Beach vacations involve one of two things: sitting in the sun or shade reading a hot YA novel (or two or three) or swimming and possibly snorkeling. If you have a day trip to the beach or some extended time away at your beach house planned for the coming months, then there is nothing I [...]
About Melissa
Website: http://www.yabookshelf.com
Melissa has written 444 articles so far, you can find them below.
Realistic Teen Fiction
The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
Buy The Summer I Turned Pretty Special: $10.24(Regular price: $12.95) Publisher: Simon & Schuster Format: Paperback Reviewer: Melissa on May 31, 2011 Rating: 3 out of 5 stars For Belly, life is divided between summers and the ten intervening months that make up winter. As far as she can tell, everything magical and good happens [...]
Free YA Giveaways
Beauty Queens Giveaways!
Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve heard a lot of good things about veteran YA author, Libba Bray, whose books I’ve yet to read. In particular, her latest novel Beauty Queens has been heralded as being able to make you laugh, think, and see beauty in a whole new way. Oh…did I mention that [...]
Fantasy Books For Young Adults
The Darkening by Maggie L. Wood
Buy The Darkening Special: $10.24(Regular price: $12.95) Publisher: Lobster Press Format: Paperback Reviewer: Melissa on May 31, 2011 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars Since Willow defeated the faerie prince, life is returning back to normal in Mistolear (or at least as normal as a medieval world can be for a girl who was raised [...]
YA Mailbox
What’s In My Mailbox?: The May 30, 2011 Edition
What’s In My Mailbox is a weekly post in which I talk about the books that recently ended up in my mailbox or my inbox. In addition, I ask you which one of the books you’re most interested in hearing about and consequently, which one of the books you think I ought to read first. [...]
Free YA Giveaways
Armchair BEA: Winners of Captured And The Darkening!
From Tuesday, May 24, 2011 until Saturday, May 28, 2011, many participants of Armchair BEA and other people who read YABookShelf.com entered by giveaway of the first two Canadian-authored fantasy novels in a planned series of six books. I asked what magical ability you would select if you had a choice, and the vast majority [...]
Chance Encounters
Armchair BEA: A Chance Encounter With Jill Murray & The Beginning Of Our Professional Relationship
Sometimes you randomly meet someone at bar and he or she turns out to be a great connection to have, which happened last summer when I had a chance encounter with Cecil Castellucci. Other times, a friend of yours just “knows” that introducing you with a old colleague of theirs at a party will be [...]
Realistic Teen Fiction
When The Stars Go Blue by Caridad Ferrer
Buy When The Stars Go Blue Special: $8.66 (Regular price: $9.99) Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books Format: Paperback Reviewer: Melissa on May 26, 2011 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars Everything in Soledad Reye’s life revolves around dance. In fact, she plans on spending her final summer in Miami teaching dance to kids, saving money, and [...]
YA Novelist Interviews
Armchair BEA: Interview Kat Zhang, Forthcoming Author Of Hybrid
Some of you may not know this, but Kat Zhang is the author of a forthcoming YA trilogy. The first book is called Hybrid, and it’s about a girl who has two souls. Sound intriguing? Then check out my questions and her answers for this Armchair BEA interview! YA Book Shelf: Many of your personal [...]
Book Blogger Culture
Armchair BEA: Karen Sandler Interviews Me!
A couple of days ago I heard through Twitter that Karen Sandler, the author of the forthcoming title Tankborn, was without an interview partner for Armchair BEA, and she was looking for someone to share in the fun. I can’t remember if I registered for this “session” or not, but it seemed like a good [...]
