What YA book are you reading RIGHT NOW?

Finished Tomorrow, When the War Began, on to Jenny Valentine's The Double Life of Cassiel Roadnight next.

Just finished Fall For Anything by Courtney Summers...EXCELLENT. I was addicted the whole way through. Now my favorite of hers. Highly recommend.

About to start Across the Universe by Beth Revis. Read a rave review about it from someone who's taste I really trust. I'm very excited about this one.

mellymel said:

About to start Across the Universe by Beth Revis. Read a rave review about it from someone who's taste I really trust. I'm very excited about this one.

Click to expand...

I read it the other day and it was so good.

Sage said:

And I wonder how much of this was, "Oh, I have to set it up for a series, and I can't let her figure things out/change too fast"?

Click to expand...

Stop it, you're making me cry.

Parametric said:

Finished MATCHED today. The plot finally showed up about 95% of the way into the book. Pretty frustrated.

Click to expand...

I'm sorry but this made me laugh. Because you're right. But I still loved it.

The reason I got so caught up in it, though, was because of the romantic tension, not necessarily the dystopian setting or even the plot. I think I was just in the mood for that type of focus when I happened to read it. *shrugs* But I also think you and I have very different tastes. I've noticed that you usually don't care for the books I rave about. Not that I'm stalking you or anything... I just, erm... noticed. That's all...

I've finished TAKING FLIGHT by Sheena Wilkinson and really enjoyed it. The plot is a bit predicatable (troubled boy from a council estate finds there's something more in life when working with horses) but the voice is excellent and the story unfolds in a slick manner that kept me turning the pages.

Just started an ARC for THE MINISTRY OF PANDEMONIUM by Chris Westwood. It's about a boy who discovers that he's supposed to guide ghosts into the afterlife and begins working for the titular Ministry only to discover that there are dark forces at work. The book's not out in the UK until March but there's already a fair bit of buzz about it so I'll be interested to see how it goes.

MM

Recently finished DELIRIUM by Lauren Oliver. I liked it, but I had a few plot nitpicks and the ending was frustratingly abrupt--realised afterward it's the first of a trilogy. I preferred BEFORE I FALL, but I'll be picking up DELIRIUM's sequel.

Took a break from YA with the sixth Dresden Files book and am starting Rebecca Stead's WHEN YOU REACH ME later today. I've heard great things about it.

Parametric said:

Finished MATCHED today. The plot finally showed up about 95% of the way into the book. Pretty frustrated.

Click to expand...

You're so right!

Sage said:

I think you had to accept that the plot was about the romance, not about the dystopia.

Click to expand...

I know. I would have been okay with that ~ but the romance wasn't even that good. It fell completely flat for me. I may have enjoyed it more if it hadn't been so hyped up, you know?

I just finished Psych Major Syndrome by Alicia Thompson. Ahh, I SO loved it.

Set in college (older protag) it's a funny, funky feel-good YA. It was a bit mad crazy and not at all ground-breaking, but still a delicious fun comfort read. Perfect for my contemp tastes. I'd easily pick up any of her future works.

Lydia Sharp said:

I'm sorry but this made me laugh. Because you're right. But I still loved it.

The reason I got so caught up in it, though, was because of the romantic tension, not necessarily the dystopian setting or even the plot. I think I was just in the mood for that type of focus when I happened to read it. *shrugs* But I also think you and I have very different tastes. I've noticed that you usually don't care for the books I rave about. Not that I'm stalking you or anything... I just, erm... noticed. That's all...

Click to expand...

You're creeping me out.

I guess I find it difficult to empathise with characters who are single-mindedly obsessed with romance to the point of ignoring the wider world around them. Even in genre romances, which by definition are focused on romance, the characters have goals, they have lives, they drive the plot forward. Their romance arises naturally as the plot develops. MATCHED didn't have that framework - it was just 90,000 words of hand-holding and portentous questions.

I'm reading THE DUFF by Kody Keplinger. It's awesome.

Parametric said:

You're creeping me out.

I guess I find it difficult to empathise with characters who are single-mindedly obsessed with romance to the point of ignoring the wider world around them. Even in genre romances, which by definition are focused on romance, the characters have goals, they have lives, they drive the plot forward. Their romance arises naturally as the plot develops. MATCHED didn't have that framework - it was just 90,000 words of hand-holding and portentous questions.

Click to expand...

I hear what you are saying, but some teens/people are really like this. I for one was one of those girls in my teens and early 20's that would become obsessed with my relationships (the guys I was dating) to the point I would focus everything on them and nothing on the world or people around me. Of course, it wasn't healthy and I know that now, but it stemmed from my childhood experiences (being abandoned repeatedly by an alcoholic parent and that kind of crap). So, I guess my point is that I would probably relate strongly to that type of character/situation. Not knocking you for your opinion, at all. Just sharing mine

strawberryblondie said:

Just finished Other Words For Love by Lorraine Zago Rosenthal

Click to expand...

