A heads-up that Chosen has just been released! This is the third book in PC & Kristin Cast's fabulous House of Night Series. (Click on the tags at the bottom of this post to see my posts on the earlier books).Here's a link to PC Cast's homepage, which has links to blurbs for Marked & Betrayed, the first two books in the series - you definitely have to read this series in order, as the story carries on from book to book. Zoey gets into a lot of trouble in book 3, and there are some major developments in her life (and at the House of Night). I can't wait to see where the Casts take their heroine in book 4!
Any of you reading this series? What about other YA (Young Adult) books? Any recommendations?
18 comments:
Hi Nalini!
I love the cover for Chosen, don't you? All of the House of Night books have fantastic covers... but this one is really gorgeous. I bought my daughter (almost 13... YIKES!) Marked for Christmas, but she hasn't gotten a chance to pick it up yet. I think I really bought it for her so that **I** could read it, so I'm gonna have to steal it from her! lol
I'm actually reading a YA novel right now... The Luxe by debut author Anna Godbersen. It takes place in Manhattan at the turn of the 19th century. Arranged marriages, love triangles, forbidden love, friendship rivalry... I just started it, but my daughter read it for an independent read for school for which she had to write a book review. When I'm finished reading it, I'm posting both her review and mine on my blog. Isn't that sweet?
Another YA series that I love is by Libba Bray. The Gemma Doyle trilogy. It is really a wonderful series. I've read the first two books, and book three came out late December 2007. I haven't read the last book yet... The Sweet Far Thing, but it's on my list. My very looooong list. ;)
I'm so thrilled that there are so many wonderful YA books on the shelves today. I don't remember having a selection like there is now when I was a teen!
Okay, this is the third time the internet screen froze on me so I’m trying from memory.
I do want to read this series, but I tend to wait for a few more books to come out before diving right in and start obsessing.
Anything Diana Wynne Jones is a must read for me. Vivian Vande Vadle has some interesting stuff. Patricia C. Wrede’s The Enchanted Forest Chronicles was hilarious and I love it til this day. If you’re interested in foreign authors, Fuyumi Ono is awesome. Her stuff changed my life, but in the good way. Not the crazy psycho way.
Currently, Cornelia Funke’s Inkworld is waiting for me, along with the Philip Pullman’s Dark Materials.
I want to read Gina Showalter’s teen alien series and also thinking about Mari Mancusi. I’m looking into Marianne Curley, Kenneth Oppel and a few other authors.
On a fun side note, an author I used to read started writing again. She stopped due to family problems and the last book of her Nightworld series just never finished, so everyone waited for 10 years.
I love stories. Love them. Need them. Woo, I have a very soft spot for fairytales, folklores, and oral stories, so I try to collect those from around the world as much as possible.
I agree and disagree with Christine on having larger selections of YA books. There's a lot more choices and good stuff out, but I'm also seeing a huge pattern of YA books falling into patterns and writing styles. Then again, that could be said for any genre. >_<
Either way, I have stories to read, adventures to experiences and new things to learn ^_^.
I just finished Marked this morning and loved it!
If you want another great vampire/ teen books series Richelle Mead writes a kick ass series called Vampire Academy. (She also wrote Succubus Blues, which rocks)...I love her to death. :)
I just got my copy of Tangled Webs! So that's what I'll be reading this weekend.
I haven't really kept up the YA stuff (other than Harry Potter). My nieces don't read much and my nephews like sporty things so I usually stay in the 'adult' sections of the bookstore. Maybe I need to wander into the YA sections more frequently. I did read and really enjoyed Phillip Pullman's His Dark Matter trilogy (The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Splyglass). I brought Eragon and Eldest but haven't read them yet. I still really enjoy the Chronicles of Narnia (have had my copies for nearly 30 year! ack! dating myself). The Elfquest comics (now reissued by DC in hardcover, nearly as good as the originals) and books by Richard and Wendy Pini are really cool.
I'm a total sucker for legends, myths and fairy-tales. Dragons and elves are my particular favorites. The King Arthur legends are fun too (loved the whole Monty Python and the Search for the Holy Grail). I do wish that Ann Maxwell had written more of her Fire Dancer series (only wrote 3 *pout*).
Alice - Doesn't technology sometimes really stink! *hug* Hope it gets better for you.
Alice:: I LOVE Cornelia Funke's INK stuff... I read Inkheart and Inkspell and loved both of them... is the next book out yet?
Karen:: I have Richelle Mead on my wish list for both her YA *and* adult novels!
Aymless:: Is it Amy? We have Pullman's trilogy on our family bookshelf, too... but no one has gotten around to reading it yet. My girls do A LOT more reading during the summer than during the school year.
And Paolini's Inheritance Chronicles are good, too. Perhaps a cross between Harry Potter and LOTR? Eragon the book is sooo much better than the movie! (aren't they always?) Paolini recently announced that he is going to write a fourth book... originally the series was going to be a trilogy.
Has anyone read Tamora Pierce?
