Get Yer YA Recommendations Here!

For dark, boy-narrated stuff with a horror flavor, The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith.

For dark, people-are-the-monsters, Nothing by Janne Teller.

LivingDork said:

Hi all! I need suggestions for good YA books with male protagonists/written for a male audience (ie not YA romance)? Any genre/QUILTBAG themes are fine, but horror suggestions particularly appreciated.

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Depends on your definition of "good". I wasn't particularly fond of these titles, but I'll share them anyway:

MONUMENT 14 series by Emmy Layborne (Post apocalyptic survival)
QUARANTINE Series by Lex Thomas (Post apocalyptic survival)
GONE series by Michael Grant (Trapped in a dome with super powered kids and mutated creatures)

A GOOD one in my opinion:

UNWIND series by Neal Shusterman (Dystopian - but not so far in the future - still feels almost contemporary adventure)

My son loves:

MAZE RUNNER series by James Dashner
SEVEN REALMS series by Cinda Williams Chima (Fantasy)

LivingDork said:

Hi all! I need suggestions for good YA books with male protagonists/written for a male audience (ie not YA romance)? Any genre/QUILTBAG themes are fine, but horror suggestions particularly appreciated.

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Perhaps the link in my signature could help you. It was compiled for just such requests for recs.


Also, on the specific horror question, has anyone suggested The Monstrumologist?

Liosse de Velishaf said:

Also, on the specific horror question, has anyone suggested The Monstrumologist?

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I was about to. Superb series, one of the best of recent years for me.

Was hoping the Recommendations thread could help me out with locating a book. I stumbled upon a YA contemporary on Goodreads awhile ago (I think it was published within the last two years) and featured a high school girl falling for an older guy (college age, or thereabouts). Anyone have any ideas what the title or who the author might be?

(The next SNI I'm thinking of working on has a high school girl who develops a bit of a crush on a college guy, just wanted to double check first that there aren't any other plot similarities.)

deltay said:

Was hoping the Recommendations thread could help me out with locating a book. I stumbled upon a YA contemporary on Goodreads awhile ago (I think it was published within the last two years) and featured a high school girl falling for an older guy (college age, or thereabouts). Anyone have any ideas what the title or who the author might be?

(The next SNI I'm thinking of working on has a high school girl who develops a bit of a crush on a college guy, just wanted to double check first that there aren't any other plot similarities.)

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THE TRUTH ABOUT YOU AND ME by Amanda Grace?

I haven't read it but it's in my TBR pile. Right next to me, actually.

Gonna try the dual-POV thing for my next MS, and I'm wondering if somebody can recommend good YA written in first person with a boy MC (other than John Green). I'd like it to be something with a contemporary/modern voice, although speculative fiction is fine.

They're by no means new - but PEEPS and THE LAST DAYS by Scott Westerfeld are set in modern day NYC with a spec edge. (Peeps is arguably the better book. So if you have space for one, go with that.) I can't recall if SO YESTERDAY is 1st or 3rd, but it's a touch dated now.

THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART-TIME INDIAN is all contemp and all excellent.

Pretty much anything by Andrew Smith (some spec, others not).

Niiicola said:

Gonna try the dual-POV thing for my next MS, and I'm wondering if somebody can recommend good YA written in first person with a boy MC (other than John Green). I'd like it to be something with a contemporary/modern voice, although speculative fiction is fine.

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Off the top of my head, and without being a hundred per cent sure all are published in America...

THE BEGINNING OF EVERYTHING by Robyn Schneider is very like John Green, although I preferred it to any of his.

For fun comedy, I love SWIM THE FLY and BEAT THE BAND by Don Calame, although I'm less keen on CALL THE SHOTS, third in the trilogy.

Keren David's WHEN I WAS JOE and sequels ALWAYS TRUE and ANOTHER LIFE are superb thrillers. The third in the trilogy, dual narrated by Ty (MC of first 2) and his cousin Archie, is particularly interesting.

Andy Robb's Geekhood books, Tom Clempson's Jack Samsonite duology, and Michael Gerard Bauer's Ishmael trilogy are all very enjoyable contemporary comedies about narrators coming of age and struggling with how to be cool.

For dual narratives with particularly strong male voices, GRAFFITI MOON by Cath Crowley is outstanding - wonderfully lyrical. BLACK SHEEP by Na'ima B Robert has a superb male narrator, Dwayne, whose words 'dance and jive and shimmy' to quote love interest Misha. Katie McGarry writes some of the best YA romances around, starting with PUSHING THE LIMITS. Her male and female characters are always both very strongly-voiced.

Frank Portman's KING DORK was less to my taste than the above ones, but others have loved it, and it has such a distinctive voice that it's worth checking out a sample chapter to see what you think, at least.

