Horn Book on Extraordinary

Lauren Adams gives Extraordinary a very nice review in the upcoming issue of The Horn Book Magazine:

A present-day teen's search for self collides with a magical faerie world in this suspenseful fantasy. As a privileged Rothschild daughter, Phoebe lives in the shadow of her "extraordinary" family and her brilliant, powerful mother, fearing that she is the only ordinary person among them. In middle school, Phoebe is instantly drawn to the strange new girl Mallory and offers her friendship and advice. Over the course of four years, the girls become inseparable, and late-bloomer Phoebe relies on now-gorgeous Mallory to take the lead. Interspersed "Conversation[s] with the Faerie Queen" reveal that Mallory is not what she appears, and that Phoebe is merely a cog in a desperate mission to collect an old debt for the faerie folk. Mallory's captivating brother Ryland is sent to finish the job, threatening not only vulnerable Phoebe but her family as well. As she did in Impossible (rev. 9/08), Werlin smoothly blends contemporary realism and fantasy, here basing the story on the real historical figure Mayer Rothschild and spinning his family's extraordinary success into a supernatural bargain. The faerie garden behind Ryland's bedroom door comes to life with the texture, scent, and sound of enchanted flora and fauna. Ryland's cold seduction and manipulation of Phoebe is palpably dangerous; the "glamoured" Phoebe can't recognize the predatory nature of his sexual advances. In contrast, the genuine warmth of Mallory's friendship allows some hope in spite of her terrible betrayal. Phoebe's final reckoning with the faeries tests her own inner strength; ultimately her survival depends on it-just as in the real world.

What Nancy said

Kay Em Evans has an interview with Nancy on her blog. where they discuss Impossible, Extraordinary, writing, and Nancy herself. There's even a brief mention of her next book...

Extraordinary makes ABA's autumn Indie top ten

Independent booksellers nationwide have spoken, and Extraordinary has made the Autumn 2010 Children's Indie Next List, brought to you by the American Booksellers Association. If you go to your independent bookseller, I'll bet they'll speak even more...

There's a reason they don't call it cover *science*

Do you like a good book cover? Of course you do! Ever grabbed a book based not on a recommendation but on nothing more than the pretty picture on the front? Off the record, and just between us...yes you have. So it's hard to imagine that you won't want to read Nancy's behind-the-scenes look at one episode in the cover art process, as presented by Elizabeth Bluemle in a post called "Nancy Werlin: Anatomy of a Book Cover" on the Shelf Talker blog that she co-hosts on Publisher's Weekly.

Sleek sneak peak at Extraordinary

Check it -- a two-chapter opportunity to step inside Nancy's new book, Extraordinary:

Nancy in Georgia

Nancy will be appearing at the AJC Decatur Book Festival in Decatur, Georgia over the Labor Day weekend. The festival itself runs from September 3 to September 5 (more on the website), and Nancy will be speaking about "Real Issues in an Unreal World" on Saturday the 4th at 4 p.m., at the Escape at the Old Courthouse (which itself sounds like a work of fiction).

Advance review of Extraordinary

Now that the advance readers copies are out, review season for Extraordinary has begun. And Ilene Cooper gets things off to a great start with the following review in ALA's Booklist:

Phoebe, a descendant of the legendary Mayer Rothschild and his banking family, is drawn to odd fellow seventh-grader Mallory and vows to befriend her. What readers already know is that Mallory has left the faerie world at the behest of her queen to settle a score, though details of what's at stake are deliciously drawn out. The story jumps six years. Now 18, Mallory is a beauty and Phoebe is not, but the balance of power seemingly stays with Phoebe, whose family has offered both kindness and money to simplify Mallory's life. As she understands the meaning of friendship, it becomes difficult for her to draw Phoebe into a web of deception. Enter Mallory's brother, Ryland, older, more cunning, and willing to do what he must to save the faerie world. Medieval Jewish history, ethical questions, faeries, modern romance. Whew! In the hands of a less-talented author, this would be a hot mess. Happily, Werlin crafts her characters so deftly and unrolls the story so cleverly that despite some rough juxtapositions (and a final meandering conversation), readers will be under the spell till the end.