It's been a crazy few months (new job, moving to London, another new job) which has taken up most of my time and attention. But now life is calm I can once again wax lyrical about the one thing that never changes: my own and the collective love of books. In particular, YA! If you're reading this I assume you fall into that category, so welcome!
I have read some incredible books over the past few months that haven't been given the shout outs they deserve. So here is a run down of what I really loved and why I think you'll love them too!
This is a book I picked up on a whim in a bookstore. I have been meaning to read a title in the rather over-populated genre of beautiful girl in a ball gown held captive by society in an alternate universe for a while now. I'd heard mixed reviews about The Selection and didn't overly love Uglies by Scott Westerfeld so I thought I'd give this a go.
And I really liked it. At its core, it's pure indulgence. Like Twilight, you know you shouldn't like it because it's cheesy and falls into a whole load of tropes. But you do. I enjoyed the pacey action, the forbidden love, the characters who are far better formed than those in many other titles in this category. And I'm looking forward to reading the next one. That's as pure a recommendation as I can give for a series - that I will invest time finding out what happens. Plus, it has one killer cliff hanger!
***
Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton
This title got a lot of love over Twittter, mainly because it had sick personalised proof covers with gold foil. That's not something publishers do very often, so Faber obviously really believed in this debut. And the hype is very much worth it. I sped through this in a few sittings, and found it to be a really refreshing genre mix of Western and Arabian Nights. A gun slinging, monster fighting, royal rebellion romp through the desert. I really enjoyed the bolshy female main character Amani - she's self-determining and a bit of a badass. Her relationship with the love interview/Prince/runaway bandit is actually really interesting, particularly as it does not follow the typical trajectory. As soon as I finished it, I wanted the next one immediately, which is a total bummer because Book 2 doesn't have a release date yet. Highly recommend, as does the rest of the YA world.
****
Beautiful Broken Things by Sara Barnard
I asked a colleague to recommend me something that would give all the feels. She handed me this beautiful package. My honest recommendation would be that Beautiful Broken Things is a great book for a genuine teenage reader. Barnard really beautifully captures the characters' voices, and it harked back to my own teenage years very clearly. Subjects like abuse, friendships, morality and self-worth are huge topics here dealt in a mature and provocative way. What's also great is that nothing is over-done. The plot is slow, but purposefully so and reads like an account of something that genuinely happened and not like a forced plot, a sin that many YA Contemporary novels can fall into.
As such, I think this would be a 5 star read for someone between 14 - 17. At my slightly more mature mid-twenties, I really enjoyed it but didn't fall head over heels. It wasn't all the feels as I had hoped, but there were most definitely stirrings.
***
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
This is another interesting soft fantasy title akin to The Jewel and Rebel of the Sands (I really like this genre as you can tell). I had heard lots of good things at last year's YALC about this so picked it up as soon as I could. I didn't actually get round the reading it until Christmas but when I did, it made me kick myself for not getting to it sooner. Mare, while not the most original of characters, is very readable and you instantly love everyone she cares for. She may possible fall into the Harry Potter pattern - great supporting cast, bit vanilla MC. What really shines in this book is the world building, the junior Game of Thrones feel to it and the powers! Oh the powers are so awesome, and Mare's unique ability and circumstances are another great dynamic to play with. The twists are epic, if not sometimes foreseeable, except the one right at the end. Wowsers! Definitely one to pick up if you enjoy YA fantasy that isn't too hardcore elves and orcs.
****
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
It is a rare thing for me to give 5 stars to a book. If I give something 4 stars, I really, really enjoyed it. Call me a perfectionist, but I usually reserved 5 star status for things that set my world on fire and remain my favourite books of all time (Noughts and Crosses, The Mortal Instruments series as a whole, and The Night Circus). But I just can't give this 4 stars, it simply demands more. Is it perfection? No. But is it one of the most original, lyrically written without being heavy handed, compelling and heartbreaking things you'll read for a very long time? Hells yes! Not YA in the strictest of terms, but it would certainly be suitable for anyone 15/16 upwards. Karou is a broody, fascinating character full of mystery and intrigue. Her home town of Prague is lovingly written about that makes me want to go there again, and the other worlds beyond our human dimension are well-developed and exotic. The supporting characters are also very interesting, and the world building, concept and plot are so original and simply put, just great! This is a wonderful title to pick up if you want to infuse a bit of magic, mystery and beauty into your life. This was another recommendation from a colleague, and it's one of the best reccs I've ever had. Do yourself a favour and go buy it now. I'll even give you the link. Do it!
*****
So that's it for now, a quick overview of what I've loved over the past few months. I would recommend all of them very highly! Keep your eyes peeled for more posts, coming soon...
Bookish love, Rachel xx
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