The Procrastinator's Gift Guide: YA books edition

- All of the following recommendations will be YA books because that is mostly what I've read this year (when I had the time to do a bit of personal reading), and I wanted to make sure that I knew the books that I was recommending! That being said, people of any age can read and enjoy these books, as you shall see if you continue reading! Also, this list will be kind of short because I honestly haven't been very good about reading this year, but each and every book on this list is fantastic and deserves to be loved by someone this holiday season. 

Have a writer/book-lover friend you still need to buy a present for? There's still time to run to your local bookstore. For your convenience, I'll be listing books that have either been released this year (which increases the likelihood that it is in stock and on the shelves) or have had pretty good sales (which also means that the store still will stock).

So let's start with...

1. The person who likes to read everything but YA. This person might think YA is watered down, unsophisticated, etc. etc. (insert falsity of choice). This person would probably enjoy:

THE WINNER'S CURSE (series) by Marie Rutkoski

Gorgeously crafted writing? Check. A narrative and story structure with many layers, worthy of rereading once, twice, three+ times, with each reread revealing more nuggets of awesome? Check. Achingly real, flawed characters with relationships that will gouge out your heart because said relationships are just too perfect and imperfect? Check. If you're nice, you'll tell this friend of yours to hold off from reading book 2 until closer to the release date of book 3...

2. The person who wants to like reading, but is quite reluctant about it. This person might have a short attention span and finds it difficult to get into books. The only time they read is right before bed, when they need something to tire them out and put them to sleep. This person would probably enjoy:

AN EMBER IN THE ASHES by Sabaa Tahir

Here's a true story: I gave this book to the high schoolers I was tutoring (for the SATs) this summer. For them, English is their second language. A lot of them expressed interest in reading, but found it tedious to get into books (I can imagine! I don't think I can even start to waddle my way through my Mandarin set of THE HUNGER GAMES). I tried to think of the most fast paced, gripping, action packed book I knew of to recommend to them, and lone and behold it was this one! I do believe I read this over studying for one of my finals last year ;)

3. The person who loves reading and loves writing and just wants to find a book with characters who also love reading and writing, who fangirl over awesome books and maybe even delve into fanfiction...? This one should be obvious:

FANGIRL by Rainbow Rowell

This book was not released this year, but it's been so popular that I'm pretty sure you can find SPECIAL EDITION versions of them in your bookstore. It's a great winter read because it gives you all the warm and fuzzy feelings (that being said, it's not all rainbows and butterflies. It's just written in a wonderfully real style and narrated by a protagonist who is shy, awkward, and completely relatable). 

4. For the person who likes books, but likes movies more. Especially if this person's favorite movies are the high-stakes, intricately plotted types, you know they'll love a sweeping story with a movie-worthy cast to boot:

I mean, this was comped to Ocean's Eleven, and it's written by one of the queens of fantasy. The person you you give this to is a good hands. 

5. For the person who's witty and slightly cynical and a pain to buy for because they either tell you they don't want anything or you just a difficult time reading them. This person is probably an enigma, and you wonder what philosophical musings they're constantly entertaining in their heads:

WE ALL LOOKED UP by Tommy Wallach

This is a very honest and clever book. It takes many common tropes and stereotypes and subverts them (the genre itself--contemporary--is given a little twist from the dash of pre-apocalytptic). From characters to feels, it has a bit of everything. It's gripping yet savoring-worthy. It's maddening yet oddly zen. The feeling that you get after coming way from the last page is difficult to describe, just like the theme, but that's because everything is working together so organically. (Can you tell I'm having a hard time putting this book into words?)

6. And lastly, for the person who either 1. enjoys a good historical fiction with tea or 2. is very sentimental and doesn't mind a good cry. Because this book is sad. And this book came out ages (ok, not really, but comparatively) ago, but it's probably still stocked in bookstores. If it's not, I will be personally offended:

BETWEEN SHADES OF GRAY by Ruta Sepetys

And I have no words for this book.

Happy Belated Book Birthday to SOULS ESTRANGED!!!

