 TeenReads.com is ALL ABOUT VEE5/6/08  ALL ABOUT VEE C. Leigh Purtill Razorbill/Penguin Young Readers Group Fiction ISBN: 9781595141804 400 pages Veronica May (“Vee” to her friends) has everything it takes to make it in Hollywood. Not only is she beautiful, she has great self-esteem and killer acting chops. So when her summer plans of community theater in Chester, Arizona, are dashed by Glengarry Glen Ross, her father and his girlfriend announce a wedding date only six months away, and the owner of the apothecary where she works sells out to Drug Rite, Vee decides it’s time to hit the road and head to LA. While there, Vee has entrusted two of her closest friends to regularly send her letters that her mother, who died 12 years ago, wrote to her father while she was in LA pursuing her own dreams of stardom. Now is the perfect time for all of Vee’s 217 pounds to pursue an acting career. At first, LA seems to be all right. Vee moves in with longtime friend Vivian Reed. Vivian, who insists that Vee call her Reed, helps Vee get started with all the keys to a successful acting career, like headshots, movement and acting classes, and auditions. Very quickly, Vee learns that Reed is not the Vivian she’s known, or thought she knew, all her life. Reed never touches junk food, for starters. In fact, she avoids all food if she can help it. Reed, like everyone else pursuing a Hollywood dream (or so it seems to Vee), is a size zero. Vee thinks that the Hollywood beauty standard is beyond ridiculous. Size zero isn’t a size…it’s the absence of a size! Vee is sure that with her talent she’ll land roles regardless of her physical appearance. Unfortunately, anyone who’s read an issue of People magazine or a gossip blog knows that’s not how things work. Despite being turned down for several roles because of her size, Vee’s time in LA isn’t a total loss. She gets a job as a barista, and not only do the customers love her, she gets along fabulously with her co-workers, especially cute former child actor Philip. And thanks to her relentless pursuit of an acting career, she starts to get calls from casting offices. The one big thorn in her side is Reed, who isn’t the friend Vee thought she was. It doesn’t take Vee long to realize that even though she and Reed aren’t competing for the same roles, Reed does not want Vee to be a success in acting or in the realm of romance. Plus-size Vee and her plus-size determination present a new, not always glamorous view of Hollywood. Getting acting jobs, especially when you’re new to Hollywood and don’t have representation, is a lot of work and sometimes brings close encounters of the creepy, pervy kind. But although you can succeed on hard work and a little luck, you’ll see, like Vee does, that what’s really important are your friends, family and sticking to your dream. --- Reviewed by Carlie Webber |
| FROSTBITE, the sequel to VAMPIRE ACADEMY a New York Times Bestseller! 4/17/08 Razorbill was thrilled to learn yesterday that Richelle Mead's novel FROSTBITE (on sale 4/10/08)is now a New York Times Bestseller!! |
| Great VOYA review for C Leigh Purtill's ALL ABOUT VEE 4/8/08 Check out the amazing advanced praise for ALL ABOUT VEE, by C Leigh Purtill: VOYA AGE RANGE: Ages 12 to 18. In this coming-of-age, chick-lit novel for teen girls, eighteen-year-old Veronica is a slightly plus-sized belle of the local community theater group in Arizona. She lives with her father and his forever fiancée, May Sanchez, both librarians. Veronica is a member of the Vees, a group of four friends who have pledged friendship and follow a set of rules. Their names begin with the letter V: Veronica, Val, Virginia, and Vivian. Soon after her latest dramatic triumph, things start to go wrong in Veronica's life. She does not get a part in the next production, and her father finally sets a date for his wedding. In a box of old letters, Veronica discovers that her mother went to Hollywood to become an actress, and Veronica sets off for Tinsel Town believing that it is her destiny to follow her mother's path. She stays with one of the Vee's, Vivian, who begins to show her the process and lifestyle of Hollywood wannabees. Veronica begins to question her choice and career. This novel adeptly shows how superficial and difficult the entire Los Angeles/Hollywood scene is. The focus on character and choice from Veronica's perspective is wonderful. The trendy yet substantive take on life issues for young women, such as the struggle for using talent while finding a way in career, friends, and love, makes the book worth purchasing for collections where stories on friendship, jealousy, betrayal, following dreams, and choosing the correct path in life are appreciated. Reviewer: Karen Sykeny April 2008 (Vol. 31, No. 1) |
| Q and A with Liz Tigelaar 4/3/08 Liz Tigelaar, author of PrettyTough and Playing With The Boys (on sale today!) recently sat down and answered questions about writing, sports, and her inspirations. Check it out at: http://prettytough.com/q-a-with-liz-tigelaar/ |
| Great Review for PLAYING WITH THE BOYS, by Liz Tigelaar! 4/3/08 Check out the amazing words from book lover Keri Mikulski: PLAYING WITH THE BOYS By: Liz Tigelaar YA Author Review By: Keri Mikulski, Author of Screwball: An Ashley Clarke Novel Liz Tigelaar’s Playing with the Boys is the second book from the Pretty Tough sporty teen series published by Razorbill. Playing with the Boys is an excellent novel about finding your niche, fitting in, and navigating the rough seas of high school. When Lucy Malone arrives in Los Angeles, California with her father after the death of her mother, she banks on making friends through the Beachwood High soccer team, since she played varsity soccer back in Toledo, Ohio. But, the returning state champion team is packed with uber talented players, leaving Lucy off the roster and heartbroken. Until Coach Martie and her soccer friends convince Lucy to try out for the football team after the starting varsity kicker is injured. Lucy proves herself and earns the spot, while catching the eye of the starting quarterback. After weathering a few newbie storms, she begins to gain popularity as Beachwood’s newest ‘it girl’. But with her newfound fame, Lucy learns some major lessons about fathers, fitting in, and fake friends. I absolutely adored Playing with the Boys. Pretty Tough novels are like receiving two scoops of ice cream for the price of one – books filled to the brim with high school drama and a sporty back story millions of athletes hunger for. I found myself devouring Playing with the Boys in one sitting, frantically turning the pages wondering if Lucy ends up with Benji or Ryan. Along with cheering for Lucy, fingers crossed that she’ll nail the PAT or field goal to win the game. I loved it! - Keri Mikulski Editor, Book Dugout Author, Screwball: An Ashley Clarke Novel |
