I'm not sure what you mean by cheap Harlequin-type romance. Harlequin has a multitude of impressive imprints.
What YA book are you reading RIGHT NOW?, issue 2
- Thread starter sharpierae
- Start date
I'm not sure what you mean by cheap Harlequin-type romance. Harlequin has a multitude of impressive imprints.
Good question!
I think the different and more grownup setting (college/university/(side)job), and different type of problems. Like dealing with money problems/student loans, living on your own or with others (other than your family) or a partner for the first time, learning about who you are and what you want in life (figuring out if the study you've picked is the right one or not, that type of stuff), internships, learning about new cultures through foreign exchange students... Study trips to foreign countries (yeah, we had them in high school too, but it was different).
Relationships between family, friends and lovers/love interests have another dynamic as well.
I'm very curious how other people think about this (I know there are a lot of people here reading NA as well)!
Do you read NA yourself?
Liosse de Velishaf
Banned
I don't read works commonly marketed as NA because they tend to be romance or erotica. I'm not interested in erotica, and while I don't hate romance, it's not one of my top five genres.
Maybe it's a Dutch thing/expression. We use it here in the Netherlands for a certain type of Harlequin book that got popular a few decades ago, the Bouquet series (I'm not sure what the original English name is, they adapted it to the Dutch market). The series was super cheap, available in every supermarket, and of the corny and outdated kind, with titles like "Captured by Her Innocence", "Never Extinguished Passion" and "Scandalous Desire" (I translated this from Dutch, the original English titles might be different).
So here people use the expression "cheap Bouquet series romance" when they are referring to a certain type of cliché-ridden, sexy romance.
My Dutch high school teacher told us once (I'm talking about 25 years ago) a Bouquet novel was so clichéd, you could always recognize it, because you'd find at least 30 (can't remember how many, but it was a lot) specific tropes in it.
Liosse de Velishaf
Banned
Romance as a category is often specifically marketed in that manner, so I'm not sure "cliche" is quite the right descriptor.
Going through the Harry Potters. I don't know if I'll end up reading them all this time around, but I started with Philosopher's Stone
I skimmed some books at the library that I may or may not take out when I have more time: GRASSHOPPER JUNGLE and GUY IN REAL LIFE. Anyone read the latter? I have a WIP that involves lots of online interaction, and I'm working on making it feel less static, and I need proof it can be done. But online action is never the same as RL action, you know?
I'm supposed to be reading all these books for review and research, but I started THE GIN CLOSET by Leslie Jamison and it pulled me in. Sigh, that always happens.
I'm supposed to be reading all these books for review and research, but I started THE GIN CLOSET by Leslie Jamison and it pulled me in. Sigh, that always happens.
The expression "cheap Harlequin romance" is totally an expression in the US. It's not the only thing they produce, but it is what they are most well-known for. Though there are a lot of "cheap" romances out there, so Harlequin isn't the only. I'm not familiar with what else Harlequin prints. Anybody know?
- Joined
- May 10, 2011
- Messages
- 2,181
- Reaction score
- 135
I'm reading I'LL G1VE Y0U THE $UN in another attempt to get into no-side-genres-contemporary, and I'm getting the same impression I tend to do: that the things that happen to the main characters are way too ordinary to be told about in such excruciating detail. Maybe it's because I'm not really hooked by the characters, either... anyway, the writing style is pretty, eccentric and very engaging, so I keep reading. I just wish something actually happened, like a secret stalker, a dead body, an alien invasion, a zombie attack... xD
Ah, thanks for the explanation! I've heard the term "bodice-ripper" before for sexy romance. I didn't realize there were lines of romance that were priced cheaply. I like to read some category Romance from time to time, but I guess I never noticed that before.
I'm not that familiar, but I know they have a ton of imprints and also do some non-fiction stuff. I recently added LIES WE TELL OURSELVES (which is about school integration) to my TBR list, and I was kind of surprised that it's a Harlequin Teen book so I took a look at their website.
I don't know. I never really paid much attention to who published a book until the last year or two. The past year or so, I've been trying to build up my knowledge.
Last edited:
Finished MORE THAN THIS by Patrick Ness. I liked it but not as much as his CHAOS WALKING series.
I'm currently reading Donna Hosie's THE DEVIL'S INTERN.
I'm currently reading Donna Hosie's THE DEVIL'S INTERN.
I finished! I loved it. I think it's a great example of how a YA book can take some heavy subjects but not make it overwhelmingly dark or soul-destroying. I loved that there was humor in it, and strength, and grittiness, and reality. The voice felt unique. Every single character had character. I can't say enough good about it, really.
Last edited:
Awesome! Yeah, I totally agree with all that. And amidst the darkness and grittiness there's something so heartbreakingly sweet and innocent about it. Love her. Have you read REALITY BOY? That was the first A.S. King I read and I loved it, too. Her characters claw at me.
