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Jan 16, 2014

Books To Pre-Order: Spring 2014

I already have an order for my library set for this spring, but here are a few I will pre-order for my personal library (hard copies so I can hold them and look at them and smile).  These are my most anticipated reads for spring 2014:  (I am pleased to say there are more MG books on this list than YA--but a few that cross over)


I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't ask to be some kind of hero.
But when your whole life gets swept up by a tornado—taking you with it—you have no choice but to go along, you know?

Sure, I've read the books. I've seen the movies. I know the song about the rainbow and the happy little blue birds. But I never expected Oz to look like this. To be a place where Good Witches can't be trusted, Wicked Witches may just be the good guys, and winged monkeys can be executed for acts of rebellion. There's still the yellow brick road, though—but even that's crumbling.

What happened?
Dorothy. They say she found a way to come back to Oz. They say she seized power and the power went to her head. And now no one is safe.

My name is Amy Gumm—and I'm the other girl from Kansas.
I've been recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked.
I've been trained to fight.
And I have a mission:
Remove the Tin Woodman's heart.
Steal the Scarecrow's brain.
Take the Lion's courage.
Then and only then—Dorothy must die!


I read the prequel, No Place Like Oz, was hooked immediately.  Can't wait for this one, top of my list for sure! 

Eleven-year-old Nola Sutton has been best friends and neighbors with the Swift boys for practically her whole life. There's the youngest, Kevin, who never stops talking; the oldest, Brian, who's always kind and calm; and then there's Canaan, the ringleader and Nola's best-best friend. Together, they have a summer of fun adventures planned.

But then everything changes overnight.

When the boys' dad leaves without even saying good-bye, it completely destroys the Swift family, and all Nola can do is watch. She tries to hold on to them, but they are changing. Kevin stops talking, Canaan starts hanging out with mean boys, and Brian is never around. Nola just wants things to go back to the way they were -- the way they've always been.

Is Nola strong enough to save the Swift boys from themselves, or has she lost them forever?
I have loved Kody Kepplinger's YA books so I totally squealed when this one hit my radar.  Plus, when I was in elementary school one of my favorite books was Me and the Terrible Two by Ellen Conford (it made me want to either have twin boys or date an identical twin (did it!)).  The synopsis for this book made me feel nostalgic for that one.



They killed his brother. Now they're coming for him. . .

As the second prince of Archenfield, Jared never expected to rule. But behind the walls of the castle is a dark and dangerous court where murder and intrigue are never far below the surface.

Now his older brother is dead. The kingdom is his. And the target is on his back. Can he find the assassin before the assassin finds him?

I did get an ARC of this (thanks Little Brown) but have already pre-orderd a few copies for my library.  I KNOW this will be a big one for many of my readers! 



Thirteen-year-old Margaret knows her father is innocent, but that doesn't stop the cruel Judge Biggs from sentencing him to death. Margaret is determined to save her dad, even if it means using her family's secret—and forbidden—ability to time travel. With the help of her best friend, Charlie, and his grandpa Josh, Margaret goes back to a time when Judge Biggs was a young boy and tries to prevent the chain of events that transformed him into a corrupt, jaded man. But with the forces of history working against her, will Margaret be able to change the past? Or will she be pushed back to a present in which her father is still doomed?

Told in alternating voices between Margaret and Josh, this heartwarming story shows that sometimes the forces of good need a little extra help to triumph over the forces of evil.
The synopsis of this one!  It gives me goosebumps every time I read it.  I imagine this one will be a great read aloud in middle grade classrooms!  (I have an egalley of this one but want to wait until a little closer to pub date to read it--might be a spring break road trip read!)



There is no synopsis of this which is good because if you haven't read the first two, you might not want to be spoiled.  Just know that the first two have been two of my favorite reads!  (I also have an ARC of this one, thanks Candace!!)




What are some of your most anticipated reads for this spring.  Which ones would you beg for?

3 comments:

  1. Ooooo they all look good. Especially the first one.

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  2. I so can't wait for The Shadow Throne, but not to long before release day.

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    1. Me either! And I have it, I am just giving myself time before starting it.

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