# Any YA Readers out there?



## Brianne Crowder (Mar 8, 2012)

Just like the title says: any YA readers on here? If so, what have you been reading lately?


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Readers, feel free to respond. . . . .

Writers, as we're in the Book Corner, please refrain from mentioning your own work.

Brianne, you might want to ask in the Writer's Cafe if you'd like people to suggest their own stuff.


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## cheriereich (Feb 12, 2011)

I love reading YA novels.

Right now I'm reading _The Peculiars_ by Maureen Doyle McQuerry. It's a YA steampunk novel that will come out in May (got an eARC from NetGalley). It's pretty good. I just wished they formatted the ARC better for Kindle because it keeps pulling me out of the story.


A great new YA series I read a few weeks ago debuted last week. It's Rachel Morgan's _Guardian_ (Book One of the Creepy Hollow series). If you like YA Paranormal Romance (with faeries), then it's awesome.


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## Sean Patrick Fox (Dec 3, 2011)

Heh. There's one or two. I just finished _Catching Fire_, Book Two of the _Hunger Games_ series by Suzanne Collins. I highly recommend it. Didn't quite enjoy this one as much as the first book, but I'm looking forward to the third (and the movie).

I was just reading about Susan Cooper's _The Dark is Rising_ series, which I've read multiple times and is absolutely fantastic. I'm tempted to go back and reread it, but I just don't have the time.

_The Chronicles of Prydain_ by Lloyd Alexander is another great series. Both this and the Susan Cooper books are a bit older, but still quite good.

Some more contemporary ones I've heard good things about but have yet to read are _Daughter of Smoke _and Bone by Laini Taylor and _The Night Circus _by Erin Morgenstern.


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## flipside (Dec 7, 2011)

Just completed The Hunger Games trilogy last month.


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## Brianne Crowder (Mar 8, 2012)

Anyone heard of Courtney Summers?


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## Verbena (Sep 1, 2011)

I like YA."The Catcher in the Rye" is very nice.


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## IowaGuy (Jan 31, 2012)

Been reading epic fantasy lately....but need to find another good YA series .  I will keep an eye out here.  I finished the Hunger Games last month.


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## CoffeeCat (Sep 13, 2010)

I love YA fiction but I haven't read much of it lately. Once I'm done with the Dark Tower series, I really want to read Switched and Torn by Amanda Hocking as I've heard such good things about her work.


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## jnau (May 4, 2011)

Have you read everything by Lauren Oliver? I adored _Before I Fall_ and really enjoyed the two books in the _Delirium_ series so far.


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## Brianne Crowder (Mar 8, 2012)

CoffeeCat said:


> I love YA fiction but I haven't read much of it lately. Once I'm done with the Dark Tower series, I really want to read Switched and Torn by Amanda Hocking as I've heard such good things about her work.


I've never read anything by Amanda Hocking, but I'm certainly intrigued!



jnau said:


> Have you read everything by Lauren Oliver? I adored _Before I Fall_ and really enjoyed the two books in the _Delirium_ series so far.


I haven't read anything by her! What kind of books does she write?


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## KarlaGomez (Mar 16, 2012)

Well, let me see, I have recently read Hush, Hush. I enjoyed it! On the other hand, I read Deadly Little Secrets and I did *not* enjoy that one.


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## Ann Herrick (Sep 24, 2010)

Brianne Crowder said:


> Anyone heard of Courtney Summers?


Yes! I "know" her from Verla Kay's message board! I've read _Some Girls Are_ and _Cracked Up to Be_ and I recommend both!

I just got _The Lipstick Laws_ by Amy Holder today. Looks like a great read.


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## CoffeeCat (Sep 13, 2010)

Brianne Crowder said:


> Anyone heard of Courtney Summers?


I hadn't but Fall For Anything looks really good.


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## Brianne Crowder (Mar 8, 2012)

Ann Herrick said:


> Yes! I "know" her from Verla Kay's message board! I've read _Some Girls Are_ and _Cracked Up to Be_ and I recommend both!
> 
> I just got _The Lipstick Laws_ by Amy Holder today. Looks like a great read.