How was it? I've been looking forward to it. The blurb and the summary gives it this quaint feel, which is attractive. To me.

Shadow_Bee said:

How was it? I've been looking forward to it. The blurb and the summary gives it this quaint feel, which is attractive. To me.

Click to expand...

I really liked it. It was beautifully written and had some great characters. It's definitely a quieter book, but the characters are what make it really great. I finished it in two sittings.

mellymel said:

I hear what you are saying, but some teens/people are really like this. I for one was one of those girls in my teens and early 20's that would become obsessed with my relationships (the guys I was dating) to the point I would focus everything on them and nothing on the world or people around me. Of course, it wasn't healthy and I know that now, but it stemmed from my childhood experiences (being abandoned repeatedly by an alcoholic parent and that kind of crap). So, I guess my point is that I would probably relate strongly to that type of character/situation. Not knocking you for your opinion, at all. Just sharing mine

Click to expand...

I hear you, and I completely appreciate that this phenomenon does exist in real life. But I'm having difficulty believing that a character would maintain this incredibly narrow obsession during, say, a nuclear apocalypse. And if they really are that obsessed, why would the author waste a nuclear apocalypse on a character who barely notices it? And if the author did waste a nuclear apocalypse on a character who barely notices it, why, for the love of God, would the novel be marketed as a nuclear apocalypse drama?

Parametric said:

I hear you, and I completely appreciate that this phenomenon does exist in real life. But I'm having difficulty believing that a character would maintain this incredibly narrow obsession during, say, a nuclear apocalypse. And if they really are that obsessed, why would the author waste a nuclear apocalypse on a character who barely notices it? And if the author did waste a nuclear apocalypse on a character who barely notices it, why, for the love of God, would the novel be marketed as a nuclear apocalypse drama?

Click to expand...

Ahhh...I got you. I am not familiar with this story and thought maybe it was a contemp. In that given situation (a nuclear apocalypse), yeah, that makes no sense at all. That would annoy me too

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

I've finished Tweet Heart by Elizabeth Rudnick - super cute. I didn't think I'd like it once I saw just how it was written, but I really enjoyed it!

Tried to read The Hollow by Jessica Verday...I'm about 80 pages in and all she's done is made a bottle of perfume.

So then I read The Duff by Kody Keplinger - completely awesome! I read some negative reviews on goodreads about how the situation between Wesley and Biance was unrealistic...seriously, is it that hard to consider the possibility that this situation is a reality for some people? I loved it and I completely adore the way "The Duff" was treated in the novel and how the concept evolved. Fantastic!

emma_kate said:

So then I read The Duff by Kody Keplinger - completely awesome! I read some negative reviews on goodreads about how the situation between Wesley and Biance was unrealistic...seriously, is it that hard to consider the possibility that this situation is a reality for some people? I loved it and I completely adore the way "The Duff" was treated in the novel and how the concept evolved. Fantastic!

Click to expand...

I liked The Duff, and I understand how it might happen for some people, but I tried putting myself in Bianca's shoes and imagine myself feeling attraction for a guy who had insulted me like that and kept doing it. Yes, she said that he was hot, but she also said that he made her skin crawl. I don't know, it was just very strange to me to think of those initial moments happening. I'm not saying that it couldn't happen, just that for some people it's hard to imagine because they can't see themselves ever doing it. But again, I still liked the book.

So, PERSONAL DEMONS, then.

Because I'm always the last to know, I just finished WHAT I SAW AND HOW I LIED. I was impressed by the authentic detail and voice.

I also recently finished ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS, which was fun to read, mostly because of the Paris setting, I think.

Re-reading Justine Larbalestier's LIAR. Because sometimes life requires re-reads.

dawinsor said:

Because I'm always the last to know, I just finished WHAT I SAW AND HOW I LIED. I was impressed by the authentic detail and voice.

Click to expand...

Judy Blundell has a new one coming out this year called STRINGS ATTACHED. It's set in 1950s New York and involves Broadway and the Mob. I can't wait.

WHEN YOU REACH ME is fabulous. I'm just over halfway through and really enjoying it. It's very different to what's currently out there.

Finished WHEN YOU REACH ME on my lunch break. It ties together very neatly, and I really enjoyed it. Going to check out what else the author has written.

Up next is ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS. I'm in a romance, comfort read kind of mood and I'm hoping this will hit the spot.

BriMaresh said:

Re-reading Justine Larbalestier's LIAR. Because sometimes life requires re-reads.

Click to expand...

That book requires a re-read! I'm sure you're seeing so many different things now that you know what to look for. Have fun.


Reading Beastly by Alex Finn. It was recommended by a friend. I'm finding it creepy and not romantic. I'm also not really buying into it, I can't achieve the required suspension of disbelief. I think its biggest flaw is trying to stick too closely to the original story.

Reading The Golden Compass, after having seen the movie for the first time last month. Talk about dramatic differences...