What's on my bookshelf?

It must be summer, because I've taken my book selection process to a whole new level: color coordination! This actually wasn't intentional, but I noticed that the books circulating across my coffee table had blended into a rather attractive assortment of red-themed covers. I'm currently reading Mudbound by Hillary Jordan, which was a 2009 Alex Award winner. The Alex Award is given annually to ten books written for adults that have special appeal for young adult readers. Another Alex Award winner, Sharp Teeth by Toby Barlow, has a place of honor on my coffee table. It's a novel in verse about down-and-out werewolves in Los Angeles that, according to the dust jacket, blends "dark humor and epic themes with card-playing dogs, crystal meth labs, surfing, and carne asada tacos." Mmm, tacos ... Who could pass up a book with that description? Cory Doctorow's Little Brother and Jay Asher's Thirteen Reasons Why are two young adult novels that caught my eye. I always like to keep a few young adult titles in the mix - it's just how I roll. And last but not least, The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory fits in nicely with my summertime screenings of The Tudors. If only Henry and Anne Boleyn could just get along and not lose their heads!