I read both of those as well! 



CoffeeCat said:


> I hadn't but Fall For Anything looks really good.


I recommend Cracked Up to Be. It was an incredible read!


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## emilyward (Mar 5, 2011)

I love Lauren Oliver! 

Right now I'm reading Birthmarked by Caragh M. O'Brien and I really like it! I'm in the midst of reading Glimpse by Stacey Wallace Benefiel and The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa. They're good too. Not enjoying the Iron Daughter as much as the first one :-/


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## rweinstein6 (Aug 2, 2011)

I finished the Hunger Games trilogy two weeks ago (I figured I'd procrastinated enough) reading each book in a little over a day. They were that good. Right now I'm almost done with Son of Neptune. I'm really looking forward to Riordan's next in the Kane Chronicles to be released on May 1.


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## Lynn McNamee (Jan 8, 2009)

I liked _Hunger Games_ quite a bit. I read the first two books, but the ending of book two didn't lead me to believe I would enjoy the third, so I passed on that one.

I'm not fond of YA Paranormal, but I did enjoy  and .

I especially like more realitistic YA, like _Catcher in the Rye_.

_The Future of Us_ had a great concept, but the execution could have been better.

I really enjoyed: 

Two more good ones:


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## jnau (May 4, 2011)

Brianne Crowder said:


> I've never read anything by Amanda Hocking, but I'm certainly intrigued!
> 
> The only one of Amanda Hocking's books I really liked was the Hallowland series about zombies.
> 
> I haven't read anything by her! What kind of books does she write?


Lauren's newest series - _Delirium_ and _Pandemonium_ - has a dystopian theme in which love is considered a disease and people are cured of it. I also recommend _Before I Fall_, her first novel. It's a great read!


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## ETS PRESS (Nov 4, 2011)

I read a lot of YA. I'm huge fan of historicals, but recently I've been drawn to YA fantasy. I'm especially interested in books set in long ago, earth like kingdoms (think fairy tales w/o the fairies). I would appreciate any titles...

Some of my favs...

Graceling (and Fire) by Kristen Cashore (can't wait for her next book -Bitterblue -it comes out May 1st)
Books by Shannon Hale, Gary Paulson, Joan Bauer, Sharon Creech, Jane Yolen
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Okay...here is an annotated list I started on my website (I really need to add to it now): http://www.effectiveteachingsolutions.com/2010youngadultlit.htm


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## Jena H (Oct 2, 2011)

I haven't read any of the _Hunger Games_ books, but they sound pretty good. The HG movie was filmed in my area, so I've been hearing about it for weeks. I may have to see the movie just to see what I recognize in terms of location. 

I've read four of the Percy Jackson books, and like those pretty well. I don't usually care for first-person books, but I think Riordan has a good "voice" for it.

Another book I usually like to recommend is _Eight Cousins_, by Louisa May Alcott. It's such a charming, heartwarming book. There's a sequel, _Rose in Bloom_, as well, although I don't think that one is quite as satisfying as the first one. But then, _Rose in Bloom_ takes place when the characters are older, in their late teens/early 20s, so it's a little bittersweet.


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## J. Cooper (Mar 18, 2012)

CoffeeCat said:


> I love YA fiction but I haven't read much of it lately. Once I'm done with the Dark Tower series, I really want to read Switched and Torn by Amanda Hocking as I've heard such good things about her work.


CoffeeCat when you finish the dark tower series can you post on here what you thought of them? especially from book 5-7? 
i dont know why, but when i read 5/6/7 i felt that King's writing style had changed dramatically since the earlier books - as well as his direction for the series... almost like he'd had enough of them...

Anyways back to topic, Michael Grant's GONE is a good one and has plenty of sequels (though i havent read them yet) if anyone out there is looking for their next big YA book series to get their teeth into.

i thought Will Hill's Department 19 (about vampires) and Charlie Fletcher's Stone Heart books were good YA novels.


