Young Adult Literature Lovers' Journal

Subject:	Larbalestier, Justine: Magic's Child
Posted by:	calico_reaction.
Time:	9:11 pm.

Magic's Child
Writer: Justine Larbalestier
Genre: Young Adult/Urban Fantasy
Pages: 291

I was pretty happy to finally be able to pick up the conclusion to Justine Larbalestier's Magic or Madness trilogy when it was released in paperback. Happier still to be finished with my thesis so I could actually read it.

Like Magic Lessons, Magic's Child picks up right where the previous book left off. I really enjoy this trilogy, and I adore the constraints to the magic system, but these are not books you read out of order. Start at the beginning with Magic or Madness and work your way through to the end. Trust me, the story's much better for it.

The wrap-up is good and satisfying, but I think a little too much is packed into this book because so much has to be resolved. Of the three, I think Magic's Child is the weakest, but it's still satisfying, and gives the reader a new insight into the magic ruling this particular urban fantasy. Overall, good stuff, and easy to recommend to anyone who enjoys UF, whether they like it YA or not.

If you're interested in my specific and spoiler-laden review of Magic's Child, it's in my LJ. Just click the link below. ;) As always, comments and discussion are most welcome.

REVIEW: Justine Larbalestier's MAGIC'S CHILD

Happy Reading! :)

Comments: Add Your Own.

Subject:	Teen Bookshelf
Posted by:	teenbookshelf.
Time:	6:12 pm.
Mood:	artistic.

Hello. I would post all of my reviews of teen books I have read and the interviews I have posted, but it'd take a lot of space. Come to my journal http://teenbookshelf.livejournal.com to see my site and sign up for my HUGE contest. We really need some publicity. Thanks!

Comments: Add Your Own.

Posted by:	yencommakris.
Time:	1:11 pm.

Name of book: When the Crow Sings
Author: Jacqueline Wales
Genre: Family Saga
Rating: 5 out of 5

Note: You can get the Ebook version free on the author’s website now (as well as off of Amazon or at Borders). Highly Recommended.

Description: Thematically, think The Color Purple. In structure, think Alex Haley's Roots. Add a Scottish dialect, and you have an intensely engaging book that's horrific, enticing, and elegantly executed.

When the Crow Sings is like your best girlfriend, mom's shoulder, lifetime movie, and motivational class all in one. This book is a must read; a page turner, tear jerker, yet still it manages to pull together a solid plot while keeping its prose refreshing. When The Crow Sings is a semi autobiographical family saga. In the hands of a proud Scottish woman as she crosses the ocean with the manuscript of her family secrets, the story traverses three generations of strong women as they endure abuse, and ultimately learn to break heartbreaking cycles, to render themselves independent and powerful. The novel adapts native Scottish dialect, it is at once emotionally powerful and fascinating- a haunting, staying read.

I've got to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I usually enjoy things that have a clear plot line and thematic lines, but this was definitely a rollercoaster of a read, and overarching themes pull things together really coherently

Comments: Add Your Own.

Subject:	Advice about advice novels
Posted by:	bostonerin.
Time:	12:10 pm.

I'm doing some research...

Can you think of some YA/MG titles that feature a character who gives advice to other characters as a central theme? The only ones that are coming to mind are DEAR MR. HENSHAW and LETTERS TO A YOUNG POET. I'm not talking about GO ASK ALICE-type problem novels, but ones that are more along the lines of Lucy's backyard psychology stand in "Peanuts".

Thanks in advance!

X-posted: yalitlovers, teenliterature, bostonerin

Comments: Read 3 or Add Your Own.

Posted by:	lulu_plum.
Time:	4:51 pm.

Just wondering if anyone can tell me the title of a book I read once. I can't remember what it was, but it was reviewed in Sassy magazine (yeah, really a long time ago). It was about a boy whose father had either left or died - I can't recall - and he had a camera (can't recall if it was inherited or what) and got really great with photography. That's all I can remember, and it isn't much. But it's driving me nuts and I really want to know the name of it.

Comments: Read 2 or Add Your Own.

Subject:	Wooding, Chris: Poison
Posted by:	calico_reaction.
Time:	10:05 pm.

