“You know, when someone has been crying, something gets left in the air. It's not something you can see or smell, or feel. Or draw. But it's there.
I don't really know how to talk about Schmidt's books. (His other book The Wednesday Wars was another one of my favorites.) So let me just say this; Gary, I will read anything you write. You will probably sob in this book and you will also pee your pants laughing. That's all I can say about it. Schmidt is brilliant. It doesn't feel like you are reading Youth Lit but you are, which is the beauty of it. If I could give six stars I would.
The Fault in Our Stars - John Green
“Some infinities are bigger than other infinities.”
I read this because I felt like I just couldn't ignore it anymore. I was seeing it everywhere - in Oprah, Matchbook, etc. It was a cancer book, but it was a good one. Sometimes it was way too dramatic and overwritten, and there is no way two teenagers like that exist. Sorry, but I don't buy it. At the same time though, it really moved me. It was touching and sweet and it made me hold on to the ones I love a little tighter which means it probably worked.
Sisterhood Everlasting - Ann Brashares
“You just have to let people love you in the way they can”
I'm a bigger sucker for the Sisterhood series, so when I saw that there was a fifth book coming out based ten years after the rest I was ecstatic. Reading a new one was amazing, since I have such deep emotions for the other four, but I consider this the weakest of the series. It bothered me that the characters hadn't changed more in ten years. However, there were some pretty special parts and with all of the books, the collections of quotes makes it worth the read.
The Hero and the Crown - Robin McKinley
“If you try to breathe water, you will not turn into a fish, you will drown; but water is still good to drink.”
This old school fantasy novel is one of my sister Jessica's favorites, so I decided to re-read it. It was different than I remembered - slower, more wordy. But I still think McKinley did a great job with the story line. She really trusts her readers. Instead of giving them too much information she has faith that they'll keep up with her. I think that there is a lot of power in that. If you are really into fantasy, you've probably already read this but if you are considering entering into the genre, it's a good start. The sequel The Blue Sword is excellent as well.
I'm also halfway through Ann Patchett's State of Wonder, and Tea Obreht's The Tiger's Wife.
I really miss my book club girls. They read Possession, which I'm excited to start, for those of you who still want to follow along.
So I'm kind of into YAF if you can't tell. What would you guys recommend? Which books am I missing?
5 comments:
Book Club misses you too! Have you started reading the series Matched?
We'll be missing you and Ingrid this fall! Maybe we can Skype you both in? Plan around your Utah trips?
I love your YA lit recommendations because I always struggle to find YA books that I really love.
I did recently read The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker. It's somewhere in between YA and adult fiction, but I thought it was a really unique end-of-the-world story (and that's coming from someone who's totally over the apocalyptic trend). It was really human and innocent, and more about being a young person in a changing world than anything else. I think you'd like it.
I really loved "When you reach me" by Rebecca Stead. It's a quirky YA read with so much heart.
Just found your blog through the Book of Love blog. I love what you're reading! Have you read Robin McKinley's "Beauty"? It's a retelling of Beauty and the Beast and it's absolutely magical. So romantic, too.
i love when you do these posts, i almost always add the books to my must read list.
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