This past week was momentous because it was the release for the second book of my CP's The Souls Trilogy. Yes, second book. To think that way back in February of 2013, I was reading a draft of the first book. Time really does fly.

My CP Anne is so selfless and supportive, and if you've read this post of mine, then you'll know that she was a driving force behind my completion of HESPERIA. Seriously, if you're drafting a tough book, you want her by your side. We have yet to meet in person, but I know that when I do, I'm going to tackle with the biggest hug.

So without further ado, behold the beauty:

I am so jealous of her covers.

Back from their adventures in Souls Entwined, Sam Daggett begins a new relationship with Gretta Dobbs, whose memories of their time traveling experience have been erased. Determined to never leave her again, Sam vows to help Gretta, despite the bad luck curse on her heirloom ring. Within hours of their return, tragedy strikes. 

As Sam becomes the third victim of the bad luck curse, Gretta’s memories of her time spent in the past begin to return. Unable to remember more than snippets, she realizes that anyone close to her is in grave danger. In order to keep Sam and her family safe, she flees in the middle of the night. 

Finding the perfect summer job in the back hills of Virginia, Gretta unknowingly crosses paths with a serial killer. With guidance from their ancestral spirits, Roxana and Katarina, Sam desperately attempts to find Gretta before the curse strikes again. 



FIND IT HERE: Soulmate Publishing   ●   Amazon   ●   Goodreads

And here's where you can find out more about the first book of the trilogy/get your hands on it:

My Post From Last Year

Soulmate Publishing

Amazon

Goodreads



If you're reading this, congratulations Anne!!! Already bought book two and getting ready to read :)

Autumn Reads

Been super busy with a lot of things (not even going to list them because they'll make my head explode) BUT I wanted to celebrate the start of my favorite month with a short post about ALL THE BOOKS that I want to read. It's been a while since I've talked about books because I'm guilty of not reading as much as I should.... But I do tend to read more during the colder months for some odd reason, so here we go:

Books that are already out in the world (and that I'm most likely way behind on reading):

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
Young Elites by Marie Lu
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Books I'm currently reading that I need to finish:

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
Half Bad by Sally Green

Books that I'm rereading for editing the PitchWars manuscript purposes:

The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson
Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo
Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Books that I'm eagerly awaiting:

Ice Like Fire by Sara Raasch
The Winner's Kiss by Marie Rutkoski***


***Ugh!!! The release date for this book is so far away. I've rereading all books in The Winner's Crime trilogy, and I am now convinced that it is one of my all time favorite Young Adult series. Rutkoski is a master of tension, plot, romance, and character development--she executes all with such sophistication and beauty. I highly, highly recommend checking out the trilogy. Some might find it a bit slow at first, but that's part of its subtle beauty and also something that you will miss when the tension gets to be too much. Why did I ever think it would be a good idea to read book 2 before the release of book 3????***

Book that I recommend as a cozy read:
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

As you can see, I have a lot of fantasies on the list. I tend to get into the fantasy mood during fall/winter. Plus, there's a lot of good fantasy out there nowadays.

So those are my books! To be honest, I'm going to be so proud of myself if I can just read one book from each category because reading everything on this list is probably not realistic, given my current schedule. We can hope though!


Let me know what's on your TBR list! I'd love to here and get some more recommendations :)

My Favorite (YA) Books

Still seeking readers for my NA Contemporary, IF LIFE WERE FAIR.

For some reason, I don't have this post up when it was actually when of the first post ideas I had come up with. And so I (UBER-EXCITEDLY--who doesn't love books?) present to you:

MY FAVORITE (YA) BOOKS

Disclaimers: *I won't be including any of the mega popular books (Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, Twilight, you get the gist). If you really want to know, Harry Potter is REALLY up there on my fantasy list, The Hunger Games is one of my favorite dystopians, and Twilight is...okay. It did introduce me to paranormal before the fever set in, so I'll give it that. 

**I'll be trying to post only genres that I've read at least semi-widely in so that I can provide an educated nomination.

***Some genres might have multiple nominations because who said that there has to be limits on cream of the crop?

****There will be NO SUMMARIES. Or else this post will eat your computer. I recommend Goodreads if you're interested in learning more!

