thieving British men, and so much more! The entire episode is spoiler-free! A little about Thieves' Gambit:At only seventeen years old, Ross Quest is already a master thief, especially adept at escape plans. Until her plan to run away from her legendary family of thieves takes an unexpected turn, leaving her mother’s life hanging in the balance.In a desperate bid, she enters the Thieves’ Gambit, a series of dangerous, international heists where killing the competition isn’t exactly off limits, but the grand prize is a wish for anything in the world—a wish that could save her mom. When she learns two of her competitors include her childhood nemesis and a handsome, smooth-talking guy who might also want to steal her heart, winning the Gambit becomes trickier than she imagined.Ross tries her best to stick to the family creed: trust no one whose last name isn’t Quest. But with the stakes this high, Ross will have to decide who to con and who to trust before time runs out. After all, only one of them can win.A special thank you to Kayvion Lewis for being a guest on the podcast today! And a special thank you to Olivia Russo and Lizzie Gooddell at Penguin Young Readers/Penguin Random House for setting up the interview. Check out Kayvion's websiteFollow Kayvion on InstagramPurchase Thieves' GambitSupport the showHave 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 chatting with my friend, and YA Book Chat Patreon member, Abigail about Stars and Smoke, by Marie Lu.Join Abigail and me as we chat all about this exciting YA contemporary novel that follows a young pop star, as he's drawn into the world of being a spy and trying to take down a major criminal. In this episode we chat about hot young Asian men, pop stars, what it might be like for a 19-year-old to be a spy, family issues, what you should do if you have a fever (Yes, it's applicable to the book!), the plotline, the importance of Necco Wafers, and so much more! The first 15 minutes are spoiler-free!A little about Stars and Smoke: Meet Winter Young―Global pop sensation, with a voice like velvet and looks that could kill. His star power has smashed records, selling out stadiums from LA to London. His rabid fans would move heaven and earth for even a glimpse of him―just imagine what they’d do to become his latest fling.Meet Sydney Cossette―Part of an elite covert ops group, Sydney joined their ranks as their youngest spy with plans to become the best agent they’ve ever had. An ice queen with moves as dangerous as her comebacks, Sydney picks up languages just as quickly as she breaks hearts. She's fiery, no-nonsense, and has zero time for romance―especially with a shameless flirt more used to serving sass than taking orders.When a major crime boss gifts his daughter a private concert with Winter for her birthday, Sydney and Winter's lives suddenly collide. Tasked with infiltrating the crime organization’s inner circle, Sydney is assigned as Winter's bodyguard with Winter tapped to join her on the mission of a lifetime as a new spy recruit. Sydney may be the only person alive impervious to Winter's charms, but as their mission brings them closer, she’s forced to admit that there's more to Winter Young than just a handsome face . . .Follow Abigail Spaggiari on InstagramPurchase Abigail's bookRead more of Abigail's writing on Wattpad.Support the showHave 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 chatting with my friend, and Patreon member, Sarah about the young adult contemporary fantasy The Cursebound Thief, by Megan O'Russell. This is the first book in the Fracture Pact series. The Cursebound Thief is a thrill ride from start to finish. With dynamic characters, a fantastic magic system, a heist to restore magic, and more, this book has something for everyone! Join Sarah and me as we chat all about it. The first 15 minutes are spoiler-free!A little about The Cursebound Thief:The world wants a hero. The curse needs a thief. The party of the decade stands between Jerek Holden and saving the people he would do anything to protect. After twelve years, he’s finally found a way to break the curse that ripped all magic from the world and destroyed the peace that took generations to build. All he needs is one, simple artifact. But he can’t steal the heliostone alone. A girl with a soul of fire.A vampire bound by a vow.A werewolf bent on revenge.A knight torn between honor and duty.A hacker to keep them all alive. The fate of magic lies in their hands―if they can survive long enough to pull off the heist of the century.Check out Megan O'Russell's website.Follow Megan on Instagram.Support the showHave 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 chatting with Tiktoker and debut author Hannah Nicole Maehrer about her brand new book, Assistant to the Villain!Join Hannah and I as we chat all about how she turned her