Author: Zakiya N. Jamal

Zakiya N. Jamal was born in Queens, raised in Long Island, and currently resides in Brooklyn. In other words, she’s a New Yorker through and through. She holds a BA in English from Georgetown University and a MFA in Creative Writing with a concentration in Writing for Children and Young Adults from The New School. She has been published in Romper, BuzzFeed, People.com, Thought Catalog, and more. Her non-fiction essay about her "Cuban Impostor Syndrome" can be found in the Latinx anthology, Wild Tongues Can’t Be Tamed. You can find her on Twitter at @ZakiyaNJamal.

My Top 17 Reads Of 2017 (2017 Wrap-Up)

Posted on December 27, 2017December 26, 2017 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Blog, Books

It’s quite unbelievable to me that 2017 is almost over. Not that I’ll be sad to say goodbye to this year, but seriously, where did the time go? Regardless, despite the bad that occurred this year, in terms of the books I read, it was a pretty good year for me. In total, I read 79 books this year (so far!) so it was pretty hard for me to narrow that down to 17 books but I’ve done my best. So in no particular order, here are my 17 favorite reads from this year.

1. Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas

Truthfully, I didn’t want to read this book. I won’t go into much detail since I don’t want to spoil it for anyone but it basically follows Chaol Westfall and takes place at the same time that Empire of Storms does. When I first heard about this book all I thought was I didn’t want it and instead I’d would’ve liked the final Throne of Glass book. However, after everyone kept saying how amazing it was I finally got the audiobook and I think I finished it in two days. It was SO good. I truly couldn’t stop listening. It tied so many things in the series together and made me even more excited for the last book. Plus, it’s by far the most diverse book Sarah J. Maas has written, which is a shame but at least she’s growing.

2. They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

This year I discovered Adam Silvera and I’m now obsessed. They Both Die at the End broke my heart in the best way and despite the title I was still not prepared for the ending. The story follows Mateo and Rufus who are told they are going to die by the end of the day. Thanks to the Last Friend app they end up meeting and find themselves making the most of their last day on Earth. The story alternates between the POVs of Mateo and Rufus, and also gives insight into some other characters. All together it gave me The Sun is Also a Star vibes, but is still felt totally different and SO good. It will make you cry but also laugh and smile.

3. History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera

Another Silvera book? Oh yes and I’m not the least bit sorry. This is the first book I read by Silvera and I honestly didn’t know what to expect going into it. Full disclosure, I only picked this up because I was trying to get an internship at the place that published this book. While I didn’t get the job I did fall in love with this book, which tells the story of Griffin, who’s first love and ex-boyfriend, Theo, died. Surprisingly, it’s Theo’s new boyfriend, Jackson, that Griffin finds himself connecting with after Theo’s death. As the story jumps between the present and Griffin’s “history” with Theo secrets are revealed that led to a twist I definitely didn’t see coming.

4. Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

I love Constance Wu so when I heard she was starring in the movie adaptation of Crazy Rich Asians I knew that a) I’d be seeing the movie the day it came out and b) I needed to read the book. Since the movie’s not out yet I started with reading the book and I couldn’t put it down. It was so funny and even though I’m not Asian it was still felt very relatable. The book hooked me from the very beginning. It expertly looks at race and class, while also just being hilarious. I literally closed the book so I could laugh out loud multiple times while reading. I can’t wait to read the next two books in this series.

5. Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett

If you love ’90s rom coms or remember watching them with your mom like I do, then this is the book for you. Loosely based on You’ve Got Mail, this story follows Bailey “Mink” Rydell who talks to “Alex” online for months. When she moves to his area, Bailey doesn’t tell him for fear he’ll disappoint her. Instead, she ends up working with the infuriating Porter, and soon finds herself trying to decide between her online relationship with Alex and the chance at a real one with Porter. Besides the romance, this story also deals with a number of other issues, most notably gun violence. I really loved this book and could see myself reading it again.

