Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Reads of 2024

Written by Grace H.

Time for another Top Ten Tuesday, brought to you by WPL’s Teen Book Guild!

This week’s theme is… Most Anticipated Reads of 2024!!

While 2023 was definitely a great year of reading for me, I’m anxiously awaiting some new releases in 2024! Many of these are from well-known authors in the YA genre or from authors 

that have previously written books that I’ve enjoyed, but some of the books on this Top Ten List are new authors for me. I’m excited to dive into a new year of great reads in 2024!

The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson

Holly Jackson is one of my favorite YA authors. From her bestselling A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series, to her most recent thriller, Five Survive, all of her books have been a hit for me! 

If Only I Had Told Her by Laura Nowlin

I have read the first book in this series (If He Had Been With Me), and I enjoyed it, so I’ll definitely be picking this one up when it comes out in February. 

The Bad Ones by Melissa Albert

This is a new author for me, but when I saw the teaser description for this book, I was drawn in. It’s a cross between thriller and mystery, with a dose of mythology as well; I immediately added this to my TBR.

Once A Queen by Sarah Arthur

This is another new author for me, and Arthur’s debut novel drew me in with its stunning cover. And with a tale of family secrets and fairy tales, I’m anxious to read what’s inside!

The Getaway List by Emma Lord

I’ve read a couple of Emma Lord’s books in the past, and when I saw that she was releasing a friends-to-lovers YA romance that takes place in NYC, I was sold!

The Grandest Game by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

As a fan of The Inheritance Games series (also written by Barnes), this was a must-read for me. My anticipation for this novel grew when I read that it gave Charlie and the Chocolate Factory vibes.

Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé has previously written a YA novel (Ace of Spades) that I have heard lots of praise for. I haven’t read it yet, but I’m eager to read both Ace of Spades and her new release, Where Sleeping Girls Lie. 

A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal

Faizal is another popular YA author (We Hunt the Flame) that I have yet to read any works by. But this new historical fantasy release sounds like the perfect book for me, complete with heists and an unlikely group of heroes. 

Every Time You Hear That Song by Jenna Voris

I actually already have a copy of this book as an advanced reader copy (ARC), and I picked it up because I saw that it was marketed as Dumplin' meets Daisy Jones & the Six, which are two books that I loved. Can’t wait to read!

The Boyfriend Wish by Swati Teerdhala

This was a super fun sounding rom-com, including prank wars and magic; positively pumped to pick this one up when it comes out (right in time for Valentine’s Day!)

What books are you excited to read in 2024?

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Books of 2023

Written by Brooke K.

Today is another Top Ten Tuesday brought to you by the WPL Teen Book Guild! Top ten Tuesdays are hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl and this week’s theme is Best Books of 2023. 

From timeless books like Pride and Prejudice to recent bestsellers like The Getaway, I have compiled the ultimate list of my favorite books I read this year. These books just stand out from the rest and are 100% worth checking out. 

Happy reading! 

1. Dear Justyce by Nic Stone
2. Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
3. All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir
4. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

5. Scythe by Neal Shusterman

6. The Getaway by Lamar Giles

7. Trouble is a Friend of Mine by Stephanie Tromly

8. A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow by Laura

9. P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han

10. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

BOOK VS FILM! The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

by Grace H.

The Teen Book Guild is proud and excited to display our new blog series: Book VS Film! We will discuss both the book and film adaptation of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins, and we'll deliver a verdict at the end!

Disclaimer: minor spoilers ahead.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is the prequel to the well-known Hunger Games series. This new addition follows Coriolanus Snow, the villain of the original trilogy, as a teenage boy living in the Capitol. Coriolanus's prestigious family has fallen into debt and ruin after the death of his father, and Coryo must win back his honor. How so? By becoming one of the first ever mentors of the 10th Annual Hunger Games, where 24 teenagers fight to the death. Which is done better, the film or the book?

The Book

Contrary to some, I immensely enjoyed this prequel. I thought it was fascinating to be able to see the origins of many of the components of the Hunger Games through the eyes of a future villain. My favorite parts were the hidden easter eggs that hinted towards plot points from the original trilogy. In comparison to the movie version, there were a couple things that the book did better. First of all, in the novel, we get a lot of scenes with Ma Plinth and her cooking for Coriolanus, which were completely absent in the movie. We also get more of a backstory surrounding Lucy Gray and the rest of the Covey. However, all in all, the movie adaptation matched the book very well.