*****MOST IMPORTANTLY, all of the following are purely base on my opinion! Please don't take personal offense if I don't nominate one of your favorite books in a genre--instead, comment below and tell me what you think should have been nominated! A 60% chance I've probably read the book.

Fantasy - Urban

PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS series (MELTING POT)

BY RICK RIORDAN

MG or YA--I don't care because what can I say? The dialogue, the snarking characters, the humor, the mythology (and really, if I want completely accurate mythology, I'll go read a textbook) all come together into something that is utterly un-put-downable. 

THE SPACE BETWEEN (BEST VIBE+ORIGINALITY)

BY BRENNA YOVANOFF

I said I wasn't going to give summaries but I can't help but pitch this: the daughter of Satan and Lilith comes down to Earth and with the help of a suicidal boy, tries to find her brother. Really, I've never read anything REMOTELY like this, not in plot nor tone nor character. The Space Between is an indulgent mix of horror, mystery, fantasy, and romance.

Fantasy - Hardcore

THE PRINCESS ACADEMY (BEST COMING OF AGE)

BY SHANNON HALE

Don't be deceived by the pretty cover! Or the title! This book has a beautifully crafted plot and complex characters that will stick with you for ages (I read first read this in 5th grade and I still remember EVERYTHING that happens). The main character is 14, so I guess it could also be shelved as middle grade, but I my opinion it's a YA coming-of-age story with a fantastical world and customs that resonate with you. 

Scifi - Dystopian

UNWIND (WINNING CONCEPT)

BY NEAL SHUSTERMAN

Holy-moly. The concept of this! Instead of the option of abortion, parents can have their children "unwound" (which basically equals each and every body part and organ getting shipped off to someone in need) at age thirteen? At first glance, this sounds ludicrous, but once you think about it, you can start to see the argument for WHY "unwinding" is better than abortion. Doesn't mean you have to agree with it! But that's what's great about the book--it really, really makes you think. 

BIRTHMARKED trilogy (WINNING AURA + MALE CHARACTER)

BY CARAGH O'BRIEN

EXTREMELY underrated series. First off, sort of unrelated, but Caragh is one of the FRIENDLIEST authors I have ever met. Not just for emails--comment on her blog and she'll be SURE to reply back with an insightful response! But onto the books. The world-building is solid, the writing is full of life and color (really well-done 3rd POV!), but what really steals the show is Leon, the romantic interest. Seriously, I don't think I've ever read a character this fleshed out, so flawed and yet so redeemable. 

CHEMICAL GARDEN trilogy (WINNING AURA + WRITING)

BY LAUREN DESTEFANO

Now, in the book world, The Chemical Garden trilogy is one of those series where you either love it or hate it. For me, I understand that there are world-building flaws and that there are some weak characters (just as there are strong ones). But this series continues to steal a soft spot in my heart simply because of the aura--or mood--that it's lyrical, breathtaking yet humble, writing creates. I can FEEL the gloom of this futuristic world, even with some world-building holes. I can taste the saccharine opulence, smell the smoke. Lauren DeStefano is an author whom I will follow simply for her writing. 

Scifi - Hardcore

ENDER'S GAME (PERFECT MIX OF CHARACTER + PLOT-DRIVEN)

BY ORSON SCOTT CARD

Here's a book that I think deserves to be on school reading lists. Here's a book that I think that everyone should have in their repertoires, author personal-beliefs aside. Sure, it's a great read for those hardcore scifi lovers out there (space, aliens, battle-training school--what more is there to have?), but it goes deeper than that. Ender's Game, as straightforward as the writing is and as interesting but simple as the plot is, offers a deep, psychological perspective on childhood, growing up, and relationships. Think of it as a spice. The undertones are all there. 

Speculative - Post-apocalyptic 

HOW I LIVE NOW (POSSIBLY MY FAVORITE BOOK OF ALL TIME)

BY MEG ROSOFF 

Proves my theory on how shorter books (Of Mice and Men, The Great Gatsby) are often mind-shockingly brilliant. I picked this up from my decrepit library two summers ago and still get shivers when I think about it. It really is a simple story. Girl goes to countryside England to live with her cousins, World War ??? breaks out. But the characters...oh the characters. And not even that. This book is like chocolate. It's sweet and bitter, and yet there's so much more to its flavor than that, flavor that I just can't describe. 