6. When It’s Real by Erin Watt

I’m a sucker for a “forced to be together but end up actually falling for each other” story and this one was fantastic. The story follows Vaughn Bennett who agrees to pretend to be the girlfriend of teen pop star Oakley Ford in order to get money to help her family. Told in alternating POVs of Vaughn and Oakley this was a super cute love story, interspersed with texts and tweets that made it incredibly funny as well. I couldn’t put this book down and immediately picked it back up again when I finished it.

7. Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare

I’m still not over the ending to this book. Just thinking about it right now makes me feel some type of way. Cassandra Clare broke me with this book but I loved every minute of it. I’m now impatiently waiting for the next, and last, book in the trilogy. Here’s to hoping the wait doesn’t kill me since it doesn’t come until December 2018.

8. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Honestly, I don’t know why it took me so long to finally read this book. It was so good! I felt for Simon, who was being blackmailed about his sexuality, but I also loved him and his relationship with Blue, the mysterious boy he was emailing. This book was funny, heartwarming, and had so many great quotes. If you haven’t read this you definitely should before the movie, Love, Simon, comes out in March.

9. King’s Cage by Victoria Aveyard

I’ll be the first to admit that I didn’t like this series in the beginning. Red Queen seemed way too predictable to me and I wasn’t a fan. But Victoria Aveyard sucked me in with Glass Sword and King’s Cage was even better. Told in different perspectives, King’s Cage raised the stakes, setting the perfect stage for the series’ conclusion next year.

10. Big Little Lies by Lianne Moriarty

This is another read that it took me too long to finally get to, but I’m so glad I finally read it. This book was filled with so many twists that came together perfectly in the end. I loved how this was really a book about women coming together and supporting each other, but wasn’t preachy about it at all. In fact, it was hilarious and I couldn’t put it down.

11. Warcross by Marie Lu

I know next to nothing about video games but I love Marie Lu so I decided to give this book a chance anyway and boy did it not disappoint. Although the virtual reality game, Warcross, is obviously a big part of the story, because it’s made up Lu had to explain it for the world building and so it was easy to figure out and get immersed in it. Plus, the story was about more than just Warcross itself, it was about the protagonist, Emika, who I loved. While the twists weren’t all that surprising, I still loved this book and can’t wait for the sequel.

12. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

Holly Black is another author I just discovered this year, and honestly, why am I so late to this party? The Cruel Prince was filled with amazing twists and just enough romance to make me swoon. I loved the main character, Jude, who’s a human raised amongst faeries, and I liked that these faeries were ruthless, as the fey should be.

13. Forever, or a Long, Long Time by Caela Carter

I don’t typical read middle grade novels, but I had to for school this year and while I definitely didn’t love all the books I had to read, I fell in love with Forever, or a Long, Long Time. This heartbreaking, but equally heartwarming, story follows Flora and her young brother, Julian, two foster kids who believe they were never born. Although they’ve finally found a forever home, Flora and Julian continue to struggle with the things that have happened to them in the past. I absolutely loved how this story was written in Flora’s perspective, because her view of the world and her surroundings was so interesting. I sympathized with her throughout the novel and felt for her when she messed up, but celebrated all her triumphs. This is a must read.

14. Invictus by Ryan Graudin

I loved the Wolf by Wolf duology so I was very excited to read another book by Ryan Graudin and Invictus did not disappoint. Filled with time traveling adventure, romance, and a bit of a plot twist, Invictus kept me hooked the whole way through. I’ve been telling people its like Six of Crows but with time travel. In other words, I highly recommend it.

15. Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo

Even though I’ve never really had an interest in Wonder Woman (I still haven’t seen the movie), I love Leigh Bardugo so I decided to give this book a chance, and I’m glad I did. Bardugo did a great job of setting up the world so that even for me, who really knew next to nothing about Wonder Woman going into this book, everything still made sense. I loved this version of Wonder Woman, aka Diana, and the adventure she went on when she arrived on Earth. I also loved that this story was able to surprise me. Overall, this book has made me excited to read the next books in this DC Icons series.

