GHP Recommends: 2016 Books We're Excited About (Part I)

The year barely started but we already selected our reads that haven't even been published yet! We each picked three most anticipated reads of 2016 that we cannot wait to get our hands on. Let's delve in ...

Mary Fan, author of The Firedragon, Firedragon Rising, Tell Me My Name, forthcoming Flynn Nightsider and the Edge of Evil (Flynn Nightsider series) and Fated Stars series

Sword and Verse by Kathy MacMillan
As the Tutor-in-Training, destined to teach the language of the gods to the next heir to the throne, teen slave girl Raisa is one of four people in the land of Qilara who's allowed to read. When she's approached by an underground rebel army who use questionable methods to fight for freedom, Raisa finds herself torn between using the power of the pen to help her people and her blossoming romance with the Prince. Meanwhile, she uncovers a secret of the gods that's been hidden for centuries -- and that could destroy the kingdom.

The Love That Split the World by Emily Henry
Love transcends time and space in this YA magical realism, which promises to be full of the best kinds of feels. Small town girl Natalie starts glimpsing strange anomalies in her world -- then finds herself visited by an apparition who tells her that she has "three months to save him." The next night, she meets a young man named Beau...

A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro
This YA reboot of Sherlock Holmes follows the adventures of the legendary detective's great-great-great granddaughter, Charlotte, and John Watson's descendant, Jamie. Though Jamie is curious to learn more about Charlotte, the latter shares her ancestor's volatility and vices. The new Holmes and Watson end up at the same Connecticut boarding school, where they soon find themselves investigating the suspicious death of a fellow schoolmate.

Linda Foster, author of Fallen Souls (The Realm of the Claimed series)

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can’t pull it off alone.…

Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz’s crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction–if they don’t kill each other first.
I have heard such amazing things about this book and the blurb sort of reminds me of oceans eleven with a paranormal element. It's like combining my favorite type of movies with my favorite books. I'm excited to read it.

Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare
It’s been five years since the events of City of Heavenly Fire that brought the Shadowhunters to the brink of oblivion. Emma Carstairs is no longer a child in mourning, but a young woman bent on discovering what killed her parents and avenging her losses.
I love love love anything Cassandra Claire puts her hands on and the shadow hunter series are simply my all time favorite books. How could I not be excited for this new flash forward series?!

 

Flynn Nightsider and the Edge of Evil by Mary Fan
Light streaks the night, guns blast, and supernatural beasts prowl the land. But this is no war. The war ended long ago.
This is a holiday, dedicated to celebrating the Enchanters’ victory over the Lord of the Underworld. But with the Enchanters’ authoritarian Triumvirate condemning anyone who questions them, sixteen-year-old Flynn Nightsider doesn't see much cause for celebration.Doomed to second-class life as a Norm and fed up with the Enchanters’ lies and secrecy, he longs for change. And when he stumbles across a clue that hints at something deeper—secrets in the dark, the undead, and the man that once controlled them—he realizes that he might be destined for more than the lowly life of a non-magical citizen.
Flynn Nightsider, Norm orphan, finds his voice. And he begins fighting the system.
I must confess I look up to my fellow GH author and am always excited to read her work. Her worldbuilding is breathtaking and her characters jump off the page. It's a must read for all in 2016!

Tash McAdam, author of SLAM, Blood in the Water, forthcoming Maelstrom (The Psionics series) and Warp Weavers series

Morning Star by Pierce Brown
The final instalment in the incredible Red Rising series, I am so far beyond excited to find out what happens to Darrow. This series is an awesome example of an author bringing something new and amazing to the table, living up to the hype and blowing my mind. Space sci-fi, Roman mythos, war, betrayal, upheaval, and one of the coolest (and darkest) political systems I've ever seen. I get to read this really soon and I am SO EXCITED. 

A Gathering of Shadows by Victoria Schwab
The sequel to A Darker Shade of Magic, I goddam love Schwab's writing style it is like a perfect storm of beauty and action, she paces at the exact rhythm I want to read forever, and the first book in this series was pretty darn great. I love the attention to detail both in the writing and in the presentation, the knife chapter headings are some of my fave book detailing ever. 