LIFE AS WE KNEW IT (MOST REALISTIC/BEST DIARY-STYLE)

BY SUSAN BETH PFEFFER

A little less underrated than How I Live Now, but still underrated :( Seriously, this is one of the best post-apocalyptic survival tales out there because it's SO real. Yes, despite its inciting incident being that the moon blows up in our faces, the characters and their struggles were tangible. This is also one of the best diary-style books that I've ever read. Miranda, our narrator, isn't really likable, but you have to admire her for the hell that goes down in this story. 

Paranormal

A CERTAIN SLANT OF LIGHT (BEST GHOST STORY)

BY LAURA WHITCOMB 

I've read all the walks of paranormal (super/psychic powers, angels, demons, vamps, trolls, faeries, as so the list goes) and many ghost stories. The problem is that a lot of them blend into each other and then I can't remember any of their plots with much distinction. But A Certain Slant of Light? Oh, I wish it never ended. Theme-wise, it's more contemporary than paranormal, but that's really what makes it so great. The romance...possibly the best couple in the universe of paranormal. And the writing is a treat. In fact, this is one of the most literary YA's (not even just within the paranormal genre) that I've ever read. 

Contemporary

HOW TO SAVE A LIFE (BEST SLICE OF LIFE)

BY SARA ZARR

Now, of all the genres, I had the hardest time picking my favorite for Contemporary because for me, at least, Contemporaries are quiet, thoughtful sort of books. From John Green to Sarah Dessen, they leave me sort of depressed (in a good way!) after reading because they all leave a mark. However, my FAVORITE of all the Contemporary authors is Sara Zarr. Her writing is fantastic, her characters are real, and her plot conflicts are twisty but still fathomable. How to Save a Life is no exception. 

Historical 

BETWEEN SHADES OF GRAY (BEST STORY + SIDE-CHARACTERS)

BY RUTA SEPETYS

I mentioned this title once and someone confused it with FIFTY SHADES OF GRAY. Probably the worst mix-up in the world. Between Shades of Gray is one of the most moving tales of human compassion and strength, based on the events of the deportations of the Baltic States orchestrated by the Soviets during WWII. Yes, a new angle on all the atrocities of WWII! I saved this for last because I THINK that my favorite genre might be historical fiction, but sadly there just isn't that much out there in the YA world. However, keeping in mind that less can be more sometimes, I am wholly satisfied with gems like Between Shades of Gray to represent the YA Historical Fiction sector!

This is one of my harder posts just because there are SO many awesome books in each of the aforementioned genres that I would love to nominate. However, keeping in mind that reading (and writing) is such a subjective business, a lot of these nominations are based on the gut feeling I have when I think about these books. Just as I had fun writing this, I hope you had fun reading! I'd LOVE to hear of your (dis)agreements/nominations, so please comment below!

Giveaway: LEGEND by Marie Lu

I just got back from four amazing days at the beach with my haul of sandy clothes and saltwater taffy :D Though I'm definitely going to miss it, I have to admit that I don't write as well or as much outside of an environment that I'm familiar with. Therefore, I'm excited to be back to reading and writing in the comfort of my room.

I'm ALSO very excited to say that while I was away, my Amazon order of books I've read in the past year and that I would like to collect and my summer to-reads arrived on my porch. Like the careless person I am, I ordered two of Marie Lu's LEGEND, the first of a trilogy. Apparently I am "valued customer" and Amazon was kind enough to allow me to keep the extra book and the refund. Guess what that means?

GIVEAWAY!

Here's an overview of LEGEND from Goodreads in case you haven't heard of it/read it:

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic’s wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic’s highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June’s brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family’s survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias’s death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.