16. The Sexy One by Lauren Blakely

If I’m going to read erotica it’s going to be a Lauren Blakely novel. The woman has only disappointed me once and in her defense it was one of her earlier novels; her writing has only gotten better over time. It was hard for me to just choose one of my favorites by her this year but I’m going with The Sexy One because I love a forbidden romance and Simon and Abby’s relationship was so freaking cute. I’m pretty sure I read through this book in a day.

17. By Your Side by Kasie West

Kasie West has become one of my favorite YA contemporary romance authors and she also gives me serious writer goals. She comes out with two books a year. TWO! But anyway, By Your Side is definitely one of my favorites by her, mainly because it begins with the main character, Autumn, being trapped in the library with a cute, bad boy. So basically, my dream. However, what I loved most about this book was how West handled Autumn’s mental health and how that played into the story.

What were some of your favorite reads this year? Let me know in the comments below!

ARC Book Review: The Cruel Prince

Posted on December 21, 2017 by Zakiya N. Jamal in ARC Reviews, Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis:

Jude was seven years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, discovering her own capacity for bloodshed. But as civil war threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.

Purchase From:

Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository

Review

*I received a free advanced reader’s copy of this book from The Novl. This did not influence my review of this book in anyway. This is an honest review of the novel as I saw it. This novel will be released on Jan. 2, 2018.*

I’ve never read a Holly Black novel before so I wasn’t really sure what to expect going into this novel. All I knew was there would be faeries, who are super in right now, and that Black is considered a queen in the YA fantasy world. That was enough for me to be interested.

The prologue of this story sucked me in immediately, as it made it clear very quickly that this would not be a book that sugarcoated the world of the fey. Instead, this story jumped right in with the bloodshed and I was totally here for it. But then the story slowed down a bit. Jude, the narrator and protagonist of the story, is a human who grew up in the world of Faerie and all she wants is to be accepted among them. To do so, she hopes to participate in a tournament so she can become a knight. Differently, her twin sister, Taryn, hopes to marry into a Fey family. Their elder sister, Vivi, would rather have nothing to do with the fey, even though she’s actually half-fey.

As much as I loved the family and school dynamics that played out in the beginning of the novel, after the bloodshed in the prologue, I was a little blood thirsty. I wanted to jump right back into the action and get to the good stuff. However, although there was a little wait to get there when Black went there she really went there. The second half of the novel was filled with so many twists and betrayals that I realized, like Jude, I made the mistake of forgetting that we were still in the world of Faerie, and while the fey can’t technically lie that doesn’t stop them from being ruthless.

This book totally blew my mind, especially in the last 150 pages, and once it got to the good stuff, I couldn’t put it down. I was on the edge of my seat, trying to figure out what Jude would do next, in order to protect herself and her family, and I was not disappointed. What I loved most about this book, was how even though Jude and Taryn are human, you can see how they learned how to play the games of the Fey, and how they got quite good at it.

The ending of this book left me shook and I absolutely must know what happens next. Definitely pick up The Cruel Prince once it’s released; you won’t regret it.

Borrow or Buy: Buy!

Stars:

Other Reviews
Her Bookish Things
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Bang Bang Books

Maybe I’ll Write a Middle Grade Novel: My First Semester of Grad School

Posted on December 16, 2017 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Blog

On the very first day of my writing workshop, my professor, Sarah Weeks, asked myself and my classmates what we wanted to write about. She wasn’t all that shocked to discover that the majority of us wanted to write young adult novels. However, our concentration isn’t just Writing for Young Adults, it’s Writing for Children & Young Adults. So for our very first workshop we were required to do both, writing a picture book, a middle grade short story, and the first chapter of a YA fantasy. Similarly, in my literary seminar, we read only picture books and middle grade novels.

This was a challenge for me. Not because picture books and middle grade novels are hard to read (they’re not), but because they weren’t what I was reading in my free time nor were they anything I ever had an interesting in writing. Still, I was in school to learn and I wanted to push myself to try new things and step out of my comfort zone. Plus, I didn’t really have a choice; it was my homework.