A Rebel's Stone by PT McHugh
I just wanna know what happens! So does my godson! We are waiting with baited breath. I love Jason and his team and I want to go on more adventures with them. 

Images from Goodreads and personal archive.

GHP Recommends: Thanksgiving Reads

Holiday season is almost in full swing, and most of Glass House will be celebrating Thanksgiving soon. And to celebrate the holiday--as well as importance of cultural diversity, and our take on what American history really means--we gathered a list of reads with that in mind. Take a gander, and comment if you've read any of the pieces, or have recommendations of your own!

Jessica Gang, editor at Glass House Press

The Bonesetter's Daughter by Amy Tan. If you have ever read an Amy Tan book, you understand how talented she is and how touching her themes are. The Bonesetter's Daughter is no different. This novel is about Ruth, a successful first-generation Asian American living in San Fransisco and dealing with the decline of her mother's mind to Alzheimer's. But the story is about so much more than that. It's about acceptance and understanding--the acceptance of ourselves and the understanding of where we come from. It is about forgiveness and empathy. It's a story about love and healing. It is about culture and embracing the differences that make us who we are. This quote from the book always sticks with me: "You can have pride in what you do each day, but not arrogance in what you were born with." I love this book--and Tan's other books as well--and highly recommend! It's a great Thanksgiving read; it has family, the melding of cultures, and thankfulness in its purest form.

Abby Keeble, publishing assistant at Glass House Press

Sister of my Heart by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
In Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's Sister of my Heart, Sudha and Anju are cousins growing up in the upper caste of Calcutta. The two are inseparable, constantly at each other’s side, until Sudha learns the truth about their family, making her feel distanced from her beloved cousin. The two girls drift apart, and then are firmly separated by their arranged marriages. Sudha remains in India while Anju moves to America with her husband. As each struggles on either side of the globe, they turn to each other for help and support, rekindling their friendship and relying on each other as they navigate their separate but intertwined lives. This book is a must read for insight into Indian society and the institution of arranged marriage.

George Ebey, author of the forthcoming Legend of the Phoenix (Phoenix Saga series) and novella DEBBI (Rovers of Mars series) 

City of Thieves by David Benioff. During the Nazi siege of Leningrad, a teen named Lev Beniov is arrested for looting and is tossed into a cell with a deserter named Kolya. Just hours away from the firing squad, they are spared at the last minute by a powerful Soviet Colonel who has a special job for them. His daughter is about to be married, and he wants them to find a dozen eggs for her wedding cake. This is a near-Herculean task in a city that is choked off from all supplies and suffering under the boot of the ruthless Nazi invaders. What follows is a true odyssey as the two set out to do the impossible in darkest depths of the lawless and war-torn Leningrad. I found this to be an entertaining adventure as well as a fascinating portrayal of the Soviet experience during the Second World War. Highly recommended!

Tash McAdam, author of SLAM, Blood in the Water, forthcoming Maelstrom (The Psionics series) and Warp Weavers series

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. Junior has attended forty two funerals in his life. He's fourteen years old. Growing up on a Spokane Indian Reservation, The Absolutely True Diary follows Junior as he seeks to figure himself out and his place in the world. Determined to take control of his own future, Junior leaves his Reservation school (where his textbook is the exact same textbook his mother studied from) to attend an all-white high school, where the only other Indian is the school mascot. A budding cartoonist, the author illustrated the book with brutally cutting comics that add a whole new layer to an already complex and poignant story. It came highly recommended, and it lived up to my expectations. I laughed and cried a lot. Sometimes at the same time. This book hurts, but in a way that leaves you feeling like it was worth the pain.

Mary Fan, author of The Firedragon, Firedragon Rising, Tell Me My Name, forthcoming Flynn Nightsider and the Edge of Evil (Flynn Nightsider series) and Fated Stars series

Stone and Silt by Harvey Chute. Life in 1800s British Columbia isn't easy for 16-year-old Nikaia, who is bullied and called a "half-breed" for having a Native mother. Things are further complicated when she stumbles upon a stolen cache of gold. When the police find a dead man nearby, her father becomes a suspect. Nikaia races to find answers and save her family. Meanwhile, she also explores her blossoming feelings for Yee Sim, the quiet Chinese boy whose parents run the local store. A beautifully written YA historical mystery, Stone and Silt combines the thrill of mystery with thoughtful depictions of Native culture and life in the 1800s.