viral TikTok videos into a hilarious debut YA novel! Hannah and I also chat about her characters, world building, Grumpy vs. Sunshine trope, Villain gets the girl trope, and so much more. Assistant to the Villain is a laugh-out-loud YA fantasy rom-com you don't want to miss!A little about Assistant to the Villain: Once Upon a Time meets The Office in Hannah Maehrer’s laugh-out-loud viral TikTok series turned novel, about the sunshine assistant to an Evil Villain…and their unexpected romance.ASSISTANT WANTED: Notorious, high-ranking villain seeks loyal, levelheaded assistant for unspecified office duties, supporting staff for random mayhem and terror, and other Dark Things In General. Discretion a must. Excellent benefits.With ailing family to support, Evie Sage's employment status isn't just important, it's vital. So when a mishap with Rennedawn’s most infamous Villain results in a job offer―naturally, she says yes. No job is perfect, of course, but even less so when you develop a teeny crush on your terrifying, temperamental, and undeniably hot boss. Don’t find evil so attractive, Evie.But just when she’s getting used to severed heads suspended from the ceiling and the odd squish of an errant eyeball beneath her heel, Evie suspects this dungeon has a huge rat…and not just the literal kind. Because something rotten is growing in the kingdom of Rennedawn, and someone wants to take the Villain―and his entire nefarious empire―out.Now Evie must not only resist drooling over her boss but also figure out exactly who is sabotaging his work…and ensure he makes them pay.A special thank you to Hannah for chatting with me today! And thank you to Kaitlyn Kennedy at Kaye Publicity for setting up the interview! Follow Hannah on TikTok and InstagramPurchase Assistant to the VillainSupport the showHave 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 chatting with NY Times Bestselling author and NAACP Image Award Nominee J. Elle about her brand new YA Fantasy, House of Marionne!Take a listen as we chat about this spellbinding story, J. Elle's worldbuilding, her extensive magic system, representation in YA novels, how power corrupts, the amazing characters and plot, enemies to lovers, the world of social elites, how the idea for this story started with a tiara growing out of a head, and more! This is a YA fantasy like no other, and you won't want to miss it!Entire episode is spoiler free!A little about House of Marionne:17 year-old Quell has lived her entire life on the run. She and her mother have fled from city to city, in order to hide the deadly magic that flows through Quell’s veins.Until someone discovers her dark secret.To hide from the assassin hunting her, and keep her mother out of harm’s way, Quell reluctantly inducts into a debutante society of magical social elites called the Order that she never knew existed. If she can pass their three rites of membership, mastering their proper form of magic, she’ll be able to secretly bury her forbidden magic forever.If caught, she will be killed.But becoming the perfect debutante is a lot harder than Quell imagined, especially when there’s more than tutoring happening with Jordan, her brooding mentor and— assassin in training.When Quell uncovers the deadly lengths the Order will go to defend its wealth and power, she’s forced to choose: embrace the dark magic she’s been running from her entire life or risk losing everything, and everyone, she’s grown to love.Still, she fears the most formidable monster she’ll have to face is the one inside.A special thank you to J. Elle for coming on the podcast today! And a special thank you to Kaitlin Kneafsey and Jaleesa Davis at Penguin Random House/Penguin Young Readers for setting up the interview!Check out J. Elle's websiteFollow J. Elle on Instagram, TikTok, and TwitterPurchase House of MarionneSupport the showHave 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 my friend Morgan and I are chatting about Beasts of Prey by Ayana Gray. Take a listen as Morgan and I rehash this fantastic YA fantasy filled with magic, secrets and lies, enemies to lovers, a dangerous forest filled with mythical creatures, the poor tragic life of one of our main characters, the celebration of Black excellence, and more! First 15 minutes are spoiler free!A little about Beasts of Prey:There’s no such thing as magic in the broken city of Lkossa, especially for sixteen-year-old Koffi, who indentured to the notorious Night Zoo, knows the fearsome creatures in her care and paying off her family's debts to secure their eventual freedom can be her only focus. But the night those she loves are gravely threatened by the Zoo’s cruel master, Koffi unleashes a power she doesn’t fully understand, upending her life completely.As the second son of a decorated hero, Ekon is all but destined to become a Son of the Six—an elite