| Blogger Love for AUDREY! 3/10/08 Check out a fabulous review of Robin Benway's debut novel, AUDREY, WAIT! |
| Great blurb for PLAYING WITH THE BOYS! 3/6/08 Jamie Flynt of the Alabama Renegades--the amazing all women's football team--shared her opionion about PLAYING WITH THE BOYS, Book Two in the fabulous PRETTYTOUGH series: “A great story! This book encourages young women to unleash the potential to play one of the best sports on earth. As a female football player, I hope more young women see that they aren't limited to just being one of the girls.” So go ahead and kick some grass! |
| Announcement: Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen to pen INFLUENCE, for Penguin Young Readers Group February 27, 2008 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact: Rhalee Hughes Director of Publicity, Penguin Young Readers Group 212.414.3630/ rhalee.hughes@us.penguingroup.com Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen — Business Women, Designers and Global Style Icons — to Pen a New Book, INFLUENCE, for Penguin Young Readers Group Wednesday, February 27, 2008, New York, NY – Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen will pen a new book, Influence (the working title) for Razorbill, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group, it was announced today. Influence will be published Fall 2008. The deal was brokered by Ben Schrank, President and Publisher of Razorbill and Jill Zimmerman, Executive Vice President of Dualstar Entertainment Group. Influence introduces readers to respected artists, seasoned designers and others who have influenced Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen over the past decade. The book will feature influential figures including; Christian Louboutin, Lauren Hutton, Bob Colacello, Terry Richardson, Jack Pierson and Robert Lee Morris. A coffee table book, Influence includes exclusive photographs of Ashley and Mary-Kate from world renowned photographer Rankin, and a wide variety of other never-before-seen materials and interviews from Mary-Kate and Ashley’s personal collections. This unique book is edited by fashion and arts writer Derek Blasberg and designed by eminent book designer Rodrigo Corral. Ashley Olsen said of the project, “Mary-Kate and I have filled Influence with the most interesting, challenging, creative people we know—the ones who helped pave the way for us and our generation.” Mary-Kate Olsen said of the project: “Our collaboration with Penguin on Influence is exciting because we are bringing something unique to the market. Ashley and I interviewed the people who have inspired us, with the hope that they will inspire and teach others.” Ben Schrank said, “In Influence, Ashley and Mary-Kate will share what has influenced them during what has been an astonishing and brilliant rise to icon status at the age of 21. Mary-Kate and Ashley have synthesized a set of tastes for an entire generation of young women. This book will continue this tradition.” Ashley Olsen and Mary-Kate Olsen are among the world’s most recognized and admired young women. Now 21, they have emerged as international business moguls and global fashion icons. Their taste and aesthetic has influenced the fashion elite, and millions of girls and women who have grown up admiring them and their fearless style. About the authors: Ashley Olsen Admired for founding the luxury brand The Row, Ashley Olsen is a designer, entrepreneur, actress and style icon, not to mention one of the most influential young women in the fashion and entertainment industries. The Row, launched in 2006, was quickly picked up by high end retailers globally. Following on the heels of its success, Ashley ventured with her sister Mary-Kate into the contemporary market with the Elizabeth and James brand. Ashley was recently named “Fashion's New It Girl” by Harper’s Bazaar. Mary-Kate Olsen Revered for her eclectic style and old Hollywood soul, Mary-Kate Olsen is an actress, designer, style icon and entrepreneur. Her influence in fashion has been recognized around the world and she currently co-designs The Row and Elizabeth and James with her sister and business partner, Ashley. Most recently, she has completed a recurring role on the hit TV show “Weeds” and wrapped the film “The Wackness” with Sir Ben Kingsley. The Hollywood Reporter named Mary-Kate one of the "Most Powerful Women in Hollywood." Note to the Press: Razorbill, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group, is devoted to publishing the absolute best, most exciting fiction and non-fiction on the market today. Razorbill’s books are relevant and modern and all about the things that matter most to today’s girls and women. Find out more at www.razorbillbooks.com For more information about this project, please contact: Rhalee Hughes, Director of Publicity, Penguin Young Readers Group 212.414.3630/ rhalee.hughes@us.penguingroup.com For inquiries regarding Ashley Olsen and Mary-Kate Olsen, please contact: Nicole Caruso, Vice President, Wolf Kasteler & Associates 212.997.9522/ nicolec@wkapr.com Penguin Group (USA) is the U.S. affiliate of the internationally renowned Penguin Group. Penguin Group (USA) is one of the leading U.S. adult and children’s trade book publishers, owning a wide range of imprints and trademarks including Berkley Books, Dutton, Frederick Warne, G. P. Putnam’s Sons, Grosset & Dunlap, New American Library, Penguin, Philomel, Plume, Puffin Books, Riverhead Books and Viking, among others. The Penguin Group is part of Pearson (FTSE: PSON; NYSE: PSO). Pearson is an international media company with market leading businesses in education, business information and consumer publishing. For more information, visit www.pearson.com. |
| HAVE YOU READ THIRTEEN REASONS WHY? 12/19/07 The book club at Holtville Middle School in Deatsville, Alabama has! (Ladies! Holla!)  Check out what an awesome time they had. You should get in on the fun.  Hey, no fighting over that last book, people!  You can buy the book here, then click here, for the interactive experience! |