B. Three Eagles, author of forthcoming novella Book of Seidr in Element Alive series

Tracks by Louise Erdrich. Tracks is the third in a trilogy of novels, but it is earliest chronologically, so I recommend new readers start here and, if you like it as much as I did, move on into the saga.
Tracks explores the interrelated lives of four Anishinaabe families living on an Indian reservation in North Dakota, told through the alternating first-person narratives of Nanapush, a tribal elder, and Pauline, a young half-blood girl. The story centers around events between 1912 and 1924, while the tribe was still struggling to keep their remaining lands. Over the ten-year span, tribal land was growing more and more scarce, mirrored by the trust of the people. People were pushed to the edge, friendships were forged only to be lost, and families were torn apart as they struggled to survive--to find their place in the ever changing world.
Nanapush is probably my favorite character; I associate him strongly with the coyote from the old lore. His trickster qualities help him throughout, and he claims, in his own defense, that “it is the tricksters who survive to build a new world on the ashes of the old.” In the tension between the Anishinaabe and the whites, he shows remarkable resilience, navigating both sides of every conflict, as any trickster would. He's a prankster of sorts, but one could argue that his intentions are good; mostly, I saw him as the kindly, comedic, mischievous-but-harmless, and ultimately lovable sort. Pauline is something else, entirely; she acts mostly as an observer to the main events, but somehow, for me, always feels like an antagonist. As a teenage girl of mixed descent, she abandoned the traditional ways of her family, deciding to be more 'white.' She meets Fleur (Nanapush's daughter) and is initially drawn to her power, but eventually falls into jealousy and obsession, furthering, if not creating, a lot of the conflicts that Fluer faces.The narration is unique in that, at times, the voices seem strangely unreliable. It may sound odd, but this is one of my favorite things about this book, as well as many of Erdrich's other works. As we view the story through the eyes of each character, we are truly seeing them as they would, with themselves right and their opponent wrong, or their inability to see their own fault when such conflicts arise. Its a beautiful portrait of the human condition in that aspect.

Carrie White-Parish, CEO of Glass House Press, editor and publisher

Orphan Train by Christina Baker Klein. This book features two main characters: an orphan of Native American descent in the present, and an orphan of Irish descent during the 1800s, when orphans were moved by the thousands from New York City to 'adoptive' families in the Midwest. Although Molly, the Native American character, focuses only briefly on her heritage and background, those few pages are powerful in their effect, and in highlighting the experience of many modern-day Native American children. Having lost her mother and father at an early age, she's been moved from the squalid trailer in which they lived to a number of foster homes, none of which fit. We see a picture of a girl who grew up in poverty, on a reservation and amidst people that she both needed and didn't fully understand. Then, thrust into the Western world, and torn from her heritage, she finds herself in home after home with people who can't sympathize with her background, and therefore mistreat her. When eighteen-year-old Molly meets ninety-year-old Vivian, they begin to share their stories of grief and alienation at the hands of 'the system,' and once again find a sense of family and belonging. This is a lovely story that left me sobbing, and I'd recommend it to anyone with a love of history and coming-of-age novels.

All images from Goodreads.

On Diversity - a guest post by Tash McAdam

I want to start by saying I am a full supporter of as much intersectional diversity as possible, but I am going to focus on my personal experience as a queer person for the purpose of this post. 

I often feel lucky when I look at what media I have access to now, as an adult. There are so many lesbian characters on TV right now that they have been ranked, which is absolutely incredible to me. But I also remember being fourteen, and my library telling me that The Woman Who Rides Like a Man is an LGBTQ book (spoiler alert, it’s not). I remember ordering the L Word on Ebay and hoping that my parents wouldn’t ask what was in the parcel, and then watching it locked up in my room and having the thought ‘Huh, lesbians are just like real people.’ Because at fifteen, in rural Wales, I had never met a gay person, let alone a gay adult. I had absolutely no role models or people to look up to, and I had no idea what the rest of my life might look like. 

