I hope that by now you had a chance to have a look at the new YA books that I suggested a couple of weeks ago. Hopefully you have found some interesting titles on that list and you started putting together your new reading list. However, before you book all your time with new stories and debut authors take a moment to check who is releasing sequels in the next few months as it might be just the one from your favorite author. Here is a small selection of YA sequel novels that I think are really standing out: …
If you have not read A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway you have no doubt heard about this semi-autobiographical love story set during World War I. It was Hemingway‘s first best-seller, but by the sounds of his 1958 interview it was also a book that gave him a lot of trouble as he admitted that he rewrote the final words of A Farewell to Arms “39 times before I was satisfied.” These multiple endings were housed for years at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston, but finally we will all have a chance to see …
On July 1st (Canada Day) we decided to check the most popular Canadian books that Canadians are reading this month. Here are the top five titles according to BookNet Canada, which collects the majority of book sales information nationwide. Interestingly, I think that this selection reflects really well the multicultural fabric of that country. I recall hearing that Canada has a certain magic for writers: the openness of this young country allows immigrants to confront stories from their childhood that they were unable to articulate in their home countries. It may not be true for all writers, but looking …
If you are a fan of fiction for Young Adults you better reserve a lot of reading time over the next few months because the list of great books, coming out in this genre, is simply staggering. Let’s start with stand-alone books or the beginnings of new series. For the fans of historical settings there is a new series coming from Libba Bray. You might be familiar with the previous books by this author which were mainly set in historical London. The new series, called The Diviners, will continue the historical theme but it will change the …
There are no major surprises this year with the most prestigious literary prize in Australia, The Miles Franklin Award, going to Anna Funder for her novel All That I Am. This book has already won almost every literary award available in Australia, and it has been lavished with much praise here and abroad . All That I Am has been described as “a masterful and exhilarating exploration of bravery and betrayal, of the risks and sacrifices some people make for their beliefs, and of heroism hidden in the most unexpected places”. The novel is based on the life of a …