If others spring to mind when I wake up I'll add to this post.

Niiicola said:

Gonna try the dual-POV thing for my next MS, and I'm wondering if somebody can recommend good YA written in first person with a boy MC (other than John Green). I'd like it to be something with a contemporary/modern voice, although speculative fiction is fine.

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DR. BIRD'S ADVICE FOR SAD POETS by Evan Roskos
REALITY BOY by A.S. King
TWISTED by Laurie Halse Anderson
THE SPECTACULAR NOW by Tim Tharp

Mayfield said:

For dark, boy-narrated stuff with a horror flavor, The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith.

For dark, people-are-the-monsters, Nothing by Janne Teller.

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Thanks! I'll check those out!

Ok, so precisely two weeks from today I'm moving to a new city with a great, huge library system and an awesome catalog of YA both in physical book and ebook form. And since I can have five physical books and five ebooks out at a time (I KNOW, RIGHT?!), and with ungodly hot summer on its way, I plan on going on a gigantic reading binge.

So ... Suggest to me some of your favorite titles and series and authors I may have missed. What do I need to read? C'mon, y'all, I want a TBR pile/list a mile long.

ETA: No genre off limits. I love spec, but I do need to read more contemporary.

KateSmash said:

Ok, so precisely two weeks from today I'm moving to a new city with a great, huge library system and an awesome catalog of YA both in physical book and ebook form. And since I can have five physical books and five ebooks out at a time (I KNOW, RIGHT?!), and with ungodly hot summer on its way, I plan on going on a gigantic reading binge.

So ... Suggest to me some of your favorite titles and series and authors I may have missed. What do I need to read? C'mon, y'all, I want a TBR pile/list a mile long.

ETA: No genre off limits. I love spec, but I do need to read more contemporary.

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I am so incredibly jealous!!!

I honestly don't know what you've read, so it's hard to say, but a few I've really liked are:

LIFE AS WE KNEW IT by Susan Beth Pfeffer
THE COLDEST GIRL IN COLDTOWN by Holly Black
A CORNER OF WHITE by Jaclyn Moriarty
UNWIND by Neal Shusterman
SHATTERED by Teri Terry
Xisle by (can't remember)

So I'm looking for some book recs to give to a friend. She has a written a YA that is in a sort of alternate earth setting, so there are references to places and things that exist on Earth and also made up things to make it different. I haven't read anything like that, so I don't know what to recommend to her for examples of how that alternate earth thing would be done well. Any thoughts?

I guess it depends on the kind of alternate earth it is. Is it like an alternate history or historical fantasy written in a certain time period or ...?

There's lots of "steampunk" YA out there, though the best I've read have arguably been Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan Trilogy and The Friday Society by AW's own Adrienne Kress (Toothpaste). And though not YA by a long shot, Cherie Priest's steampunk series is excellent. (I'm picky when it comes to steampunk, as I like it sf and not Victorian PNR/UF.)

Um ... there's Holly Black Diviners series, which is urban fantasy set in the Prohibition era. Rae Carson's (The Girl of Fire and Thorns, etc) next series is a fantasy set during the gold rush, though that's at least a year from coming out.

Futuristic? Pretty much any dystopian written in the last 5 years?

I guess I need more info.

It is set in the not so distant future and a flood has covered the Earth. There are references to a few existing places (Washington D.C., London), but then there are places called something different that are actually styled after actual places like the Caribbean. Airplanes are mentioned and people speak English and Arabic, among other languages. Clothing is described much as we would have, but it is definitely meant to be something different than the Earth we know. And it mixes things like pirates and old style sailing vessels, so Westerfied's Leviathan was something I thought of, though it's kind of steampunk and this isn't. Anyway, just wondering if anyone had any ideas. Like I said, I've never read anything like it, which is good, but I thought she could use just a bit of help with making world building realistic. Thanks for the recs!

Becca C. said:

THE TRUTH ABOUT YOU AND ME by Amanda Grace?

I haven't read it but it's in my TBR pile. Right next to me, actually.

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Yes, that's the one! Thank you

KateSmash said:

C'mon, y'all, I want a TBR pile/list a mile long.

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Well, you did ask!

One mile-long TBR list... I won't go into details as it's already massive, but if you want to know anything more about them just let me know! (Also, apologies if they're hard to get hold of in America, I'm a Brit and I'm never sure about availability over there.) They're in no order and I've probably missed out some stuff I love, but might keep you going a while.


This is basically my favourites of the last few years minus the REALLY well known stuff like DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE and the PUSHING THE LIMITS series.

