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[OpheliaRevived]

Book Recs PLEASE

I really want to find some good first person present tense books, preferably dystopian or paranormal, but doesn't have to be if it's FABULOUS. ;-) Just need a palate cleanser before I start work on a new project.

 

[cmtruesd]

You've probably read them, but the first ones that come to my mind are Hunger Games and Divergent. Both are good, unique reads. I believe Matched may have been in first person too? That book isn't one of my favorites, but it was pretty popular with other people, so it may be worth a look.

 

[OpheliaRevived]

I have read those -- thanks! I loved Matched. LOL. It was definitely a differently paced read. It was like unwinding a ball of twine and finding a piece of chocolate tied to the end.

 

[oooooh]

Not in first person, but The Maze Runner is pretty good as far as dystopian/science fiction YA goes. Sorry, nothing else comes to mind.

 

[MysteryScribe]

I really want to find some good first person present tense books, preferably dystopian or paranormal, but doesn't have to be if it's FABULOUS. ;-) Just need a palate cleanser before I start work on a new project.

Off the top of my head here are 1st person present dystopians:
WITHER - Lauren DeStefano
LEGEND - Marie Lu
SHATTER ME - Tahereh Mafi
DIVERGENT - Veronica Roth
THE ADORATION OF JENNA FOX - Mary E. Pearson (more sci-fi than dystopian, though)
FORSAKEN - Lisa M Stasse

 

[Windcutter]

Have you read GOING BOVINE? More absurdist than dark, maybe.

Then there's THE MARBURY LENS, which is more dark than anything.

I'm anxiously awaiting THROUGH TO YOU myself, and will be watching this space for other recs.

I started it, but it was more literary/absurdist, yes. Will try THE MARBURY LENS, thanks.

Kitty Pryde, thanks for the recs!

Someone here recently recommended Long Lankin, was that you? If not, OMG READ. I'm not even done with it yet and I'm in love with it. So creepy.

No, but I'll put it on my list now.

YA Epic Fantasy

Edit: I prefer third person strongly. First person has to be written very well to hold my interest.

I haven't read it yet, so it's an indirect rec, because it was recommended to me: THRONE OF GLASS. Third person, YA Epic Fantasy. Buzzed as a teen version of A GAME OF THRONES.

I really want to find some good first person present tense books, preferably dystopian or paranormal, but doesn't have to be if it's FABULOUS. ;-) Just need a palate cleanser before I start work on a new project.

Seconding LEGEND.
And a new title: MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH. It's a dystopia with a Gothic steampunk period feel. Pretty fabulous.

 

[Yeasayer]

I'm looking for something without magic, sci-fi, fantasy, dystopia, etc. I'd like to read something with normal teenagers, but with a really strong voice.

Some things I like that are similar to that are The Boyfriend List and Absolutely Normal Chaos.

Thanks!

Three of my favorites that fit your description:

Sloppy Firsts and Second Helpings by Megan McCafferty
The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
How to Say Goodbye in Robot by Natalie Standiford

 

[Becca C.]

Seconding How to Say Goodbye in Robot. It's absolutely fabulous. Quirky and hilarious but heartfelt.

Also adding Anna and the French Kiss and Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins. The titles sound really fluffy, but don't let them fool you. They're very smart and honest and cute and I have big, big crushes on these books. Not necessarily the characters. Just the books. Haha.

 

[Smiley0501]

Just so everyone knows THE MARSBURY LENS is the most mindf___ book I've read in YA. Just. the whoooole time .

 

[LadyA]

I'm looking for quite specific recommendations - get your thinking caps on, people.... lol
I'm planning a contemp with two narrators, and one is the unreliable narrator, the other not so much, but the reader has to kind of decide who's telling the truth. The only unreliable narrator book I've read is INEXCUSABLE by Chris Lynch, and I'd quite like to read some more.

Does anyone know of good books that are:

a) Contemporary

+

b) with unreliable narrators (like, you don't know if they're lying, you don't know who's the villain and who's the hero, cos they're equally bad and equally justified)

and if possible (although it's not as important as a and b), ones with third person narrators? Only I'm a 3rd person writer as a rule, and I've read so much 1st person recently (and written a 1st person book) that I've 'forgotten' how to do it lol.

Thank you!

 

[totopink]

I just want a nice easy reading YA novel with a romance plot line I can sink my teeth in to. Preferably not dystopian and preferably without a weak soppy love sick MC

any suggestions?

 

[Kitty Pryde]

I just want a nice easy reading YA novel with a romance plot line I can sink my teeth in to. Preferably not dystopian and preferably without a weak soppy love sick MC

any suggestions?

She's So Money is perfect non-stupid light contemp YA. MC is the opposite of lovesick but there is a decent romance.

And Gingerbread by Rachel Cohn. And sequels.

 

[LadyA]

Recommend me some AWESOME contemporary YA!

So I've not bought a book from Amazon for ages, and now I've got a week before I leave home to go to university, and I want to have a massive spending spree on contemporary YA to take with me

Please could you all recommend me some great reads?

I love dark, twisted reads - my all-time favourite YA is SHATTERING GLASS, so things with not-so-nice protags are great.

Unreliable narrators are also great. Books with a bit of madness or unstable characters are always interesting.

I also like really dark books like LIVING DEAD GIRL (although I've not read that one).

And finally, a bit of comedy in the vein of BABE IN BOYLAND. I'm a contrary creature.

The only no-nos are:
Grief books - i.e. mother dying, brother dying (YES I KNOW I'M A MASSIVE HYPOCRITE), MC getting cancer.

Books where the love interests are OMG-mysterious-but-totally-up-themselves-and-treat-the-MC-like-dirt.

Books that are JUST romance. I like a bit of a plot too.

