Welcome to another edition of our new semi-regular series: Blast from the Past. A refresher: We will occasionally read (or listen) to a book we had loved as children but have not re-visited as adult writers. And then we’ll tell you about it. How did the story hold up? Is the magic still there? What differences do we notice, both cultural and in storytelling techniques … Continue reading Blast from the Past!
All of us at The Winged Pen are looking forward to seeing the end of 2020 and have high hopes for 2021…especially all the new Pennie books coming out, including Halli Gomez’s LIST OF TEN, Jessica Vitalis’s THE WOLF’S CURSE, Gabrielle K. Byrne’s THE EDGE OF STRANGE HOLLOW, and Gita Trelease’s EVERYTHING THAT BURNS. To prepare for the excitement, we’re going to take a few weeks off. But never … Continue reading Goodbye 2020 Road Trip
Who wouldn’t want to be Scarlet Leigh? Just look at her Instagram. Scarlet isn’t just styled to perfection: she is perfection. Scarlet has a gorgeous, famous boyfriend named Jack and there’s a whole fanbase about their ship. To everyone watching online, their lives seem perfect . . . but are they really? The sun is hot in California . . . and someone’s going to get burned… Continue reading Recommended: INFLUENCE by Sara Shepard & Lilia Buckingham
Welcome to another edition of our new semi-regular series: Blast from the Past. A refresher: We will occasionally read (or listen to) a book we had loved as children but have not re-visited as adult writers. And then we’ll tell you about it. How did the story hold up? Is the magic still there? What differences do we notice, both cultural and in storytelling techniques and … Continue reading Blast from the Past: Judy Blume
Welcome to another edition of our new semi-regular series: Blast from the Past. A refresher: We will occasionally read (or listen) to a book we had loved as children but have not re-visited as adult writers. And then we’ll tell you about it. How did the story hold up? Is the magic still there? What differences do we notice, both cultural and in storytelling techniques … Continue reading Blast From the Past!
What happens when an online friend becomes a real-life nightmare?
Roisin hasn’t made a single friend since moving from Ireland to Massachusetts. In fact, she is falling apart under constant abuse from a school bully, Zara. Zara torments Roisin in person and on social media. She makes Roisin the laughingstock of the whole school.
Roisin feels utterly alone… Continue reading Recommended: FRIEND ME by Sheila M. Averbuch
This year has been pretty nutso. All the chaos and news demanding our attention can make reading new books hard – at least it has for me. I’ve found myself turning more and more to books, movies and TV shows that I’ve already experienced – for comfort, for predictability, for the relaxation that comes with knowing what’s next. Well, we Pennies decided that re-reading might … Continue reading New: Blast from the Past!
Today, we’re so excited to host the cover reveal of a story by one of our own!
Ten: three little letters, one ordinary number. No big deal, right? But for Troy Hayes, a 16-year-old suffering from Tourette Syndrome and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, the number ten dictates his life, forcing him to do everything by its exacting rhythm.
A harrowing yet hopeful account of a teen living with Tourette Syndrome and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder . . . and contemplating his own mortality. Continue reading Cover Reveal: LIST OF TEN by Halli Gomez
An atmospheric retelling of tales from Persian culture. Girl, Serpent, Thorn begins as many retellings do, with a neglected princess hidden away from the world. But the fact that Soraya’s skin is poisonous to the touch gives the story a unique twist. As as the princess begins to see her condition not as a curse but as a source of power, the story really becomes interesting. . . Continue reading Recommended: GIRL, SERPENT, THORN by Melissa Bashardoust
The first thing that drew me into this story was the rich magical world. Kallia performs in a club, descending from above the stage masked and sitting on a crystal chandelier as depicted on the book’s cover. She controls the entire space—lights, music, and atmosphere with her magic, drawing every eye.
But Kallia seeks a bigger stage and freedom from Jack whom she has reason to mistrust. . . Continue reading Recommended: WHERE DREAMS DESCEND by Janella Angeles
Some people ARE illegal. Lobizonas do NOT exist. Both of these statements are false. Manuela Azul has been crammed into an existence that feels too small for her. As an undocumented immigrant who’s on the run from her father’s Argentine crime-family, Manu is confined to a small apartment and a small life in Miami, Florida. Until Manu’s protective bubble is shattered. Her surrogate grandmother is … Continue reading Recommended – LOBIZONA by Romina Garber
This is the absolutely true account of how Lansburg, Pennsylvania was invaded by aliens and the weeks of chaos that followed. There were sightings of UFOs, close encounters, and even abductions. There were believers, Truth Seekers, and, above all, people who looked to the sky and hoped for more.
Only. . . there were no aliens. Continue reading Recommended: IT CAME FROM THE SKY by Chelsea Sedoti