warrior—and uphold a family legacy. But on the night of his final rite of passage, Ekon encounters not only the Shetani—a vicious monster that has plagued the city for nearly a century and stalks his nightmares—but Koffi who seems to have the power to ward off the beast. Koffi’s power ultimately saves Ekon, but his choice to let her flee dooms his hopes of becoming a warrior.Desperate to redeem himself, Ekon vows to hunt the Shetani and end its reign of terror, but he can’t do it alone. Koffi and Ekon form a tentative alliance and together enter the Greater Jungle, a world steeped in wild, frightening magic and untold dangers. The hunt begins. But it quickly becomes unclear whether they are the hunters or the hunted.Support the showHave 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 chatting with author Julie Wright about her brand new book, Swimming in a Sea of Stars.In this episode, Julie and I chat about her writing style, what it's like writing romance novels vs. a contemporary novel, why focusing on teen mental health is important, how one small act of kindness can change someone's life, and the hope that lies within us all. Entire episode is spoiler free!Join us!A little about Swimming in a Sea of Stars:Addison is no stranger to feeling stressed, insecure, and sad. Her therapist recommended she keep a journal to help her understand those feelings better, which she really needs today. It’s her first day back to school, several weeks after she survived her suicide attempt. She knows there are rumors about why she did it: A lousy home life? Bullying? Heartbreak? None of them are true, but it doesn’t matter because Addison still feels like she’s drowning. She still holds secrets she’s not ready to share.During the school day, Addison encounters four other students struggling with their own secrets:Booker is anxious about seeing Addison. They were sort of a couple until he tried to kiss her. She fled and then tried to end her life. Those two things couldn’t be related, could they?Celia feels trapped by her mother’s abusive boyfriend. She can guess why Addison did what she did.Damion is TikTok-famous and thinks befriending Addison could boost his followers. But what no one knows is he needs the world to remember him since his sick mom doesn’t anymore.Avery is considered a loner and doesn’t know Addison, but they have neighboring lockers. With Avery’s older brother in jail for dealing drugs, Avery is desperate for meaningful human connection.Swimming in a Sea of Stars is a poignant and gripping novel about how we’re all interconnected, like the stars in the night sky that form constellations and map out the universe, and if even one star goes missing, the effect is profound.Check out Julie's WebsiteFollow Julie on InstagramThank you so much to Julie Wright for coming on the podcast today and chatting with  me! And thank you to Kenny Vesey at Thatcher & Co. for setting up the interview!Support the showHave 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 chatting about the book City of Shattered Light by Claire Winn.Joining me today is my friend and Patreon member, Dani. Take a listen as Dani and I dive into this fast paced sci-fi novel! We discuss the fun storyline, fantastic characters, futuristic world building, love triangle and enemies to lovers tropes (Yes! Two love tropes!), our thoughts on what happens in the sequel, our fear of AI taking over the world...and more!First 15 minutes are spoiler free!Here's a little about City of Shattered Light:As darkness closes in on the city of shattered light, an heiress and an outlaw must decide whether to fend for themselves or fight for each other. As heiress to a powerful tech empire, seventeen-year-old Asa Almeida strives to prove she's more than her manipulative father's shadow. But when he uploads her rebellious sister’s mind to an experimental brain, Asa will do anything to save her sister from reprogramming—including fleeing her predetermined future with her sister’s digitized mind in tow. With a bounty on her head and a rogue AI hunting her, Asa’s getaway ship crash-lands in the worst possible place: the neon-drenched outlaw paradise, Requiem. Gunslinging smuggler Riven Hawthorne is determined to claw her way up Requiem’s underworld hierarchy. A runaway rich girl is exactly the bounty Riven needs—until a nasty computer virus spreads in Asa’s wake, causing a citywide blackout and tech quarantine. To get the payout for Asa and save Requiem from the monster in its circuits, Riven must team up with her captive. Riven breaks skulls the way Asa breaks circuits, but their opponent is unlike anything they’ve ever seen. The AI exploits the girls’ darkest memories and deepest secrets, threatening to shatter the fragile alliance they’re both depending on. As one of Requiem’s 154-hour nights grows darker, the girls must decide