What bugs you the most when you’re reading a book? If you’re like me, misspelled words are at the top of the list. As a former spelling bee champ, I place a great deal of importance on correct spelling. To my way of thinking, words should always be spelled right in a book, especially these days with spell check. Have you ever noticed the corrections readers have made in library books? They shouldn’t deface them, but I understand the impulse, don’t you? Another thing that bothers me is discontinuity. By that I mean if Prince Charming is walking through the forest and then dismounts from his horse, it jars me right out of the story. If the author says someone was born in 1987 and in 2011 they are 25 years old, my mind Read more…

It is amazing to me – and totally awesome – that those of you who read this bog come from all over the world! (Check out the map to see all the places on the globe readers come from.) A lot of you enjoy viewing many pages of the site on your visits, spending quite a bit of time, and you’ve translated it into a large number of different languages. Who Are You? The majority of you are between the ages of 13 and 18, with another large group between 19 and 30 years old. I know there are some teachers and librarians who visit and also recommend Best Books 4 Teens to their students. Most visitors are girls, although there are a fair number of boys who show up looking for science fiction and action adventure novels. The Books Read more…

Win a trip to NYC and shadow an editor! Lisa McMann, author of "Cryer’s Cross" and “The Unwanteds," and PulseIt have joined up with Wattpad to send one writer to NYC! How to Enter: 1. Write a 1,000 word response to the writing prompt from Lisa McMann below. Be sure to tag your story "lisamcmann" 2. Join Pulse It to complete your entry. You’ll find all the details and rules on Pulse It too! Pulse It is a site where you can read the hottest teen books for free and chat with your friends. Must be a member of PulseIt and Wattpad to enter. Must be between the ages of 14 and 18 and a resident of continental USA or Canada. Writing Prompt: I twisted my hair into a ponytail, tucking it under my cap and lowering Read more…

BookExpo can be an overwhelming experience. This year was no exception. In summarizing it here, my plan is to limit myself to adult books with potential teen appeal and their authors. Apologies to all of the wonderful YA and Adult authors and titles that will not be mentioned here. Overall, I was impressed by how many of the adult books being promoted this year have potential appeal to younger readers. Consensus seems to be that there were fewer advanced reader copies available at BookExpo this year, and some attendees were disappointed. Maybe, but the quality of the books being promoted was exceptional. I came away very excited about the coming months, and having enjoyed three wonderful days in the company of passionate fellow Read more…

Wow, now you can have a free virtual Kindle right on your computer! The software is free, and you can download the Kindle application for either PC or Mac. Then, you can store and read Amazon’s more than 450,000 e-books right on your computer, no actual Kindle purchase required! Of course you still have to pay for the e-books, but this is an amazing convenience, especially if you have a laptop or netbook you carry around with you. Here are some of the features when you shop for books in the Kindle store: Search and browse more than 450,000 books, including 101 of 112 New York Times® Best Sellers. If you are a non-U.S. customer, book availability may vary Find New York Times Best Sellers and new releases from $9.99 Get Read more…