Tuesday, August 16, 2022

What is Ally Malinenko reading?

Featured at Writers Read: Ally Malinenko, author of This Appearing House.

Her entry begins:
I’m currently reading Kelly Barnhill’s The Witch's Boy which I am loving. She has such an incredible talent for crafting what feels like a grounded dark fairy tale. I’m currently working on a witch book and Kelly’s is really keeping me excited about the project.

It’s the story of Ned, the titular Witch’s Boy. When his twin dies in an accident at the start of the book the villagers all think the “wrong boy lived.” His mother, Sister Witch, responsible for saving the Queen, is called away. When Ned learns how to wield her magic and gets kidnapped by bandits, it is only through...[read on]
About This Appearing House, from the publisher:
From the author of Ghost Girl comes another standalone spooky middle grade for fans of Nightbooks and Ghost Squad, about a terrifying house and the girl haunted by her experience with cancer, grief, and healing. Are you brave enough to step inside?

For as long as anyone could remember there wasn’t a house at the dead end of Juniper Drive . . . until one day there was.

When Jac first sees the House, she’s counting down to the five-year anniversary of her cancer diagnosis, when she hopefully will be declared NED, or “no evidence of disease.” But with a house appearing, and her hands shaking, and a fall off her bike, Jac is starting to wonder if these are symptoms—or if something stranger is happening.

Two classmates dare Jac and her friend Hazel to enter the House. Walking through the front door is the way in. It’s definitely not the way out. There’s something off about the House; Jac can feel it. The same way she knows it’s no coincidence that the House appeared for her five-year marker. It wants something from her. And she won’t be able to get out until she figures out what.
Visit Ally Malinenko's website.

Q&A with Ally Malinenko.

The Page 69 Test: Ghost Girl.

The Page 69 Test: This Appearing House.

Writers Read: Ally Malinenko.

--Marshal Zeringue