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## CoffeeCat (Sep 13, 2010)

J. Cooper said:


> CoffeeCat when you finish the dark tower series can you post on here what you thought of them? especially from book 5-7?
> i dont know why, but when i read 5/6/7 i felt that King's writing style had changed dramatically since the earlier books - as well as his direction for the series... almost like he'd had enough of them...


Certainly! I wonder if books 5 through 7 were in the post accident days? I can't recall from the forward in book 1. Just finished book 3.


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## sinugity (Feb 18, 2012)

I just wished they formatted the ARC better for Kindle because it keeps pulling me out of the story.


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## qrobles (Mar 1, 2012)

I'm a fan. I go for YA books with more fantastical elements (such as the _Foundling_ series by D.M. Cornish, or _His Dark Materials_ by Philip Pullman), but also enjoy a well done dystopian, such as _Hunger Games_ by Suzanne Collins or_ Divergent_ by Veronica Roth.


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## J. Cooper (Mar 18, 2012)

i was wondering, does anyone else out there think that when the term YA is used, most people only think of Hunger Games and the like?
What about Michael Crichton novels? Jurrassic park and lost world? i know back in the day they were termed Techno-thrillers, but surely they are YA novels too? they both feature kids fighting for their 
lives against viscious maneating dinosaurs....? 

Food for thought.


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## Brianne Crowder (Mar 8, 2012)

J. Cooper said:


> i was wondering, does anyone else out there think that when the term YA is used, most people only think of Hunger Games and the like?
> What about Michael Crichton novels? Jurrassic park and lost world? i know back in the day they were termed Techno-thrillers, but surely they are YA novels too? they both feature kids fighting for their
> lives against viscious maneating dinosaurs....?
> 
> Food for thought.


I definitely don't think the mind automatically goes to The Hunger Games. In fact, when I think YA, the first person I think of is Ellen Hopkins.


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## Jeff Tompkins (Sep 17, 2010)

I recently read Struts and Frets by Jon Skovron and enjoyed it. http://www.amazon.com/Struts-Frets-ebook/dp/B005FPN2G4

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green was good, too. http://www.amazon.com/Fault-Our-Stars-ebook/dp/B005ZOBNOI/


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## Guest (Mar 20, 2012)

Brianne Crowder said:


> Just like the title says: any YA readers on here? If so, what have you been reading lately?


I love YA books AND adult books. I've read recently...
Caged
Haunted (almost done, may finish tonight)
Lichgates
The Willows: Haven
and Girl Over the Edge


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## Kristan Hoffman (Aug 6, 2009)

Sean Patrick Fox said:


> Heh. There's one or two. I just finished _Catching Fire_, Book Two of the _Hunger Games_ series by Suzanne Collins. I highly recommend it. Didn't quite enjoy this one as much as the first book, but I'm looking forward to the third (and the movie).
> 
> I was just reading about Susan Cooper's _The Dark is Rising_ series, which I've read multiple times and is absolutely fantastic. I'm tempted to go back and reread it, but I just don't have the time.
> 
> ...


Wow what a list. I ADORE THE HUNGER GAMES, DOSAB and THE NIGHT CIRCUS, btw. Susan Cooper is in my TBR pile, as is GRACELING. TFIOS was great, a tearjerker.

I would say YA books make up at least 50% of my reading, if not a bit more. Right now I'm reading CATCHING JORDAN by Miranda Kenneally, which is fun and different b/c the heroine is a high school quarterback.


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## J. Cooper (Mar 18, 2012)

I am right in thinking Young Adult means 16+ right? 

from 16yo to 20yo.


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## Jena H (Oct 2, 2011)

J. Cooper, I think 16-20 is considered "prime" age for YA readers, but some YA books are geared toward readers as young as 13.  As far as I know, young adult is the "next" category after middle-grade (MG), i.e., high-schoolers.  But some YA books deal with issues or contain language that's not best suited for 12- or 13-year-olds, and some YA books might be too "tame" or "boring" for 19-year-olds.  So it seems to have a pretty wide spectrum.  (To me, at least.)