The Film

The movie adaptation hit theaters in mid-November of this year and has been trending ever since. Snow, in particular, has become increasingly popular on TikTok. The film has been praised for following the book closely, and with a few minor exceptions, I agree. For fans of the book (like myself), this made for a great viewing experience.

The casting of the movie was incredible; Tom Blythe and Rachel Zegler did a fantastic job in their roles, and both really made their characters come to life. Personally, I thought it was SO COOL to see Snow as a teenager. Another benefit of the movie was getting a lot more action scenes of Lucy Gray in the arena. The book mainly stays with Coriolanus, but in the movie, we get scenes inside the arena, more from the perspective of Lucy Gray. One drawback of the movie is the absence of Clemensia's fate after being bitten by Dr. Gaul's snakes. After the incident, she disappears for the rest of the movie. However, more scenes with Tigris make up for it, especially in the epilogue.

The Verdict

After careful deliberation, I have decided that the movie version of the story has won.

Simply being able to see the action on screen with the amazing actors portraying the characters beats reading on paper. However, I would still highly recommend reading the book, as the plot points between the film and novel are very similar.

What do you think? Does the book or film win?

Top Ten Tuesday: Books That Feel Like a Harry Styles Song

Written by Helena M.

It's another Top Ten Tuesday, brought to you by the WPL Teen Book Guild!

Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, Top Ten Tuesday is a widespread trend in which book bloggers create a “Top Ten” list in response to a different topic each week.

This week: the theme is a freebie, so Helena chose--

Top 10 Books That Feel Like a Harry Styles Song

1. As It Was - The Summer I Turned Pretty

The Summer I Turned Pretty follows Belly, her brother, and the Fisher brothers when they go to their summer house every year. Belly has always loved Conrad, but it never is reciprocated. But this summer, everything has changed. As It Was gives off the same vibe as The Summer I Turned Pretty - they both have fun, summer aesthetics.

2. Matilda - Impostor Syndrome and Other Confessions of Alejandra Kim 

Impostor Syndrome and Other Confessions of Alejandra Kim is about Ale, a Korean Argentinian, who struggles with fitting in at her wealthy predominantly white school and her home in Jackson Heights. She dreams of going to a prestigious liberal arts school with her best friend Laurel, but Laurel starts a petition against a teacher who claims Ale is a shoo-in for colleges because of her race. This book deals with the heavy topic of acceptance and racism. Matilda and Impostor Syndrome and Other Confessions of Alejandra Kim are very similar because they speak of not feeling comfortable or accepted anywhere.

 

3. From the Dining Table - The Night in Question 

The Night in Question is the second mystery in its series. It features Alice and Iris again, with a new mystery relating to Kennedy, Alice’s old friend. Alice is still coping with Brooke’s death and is ready to forget with a new obsession. As the mystery becomes deeper and deeper, the pair is stuck in an inescapable hole. From the Dining Table and The Night in Question are similar because they both have the same feeling of grief and melancholy during hard times.

 

4. Kiwi - The Cheerleaders

One night, two cheerleaders mysteriously die in a car crash. Then the rest of the team dies too. Monica, the little sister of one of these cheerleaders, is determined to find the truth. She is terrified of what she will find and knows it could threaten her life. Kiwi and The Cheerleaders give off the same dangerous feelings.

 

5. Watermelon Sugar - We Were Liars

We Were Liars is about Cadence and her cousins on a private island that her perfect family owns. Their island is the most magical place on Earth for Cadence because it has memories of the sun and family. But when she begins to unravel decades of injustice and terrible practices, she begins to rebel against her parents with her friends at her side. We Were Liars and Watermelon Sugar both tell tales of nostalgic fun. 

 

6. Two Ghosts - They Both Die at the End

Rufus and Orion got the call, the one that ends lives. In their world, they have DeathCast, which can accurately tell you when you die. So when they get the call, they are determined to live. They haven’t met, but fate leads them together on the famous Last Friend app. They form a connection and encourage each other to step out of their comfort zones. Two Ghosts speaks of changing personalities and feeling empty, and Rufus and Orion certainly change throughout They Both Die at the End.

 

7. Little Freak - If He Had Been With Me

Autumn and Finn have been close friends since they were little; then Autumn begins to like Finn. But he is in a relationship with Sylvie, which gives her conflicting emotions. He dies in a tragic accident, and Autumn is left to cope with his death. Little Freak is about a special girl that is unique from most people, and Autumn was certainly that for Finn in If He Had Been With Me.