whether to fend for themselves or fight for each other before Riven’s city and Asa’s sister are snuffed out forever.Check out Dani's Bookstagram!Check out the sequel to City of Shattered Light: City of Vicious NightSupport the showHave 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 chatting with my friends Abby and Mo from The Book Life Podcast about Made of Stars by Jenna Voris.Take a listen as we chat about this fantastic Bonnie and Clyde inspired sci-fi story! We chat all about the plotline, Bonnie and Clyde, Star Wars vs. Star Trek, and more! First 15 minutes are spoiler free! A little about Made of Stars:Shane and Ava are a team. He steals the aircraft, she charms their mark, and together they take what they need. Not even their distracting chemistry could get in the way. Until Shane was caught and left to rot on a prison moon. Now, freshly escaped from confinement and simmering with anger, he has his sights set on their biggest job yet.Cyrus just graduated from the flight academy with a shiny new position lined up reporting to a well-respected general. On his very first assignment, he stops the outlaws in their tracks—or he would have, if his annoyingly handsome copilot, Lark, hadn’t fallen for Ava’s deception.But when Shane uncovers a top-secret plot that would leave his and Ava’s home world at the mercy of Cyrus’s military leaders, he makes it his mission to thwart them at all costs. It isn’t long before the two of them make interstellar headlines with each new heist. And thanks to a chance run-in with the rebels, Cyrus is caught between two versions of the truth. He must pick a side—and fast. Because Shane and Ava will bring the planet to its knees . . . or die trying.Follow The Book Life Podcast on InstagramCheck out The Book Life's PatreonSupport the showHave 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 thrilled to be chatting with author Rebecca Mahoney about her new book, The Memory Eater. Take a listen as Rebecca and I chat all about The Memory Eater, Rebecca's first book, The Valley and the Flood, Rebecca's writing process (find out if she's a plotter or a pantser), Japanese ghost stories, horror movies, and so much more! Entire episode is spoiler free!A little about The Memory Eater:For generations, a monster called the Memory Eater has lived in the caves of Whistler Beach, Maine, surviving off the unhappy memories of those who want to forget. And for generations, the Harlows have been in charge of keeping her locked up—and keeping her fed.After her grandmother dies, seventeen-year-old Alana Harlow inherits the family business. But there’s something Alana doesn’t know: the strange gaps in her memory aren’t from an accident. Her memories have been taken—eaten. And with them, she’s lost the knowledge of how to keep the monster contained.Now the Memory Eater is loose. Alana’s mistake could cost Whistler Beach everything—unless she can figure out how to retrieve her memories and recapture the monster. But as Alana delves deeper into her family’s magic and the history of her town, she discovers a shocking secret at the center of the Harlow family business and learns that tampering with memories always comes at a price.A special thank you to Rebecca for coming on the podcast today! Thank you also to Layne Mandros at Books Forward for setting up the interview!Check out Rebecca's websiteFollow Rebecca on Instagram and TwitterPurchase a signed copy of The Memory Eater from Porter Square BooksSupport the showHave 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 chatting with NYT Bestselling Author, Angeline Boulley. We will be talking about both her debut novel, Firekeeper's Daughter, and her brand new novel, Warrior Girl Unearthed. Also joining me today is my friend Victoria, who serves as my co-host for this special episode.Take a listen as we chat spoiler free about both books, the importance of representation in YA books for Native Americans, Native American culture, and so much more.A little about Warrior Girl Unearthed:Perry Firekeeper-Birch has always known who she is - the laidback twin, the troublemaker, the best fisher on Sugar Island. Her aspirations won't ever take her far from home, and she wouldn't have it any other way. But as the rising number of missing Indigenous women starts circling closer to home, as her family becomes embroiled in a high-profile murder investigation, and as greedy grave robbers seek to profit off of what belongs to her Anishinaabe tribe, Perry begins to question everything.In order to reclaim this inheritance for her people, Perry has no choice but to take matters into her own hands. She can only count on her friends and allies, including her overachieving twin and a charming new boy in town with unwavering morals. Old rivalries, sister secrets, and botched heists cannot - will not - stop her from uncovering the mystery before the ancestors and missing women are lost forever.Thank you to Angeline Boulley for chatting with me today! And a special thank you to Morgan Rath at MacMillan for setting up the interview!Check out Angeline Boulley's website for more information on her and her novels. Support the showHave 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!