Poison
Writer: Chris Wooding
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy
Pages: 273

A friend of mine introduced me to this author via this book, and I have to say, I'm very impressed. I was sucked right in, and anyone who enjoys reading YA, particularly fantasies (of the epic sort) with strong female leads, will enjoy this. I really appreciated how the characters had to rely on wit instead of magic, and while story seems simple, by the end, it's so much more. Makes you think, in a good way.

The full review's in my journal, if anyone's interested. As always, comments and discussion are most welcome.

REVIEW: Chris Wooding's POISON

Happy Reading!

Comments: Add Your Own.

Subject:	Project 17 by Laurie Faria Stolarz
Posted by:	pageafter_page.
Time:	6:30 pm.

Please click (here) to read a review I wrote for the new young adult suspense thriller, Project 17 by Laurie Faria Stolarz. :)

(x-posted to

lstolarzfans,

bifn_fans,

bookish,

bookshare,

teenliterature,

yalitlovers)

Comments: Add Your Own.

Subject:	Mitchison, Naomi: Travel Light
Posted by:	calico_reaction.
Time:	11:57 pm.

Travel Light
Writer: Naomi Mitchison
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy
Pages: 135

Just finished Naomi Mitchison's Travel Light, an enjoyable YA fairy tale that takes your conventional stereotypes and has fun turning them on their heads. For some reason, this reminded me of Catherynne Valente's The Orphan's Tales: In the Night Garden, without the story-within-a-story structure. The themes, the handling of fairy tales, the settings, are all comparable. It's a good read, recommended for adults and YA alike.

The full review's in my journal, if you're interested. As always, comments and discussion are most welcome.

REVIEW: Naomi Mitchison's TRAVEL LIGHT

Happy Reading! :)

Comments: Add Your Own.

Subject:	Kids & Advertisers on LIVEbrary Week 4
Posted by:	livebrary.
Time:	12:36 pm.

The LIVEbrary, an online educational program from children's book publisher Annick Press, welcomes guest author Shari Graydon for the fourth week of Media Awareness. The two-year program for middle school and junior high schools students, teachers, librarians and homeschoolers is funded by a grant from the Canada Council for the Arts.

Graydon will be chatting about her book "Made You Look," which challenges kids to become aware of how advertisers try to manipulate them. Graydon was also the guest author during Week 2, in which she discussed her book dealing with society's conceptions about beauty, "In Your Face." You can view a transcript from that live chat at the LIVEbrary blog:

http://annickpress.blogspot.com/

Live chats are every Thursday afternoon from 2-3 p.m. ET. The chats are put on with assistance from Skype Technologies <http://www.skype.com>.

The LIVEbrary blog also features lesson plans, instructions for using the chats in the classroom, and registration information. Teachers, librarians, parents and homeschoolers must register in advance to participate in the LIVEbrary.

For more information, please contact LIVEbrary@annickpress.com

Comments: Add Your Own.

Subject:	Sci-fi Recs Wanted
Posted by:	sj_hollis.
Time:	9:19 pm.

Hi there. I’m looking for YA sci-fi recommendations. I’m in the early stages of researching my own novel and I would like to check out the market before I put fingers to keyboard.

Any recs will do. Good, bad, bestsellers, classics, hidden gem, anything at all.

Comments: Read 9 or Add Your Own.

Subject:	Help, please!
Posted by:	skeleigh.
Time:	11:09 am.

I just joined this community and am hoping that some of you can help me out. I have a 13 y/o daughter who has recently "discovered" YA vampire books. When I say recently, I mean like two months ago. Since then she has read the following:

Stephenie Meyer's Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse
The Morganville Vampires (books 1 & 2)
The Vampire Diaries (books 1 & 2)
Vampire Kisses (books 1-3)
Secret Circle (books 1 & 2)
Sweep (books 1-4)

She's read all of these, plus a few manga thrown in for fun, since August. She's reading Twilight for the second time now because she doesn't know what she wants to read next.

I need recs of other similar series. For Christmas I'd like to buy her the first book in a few different series. Then she can use her money to buy the next books in whichever series she decides she likes. She really enjoys books about vampires, but other paranormal themes are good too.

