These collections are super helpful!! .

A must browse through guide for those interested in young adult novels. Gems are often hidden in these little snippets. Adding to the ever growing to read list!

Fun book, I enjoyed getting a sneak peek at the books to come. Putting a few on my TBR list.

(This is a catch-up review from a 2016 book I requested under read now)

I really like the idea of Buzz Books, having various extracts from upcoming releases. Sadly for this edition, I only found 4 books that spoke out to me that I hope to read full copies of soon. They are The Thousandth Floor, The Reader, Frostblood and Vassa In The Night. I do recommend to readers who are unsure about what they would like to read and need some guidance to choose.

A great resource! A must have for anyone recommending or buying books!

Really great idea! It gave me some ideas as to what books I could read!

Thanks for giving us another great edition! Love being able to see what is coming out that I might be interested in.

I always find these kinds of books very helpful and a delight for discovering titles I wouldn't' have tried otherwise.

Kids of Appetite – David Arnold
From this small excerpt of the novel, I would not purchase. The writing is disjointed and erratic. I was not sucked in by the conversation going on between Vic and Mendes, but rather turned off. I did not get any depth from the characters and felt that, at this point, Vic’s disability was an add-on to have a quirky/politically correct array of characters. I would definitely need more to go on, yet I’m not that interested in any more.

Frost Blood – Elly Blake
The first chapter of this novel proved to be an adventure in itself with a clear heroine with faults, a new motive for revenge, and a new sort of magic for fantasy readers. The writing was smooth and the characters well defined. I have actually read the entire novel and it is filled with great world building, exciting characters, and a new twist on magic. The story line is quite generic, yet is never boring. The action is continuous and it even has a good plot twist near the end.

Three Dark Crowns – Kendare Blake
I have had this title on my “to read” list for a while and was excited to get a first look at it. The writing was well done with in depth characters right of the bat and some build up for what is to come. There is a little confusion as to what exactly is about to happen with these queens. It is clear that only one should survive and that this has been happening for some time. I would have liked a little history lesson at the beginning, but still look forward to the rest of this novel, and hopefully some great world building.

Hawkweed Prophecy – Irena Brignull
Brignull’s fantasy of switched-at-birth children was an intriguing glimpse as to what could come in the whole novel. I felt that the characters had potential and the storyline was a great pairing of fantasy and real world to make it “believable”. I am excited to see how these two girls meet and change their lives around for the better.

The Forgetting – Sharon Cameron
This is an interesting premise that will have time constraints and moving action. It will be a fight against to clock to save the memories before they are gone forever. Cameron gave us a partial history, some character development, and a clear sight into the future of the novel, all wrapped up and in an early morning meeting between two greatly intriguing characters.

The Reader – Traci Chee
I have been put off by the cover of this book, but I am glad that I got to get a taste of the writing. Chee does an excellent job drawing her readers in with great setting descriptions, relatable characters, and an intense beginning in what I now look forward to reading in its entirety. Sefia is in line to be a great heroine on a mission to save her aunt. She already has a deep backstory, a little bit of pluck, and a fierce determination. The setting has a little edge of mysticism that will draw in fantasy readers.

A Shadow Bright and Burning – Jessica Cluess
Henrietta provides a relatable, albeit magical, heroine that is strong on the inside and shows signs of becoming strong on the outside as well. Cluess’ writing is pretty straightforward. She gives life to her characters, with deep feelings and clear cut actions. Her world building, at least in this chapter, is promising and gives hints to the past and future of this fantasy. This looks like a solid novel beginner for fantasy lovers.

Something in Between – Melissa de la Cruz
I liked the cultural angles that this novel is looking into. It is a relevant issue in our country today and will make good discussions, both in school and out. Jasmine is a relatable character and the author uses cultural references from her past to help shape her family life. I am excited to see more of this novel to see the angles it takes and how issues are solved. Reading was easy and instightful.

The Continent – Keira Drake
This was a great teaser for what is to come in this novel. I enjoyed the characters, their distinct personalities, and the hints of their backgrounds. The setting was laid out nicely and with many details in such a short viewing of the new land. I could see the conflicts to come and look forward to reading more of this novel.

Caraval – Stephanie Garber
Garber introduces the reader to a new land, with new magic, relatable characters, and loads of adventure to come. From this excerpt, we see Scarlett and Tella with great backstories that explain their want, and need, to escape their island. The idea of Caraval is one of magic and mystery and was explained in great detail in these few short chapters. This novel could go in many different directions, with several outcomes. I am excited to see where it leads me and how these characters play out.
Edge of Everything – Jeff Giles
This first couple of chapters was a whirlwind of a story all on its own. We get a great view of the setting and blizzard from Zoe’s point of view. The writing was very descriptive and presented the reader with the feelings of the cold and the urgency going through Zoe’s mind to find her brother. There is mystery and danger offered up and ready for the taking.
Girl in Pieces – Kathleen Glasgow
There is confusion throughout this first chapter, but it is a good and deserving confusion. It allows the reader to relate to the narrator’s own confusion and her struggle to try and decipher what is happening in her own life. The descriptions are very powerful and give a quick briefing of life in the mental ward. The novel is easy to follow and age appropriate.
One Half From the East – Nadia Hashimi
This will be a great look into the mostly unheard of culture (at least for most young Americans) of Afghanistan. Obayda is a great, young girl that is quite relatable and has her dreams laid out before her, even after having somewhat of a culture shock moving out of the city. Her fear and distress over hearing what her mother plans, and starts to do, is understandable and well written. I look forward to reading this entire novel.
The Thousandth Floor – Katherine McGee
This was an interesting introduction to a novel that has a lot of potential. The characters have some depth, dealing with family issues, heartbreak, drugs, and money problems. The setting is well done with futuristic items that are not too much of a stretch outside of our current world. The idea of the tower is staggering and is somewhat subdued. It is treated as an everyday apartment building which makes it easier to grasp and doesn’t overwhelm the reader by trying to explain the immensity of it. Look forward to reading the rest of this title.

