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Tip of the Day: Need a book to get you through until MOCKINGJAY comes out next month? Try INCARCERON by Catherine Fisher (my short synopsis and review are here).

I went to a workshop through the Rochester Regional Library Council Monday on The Best New Young Adult Books of 2010. The presenter, Kathleen Odean, was a quick, concise, super well-read woman with a knack for booktalking. She was also a previous chairperson of the Newbery Awards Committee. In short, I loved this workshop!

In long, despite how much I read (a lot), it's impossible to read everything -- and I don't want to read everything. Lots of books aren't my thing: high fantasy, any more werewolf or vampire books, heavy sci-fi.

I also have been inundated with paranormal romance, dead sister/dead best friends, and dystopian works and am losing my mojo for reading those novels though I typically like them.

That doesn't mean there aren't fabulous works in these genres; just that I need someone else, someone I trust, to read them for me then tell me if they are good so I will make a point to read them or at least tell patrons they come highly recommended.

Some books on Ms. Odean's recommended list that I hesitated to pick up on my own but are now on my TBR list are:

This foreign book got good reviews so I bought it for my lib, but upon reading the blurb, it sounded too depressing. After the book talk, I am completely intrigued (though it still sounds depressing).

Not being a fan of CRISS CROSS by LRP, I didn't pick this up despite the author's award-winning name or the cool cover. However, I've learned it's a journey story full of quirky characters so I'll give it a shot.

This book has a character who has Asperger's, so I bought it for the lib, but the cover is dated and turned me off. The book talk, though, turned me back on to the relationship between the two MCs.

Sharon Flake is hugely popular at my lib, but I didn't think I could relate enough to this book to make it worth my time. Ms. Odean said how it was written in different formats and was a quick, powerful book so now I want to try it.

I am not a reader of sports books with very few exceptions (DAIRY QUEEN), so I wouldn't normally read Carl Deuker's novels -- until I learned this book is about a HS journalist solving a football mystery. Can't wait now for its release!

I bought this for my lib bc of the catchy title and cover, but the premise seemed generic -- until the booktalk enhanced its humor which won me over.

I know Lisa posted about SORTA LIKE A ROCK STAR last week and how she raved about it so much that she got people to buy it at her book signing. I have to try it now bc of her review, too.

What books have you picked up due to booktalks after not initially being interested in them?

Deena, Miss Subbing for Pubbing