Now here are *MY* requirements (sorry, but the mom in me has to rear her ugly head now): no sex. Period. After all, she is only 13. References to sex are ok, but actual detailed sex scenes are out. Preferably no drug use, although drug references are ok since that is real world. I have no issue with cursing. Wicca is fine also. I am reading the book "Tithe" by Holly Black right now as my daughter asked me to read it first to see if it was age appropriate. I'll be honest - I'm not impressed so far. The smoking/drug use/sexual references I think are geared more toward the 16+ age group (example: when one character asks another if she's ever seen an uncircumcised d*@k, I was a little put off).

I think that is all. Hope I'm not annoying everyone with my request!

Comments: Read 37 or Add Your Own.

Subject:	Shameless Self Promotion
Posted by:	bix.
Time:	8:36 pm.

As crass as it may seem, I just wanted to mention my own novel, self published, but already adapted as a Lifetime movie called "Custody" and winner of the DIY Book Festival Best Teenage Novel of 2007. It's called "Figures of Echo" and you can read about it here: http://www.lulu.com/content/751923

Thanks for letting me self promote! It's part and parcel of the whole "self publishing" thing!

Comments: Add Your Own.

Subject:	Libraries
Posted by:	thalionhiril.
Time:	9:44 pm.
Mood:	sleepy.

Hey everyone- I'm a grad student going to school to be a librarian, possibly a young adult librarian. As I imagine some of you are young adults I was wondering if you could answer these questions for me-

1) Do you use your public library? If so, what do you normally check out? Books, DVD's, music, video games? Anything else I'm leaving out?

2) Does your library do programming for young adults? If so what kinds of programs have they done that you liked? What kinds of programs would you like them to do? If your library doesn't offer programs for young adults what kind of programs would you like them to offer? [Ex: gaming (videogames, DnD, Magic),crafts (knitting, crocheting, embroidery), book clubs, board games (chess, checkers, cranium, apples to apples, boxers and briefs, Risk), and anything else you can think of]

3) Does your library have a Teen Advisory Group, Committee, or Board? Do you belong to it? If so, why? What about it do you enjoy? What don't you like?

4) What materials do you think libraries need to offer to teens in a larger quantity or just offer it in general?

And finally:

5) What do you like to read? Specific genres? Romance, fantasy, sci-fi, urban fantasy, realistic fiction, historical fiction, non-fiction?

Let me know. When I was a teen my library offered practically nothing other than books and some movies for teens. There was no programming for anyone who wasn't considered a child or adult. And it kind of pisses me off. You guys totally deserve equal treatment. So fill out all or any of these questions for me or discuss other things you think relate.

[x-posted to

teenliterature]

Comments: Read 13 or Add Your Own.

Subject:	Meyer, Stephanie: Twilight
Posted by:	calico_reaction.
Time:	4:05 pm.

Twilight
Writer: Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Young Adult/Paranormal Romance
Pages: 498

I should've known better than to pick this book up last night, intending to only read one chapter, because once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. It's a good, fast read, and though I have a few issues with certain aspects of it, I'm looking forward to the other books in the series, and I can see why the book/series is such a hit with readers, especially with its intended audience.

The review's in my journal, if anyone's interested. As always, comments and discussion are most welcome.

REVIEW: Stephenie Meyer's TWILIGHT

Happy Reading! :)

Comments: Read 2 or Add Your Own.

Subject:	Marrone, Amanda: Uninvited
Posted by:	calico_reaction.
Time:	7:28 pm.

Uninvited
Writer: Amanda Marrone
Genre: Young Adult/Paranormal
Pages: 204

So I won a copy of this book from the author when she ran a contest at her LJ, and since the premise looked fun and it's such a short book, I read it as soon as it arrived in the mail. It's an enjoyable read, and Marrone really captures the teenage voice and gives her protagonist plenty of problems, plenty of conflicts, which allows for plenty of room of character exploration and possible change.

The review's in my journal, if anyone's interested. There are spoilers, so consider yourself warned. ;)

As always, comments and discussion are most welcome.

REVIEW: Amanda Marrone's UNINVITED

Happy Reading! :)

Comments: Add Your Own.

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