Begginner's Guide To: Young Adult Literature

As I’m sure a lot of you are aware, there have been some not so nice (or accurate, for that matter) comments going around about Young Adult Literature, and what that means, who can read it etc.

I’m a firm believer that everyone should be allowed to read whatever they choose. There are so many people in this world who don’t ever read, that I think it’s a bit ridiculous that those among us who do read get criticised for our choice in books.

This isn’t an opinion piece, though there are many articles I’ve read in the last few months that make me want to stab myself (and others) in the eye. Today, I’m just giving you recommendations of where I think you should start in YA if you’d like to. In my opinion, these are the sorts of books that really give you a taste of a few different genres and I think they can be enjoyed by everyone (like pretty much every other YA book). 

Shall we start? I think we should start.

Contemporary/Realistic Fiction

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

I mean, you all saw this one coming right? I know this one is pretty obvious, but I thought I should mention it anyway. I think it’s a really good story, and yeah maybe it makes cancer look a little pretty at times (trust me, cancer is hard) but I still think it has a good message. Besides, everyone needs a good cry now and again, don’t they? (And by cry, I mean uncontrollable, painful, heartbreaking sobs.)

Fantasy

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Again, this is probably no surprise to anyone but you know what? I love this series too much not to include it. This story is just epic, I don’t really know how else to explain it. The characters are amazing, the world is brilliant and I personally think it’s really interesting. This would be a great place to start for adult fantasy readers, I believe. I know it’s helped me slowly edge into adult fantasy.

Dystopian

Legend by Marie Lu

I know a lot of lists would suggest The Hunger Games or Divergent, but I think Legend deserves to be mentioned more often. This trilogy is amazing – you’ve got your kickass female lead, a messed up world, and lots of action. What more could you possibly ask for?

Paranormal

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

I think paranormal novels often get a bad rap – generally there’s vampire and werewolves and everything is labelled as the ‘next Twilight’, but that’s not everything in this genre- there is so much more. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is a crazy ride – not only is it paranormal, but it’s a bit mystery, a bit thriller and a bit romance. It’s one of those novels that will have you begging for more.

Historical

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

This was definitely the hardest genre to just pick one book from. There are so many that I wanted to talk about – The Book Thief, Rose Under Fire, The Diviners and The Gemma Doyle Trilogy (both of which are also paranormal), The Wrong Boy. I could literally go on for hours! I chose Between Shades of Gray because it’s maybe the story that has haunted me the most. It’s about a concentration camp in Lithuania in the Second World War, and as you can imagine that means a lot of pain. I can’t even begin to describe it, you’ll just have to read it yourself!

So those are my picks for today. In the future, I’m going to do some follow up posts about certain genres and issues etc. but for now, it’s just these few. What do you guys think? What books would make your list?

Thanks for reading!

DISCUSSION: My Favourite Female Characters

I think I should start this discussion post but saying that this is list isn't all of my favourite female characters, in fact if I was going to list all of them then we'd be here for an awfully long time. I decided to do this post today because I've been thinking about female characters in YA a lot lately- a lot of them get labelled as being 'strong' just because they're kickass. Strong for me means being not just physically strong but mentally strong too. Some of these characters are physically strong, others aren't but let's get started.

1. Violet Baudelaire from A Series of Unfortunate Events
I've talked about Violet many, many times here but I just really adore her. She's definitely not physically strong, but god is she smart! Violet invents things you see, throughout the series she comes up with these brilliant inventions that save her and her siblings. Violet was one of the first characters I ever seriously loved and I think she was a great role model- I know I always wanted to be just like Violet when I grew up. (Okay, so the inventing thing totally never happened)

2. Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series
Of course no list would be complete without Miss Granger. I admit that Hermione isn't my favourite character in the entire series, but I think she's still incredibly amazing. Like Violet, she's incredibly intelligent too but she also has her flaws. (Can you tell I read these two series at the same time?) Also, Emma Watson is just a glorious human being.

3. Liesel Meminger from The Book Thief
If Liesel were a real person, I would totally adopt her as a cute younger sister- I love her that much. I know she's only young in the book but she's so incredibly strong and wise, but she's also a troublemaker. The best thing is, of course, she's a reader!

4. June Iparis from the Legend trilogy
June is one of Chami's favourite characters, and while I'm not as obsessed with her- I still think that June is a wonderful character. Again, she's extremely smart but also extremely badass. I admit, if I was ever going to live in a dystopian world, I'd want June on my side.

5. Celaena Sardothien from the Throne of Glass series
If you know me at all, you probably know that Celaena is most definitely my favourite character right now. She takes badass to a whole new level, and while she isn't exactly the nicest person- she's just so interesting to read about and I can't help but love her.

So those were the five characters I wanted to talk about today. Like I said, this is a very abridged list but I thought I'd just start with these! I hope you enjoyed this post and I will see you tomorrow with another new post :)

TOP 3 DYSTOPIAN MUST HAVES

1. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi (GoodReads)

If your thinking, "Really? This is your first pick out of all those other popular Dystopians?" Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Because this one deserves just as much hype and earns the title of my favourite book. Yes. The Honour goes to the Shatter Me series by Tahereh Mafi. The best characters, an amazing plot line, beautiful writing and a potential for so much MORE! If your looking for a fast paced, poetically written story about a girl that can destroy someone with her touch, and a boy so menacing but intriguing that it becomes despicable to fall in love with him. Then this is your man!

Blurb:
Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war – and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior



2. Divergent by Veronica Roth (GoodReads)

I don't know where you have been if you haven't heard anything about this book. With an upcoming movie and all, it has gained a lot of hype. Oh Divergent. How I truly do love you. And though Divergent has fallen second in that reserved place in my heart, it is something you have to read to be up to date with Dystopian Genre. Though the second book in the series is quite heavy, it is a read as well. It has such a strong amazing main character and will do well. So get on it!

Blurb:
In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.


3.  Legend by Mari Lu (GoodReads)


Though i haven't read this one, it's gone shooting into everyones book radar for awhile. I have the book gingerly sitting on my self, waiting to be called upon for its unravelling. Though i haven't read it, i feel like it's going to be a must have!

Blurb:
What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic’s wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic’s highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June’s brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family’s survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias’s death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Full of nonstop action, suspense, and romance, this novel is sure to move readers as much as it thrills