It's the final episode! The Bookstacked Team reunites for the last time to reflect on some of their favorite memories from running the website and podcast while also diving into what they learned after covering YA books for almost a decade. Thank you to everyone who's joined us on our journey — whether you were here for a short while or a long time, you've been appreciated. Books are better together.
It's our final YA book club discussion! In this episode, Saul and Brigitte return to the world of Tracy Deonn's Legendborn in the exciting sequel, Bloodmarked . We're excited to report that the followup is just as exciting and profound as its predecessor. We dive into how Tracy Deonn uses every aspect of storytelling to reinforce themes of ancestral bonds while also exploring the dark corners of familial and colonial heritage. This episode is sponsored by Libro.fm. Buy audiobooks while supportin...
The YA book club returns with this Halloween-themed graphic novel from author Maggie Tokuda-Hall and artist Lisa Sterle. When Becca starts at a new school, the last thing she expects is to make friends with a pack of cool-girl werewolves. Entering their vicious world brings confidence and power, but it also sets Becca on a slippery slope that leaves her questioning her decision to join the pack at all. This episode is sponsored by Libro.fm. Buy audiobooks while supporting your local bookstore. L...
Fall doesn't only provide the best aesthetic (brightly colored leaves! sweaters! ghostly vibes!) but it often provides some of the best reads too. Bookstacked writers Saul Marquez and Spencer Miller discuss the recent and upcoming novels that have caught their attention. There's plenty to choose from whether it be a spooky Halloween read, fantasy with epic stakes or even cozy a story next to the fire. Which YA books are you reading this fall? Get in touch with Saul: saul [at] bookstacked.com. Re...
The podcast might be winding down at the end of the year, but we're still planning to fit in a couple more book club discussions, starting with a special Halloween-themed pick! This month we're reading a graphic novel: Squad by Maggie Tokuda-Hall, illustrated by Lisa Sterle. Here's what you need to know from the blurb: Pretty Little Liars meets Teen Wolf in this sharply funny, and patriarchy-smashing graphic novel from author Maggie Tokuda-Hall and artist Lisa Sterle. When the new girl is invite...
To learn more about the closure of the website and podcast, click here . To send Saul your questions, email him at: saul [at] bookstacked.com.
In Kacen Callender's latest, self-love is its own type of revolution. Lark Winters is on the path to being a writer, but when they cover up a social media accident for a past friend, they find themselves under the scrutiny of hordes of online strangers. Finding a way out of this mess is going to require an inner struggle of self-discovery. Kacen joins Bookstacked writer Spencer Miller to discuss their personal ties to the story and the intersection of shame and accountability. Get in touch … Let...
There's no exaggeration in saying that Nickelodeon's 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' is one of the most popular animated shows of all time. For the generations that grew up with the show, it's a great time to be a fan. With more television series and movies on the horizon, there's a massive demand for Avatar content. YA book author F. C. Yee knows all about it. Yee has been part of the Avatar universe expansion since 2019, starting with the YA novel The Rise of Kyoshi . He joins us on this episode ...
Jessica Goodman is no stranger to YA thrillers, and with the release of her third novel, The Counselors , it's clear to see that she has cemented her place as a master of the genre. In her latest novel, Jessica tells the story of Goldie as she returns to summer camp with her two best friends. Dark secrets begin to wash up on the shore of Alpine Lake — along with the body of someone from Goldie's very recent past. Jessica joins us this week to discuss her own history with summer camps, as well as...
We're re-introducing our YA book club! Sabaa Tahir's latest novel, All My Rage , is the first book we're kicking our 2022 book club off with. This newly-released contemporary might as well be crowned a YA classic. It's easily one of the best books we've read on the show. Exploring the lives of a Pakistani community through the eyes of two young protagonists, this book confronts trauma, grief, family and forgiveness in a way that rings authentic. We love this book! This episode is sponsored by Li...
Despite their novel, Break This House , being written in prose, Candice Iloh's history of writing poetry is woven into the book's fabric. On top of being beautifully written, Minah's story of confronting her past — almost literally by traveling back to her hometown after learning of a family tragedy — is one that is sure to inspire and encourage young adults everywhere to be open with who they are and how they feel. We are delighted to welcome Candice onto the show this week to talk about their ...