Contemporary
BRUISED by Sarah Skilton
A KISS IN THE DARK, UNDONE, TORN and ENTANGLED by Cat Clarke
CLOSE YOUR PRETTY EYES by Sally Nicholls
HAVE A LITTLE FAITH by Candy Harper
BOYS DON'T KNIT by Tom Easton
Ashbury/Brookfield series by Jaclyn Moriarty
IN BLOOM by Matthew Crow
THE BONE DRAGON by Alexia Casale (possibly contemporary, possibly paranormal, will put it in both!)
SKIN DEEP and BY ANY OTHER NAME by Laura Jarratt
BLACK SHEEP by Naima B Robert
YOU DON'T KNOW ME by Sophia Bennett
TROUBLE by Non Pratt
FAR FROM YOU by Tess Sharpe (is this big over there? Everyone I know is raving about it here.)
WHEN I WAS JOE trilogy, SALVAGE and LIA'S GUIDE TO WINNING THE LOTTERY by Keren David
HOSTAGE THREE by Nick Lake
GRAFFITI MOON by Cath Crowley
NIGHT SCHOOL series by CJ Daugherty
BANG BANG YOU'RE DEAD by Narinder Dhami
LOTTIE BIGGS trilogy and WHAT'S UP WITH JODY BARTON? by Hayley Long
FIREWALLERS and SILENCED by Simon Packham (all of Packham's are great, these are the best two)
THE BEGINNING OF EVERYTHING by Robyn Schneider
BLACK HEART BLUE by Louisa Reid
HEART-SHAPED BRUISE and FOLLOW ME DOWN by Tanya Byrne
GOING VINTAGE and SEAN GRISWOLD'S HEAD by Lindsey Leavitt
THE SUMMER OF TELLING TALES by Laura Summers
THE ANTI-PROM by Abby McDonald
A KISS IN THE DARK, UNDONE, TORN and ENTANGLED by Cat Clarke
CLOSE YOUR PRETTY EYES by Sally Nicholls
CRUEL SUMMER by James Dawson
LIFE, DEATH AND GOLD LEATHER TROUSERS by Fiona Foden
HEROIC and SAVING DAISY by Phil Earle (BEING BILLY also meant to be superb but haven't read it)
ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL by Jessie Andrews
WHAT BOYS REALLY WANT by Pete Hautman
WHISPER by Chrissie Keighery
SAVING SILENCE by Gina Blaxill
UNDENIABLE by Liz Bankes
TARZAN series by Andy Briggs
TORN by Stephanie Guerra
Bluebell Gadsby series by Natasha Farrant
ISHMAEL series by Michael Gerard Bauer
GEEK GIRL series by Holly Smale
GEEKHOOD series by Andy Robb
JACK SAMSONITE series by Tom Clempson
SWIM THE FLY trilogy by Don Calame
WEIRDOS vs QUIMBOIDS by Natasha Desborough
DELLA SAYS OMG, JESSIE HEARTS NYC and EMMA HEARTS LA by Keris Stainton
FINDING CHEROKEE BROWN by Siobhan Curham


SFF/paranormal
WEREWORLD series by Curtis Jobling
GONE series by Michael Grant
DEPARTMENT 19 series by Will Hill
MONSTRUMOLOGIST series by Rick Yancey
BONE JACK by Sara Crowe
THE BONE DRAGON by Alexia Casale (possibly contemporary, possibly paranormal, will put it in both!)
PANTOMIME/SHADOWPLAY by Laura Lam
SHIFT/CONTROL by Kim Curran
MOOREHAWKE trilogy by Celine Kiernan
HOLLOW PIKE by James Dawson
BANISHED by Liz De Jager
MORTLOCK trilogy by Jon Mayhew
DAYLIGHT SAVING by Ed Hogan
RAGS AND BONES (anthology, edited by Melissa Marr and Tim Pratt)
Rebel Angels series by Gillian Philip
JIMMY COATES series by Joe Craig
SKULK by Rosie Best
THE RITHMATIST by Brandon Sanderson
THE TWICE-LIVED SUMMER OF BLUEBELL JONES by Susie Day
Sarah Midnight series by Daniela Sacerdoti
Finishing School series by Gail Carriger
DANCE OF SHADOWS by Yelena Black
FAR FAR AWAY by Tom McNeal
SHIPWRECKED by Siobhan Curham
SOULMATES by Holly Bourne


Historical
FLAPPERS series by Jillian Larkin
THE THINGS WE DID FOR LOVE by Natasha Farrant
LOVE IN REVOLUTION by BR Collins
CHANGELING and STORMBRINGERS by Philippa Gregory
SMUGGLER'S KISS by Marie-Louise Jensen
VIII by HM Castor
SILHOUETTE OF A SPARROW by Molly Beth Griffin
DEBUTANTES series by Cora Harrison
A BEAUTIFUL LIE by Irfan Master