While the picture book I wrote for my workshop, and then my literary seminar midterm, will never see the light of day, I found that the best thing I wrote this semester was actually my middle grade short story. Loosely based on my own personal experiences with my paternal grandmother, it was the story I got the most compliments on from not only my classmates but also my professor. And though I had no intention of ever writing a middle grade novel, suddenly I had this story that I wanted to expand and even though I don’t know when that will happen (I have a whole other book I’m trying to finish at the moment) I think it will happen. Some day.

And I think that is the best summary of why I loved my first semester of grad school. Because it made me step out of a box I’d put myself in (strictly writing YA, that is), and try something I don’t think I would’ve thought to do on my own. Besides that, I was also introduced to 13 other writers who a) are trying to do the same thing I am (become better writers) and b) provide different feedback that has helped me over the course of the semester, and I’m sure will continue to help shape my writing in the future. They’re also just cool people that I can talk to about books, which is an added bonus, though they’ve made my to-be-read pile even longer.

My first semester went by incredibly fast, which is both exciting and scary. Exciting, because my grad school experience is now 25 percent completed. Scary, because I’m one step closer to being a grad school graduate and I would like to believe that when I get there I’ll have a completed manuscript and, hopefully, an agent too. But I still have some time for that. So for now, I’m going to enjoy my winter break by reading, writing, and blogging, and I look forward to continuing my education in the spring.

Why I Stopped Writing Book Reviews: A Life Update

Posted on December 5, 2017December 5, 2017 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Blog

If you’ve been following me for a while you may be wondering where my book reviews went. Or, you may not have been concerned at all. That’s cool, too. Regardless, I felt like I owed my followers an explanation for why this blog has gone a little dead.

Back in August, I started grad school to get my MFA in Creative Writing, which has been a great experience thus far. However, on top of going to school I’m also a freelance writer, interning at a literary agency, currently working on a novel, running this blog, as well the Tumblr and Instagram pages that go along with it, and because I’m crazy I also started the YA Book Events NYC Twitter. Not to mention, I actually have to have time to read books in order to review them. To say it’s been a lot would be an understatement, which is why, for my sanity, I knew I had to cut back on something.

My decision to stop writing book reviews actually came from a conversation I had with someone in publishing about my future career goals. Ideally, I want to work at a publishing house, specifically as an Editorial or Marketing Assistant, and it was pointed out to me that my reviews can be a little negative sometimes, especially if I really didn’t like a book. While that’s fine and I always want to give you all my honest opinion, they pointed out that if a hiring manager/editor sees I don’t like a book they’ve published they may think I wouldn’t be a good fit because our tastes are different. I’d hate it if my blog was ever the reason why I didn’t get a job, so while I figure out how to tailor my reviews while still being honest, and also because I needed more time for myself, I decided I’d put a brake on them. For now.

In the meantime, I have still been posting occasionally, mostly for YA Book Events NYC, but I also hope to do more lists in the future, like the one I did on Black Friday. That being said, if there are any kinds of posts you’re interested in seeing from me, whether it’s about books, publishing, writing, or life in general, please let me know in the comments. I’m hoping to do a post about how to get ARCs soon since a few of you have asked me about that and I have a few other ideas in the works as well. Thankfully, my first semester is coming to an end soon so I’ll have a little more free time to blog in the upcoming weeks.

Thank you all so much for sticking with me while I try to figure out my next steps. I love discussing books with you all and I do have two ARC book reviews I will be doing soon, so keep an eye out for that. Also, if you have any book recs for me please leave those in the comments as well, because my TBR can never be too long.

Until next time, happy reading!

Meet Literary Agents & Authors This Week (YA Book Events 12/4-12/10)

Posted on December 3, 2017 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Blog

As the holidays draw closer the list of events gets smaller, but there are still chances to meet some authors and other bookish people before the year is up. Check out this week’s list of events and make sure to follow YA Book Events NYC on Twitter to keep updated with bookish events happening around the city.

Monday, December 4

Sackett Street Literary Series: Ask the (Literary) Agents! at Books Are Magic (7:30-8:30 p.m.)

Join literary agents Linda Camacho (Prospect Agency), Penny Moore (Empire Literary), and Quressa Robinson (Nelson Literary Agency) for a conversation and Q&A. Free event.