| Book Divas Love Meg 11/8/07 C. Leigh Purtill is getting some serious love from Book Divas today. Check out their review of Love, Meg here! "One of the best books I’ve read this year. It has depth, it has characters that we all can relate to – good and bad, it has romance, and most of all, it really does bring Meg’s story full circle . . . [Not] in a way that ties everything up in a shiny red bow though. . . . There are still real problems and issues that may or may not be resolved – just like real life. What does matter is that the story ends with hope, which is exactly what I, as a reader, am looking for." |
| The BookDivas are CRAZY for SPUD! 11/8/07 Spud is a hilarious coming of age novel about John ‘spud’ Milton. It is set in 1990 and Nelson Mandela just got released from prison. This makes his dad quite shaky and go completely bonkers. Spud’s family is already dysfunctional enough thanks to Wombat, his grandmother who goes on rants. One thing going great for Spud is that he got a scholarship to an elite boarding school.Equipped with his diary, 13 yr. Spud is ready to take on his first year at boarding school in South Africa. Spud and his friends are later known as the “Crazy Eight” for their ventures through out school. Spud takes you on a ride you will never forget. Spud was an absolute delight to read! I was laughing so hard throughout the book I could hardly put it down. John Van de Ruit wrote it with such wit and charm. All the characters brought so much to the story. I felt like I was one of the gang. I’m already aching for Van de Ruit to finish writing the sequel! I already miss these characters. I recommend this book to anyone who likes a good laugh. It’d be hard to enjoy it without a good sense of humor. If you enjoyed The perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky I also recommend this." Visit the BookDivas blog here! |
| Check out the new website for THOSE GIRLS by Sara Lawrence! 10/26/07 Visit THOSE GIRLS here! |
| Spud, a South African Best-Seller, Amuses and Delights. 10/24/07 ‘Spud,’ a South African best-seller, amuses and delights Harry Potter mania having subsided (insofar as that’s possible), we’re heading out of Hogwarts and all the way to South Africa for our next boarding-school adventures. Here we find 13-year-old John “Spud” Milton, nicknamed by his dorm mates after they see his you-know-what in the shower. A best-seller in its native country and fun for older kids and adults alike, this YA novel details farting challenges, illicit night swims, drunken parents—the stuff of adolescent dreams. —New York Magazine |
| Check out this teenage-fan-made book trailer for Sarah Beth Durst's INTO THE WILD! 10/24/07 View the fan-made trailer here! |
| Fantastic Reviews for SPUD rolling in! 10/22/07 "An Instant Laugh: As apartheid crumbles, a South African boy leaves his dysfunctional family for boarding school. Believe it or not, the novel is a comedy—and the fastest-selling book in South African history. Meet Spud, and expect the unexpected." —Redbook "The boarding-school diary of Spud Milton—a 13-year-old South African choirboy lost in a sea of hormones and Julia Roberts fantasies—veers between the hilarious and the serious. If Spud sounds a lot like Adrian Mole, you're right—but this book stands on its own merits as a deeply funny chronicle of male adolescence." B+ —Entertainment Weekly |
| BBYA Nominees!! 10/22/07 So far not one, not two, but three Razorbill books have been nominated for the 2008 Best Books for Young Adults List. Give it up for the nominees: SPUD, THIRTEEN REASONS WHY, and BREATHE MY NAME! Hooray! |
| BookDivas Loves THIRTEEN REASONS WHY! 10/18/07 Review: Have you ever had a person you know commit suicide? Have you ever wondered what made them loath their life so much that they would decide to just end it? Well, Clay Jensen gets a chance to find out thirteen reasons why Hannah Baker, a girl he had a crush on, decided to take her own life. Two weeks after Hannah ends her life, he receives a set of seven tapes that explain why Hannah did what she did. And how he had a part in the making of her decision. This was an absolutely amazing book! It had a great plot; I’ve never read anything like it. It does tend to be sad and depressing at parts, but after all this book is about why a girl would commit suicide. If you decide to give this book a chance, I suggest you have nothing to do the day you read it, because you will be definitely reading it nonstop. Reviewed by: Alejandra F. |
| Are you one of Those Girls? Take Razorbill's quiz to find out! And check out our THOSE GIRLS Sweepstakes! 10/16/07 Click here to take our quiz! Click here to enter our THOSE GIRLS Sweepstakes! |
| The Excitement Keeps Building October 15, 2007 "Thirteen Reasons Why is a very powerful tale . . .a must-read for any teenager." -Book Loons (http://www.bookloons.com) Three days until you experience it for yourself. Thirteen Reasons Why publishes this Thursday, October 18th. |
| BREATHE MY NAME--A HOT READER REVIEW! 10/12/07 More great news for R.A. Nelson's BREATHE MY NAME, this time from BookDivas.com. Look for BREATHE MY NAME on 11/15! BREATHE MY NAME Breathe My Name is the story of Frances Robinson's life after her mother killed her sisters and was put in a foster family and adopted. One day, her mother's lawyer brought a letter from her mother asking her to come finish what has been started. Frances tells her parents she is going on the spring rafting trip when really, she and Nix, the new guy from Louisiana, are going to find her mother. They start first with her Aunt Dot who isn't really her aunt but an old family friend, then her real father, and finally her mother. Its an emotional time for Frances throughout the journey and at the end there is a twist you won't believe. This book was absolutely amazing. Reviewed By: Holly |
| Great Reader Review for THOSE GIRLS! 10/12/07 We are very excited to have received this glowing reader review from BookDivas.com. Pick up a copy of THOSE GIRLS at your local bookstore--it's on sale now! THOSE GIRLS When you first pick up “Those Girls”, you instantly become immersed in the daring and adventurous lives of Jinx, Liberty, and their posse. The girls are inseparable, frequently breaking the rules to escape the confines of Stagmount while constantly trying to avoid the dreaded Mrs.Gunn’s attempts at revenge. Everything is perfect until the new girl, Stella Fox, arrives. Conceded and stuck-up, Stella isn’t fooling anyone. Except for Liberty Latiffe. She quickly falls for Stella’s fashionable clothes and “sophisticated” manner. And Jinx wants her back. Sara Lawrence creates intriguing characters that leave you either celebrating their success, or plotting their downfall. You’ll find yourself gleefully laughing on one page, and steaming with frustration on the next. “Those Girls” explores the connection of friendship and what it means, as well as showing a glimpse into the scandalous lives of the elite. Reviewed By: Chelsea |
