Despite the immense loss everyone still feels here at Upstart Crow about Bridget Zinn, we would nonetheless like to take a moment to shine a bit of sweet light on the wonderful crows who've brightened readers' month of June with their new releases. It has been a busy, busy month!
The first of June brought us The Eternal Sea from Angie Frazier, the sequel to her rollicking, romantic debut, Everlasting.The Eternal Sea follows star-crossed lovers Oscar and Camille through a dangerous and paranormal adventure to find true love and happiness. It is thrilling, passionate, and incredibly well done. Fans of historical novels, romances, and simply “darn good” books should pick it up!And if you haven’t read Everlasting… what are you waiting for?
Josh Berk’s critically acclaimed (and super funny) The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin may have a fresh new look in paperback—but the jokes and suspense are deadly funny just the same.Will Halpin may be deaf and overweight, but what's a couple of handicaps matter when there's a murder to be solved?Read the book that Kirkus and SLJ gave starred reviews to, and Amazon.com, Kirkus, and VOYA named one of their “Best Books” for 2010.
And the middle of June welcomed Olive—the protagonist of Jacqueline West’sNew York Times bestselling debut, The Shadows—into paperback.This award-winner is the recipient of multiple starred reviews and nominations. If you missed Olive in hardcover, get caught up on this heartwarming, spooky, and very funny series … with luck, you’ll be done with it just in time for Spellbound, the second entry, which hits shelves in July.
Another book with a hot new look for summer is Matt Myklusch’s THE ACCIDENTAL HERO.Formerly known as Jack Blank and The Imagine Nation, this riveting middle grade adventure is perfect for Percy Jackson fans, but stands on its own as the start of a great new series. The San Francisco Book Review called Jack "a mythical hero." And look out for the sequel, The Secret War, in August.
And finally, June 24th saw the release of Danette Haworth's third book for middle grade readers, Me and Jack.From the writer of Violet Raines Almost Got Struck By Lightning and The Summer of Moonlight Secrets comes a soon-to-be classic about a boy and his beloved dog, set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War. Me and Jack is a perfect summer read. Danette is a lyrical and charming writer, and you will fall in love with her characters.Happy Summer reading, everyone!