Assorted New Stuff

An interesting assortment of new YA books just hit the shelves. Basically, there's something for everybody, so enjoy!

Last Shot: A Final Four Mystery by John Feinstein combines sports with a mystery. Two teenage sportswriters win all-access passes to the NCAA Final Four as prizes in a writing contest. But when they overhear a coach pressuring a player to throw a key game have just had the scoop of a lifetime fall into their laps, or are their lives are now in danger?

Midsummer Meltdown is the latest in Cathy Hopkins' Truth or Dare series. In this one, Lia's family is planning the party of the decade to celebrate her mom's fortieth birthday. However, events don't go exactly as planned, and the final surprising guest list puts Lia in an awkward position when an old flame turns up and makes a play for her.

For fans of Isabelle Allende's Alexander Cold series, the wait for the final installment is over. In Forest of the Pygmies, Alexander and his crusty, adventurer grandmother travel to Africa on an elephant-led safari, and end up in the middle of the corrupt world of poaching and slavery.

The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart can best be summed up by it's subtitle - 15 Guys, 11 Shrink Appointments, 4 Ceramic Frogs, and Me, Ruby Oliver.

And last but not least, fantasy fans might enjoy Wand in the Word. It's a collection of interviews with 13 of today's most popular fantasy writers including Garth Nix, Terry Pratchett, and Philip Pullman.