Sigh of Relief

After a trying two weeks in which I raced to finish Anna Karenina in time for a book discussion at WORD in Greenpoint, I am finally returning from the purgatory of adult novels to the promised land that is YA. So what’s on the docket?

1) The Door in the Hedge by Robin McKinley
This is a collection of four stories. When I was in elementary school, I borrowed a book from the school library that was the best book I ever read. It was about a girl who goes through a door in a Christmas tree to another world which she has to help save from evil. Or something. It was so long ago that I can’t remember what it was actually about and what was a dream I had about the book. Possibly the whole thing was a dream and no such book exists. But I swear it does! As a result, I will read any books involving arboreal doors into other worlds in the hopes of rediscovering the book I loved long ago. This one almost certainly isn’t it, but a girl can dream.

2) Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride
This book, about a young man in Seattle with a dead-end job who becomes a necromancer, seriously reminds me of the late great CW show Reaper. Which means I seriously must read it. Also, the title of the book reminds me of Tiny Cooper from Will Grayson, Will Grayson, who reminds me that life is a wondrous magical journey filled with love.

3) Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King
The school library journal tells me that “this will be read by teens who like edgy contemporary books dealing with untimely teen death.” That’s not really me, but I have heard good things about this book and I love the title.