Friday, December 8

Tochi Onyebuchi and Sam J. Miller at Barnes & Noble 82nd & Broadway (6 p.m.)

Authors Sam J. Miller (The Art of Starving) and Tochi Onyebuchi (Beasts Made of Night) will be in conversation, answer audience questions, and sign books. Free event.

Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Are In Town! (YA Book Events 11/27-12/3)

Posted on November 27, 2017 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Blog

Hi book lovers! I hope you all had a great holiday weekend. This week there aren’t that many events happening but the events that are happening this week are pretty great. Check out the full schedule below and make sure to follow YA Book Events on Twitter.

Wednesday, November 29

Children’s Book Signing with Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton & Chelsea Clinton at The Strang (6-9 p.m.)

Join the Clinton’s as they sign copies of their books It Takes a Village, She Persisted, What Happened, and It’s Your World. You must purchase books from the store in order to be admitted. Click the link for ticket options.

Friday, December 1

The Polar Express Storytime at all Barnes & Noble (7 p.m.)

Visit your local Barnes & Noble to enjoy a read of the holiday classic, The Polar Express. After the reading there will be coloring and activities. Free event.

Saturday, December 2

Great Chapter Book Reads at Books of Wonder Uptown (3-5 p.m.)

Join Jay Cooper, Stuart Gibbs, Dan Poblocki, and Courtney Sheinmel as they introduce the latest additions to their middle grade series. Free event.

12 Black Friday Deals Book Lovers Won’t Want To Miss

Posted on November 22, 2017 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Blog

‘Tis the season to buy books! This Friday is Black Friday and while others may be looking for the hottest deals on clothes and electronics, there’s only one thing I’ve got my eye on: books. And bookish merch. But mostly books. So to make sure I, and you, get all the best deals out there this Friday, I’ve put together a comprehensive list of the best sales going on this weekend. Check it out, and please let me know if I missed anything.

Books

1. BookOutlet

BLACK FRIDAY CONTEST & DETAILS ARE HERE! We told you it would be worth the wait 😏
RT this post & follow us – you could win a $100 gift card to Book Outlet! Enter on FB & Insta too!
Don't forget to take advantage of the sale Thurs, Nov 23 10 am EST until Tues, Nov 28 10 am EST! pic.twitter.com/px80IWCIqC

— Book Outlet (@BookOutletcom) November 21, 2017

In general, books from BookOutlet are already ridiculously cheap, so when they have a sale going on you know it’s going to be good. I did the math and the 18 books currently in my cart will only cost me about $62 with their Black Friday sale. That’s a crazy steal. However, make sure you set your alarm and get in on this sale early, because you better believe these books will go fast. The sale begins on Thanksgiving at 10 a.m. EST. Don’t miss out!

2. Barnes & Noble

Barnes & Noble has a lot to offer this weekend. Online you can get 20% off on orders with the code GIVETHANKS from Nov. 23-26 and you get 20% off in stores from Nov. 24-26. What’s really exciting at B&N Black Friday is the number of signed books they have stocked up for you. For the full list of signed books available click here and to see the full list of B&N deals this weekend click here.

3. HarperCollins Publishers

You can buy the books straight from the source this weekend (and always, actually). Beginning today, HarperCollins is having a 30% off sale on their website and there’s also free shipping. The sale will last until Monday, Nov. 27 at 11:59 p.m. EST.

4. Amazon

Amazon is having deals on a variety of books and ebooks for the whole weekend. You can click here to see their daily deals.

5. Half Price Books

Half Price Books is having an EPIC sale on Black Friday. Everything in store is 20% off and the first 100 people through the door at 9 a.m. local time will receive a FREE tote bag and a $5 HPB Gift Card. On top of that, one of these bags will have a $100 gift card, so get there early and try your luck.

6. Books-A-Million (BAM!)

The more you spend at booksamillion.com, the more you save. Make an online purchase of $50 or more and get $10 off; spend $100 or more and get $20 off; and if you spend $200 or more you’ll get $50 off. The stores will also have a number of other deals. Click here to learn more.

