Precommendations: Volume 2, Issue 2

Late?

       I know what you’re thinking: “ASHTON IT’S THE FREAKING MIDDLE OF FEBRUARY WHERE WAS THIS POST AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH?!” First of all: ow, my ears. Second of all: ImsosorrypleaseforgivemeitwillneverhappenagainIpromise. I have no idea how it happened, but I looked up, and it was the middle of the month, and somehow, Precommendations had slipped my mind. But never fear, my noble book lovers, because today is the day you finally get your February releases!

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​Honor Among Thieves, by: Rachel Caine Ann Aguirre 

February 13th
       Petty criminal Zara Cole has a painful past that’s made her stronger than most, which is why she chose life in New Detroit instead moving with her family to Mars. In her eyes, living inside a dome isn’t much better than a prison cell.
       Still, when Zara commits a crime that has her running scared, jail might be exactly where she’s headed. Instead Zara is recruited into the Honors, an elite team of humans selected by the Leviathan—a race of sentient alien ships—to explore the outer reaches of the universe as their passengers.
       Zara seizes the chance to flee Earth’s dangers, but when she meets Nadim, the alien ship she’s assigned, Zara starts to feel at home for the first time. But 

nothing could have prepared her for the dark, ominous truths that lurk behind the alluring glitter of starlight.

       Space criminals? Futuristic society? Um...yes, please. When I stumbled upon this book, I immediately added it to my TBR list. Science fiction books set in the future have a way of grabbing my heart, and I have a feeling this one is no different. The blurb also makes it sound like there isn’t any romance, which is uncommon for YA books. I don’t think I’ve ever read a YA book without some love, so this book is fascinating. Hopefully, both of these elements add up to one epic space tale.

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The Precious Dreadful, by: Steven Parlato

February 13th
       Teddi Alder is just trying to figure out her life.
       When she joins SUMMERTEENS, a library writing group, she’s only looking to keep herself busy, not go digging around in her subconscious. But as she writes, disturbing memories of her childhood friend Corey bubble to the surface, and Teddi begins to question everything: her friendship with her BFF Willa, how much her mom really knows, and even her own memories. Teddi fears she’s losing her grip on reality—as evidenced by that mysterious ghost-girl who emerges from the park pool one night, the one who won’t leave Teddi alone. To top it all off, she finds herself juggling two guys with potential, a quirky new boy named Joy and her handsome barista crush Aidan,

who has some issues of his own.
       As the summer unfolds, Teddi is determined to get to the bottom of everything—her feelings, the mysterious ghost-girl, and the memories of Corey that refuse to be ignored.

       I’m not usually one for ghost type stories, but this one has piqued my interest. Before this book, I’ve never really seen a paranormal book that has interested me. This particular one seems to be set to a contemporary background (although what do I know. I’ve never read a paranormal…) and has a teenage writer as the protagonist. I love when books have reader/writer characters. These types of characters are always someone in which a reader can relate. Hopefully, this book gets the chance to become my first (and favorite) paranormal book.

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People Like Us, by: Dana Mele

February 27th
       ​Kay Donovan may have skeletons in her closet, but the past is past, and she's reinvented herself entirely. Now she's a star soccer player whose group of gorgeous friends run their private school with effortless popularity and acerbic wit. But when a girl's body is found in the lake, Kay's carefully constructed life begins to topple. 
       The dead girl has left Kay a computer-coded scavenger hunt, which, as it unravels, begins to implicate suspect after suspect, until Kay herself is in the crosshairs of a murder investigation. But if Kay's finally backed into a corner, she'll do what it takes to survive. Because at Bates Academy, the truth is something you make...not something that happened.

       Mysteries (and paranormals as well, I guess) are a genre that I wish I got the chance to read more often. Every time I sit down to read one, I enjoy it. Maybe getting the chance to read this book would change that. I feel like this book has a Thirteen Reasons Why feeling without the emotional baggage. I can’t wait to see how this book is received in the bookish community, though. It sounds like a brilliant story. Hopefully, it will make the journey to my shelves soon!

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Tess of the Road, by: Rachel Hartman 

February 27th
       In the medieval kingdom of Goredd, women are expected to be ladies, men are their protectors, and dragons get to be whomever they want. Tess, stubbornly, is a troublemaker. You can’t make a scene at your sister’s wedding and break a relative’s nose with one punch (no matter how pompous he is) and not suffer the consequences. As her family plans to send her to a nunnery, Tess yanks on her boots and sets out on a journey across the Southlands, alone and pretending to be a boy.
       Where Tess is headed is a mystery, even to her. So when she runs into an old friend, it’s a stroke of luck. This friend is a quigutl—a subspecies of dragon—who gives her both a purpose and protection on the road. 

But Tess is guarding a troubling secret. Her tumultuous past is a heavy burden to carry, and the memories she’s tried to forget threaten to expose her to the world in more ways than one.
       Returning to the fascinating world she created in the award-winning and New York Times bestselling Seraphina, Rachel Hartman introduces readers to a new character and a new quest, pushing the boundaries of genre once again in this wholly original fantasy.

       Tess is a strong, independent woman who don’t need no man. I am very excited for this story; medieval heroines, dragons, and quests make up the perfect recipe for an epic adventure. Now that I think about it, I don’t know if I’ve ever read any dragon books so this one would be that much more exciting to read. This book is also set in the same world as Hartman’s first book, Seraphina, and I feel like I will read that book first before diving into this one. (Although, the kind people on Goodreads said this wasn’t necessary, so we’ll see what happens…).

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This Tiny Perfect World, by: Lauren Gibaldi

February 27th
       ​A contemporary “clean teen” coming-of-age story about a small-town girl who opens her eyes to life’s endless possibilities
       When Penny wins a scholarship to a prestigious theater camp, she thinks it’s the start of a perfect summer. But when she arrives at camp, Penny is thrust into a world of competition and self-doubt. And as she meets new friends, including Chase, a talented young actor with big-city dreams, she begins to realize that her own dreams may be bigger than she ever imagined.

       Praise to both the theatre nerd rep and small-town girl rep! (I think it goes without saying, but I am both of these things…) It’s not very often that I see a main character so similar to myself, so when these books come across my screen is always exciting. Getting to go to a theatre camp like Penny remains a dream in my world, so reading about her experiences would be the next best thing. Hopefully, I can get my hands on this book in time to read it this summer!​

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       I hope that I got these February releases out to you guys in time. Let me know what books you’re looking forward to this month.

Your mixed up blogger,
Ashton

Once I got home, though, and saw several packages on my front porch, all the crap from the day disappeared. A few had smiley faces on them. Squealing, I grabbed the boxes. Books were inside-- new release books I'd preordered weeks ago.

— Jennifer L. Armentrout, Obsidian