What YA book are you reading RIGHT NOW?, issue 2

Ellaroni

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I've started WHEN MR DOG BITES by Brian Conaghan and it's a poor man's CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT TIME only really badly written.

MM

I have this one my Kindle, and seeing this makes it inch farther back in the reading line. I'll give it a go during summer holidays, perhaps.

I'm 1/3 into THE ART OF LAINEY by Paula Stokes. Looks to be sweet and not too complicated. I have a pretty good idea what will happen, but with this kind of book predictable works.
 

Sage

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Finished DANGEROUS by Shannon Hale last night. I love Shannon Hale's books. But this one fell way way short for me.

Started MY FAIRE LADY.
 
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Zoealea

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I'm reading Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson. I've loved her others, so I'm hoping to like this one as well.
 

amillimiles

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Sarah J. Mass' Crown of Midnight, and planning to re-read Kristin Cashore's Graceling. The first time I read it I really didn't care for it and thought it was really boring, but I've seen loving references to it everywhere I go, so ... here goes!
 

KateSmash

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Oooh it's been a while since I used this thread.

Anyway, my hold for REBEL BELLE came in, and just in time because I'm in the mood for something fluffy and funny.
 

Judy Koot

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Picked up "Sleight of Hand" by Peter S. Beagle for the third time. Hope I'll finish it this time.
Not that it isn't good, it's brilliant, but it's an anthology and somehow I find reading short stories pretty intense.
He's so good, it makes me cry. Literally: yesterday I was bawling my eyes out after one of his stories.
Damn, the man doesn't only know how to write amazing fantasy, he also knows how to conjure up emotions!
I have to figure out how he does that.
 

eparadysz

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Started THE GLASS CASKET. I've seen some very good reviews of this, but it's not grabbing me yet. It's interesting enough to stick with it, though, so we'll see.

Also, just finished THE GOBLIN EMPEROR, which I loved. It has an 18-year-old MC and some YA themes, but the writing style is definitely adult (which is how it's marketed), so it may be of interest to anyone who's unsure how to classify their book.
 

LadyA

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I've just finished Unquiet Spirits by K.M.Peyton, as mentioned by LadyA upthread.

Mixed feelings about it, tbh - I don't think the first person voice works as well as her third person books (not quite convincingly teen), and I didn't quite buy a lot of the detail that the plot hung on (these teenagers making huge progress restoring a historic house, including opening a restaurant there, while the artist mother casually 'restores' some 16th c bedcurtains, which would actually be ridiculously valuable if they had really survived that long, with none of the planning permission and Listed Building Consent wrangling that you get in reality....). I know teenage readers aren't going to be picky about this stuff, but IMO one of the best things about Peyton is that when she writes about sailing, horses, etc, she really knows her stuff, and it's a pity not to have that.
That said, all the important stuff is spot on - beautiful, atmospheric writing, really warmly-written and interesting characters, and actually, I think pulling off a modern relationship/ghost relationship parallel is really hard to do and she does it very successfully.

Now to read more Peyton, now her backlist has appeared on Kindle!

I totally agree with you about the issues/successes of UNQUIET SPIRITS. With KMP, though, she's a good enough writer that even her weaker works are still strong, IMO.
US had a pretty slow start, I found, a bit dull, but once Simon arrived things quickly improved ;)
What I like about KMP's books is how well she writes characters and relationships (plus I love her prose). Her third-person books are better, though, perhaps because she was a little closer to the teenage experience in the 1960s and 1970s (In her 20s/30s as opposed to being in her 70s).

But I will always love the Ruth/Jonathan/Patrick/Peter books the best. My least favourites are actually her most popular - FLAMBARDS was a dnf, left me cold!


Finished K.M.Peyton's 'The Last Ditch' (1984). It was very good, classic Peyton, both the emotional side and exciting side of the story very well told. (Though having read the previous two in the series I was expecting a little more peril.)
And back to her usual third person style, perfect match between her style and the educated, introspective character we're following. Really reminded me why she was such a major YA writer back then.

I liked this one, but it wasn't quite up to the standard of previous 'Maybridge' books I didn't think. I think she enjoyed torturing poor Jonathan (so far, he's broken an arm, been kidnapped, shot, nearly drowned, nearly been murdered, been tricked into fathering a child...). I enjoyed it, but I did think 'oh, again'? when the MC ran away. So many of Peyton's MC's tend to be flighty, running away and screwing up exams etc at a moment's notice. But I loved that Jonathan was back with Peter again, and back with horses.

My favourite passage from any Peyton book would have to be the bit in PROVE YOURSELF A HERO when Jonathan is sailing the boat at night (you've read it, I seem to remember?). That was so beautiful and powerful, and I was so sad for him :(

She deserves her MBE!

/fangirling...

ETA: SpinningWheel, if you're still in the mood for some KMP, I recommend THE WILD BOY AND QUEEN MOON. It skews towards younger YA, and it's very horsy, but her descriptions are lovely as usual, and the MC's feelings about her brother were very real and worked well. Although perhaps the reason I liked it was because I was expecting a big LGBTQ twist at the end (I don't know why, it's KM Peyton) and got all excited. Then I felt a bit let down when there wasn't one.
 