7. Book Depository

Similar to Amazon, Book Depository has a number of Black Friday deals on various titles going on this week. Click here to see all the different deals happening on their website.

Bookish Merch

8. Novelly Yours

Beginning on Black Friday, you can use the coupon code BLACKFRIDAY2017 to get 20% off your order at novellyyourscandles.com. Additionally, in each order placed during the sale, which ends on Nov. 27, there will be a scratch-off included which will have future savings of up to 35%.

9. OwlCrate

We have announced our Black Friday sales and there is something for everyone! Check out our pinned Facebook post for all the details! https://t.co/aKz6KvjpV0 pic.twitter.com/BNMaGp9KvF

— OwlCrate (@owlcrate) November 22, 2017

OwlCrate has a number of Black Friday sales happening for new subscribers to their bookish box subscription service and long time members. Check out their post above to get all the details.

10. Nerdy Post

https://www.instagram.com/p/BbuZdLpj4ci/?taken-by=nerdy.store

Nerdy Post is also have an epic Black Friday, and amongst the number of deals they’re offering, you can also build your own box and get the merch you really want. Check out their post above.

11. Flick the Wick

View this post on Instagram

We decided to begin our Black Friday sale a bit early and it will be starting TOMORROW!!! 🎉🎉🎉 It will run through Monday. You can get 25% (😱) our entire website using the code THANKSGIVING! 😁This is the biggest discount we've ever offered so make sure to pick up all those candles you've been eyeing recently. 👀Don't forget about our brand new candles we released, including the new Christmas candles. If you order this weekend you will be getting them in time to put them under your tree. 🎄 ✨ What candles will you be picking up this weekend? ✨ Photo by our rep @readerrewind 💕 ✨ #flickthewick #bookish #bookishcandle #bookishcandles #bookstagram #bookishmerch

A post shared by FlickTheWick (@flickthewick) on Nov 22, 2017 at 11:21am PST

Beginning tomorrow (Thanksgiving Day), you can get 25% off Flick the Wick’s entire website. So if you’ve been waiting for the right time to give their candles a try, the time is now.

12. Little Inkling Designs

The popular bookmark shop will have a 20% sale from Black Friday through to Cyber Monday. This sale excludes the shop’s new book lover’s planner (which will go on sale at 12 a.m. EST on Black Friday) and the clearance section. You can find their Etsy shop here.

Think I missed a sale? Let me know in the comments below!

Indie Authors & More Are in Town This Week (YA Book Events 11/20-11/26)

Posted on November 21, 2017 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Blog

Happy Thanksgiving book lovers! Because of the holiday there aren’t too many events going on this week, but there are still a few. Check out the full list of events below and have a happy Turkey Day. Also, don’t forget to follow YA Book Events on Twitter to keep updated on all the bookish events happening around the city.

Saturday, November 25

Indies First/Small Business Saturday Storytimes Deluxe at Books of Wonder (11 a.m. – 6 p.m.)

Celebrate Small Business Saturday by spending the day with wonderful authors like Brian Floca, Paul O. Zelinsky, and more. Authors will be reading all day long. Click the link to see the full line-up. Free event.

Launch Event for Bolivar by Sean Rubin at Books of Wonder Uptown (3-5 p.m.)

Celebrate the release of Sean Rubin’s newest graphic novel, Bolivar, as he reads from the book, answers questions, and does a signing. Free event.

Sunday, November 26

Author Event: JoJo’s Guide to the Sweet Life at Barnes & Noble Fifth Ave (2 p.m.)

Snag a photo-op with Jojo Siwa by buying a pre-signed copy of her book, JoJo’s Guide to the Sweet Life: #PeaceOutHaterz. You can purchase a copy beginning at 10 a.m. Wristbands will be provided at the time of purchase.

Great Middle Grade Reads at Books of Wonder Uptown (3-5 p.m.)

Meet Elizabeth Eulberg, Chris Grabenstein, Barbara Dee, Chris Raschka, Michael Northrop for a wonderful afternoon of great middle grade novels. Free event.

