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Post by hildafan on Oct 30, 2011 18:53:39 GMT -8
I'd suggest any of Rick Riordan's YA books. As far as I know he's got three YA series: The Kane Chronicles which so far has 2/3s out, Percy Jackson and the Olympians with 5/5h out, and the sequel/spinoff to the Percy Jackson series, Heroes of Olympus which has 2/5 of it out. All of the books in the series are really funny and engrossing in my opinion and if you like fantasy I'd definitely recommend them.
I'd also recomend the Vampire Academy novels and it's sequel/spinoffs Bloodlines as well. While YMMV on it, I found them all to be really good reads.
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Post by Anya the Purple on Nov 5, 2011 16:33:20 GMT -8
^Oooh, I love Rick Riordan! I haven't read Kane Chronicles, but I love his other stuff!
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Heartless Hìppíe
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Post by Heartless Hìppíe on Nov 5, 2011 16:40:39 GMT -8
John Green was recommended on the first page; mind if I add a bit about him?
While his novels aren't perfect-of the three novels he's published so far, the main character has basically been the same person: Nerdy guy totally in love with hot girl. The other characters and some of the themes do tend to be pretty similar, but the plots are very different. All three of his novels so far (oh my gosh his new book comes out in February and I'm SO EXCITED) have proven to be deep, relevant, and really enjoyable.
David Levithan's books can be fun for a quick read-much less deep than John Green's stuff, but still interesting. His tend to be more "romance novels," while John's stuff are more novels with a focus on romance. The nice thing about Levithan's stuff is that a lot of it focuses on LGBTQ youth, which you don't see in a lot of stuff.
Everything that's been said about Libba Bray is true; she's one of my favorite authors. Limelightqueen didn't mention her book "Going Bovine," though, which I think might be my favorite. It's snarky and quirky, with a very original premise. One of the things I love about Libba's more dystopian-style works is that rather than a socialist or dictator-based dystopia, it's actually a capitalist dystopia. This makes it seem much more plausible and immediate-there doesn't need to be an apocalypse for this to happen. She has a really unique writing style that I really, really love reading.
Someone also mentioned the Young Wizards series, which is also really good. I haven't read it in forever, but it's very enjoyable, and Duane's concept of wizardry is original and fun to read about.
I'd also recommend Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliet. It's aimed more at the 9-12 range, but I still find it really enjoyable. Reading the sequels isn't necessary-The Wright Three is okay but not as good as the original, and I don't know about The Calder Game since I lost it when I was only a few chapters in-but the first one is definitely worth checking out.
Also, The Hunger Games. I loved the series, personally. But then, I do have a thing for dystopias. Speaking of which, I don't think The Giver is in the last decade, but it's really good.
You know there's a new young wizards book out right now, A Wizard of Mars I think.
Also I don't know if this one is classified under 'Young Adult' but it would certainly be a good read for someone that falls within that age range. It's Green Rider by Kristin Britain, she's a new writer, this book and its sequels are her first, and they are amazing, I reread them constantly. The fact that she's a first time writer and just hit such a high mark makes them even more enjoyable to me.
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Post by Kaza999 on Nov 5, 2011 16:58:30 GMT -8
I agree with Limelightqueen, Libba Bray is excellent.
Most of the authors I was going to suggest have already been said, but here's someone who's not very well known outside of Ireland--Derek Landy, the author of the Skulduggery Pleasant series. The series is one of my personal favorites and is funny, engaging, and dark.
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Post by Anya the Purple on Nov 23, 2011 21:39:57 GMT -8
@heartless Hippie: Yeah, I know. I think there's one called "Wizards at War" too. I keep meaning to get up to date on that series, but then I don't. XP
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Saeran
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Post by Saeran on Dec 4, 2011 22:06:24 GMT -8
Um there's an author I'm trying to remember but I can't remeber her name, she wrote the book Sea of Trolls and three other books but for the life of me I can't remember them.
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Post by Spectraitor on Dec 5, 2011 9:37:13 GMT -8
Uhh...do works from Eoin Colfer and Neil Gaiman count? I haven't been keeping up with the YA section so much. Missed a couple of good series that go back longer then 10 years so I've been discovering those.
EDIT:
Um there's an author I'm trying to remember but I can't remeber her name, she wrote the book Sea of Trolls and three other books but for the life of me I can't remember them. Nancy Farmer, I think.
I remember picking up the books because the title cover looked interesting. ^^;; Didn't manage to read it though.
I second Skullduggery Pleasant and Stargirl as well as Garth Nix, Terry Pratchett (though I should read more of these two) and Diana Wynne Jones. I hadn't known that little tidbit actually. D:
Further things to possibly look at are also the Mysterious Benedict Society series (perhaps aimed more at the very young but I find it somewhat refreshing. It's got elements that are tried and true but makes a turn and stands for itself.), The Faeries of Dreamdark (perhaps harkening back to good gristly fantasy but I do like how the author twists and fashions things.), Donna Jo Napoli (again, she dabbles in fables too but the relationship between modern and magic is quite believably written), Gail Carson Levine (one of my favorites so far as reworking fairy tales go). I really loved East by Edith Pattou. And Goose Girl, from Shannon Hale. Also Jane Yolen. Just because. Bit ambivalent/unsure about the Dragoneye series. And I keep trying to read Marie Rutkoski.