| One Week Till You Find Out the Thirteen Reasons Why October 10, 2007 The anticipation is building for the release of one of Razorbill's best reviewed books of Fall 2007. Thirteen Reasons Why will be available to readers everywhere on October 18, 2007. Why should you be reading it? Here are thirteen reasons. 1. “A brilliant and mesmerizing debut from a gifted new author.”-Kirkus [starred review] 2. “Readers won't be able to pull themselves away . . . Asher knows how to entertain an audience” -Publisher’s Weekly 3. “The text alternates, sometimes quickly, between Hannah’s voice (italicized) and Clay’s thoughts as he listens to her words, which illuminate betrayals and secrets. . . . Makes for compelling reading.” –Booklist 4. “Very clever premise, strong voice, perfect suspense. This one will keep you reading. Jay Asher is a fine storyteller.” -Chris Crutcher, author of Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes, Stotan!, and Whale Talk 5. “A spectacular first novel! Jay Asher tells his story with such honesty and simplicity that the tragedy feels shatteringly real.” -Gordan Korman, author of Born to Rock and Son of the Mob 6. “Very tightly written, very tense and very nasty. I’m enjoying it . . . a lot.” -R.L. Stine, author of the FEAR STREET, GOOSEBUMPS, and ROTTEN SCHOOL series 7. “Hannah's voice is so real and true . . . I loved her, wanted to know her, wanted to save her. . . I could say a thousand complimentary things . . . but it's my emotional reaction to the book that makes it a keeper for me, and will make me read it again and again.”-Laura Weiss, author of Such a Pretty Girl 8. “Extremely powerful drama . . . with unexpected twists. One of the Best Books of 2007 . . . This story is nothing short of stunning.”-Little Willow, http://slayground.livejournal.com/ 9. “If you have the chance to only read one novel this year, THIRTEEN REASONS WHY should be that book. . . . I dare you to read it and not become so immersed in the story that you lose track of time and your surroundings.” – Teens Read Too, http://www.teensreadtoo.com 10. “Amazing, tumultuous, emotional, brilliant and wonderful. . . .” –The Loud Librarian, http://www.theloudlibrarian.net 11. “ Jay Asher’s brilliant first novel is a moving, highly original story, and readers will eagerly await whatever he writes next. Five Stars.” –Teen Book Review, http://www.teenbookreview.livejournal.com 12. “Thirteen Reasons Why is a stand-out Young Adult title of 2007. . . . Life-changing and, simply, beautiful.” –Jacket Flap, http://www.jacketflap.com 13. "Hannah’s story changed Clay’s life. It has the power to change many more." -Lauren, teen reviewer Can’t wait till next week? Get a taste of what everyone’s talking about by visiting the official website, www.thirteenreasonswhy.com. -Kristen |
| Great review for SPUD from Baker & Taylor's CATS Meow October 2007 10/2/07 "Spud is immediately endearing and he’s so wrapped up in worrying about his own worthiness in nearly every aspect of life that the reader just has to root for him. Furthermore, we are drawn into every wild episode that the Crazy Eight (the group nickname for Spud and his dorm-mates) can dream up, and the madness continues while enduring the crazy antics of Spud’s less than normal parents and wacky grandmother (whom Spud calls “The Wombat”) who have comparably wild adventures of their own. We also suffer through Spud’s awkward romances and play auditions to be rewarded in the end by his ultimate successes in both. Spud is the kind of novel where the reader is hardly an innocent bystander, but rather a willing participant. Both humorous and timely, this is a wonderful read which will leave you anxiously awaiting the follow-up novel." |
| Great Kirkus Review for R.A. Nelson's BREATHE MY NAME! 10/1/07 Frances left Fireless, her mother's dark imaginary world, years ago and found comfort in an adoptive family, but when she receives a letter from a psychiatric hospital saying "finish it," horrific memories surface. Two small sisters lie lifeless on a bed; sick games turn giggles into shrieks; and a mother's saucer eyes terrify. To end these nightmarish visitations, Frances embarks on a secret road trip to face her mother. Her boyfriend, Nix, drives, offering empathy and humor. Nelson's teen characters emerge as unique, fully realized people with accents, physical features and emotional dimensions that distinguish them from familiar young-adult caricatures. Vivid, unnerving scenes from Fireless break up Frances's present-day journey, jolting readers and placing them inside her psyche. With sensationalized news everywhere, teens will be fascinated by Frances's childhood at the center of a media-crazed tragedy. Readers also see what happens to the tragic players after cameras stop clicking. An unlikely final twist does not dilute Nelson's incandescent writing. Its shimmering clarity transfixes the reader, candling both damaging and redemptive familial forces. (Fiction. YA) |
| School's In! 9/18/07 September's well underway. Are you ready to soak up some knowledge? Then grab your seat assignment and listen in as Emily Gould and Zareen Jaffery conduct a class in HEX EDUCATION. Emily and Zareen are reading from their funny and fantastic book in Brooklyn next Tuesday, September 25th. Your class schedule follows below. We will be taking attendance! :) The Other Means Reading Series September 25th, 8 PM Last Exit 136 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, New York Hope to see you there! |