Netflix's 'Heartstopper' is taking the YA world by storm — and rightfully so! The series, based on the popular webcomic-turned-graphic novel by Alice Oseman , is both enlightening and uplifting. The show highlights the love story between Charlie Spring and his classmate Nick Nelson while also diving into their wonderful cast of friends. This charming show is too good! So the Bookstacked team had to turn on the mics to record a quick episode and geek about all things 'Heartstopper.' Get in touch ...
By the time this YA novel begins, Siena and Patrick have already been dating for three years. With college in the near future, Siena is ready to let go and move on — to give herself a chance to grow. But before she can break up with Patrick, he breaks the news that he's moving out of state. Hoping that their relationship will break apart over time, Siena agrees to date long-distance ... which might have her re-thinking her feelings for Patrick altogether. YA author duo Emily Wibberley and Austin...
Anna isn't unlike the other girls her age, except for her recent diagnosis: the fictional disease of lepidopsy . Suddenly, the life she once knew begins to drift away — literally. Her disease causes her to physically float, amidst other moth-like symptoms such as craving light. Now Anna is forced to come to terms with her new reality, while still trying to hold onto the life she's always known. Such is the story found in the new YA novel The Moth Girl by Heather Kamins. Heather drew from her own...
Author Adib Khorram explores the complexities of being queer in the public eye in his latest YA book, Kiss & Tell . Hunter is a role model for queer teens — a boy band star currently touring North America. But with that stardom comes a lot to juggle, especially when his love life is under the microscope of public pressure. Adib joins Chelsea Regan to discuss writing his novel and all things boy bands, including the eternal question: NSYNC or Backstreet Boys? This episode contains an instance...
Deborah Falaye waited years to find a book that represented her culture and identity, but "that never happened," she said. Now she's making it happen. Bookstacked writers Chelsea Regan and Spencer Miller sit down with Deborah to talk about her fantasy/sci-fi debut, Blood Scion , which follows the harrowing story of fifteen-year-old Sloane, a descendant of the ancient Orisha gods. Deborah talks about the importance of representation, diversity and her experience entering the YA book community. Re...
Are you ready to pack up your heavy coats and scarves? It's time for the weather to warm up, which means we're looking for YA books to read during this springtime season! The Bookstacked Team shares which books they think are perfect for spring in this panel discussion. We're recommending newer releases as well as some classics, with genres spanning across fantasy, contemporary and even graphic novels. We want to know what your spring recommendations are too! Drop us a note in the Spotify app an...
In League of Liars , 17-year-old Cayder Broduck has sights on becoming a prosecutor. He wants to see illegal magic users punished. What follows is a magical court drama and a process that leaves Cayder rethinking his black and white mindset. Maybe the legal system he knows isn't as clean-cut as he used to believe? Magical crime. Teenage criminals. Twists and turns! Astrid Scholte joins us on the podcast to dive into her new YA fantasy novel. This episode is sponsored by Libro.fm. Buy audiobooks ...
Young adult books are getting something of a renaissance when it comes to film and TV adaptations these days. While the silver screen has seen something of a YA "drought" in recent years, studios are snatching up book rights once again — often for streaming and television — which means there's plenty that should be on your radar! Bookstacked writer Spencer Miller walks us through some of the YA book adaptations he's looking forward to the most in 2022. There's plenty in the comic and graphic nov...
Adriana Russo has her eyes set on the Olympics. While that dream is still at least four years away, she's dedicated to ice dancing — a dynamic winter sport where the competition is fierce. But when her skating partner, Brayden, suggests they play up their relationship, a fake-dating plot ensues and threatens to knock Adriana off balance. Jennifer Iacopelli's novel, Finding Her Edge , is perfect for anyone who loves the world of winter sports and is the perfect novel to pick up if you're chasing ...
