Fierce Reads @ The 2021 Bronx Book Festival
May 24, 2021 | 12:00 PM
Fierce Reads @ The 2021 Bronx Book Festival
By Team Fierce Reads
Hey Bookworms!
We can’t wait to “see” you at the Bronx Book Festival on June 11 - 13. Check out our spotlighted giveaways below as well as SO many great book recs to fill up your TBR stack.
Love,
Team Fierce Reads
Looking for resources to use in the classroom? Download the Firekeeper’s Daughter Teacher’s Guide online here, plus check out the rest of the resources we have available here on our website.
Gossip Girl meets Get Out in Ace of Spades, a YA contemporary thriller by debut author Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé about two students, Devon & Chiamaka, and their struggles against an anonymous bully.
Debut author Angeline Boulley crafts a groundbreaking YA thriller about a Native teen who must root out the corruption in her community, for readers of Angie Thomas and Tommy Orange.
Eighteen-year-old Ziva spends her days tucked away in her forge, safe from society and the anxiety it causes her, using her magical gift to craft unique weapons imbued with power. Then Ziva receives a commission from a powerful warlord, and the result is a sword with the strength to topple kingdoms. When Ziva learns of the warlord’s intentions to use the weapon to enslave all the world under her rule, she takes her sister and flees. Joined by a distractingly handsome mercenary and a young scholar with extensive knowledge of the world’s known magics, Ziva and her sister set out on a quest to keep the sword safe until they can find a worthy wielder or a way to destroy it entirely.
Perfect for fans of Rick Yancey and Marie Lu, The Ones We're Meant to Find is a sci-fi fantasy with mind-blowing twists, ready to burst onto the YA scene, from the critically-acclaimed Descendant of the Crane author, Joan He.
A teen girl finds herself lost on a dangerous adventure in this YA thriller by the acclaimed author of The Wicker King and The Weight of the Stars—reimagining Peter Pan for today’s world.
Two girls on opposite sides of a war discover they're fighting for a common purpose—and falling for each other—in Zoe Hana Mikuta's high-octane debut Gearbreakers, perfect for fans of Pacific Rim, Pierce Brown's Red Rising Saga, and Marie Lu's Legend series.
Suspenseful and richly atmospheric, June Hur's The Forest of Stolen Girls is a haunting historical mystery sure to keep readers guessing until the last page.
A trans boy enters a throw-down battle for the title of Homecoming King with the boy he dumped last summer in ZR Ellor's contemporary YA debut.
High school nemeses fall in love in this queer YA romcom perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli and Casey McQuisten.
I’ll Give You the Sun meets Normal People in Cassandra Hartt's The Sea Is Salt and So Am I, a stunning YA contemporary debut that asks if the secrets we keep and the people we love can change who we are.
Set in a kingdom where danger lurks beneath the sea, mermaids seek vengeance with song, and magic is a choice, Adalyn Grace’s All the Stars and Teeth is a thrilling fantasy for fans of Stephanie Garber’s Caraval and Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass series.
When children start to go missing in the local woods, a teen girl must face her fears and a past she can't remember to rescue them in this atmospheric novel from the bestselling author of Cemetery Boys.
When sixteen-year-old Tariq Johnson dies from two gunshot wounds, his community is thrown into an uproar.
Tariq was black.
The shooter, Jack Franklin, is white.
In the aftermath of Tariq's death, everyone has something to say, but no two accounts of the events line up. Day by day, new twists further obscure the truth.
Told in a series of vignettes from multiple viewpoints, Kekla Magoon's Light It Up is a powerful, layered story about injustice and strength—as well as an incredible follow-up to the highly acclaimed novel How It Went Down.
Exploring identity, class struggles, and high-stakes romance, Tanaz Bhathena's Hunted by the Sky is a gripping adventure set in a world inspired by medieval India.
Heavily autobiographical and infused with magical realism, Black Girl Unlimited fearlessly explores the intersections of poverty, sexual violence, depression, racism, and sexism—all through the arc of a transcendent coming-of-age story for fans of Renee Watson's Piecing Me Together and Ibi Zoboi's American Street.
Cory Anderson's stunning debut novel, What Beauty There Is, tells the story of broken people trying to survive. This beautiful and brutal story is perfect for fans of Patrick Ness, Laura Ruby, and Meg Rosoff.
Filled with roadside hijinks, heart-stirring romance, and a few broken rules, I Wanna Be Where You Are is a YA debut perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Sandhya Menon.
Kristina Forest's Now That I've Found You is a YA novel about searching for answers, love, and your eccentric grandma in all the wrong places.
New York Times-bestselling author Goldy Moldavsky delivers a deliciously twisty YA thriller that's Scream meets Karen McManus about a mysterious club with an obsession for horror.
