The BEA Recap, Part 3

With the rise in YA and Children's Literature, this year's BEA included the second annual YA Editors' Buzz panel and the second annual kidlit drinks night.  In addition to the fabulously talented Jennifer Hoffine, I also got to spend time with some fabulous (non client) writers including Veronica Roth, Michelle Hodkin, and Kody Keplinger (who is so sweet I will forgive her for misquoting me).  And even though I was only there for a few hours, it was crowded enough and loud enough, I managed to have noticeably lost some of my voice the next day...and probably still.

But for the good part: the 5 Books from the YA Editors' Buzz Panel:

Plain Kate by Erin Bow, out 9/1/2010 from Arthur A. Levine Books.

Plain Kate lives in a world of superstitions and curses, where a song can heal a wound and a shadow can work deep magic. As the wood-carver's daughter, Kate held a carving knife before a spoon, and her wooden charms are so fine that some even call her "witch-blade" -- a dangerous nickname in a town where witches are hunted and burned in the square.


For Kate and her village have fallen on hard times. Kate's father has died, leaving her alone in the world. And a mysterious fog now covers the countryside, ruining crops and spreading fear of hunger and sickness. The townspeople are looking for someone to blame, and their eyes have fallen on Kate.


Enter Linay, a stranger with a proposition: In exchange for her shadow, he'll give Kate the means to escape the town that seems set to burn her, and what's more, he'll grant her heart's wish. It's a chance for her to start over, to find a home, a family, a place to belong. But Kate soon realizes that she can't live shadowless forever -- and that Linay's designs are darker than she ever dreamed.


Matched by Ally Condie, out 11/30/2010 from Dutton.

In the Society, Officials decide. Who you love. Where you work. When you die.


Cassia has always trusted their choices. It’s barely any price to pay for a long life, the perfect job, the ideal mate. So when her best friend appears on the Matching screen, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is the one . . . until she sees another face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. Now Cassia is faced with impossible choices: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she’s known and a path no one else has ever dared follow—between perfection and passion.


Matched is a story for right now and storytelling with the resonance of a classic.

Firelight by Sophie Jordan, out 9/7/2010 from Harper Teen

Marked as special, Jacinda knows her every move is watched.  When she breaks the most sacred tenet of her kind, she nearly pays iwth her life, only to be spared by a beautiful stranger sent to hunt those like her.  For Jacinda is a draki - a descendant of dragons whose ability to shift into human form is her best defense.


Forced to flee into the mortal world, Jacinda struggles to adapt.  The one bright light is Will; Jacinda knows hse should avoid him at all costs - Will and his family are hunters - but the passion he stirs within her can't be ignored even if it means risking her life... With this provocative tale of supernatural desire and danger, Sophie Jordan introduces readers to an exciting world that will appeal to fans of Twilight, Fallen, and Evernight.

The DUFF by Kody Keplinger, out 9/7/2010 from Poppy.

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn't think she's the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She's also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her "Duffy," she throws her Coke in his face.


But things aren't so great at home right now. Desperate for a distraction, Bianca ends up kissing Wesley. And likes it. Eager for escape, she throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with Wesley.


Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out that Wesley isn't such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she's falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

And of course, I've read this one several times and can tell you, it's definitely one of my favorites.  Kody Keplinger is brilliant.


Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel, out 8/3/2010 from St. Martin's.

"Throughout all my histories, I found no one I loved more than you...no one."


Those were some of Rhode's last words to me. The last time he would pronounce his love. The last time I would see his face.


It was the first time in 592 years I could take a breath. Lay in the sun. Taste.


Rhode sacrificed himself so I, Lenah Beaudonte, could be human again. So I could stop the blood lust.


I never expected to fall in love with someone else that wasn't Rhode.


But Justin was...daring. Exciting. More beautiful than I could dream.


I never expected to be sixteen again...then again, I never expected my past to come back and haunt me...


Obviously, it sounds like we've got some good reads in YA coming up - not that anyone should be surprised. Stay tuned for the giveaways bound to come, and of course, the most important BEA post of all - How to Swag.