In I Must Betray You , Ruta Sepetys' characters face a dark world of strict obedience. When seventeen-year-old Cristian Florescu is forced to become an informer for the secret police, he risks his life and tries to undermine the dictatorship he lives under. It might sound like another dystopian novel, but this one is set against the backdrop of a real historical period: the dictatorship of Nicolae Ceaușescu. Ruta Sepetys writes historical fiction. She shares the experience of writing I Must Betr...
When author Jennieke Cohen sat down to write her new novel, she knew she was going to take inspiration from the classic musical, 'My Fair Lady.' She also knew she wanted to bring the story into the modern age. Stripping away the misogyny. Crafting British history to make it more inclusive. Adding a gender-swapped twist. Jennieke gives us insight into how she tackles historical fiction in this episode of the podcast. This episode is sponsored by Libro.fm. Buy audiobooks while supporting your loca...
Fairytale retellings are still going strong in 2022, which is proven by Leslie Vedder's debut, The Bone Spindle . This gender-flipped take on Sleeping Beauty adds so much to the original story readers know and love. From exploring concepts of destiny, to marrying the fairytale genre with exciting elements from favorites like Indiana Jones — this is a YA book to have on your radar this year. Related: ‘The Bone Spindle’ by Leslie Vedder turns a classic fairytale on its head (Review) This episode i...
Happy New Year! It's time to say hello to 2022, but not without a quick retrospective on some of our favorite YA books from 2021. Join us in this episode as we discuss which YA books from 2021 surprised and delighted us most. We also share some of the upcoming books we can't stop thinking about. By the way, if you have recommendations for our book club selections next year, let us know! We're looking for books that have been written by authors from underrepresented groups. Check out the links be...
The summer of 2020 was different. Against the backdrop of the pandemic, millions of individuals from around the world took to the streets to make a statement: Black Lives Matter. In many ways, young adults led the charge. The history of the Black Lives Matter movement is documented in Call and Response: The Story of Black Lives Matter by Veronica Chambers, an editor at The New York Times. This book is an incredible resource for young readers, teachers, librarians and parents who are looking to b...
An original romance with a bookish girl in a charming holiday town? Sounds like the perfect winter read. Author Tif Marcelo joins us for this episode of the podcast to discuss her new novel, The Holiday Switch . There's fangirling, book blogging, a swoony love interest and lots of holiday cheer. You're not going to want to miss this special holiday episode! This episode is sponsored by Libro.fm. Buy audiobooks while supporting your local bookstore. Libro.fm has a special offer for Bookstacked re...
Are you ready for Bookstacked's final book club discussion of the year? Xiran Jay Zhao's debut novel, Iron Widow , rocked the YA book world at the beginning of the fall season which gave us plenty of reason to choose it as our third book club pick for 2021. An exciting sci-fi fantasy, this book challenges readers' expectations by adding exciting twists to tired YA tropes while challenging the problematic aspects of today's society, especially where patriarchal systems and misogyny are concerned....
The story that started with Monty's swashbuckling adventure, finally comes to a close, as we meet his little baby brother, all grown up and headed off on a quest of his own. We talk to bestselling author Mackenzi Lee about everything from how she developed her beloved books to how she feels about where she leaves our favorite siblings. This series finale is both vividly exciting and deeply personal, and we were so excited to get to hear about creating it from this excellent author. This episode ...
This YA detective takes on revenge porn in this debut that's being billed as Veronica Mars meets Moxie! Carrie McCrossen and Ian McWethy introduce readers to Margot Mertz in their debut YA book, Margot Mertz Takes It Down . Margot is known for hunting down and erasing embarrassing digital content that others don't want online. When Margot discovers a secret revenge porn site, she makes it her mission to "take it down." The authors join us in this episode to dish out how they brought Margot to li...
Kate Sweeney's debut novel, Catch the Light , is a YA contemporary that explores grief and love — and the ways they can change a person. After the death of her father, Marigold and her family move across the country. For Marigold, this means leaving everything she knows behind and starting a new life. How will she reconcile the change? Memory. Photography. Grief. Love. Kate Sweeney takes us behind the scenes of her novel. This episode is sponsored by Libro.fm. Buy audiobooks while supporting you...
