Young Adult Suggestions

     I took the last week in order to poll my Facebook friends (Remember when you would actually have to call someone or ask them in person? Now I just post a status and let the answers come in) and find out what their top suggestions were for reading. Surprisingly, a lot of them were Young Adult, which got me to thinking: How much Young Adult do I really read? How much do I own?
     I took their list, dug through my bookshelves, and came to what I'm posting now. I read a lot more Young Adult then I ever realised.

Here's what they suggested and my thoughts on them:

1)The Mortal Instrument Series: Cassandra Clare:

First Novel's Cover

     From what I understand, this series is a blend of science fiction, fantasy, and steampunk rolled into one. I have not read the series yet. I've been hesitant to do so since I was around during the "drama" of fanfiction plagarism back in "dark ages" of the Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter fandoms. Suffice to say, I believe that a writer's work can be exceptional, even when the writer themselves are not. Every writer should have a professional approach to themselves, their work, and to their colleagues. I did not see this behavior in the past. Hopefully, because of the fame her series has attracted, she has developed a professional nature. I've decided that, eventually, I will attempt to read the series.



 2) The Harry Potter Series: J.K. Rowling:

First Novel: Introduces the Classic Cover Art, at least in the USA printing.

   
Who hasn't read these? I'm certain that if you are a fantasy fan, you have read these. I do have a few reviews, however, that I will try out here in the future. The last novel in the series broke my heart and not in a good way.


3) Ann Rinaldi and her collection of short, historical novels:

Industrial Revolution: A young girl finding her way.

I'm a huge historical fiction fan. I've read everything from Philippa Gregory to the above mentioned author and nothing compares to Rinaldi's connection with her audience through her heart-felt characters. Lyddie, for example, turns to the factories as a way to pay her family's debt and soon finds the family falling apart and drifting away; the salvation that the young girl desires seems to never come to past. During the Industrial Revolution, the family as a nuclear unit fell apart in the wake of survival and poverty. Many young girls, such as Lyddie, resorted to living their lives under the factories' control, only escaping in times of poor health and extraordinary luck. Rinaldi's spot on descriptions and meticulous accuracy makes any of her novels a brilliant way to show young readers a first hand account of the past, all be it a fictionalized point of view.

                                                        
 4) Generation Dead: Daniel Waters:

First Novel. Caught my attention a store but never picked it up.
 

I always find myself attracted to the revamping of the zombie genre. With the advent of television shows like the Walking Dead, it goes without precedence that the Young Adult genre would shortly have a zombie revival, particularly with the sparkling vampires and shape shifting werewolves. I remember when the only horror I could get was a weekly episode of Buffy; and thankfully, Charmed, once the show began on the WB. Now teens have novels such as Twilight, Forbidden, etc. that offers up the perfect opportunity for a quick, horror thrill. I have not read this series but I am intrigued by it. I'm hoping to start reading it soon. In a world were zombies are called the differently biotic, what could go wrong?

5) Carolyn Meyer's historical young adult series:




Part of the Young Royals Series

 

The Tudor dynasty is one of my favorite to follow. I have yet to see a successful transition of this history, however, into the young adult genre. In my usually wandering through the young adult section at the public library I did pull this author's novel off the shelf. It was well worth it. Casting Anne Boleyn as both a sympathetic protagonist and as a conniving women that will stop at nothing to grasp the power that is just out of reach is a difficult path. Even Gregory, who I've mention before, casts Anne in a much darker light, pushing her forward as a women driven by jealousy and greed; Meyer breaks into the mold, forcing the reader to see Anne as a young women desperate to be noticed and adored, placed as an outcast in her own family until catching the eye of a king that would love her "above all the rest". Meyer has several other novels in this particular series, each producing a lighter, easily accessible view of the women behind the throne.

I believe I'm going to try several of these. I, at the very least, have a list created for upcoming young adult writers. You'll be seeing the reviews soon.