Teenagers today have more than that, and that’s awesome. There are books, movies, and TV shows with diverse casts. There are stories about coming out, and gender identity. There are a thousand amazing YouTubers who young people can identify with and feel supported by, and that’s great. But you know what? It’s not enough. Stories can only be richer and more complex when more voices are added. And sadly, many people still think of diversity as a trade-off, as though we are losing something (whether that be plot, or characters they can relate to with little effort) when we’re actually adding more experiences and stepping outside our comfort zones. We need to have so much diversity that it becomes normal. Because the world is actually not a homogenous mass. We are all so, so unique within our sameness.

I have been informed (on two separate occasions, actually) that someone ‘supports diversity, but doesn’t understand why it has to be everywhere’—in the same tone of voice that someone might use for ‘Why do you have to ruin all the nice things?!’ As though diversity having a wider range of voices means that their particular voice might get drowned out. Like having a Black superhero somehow devalues the story, or showing a gay kiss is more shocking than all cannibals and zombies. Which is, to me, insane. Society has been exposed to the same narratives over and over again, and expanding those narratives can only be a positive thing. Reading teaches empathy—we know this—but wouldn’t it be better if the world learned to empathize with everyone?

One of the best conversations I have had—one that helped me cement my feelings on the importance of diversity in fiction—was with my girlfriend’s grandma. My partner came out to her grandmother just over three years ago, and she’s been wonderful about it. We get along great and I love her to pieces. Last year, one of the shows we both watch, Rookie Blue, developed a storyline where one of their main female characters entered into a romantic relationship with another woman. My Grandma-in-Law said to me, “You know, I think I understand it a bit better now. It’s just the same for you as it is for everyone else. Gail was so cute and it was so sweet watching them work out that they had feelings for each other.” And my heart just sang. 

A TV show has given one of the most important people in my partner’s life a way to understand that love is just love. Diversity is so vital to our society, to our humanity because it’s not just my world. Having diversity in our media, in our books and on our screens, gives other people a way to understand and connect with things outside of their own personal experiences. It’s not just teenage me figuring out why I’m not quite the same (and yet exactly the same) as everyone else; it’s also the world of my family, dealing with having a queer kid; my partner’s family; my friends; my coworkers; and my employers. People on the street who maybe could think well, if Smithers is gay maybe that gay person isn’t actually evil. 

And we don’t just need more narratives about being diverse. We need more stories where diversity is just what it is in the real world—a facet of the intricacies that make up a whole person. And in that respect, I think TV is doing much better than movies or books. When I write, I try to reflect the world around me, be influenced by real people, and I always hope that maybe someone who hasn’t quite figured themselves out yet will see something of themselves in one of my LGBTQ+ characters and breathe a little easier. 

To finish off, I thought I’d do a quick recommended section of media where being LGBTQ is just part of the story.

Books

1) Will Grayson, Will Grayson by David Levithan

2) The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M Danforth 

3) Pantomime by Laura Lam

4) Adaptation by Malinda Lo

5) The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky 

TV

1) Person of Interest 

2) Rookie Blue (as mentioned by Grandma)

3) Sense8 (bonus points for trans character played by trans actor)

4) The Fosters

5) The 100

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Tash McAdam’s first writing experience (a collaborative effort) came at the age of eight, and included passing floppy discs back and forth with a best friend at swimming lessons. Since then, Tash has spent time falling in streams, out of trees, learning to juggle, dreaming about zombies, dancing, painting, learning Karate, becoming a punk rock pianist, and of course, writing.

Tash is a teacher in real life, but dreams of being a full-time writer, and living a life of never-ending travel. Though born in the hilly sheepland of Wales, Tash has lived in South Korea and Chile and now calls Vancouver, Canada home.

September Wrap-Up

Autumn is starting and we could not be more excited about that! September was a busy month for Glass House and if you missed what was going on, you're in luck! We're here to recap!

WE HOSTED ...
Tash McAdam, author of SLAM, Blood in the Water, forthcoming Maelstrom (The Psionics series) and Warp Weavers series, who posted about back-to-school reads.

