This book has long been in our TBR pile. Now that the entire series is finished, we decided we were safe to start reading. By all accounts, once you start the story, it’s impossible to stop. That’s the kind of story we love to talk about. A New York Times bestselling novel, An Ember in the Ashes was written by former Washington Post editor, Sabaa Tahir. The first in a trilogy, it was a People’s Choice Award winner for Fantasy and Bustle’s Best Young Adult Book of 2015. With all the hype, we’re definitely looking forward to finally tackling this series.

So, what’s it about? The publisher, Razorbill (an imprint of Penguin Random House), says:
​Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.

It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.

But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.

There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

Needless to stay, we’re more than a little excited to dive into this story. We’re expecting something pretty epic. Plus, a story that has so many characters walking the line between good and evil, friendship and betrayal, romance and violence, will always bring about an interesting conversation.

The YA book club meets at the bookstore on the last Sunday of the month, November 25th at 6:30pm. We will have drinks and snacks to share with everyone. Even if you didn't finish the book or didn't like it, we'd love to see you at book club and hear your opinions. You can get your copy from the bookstore today with the 15% discount on book club titles. You can also RSVP to the Facebook event here. 

The New York Times Review -- "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir
Huffington Post Review -- "Sabaa Tahir's 'An Ember In The Ashes' is an Imaginative YA Page-Turner"
Bookstr Interview -- "Interview with the Intriguing Sabaa Tahir"

This month's book club choice is one that we've been looking forward to for quite a while. Victoria Schwab (aka adult fantasy author V.E. Schwab) is a powerhouse of a writer. She's often compared to Neil Gaiman and this book in particular speaks to readers who like Laini Taylor and Holly Black.

So, what's this one about?
There’s no such thing as safe in a city at war, a city overrun with monsters. In this dark urban fantasy, a young woman and a young man must choose whether to become heroes or villains—and friends or enemies—with the future of their home at stake. 
Kate Harker and August Flynn are the heirs to a divided city—a city where the violence has begun to breed actual monsters. All Kate wants is to be as ruthless as her father, who lets the monsters roam free and makes the humans pay for his protection. All August wants is to be human, as good-hearted as his own father, to play a bigger role in protecting the innocent—but he’s one of the monsters. One who can steal a soul with a simple strain of music. When the chance arises to keep an eye on Kate, who’s just been kicked out of her sixth boarding school and returned home, August jumps at it. But Kate discovers August’s secret, and after a failed assassination attempt the pair must flee for their lives. In This Savage Song, Victoria Schwab creates a gritty, seething metropolis, where her heroes will face monsters intent on destroying them from every side—including the monsters within.
​

We can't wait to dive into this dark fantasy and then discuss it together. There's nothing better than making the line between good and evil, humans and monsters, a little bit blurry. We should have an interesting discussion at the meeting!

The YA book club meets at the bookstore on the last Sunday of the month, October 28th, at 6:30pm. We will have drinks and snacks to share with everyone. Even if you didn't finish the book or didn't like it, we'd love to see you at book club and hear your opinions. You can get your copy from the bookstore today with the 15% discount on book club titles. You can also RSVP to the Facebook event here.

You can also get the book in other formats from us online:
Digital Audiobook
Hardcover
Paperback​
eBook
Audiobook CD

BookPage Interview - "Putting a Morbid Streak to Good Use"

Kirkus Review - "This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab"
​
Tor.com - "One Day at a Time"

We like to include the Common Sense Media report for those of you that may not be familiar with the book and would like to know a little more about if before your kid comes to book club. You can view the full report here but we've included the most important information for you below. You can also click any of the following images to get to the original webpage. 

Recommended Age Range

​What's In The Book?

​See y'all soon!

This month's choice for the Young Adult Book Club is the winner of the Southern Book Prize in the Young Adult category, Flame in the Mist by Renee Adieh. We're very excited about this book, which has been called a mix between Mulan and Throne of Glass. Even better is that Renee Adieh is a North Carolina author! She lives in Charlotte, NC with her husband and dog.