| Great reviews in for Sara Lawrence's THOSE GIRLS! 9/11/07 The Bookseller Sara Lawrence: The naughtiest girl in the school By Benedicte Page Sara Lawrence could easily have walked off the pages of a Mallory Towers novel. With the requisite bobbing blonde curls, sparkly blue eyes and wicked chuckle, she could certainly pass for one of Enid Blyton's bubbly, high- spirited schoolgirl heroines. She is also extremely frank. "I never had a burning desire to write a novel," she says blithely, when we meet to discuss [Those Girls], the first of a new teen series for Faber children's books. "I always wanted to be a journalist. "Got this great job at the Times, loved it, was poached from there to go to the Daily Mail, hated every second. Crap stories. Went to stay with a friend of mine, was complaining bitterly, absolutely miserable, just so bored out of my mind every day, couldn't freelance because of my contract. She said, ‘Write a book!' I sat there and thought, ‘I'm going to write about school.'" A lifelong fan of Blyton's school series—"My friends and I still read Mallory Towers now. We're really sad"—Lawrence was educated at Roedean, which was founded in 1865 by her great-great-aunts. [Those Girls]is set in Stagmount boarding- school, which is based, like Roedean, in Brighton. "Obviously I'm very lazy. It seemed like the easiest thing to do." Lawrence remembers Roedean with fondness. "I had an absolute ball," she says. "I had great friends, great teachers. People say that pupils at boarding school are alienated from their families—nonsense. It worked out really well. Roedean is progressive and feminist. It was drummed into you from day one that you can do whatever you want to do so long as you put the work in. I think that's great." She did, however, get suspended twice. "We decided to have a beach party and thought it would be hilarious to go to the nudist beach. We got so blind drunk on alcopops, the nudists put us in taxis and sent us back to the school. I got suspended for that, and for smoking. So boring—so tame!" [Those Girls]is a contemporary take on Blyton. Heroine Jinx has a great time in the Lower Sixth at Stagmount, despite horrible teacher Mrs Gunn, until her group of friends is disrupted by the arrival of a suspicious-seeming new girl. So far, so traditional: but Jinx and her pals also smoke skunk and pop the odd E, and some of them are busy shagging their boyfriends. The angst-free drugs and sex will prove controversial for some booksellers, although in a more right-on vein [Those Girls] is also robustly against the anorexia and self-harm culture that can prevail in some girls' schools. Lawrence explains: "When I wrote the thing I didn't have an audience in mind. My three best girl friends got a chapter every week, and as long as they found it funny I knew I was on to a winner. But I was quite surprised when they said it was a teen book. "I hadn't read a lot of teen stuff before. I've obviously started now. Melvin Burgess is an amazing writer but it's so depressing. "Teens get a bad name but for the most part kids are the same as they always have been. Not everyone is a junkie crack whore slumped in the doorway. My 18-year-old sister and her lovely friends—yes, they go out, yes, they probably binge drink, but so what? You can be a really nice girl, work hard at school, have fun, but not be a bad person. I don't get myself worked up about things like some people do." ---------------------------------- Daily Mail New fiction By EITHNE FARRY [Those Girls] by Sara Lawrence (Faber, £6.99) There's nothing like a little inside knowledge to give a debut a lick of literary veracity, and the five years that Sara Lawrence spent at Roedean have enabled her to add a fresh coat of paint to the boarding school novel. The familiar tenets of cloistered teen life are all here - friendships, feuds and overdue homework - but Lawrence's fast and furious delivery brings the dated genre bang up-to-date. The star of the story is the irrepressible Jinx Slater, 'a girl with escape on her mind and a miniature screwdriver kit in her tuck box'. Fuelled by vanilla vodka and a lust for life, Jinx, and her cohort Liberty Latiffe, delight in outwitting the harridan house-mistress Mrs Patricia Gunn, and heading for illicit nights out in Brighton's clubs and Chinese restaurants - no regimes of starvation and selfharm for these gutsy 21st-century heroines. Their idyll is scuppered by the arrival of new girl Stella Fox. Stella, whose mysterious exit from her last school is the source of constant speculation, has a talent for the wrong kind of trouble. Her wicked ways cause dissension in the Slater-Latiffe camp, but Jinx is determined not to let the interloper triumph, and sets about redressing the balance in her own inimitable style. Enjoyably raucous. ---------------------------------- Guardian Unlimited Lights out, let's go crazy ... Adèle Geras enjoys the sex and swearing at the girls' boarding school in Sara Lawrence's [Those Girls] Adèle Geras Stagmount School, high on the cliffs near Brighton, is a recognisable if fictional version of Roedean, founded by the Lawrence sisters, who are great-great-aunts of the writer of this novel. Sara Lawrence was a pupil at the school and her younger sister is still there. I have to declare an interest. I was at Roedean between 1955 and 1962 and I enjoyed my years there enormously. Lawrence, speaking in a recent interview, also says she had a good time and she praises both the quality of the teaching and the way that the school has always instilled in its girls the idea that the world is their oyster and that they can choose any profession and do well at it. She also emphasises what I liked about boarding school: the constant supply of friends at every hour of the day and night. The book comes with a warning on the back cover: EXPLICIT CONTENT, it says, and every parent, teacher and librarian ought to be aware that when they open this novel, they are about to plunge into a roller-coaster ride of drink, drugs, four-letter words and all the other stuff that makes up school life in the early 21st century. The author's ancestresses would have 50 fits, as we used to say in 1962. The first sentence is: "Jinx Slater lay in bed listening to Chastity Maxwell shagging the handyman," which alerts you to the sort of book it is going to be. Of course, it is all madly over the top. Everything is exaggerated for comic effect, and one thing you can say for certain is that teenage girls will adore it. It's the story of Jinx, the cleverly named heroine who will trigger memories (for readers of a certain age) of the Wendy and Jinx characters in the Girl comics. She has an assortment of friends, and her very best friend is Liberty Latiffe, whose father comes from Saudi Arabia. Liberty has much more at stake than the others if she gets discovered drinking or otherwise misbehaving, because she will be plucked from the free and easy environs of the