Join me and my friend Victoria as we dive into The Luminaries, by Susan Dennard. If you enjoy books involving the forest, creepy monsters, redemption stories, trials involving surviving in a forest filled with nightmarish creatures, and friends to lovers, you will enjoy this book. Take a listen as Victoria and I talk all about it. You'll also hear why the teacher side of me really appreciated one particular line in the book. In addition, you'll learn about the incredible way the story for The Luminaries evolved. First 15 minutes are spoiler free!A little about The Luminaries: Hemlock Falls isn't like other towns. You won't find it on a map, your phone won't work here, and the forest outside town might just kill you.Winnie Wednesday wants nothing more than to join the Luminaries, the ancient order that protects Winnie's town―and the rest of humanity―from the monsters and nightmares that rise in the forest of Hemlock Falls every night.Ever since her father was exposed as a witch and a traitor, Winnie and her family have been shunned. But on her sixteenth birthday, she can take the deadly Luminary hunter trials and prove herself true and loyal―and restore her family's good name. Or die trying.But in order to survive, Winnie enlists the help of the one person who can help her train: Jay Friday, resident bad boy and Winnie’s ex-best friend. While Jay might be the most promising new hunter in Hemlock Falls, he also seems to know more about the nightmares of the forest than he should. Together, he and Winnie will discover a danger lurking in the forest no one in Hemlock Falls is prepared for.Not all monsters can be slain, and not all nightmares are confined to the dark. A special thank you to Tor Teen for sending me an ARC, a finished hardcover copy, and laminated pin! Alexis and Annaliese, you are the best!Follow Victoria on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and TikTokSupport the showHave 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 chatting about Gloria Chao's brand new book When You Wish Upon A Lantern. Joining me is my friend Morgan. When You Wish Upon A Lantern is my favorite read of 2023 so far! It is the most adorable YA Contemporary Romance I have ever read! I couldn't stop gushing over it. The whole time I was reading this book I kept thinking, "Awww...that's so cute!"  So, join Morgan and me as we chat all about this swoon worthy book! You'll get to hear me pronounce Chinese names correctly for the first time ever. HA! And there's a very specific reason why I actually know how to pronounce these ones...take a listen to find out why! A little about When You Wish Upon A Lantern: Liya and Kai had been best friends since they were little kids, but all that changed when a humiliating incident sparked The Biggest Misunderstanding of All Time—and they haven’t spoken since.Then Liya discovers her family's wishing lantern store is struggling, and she decides to resume a tradition she had with her beloved late grandmother: secretly fulfilling the wishes people write on the lanterns they send into the sky. It may boost sales and save the store, but she can't do it alone . . . and Kai is the only one who cares enough to help.While working on their covert missions, Liya and Kai rekindle their friendship—and maybe more. But when their feuding families and changing futures threaten to tear them apart again, can they find a way to make their own wishes come true?Follow Morgan on InstagramSupport the showHave 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 chatting about Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa. Joining me is my friend Amanda from Fictional Hangover podcast. Take a listen as Amanda and I chat about the characters, plot line, crazy weird man-eating centipedes, hear Leah mispronounce pretty much every Japanese name and word in the story, and more! First 15 minutes are spoiler free!A little about Shadow of the Fox: Every millennium, whoever holds the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers has the power to call the great Kami Dragon from the sea and ask for one wish. The time is near...and the missing pieces of the scroll will be sought throughout the land of Iwagoto.When demons kill half-kitsune Yumeko’s adoptive family, she’s forced to flee her home with one part of the ancient scroll. Fate thrusts her into the path of mysterious samurai Kage Tatsumi, who is Yumeko’s best hope for survival. But he’s under orders to retrieve the scroll. An uneasy alliance forms, and