Michelle I. Mason
Books for young adults
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Posted September 30, 2020 by Michelle I. Mason & filed under .

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Welcome to my blog, where I review* books I love, offer writing tips, and share thoughts about reading, my writing journey, and other random stuff. If you subscribe, you’ll also receive news about my books and upcoming events. Check out the categories in the sidebar to narrow down some of my older blog posts, or if you’re a writer pursuing traditional publication, visit my Resources page for more targeted links. If there’s something I haven’t tackled on the blog that you’d like me to address—including questions about my books!—please contact me and I’ll do my best.

*Please note I do not review books by request.

Your Life Has Been Delayed

Release Day!August 24, 2021
308 days to go.

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Tracker220 by Jamie Krakover

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Happy release day to @jamiekrakover and TRACKER220 Happy release day to @jamiekrakover and TRACKER220! I was privileged to read an early version of this book, and I’m so excited to dive into the final, published book. Jamie is one of the few writer friends I get to actually see in person—in non-COVID times 😆—as we both live in St. Louis, and I’m just so excited for her! Here’s the description for the book: When everyone has a brain-interfacing tracking chip, one glitch threatens the entire network. Kaya Weiss is that glitch. Through thoughts and blinks, Kaya can access anyone or anything on the tracker network. But the authorities monitor everything—where Kaya goes, who she talks to, and what she searches. And without the ability to turn it off, Kaya and her family can’t observe a tech-free Shabbat. To fix the glitch, the authorities slice into her skull to reset her tracker, leaving Kaya to question more than the system’s invasion into her faith. Kaya won’t be a lab rat again. Evading the authorities requires some serious tech skills the rogue underground Ghosts can offer. But Kaya’s not sure she can trust them—even if their top tech wiz, Bailen, has interest in her running deeper than her bum tracker. Kaya must decide if gaining freedom is worth losing her tracker’s infinite knowledge—because to take down the tracker network, she must betray the only tech she’s ever known. Go check out TRACKER220!! Available on Indiebound, Amazon, B&N, and more! #tracker220 #jamiekrakover #yascifi #yasciencefiction #yareader #yabookstagrammer #yalover #yaliterature #ireadyalit #ireadyabooks #ireadyanovels #yaloving
It’s no secret I love fairy tale retellings, but It’s no secret I love fairy tale retellings, but I actually ended up reading MIRROR, MIRROR by @jencalonita because of my 10-year-old. See, she read all of Jen Calonita’s Fairy Tale Reform School series and then CONCEAL, DON’T FEEL, part of Disney’s Twisted Fairy Tale series. But when we went to B&N to find more, the bookseller directed us to the YA section, and I realized I’d better check the books out myself first. I’m so glad I did! I really loved MIRROR, MIRROR (and incidentally, I also felt it was completely fine for my 10-year-old). The premise of the story is: What if the Evil Queen poisoned the prince instead of Snow White? Snow White has never been one of my favorite fairy tales, but I loved the way Jen Calonita brought her story to life. Snow doesn’t start out very strong as a character, but her growth throughout the story makes her a true hero you’re rooting for. I also really enjoyed the supporting characters, even including the Evil Queen. Now I guess I should read the other Twisted Fairy Tale my daughter already has 😀.
Happy Sunday! #gorgeousmorning #happysunday #beau Happy Sunday! #gorgeousmorning #happysunday #beautifulfallmorning
Last night’s random thought as I was reading: if Last night’s random thought as I was reading: if I really buy into a couple in a book, it’s hard to sell me on a different pairing later in the book or in a sequel. This is also true in TV shows and why I was never a fan of the whole Buffy/Spike thing (I know many disagree on that one). What do you think? How attached do you get? Does it depend on how much the writer has made you fall in love with the first couple? Or if they can make you believe even more in the second? #randomreadingthoughts #amreadingya #tooattached #lovetoreadbooks #readwithme #loveyabooks
I love books with sweeping what-if questions like I love books with sweeping what-if questions like the one at the center of AMERICAN ROYALS by @katharinemcgee: What if George Washington were the first king of America instead of the first president of the United States? I mean, this question completely changes the history of our country. And it’s also the kind of question I wish *I’d* thought of first 😉. But of course, I’m sure I wouldn’t have executed it the same way—and this book is done SO WELL. I could not put this book down. Everything about it was gripping—the characters, the romances, the tension. There are several different points of view, and I found the choices of who to follow quite interesting. We get to see inside the viewpoints of the future queen, her younger sister, royal best friend and potential girlfriend of the prince, and finally the ex-girlfriend of the prince. But we never get an inside look at any of the male characters, and I think that provides an additional source of tension. I found it quite fascinating. I finished this book late last night, and I already loaded the sequel on my Kindle (because it was the fastest way to start reading it!). I can’t wait to see how all the drama plays out. Will Starlight and I be just as engrossed with the second book?
Over on my blog today (link in bio), I talk a bit Over on my blog today (link in bio), I talk a bit about my drafting process—which I threw out the window last year when I attempted to pants a book—and how it’s going now that I’ve returned to drafting that manuscript. One takeaway is that it’s always worth trying something new, even if it doesn’t work out. I’m probably never going to be a pantser, but at the same time, some really great moments came out of that process that I’m keeping in this book. 
Now that I’m back to drafting again, I’m on track to finish it by the end of November—barring any other time-sensitive deadlines that pop up in the meantime. This book has given me a lot of trouble, so I will be very happy when the draft is finished! Have certain drafts given you more trouble than others?
Portrait of a writer who just nailed an editing de Portrait of a writer who just nailed an editing deadline PLUS it’s the weekend. 🎉🎉🎉 #amwritingyoungadult #yawriterlife #writerslifestyle #youngadultauthor #yawritersofinstagram #writerscommunityofig #fridayvibes #ameditingya
Last week I finished outlining the rest of a work- Last week I finished outlining the rest of a work-in-progress I stalled out on last year, so that means it’s time to start drafting again. My sweet spot is about 1,800 words per day, so I set my Scrivener project to finish drafting Nov. 19. I will probably end up finishing before that. Drafting is my least favorite part of the writing process. However, it goes much more smoothly if I have a detailed outline. In this case, I tried pantsing the book, and I got stuck at 30,000 words, so I wrote an entirely different book. When I came back to this one, I went back and outlined what I’d already written, then outlined the rest. I think it’s finally on the right track! I guess we’ll see in 5-6 weeks 😀. 
Other writers, do you like drafting or revising better?
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