Stagmount lower sixth and sent back to Riyadh. The school staff are a motley crew, who are all caricatured to great effect. The head is a lovely person, but some of the others are monsters, especially dreadful and hideous Mrs Gunn, who resorts to all kinds of low tricks as she seeks to outwit Jinx and her mates. The plot concerns a new girl, Stella Fox, who arrives at Stagmount when term is already under way. Jinx and her friends must find out why she has been expelled from her previous school and what her plans are now she's at Stagmount - for she is clearly a baddie and up to no good. Some of the incidental pleasures of this novel are the detailed descriptions of what everyone is wearing. If name-checking designers irritates you, you will be irritated, but it adds a layer of fashion gloss which many young women will relish. I am sure the present staff of Roedean will read [Those Girls]in the way it is intended: as an affectionate, if naughty, tribute. The girls will think it's a blast. ---------------------------------- Mail on Sunday Girls Behaving Badly By Liz Jones I hated my school days. I attended an all-girls grammar and because I was not remotely pretty, brainy or sporty, it goes without saying I was not very popular. So I extricated myself from real life by becoming anorexic (too weak for games, too flatchested for boys) and immersing myself in books about boarding schools - in particular the Malory Towers series, with its heroine Darrell, who used expressions such as 'You're bats' and thought nothing of having hot chocolate and biscuits at frequent intervals. Yes, of course, in the Seventies we had teenage pregnancy and Girlsbehaving eating disorders, but we never drank, smoked or took drugs and we were terrified of our teachers. God knows how I would cope if I were a teenager today, surrounded by the likes of Amy Winehouse, gun crime and a mania for designer labels. For any parent faced with the W sign (it means 'whatever') when they try to strike up a conversation with a daughter whose brains are being fried by their mobile phone, iPod and binge-drinking, I recommend they post a copy of [Those Girls] under the bedroom door. The debut novel by Sara Lawrence, a Roedean old girl, is set in Stagmount, a modernday Malory Towers. Although the book contains strong language and heroines who consume cocktails of vodka and Ecstasy tablets, chain smoke and can tell a Chloe T-shirt at 20 paces, it is also comfortingly old-fashioned, as retro in its moralising (don't look down on the working class; you mustn't be on your own with a boy you don't know) as a pair of Fiorucci jeans. The heroine, Jinx, is not in the least interested in boys and is intent on reclaiming best friend Liberty from the bad influence of new girl Stella Fox, she of the skinny jeans, Balenciaga bag and predilection for accusing male teachers of sexual harassment. I love the humour in the writing (an unfortunate girl, Claire, has the permanent suffix 'in the community'; the hirsute school nurse, Sister Minton, is called Mister Sinton throughout), and I'm sure the film rights have already been snapped up, such is the buzz about the upcoming big-screen version of St Trinian's. But most of all I loved that this book is about young women who are - beneath Girls Aloud outfits - just children, and jolly nice ones at that. ---------------------------------- Telegraph Back to school: Boarding school can be fun Sarah Lawrence reflects on her time at boarding school and concludes she loved every minute Exactly 15 years ago, I sat at the kitchen table aged 13 and watched my mum sobbing as she sewed the last of what seemed like a million nametapes into a regulation navy blue swimsuit. My dad was in the hallway jumping up and down like a crazy man on top of the brand new silver trunk he'd bought me just a few days before - it wouldn't shut. While my parents demonstrated extreme emotion, I was too busy doodling on the inside corner of my academic desk diary to pay much attention, wondering if Roedean would be anything like Enid Blyton's Mallory Towers books, which I'd been obsessed with as a child. This week, parents all over the country will be frantically checking random items off against long inventory lists, hunting around for the wildly expensive hockey boots their daughters insisted they couldn't play without, filling tuckboxes with mini Mars Bars and signing more forms than they can keep track of. Behind the scenes they will also, of course, be wondering if they're Doing The Right Thing, whether their beloved children will survive a week, let alone a term. When you tell someone you've been to boarding school, quite often they raise an eyebrow. Despite the millions of happy, well-adjusted children who survived the experience unscathed - indeed, they usually say they loved it - the negative mystique surrounding boarding schools refuses to dissipate. Well, girls' boarding schools might sound dated, but in truth they're a blast. The five years I spent at Roedean were fantastic. I was with my friends 24/7 and we had an absolute ball. My overriding memory of secondary education is of laughing so hard I couldn't breathe. My four siblings also went to boarding schools - none of us has ever hated our parents for sending us away; we're eternally grateful for the fantastic education they gave us. The five of us are closer now than we were growing up and I do believe that being away at boarding school meant that all the time we did spend together was most definitely quality time. The obvious concern for parents whose daughters will be first-time boarders is that their princess will be homesick. I hate to disillusion you, but she will be so busy working out what's what and who's who that there will be precious little time for inward thinking. Most schools also have some kind of mentoring system where older pupils look out for new arrivals. I remember almost keeling over with delight when I met the two years' older and therefore incredibly cool and glamorous Niki, who'd been assigned to look after me for the first half term. One look at her and I'd forgotten my parents existed. Don't forget that all the new girls are in the same position. They basically want to make as many new BFFs (Best Friends Forever) as possible, sign up for all the coolest extracurricular activities and show no sign of any nerves. The schools themselves will be on the alert for any signs of anxiety and it's a pretty safe bet that your daughter's housemistress will be charm personified - for the first couple of weeks at least. I can't imagine many parents worry about communication these days. Whereas I was packed off to school clutching a brace of BT phone cards, my younger sister left with a very smug smile and a new mobile and laptop. She was rarely off the blower, much to my parents' chagrin when they received the first bill. Apart from the odd evil piano teacher, there really is nothing to be scared of. I loved my time at school. If I can afford it, I'll make sure my children board. Although I'll let them sew on their nametapes themselves. |
