Yash Kesanakurthy

Somewhere between starting her schooling in Saudi Arabia and finishing high school in Singapore, Yash Kesanakurthy realized that she disliked school. It was the fateful move to Vancouver, Canada for a BA in Economics (which, surprise, didn't pan out) that led her to the MA program in Children's Literature at UBC. She had fun immersing herself into the academia of children's literature but nothing beat the joy of writing for The Book Wars, being able to set aside classics and pay attention to the culture of contemporary YA. And now, everything is PB/MG/YA and nothing hurts. Well, some things hurt but nothing her bookshelf can't fix. Currently, she is working on her own YA fantasy novel and an all-ages picturebook. Her life goals include: getting a pet dog, getting published, and presenting you dear readers and Rioters with posts that engage and entertain. (Maybe not in that order?) Blog: The Book Wars Twitter: @SeeYashTweet

Genre Kryptonite: Rebel Poets in YA Fiction

YA novels featuring rebels and poets.

Audiobooks for Loud (but Short) Transit

Perfect audiobooks for a not-too-long but also very loud commute.

IndiYA: Young Adult/Crossover Titles From India

Novels out of India for teen readers.

Musings On Movies, Mirrors, And YA Romance

On MOONLIGHT, mirrors, and what YA romance looks like.

Books About Immigrants and Refugees That Should be Adapted for the Stage

Books about the immigrant, refugee, and migrant experience that would make excellent plays.

YA Recs To Help You Kick 2017’s Butt

YA novels with main characters that will inspire you to kick butt and take names.

Social Justice Things I Need (More Of) In YA

A request for more YA featuring teens protesting and having hard conversations.

Moving To, Moving On, And Moving Past: On Weeding Books

One reader's connection between the election results and weeding her personal library.

What Do The Ghostbusters’ Bookshelves Look Like?

What would the new Ghostbusters read?

5 Books For Fall/Winter Grinches

Not a fan of fall or winter? We have books for you!