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## MLPMom (Nov 27, 2009)

I read and review a lot of YA on my blog. It probably makes up about 80% of my reading.

I just finished an ARC of Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf and it was awesome. I also really liked Struck by Jennifer Bosworth.


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## David Alastair Hayden (Mar 19, 2011)

I didn't read YA when I was a YA, but I do now. The same holds true for MG. Skipped it then, read it now. There weren't nearly so many cool fantasy and distopian novels when I was that age as there are now. Very few that I could get my hands on. So I skipped ahead to adult fantasy and sci-fi, and read a lot of Marvel comics.

I split my reading between YA, MG, and adult these days. Though I don't get to read as much fiction as I would like. I have to read a lot of non-fiction books for research. 

The last YA books I read were The Hunger Games books, a reread of the first and then the sequels. Wish I could unread that third book, but the first book is one of my favorite books now.


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## mscottwriter (Nov 5, 2010)

I just finished "Daughter of Smoke and Bone" which was a very adult YA imho.  Not only were there sexual situations and a lot of violence, but the language was very adult - and I mean that the words were complex, not that there were a lot of bad words.

Still, it was an amazing book, and I highly recommend it.


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## Brianne Crowder (Mar 8, 2012)

A lot of good suggestions I'd never heard of! Keep 'em coming.


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## hs (Feb 15, 2011)

I'm a YA reader and I completely understand everyone's fascination with The Hunger Games. I thought the trilogy was great, and it turned me on to the genre. I've been searching for the next Hunger Games since then (without much success).
I'm currently reading The Uglies by Scott Westerfield.


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## Adam Poe (Apr 2, 2012)

That is mainly what my wife and I read, her more so than I. I haven't had a chance to read much in the last few months  Been working a ton, and our baby takes up most of my time not at work  I used to read every night when I laid down.. but now days as soon as I hit the bed I am out like a light. I would like to read the Hunger Games and see what all the hype is about though


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## KateEllison (Jul 9, 2011)

I read YA all the time...but right now I've been in a bit of a dry spell. I haven't read anything this month that's really grabbed me.

Lauren Oliver's already been mentioned, she's brilliant. Also John Green, his most recent and most heart-breaking book The Fault in Our Stars just came out this year. And I got to meet him on his book tour to Atlanta! Me and 800 other screaming fans, that is, but we ALL got our books signed and I got to chat with him and his brother Hank for about 30 seconds. He was very sweet.

I hear Angelfall by Susan Ee is really good, so I'm probably going to pick that up next.


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## KateEllison (Jul 9, 2011)

J. Cooper said:


> i was wondering, does anyone else out there think that when the term YA is used, most people only think of Hunger Games and the like?
> What about Michael Crichton novels? Jurrassic park and lost world? i know back in the day they were termed Techno-thrillers, but surely they are YA novels too? they both feature kids fighting for their
> lives against viscious maneating dinosaurs....?
> 
> Food for thought.


I wouldn't say so... Part of what makes a book YA is the age of the protagonists, sure, although there are plenty of adult books that feature younger characters (like Room, for instance; it's told through the POV of a child, but it definitely isn't children's fiction). But YA is more characterized by things like the writing style. I don't mean it's dumbed down, mind you. The difference is often more about pacing and narrative choices and that sort of thing. For instance, the vast majority of YA is written in first person POV now, and the conflicts are going to be much more emotionally-focused than, say, a lot of adult thrillers. It's hard to describe exactly what this looks like, but a lot of times I can pick up a lot of books and tell if it's YA even without seeing the cover or the intended age group. There's just a particular flavor to the writing style, the way the book opens, the way the characters are introduced, etc. This is in addition to the usual tropes, like teen protagonists and high school-based or coming-of-age situations. Of course I am generalizing, and there are YA books that don't do this. But as a general rule, there's a certain feel.

