Elizabeth Scott

Elizabeth Scott is the author of the YA novels Bloom, Perfect You, Stealing Heaven, Living Dead Girl, the newly released Something, Maybe, and the forthcoming Love You Hate You Miss You.

Recently, I asked her what she was reading. Her response:

Janni Lee Simner's young adult novel Bones of Faerie was not at all what I was expecting. It is about faeries--a very popular topic these days--but it's also about so much more. Liza lives in our world but it's a changed one, one where a war between faerie and mankind have left everyone struggling to survive. After her newborn sister is killed--on suspicion of having magic in her--and her mother disappears, Liza ends up setting off to try and find her mother and ends up discovering that her mother, and others in her village, had their own secrets, and that she too isn't what she seems. Bones of Faerie is a story about family, love, loss, and the journey to become who you truly are. It is truly unique and an outstanding read.

Does This Book Make Me Look Fat?, edited by Marissa Walsh, is a collection of essays and short stories by various young adult authors. By turns sharp, funny, sad, and wise, the book explores body image issues. Standouts include Barry Lyga's "Whales Mate for Life," "Mirror, Mirror" by Megan McCafferty, and Ellen Hopkins' "Pretty, Hungry." In addition to the stories and essays, the book also contains a list of books for further reading, a suggested movie list, and more.

Another, non-young adult, book I recently read was Kate Atkinson's When Will There Be Good News?, the third book in her Jackson Brodie series. It could be classified as a mystery but it's really so much more--about connections lost and found, about love, death, and the secrets we all keep. I've loved each of the other books in the series--Case Histories and One Good Turn--but this one is my favorite. Not only does it have Atkinson's trademark gorgeous writing, it's got a plot that keeps you guessing, and one of main characters, Reggie, is a teenager with more heart and courage than anyone I've read about--or known!--in ages. As a plus, each of the books in the series, including When Will There Be Good News?, is solid enough to be read--and stand--on its own, a true rarity when it comes to a series.

Visit Elizabeth Scott's website and blog.

--Marshal Zeringue