LIFE AFTER SEVEN

The Seven Series and its follow-up, Seven Sequels, have been smash hits for Orca Book Publishers. Two of the contributing authors have titles out with the publisher this spring. Sigmund Brouwer takes his Seven series hero, Webb, and casts him in Rock the Boat, part of Orca’s Limelights series focusing on the performing arts, in which Webb discovers that making it as a songwriter in Nashville takes more than just talent, especially when a producer steals your song. Norah McClintock’s follow-up is a graphic novel that tells the story of a boy who finds himself on the wrong side of both the cops and the Russian mob after his girlfriend is murdered. Steven Hughes provides the visuals for McClintock’s text in Tru Detective.

#IBelieveHer
Two topical YA novels out this season that take on the tricky – and important – subjects of abusive relationships and rape culture are Courtney Summers’ All the Rage (St. Martin’s Press) and Jodi Carmichael’s Forever Julia (Great Plains Publications). Beyond raising awareness of the issues, Carmichael is also donating a portion of her royalties to Manitoba support agency Macdonald Youth Services.