It's kind of like the difference in feel in a slick action movie by Michael Bay and an artsy, indie flick. They just FEEL different right away because of the way the whole thing is put together, even without accounting for the storyline or the dialogue or the music.

That's not to say YA doesn't have sub-genres or a great deal of diversity in the writing style, because it totally does. It's a huge, vibrant collection of different types of stories. I'm speaking in the most general of generalizations.

As an example...I'm not allowed to mention stuff I've written here, and that's cool, so I won't say titles or anything. But I've written things that weren't aimed at any kind of particular age group, I guess you could say they were adult because they featured adult characters, but in some of my reviews people still classified them as YA due to my style, and in retrospect I would tend to agree with them. And hey, I like the YA style, so it's not an insult or anything. 

Interesting discussion, though.


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## 3pointers (Jan 8, 2010)

I love YA books.  It's one of my larger categories on my Kindle.

One series I really enjoyed was the Dreamhouse Kings Series by Robert Liparulo.

As mentioned in a previous post, I have also enjoyed R. W. Ridley's Oz Chronicles, although I've only read the 1st in the series so far.


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## CoffeeCat (Sep 13, 2010)

Daughter of Smoke and Bone looks really interesting.

I am so anxious to read John Green. I love the vlogs he and Hank do and I've heard nothing but amazing things about his writing.


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## purplesmurf (Mar 20, 2012)

Brianne Crowder said:


> I've never read anything by Amanda Hocking, but I'm certainly intrigued!


I finished Switched by Amanda Hocking a few months ago and then started reading the second book Torn as soon as it came out on Kindle. I've been stuck in it for a few weeks now and had to put it down. Just not as good as the first one in my opinion.

I picked up "I shall wear midnight" by terry pratchet which is the newest book in his Tiffany Aching/wee free men series. I highly recommend them if you haven't read them before.


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## yomamma (Feb 10, 2011)

I love love LOVE Kelley Armstrong's Darkest Powers trilogy.


I also really loved ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS and THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS.


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## Brianne Crowder (Mar 8, 2012)

hs said:


> I'm a YA reader and I completely understand everyone's fascination with The Hunger Games. I thought the trilogy was great, and it turned me on to the genre. I've been searching for the next Hunger Games since then (without much success).
> I'm currently reading The Uglies by Scott Westerfield.


I hear Kiera Cass' _The Selection_ is supposed to be the next Hunger Games. We shall see!



KateEllison said:


> I read YA all the time...but right now I've been in a bit of a dry spell. I haven't read anything this month that's really grabbed me.
> 
> Lauren Oliver's already been mentioned, she's brilliant. Also John Green, his most recent and most heart-breaking book The Fault in Our Stars just came out this year. And I got to meet him on his book tour to Atlanta! Me and 800 other screaming fans, that is, but we ALL got our books signed and I got to chat with him and his brother Hank for about 30 seconds. He was very sweet.
> 
> I hear Angelfall by Susan Ee is really good, so I'm probably going to pick that up next.


I cannot wait to read some John Green! I've never read any of his writing, so I'm super excited to have that added to my reading list!



purplesmurf said:


> I finished Switched by Amanda Hocking a few months ago and then started reading the second book Torn as soon as it came out on Kindle. I've been stuck in it for a few weeks now and had to put it down. Just not as good as the first one in my opinion.
> 
> I picked up "I shall wear midnight" by terry pratchet which is the newest book in his Tiffany Aching/wee free men series. I highly recommend them if you haven't read them before.


I must say, I am curious about Amanda Hocking. She seems to have gathered quite the audience!



jillmyles said:


> I love love LOVE Kelley Armstrong's Darkest Powers trilogy.
> 
> 
> I also really loved ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS and THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS.


I have a blog post about Kelley Armstrong that you might be interested in!


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## yomamma (Feb 10, 2011)

Link? 