I just finished Sarah J Maas' HEIR OF FIRE, which I thought was fantastic. Each book in that series is more complex and more stunning. I want the next three immediately.
Next up are MORE THAN THIS and THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE.
I have not. I want to. Like now.
P.S. - Is EVERYBODY SEES THE ANTS considered magical realism? I don't really get magical realism, but I suspect it's because I haven't read widely enough.
Last edited:
Yup, EVERYBODY SEES THE ANTS is considered magical realism. I love A.S. King and her books. I just think her brain is so fascinating and "new". I got a chance to read her upcoming release (out in October in the US) and it was a really interesting take on feminism.
I'm currently reading an adult novel but I just finished Th3 Th1ng$ y0u K1$$ G00dBy3. I liked it. Didn't love. I *liked* aspects of the novel I think more than I liked the novel? For ex, the mc was Greek and came from a kind of sheltered family where her dad was a little protective. I wanted more from that. Oh well.
I love A.S. King and her books. I just think her brain is so fascinating and "new". I got a chance to read her upcoming release (out in October in the US) and it was a really interesting take on feminism. I'm currently reading an adult novel but I just finished Th3 Th1ng$ y0u K1$$ G00dBy3. I liked it. Didn't love. I *liked* aspects of the novel I think more than I liked the novel? For ex, the mc was Greek and came from a kind of sheltered family where her dad was a little protective. I wanted more from that. Oh well.
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2012
- Messages
- 1,145
- Reaction score
- 108
I loved REALITY BOY so much I bought it used in hardback to be able to flip back and forth more effortlessly than on my Kindle... I do that sometimes with books I really really like and want to read again. Love ebooks for the easy access, but paper is still golden!
THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE is up soon for me too, after I read I'LL GIVE YOU THE SUN and thought it was fantastic.
Cool! I want to read I'LL GIVE YOU THE SUN after this because I'm loving THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE so far. Magical realism was mentioned upthread and this has wonderful, subtle touches of that.
I also want to buy REALITY BOY because I find myself constantly checking it out of the library. I just noticed EVERYBODY SEES THE ANTS is a bargain book on Amazon so I need to pick that up, too. Now, I just need to find space to put all the books!
And my brain short-circuited when I wrote More than This. I'm actually reading A MONSTER CALLS. Whoops!
I'm reading INK by Amanda Sun and FALLING INTO PLACE by Amy Zhang right now. I haven't decided if I like either one that much right now, but hopefully they'll pick up.
- Joined
- Oct 17, 2012
- Messages
- 1,561
- Reaction score
- 119
- Location
- Austin
- Website
- www.soipondered.wordpress.com
I just started reading Legend by Marie Lu and I have a Hollow City by Ransom Riggs waiting in the wings.
I've been reading back through Percy Jackson/Heroes of Olympus in preparation for Blood of Olympus. As of today I'm on Son of Neptune.
Finished "Isn't She Lovely" (NA) by Lauren Layne.
About a goth girl hitting it off with a prep boy.
Was clichéd, but fun enough.
Now reading YA contemporary romance "Harmonic Feedback" by Tara Kelly.
It's about a girl with Asperger's, who's super into music.
It's different, and I really enjoy it so far.
About a goth girl hitting it off with a prep boy.
Was clichéd, but fun enough.
Now reading YA contemporary romance "Harmonic Feedback" by Tara Kelly.
It's about a girl with Asperger's, who's super into music.
It's different, and I really enjoy it so far.
Liosse de Velishaf
Banned
Liosse de Velishaf
Banned
According to my friend who handles the ARC side of our book blog, they did approve our request for the ARC.
I'm a little way into T0 ALL THE B0YS I'VE L0VED BEF0RE by J3nny Han, and I'm in two minds about it. I love her writing, I can't explain what it is that I love so much about it, but I just do. However, her MC Lara Jean reads like a thirteen year old rather than a 16-yr-old which is the age I think she's supposed to be. She's sweet but so sheltered and old-fashioned, and a bit hopeless (in an annoyingly childish way).
I think I was hoping for something more like Han's BURN F0R BURN trilogy - I think she writes Lilia's chapters, and Lilia is an awesome character - but this feels really MG to me. I'm hoping it'll improve when the letters get mailed out.
Also read Michelle Knight's autobiography, FINDING ME, and it was totally heartbreaking, a read that left me thinking about it long after I finished it.
I think I was hoping for something more like Han's BURN F0R BURN trilogy - I think she writes Lilia's chapters, and Lilia is an awesome character - but this feels really MG to me. I'm hoping it'll improve when the letters get mailed out.
Also read Michelle Knight's autobiography, FINDING ME, and it was totally heartbreaking, a read that left me thinking about it long after I finished it.