Yumeko begins the deception of a lifetime, knowing her secrets are more than a matter of life or death―they’re the key to the fate of the world.Check out Fictional HangoverFollow Fictional Hangover on Instagram, Twitter, and FacebookSupport the showHave 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 chatting about the book Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. Joining me today is one of my fabulous Patreon members, Dani!Beautiful Creatures is the story of two star-crossed lovers, who meet and fall in love in a small southern town, where nothing exciting ever happens. But Lena Duchennes is about to change all of that...Join Dani and I as we chat all about the plot, the fun characters, the portrayal of southern life in the story, and more! A little about Beautiful Creatures...Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever. Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them. In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything. Support the showHave 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 chatting with NY Times Bestselling author Lauren Blackwood. Lauren is the author of Within These Wicked Walls, a Reese's Book Club Fall 2021 YA pick, and her newest book, Wildblood. Join us as we chat about what it was like for Lauren, hitting the bestseller list as a debut author, her writing process for Wildblood, the research she did, the magic system in the book, how Lauren weaved her Jamaican heritage into this book, and more!This entire episode is spoiler free!A little about Wildblood:Eighteen-year-old Victoria is a Wildblood. Since she was kidnapped at the age of six and manipulated by the Exotic Lands Touring Company, she’s worked as a tour guide ever since with a team of fellow Wildbloods who take turns using their magic to protect travelers in a Jamaican jungle teeming with ghostly monsters.When the boss denies Victoria an earned promotion to team leader in favor of Dean, her backstabbing ex, she’s determined to prove herself. Her magic may be the most powerful on the team, but she’s not the image the boss wants to send their new client, Thorn, a renowned goldminer determined to reach an untouched gold supply deep in the jungle.Thorn is everything Victoria isn't - confident, impossibly kind, and so handsome he leaves her speechless. And when he entrusts the mission to her, kindness turns to mutual respect, turns to affection, turns to love. But the jungle is treacherous, and between hypnotic river spirits, soul-devouring women that shed their skin like snakes, and her ex out for revenge, Victoria has to decide - is promotion at a corrupt company really what she wants?Check out Lauren's websiteFollow Lauren on Instagram and TwitterThank you to Lauren for coming on the podcast and chatting with me! And thank you to Layne Mandros at Books Forward for setting up the interview!Support the showHave 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!

Join NY Times Bestselling Author Maureen Johnson and me as we chat about her brand new book, Nine Liars. Nine Liars follows Johnson's teen sleuth, Stevie Bell, as she tries to solve a cold case murder from 1995. In this episode, Maureen and I chat all about Maureen's writing process, what it was like bringing Stevie in for another book, life in college theatre, what it's like having an English husband who have friends with amazing English country homes, how to craft a murder mystery, and more! You'll even get to hear a little bit about Maureen's good friend and fellow author, Holly Black. Entire episode is spoiler free!About Nine Liars: Senior year at Ellingham Academy for Stevie Bell isn’t going well. Her boyfriend, David, is studying in London. Her friends are obsessed with college applications. With the cold case of the century solved, Stevie is adrift. There is nothing to distract her from the questions pinging around her brain—questions about college, love, and life in general.Relief comes when David invites Stevie and her friends to join him for study abroad, and his new friend Izzy introduces her to a double-murder cold case. In 1995, nine friends from Cambridge University went to a country house and played a drunken game of hide-and-seek. Two were found in the woodshed the next day, murdered with an ax.The case was assumed to be a burglary gone wrong, but one of the remaining seven saw something she can’t explain. This was no break-in. Someone’s lying about what happened in the woodshed.Seven suspects. Two murders. One killer still playing a deadly game.*A special thank you to Maureen Johnson for coming on the podcast and chatting with me. And thank you to Megan Beatie at MB Communications for setting up the interview.Check out Maureen's websiteFollow Maureen on Instagram, Twitter, and FacebookSupport the showHave 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!