THANK YOU ALL LOADS, I look forward to your replies!!!

 

[suki]

Well, Living Dead Girl is a really terrific read if you can handle dark.

For unreliable narrators, I like Liar by Justine Larbalestier.

And it's not terribly dark, and there is some sadness, but I love Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta.

~suki

 

[Blind Writer]

Awww, my favorite genre!

You've probably read some of these, but here are some of my all time favorite contemporary novels:

SOME GIRLS ARE by Courtney Summers
CRACKED UP TO BE by Courtney Summers
WILL GRAYSON, WILL GRAYSON by John Green and David Levithan
LIKE MANDARIN by Kirsten Hubbard (wandergirl on AW!)
LIVING DEAD GIRL by Elizabeth Scott (read it since you haven't! So dark. So good.)
WINTERGIRLS by Laurie Halse Anderson
PUSHING THE LIMITS by Katie McGarry (romance with darker elements)
NOBODY BUT US by Kristin Halbrook (not out until January, but you can preorder it, I think. The only YA book to make me cry like a baby.)
BALLADS OF SUBURBIA by Stephanie Kuehnert (easily my favorite contemporary YA novel. Definitely dark.)
BEAUTIFUL by Amy Reed


There are so many more, but this is what I came up with without even glancing at my shelf.

 

[maybegenius]

Kirsten Hubbard's books (both LIKE MANDARIN and WANDERLOVE) are wonderful.

 

[TudorRose]

LadyA - STOLEN by Lucy Christopher is my rec for awesome kinda dark/twisted contemp YA

For your previous (highly specific!) request re dual narrators, you could check out Brother/Sister by Sean Olin - haven't read it so not sure if it meets your unreliable narrator criterion, but I think it has two narrators telling different sides of the story to a murder (and possibly covering for each other?), so it might loosely fit what you're looking for.

 

[The_Ink_Goddess]

So I've not bought a book from Amazon for ages, and now I've got a week before I leave home to go to university, and I want to have a massive spending spree on contemporary YA to take with me

Please could you all recommend me some great reads?

I love dark, twisted reads - my all-time favourite YA is SHATTERING GLASS, so things with not-so-nice protags are great.

Unreliable narrators are also great. Books with a bit of madness or unstable characters are always interesting.

I also like really dark books like LIVING DEAD GIRL (although I've not read that one).

And finally, a bit of comedy in the vein of BABE IN BOYLAND. I'm a contrary creature.

The only no-nos are:
Grief books - i.e. mother dying, brother dying (YES I KNOW I'M A MASSIVE HYPOCRITE), MC getting cancer.

Books where the love interests are OMG-mysterious-but-totally-up-themselves-and-treat-the-MC-like-dirt.

Books that are JUST romance. I like a bit of a plot too.

THANK YOU ALL LOADS, I look forward to your replies!!!

THE LOVE CURSE OF RUMBAUGHS by Jack Gantos - dark, twisted, beautiful and brilliant
WHAT HAPPENED TO CASS MCBRIDE? by Gail Giles - so dark, highly recommended if you liked Shattering Glass
SINS OF THE FATHERS by Chris Lynch - it manages to be both funny and really sad/dark at the same time
BREAK by Hannah Moskowitz - so intense, such a great delve into a slightly off-kilter mind
BECOMING BINDY MACKENZIE by Jaclyn Moriarty - funny, weird and fun
HUSHED by Kelley York - dark but great, with a reaaaaally interesting male protaganist
BEATLE MEETS DESTINY by Gabrielle Williams - freaking hysterical
I HUNT KILLERS by Barry Lyga - so dark, fun (actually funny!) and speedy
BOY TOY by Barry Lyga - I didn't like it but lots of people did
KILLING BRITNEY by Sean Olin - I didn't like it but lots of people did
HER AND ME AND YOU by Lauren Strasnick - this one is a bit of an acquired taste but I found it chilly and so evocative

Can I please recommend something that's not YA? GONE GIRL by Gillan Flynn. I just finished it and it's AMAZING, brilliantly written, SO twisted (so full of twists and turns) and with not one but two highly complex, loopy and unreliable characters.

 

[Maramoser]

Fun, imaginative fantasy? A la Philip Pullman and Eva Ibbotson, but more YA? And preferably recent?

Already read Kristin Cashore's stuff. Couldn't get into Gemma Doyle (sorry, I'm making this really difficult!).

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[marketingrr]

These suggestions are fantastic. I think I am going to start with Dangerous Angels!

 

[Dagrami]

Hey y'all.

I'm looking for some recs for awesome ya featuring characters with super powers. Preferably when the characters in question are not born with their powers, but acquire them somehow later. But of course, the former are not out of the question, especially if they're really really great.

Stories set in any time period and either fantastic or scif-fi flavours are groovy.

Thanksinadvance!

 

[Eddyz Aquila]

Hello everyone

I was wondering, can anyone recommend James Bond-style books in the YA genre? I know the Alex Rider series and I like it, but I want something a bit different.

Thank you

 

[KateSmash]

There's actually a Young Bond series of YA books written by Charlie Higson. Can't vouch for them as I haven't read them, but they're out there.

 

[Kitty Pryde]

Hey y'all.

I'm looking for some recs for awesome ya featuring characters with super powers. Preferably when the characters in question are not born with their powers, but acquire them somehow later. But of course, the former are not out of the question, especially if they're really really great.

Stories set in any time period and either fantastic or scif-fi flavours are groovy.

Thanksinadvance!

Hero by Perry Moore. Is the best one ever.

 

[Eddyz Aquila]

There's actually a Young Bond series of YA books written by Charlie Higson. Can't vouch for them as I haven't read them, but they're out there.

Yeap, I checked them out.

Any other similar books?