George Ebey, author of the forthcoming Legend of the Phoenix (Phoenix Saga series), who talked about gaming and books, and may have also teased about DEBBI a little bit...

Carrie White-Parish, CEO of Glass House Press, editor and publisher, who reviewed her holidays reads and shared some Hawaii shenanigans with us.

Mary Fan, author of The Firedragon, Firedragon Rising, Tell Me My Name, forthcoming Flynn Nightsider and the Edge of Evil (Flynn Nightsider series) and Fated Stars series, who will be at KidLitCon soon and she wrote a post about it. Don't miss her if you'll be in Baltimore!

SHINY! AUTHOR IN THE SPOTLIGHT IS ...

B. Three Eagles, author of forthcoming novella Book of Seidr in Element Alive series. Read a smashing interview with B. and get to know her!

GHP RECOMMENDS ...
... or shares memories of school reading assignments. You think it was easy on English majors and editors? Think again!

PST, WE HAVE SOME INSIDER INFORMATION!
Carrie wrote a quick post about what it takes to publish a book. 

HAVE YOU SEEN? 

- Mary Fan's Firedragon got another really nice review
- Try to score a freebie by emailing Tash McAdam
- Our TBR saw some new additions
- Spotting our books out in the wild!
- A peek into an editor's projects mountain
- We shared a post about YA readers and what they want
- Tash McAdam's SLAM got a lovely review on Smorgasbord blog. You can read SLAM in parts on Wattpad!
- Tash's second novella Blood in the Water was a hit on Reader's Favorite.
- Mary jumped in on #62MillionGirls tag on Twitter
- Writing is a lot of work sometimes!
- ... as is editing, as Carrie can tell you.

WHAT HAVE OUR AUTHORS BEEN UP TO?  

- B. Three Eagles had a short sneak peek on the blog, and we cannot wait to show you the rest of the novella!
- Tash McAdam had a surprise cover reveal of Maelstrom, book one in The Psionics series. Drool over the cover here or head over to Tash's blog to get some bonus content! You'll also find some short ficlets there to bridge over the wait for the novel.
- Tash hosted and interviewed R.A. Marshall, Philip Harris, Heather Hamilton Senter and Rachel Medhurst over on the blog. Tash also shared A Newbie's Guide to Publishing.
- As a guest and an interviewee, Tash appeared on Book Goodies blog.
- Mary Fan posted a flash fic by Jason Parent, celebrated national literacy day with a lovely infographic, discussed self-imposed writing deadlines, and interviewed Jacqueline Kyle, Andrew Joyce and Seth Dickinson. She also talked about her publishing road so far.

LOOKING FORWARD TO ...

KidLitCon! Halloween! Novellas! Christmas! Oh wait, we got a bit ahead of ourselves. But stay tuned for Mary's KidLitCon recap and spooky reads recs on the blog!

GHP shares their thoughts on school reads

We've all had to read in school, and most of the time we weren't really enjoying those books, right? Everyone faced that problem at some point in life, and book authors and editors are no different in this. Here's what Glass Housers remember about their school reading assignments.

George Ebey, author of the forthcoming Legend of the Phoenix (Phoenix Saga series)

I must admit that I was not a big reader in my early childhood. You have to understand, this was the late 1980’s and the literary option for youngsters was not what it is today. Aside from the occasional comic book, reading wasn’t something that excited me all that much. Part of it had to do with the fact that most of the stuff we were forced to read in school felt dull and boring to me. I wish I could cite some examples, but for the life of me I just can’t recall and specific titles or works. It all faded from my mind the second the quiz ended or the hastily-scribbled essay was turned in. That’s what these assigned reading projects represented to me. A chore. More homework to slog through, robing me of precious Sega time.
That all changed when my ninth grade English teacher asked us to read The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. Here we go. Another reading assignment. But wait. There’s something to this one. I can actually relate to it. Holy cow. This is good! The next thing I knew, I was reading it at lunch and in between my classes. I couldn’t put it down. This caused me to seek out all of Hinton’s other books. And then other books by other writers. Soon, I was a reading fool. Sega what? Forget that, I have books to read.
So if you have a teen or young person in your life that isn’t big into reading yet, don’t give up. Try to find new stories and authors that might spark their interest. Keep exposing them to different books and styles. Who knows? They just might find their S.E. Hinton.