Here's the official summary:
The daughter of a prominent samurai, Mariko has long known her place—she may be an accomplished alchemist, whose cunning rivals that of her brother Kenshin, but because she is not a boy, her future has always been out of her hands. At just seventeen years old, Mariko is promised to Minamoto Raiden, the son of the emperor's favorite consort—a political marriage that will elevate her family's standing. But en route to the imperial city of Inako, Mariko narrowly escapes a bloody ambush by a dangerous gang of bandits known as the Black Clan, who she learns has been hired to kill her before she reaches the palace.

Dressed as a peasant boy, Mariko sets out to infiltrate the Black Clan and track down those responsible for the target on her back. Once she's within their ranks, though, Mariko finds for the first time she's appreciated for her intellect and abilities. She even finds herself falling in love—a love that will force her to question everything she's ever known about her family, her purpose, and her deepest desires.

Now, if that's not enough to pique your interest, scroll down to see book reviews and interviews with the author! Readers who love historical fantasy will enjoy this series. We recommend this book for ages 13+. 

The YA book club meets at the bookstore on the last Sunday of the month, July 29th, at 6:30pm. We will have drinks and snacks to share with everyone. Even if you didn't finish the book or didn't like it, we'd love to see you at book club and hear your opinions. You can get your copy from the bookstore today for $10.99 but you'll always get a 15% discount on book club titles. You can also RSVP to the Facebook event here.

You can also get the book in other formats from us online:
Digital Audiobook
Hardcover
eBook
Audiobook CD

TOR.com Review--"I'll Make A Man Out Of You: Flame in the Mist by Renee Adieh"

Bookables Video Review--"Flame in the Mist by Renee Adieh"

Krikus Reviews--"Flame in the Mist by Renee Adieh"

Publisher's Weekly Interview--"Q & A with Renee Adieh"

Book, Inc. Interview--"Author Interview with Renee Adieh!"

We like to include the Common Sense Media report for those of you that may not be familiar with the book and would like to know a little more about if before your kid comes to book club. You can view the report here but we've included the most important information for you below. You can also click any of the following images to get to the original webpage. 

Recommended Age Range

​What's In The Book?

See y'all soon!

We are incredibly excited for this month's YA book club meeting. We're reading Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi--a book that our entire staff has already read and loved. A brilliant and lushly descriptive fantasy, Adeyemi brings the #BlackGirlMagic to the page with her powerful narrative about a people seeking to break free from the tyranny of a king who hates their very existence. 

Here's the summary that the publisher provided: 

Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zélie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls. But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope. Now Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good. 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 her growing feelings for an enemy.

But, wait! There's also a book trailer! Watch this and then try to tell us you're not excited--

A Kid's Indie Next Pick with five starred reviews from major review outlets, this book is an absolute hit. Plus, it's already been optioned for a film so we can expect to see Zélie and crew on the big screen sometime soon!

Readers who love Black Panther and the Rick Riordan books will love this African mythology inspired adventure fantasy with strong characters. We recommend this book for readers age 15+. 

The YA book club meets at the bookstore on the last Sunday of the month, June 24th, at 6:30pm. We will have drinks and snacks to share with everyone. Even if you didn't finish the book or didn't like it, we'd love to see you at book club and hear your opinions. You can get your copy from the bookstore today for $18.99 but you'll always get a 15% discount on book club titles. We also have one book that we can give to someone in the community who would like to join in this month's reading but is unable to make the purchase themselves for financial reasons. This is first come, first serve but if you or someone you know would like to join us but wouldn't be able to otherwise, please email Mary at: owner@foggypinebooks.com. A huge thank you to the very generous Foggy Pine customer who made this possible.

You can also get the book in other formats from us online:
Digital Audiobook
Hardcover
eBook
Audiobook CD

NPR Review--'Children Of Blood And Bone' Is A Feast For Hungry Readers

The Atlantic Review--Where Fantasy Meets Black Lives Matter

The Guardian Interview--Tomi Adeyemi: ‘We need a black girl fantasy book every month’

Good Morning America Interview--Tomi Adeyemi opens up about her blockbuster book series​

We like to include the Common Sense Media report for those of you that may not be familiar with the book and would like to know a little more about if before your kid comes to book club. You can view the report here but we've included the most important information for you below. 