@__@ Apologies for mistakes or if it's outside the time limit. But yeah, I'd probably do better if I was at the library right now. And side note, but why the heck is Meyer's blurb on Book of a Thousand Days? SDFD. And wow, you /obviously/ can't tell what my bias and interest was in from those listed authors alone. Geh. >///>
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slovie
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Post by slovie on Dec 5, 2011 15:40:37 GMT -8
You know? I really have no idea because when I was still into reading YA fiction which was up until I was 15, I did read some books that I did enjoy, but looking back, I realize that one of my favorite books, The Last Guardian by Shane Johnson was nothing really more than a Christian allegory almost trying too hard. It is like the author read Narnia with a guy getting stuck into a fantasy realm, but make it a little more dystopian and there you go. I mean, there were some parts that really relied on Deus Ex Machina and it was literally God such as when the main character got executed and God revived him and basically all of the good characters at the end.
I honestly don't know though... I mean, I don't really enjoy reading YA fiction and those that I have read have been so long ago and I read much more books since then so what may have been good then might not be good now.
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Post by annoyed on Dec 6, 2011 0:08:39 GMT -8
Probably just try to avoid all of the awful glut of Twishite - inspired vampire/werewolf stories
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makoeyes
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Post by makoeyes on Jan 6, 2012 20:41:06 GMT -8
Ia ILWH, Harry Potter is a work of art and possibly the best series I've ever read in my life.
Other good series to look out for: the Bartimaeus Trilogy, The Circle of Magic series by Tamora Pierce, Animorphs, and Everworld. The last three are up there with Harry Potter with one the best series I've ever read and it pains me that the last two are both over.
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Post by circledaybreak on Feb 12, 2012 19:17:26 GMT -8
Hmmm...I read a whole bunch but I've found with people who are book-carnivorous we all tend to vary on what is a good book. I can definitely tell you what's bad since I try to keep up on what's selling in YA (since someday over the rainbow I hope to publish in that genre) and most of it IS useless swill. I can tell you what I've enjoyed recently though: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, The Sisters Grimm by Michael Buckley, The Darkest Powers Trilogy by Kelley Armstrong, and while it's a tad on the meh side, I do like The Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead. It's certainly the only current vampire story that's worth anything.
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Post by castlemoon93 on Feb 21, 2013 20:15:11 GMT -8
The new bloodlines novels by Richelle Mead are pretty damn good and Meg Cabot's books are for a good laugh. Sarah Dessen is good, and Rachel Caine.
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PuzzleChick
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Post by PuzzleChick on Mar 9, 2013 20:49:16 GMT -8
Good YA does exist! But you won't find it in any of the Twilight rip-offs that are unfortunately littering the shelves.
+1 recommendation for The Hunger Games. I honestly expected to not like it, and ended up loving the series.
Hushed by Kelley York is one of the best books I've ever read. It's haunting, dark, and yet also hopeful. It's also painful to read...but that's part of what makes it so great. Because of how it latches onto you and makes you feel everything the characters do. This is one of the few books I'd describe as seriously blowing my mind. Another of her books, Hollowed, is also quite good.
Meg Cabot's All-American Girl duology is great for a cute, fast read. I love the style and find the narration really funny, and there are some really good messages hidden in there. (I also love the progression of the sister relationship in the books.)
Marissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles series is fantastic. Each book is a twist on a fairy tale, (the first being Cinderella and the second being Little Red Riding Hood, the others yet to be revealed) and the series has some kickass female characters, guys who are actually decent and worthy love interests instead of typical YA jerks, and a really interesting setting. I'm reading Book 2 right now and am already dying for the rest of the series to be written!
Speechless by Hannah Harrington is another of my faves. I've bookmarked so many quotes from it on my Kindle that my Clippings folder stopped showing them all. I love the writing, the main character's voice, and the emphasis that the story places on self-improvement and healthy friendships. I'd rec this to anyone. <3
Unwind by Neil Shusterman is good. It involved suspending some disbelief at times, but it was incredibly haunting. There's one scene near the end that still gives me the chills when I think about it.
I loveloveLOVE The Well of Sacrifice by Chris Eboch. Its setting in the Mayan empire (and its theory as to why such an empire might fall) is fascinating, and the main character is a strong heroine you really root for. I've read this book at least ten times and could read it again right now, I love it. (One downside: Don't buy the Kindle version, it's full of typos! D= Get it from your library if you can.)
If you want something cute, heartwarming and full of fuzzies, Exiled to Iowa, Send Help and Couture by Chris O'Guinn is nothing short of sweet. It's a fairly typical coming-of-age story, nothing groundbreaking or mindblowing, but it leaves you with a smile and the feeling that maybe everything will be okay after all. It always cheers me up. x3
The Island Trilogy by Gordon Korman is really good, even if they're meant for the age-10 crowd. The tale is fast-paced and exciting, and has some great twists! And who doesn't love a good shipwreck tale, especially when you throw in smugglers and WWII bombs?
The Misfits by James Howe is another fave. The writing style is a little odd at first, but it's a great story about how name-calling can be incredibly scarring, and about finding strength in your friends and in being proud of who you are.
People have mentioned Laurie Halse Anderson, but I want to specifically add a book they didn't say: Fever 1793. It's set during the yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia, and is very good.
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