_if you're asking for a link to Brianne's blog, please note that self promotion is not allowed in the Book Corner. -- Ann _


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## JenniferRenee (Apr 18, 2012)

I would say YA makes up for 50 percent of the novels I read. The last YA novel I read was _Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children_ by Ransom Riggs. I felt it was an excellent read.

I've read the Switched Trilogy by Amanda Hocking. I hate not finishing a series when I start, and I only finished this series because of that reason. I felt it was merely okay reading material, and I was disappointed by some of the character's actions, which seems very out of character at times.


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## William Woodall (Jun 8, 2009)

I love YA novels.

I just got through reading the Hunger Games trilogy, Divergent, and the Maze Runner trilogy (all of them were excellent, by the way).

Right now I'm working on the Missing series by Margaret Haddix which is also pretty good, and next up in line is the House of Dark Shadows series.  I'm still waiting for the next installment in the Chronicles of Nick series but it looks like it might be several months before that's available.

Yeah, I read really fast, lol.


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

For some reason I am always dismissive of YA stuff thinking "well, it's for kids." However, I always end up sucked in. I read the Harry Potter books and I just read the Hunger Games trilogy. And I have read the first two books in that Steampunk series Leviathan and Behemoth.


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## Brianne Crowder (Mar 8, 2012)

jillmyles said:


> Link?
> 
> _if you're asking for a link to Brianne's blog, please note that self promotion is not allowed in the Book Corner. -- Ann _


If it's a link other than my blog that you're looking for, please let me know! If it's my blog... private message me? 



JenniferRenee said:


> I would say YA makes up for 50 percent of the novels I read. The last YA novel I read was _Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children_ by Ransom Riggs. I felt it was an excellent read.
> 
> I've read the Switched Trilogy by Amanda Hocking. I hate not finishing a series when I start, and I only finished this series because of that reason. I felt it was merely okay reading material, and I was disappointed by some of the character's actions, which seems very out of character at times.


I've heard _Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children_ by Ransom Riggs is good! It's on my to-read list!

About Amanda Hocking... really? I've only really heard good things about her. Interesting...


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## Raquel Lyon (Mar 3, 2012)

There was no such thing as YA when I was one, so I’making up for lost time.  
Recently, I’ve joined the masses and am reading the Hunger Games trilogy. Halfway through Catching Fire and I am enjoying them but I think they’ve been hyped up a lot. Nervous about reading the third book because of all the negative comments it's had.
Also reading Hollowland by Amanda Hocking. It okay, if you can see past the formatting, reminds me of ‘I Am Legend’.
The next big dystopian novel is - according to YA bloggers - Divergent by Veronica Roth.


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## gemini dream (Feb 27, 2012)

purplesmurf said:


> I picked up "I shall wear midnight" by terry pratchet which is the newest book in his Tiffany Aching/wee free men series. I highly recommend them if you haven't read them before.


The Tiffany Aching books are some of my favorite Pratchett, which is saying a lot.


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## davetylerdurden (Apr 23, 2012)

Just recently finished "The Left Hand of God" by Paul Hoffman. I really liked it, although Ive heard the follow up "The Last Four Things" is pretty bad. Dont know if anyone else has read it, but its a shame to spoil the first book if it is. Loved the Abhorsen Chronicles as well.


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## Guest (Apr 23, 2012)

The most recent YA books I've read are LICHGATES and GIRL OVER THE EDGE (loved both) and I plan to read Hunger Games.


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## Kiyoshi9595 (Apr 23, 2012)

First I'd like to say hi out there to you all. 
I'm starting to take my writing seriously and figured to pick up a Harry Potter book( I know I'm reallll late lol) Anyway I was immediately engrossed in the reading. The great detail, intresting characters, and the added magic aspect made it my best read yet!

Look forward to discussing more topics on the kindleboards


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## davetylerdurden (Apr 23, 2012)

Hi Kiyoshi9595, Im the same. I always get round to reading most books about 10 years after they are published. But a good book stands the test of time  The Potters do get addictive though.


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