 

8. Sweet Creature - Love & Gelato

Love & Gelato features Lina, an American girl who goes to Italy for her mother’s dying wish. Lina finds her mother’s notebook and begins to recreate her experiences with the help of Ren, a local Italian boy. In Sweet Creature, Harry Styles speaks about how a girl reminds him of home, just like how Lina’s mother helps her find her family history through her journal.

 

9. Adore You - American Royals

 

American Royals provides an alternate American reality where there isn’t a president, but instead a royal family. Nina and Sam, the American princess, are best friends. But Nina starts to have feelings for Sam’s brother, Prince Jefferson. Their lives are constantly on display, and Nina can’t seem to get away from the press. America just “adores” the royal family. Adore You and American Royals are similar because the characters are loved, but never reciprocated at the same level.

 

10. Love of my Life - To All the Boys I've Loved Before 

Lara Jean is a high schooler who writes letters to boys she has crushes on. But she never actually sends them. Her little sister, Kitty, sends out all of the notes after her older sister, Margot, leaves for college. It stirs up drama with her old crushes. Love of My Life is about a girl that the speaker loves, and Lara Jean almost sounds like the speaker.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books Set in High School

Written by Grace H.

Hello and welcome back to Top Ten Tuesday, brought to you by the WPL Teen Book Guild! Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, Top Ten Tuesday is a widespread trend in which book bloggers create a “Top Ten” list in response to a different topic each week.

This week: the theme is: Books Set in X , in our case...High School!

Many of the greatest YA books are set in high school, probably because the teenage years are such a pivotal and dramatic part of any character’s life. Here are some of my favorites!

1. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

2. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

3. Where You See Yourself by Claire Forrest

4. Today Tonight Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon

5. All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

6. A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi

7. Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy

8. Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

9. Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan

10. Heartstopper by Alice Oseman

Which of these have you read? And what are some of your favorite YA books set in high school that I didn’t mention? 

-Grace H.

Top Ten Tuesday: Reasons Why I’m Thankful for (These!) Books

Written by Em C. 

The Winter Park Library Teen Book Guild is one again happy to show its second installment of Top Ten Tuesdays. Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, Top Ten Tuesday is a widespread trend in which book bloggers create a “Top Ten” list in response to a different topic each week.

Top 10 Reasons Why I’m Thankful for (These!) Books 

 

1. Jojo's Bizarre Adventure - This series is what got me into manga and anime

2. Adachi to Shimamura - This is the first romance book I ever read, and it's now one of my favorite genres.

3. Girls Last Tour - The philosophy, aesthetics, and characters of this work really resonated with me.

4. Love Me For Who I Am - This is the first book I read that dealt with explicitly queer themes.

5. Nichijou - This series comedy is on point, it always lifts my spirits.

6. Uzumaki - This book is what made realize how much I love horror.

7. Topside - This science fantasy book is what got me started in reading Western graphic novels.

8. Squire - This series reignited my interest in fantasy works.

9. Boys Run The Riot - This manga series had very well written characters and story.

10. Clock Strikers - This book made me aware of manga-style works from the West.

 

All of these books have introduced me to new genres, given me new ideas, or simply made me happy, and for that I'm quite thankful! Please stay tuned for more Top Ten Tuesdays in the future.

 

-Em C.

Top Ten Tuesday: Mainstream Popular Authors that I Still Have Not Read

Written by Grace H.

The Winter Park Library’s Teen Book Guild is excited to join in on the bookish fun of Top Ten Tuesdays! Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, Top Ten Tuesday is a widespread trend in which book bloggers create a “Top Ten” list in response to a different topic each week.

This week, and for our first Top Ten Tuesday post, the theme is:

Mainstream Popular Authors that I Still Have Not Read.

There’s practically an infinite number of books in the world, and a practically infinite number of authors. But there’s never enough time to read them all. What well-known authors have you not gotten around to reading yet? For me, many of these names will be instantly recognizable as forerunners in the YA genre.

1. Marissa Meyer
2. Rainbow Rowell
3. Leigh Bardugo
4. Neal Schusterman
5. Renée Ahdieh

6. Maureen Johnson

7. Becky Albertalli

8. Stephanie Meyer
9. Jerry Spinelli
10. Jennifer Armentrout

I’m very excited to eventually get around to reading these popular authors’ works, but for now, they remain on my TBR. Look out for more Top Ten Tuesdays in the coming weeks!

-Grace H.