Recommended Age Range

What's In The Book?

See y'all soon!

As our newest book club, we've been excited about the level of interest surrounding the group! We've had many interesting discussions and have already read some wonderful books. We're always searching for new members though. Teens and young adults from age 16 and up are welcome at the Young Adult Book Club. We will serve drinks & snacks at each meeting and each member will have an opportunity to say something about the book we all read this month. We also want you to know that everyone is welcome--even if you didn't finish the book yet or didn't like it at all. We want to hear your opinion regardless and welcome an honest book discussion. The goal of our book clubs is to bring the community together around a love for literature, not to scold you for your busy schedule or reading preferences. 

This month we're reading If You Could Be Mine by Sara Farizan (click the title to buy the ebook!) a novel about what a person will give up for a forbidden love. Here is the publisher's summary: 

Seventeen-year-old Sahar has been in love with her best friend, Nasrin, since they were six. They’ve shared stolen kisses and romantic promises. But Iran is a dangerous place for two girls in love--Sahar and Nasrin could be beaten, imprisoned, even executed. So they carry on in secret until Nasrin’s parents suddenly announce that they’ve arranged for her marriage. Then Sahar discovers what seems like the perfect solution: homosexuality may be a crime, but to be a man trapped in a woman’s body is seen as nature’s mistake, and sex reassignment is legal and accessible. Sahar will never be able to love Nasrin in the body she wants to be loved in without risking their lives, but is saving their love worth sacrificing her true self?

This book came highly recommended as:
Winner of the Lambda Literary Award for LGBT Children’s/Young Adult
One of Rolling Stone’s 40 Best YA Novels
A 2014 ALA Rainbow List Top 10 Title
A Booklist Top 10 First Novels for Youth 2013
A Chicago Public Library “Best of the Best” 2013

We believe these topics to continue to be of importance and believe in fostering communication with marginalized communities and about difficult topics. Ultimately though, this is a love story and, like many love stories, tragedy intercepts and our lovers must choose the right path. 

We hope you'll join us for a lively discussion. You can RSVP here on our Facebook page so we have a general idea of attendance but it's not required. Don't forget that purchasing your book at Foggy Pine will get you a 15% discount!

Hello everyone! Welcome to the new digital home of the Young Adult Book Club!

This book club was voted into existence by the community and we really look forward to reading young adult literature with those who are the most excited about it. While the book club will feature literature from the young adult genre, we welcome people into the book club from age 13 and up. Please be aware that there will sometimes be discussions about difficult themes. You are welcome to join the club with your teen. To help you judge appropriateness for your child, we will post summaries of each book and ratings from Common Sense Media. 

This book club meets the final Sunday every month at the bookstore at 6:30pm. We will provide drinks and snacks to our guests. If you plan on attending, please RSVP on our Facebook event page so we know how many people to expect. 

​This month we will be meeting on Sunday, June 25th at Foggy Pine Books at 6:30pm. The book choice for June is Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo. 

Book Summary: Criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker has been offered wealth beyond his wildest dreams. But to claim it, he'll have to pull off a seemingly impossible heist:

Break into the notorious Ice Court
(a military stronghold that has never been breached)

Retrieve a hostage
(who could unleash magical havoc on the world)

Survive long enough to collect his reward
(and spend it)

Kaz needs a crew desperate enough to take on this suicide mission and dangerous enough to get the job done - and he knows exactly who: six of the deadliest outcasts the city has to offer. Together, they just might be unstoppable - if they don't kill each other first.

Common Sense Media Grade: 5 Stars for Age 14+

You can purchase the book in hardcover (it's not yet available in paperback) for $18.99 at Foggy Pine Books to get a 15% off discount. 
You can purchase the ebook here for $9.07. 
You can purchase the audiobook in CD format here for $12.99. 

What are we reading next?
July: The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
August: The Girl From Everywhere by Heidi Heilig
September: If You Could Be Mine by Sara Farizan
October: A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
November: Wake of Vultures by Lila Bowen