Jessica Gang, editor at Glass House Press

I went to an all girls catholic high school, so as far as the literary canon we were pretty conservative. I took freshman year English with Sister Karen (RIP, although I am only assuming she passed away since she was like a million years old when I was a freshman—but those nuns have an unbelievable way of living well past a normal life span, so who knows.). With all the respect deserving of a Catholic Nun, I am telling you that learning Romeo and Juliet from her was counter-intuitive, to say the least. Learning about romantic and passionate love from a woman who pledged celebacy, was... well, not my favorite. One day, when I asked the girl behind me to borrow a pencil so I could take notes, Sister Karen berated me in front of the class and forced me to give her (the nun, not the student) a kiss while everyone watched. So obviously, she did understand the forcefulness of love. Needless to say that Romeo and Juliet never held the esteem for me that it should have for a literature major or an editor. Sophmore year was a little better as we did The Great Gatsby, which I read in less than 12 hours—because lets be honest, even the bookiest 15 year has better things to do than read the classics—and I loved it. Still one of my all-time favorites.

Tash McAdam, author of SLAM, Blood in the Water, forthcoming Maelstrom (The Psionics series) and Warp Weavers series

I was a weird mixture between an excellent student and a terrible one, which I mostly blame on a lack of patience for poor teaching and a smart-ass attitude. When I was in grade eight we were supposed to read Lord of the Flies. Usually I love English, but I'd actually read Lord of the Flies three years earlier (when my sister had it for grade eight and I pinched it off her). Although I enjoyed it, I had no intention of reading it again that soon, there are far too many books in the world to repeat anything but the very best. In class we had a lot of silent reading time where we were assigned a specific chapter to get through, or, worse, the class read out loud in turn. (I don't even listen to audio books because the slow pacing makes me want to punch things unless I am otherwise occupied). So I hid the books I was actually reading inside Lord of the Flies when this was happening. I got in trouble when it was my turn to read and I had no idea where we were, so decided to make up the next bit using what I could remember of the story. The teacher didn't actually have the book out to follow along with the students, and it took a good five minutes before anyone realised that I was talking a load of baloney (see, smart ass). My teacher was stunned because I was usually a top student in her class, and I spent the rest of the class in the hallway and the next two days writing an extra paper on the book, which meant I did have to reread it. As I expected, it wasn't nearly as good the second time.

Lindsay Graham, publishing assistant at Glass House Press

Due to not remembering high school (thanks brain injury), I therefore do not remember what I read in high school very well and only fully recall what I read in college. My favorite read from college would have to be Ulysses by James Joyce. My number one reason of why this behemoth of a book stuck with me is that the main character was hailed as heroic, at least in my opinion, even though he is rather ordinary. His extraordinary compassion and empathy is what makes him a hero and I love the fact that Joyce shows these qualities as strengths in this book. I also absolutely love the fact that Joyce goes one to provide different view points and proves the fallibility of only one view on situations and relationships. This is one of my all-time favorites and if time would allow it, I would reread it again and again. In a world that is often being told to have less compassion and a society that is often blinded by their own views, I think that Joyce hits the nail on the head with compassion, empathy, and having the ability to view different perspectives.
Also, my professor was insanely attractive and it was easy to pay attention to in-class discussions.Also, my professor was insanely attractive and it was easy to pay attention to in-class discussions.