| Please note: 8/28/07 The back cover of the paperback edition of Devilish lists the Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction & Fantasy. In fact, Devilish was a nominee for the award. Justine Larbalestier won the award for Magic or Madness. Razorbill regrets its error. |
| Vampire Academy's a bestseller! 8/27/07 Very excited to report that, as of today, Richelle Mead's VAMPIRE ACADEMY hit #9 on the B&N YA Trade Bestseller List! |
| Shelf Awareness picks SPUD for this week's Children's Book Review spot! 8/23/07 "Spud's credibility and the fresh way in which he describes the milestones of growing up make him a winning narrator, as when, for instance, he records his first kiss with a beautiful girl he calls the Mermaid: "After a moment's shock my own tongue met hers and we were joined in a mad tongue wrestle of love." (In an example of how well van de Ruit plays for laughs, this page of Spud's diary later winds up on the house notice board.) Larger world events unfold in the background, such as de Klerk's speech to Parliament about the dismantling of apartheid (February 2, 1990) and Nelson Mandela's televised release from prison on February 9. Yet they also believably take a back seat to simply surviving dorm life. Spud enjoys singing as much as cricket, befriends teachers as well as peers, and witnesses love and death—all with a healthy dose of humor. This book will make the rounds of boys' locker rooms everywhere." —Shelf Awareness |
| Great First Review for Richelle Mead's VAMPIRE ACADEMY! 8/15/07 Just in from VOYA! "Mead bleeds black for fans of the gothic vampire novel and adds a touch of the sexy with sassy, sly, and hard-hitting Rose... This story is no ordinary vampire tale. Mead has done her homework on Romanian folklore and Orthodox Catholic saints, and she uses it to weave a unique and mesmerizing mystery with a whodunit ending that even the most skilled detectives will not predict. With social angst that every teenager can appreciate and sexual tension that leaves Stephenie Meyer's Twilight (Little, Brown, 2005/VOYA October 2005) looking like a children's book, this little gem is sure to be a hit." |
| Razorbill readers get PrettyTOUGH 8/2/06 PrettyTOUGH by Liz Tigelaar publishes today! Click on the soccer ball at the bottom of this page to check out the book--and our totally action-packed book trailer! |
| Great News for Breathe My Name 7/30/07 superfastreader.com had this to say about R.A. Nelson's Breathe My Name: I devoured Breathe My Name, which will be published in early November 2007 by Razorbill. Not only is it an outstanding coming-of-age tale, Breathe My Name has a gorgeous, poignant love story that really drew me in. This is one I’m happy to give some advance praise to! We here at Razorbill couldn't be more thrilled, and we can't wait to see more glowing praise for this outstanding title... |
| You're going to Love, Meg 7/12/07 LOVE, MEG, a brand new novel by first time author C. Leigh Purtill, published on July 5th! Hooray! I'm so happy for Leigh, and I'm even more excited that now all her fans will get to meet her! Leigh is embarking on a 3000 mile cross-country tour-a-palooza from sea to shining sea. You can come out and see her! Maybe get her to sign a book or two. Appearance dates-- 7/2 - 12 PM - Book Soup, Los Angeles, CA 7/28 - 11 AM - Alphabet Garden, Cheshire, CT 8/7 - 4 PM - RJ Julia, Madison, CT Hope to see you there! -Kristen |
| The Fiction Pick for Fall! 7/10/07 More Great News For Thirteen Reasons Why: Heather Doss, children's buyer at Bookazine, calls this the # 1 teen fiction pick for the entire fall season! And Todd Jones, a Penguin Rep for the NY, Northern NJ, and Eastern CT regions, call this: "The sleeper hit of the entire Fall list!" Jay Asher is thrilled, obviously. He says, "I'm really happy to have a sleeper hit. A mega blockbuster hit is too obvious. A sleeper hit kind of sneaks up on you." |
| The Spud Phenomenon 7/1/2007 SPUD continues to be an absolute phenomenon in South Africa! (Just see their most recent Sunday Times bestseller lists, below.) SUNDAY TIMES TOP 10 July 1, 2007 FICTION 1 Spud — the Madness Continues by John van de Ruit, Penguin, R100 2 Spud by John van de Ruit, The Penguin Group, R100 3 A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini, Bloomsbury Publishing, R179.95 4 The Quest by Wilbur Smith, Macmillan, R198 5 The Witch of Portobello by Paulo Coelho, HarperCollins Publishers, R199.95 6 6th Target by James Patterson, Headline Book Publishers, R199.95 7 Nineteen Minutes, by Jodi Picoult, Hodder & Stoughton, R189.95 8 The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult, Hodder Paperback, R109.95 9 The Woods by Harlan Coben, Orion, R189.95 10 Anderkant die Scrap, by Dana Snyman, Human & Rousseau, R125 SUNDAY TIMES TOP 10 June 24, 2007 FICTION 1. Spud — the Madness Continues, by John van de Ruit, Penguin, R100 2. A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini, Bloomsbury, R179.95. 3. Spud, by John van de Ruit, Penguin, R100. 4. The Quest, by Wilbur Smith, Macmillan, R198. 5. The 6th Target, by James Patterson, Headline, R199.95. 6. Nineteen Minutes, by Jodi Picoult, Hodder & Stoughton, R189.95. 7. The Witch of Portobello, by Paulo Coelho, Harper Collins, R199.95. 8. Obsession, by Jonathan Kellerman, Michael Joseph, R160. 9. The Woods, by Harlan Coben, Orion, R189.95. 10. The Tenth Circle, by Jodi Picoult, Hodder Paperback, R109.95 |
| Sarah's Story 6/18/07 Hi everybody! My name is Sarah Beth Durst. My debut novel, INTO THE WILD, is coming out this Thursday (6/21) from Razorbill. It's a modern-day adventure about fairy-tale characters who've escaped the fairy tale, and what happens when the fairy tale wants its characters back. With my book coming out this week, I figured this would be a good time for me to introduce myself and share with you the story of how I got here.
