New Release Round-Up: May 14-20

Young Adult

Code Name Verity
by Elizabeth Wein

Release date: May 15, 2012
Available as: hardcover, paperback, Kindle edition, ebook, audiobook
Pages: 327
Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children
Suggested tags: young adult, historical fiction



From Goodreads:

"Oct. 11th, 1943—A British spy plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France. Its pilot and passenger are best friends. One of the girls has a chance at survival. The other has lost the game before it's barely begun.

When “Verity” is arrested by the Gestapo, she's sure she doesn’t stand a chance. As a secret agent captured in enemy territory, she’s living a spy’s worst nightmare. Her Nazi interrogators give her a simple choice: reveal her mission or face a grisly execution.

As she intricately weaves her confession, Verity uncovers her past, how she became friends with the pilot Maddie, and why she left Maddie in the wrecked fuselage of their plane. On each new scrap of paper, Verity battles for her life, confronting her views on courage and failure and her desperate hope to make it home. But will trading her secrets be enough to save her from the enemy?"

A Confusion of Princes
by Garth Nix

Release date: May 15, 2012
Available as: hardcover, Kindle edition, ebook
Pages: 352
Publisher: HarperCollins Childrens Books
Suggested tags: young adult, fantasy, science fiction



From Goodreads:

"You’d think being a privileged Prince in a vast intergalactic Empire would be about as good as it gets. But it isn’t as great as it sounds. For one thing, Princes are always in danger. Their greatest threat? Other Princes. Khemri discovers that the moment he is proclaimed a Prince.

He also discovers mysteries within the hidden workings of the Empire. Dispatched on a secret mission, Khemri comes across the ruins of a space battle. In the midst of it all he meets a young woman named Raine, who will challenge his view of the Empire, of Princes, and of himself."

Other YA new releases for this week:

Middle Grade


Joy of Apex
by Napatsi Folger

Release date: May 15, 2012
Available as: paperback
Pages: 104
Publisher: Inhabit Media
Suggested tags: middle grade, realistic fiction



From Goodreads:

"Joy is ten years old, living in Apex, Nunavut—a suburb of Iqaluit—and loving life. Her little sister Allashua may be annoying, but all in all Joy loves living at the top of the world in Apex. But when Joy begins to notice her parents fighting a lot more than usual, and her mom staying with her sisters in Iqaluit more than she is home, Joy’s perfect life soon becomes a lot more complicated. As Joy navigates her parents’ separation and its affect on her family, she learns some valuable lessons about how to cope when life gets tough. Told in the wry, funny voice of a smart and savvy ten-year-old girl, this book will appeal to young readers everywhere."

Sway
by Amber McRee Turner

Release date: May 15, 2012
Available as: hardcover, Kindle edition, ebook
Pages: 320
Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children
Suggested tags: middle grade



From Goodreads:

"For four long months, ten-year-old Cass has been dreaming of the day her mom, Toodi, will come home. But when Toodi's welcome back party takes a turn for the disastrous, Cass finds herself stuck alone with her dull-as-dirt dad, who insists that they set off for the summer on a mysterious adventure--just the two of them.

It turns out Cass's dad has some big-time surprises up his sleeve. Once they hit the road in an old RV named The Roast, he introduces her to the amazing power of "Sway," a seemingly magical force that can bring inspiration and joy to people in major need of help.

Cass can think of one particular person who could really use some Sway. If only she could track down Toodi, Cass knows she could convince her mom to come home. But with the help of a little home-spun magic, Cass realizes that the things she needs most have always been within her reach."