The Female of the Species – Mindy McGinnis
I quick excerpt with a good hook. We see three different characters with three different perspectives and personal issues. They are well described and given a large amount of background for such a short excerpt. The setting was ordinary, which fit the novel. The writing was fluid and easy to read and follow. Definitely catches the reader.

Replica – Lauren Oliver
I was both intrigued by this excerpt and put off. The plot of having replicas with a chance for escape sounds like a good story. With the replica’s original as the counter story, it definitely is a bump up. The problem that I had with the story was the actual writing. It was almost backwards in a way. Lyra’s story mentions A LOT of nicknames. Many of these are very confusing until the next chapter. The third chapter is almost an overview of Lyra’s life. These chapters would be better in the opposite order as I had already, for the most part, sorted out the third chapter by the time I got to it. Gemma’s story was much the same. Referencing fellow students in the first chapter that the reader is not introduced to until the following chapter. The excessive use of nicknames from both main characters is obviously a shared trait, but creates a very complicated character list that is already overwhelming after just this excerpt. A rocky start to what could be a great story.
Vassa in the Night – Sarah Porter
I was not sold on this novel. The Beginning chapter is too wordy and philosophical. It tried to give a dark feeling to the story and show a magical/foreboding moment in time, which it did, but came across as muddled and confusing. The writing depended too much on similes and metaphors that became lengthy and annoying to this reader. There was no real explanation of this world we are in or the “magic” that it may contain. It seemed as though the author continuously added in complications and twists to make her character more interesting, yet, after these few chapters, I was anything but interested.

The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett – Chelsea Sedoti
This title seemed like a good read for teen girls with a relatable main character, a distinct plot line, and a bit of a mystery. The writing was easy to follow and true to real life when it came to characterization. Hawthorn and her family had their quirks that were not too over the top. Great start.

Love and First Sight – Josh Sundquist
The character of Will is our voice for this novel and we see through his eyes. As he is blind, he is very descriptive of what is going on around him and how he feels about these surroundings. I was a good insight into the life of a blind person and how they perceive our words and actions. What I did not like about Will was his constant negative outlook. I could understand his frustration, yet could not find him as a likable character with his cocky attitude. This book has potential, but after just this excerpt, I would pass.
Frazzled – Booki Vivat
This was a cute start for a novel. It was nice to see Abbie’s thoughts drawn out as well as spelled. Even the drawn words gave her character personality and a quirkiness that was enjoyable. This chapter was a quick look into Abbie’s life and those that surround her. I would consider this juvenile rather than Young Adult, but look forward to having it for those readers just the same.

The books sounded great and great for the fall and winter season. Loving the selection

Another helpful group of excerpts which is both informative and a nice change for when looking into stock selection!

Loved every sneak peak of each book and it really helped me choose what to put on my TBR list!

I don't think you can really review these, but I do appreciate them a lot because it's nice to see what is coming out. It's like browsing a publisher catalog with the added benefit an excerpt to get you even MORE excited. Thanks for releasing these and sharing them on Netgalley.

I love these "Buzz Books" as they give me glimpse into books that I should allocate my limited budget to, for my patrons of course!

A fascinating sample of YA fiction and non-fiction. A great selection., which offers new work from established writers and introduces debut voices. Lots to explore.

I very much enjoyed all the samples encased within these pages.

I had trouble downloading the book at first for a long time so I never got a chance to read the samples until I discovered it was sent to a different device of mine. Since time has passed and all of these stories have been released it's a little to late for me to rate.

Not very many books in here that I want to read unfortunately. I love the idea of this preview though!

Great preview! I'll likely be purchasing Caraval, Kids of Appetite and The Edge of Everything. I'll be keeping an eye on The Thousandth Floor, Something In Between and The Hundred Lies of Lizzy Lovett. Everything sounds so good but my #1 choice would have to be Caraval. That cover is gorgeous.

I appreciated the opportunity the Buzz Book provided for me to review several books at once. I plan to purchase titles from this collection for my middle school library. The books that stood out particularly to me are listed below.

Something in Between by Melissa de la Cruz: This story of an immigrant teen is so timely, the writing so strong, it makes my list of must-haves. The author's fantasy title, Isle of the Lost, is already popular at my library.

Love and First Sight by Josh Sundquest: This story promises a romance that will appeal to my middle school students. And while the writing is enough to put it near the top of my list, I'm particularly pleased to find a story featuring a main character who has a disability. I am working to expand the diversity of my library collection and finding books featuring characters with disabilities has been more of a challenge than it should be.

The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett by Chelsea Sedoti: I fell into the writing of this book and had to keep reading. It is an engaging mystery that feels like it is being told by an over-caffeinated teenager. Sedonti does a fantastic job of creating an authentic teen voice as her narrator. It is a book I will recommend to the high school librarian.