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| newest bird in the nest 6/7/07 Hey Everyone! I'm Lexa, the new editor at Razorbill. After four years of working on commercial teen fiction at harper, I couldn't be more excited to be here and to help define the imprint. I look forward to acquiring fabulous authors and launching fun, riveting new series, so stay tuned! |
| New Intern Arrived! 6/4/07 Summer is here and that means one thing: Razorbill has a new intern!!! Welcome, Marissa! --Laura + the Razorbill team |
| Razorbill’s Summer Splash! 5-23 Summer’s almost here, and I am so excited about it! I live for the weeks between Memorial Day and Labor Day—and this year summer’s going to be super special. Why? Because not only does summer mean barbeques, half-day Fridays, and roll-the-windows-down-and-put-your-shades-on weather, this year it means the release of Razorbill’s SPLASHPROOF books! That’s right, Razorbill has FOUR special editions of FOUR fantastic books that come with SPLASHPROOF covers—Lulu Dark and the Summer of the Fox, Pretty Little Devils, True Confessions of a Hollywood Starlet, and The Bermudez Triangle. Not only do each of these volumes contain awesome stories, but now you can smear suntan lotion on ‘em, spill your homemade lemonade over ‘em, or get squirted by your little brother’s water pistol, and your book will stay safe. They’re 100% beach-use approved! So pack ‘em in your bag if you plan to catch a wave. To celebrate this completely awesome advance in book cover technology, the SPLASHPROOF authors are having a couple of readings. May 31, 2007- 6:30 PM Barnes and Noble-Park Slope 267 7th Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11215 718-832-9066 June 1, 2007- 5:30 PM Borders-Time Warner Center 10 Columbus Circle New York, NY 10019 Phone: 212.823.9775 I’ll be there, and I’d love to see you as well! Hooray for Summer! -Kristen |
| New York Times Bestselling Author Zoey Dean loves THOSE GIRLS! May 2007 Zoey Dean, author of New York Times bestselling series The A-List and Razorbill’s upcoming series TALENT, says about THOSE GIRLS: “Next time me and my LA friends are looking for a wild time in London, we’ll definitely phone up THOSE GIRLS!” |
| Spud: The Selling Madness Continues! 5/8/2007 Great news from South Africa... Spud, The Madness Continues is currently #1 on the South Africa Times Best Seller List...and now selling even more quickly than Spud! |
| Spud--A Hot Galley! 5/7/2007 From Publisher's Weekly: Hot Galleys for Kids by Joy Bean -- Publishers Weekly, 4/30/2007 As you're weaving through the aisles, keep your eyes peeled for these offerings from children's book publishers. Check Out These Debuts Spud by John van de Ruit (Penguin/Razorbill, 2757), a bestseller in South Africa, about a boy in boarding school. Exciting!! |
| A (sunny) day in the life of the authors of Hex Education Emily: Today, the plan was that Zareen would come over to my apartment and we would write this blog post. Well, first we were going to have to eat something, so we set out to do that. Actually, first we had to pick up my laundry, and then we had to eat something. We decided to eat Italian ices. Zareen: It was such a nice day out, we of course had to walk around the neighborhood while we ate our Italian ices (Mucho Mucho Mango for me; It's a Crime Lime for Emily). Walking through Greenpoint, Brooklyn, it was impossible not to notice all the new and fancy boutiques that had opened up. We are all about supporting the local businesses in Emily's neighborhood, so we did a little shopping. Emily: Zareen bought two shirts. Actually, she is going to have to buy a third shirt to go under one of the shirts, like a camisole type of thing, because it's too low cut for Zareen's comfort level. Zareen has what my grandmother calls a "nice figure" and what my mom calls a "very sophisticated" look. Both of these euphemisms mean that Zareen has big boobs. Zareen: I do not! Emily: Just face it. Zareen: ANYWAY. We continued on our way, and Emily decided to show me her absolute favorite block in Greenpoint. At the end of the block is a big old mansion, all red brick and black railings. Outside the house we met the most hilarious trio of girls: Zoe, 8 Erykah, 9 and Sarah, who had just turned 7. They knew the whole story behind what Zoe claimed was the haunted house... Emily: Apparently just one rich man used to live there, but then when he died he gave the house to charity and now veterans live there. According to Zoe, the veterans hate kids and they go out of their way to scare them on Halloween, so I guess in a way the house actually is haunted. Erykah also mentioned that the house might be for sale. We said "Ooh, maybe we will buy it with all our money," but we were totally kidding. We could not afford to buy a birdhouse with all our money. It was good to finally know the story of the haunted mansion, though. I had been wondering for years. Zareen: At this point we realized we were extremely hungry for actual food. So we went to the Franklin Corner Store for turkey and avacodo sandwiches, which are the best. We went to the Greenpoint Playground to eat them. There's a great view of the Manhattan skyline there, and it also smelled really good because a lot of people were having barbeques. Emily: While we were eating our sandwiches, we talked about what we were going to write in our blog post. Psych! Actually we talked about a guy Zareen had coffee with this week, and how he has a lightning bolt tattoo, and how maybe that is a dealbreaker. Zareen: Uh, don't talk about that. Anyway we also talked about what songs we were going to put on our iPod playlist for people to listen to while they read our book, like dorky songs for our dorky boy character Paul and witchy songs and finding a balance of old people music and music that is actually cool. Emily just wanted to make the whole thing Fleetwood Mac. Emily: I have this weird obsession with Fleetwood Mac right now. It's embarrassing. Zareen: Then we accidentally went into some more stores. Emily: Clothes somehow found their way into my arms! I felt sad for these poor orphan clothes. I had to adopt them! Zareen: You're a real humanitarian. Emily: Then at long last we came back to my apartment and sat down at the computer. It was about 5:30 and I had to go have dinner at 7:30, but that was going to be plenty of time to write this blog post, right? Zareen: I guess that was when we started talking about my, ahem, romantic prospects a little bit again. Emily: It somehow magically became 7:00 and we had written approximately two words, but at least we had a good day! Zareen: It reminded me of how much fun we had when we were writing the book. Emily: I'm so excited for people to finally be able to read the book!! Zareen: Me too!!! Emily: There are not enough exclamation marks in the world to convey my excitement!!!!!! Zareen: I'm also really excited for people to visit our website at hexeducation.com Emily: You heard the lady! Zareen: Ok, time to sign off. |