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LadyA

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I've just started reading SEX & VIOLENCE by Carrie Mesrobian. It's cleverly titled, I think - because what teenager (and expecially teenage boy) wouldn't want to read a book called SEX & VIOLENCE?

It's good so far, and Evan is a realistic boy main character, so I'm hoping it continues to be good (and gets better). I've been wanting to read a really character-driven (as in not much plot) YA for a while now, as my next Shiny New Idea looks to be turning out that way.

Also, tempted to read SHIVER again as every time Evan's shower phobia is mentioned, I remember Sam Roth and his phobia of baths...
 
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I just checked out the Goldfinch. Read The Fault in Our Stars a few months ago. It's in my top five.
 

Ellaroni

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I've just started reading SEX & VIOLENCE by Carrie Mesrobian. It's cleverly titled, I think - because what teenager (and expecially teenage boy) wouldn't want to read a book called SEX & VIOLENCE?

It was really good - the kind of book I would have liked to write. I loved (!) the flawed narrator.
 

Momento Mori

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Finished WHEN MR DOG BITES by Brian Conaghan. I know that there was a big thing about the bad language in it (the c-bomb and f-bomb get dropped) but I was more annoyed by the repeated use of the racially abusive word used to describe people from Pakistan (which was wholly gratuitous), the fact that Tourette's is shown as a disease that makes you say rude words (that's only true for 10% of sufferers) and worse, the fact that Tourette's sufferers are educationally subnormal.

Frankly, I thought Dylan was completely unbelievable, I didn't feel any empathy for him at all, the writing really sags (particularly in the empty exchanges between him and his friend Amir, who's autistic) and the only teenage female character is basically a vagina on legs there to satisfy Dylan's sex fantasy. It was just distasteful, dull and at times pretty offensive.

Ellaroni:
I have this one my Kindle, and seeing this makes it inch farther back in the reading line. I'll give it a go during summer holidays, perhaps.

Maybe Christmas? ;)

MM
 

rwm4768

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Finished The Crimson Crown by Cinda Williams Chima. It's the final book of her Seven Realms series. I really enjoyed this series. It's a YA fantasy that has romance, but it doesn't make the romance the main point of the series. I also liked the characters and thought the plot moved along at a good clip for most of the series (though I will admit the first half of the first book was a little slow).
 

bertrigby

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Say Her Name - a pretty traditional horror that's tropey but a lot of fun. Definitely one for fans of Point Horror or ghost movies in general. Has a great voice as per usual for JD.
 

endearing

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Finished Tsarina by J. Nelle Patrick last week, which I liked a lot, despite my huge misgivings on blood and the paranormal. (I'm a terribly squeamish reader.)

Now reading The Maze Runner by James Dashner, as well as Kieran Scott's Only Everything on PulseIt. :)
 

Momento Mori

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I've just started THIRTEEN by Andrew Hoyle, which is the first in a thriller series. Too early to know how I feel about it but I'm a little worried that the premise will prove to be too far-fetched. Still, I shall give it a go.

MM
 

endearing

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Finished The Maze Runner, which I didn't love as much as I hoped but still enjoyed. Started Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins, which I've wanted to read for a while (so far, I can definitely see YA contemporary romance fans love this book), as well as Like No Other by Una LaMarche from Penguin's previous First to Read batch.
 

Becca C.

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Finished The Maze Runner, which I didn't love as much as I hoped but still enjoyed. Started Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins, which I've wanted to read for a while (so far, I can definitely see YA contemporary romance fans love this book), as well as Like No Other by Una LaMarche from Penguin's previous First to Read batch.

I adore ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS! I hope you enjoy it!
 

Smiley0501

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Just started SAY WHAT YOU WILL by Cammie McGowan about a girl with cerebral palsy and a boy with OCD who fall in love. (I think they fall in love? I'm only on page 50!) :) So far so good.
 

Becca C.

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I'm reading OPEN ROAD SUMMER by Emery Lord and so far it's really fun. The only downside I've read about in reviews is that it kind of has a lot of slut-shaming, and I experienced that in one scene, where the MC is suddenly spewing some vile mental thoughts over some tipsy girls in a bar. It was weird! Very venemous :/
 

SpinningWheel

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Just finished LOVE IN REVOLUTION by B.R.Collins (and stuck a review on my blog). Really haunting.
I was a bit confused because the only Amazon review said it was set in the Russian Revolution, but it's not - it's an imaginary country at a time that is not entirely clear (though definitely postwar, as they have televisions). This makes it more powerful, though.

She gets better and better. One day I hope she'll write something that breaks out and gets her the attention she deserves.

Next up is BRAZEN by Katherine Longshore, which is published today. Bit of a weird experience as I'm writing about the same person and my version of her is utterly, utterly different.
 

Becca C.

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Next up is BRAZEN by Katherine Longshore, which is published today. Bit of a weird experience as I'm writing about the same person and my version of her is utterly, utterly different.

Ahhhh BRAZEN! Can't wait to get my paws on this one. I looove Katherine Longshore's books.
 

SpinningWheel

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Mmm, I think it was you who told me about them in the first place! They don't have much of a profile over here despite them being England-set (and very well researched, so it's not like she's going to annoy anyone by getting it wrong).