Meet the National Book Award Finalists (YA BOOK EVENTS 11/13-11/19)

Posted on November 13, 2017 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Blog

Don’t miss your chance to meet a number of incredible authors this week, including the National Book Award finalists. Check out the full list of this week’s events below and make sure to follow YA Book Events NYC on Twitter to keep up to date with all the events happening around the city.

Monday, November 13

2017 National Book Award Finalists at Books of Wonder (6-8 p.m.)

Meet this year’s finalists for the National Book Award in Young People’s Literature. Free event.

Tuesday, November 14

Greet Teen Reads! at Books of Wonder (6-8 p.m.)

Meet Libba Bray (The Diviners), Alex R. Kahler (Runebinder), Billy Merrell (Vanilla), and Lisa Williamson (All About Mia). Free event.

Thursday, November 16

Launch Event for Kids Like Us by Hilary Reyl at Books of Wonder (6-8 p.m.)

Join Hilary Reyl as she celebrates the release of her new novel, Kids Like Us. She’ll be joined by Ann Brashares (Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants). Free event.

Sunday, November 19

Face to Face: Middle Readers Book Group at Housing Works Bookstore Cafe (11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.)

The group will be discussing George by Alex Gino. Free event.

Great Chapter Book Reads at Books of Wonder (1-3 p.m.)

Celebrate three new middle grade releases with Jay Cooper (The Curse of the Mummy’s Tummy), Sarah Mlynowski (Abby in Wonderland), and Courtney Sheinmel (Designed by Lucy). Free event.

Michelle Hodkin, Erin Bowman, & More Are In The City This Week (YA Book Events 11/6-11/12)

Posted on November 6, 2017 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Blog

There are so many incredible events happening this week, and you won’t want to miss any of them so let’s just dive right in. And don’t forget to follow YA Book Events NYC on Twitter to keep up to date with all the events happening around NYC.

Tuesday, November 7

Meet Jeff Kinney at Barnes & Noble Tribeca (5 p.m.)

Author of the bestselling Diary of a Wimpy kid series will be signing books and taking photos. You must receive a wristband to attend. Wristbands will be distributed starting at 10 a.m. with the purchase of The Getaway.

Meet Linda Fairstein at Books of Wonder Uptown (6-8 p.m.)

Books of Wonder is hosting the launch party for NY Times bestselling author Linda Fairstein’s latest novel, Digging for Trouble, the second in her Devlin Quick Mysteries series. Free event.

Wednesday, November 8

Meet and Greet with YouTuber Jessie Paege at Barnes & Noble Tribeca (4 p.m.)

Meet YouTuber Jessie Paege and snag a pic and presigned copy of her book, Hey, It’s Okay to Be You. There is a mandatory wristband policy for this event. Wristbands will be distributed at 10 a.m. and you must pre-purchase the book to get a wristband.

Thursday, November 9

Meet Michelle Hodkin at Books of Wonder Uptown (6-8 p.m.)

Michelle Hodkin presents the first novel in her new trilogy, The Becoming of Noah Shaw, which picks up right where the Mara Dyer trilogy, left off. Free event.

Friday, November 10

Discussion and Signing With the Creators of Paper Girls at Barnes & Noble Tribeca (6 p.m.)

Participate in a discussion and signing with the creators of Paper Girls, Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang. Wristbands will be distributed with purchase of Paper Girls Deluxe Edition, Volume 1.

Sunday, November 12

Great Middle Grade Reads at Books of Wonder (1-3 p.m.)

Join authors Nicholas Gannon and Gregory Manchess as they share their latest illustrated novels. Free event.

Meet Erin Bowman at Books of Wonder (3-5 p.m.)

Erin Bowman celebrates the launch of Retribution Rails, the companion to Vengeance Road, and will be joined by authors Danielle Paige and Tiffany Jackson. Free event.

Meet Courtney Sheinmel at Books of Wonder Uptown (4-6 p.m.)

Courtney Sheinmel celebrates the launch of her newest book, Designed by Lucy, the second book in her Kindness Club series. Free event.