January 05, 2022
Featured in this week's Book Talk Bakersfield:
Happy New Year from our staff members, Fahra and Jasmin. Join them as they judge January new releases of  young adult  titles by their book covers. Don't forget to add these books to your TBRs!
 
Fahra Daredia
Beale Memorial Library
Jasmin LoBasso
Kern County Library
Fahra is waiting for ...

The Ivory Key
by Akshaya Raman

Four estranged royal siblings, each harboring secrets and conflicting agendas, must learn to work together as they search for the Ivory Key—a thing of legend that will lead to a new source of magic. 
 
The Kindred
by Alechia Dow

Accused of murdering the royal family, Duke Felix Hamdi goes on the run with Joy, his kindred mind-pairing, and discovers the true strength—and love—of the Kindred bond to expose the truth. 
 
Also available on HooplaDigital 

Jasmin is waiting for...
 
In Every Generation
by Kendare Blake
 
The first in an all-new series by New York Times best-selling author Kendare Blake continues the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer featuring the next generation of Scoobies and Slayers who must defeat a powerful new evil. A new Slayer for a new generation... Frankie Rosenberg is passionate about the environment, a sophomore at New Sunnydale High School, and the daughter of the most powerful witch in Sunnydale history. Her mom, Willow, is slowly teaching her magic on the condition that she use it to better the world. But Frankie's happily quiet life is upended when new girl Hailey shows up with news that the annual Slayer convention has been the target of an attack, and all the Slayers-including Buffy, Faith, and Hailey's older sister Vi-might be dead. That means it's time for this generation's Slayer to be born. But being the first ever Slayer-Witch means learning how to wield a stake while trying to control her budding powers. With the help of Hailey, a werewolf named Jake, and a hot but nerdy sage demon, Frankie must become the Slayer, prevent the Hellmouth from opening again, and find out what happened to her Aunt Buffy, before she's next. Get ready for a whole new story within the world of Buffy!
 
Also available as eBook on HooplaDigital 
Waking Romeo
by Kathryn Barker

At the end of the world, 18-year-old Juliet, with Romeo in a coma, meets a mysterious time traveler who makes her question everything she knows about life and love—and a chance to rewrite her future. 40,000 first printing. Simultaneous eBook.

Even More Titles We Talk About

    Books
    Anatomy : a love story by Dana Schwartz
    The Bone Spindle by Leslie Vedder
    The Crossing Gate by Asiel R. Lavie
    Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan
    Echoes and empires by Morgan Rhodes
    Frozen Hearts and Death Magic by Day Leitao
    The Helheim Princess by Tiana Warner
    Nightrender by Jodi Meadows
    The Red Palace by June Hur
    The Storyteller by Kathryn Williams