Ive just finished ONE OF US IS LYING - which I really enjoyed. Now starting THE HATE U GIVE (I know - little late to the party)
What YA book are you reading RIGHT NOW?, issue 2
- Thread starter sharpierae
- Start date
You're not alone. THE HATE U GIVE is on my to-read shelf along with several others. It'll have to wait.
Could not get into READY PLAYER ONE at all.
Am nearly done with SPARTACUS RYAN ZANDER AND THE SECRETS OF THE INCREDIBLE. It's a lot of fun but heartbreaking at the same time. I'm impressed with how humor and gravity are balanced. It's a silly and over the top book -- just what I was needing after such dark, serious stuff lately.
Could not get into READY PLAYER ONE at all.
Am nearly done with SPARTACUS RYAN ZANDER AND THE SECRETS OF THE INCREDIBLE. It's a lot of fun but heartbreaking at the same time. I'm impressed with how humor and gravity are balanced. It's a silly and over the top book -- just what I was needing after such dark, serious stuff lately.
Hardcopy: THE RAVEN KING by Maggie Stiefvater
Kindle: TOWER OF DAWN by Sarah J. Maas and A GATHERING OF SHADOWS by V.E. Schwab
Audiobook: THE MARTIAN by Andy Weir
Kindle: TOWER OF DAWN by Sarah J. Maas and A GATHERING OF SHADOWS by V.E. Schwab
Audiobook: THE MARTIAN by Andy Weir
caroline.q
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I'm currently reading THE HAZEL WOOD by Melissa Albert and I think it's going to be a Did Not Finish which sucks because it was one of my most anticipated releases of the year. I loved the first half of the novel, but I'm not so sure about the rest. I'd love to talk with someone about it if anyone's read it.
Just finished The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh and am now onto The Rose and the Dagger. I'm anxiously waiting for Sarah J. Maas' last book in the Throne of Glass series titled Kingdom of Ash to come out!
I read a whole big bunch of young adult science fiction this summer. I was especially drawn to spaceships as opposed to Earth-bound (though there are exceptions). Loved what I read of Claudia Grey and Illuminae Files by Amie Kaufman et al and Honor Among Thieves by Rachel Caine.
I was not so fond of Cinder by Marissa Mayer, Across the Universe by Beth Revis or Starflight by Melissa Landers. Each of those last three have additional books but I'm not interested in pursing them right now. Is there something incredibly awesome I'm missing in YA SF? I have been dependent on what is available at my library but I'd use that last Audible credit for awesome.
I was not so fond of Cinder by Marissa Mayer, Across the Universe by Beth Revis or Starflight by Melissa Landers. Each of those last three have additional books but I'm not interested in pursing them right now. Is there something incredibly awesome I'm missing in YA SF? I have been dependent on what is available at my library but I'd use that last Audible credit for awesome.
I'm moving through books shortlisted for awards and prizes at the moment. These often don't tend to be my favourites, strangely enough, which probably indicates my tastes and selection panels are rather different. Next up: RELEASE by Patrick Ness. I've never read anything by him so am curious to see what I make of his work.
One I've finished, one I'm halfway through, and one I just started.
The Agony House by Cherie Priest- The thing I always appreciate about Priest is that she makes writing characters and dialogue look easy. Interactions always feel natural and small details go a long way, everyone is fleshed out, but more like people passing through your life than ornately constructed characters. Agony House is a good example of this, and is a simple little haunted house story that deals with gentrification and the Comics Code in modern New Orlean. Fun and fast, and like I Am Princess X, it features a comic related to the story. The comic is the best part, a 50's era pulp detective comic starring Lucinda Might, a fierce lady detective who's always whipping out her pistol and rescuing her useless wimp of a boyfriend from danger. You can tell she had fun writing this, and I wouldn't mind a spinoff.
Dig by AS King- I like difficult, surrealistic fiction, and I like YA best when it's tackling tough IRL issues. So I really like AS King, if, oh, boy, do I have a hard time getting through her sometimes. I don't even know how to describe this, written from the perspective of various teens from a vile family of Pennsylvania land developers. The teen's lives are awful, and it explores all kinds of issues of toxic privilege, abuse, trauma, school shootings, and every other bad thing that's happening in America right now. All while being surreal enough it's hard to tell what's really going on, though there's a pretty close eye for detail and a sense of naturalism that ties it together. I have an ARC of this, not out till March I think. But if you can get your hands on it I would recommend giving it a try, and if not, her other books are excellent too.
Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu- Just grabbed it, but I've been meaning to check it out. A girl at a Texas high school discovers how to fight back against harassment through Riot Grrl and zine culture. Makes me feel old, but I'm glad the kids these days are learning about this stuff.
I enjoy Alexandra Duncan, got a good LeGuin feel.
The Agony House by Cherie Priest- The thing I always appreciate about Priest is that she makes writing characters and dialogue look easy. Interactions always feel natural and small details go a long way, everyone is fleshed out, but more like people passing through your life than ornately constructed characters. Agony House is a good example of this, and is a simple little haunted house story that deals with gentrification and the Comics Code in modern New Orlean. Fun and fast, and like I Am Princess X, it features a comic related to the story. The comic is the best part, a 50's era pulp detective comic starring Lucinda Might, a fierce lady detective who's always whipping out her pistol and rescuing her useless wimp of a boyfriend from danger. You can tell she had fun writing this, and I wouldn't mind a spinoff.
