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!

The Next Big Thing Blog Hop

PART 1

SHOUT OUT to my CP, the lovely Deborah Kreiser, for tagging me in this post! If you've read my WIP page, then there is some crossing over, but keep on reading for other goodies.

What is the working title of your book?
INGENICIDE. It used to be called THE ORDOCIDE, but I realized I had a problem when I kept on getting tongue twisted and saying THE ODORCIDE instead. Good rule of thumb for titles: make sure you as an author have no trouble pronouncing the title :D

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
16 year-old Space Manipulator Sibyl Kenschild has only been trained to design the best rooms, but when discontent Normals start massacring the prodigies, she'll have to pull all tricks to survive.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
Agency or die. Just kidding :) But I really am aiming for getting an agent. Probably agency or shelving for now.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
I wrote the first chapter in November (didn't do Nanowrimo though because I found that I actually need to take my time to write or else I get a complete, rewrite-worthy mess that it still too daunting for me to handle. Then from November to the end of February I wrote sporadically (I am in a period of my life when I have many high stakes to juggle), finishing after four months with 60k. I know, not impressive :(

What genre does your book fall under?
YA...I really want to call it a socio-political adventure but HAH, there's no such genre. I guess...sci-fi? With the lightest touch of dystopian?

Where did the idea come from for the book?
Many things! I will list them because without lists I am one of the most scatterbrained people you will ever meet.
1. MS #1- I refer to my first novel frequently because I've learned so much from it from all the things that did not work. My writer friends used to always say that I was great at writing description, but never did they comment on my action scenes. I don't blame them--I had no action scenes. Um, MS #1 didn't really have a conflict. Once I got over the grief of shoving it onto the back burner, I told myself that I would surprise myself and my reader buddies. I would write the inciting incident in the very first chapter, keep a tight grip on the pacing, and refrain from describing unnecessary details.
2. My Own Life- Yuck, right? I know, real life is often very boring in comparison to the infinite boundaries of the fiction world (check out my post on Real Life in Fiction). Because of that, you should never be afraid to write what you don't know VICE VERSA you should never confine yourself only to the subjects that you DO know. At the same time, there will always be something magical about the writing that flows out of you when you are writing about a subject that you are familiar with, even if it is just a related emotion or a sensation. For example. I'd basically trained since the age of six to become a professional artist. I drew about 1,000 pencil sketch eggs and many more color studies. I won a national gold for a larger drawing:

My parents spent a lot of time driving me to and from art class. I reckon I spent most of my odd childhood focused on this one skill. Then, high school hit, and I suddenly realized that I loved art, but I didn't LOVE art. I didn't love it enough to actually pursue it as a profession, to take daunting risks, to potentially starve. And for a job such as professional art, you really do need to love it. Otherwise, you will have no fuel for your mad creativity. Anyway, when this epiphany hit, my world turned up-side down. Suddenly, I felt aimless. I felt as if I have wasted so many years and the hopes of my parents. I wondered if there was something wrong with me--maybe I was just hitting a "wall". Maybe this was the hurdle I had to pass in order to unlock my full potential. Maybe I was just being a typical teen, wanted to break out of the path that had been drawn for me and explore. Whatever the reason, I felt like I had failed, and that feeling sometimes still chases me to this day. I keep asking myself: Is it right for me to waste a talent by not seeing it to the very end? So I took this element of "prodigy" and decided to weave it into the core of my story.

That's it for PART 1 of the post (I spewed a bit so I'm breaking it up into 2 parts to make the reading more manageable :D).  One of the best things about the writing community is that everyone is united against the forces of rejection/editing/drafting/writer's block/fill-in-your-choice-of-poison that we all look out for each other. So thank you Deb again for tagging me in this blog hop. Now I pass on the goblet! Go check out these whimsically fantastic writers and I will tell you "I told you so" when they become the next big thing:

Elyse Guziewicz
Avon

KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED FOR PART 2--CASTING AND MORE!