MG
GIRL WITH A WHITE DOG by Anne Booth (contemporary)
ROOFTOPPERS by Katherine Rundell (historical)
PEA'S BOOK series by Susie Day (contemporary)
SESAME SEADE series by Clementine Beauvais (contemporary)
VERY NEARLY HONOURABLE LEAGUE OF PIRATES: MAGIC MARKS THE SPOT by Caroline Carlson (historical fantasy)
Kat Stephenson trilogy by Stephanie Burgis (historical fantasy)
A ROOM FULL OF CHOCOLATE by Jane Elson (contemporary)
SIX WORDS AND A WISH and LIFE ACCORDING TO ALICE B LOVELY by Karen McCombie (contemporary, she has dozens of great ones but these are the best)
THE ODD SQUAD: BULLY BAIT by Michael Fry (contemporary)
CHARLIE BONE series by Jenny Nimmo (fantasy)
FOR THE RECORD and BILLIE TEMPLAR'S WAR by Ellie Irving
TWERP by Mark Goldblatt
THE POSITIVELY LAST PERFORMANCE by Geraldine McCaughrean

Hello - I'm looking for some YA or NA non-fiction personal essay type books. Know of any new ones? Or...older ones would be fine too. Thank you.

Ladies & Gents, help with this please...I said i was going to tone down dystopia but i love them(it's like 60 percent of my reads)

I have 2 separate Categories....Dystopian & Paranormal

Dystopian
1. I am looking for Male Protag(preferred) but female is fine as long as she is not some idiot who whines and swoons over hot guys

2. I like a good love triangle but please don't let it be a big focus and let it be an actual compelling one.

3. Dystopian with engaging action scenes...Hunger Games/Divergent types of fights
but please nothing as stupid as the plot of Divergent.

4. Engaging Antagonists...Not one dimensional crap(Divergent) but antagonists that are so evil but good at making you want them to change.

I heard Under the Never Sky is good...Does it match some of my above Criteria?

I was gonna read Legend but I hear it is an instalove story and idk if can deal with that....

Paranormal
1. I prefer Male if at all possible...but Female can do if once again she is not an annoying twit that makes me glad to be gay xD

2. Love triangles are fine, but make it be interesting and not one sided

3. Action

4. Preferably a Trilogy or Series...I don't like standalones or 2 book stories..

5. Preferably 3rd person but 1st person works.

6. I like books with characters with supernatural abilities or powers...but not required.
My favorite Paranormal series is Elemental by Brigid Kemmerer...so anything similar to that is great(Whoa, those boys are hot xD)

Hello everyone!

I'm currently seeking a YA book recommendation. I've been staying away from the bookshelves while writing my own YA fantasy novel, but now that it's done, I want to reward myself with catching up on some new reads!

Preferences: YA light-medium fantasy. I don't care much for sci-fi.
Would prefer a female POV; romance in the book would also be preferred.
I just started Under the Never Sky and though I'm not too far in, I'm worried it's a bit sci-fi-y for my taste. I will still keep reading though! Any and all recommendations are welcome

Prodigy said:

Ladies & Gents, help with this please...I said i was going to tone down dystopia but i love them(it's like 60 percent of my reads)

I have 2 separate Categories....Dystopian & Paranormal

Dystopian
1. I am looking for Male Protag(preferred) but female is fine as long as she is not some idiot who whines and swoons over hot guys

2. I like a good love triangle but please don't let it be a big focus and let it be an actual compelling one.

3. Dystopian with engaging action scenes...Hunger Games/Divergent types of fights
but please nothing as stupid as the plot of Divergent.

4. Engaging Antagonists...Not one dimensional crap(Divergent) but antagonists that are so evil but good at making you want them to change.

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Rick Yancey's THE 5TH WAVE?
Also, though I haven't finished it yet, I think Pierce Brown's RED RISING matches your criteria pretty well. No romance so far, though.

THE 5th WAVE is a really good book, I loved it, but it's not dystopian. I would call it post-apocalyptic survival.

WWII Fantasy YA?

I'm looking for books that take place in WWII that have a fantasy element to them. Preferably YA, but if you can think of anything, whether it's adult fiction or MG, please let me know. Thank you.

I'd like to get some character based suggestions along the following lines:
- male (he can be either a protagonist or a romantic interest, but not a secondary/side character)
- nice person, sweet, heart of gold and all... definitely not a villain of the piece
- powerful or talented in some way
- playful, somewhat eccentric, with a sense of humor & fun... but he has to be more of a "cocky & impish" type than a "lovable nerd" type, you know what I mean? Mischievous, not awkward.

Basically I want to see the trickster archetype played out as one of the good guys.