Dig by AS King- I like difficult, surrealistic fiction, and I like YA best when it's tackling tough IRL issues. So I really like AS King, if, oh, boy, do I have a hard time getting through her sometimes. I don't even know how to describe this, written from the perspective of various teens from a vile family of Pennsylvania land developers. The teen's lives are awful, and it explores all kinds of issues of toxic privilege, abuse, trauma, school shootings, and every other bad thing that's happening in America right now. All while being surreal enough it's hard to tell what's really going on, though there's a pretty close eye for detail and a sense of naturalism that ties it together. I have an ARC of this, not out till March I think. But if you can get your hands on it I would recommend giving it a try, and if not, her other books are excellent too.
Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu- Just grabbed it, but I've been meaning to check it out. A girl at a Texas high school discovers how to fight back against harassment through Riot Grrl and zine culture. Makes me feel old, but I'm glad the kids these days are learning about this stuff.
I enjoy Alexandra Duncan, got a good LeGuin feel.
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I'm reading an excellent YA non-fiction at the moment - THE 57 BUS by Dashka Slater, which looks at the lead up and consequences to a terrible event where Sasha has their skirt set on fire in a terrible prank gone wrong by Richard, an African American lad from the wrong side of town. It's a very moving book - Slater is compassionate towards both Sasha and Richard and it's really thought provoking. One of the best YA books I've read this year by far.MM
Currently reading MEET THE SKY by McCall Hoyle. I really like the way her books incorporate characters and families dealing with real life disabilities and medical issues.
I loved both A Monster Calls and The Rest of Us Just Live Here... he's a fine writer.
I just finished To Kill A Kingdom by Alexandra Christo on audio, and started Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater.
As far as hardbacks go, I'm in the middle of Carry On by Rainbow Rowell and I've heard GREAT things about this book, but CANNOT get into it. I loved Fan Girl and Eleanor and Park. Am I nuts, or can anyone else relate?
I also just started Furyborn by Claire LeGrand. So far it's good, but I've read three chapters, all on different timelines, one of which is a thousand years in the future, so at this point I'm just hoping I can keep up. I really, really enjoyed the tension in her first chapter.
As far as hardbacks go, I'm in the middle of Carry On by Rainbow Rowell and I've heard GREAT things about this book, but CANNOT get into it. I loved Fan Girl and Eleanor and Park. Am I nuts, or can anyone else relate?
I also just started Furyborn by Claire LeGrand. So far it's good, but I've read three chapters, all on different timelines, one of which is a thousand years in the future, so at this point I'm just hoping I can keep up. I really, really enjoyed the tension in her first chapter.
Hi. New here, first post.
Just finished: Darius the Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram. Loved it...a book that takes you somewhere not many have been (modern-day Iran) and helps you understand it through the eyes of a perceptive and endearing MC. My one complaint is the sexuality of the two main characters feels unduly suppressed, even given the setting...feels like a throwback to the not-too-bygone era when if the characters were gay you could only hint.
Just started: I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson. Writing is impressive so far, gripping narrative, though just encountered the first example of something I don't usually love in fiction, a jumping-around chronology. Hoping this author is masterful enough to pull it off.
Just finished: Darius the Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram. Loved it...a book that takes you somewhere not many have been (modern-day Iran) and helps you understand it through the eyes of a perceptive and endearing MC. My one complaint is the sexuality of the two main characters feels unduly suppressed, even given the setting...feels like a throwback to the not-too-bygone era when if the characters were gay you could only hint.
Just started: I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson. Writing is impressive so far, gripping narrative, though just encountered the first example of something I don't usually love in fiction, a jumping-around chronology. Hoping this author is masterful enough to pull it off.
Good to hear it - I'm struggling with RELEASE right now (finding it weird, but not good weird) but perhaps I'll stick with it a little longer. I know very little about Patrick Ness - is "weird" his niche?
Welcome, PFFlyer! I've not read either of those, I read one of Jandy Nelson's earlier books and was non-plussed by it... though that was years ago. Jumping around chronology is a bit of a dislike of mine, too - it's so rarely done well, and is often a gimmick when the chronological approach would have worked better.
Interesting, I never read it but heard good things. But very different from his usual stuff. I loved his debut series, Chaos Walking, which is weird, squicky, and IIRC being made into a movie by Charlie Kaufman.
I'm afraid to say I gave up with RELEASE - I wasn't getting any enjoyment from it. However, I'm willing to read more Ness, as it may be that I picked up the wrong book of his to start with. I'm now reading INK by Alice Broadway. It's a dystopian and feels curiously old fashioned, even though it isn't - perhaps because the dytopian trend has been and gone for now.
I just read Not Your Side Kick by C.B. Lee and started the sequel (companion as they are not sequential) Not Your Villain. I really like the writers style and the world-building. The characters are diverse in terms of ethnicity and orientation. The main character Jess (in Not Your Sidekick) is bisexual and has her first crush on a girl. This relationship is adorably presented. An important part of the storyline is about what media presents to us about the world.
I'm reading "The Book of Dust" by Phillip Pullman. I'm always hesitant about prequels but I'm very excited to return to Lyra's world and Pullman is a beautiful writer.
I’m currently reading A Court of Mist and Fury, by Sarah J. Mass. I was hesitant to start this series at first because Maas has a reputation of changing the love interest of the main character out of freaking nowhere and that drove me insane in the Throne of Glass series, but now that I’m reading this I’m loving it!
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Just finished ODD ONE OUT by Nic Stone (of DEAR MARTIN fame). I liked it a lot. It's not every day you get to see more than one multi-gender-attracted main character, especially own voice! It's not really a coming out story, but there's a lot of messy self-discovery that felt absolutely real.
[ETA: Plus, almost every named character in the book is PoC!]
[ETA: Plus, almost every named character in the book is PoC!]
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I'm reading the 'To All the Boys I've Loved Before' series by Jenny Han. The first two books were great but I'm not liking the third as much.