Hi Nalini,
Am still loving me that cover :)
Ohh, Christine, I just finished a Tamora Pierce book - Terrier. Legend of Beka Cooper. I discovered it quite by accident as I was re-reading the Protector of the Small series (I SO want more books about Kel, Dom and Neal). Anyway, Terrier was really good, once I got used to the diary format and the slang (although the abbreviated words, which I think were meant to represent an accent) did throw me out of the story somewhat. I can't wait for book 2...which is 13 months away...ARGGHHH!
Good news, the library has the first PC Cast book on order, so I've placed a reserve. I'm just trying to think of other YA authors. I read a book you recommended last year Nalini, about a girl who was chosen to be the Summer Queen? Does that ring a bell? I hope the author writes a sequel. I've also read Rachel Caine...my brain isn't very focused today sorry as one of my cats (the one that reminds me of a panther) has gone missing :( Needless to say I am a mess. I just went to check the RSPCA website and swung by here. Fingers crossed he is OK!
Have a lovely weekend all!
orannia
DUH! Forgot to say, I've also read Philip Pullman's trilogy (and Harry Potter).
I'm very envious amyless! Enjoy Tangled Webs!
orannia
Oops... Delete comment.
Christine: Yes aymless = Amy B. It's what my college friends called me because I had a plan for EVERYTHING! *grin* You MUST read the Pullman series. It was one the best trilogies I've read in a long time.
Almost all books are better than the movies they make. Although Peter Jackson did a fantastic job with the LOTR. Whoever did the first Narnia film did an excellent job as well.
Orannia: Was it Summer Queen by Joan Vinge? I remember reading it. It was good. I've liked most of the stuff she has written. Enjoy the PC Cast. Hope you find kitty! *squeezes eyes and crosses fingers*
I love Diana Wynne Jones and Patricia Wrede. There's some wonderful YA fantasy out there but so many books copy each other that I'm careful about what I actually buy. I do want to recommend one fabulous non-fantasy YA by Robin Brande, _Evolution, Me, and other Freaks of Nature_. It is just wonderful and really makes you think. Waiting on my tbr pile is Shannon Hale's Book of a Thousand Days. Has anyone read it?
There are a lot of great YA books based on fairy tales and folk lore, such as Hale's books, and Joanne Harris's Runemarks, and Zoe Marriott's The Swan Kingdom.
I have to recommend British author Catherine Webb's alternate Victorian series about Horatio Lyle. Great fun. You can order from Amazon.uk. They aren't in the US yet. FYI she was only 14 when she wrote her first book and she's still only about 22 and has 7 books to her credit!!
I echo the wistful sigh about Ann Maxwell aka Elizabeth Lowell's Fire Dancer series. I love her early science fiction romances. Timeshadow Rider and Name of a Shadow are so very special!!!
I just can't get into her current romantic suspense novels....
I'm enjoying all the mentions of these books and making notes on what to read next....
Thank you aymless! Unfortunately, still no sign of the kitty :( I'm very worried! I just don't know else I can do...and the waiting is horrible :(
I don't think it was called Summer Queen...ahhh, after wembling through Nalini's previous posts I found the title: Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr. (Guess what else I found...the excerpt from the story in this year's novella :)
I also thought of another good YA author - Robin McKinley (I LOVED The Blue Sword). (Yes, I'm trying to distract myself.)
Have a good weekend all.
orannia
Thanks for all the book recommendations, everyone!
orannia:: Sorry about your missing kitty. :( The only Robin McKinely book I read was Sunshine but I think that was an adult novel. I've heard her YA novel, Beauty is really good.
Jenny:: I like Shannon Hale, too. I think the last book of hers I read was Princess Academy, but I recently ordered Book of a Thousand Days. I've always wanted to read Enna Burning and Goose Girl but never got to them.
haven't read this series :-) will try and pick it up one of these days ...
Sarah Singleton is a YA adult i'd recommend - "Heretic", "Century" and "Sacrifice". Each is a standalone novel.
Cheers,
kavz30
I was priviledged enough to read all three of these before their release dates for review. I have loved every single one. I can't wait to see what is going to happen to Zoey (I just love that name, since it is the same as my daughter's, just not the same spelling). I wish more people would come to realize that YA books have some wonderful writers that produce compelling, well researched, marvelously written books. Thanks, Nalini, for spotlighting all kinds of books on your blog. Just loved Mine to Possess but it always makes me want the next book right away! Keep em coming! By the way I am still so grateful that you picked me to get an advanced copy of Caressed by Ice for review. Thank you!
Leslee
Christine:: I used to love Tamora Pierce as a kid. I don't read her stuff much anymore.
I love Tamora Pierce. I think she writes some of the best YA stories out there. My favourite was the Protector of the Small - I just wished Kel and Dom had gotten together.
Another great series is the Pellinor books by Alison Croggon. Has anyone read them? The forth and final book is coming out in Sept of this year.
Dobby
Thanks for the great recommendations, everyone. I'm going to have to hunt some of these up.
Orannia - the next Melissa Marr book (set in the same world) is called Ink Exchange and it's out in April. (Did you find your kitty?)
Leslee, thank you :)
Leslee, also thanks for the heads up about Z's name - I can't believe I missed the "y" in my original post (esp since I really love the spelling).
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