It’s practically summer, which is one of my favorite times of the year to read. Yes, I read all year round, but I have very vivid memories of curling up with books all summer long between school years and even just taking a blanket outside to sit under a tree and read when my parents forced me to go outside to “get fresh air.” (I’m still a cave troll to this day.) So when a number of other YA authors who write for GMMG Books (that’s Month9Books and Swoon Romance as far as YA goes) were talking about what we want to read soon, we decided to highlight a few of each other’s books on our to-read list. Don’t get me wrong, ALL of the GMMG YA books (that I haven’t read already) are on my to-read list, but I have some particular reasons for wanting to read these:
I HEART Robot by Suzanne van Rooyen
Suzanne and I met online through Ifeoma Dennis’ WIP Marathon in summer 2013 before either of us announced our book deals with the same publisher. But even if I didn’t know Suzanne a little better than some of the other authors on my list, I’d want to read this book! It’s got a dystopian Scandinavian setting (how frequently do you find that in YA?) and romance between a human and a robot–all based on their mutual love of music. And it’s a love against the backdrop of a civil war? I’m ready to swoon! Not to spoil anything (I haven’t read it yet, either, so does it really count as a spoiler?), but I hear there’s positive LGBT representation, too, so yay for diverse YA books!
Crown of Ice by Vicki L. Weavil
Cover love! I had to get this on my Kindle as soon as possible because this seems to be one of those times when you can judge a book by its amazing cover. I love YA fairy tale retellings, and this one is a YA retelling of The Snow Queen. I, like half the world, enjoyed Frozen the year before this book came out, so I’m even more of a fan of the fairy tale than ever. It follows the POV of the snow queen herself, so I’m especially intrigued to see if she’s still a villainous character or more of an anti-hero. Since she kidnaps a hot young math genius, I’m guessing she’s at least still got a villainous streak, and I love my heroes in shades of grey.
Of Breakable Things by A. Lynden Rolland
This cover scares the crap out of me. Seriously. But it makes me want to read it! This has been on my Kindle for a while, too. This story takes place in the afterlife. I have a thing for stories like What Dreams May Come and Life, A.D. that turn life after death into another adventure instead of just a resting place. There’s definitely a romantic element, too, as the main character decides to live on in the spirit world because of a young man she loved. It’s not in the synopsis, but I’ve heard it also deals with Ehler-Danlos Syndrome (ah, the title makes even more sense), and I’m eager to see how a YA book tackles this. I also met Ms. Rolland at BookCon this year (Ms. Weavil was there, too, but I didn’t have a chance to say hi) and I know she’s funny and friendly!
The Funeral Singer by Linda Budzinski
I’m far more of a fantasy/dystopian/paranormal reader than a contemporary reader, but when I gravitate toward contemporary, it’s got to have a special hook that draws me in. The Funeral Singer is about the daughter of a funeral home owner, an amazing singer who lends her talents to eulogies and dreams of escaping the morbid business in which she finds herself. One viral-sensation graveside singing video later, she’s rewarded with fame and a hot rock star boyfriend. There seems to be hints about a love triangle, too, which is a trope I adore. There’s something intriguing about the funeral home setting that starts off this rags-to-riches story that makes me think there’s something special here. How many YA romances involve funerals?
Amy McNulty 