Enter the Grishaverse with Book One of the Shadow and Bone Trilogy by the number one New York Times-bestselling author of Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom. Perfect for fans of Laini Taylor and Sarah J. Maas.
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo returns to the breathtaking world of the Grishaverse in this unforgettable tale about the opportunity—and the adventure—of a lifetime.
Kiku is on vacation in San Francisco when suddenly she finds herself displaced to the 1940s Japanese-American internment camp that her late grandmother, Ernestina, was forcibly relocated to during World War II.
Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows meets Kristin Cashore's Graceling, with a dash of Winter is Coming, in this showstopping debut YA fantasy!
It's the summer between middle school and high school, and Aiden Navarro is away at camp. Everyone's going through changes—but for Aiden, the stakes feel higher. As he navigates friendships, deals with bullies, and spends time with Elias (a boy he can't stop thinking about), he finds himself on a path of self-discovery and acceptance.
The Awakening of Malcolm X is a powerful narrative account of the activist's adolescent years in jail, written by his daughter Ilyasah Shabazz along with 2019 Coretta Scott King-John Steptoe award-winning author, Tiffany D. Jackson.
Debut author L.L. McKinney delivers an action-packed twist on an old classic, full of romance and otherworldly intrigue.
Fierce Reads Recommends
Let us recommend your next bookish obsession! Enter to win all three of our giveaways below. Ace of Spades Finished Copy Giveaway Fierce Reads Recommends: Reimaginings Fierce Reads Recommends: DebutsNew on Vennly
Check out excerpt readings from participating authors as well as introductions to upcoming F21 titles below. Now That I’ve Found You Excerpt Reading by Author Kristina Forest Light It Up Excerpt Reading by Author Kekla Magoon Editor Emily Settle Introduces Remix ClassicsResources for Educators
Have you seen our Ed Day Buzz video? Be the first to hear about upcoming titles!
Looking for resources to use in the classroom? Download the Firekeeper’s Daughter Teacher’s Guide online here, plus check out the rest of the resources we have available here on our website.
Must-Read New Books for Sale
From magical realism to epic fantasy, powerful coming-of-age tales to suspenseful thrillers, swoon-inducing romcoms to what’s 🔥 on Netflix, we have a book for every reader!
Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
Gossip Girl meets Get Out in Ace of Spades, a YA contemporary thriller by debut author Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé about two students, Devon & Chiamaka, and their struggles against an anonymous bully.
Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley
Debut author Angeline Boulley crafts a groundbreaking YA thriller about a Native teen who must root out the corruption in her community, for readers of Angie Thomas and Tommy Orange.
Blade of Secrets by Tricia Levenseller
Eighteen-year-old Ziva spends her days tucked away in her forge, safe from society and the anxiety it causes her, using her magical gift to craft unique weapons imbued with power. Then Ziva receives a commission from a powerful warlord, and the result is a sword with the strength to topple kingdoms. When Ziva learns of the warlord’s intentions to use the weapon to enslave all the world under her rule, she takes her sister and flees. Joined by a distractingly handsome mercenary and a young scholar with extensive knowledge of the world’s known magics, Ziva and her sister set out on a quest to keep the sword safe until they can find a worthy wielder or a way to destroy it entirely.
The Ones We're Meant to Find by Joan He
Perfect for fans of Rick Yancey and Marie Lu, The Ones We're Meant to Find is a sci-fi fantasy with mind-blowing twists, ready to burst onto the YA scene, from the critically-acclaimed Descendant of the Crane author, Joan He.
Darling by K. Ancrum
A teen girl finds herself lost on a dangerous adventure in this YA thriller by the acclaimed author of The Wicker King and The Weight of the Stars—reimagining Peter Pan for today’s world.
Gearbreakers by Zoe Hana Mikuta
Two girls on opposite sides of a war discover they're fighting for a common purpose—and falling for each other—in Zoe Hana Mikuta's high-octane debut Gearbreakers, perfect for fans of Pacific Rim, Pierce Brown's Red Rising Saga, and Marie Lu's Legend series.
Forest of Stolen Girls by June Hur
Suspenseful and richly atmospheric, June Hur's The Forest of Stolen Girls is a haunting historical mystery sure to keep readers guessing until the last page.
May the Best Man Win by ZR Ellor
A trans boy enters a throw-down battle for the title of Homecoming King with the boy he dumped last summer in ZR Ellor's contemporary YA debut.
She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen
High school nemeses fall in love in this queer YA romcom perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli and Casey McQuisten.
The Sea Is Salt and So Am I by Cassandra Hartt
I’ll Give You the Sun meets Normal People in Cassandra Hartt's The Sea Is Salt and So Am I, a stunning YA contemporary debut that asks if the secrets we keep and the people we love can change who we are.
All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace
Set in a kingdom where danger lurks beneath the sea, mermaids seek vengeance with song, and magic is a choice, Adalyn Grace’s All the Stars and Teeth is a thrilling fantasy for fans of Stephanie Garber’s Caraval and Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass series.
Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
A trans boy determined to prove his gender to his conservative Latinx family summons a ghost who refuses to leave in Aiden Thomas's paranormal YA debut Cemetery Boys.
Lost in the Never Woods by Aiden Thomas
When children start to go missing in the local woods, a teen girl must face her fears and a past she can't remember to rescue them in this atmospheric novel from the bestselling author of Cemetery Boys.
How It Went Down by Kekla Magoon
When sixteen-year-old Tariq Johnson dies from two gunshot wounds, his community is thrown into an uproar.
Tariq was black.
The shooter, Jack Franklin, is white.
In the aftermath of Tariq's death, everyone has something to say, but no two accounts of the events line up. Day by day, new twists further obscure the truth.
Light It Up by Kekla Magoon
Told in a series of vignettes from multiple viewpoints, Kekla Magoon's Light It Up is a powerful, layered story about injustice and strength—as well as an incredible follow-up to the highly acclaimed novel How It Went Down.
What Big Teeth by Rose Szabo
Perfect for fans of Wilder Girls, this gothic fantasy will sink its teeth into you and never let go. Eleanor Zarrin has been estranged from her family for years. But when she flees boarding school after a horrifying incident, she goes to the only place she thinks is safe: the home she left behind. As she struggles to fit in with her estranged and wild relatives, Eleanor must learn to embrace her family of monsters and tame the darkness inside her.
The Mirror Season by Anna-Marie McLemore
When two teens discover that they were both sexually assaulted at the same party, they develop a cautious friendship through her family’s possibly-magical pastelería, his secret forest of otherworldly trees, and the swallows returning to their hometown, in Anna-Marie McLemore's The Mirror Season.
We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal
Set in a richly detailed world inspired by ancient Arabia, Hafsah Faizal’s We Hunt the Flame—first in the Sands of Arawiya duology—is a gripping story of discovery, conquering fear, and taking identity into your own hands.
Hunted by the Sky by Tanaz Bhathena
Exploring identity, class struggles, and high-stakes romance, Tanaz Bhathena's Hunted by the Sky is a gripping adventure set in a world inspired by medieval India.
Black Girl Unlimited by Echo Brown
Heavily autobiographical and infused with magical realism, Black Girl Unlimited fearlessly explores the intersections of poverty, sexual violence, depression, racism, and sexism—all through the arc of a transcendent coming-of-age story for fans of Renee Watson's Piecing Me Together and Ibi Zoboi's American Street.
What Beauty There Is by Cory Anderson
Cory Anderson's stunning debut novel, What Beauty There Is, tells the story of broken people trying to survive. This beautiful and brutal story is perfect for fans of Patrick Ness, Laura Ruby, and Meg Rosoff.
I Wanna Be Where You Are by Kristina Forest
Filled with roadside hijinks, heart-stirring romance, and a few broken rules, I Wanna Be Where You Are is a YA debut perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Sandhya Menon.
Now That I've Found You by Kristina Forest
Kristina Forest's Now That I've Found You is a YA novel about searching for answers, love, and your eccentric grandma in all the wrong places.
The Mary Shelley Club by Goldy Moldavsky
New York Times-bestselling author Goldy Moldavsky delivers a deliciously twisty YA thriller that's Scream meets Karen McManus about a mysterious club with an obsession for horror.
Skyhunter by Marie Lu
In this novel laced with adrenaline and filled with nonstop action, #1 New York Times–bestselling author Marie Lu creates an immersive world broken by war where the only hope against overwhelming evil lies with a team of young warriors willing to sacrifice everything to save what they love.
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
Danger lurks in Orïsha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers—and for her enemies.
Instant Karma by Marissa Meyer
In New York Times bestselling author Marissa Meyer's young adult contemporary romance, a girl is suddenly gifted with the ability to cast instant karma on those around her – both good and bad.
Shadow and Bone (Series Tie-In Edition) by Leigh Bardugo
Enter the Grishaverse with Book One of the Shadow and Bone Trilogy by the number one New York Times-bestselling author of Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom. Perfect for fans of Laini Taylor and Sarah J. Maas.
Six of Crows (Series Tie-In Edition) by Leigh Bardugo
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo returns to the breathtaking world of the Grishaverse in this unforgettable tale about the opportunity—and the adventure—of a lifetime.
Displacement by Kiku Hughes
Kiku is on vacation in San Francisco when suddenly she finds herself displaced to the 1940s Japanese-American internment camp that her late grandmother, Ernestina, was forcibly relocated to during World War II.
The Merciful Crow by Margaret Owen
Debut author Margaret Owen crafts a powerful saga of vengeance, survival, and sacrifice, perfect for fans of Tamora Pierce and Kendare Blake.