Carrie White-Parish, CEO of Glass House Press, editor and publisher

I'm pulling the brain surgery card as well. don't remember a lot of high school, and certainly don't remember any books that stood out there. In fact, the thing I DO remember is that I didn't read To Kill a Mockingbird specifically b/c I was doing a different project at the time, and felt very shorted. College, though, is something different. As an English major I was in English and literature classes all day every day. I had to read Wuthering Heights for the fifteen millionth time—at least three times in college—and I still hated it. What I did love, and this was pretty shocking, was The Canterbury Tales. And every Shakespeare play I read. And the Pearl Poet. Now these were all great authors, truthfully, and I bow before them. But one of the reasons I adored them so much was that I had the same professor for all ... five of those classes. He was one of the foremost Chaucer scholars in the world, and he was always telling us stories about getting to go Into The Vaults in London and actually see —SEE!!! — the original Chaucer manuscripts. He TOUCHED THE SAME PAPER THAT CHAUCER TOUCHED. As a history buff and English nerd, that was completely beyond, for me. And knowing that a professor had that level of influence really opened my mind to actually hearing what he was telling us about the works. It was truly one of the most amazing things about being at such a big university—knowing people like that. Other favorites at that time: Milton, Prometheus Lost, Frankenstein. Yes, I was into the heavies. And no, those weren't the professors I dated (long story).

All images from Goodreads.

Beat the Back to School Blues - school reading recommendations by Tash McAdam

As I live in a house full of teachers, I intimately understand (and resent) the start of the school year as much as I did when I was a student. Admittedly, there are some positives, namely that I like my class and my staff, but getting up in the morning... well. I'm not a huge fan! Here I have compiled a list of books that will make you feel better about your impending incarceration... because everyone is a lot worse off than you are! Beat the Back to School Blues by immersing yourself in stories about horrible, horrible happenings that will give you the heebies. Fourteen weeks of term, fourteen books on the list! Read one a week and you’ll make it to Christmas feeling like the luckiest person alive!

1) Gone by Michael Grant

Everyone over the age of 15 disappears, and a mysterious barrier cuts off the children left from the rest of the world. Now they must find a way to survive, but stranger things are coming for them. Things that they couldn't expect. Powers are developing and what remains of society is disintegrating. GONE is a fantastic series, one of my all time favourites, incredibly well written and super creepy. Reading it will make you feel good about being in school because it’s so deliciously normal compared to the horrors and struggles the teens face in Gone.

2) The Enemy by Charlie Higson

Not just another zombie book. Told from multiple perspectives, gritty and raw, The Enemy follows a band of young survivors as they attempt to navigate a post apocalypse, zombie torn world. There is a lot that makes this series stand out even in a world glutted with zombie books, and I highly recommend giving it a shot. The characters are fresh, believable, and tragically mortal. The world is hard and horrible, but moments of hope are scattered throughout to make you feel like you can keep reading. Honestly, math class will seem like a breeze after reading this book!

3) The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

Patrick Ness has the distinction of receiving my own, personal ‘best title’ award for his Chaos Walking trilogy (The Knife of Never Letting Go, The Ask and the Answer, Monsters of Men - ohh they just give me the good shivers) Book one had a slow start, and the writing style threw me for a loop, but I stuck it out as it was highly recommended. In a distant future, on a far off planet, men have developed telepathy and all the women are gone. The mind to mind communication is dark. This is not a happy series. It’s awful, painting a depressing picture of humanity, but the protagonist is a young idealist who hasn't been destroyed by his harsh existence yet. And then he finds a girl. This book will make you happily open your psychology textbook in order to escape how awful these people are. 

4) The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

In a bizarre future, vampires exist and are very, very dangerous. They are also confined in Coldtowns, walled off cities where the bloodsuckers can be kept apart from normal humans. The ones who don’t choose to enter and exist in bloody, decadent turmoil, that is. After waking up surrounded by corpses, Tana finds herself on a madcap mission to enter the nearest Coldtown to solve the mystery of what happened at the party. The only problem is, once you enter a Coldtown, you can never leave. The Coldest Girl is a whirling dervish of a novel, that I devoured in a single sitting. If nothing else, it will help you leave the mundane, everyday plod of school far, far behind. 

5) The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Thomas wakes up remembering nothing except his own name. Ejected from a metal elevator into a glade filled with teenage boys, surrounded by enormous walls, he has to figure out what is going on as well as survive the bitter new world he’s now a part of. The Maze Runner is part action-packed adventure, and part mystery, ladled out in intriguing doses. I have to say I wasn't the biggest fan of the follow-up novels, but The Maze Runner itself is a fantastic fast paced read that will get your adrenaline pumping and wake you up after a boring lesson. 

