4 Book Recommendations


1. THE 5th WAVE by Rick Yancey

What it’s about: There have been four waves of alien invasion, which have wiped out over 90% of the earth’s inhabitants. Those who remain abide by only one rule as they wait for the fifth wave: trust no one. But then Cassie meets Evan, and everything she knows is thrown into question.

Why you should read it: This is how I prefer my alien invasions. There’s no raining hellstorm of fire, no aliens kicking down doors, armed with M-16s. No, there’s an almost silent infiltration of our world and a fuzzy sense of what the aliens are after, save our total annihilation. To me, this is much more terrifying, and THE 5th WAVE will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Available now.

2. SKETCHY by Olivia Samms

What it’s about: Bea Catcher is fresh out of rehab and the new girl in her high school when she discovers sobriety brings an amazing gift: an ability to tap into another’s mind and draw whatever he or she is thinking about. When Bea accidentally “sees” who raped popular cheerleader Willa and left her for dead, Bea feels an obligation to help catch the man.

Why you should read it: When I first picked up this book, I thought I was in store for the witty adventures of a ragtag team trying to solve a mystery, and . . . yeah, no. This book is gritty and raw and unputdownable (real word). I finished it in almost one sitting and wished there was more when it was over.

Available now.

3. ARCLIGHT by Josin McQuien

What it’s about:  Generations ago, the others invaded our world and sent the survivors scrambling toward the only safety they had: the light. The rest of the world is blanketed in darkness. Then Marina stumbles out of the dark with no memory of who she is or where she came from. As she struggles to piece together the clues, she finds herself questioning who she can trust.

Why you should read it: I like my books all twisty. Love when they can surprise me. Want to stand up and applaud when they turn everything on its head in a way I wasn’t expecting. ARCLIGHT did not disappoint. So gripping.

Available now.



4. UNDER THE EMPYREAN SKY by Chuck Wendig

What it’s about: In the future, corn has taken over our lives. The Empyrean—the ruling class—live high in the sky on a floating city, while the Heartlanders live in abject poverty below, completely under the whim of the Empyrean, their cities squeezed in between miles of (poisonous) corn. And Cael feels a growing sense of frustration—with the Empyrean, who threaten to tear his girlfriend away from him, and with his father, who doesn’t seem to want to fight back.

Why you should read it: I’ve saved my favorite for last. Everything about this book is superb—the lyrical writing, the complex character relationships, the richly imagined world Cael lives in. But mostly it’s the inherent believability of this future. A world where corn is king and our dependence on this staple has grown completely out of control? Yep. I’m buying it.

Releasing July 30. I was lucky enough to score an advance copy.





Meredith McCardle is June's Affiliate Blogger. To find out more about our guest author positions here at the League, click here.

Meredith McCardle is a recovered lawyer who lives in South Florida with her husband and two young daughters. Like her main character, she has a fondness for strong coffee, comfortable pants, and jumping to the wrong conclusions. Unlike her main character, she cannot travel through time. Sadly. Her debut, THE EIGHTH GUARDIAN, will be published by Skyscape/Amazon Children's in Spring 2014.
The Eighth Guardian
by Meredith McCardle

Iris's world is turned on end when she's plucked out of her top-secret government training school and dropped into an organization she’s never heard of: the Annum Guard. It’s a team of highly trained operatives who have the ability to travel back in time and tweak the past to improve the present. Enhancement, not alteration—or so they claim. But the deeper she gets into the organization, the more she learns that the Annum Guard is keeping some very dangerous secrets. So now she has to start digging for answers without getting caught. For if she fails, it won't just be her life on the line. It will be an entire history's worth of lives.

1 comment:

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