I LOVED this book (hence why I wanted to collect it) and am dying to read the last and final book of the trilogy, CHAMPION. Marie Lu's story to publication is inspirational as well--she's been writing novels since her childhood! So go on and enter the giveaway below :D You have until June 30th. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Nibbles for Thought

ON REALISTIC (BORING?) CHARACTERS:

I love perusing query-related blogs, so naturally I love Query Shark. This is the result of one of my searches:

"Real life rarely has a plot."

 -Query Shark (http://queryshark.blogspot.com/)

Reaction: :(

After a bout of sadness, I thought mulled over this quote, because truth be told I am a sucker for REAL LIFE because isn't quite as simple and lackluster as it seems (don't lie to me!). REAL LIFE is full of stories to be told and stories to relate to (Because don't all readers love it when they can click with the characters and their struggles? Please don't tell me you've ever had to engage in a televised fight to the death because that is really alarming).

There aren't many real life plots out there. There are YA contmeporaries that try to mimic real life but in the end don't quite succeed because the boys are kind-considerate-gorgeous/mythical-or-paranormal-creatures. Or the protagonists have special abilities. Or interesting stuff just happens in school. Or the adults are conveniently missing and teens actually have power. Or...you get my point.

Linked with un-REAL LIFE plots are un-REAL-LIFE characters. If the plot if going explode into a ball of flames, then the characters might as well be bad-ass enough to escape said fire or have special powers to conquer said fire. Mixing REAL LIFE characters with the un-REAL LIFE plot just doesn't....no, it just doesn't work.

 Like real life plots, there aren't enough real life characters out there. The first one I can think of on the top of my head is Holden Caufield and again, I hope that the majority of the normal population does not find itself in Holden-like situations.

Don't get me wrong--I adore the heroes and heroines of YA fiction. I love Percy and his demi-god awesomeness and Katniss with her berry guruness and Tris with her nine lives. The pitfall? Yes, I may be able to understand the fear of jumping off a ten story building. I mean, isn't fear just fear? Yes, I know fear. I KNOW what it feels like to fail a math test. The heart starts hammering, the palms start sweating, and the little voice goes off: oh no oh no oh no OH MY GOD. Flailing and spazzing ensues.

Ahem.

Let's go on a tangent here. Say I was a novel character. This would be on my character spreadsheet:
Female, 5'2, brown eyes, glasses, black hair. Likes to read, write, bake, draw. Incredibly bad at making on the spot decisions. Fear of heights. Fear of pain. Fear of dying. Fear of germs. Fear of bugs. Horrible balance--cannot stand on one foot. Life saving skills: none. Life saving knowledge: none. Good liar? Not really. Persuasive: eh. Supernatural powers: none. etc. etc. etc.

Now, I might be an extraodinary case of a useless, mundane, real life character, but you can see that there are little things that fictional characters take for granted. For example, running. I have a big thing about running in YA. I have not met a protagonist in a dystopian who is NOT good at running. Not just any running, but the running-for-your-life running-away-from-bad-guys. No YA character goes down because they get a cramp or fall. Also, another thing: 20/20 vision. I am literally blind without my glasses. I would actually run into a wall. Those exercises where there's a hypothetical house fire and you have to grab your five most important possessions? I have to waste one on glasses. Tell me if you know of a YA fantasy/dystopian/adventure protagonist whose Achilles heel is that they can't see (Simon from The Mortal Instruments does not count. He gets perfect vision after he's turned into a vampire.)

I myself am guilty of writing an UNREAL LIFE character for a semi-UNREAL LIFE plot. My MC is resourceful, a prodigy in interior design, and good at making deals. Granted, she's doesn't have the edge of physical or magical powers, but I've deliberately given her enough strengths so that she can play her role in a terror-filled plot and won't go splat at the inciting incident.

I want to make it clear that I do not think that any of the UNREAL LIFE characters are perfect by any means. They are flawed! They battle their own dilemmas and emotions!  That's why they are so fun to read about. But they are no where near flawed on the miniscule level as any REAL LIFE character would be.
 
What do you think? Do you find it harder to relate to characters who have unrealistic lives? Does it not matter to you if you can relate--is the story itself more important? Do you write real life characters in an unreal life plot, or do you find yourself giving your character the skills to play on your twisted game-board of a story?