6) Henderson’s Boys by Robert Muchamore

This one might actually help you with your history class. Told from the perspective of the young French orphans who were pressed into military service, delivering secrets to the British army and gathering intelligence on the Germans, this World War Two series is a thrilling and educational ride through war-torn Europe. Plus, who doesn't love teenage spies?!

7) Wool by Hugh Howey

It is far, far better to be stuck in English class than trapped underground in a huge bunker, surrounded by toxic wasteland and forced to exist under the strictest of rules. Wool is a short story that shot Howey up the bestseller lists and into the public eye, and it’s well deserved. A brutal, intense read. 

8) Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

An oldie but a goodie. Hatchet is one of my all time favourite books, and although it will make you long to be outside instead of trapped at school, it will also make you appreciate what you have. From the simplest of things, food, shelter, warmth, to the more complex issue of what becomes of someone entirely alone, Hatchet tells the story of an incredibly resourceful thirteen-year-old, stranded in the Canadian Northwoods. Could you survive? Probably not, so eat your school lunch with joy in your heart because you’re not starving to death. 

9) Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb

FitzChivalry Farseer is one of the most layered, complex heroes/anti-heroes I've ever come across. His life sucks. It’s brutal, and awful. Every time you think it’s getting better it sucks some more. But there’s also magic, and dragons, and swords, a wonderful and complex mythology and a plot that deserves far more recognition than it gets. PE Class will seem so much more pleasant when you remember you’re not being beaten up on a freezing rooftop in the rain every day for hours and hours in order to ‘train’ your magic. 

10) Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce

It’s tough to get an education when your family is slaughtered and, also, you turn into a wolf and hunt down those who did it. Tamora Pierce is one of the best authors around for accessible strong female fantasy. Wild Magic is the first novel in her second series, although stands alone very well. You’ll lose yourself completely in the rich universe of Tortall, and never want to come back. I recommend buying the hardback, wrapping it in a textbook cover and trying to convince your teachers you’re studying. 

11) The Twelve-Fingered Boy by John Hornor Jacobs

Oh man, Incarcerado! This book is SO well written I just want to follow Hornor Jacobs around all day and listen to him talk, I'm sure it would be lovely. Do you know what’s better than jail? School! The twelve-fingered boy tells the story of Shreve, a fascinating protagonist who is deeper and darker than your average YA fella. In juvie, he meets Jack, a shy, quiet lad with an extra finger on each hand. And then he discovers Jack isn't normal for other reasons as well. Jack is different, Jack has powers. And... it turns out, so does Shreve. But the bad guys will stop at nothing to get them under control. Your teachers won’t seem nearly as awful after you finish this non-stop adrenaline ride!

12) Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein

Other places worse than school include concentration camps in the Second World War. Join Rose and her compatriots as they buck the system, try to keep their spirits up, and most of all attempt not to be brutally murdered in this hellish story of survival, humanity and war. 

13) The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks

Dreaming of something better? So is Azoth, street rat, urchin, bottom of the food chain, he’s all that and more. But his heart and brain push him to strive for greatness, he wants to train as a wetboy under legendary Durzo Blint. Drawn into a rich world of spies, thieves, death and war, Azoth struggles to find his place amongst giants. And when you reach the part with the Hole you’ll feel like maybe Physics isn’t so bad. 

14) Brother in the Land by Robert Swindells 

I'm a sucker for a good apocalypse, and Brother in the Land was one of the first and best I've ever read. Follow Denny as he navigates nuclear war torn England and tries to keep his young brother, Ben, alive in the wake of disaster. You’ll be so glad you’re not him that life will seem like a constant party in comparison!

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Tash McAdam’s first writing experience (a collaborative effort) came at the age of eight, and included passing floppy discs back and forth with a best friend at swimming lessons. Since then, Tash has spent time falling in streams, out of trees, learning to juggle, dreaming about zombies, dancing, painting, learning Karate, becoming a punk rock pianist, and of course, writing.

Tash is a teacher in real life, but dreams of being a full-time writer, and living a life of never-ending travel. Though born in the hilly sheepland of Wales, Tash has lived in South Korea and Chile and now calls Vancouver, Canada home.

Book covers from Goodreads.