Fun YA to get back into reading mode

[Kay]

I've been experiencing a dry period in reading, and I'm looking for a fun book in the YA (or similar) genre to get me back up to speed.

I am looking for a medium length book (300-500 pages) that is well written and preferably set in a fantasy/urban fantasy setting (sci-fi works too). Other settings are fine, but I find fantasy grants me a certain level of escapism. No preference on whether the protagonist is male or female, though I would like for them to grow and mature through out the story. I'd also like that the book doesn't focus too much on heavy, real-life issues such as death of a parent/loved one, terminal illness, etc but if they are present, that they are used as plot enhancers. Romance would be nice, but not cheesy instalove, if it can be helped. Questing and journeying stories are fun. Straightforward writing is a plus.

As reference, some YA books I highly enjoyed that might fit this request are:

Unearthly
Angelfall
Ferragost
Shadowland
The Curse of Chalion, though it's not YA
Enchantment, though again it's not YA

I usually lurk on this forum and occasionally post book recs, but this is my first request. Please let me know if what I'm asking for isn't detailed enough! (Or if it's way too detailed...)

[peg]

Madeline L'Engle can be read on many levels. Her genre is fantasy and there is always redemption for her characters. I consider her writing to be similiar to C S Lewis.

[Jason]

Chaos Walking (there are three to the entire thing).

Charlotte's Web (im sure you have read it, though)

Divergent series

Delirium series

Uglies series (Scott Westerfeld)

Matched trilogy

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (i think its young adults, some will argue its not)



Neverwhere (Gaiman) slightly edging away from YA

[peg]

What about Murakami's novels? They aren't young adult but they are definitely fantastic stories. Kafka on the Shore should keep your attention:-)

[Jason]

Chaos Walking (there are three to the entire thing).

Charlotte's Web (im sure you have read it, though)

Divergent series

Delirium series

Uglies series (Scott Westerfeld)

Matched trilogy

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (i think its young adults, some will argue its not)

Neverwhere (Gaiman) slightly edging away from YA

[Jason]

peg wrote: "What about Murakami's novels? They aren't young adult but they are definitely fantastic stories. Kafka on the Shore should keep your attention:-)"

not at all young adult, though. Perhaps some of his short stories though.The Elephant Vanishes: Stories (maybe but def not YA). IMO Norwegian Wood is the youngest adult oriented book he has written.

[Kay]

Thanks for the recs!

peg - I'm familiar with some of Madeline L'Engle's works, and I remember loving them. That being said, I feel her books are a little more contemplative than I would like at this point. Same goes for CS Lewis. I adore Murakami. I actually just finished my second novel of his, so I'm in a phase where I'm trying to cleanse my palate for my next Murakami venture. :)

Jason - I've heard good things about Chaos Walking and Miss Peregrine. I will check them out. I've tried out a few chapters of Divergent, Delirium, and Uglies and I wasn't too much of a fan. I've read Neverwhere and I love the book. Maybe I should turn to another Gaiman.

[Robert]

I am going to recommend The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith. It is really quite inventive and original. It is also a bit dark, but definitely like nothing you have ever read before.

[Kay]

Robert wrote: "I am going to recommend The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith. It is really quite inventive and original. It is also a bit dark, but definitely like nothing you have ever read before."

I've never heard of this book, but it looks interesting. I will check it out. Thanks!

[Christy]

I second the recommendation for Chaos Walking. It is emotionally intense but so good and definitely features character growth.

I'd also recommend China Mieville's Railsea, Maggie Stiefvater's The Scorpio Races, Garth Nix's Abhorsen series (3 books), Melina Marchetta's Finnikin of the Rock, and Rachel Hartman's Seraphina. These are all fantasy that feature interesting and fun worldbuilding, escapism, and (in most cases, I think) good character development/growth.

[Jason]

Kay wrote: "Thanks for the recs!

peg - I'm familiar with some of Madeline L'Engle's works, and I remember loving them. That being said, I feel her books are a little more contemplative than I would like at t..."

WARNING about Miss Peregrine, get the regular book version and not the ebook version. the images are what make this a good novel. the storyline shifted to abruptly for me, but others felt it was steady and the pacing dead on. its another one of those hate or love books...



i have a few others:

The Graveyard Book

Coraline

Looking for Alaska (read reviews first)

The Giver (series)

Paper Towns

A Separate Peace (one death.. but thats it.)

daughter of smoke and bones (PEOPLE RAVE RAVE about this one... i gave it a shot, didnt like it.... but sorta fits your criteria [again read reviews).

the girl who circumnavigated fairyland (raved reviews.. younger audience, though. adults still love it to pieces)

[[deleted user]]

The Native Star - steampunk cross-country chase.
Un Lun Dun - Mieville's take on Neverwhere
When You Reach Me - technically, this is younger than young adult, but if you like L'Engle, this is a riff on A Wrinkle in Time that's very moving.
Breadcrumbs - also younger than young adult retelling of the Snow Queen. Lovely.

[Peter]

Tomorrow, When the War Began is the first of seven. Read the reviews; get the books!

[Kay]

Oh my gosh, so many recs! Thanks, all! I can't wait to start looking into these. :D

And if you have more recs, please send them! Even looking through books and reading their descriptions makes me excited.

[Betsy]

I didn't see any of the Pern series by Anne McCaffrey in your books. I think the Harper Hall Trilogy might be considered YA. Young girl, early teens, at odds with her family, escapes to a thrilling, but sometimes dangerous new life. Start with Dragonsong.

[Gea]

I love Laini Taylor and her books Daughter of Smoke and Bone and The Days of Blood and Starlight. Taylor is a gorgeous writer. I think she is one of the very best YA writers out there. There is so much mediocre writing in this genre. And Taylor's imagination is literally out of this world. Karou, the main protaganist is fierce, vulnerable and has blue hair. Love her!

[Mir]

I'll recommend a few less recent books that you might be less likely to stumble across:

Owl in Love
The Hero and the Crown
The Tricksters
The Changeling
Blackthorn Winter
The Sherwood Ring

[Guillermo]

I'd recommend some Tamora Pierce, she does great world-building and character development, and I just love her writing style. I'd recommend starting with Trickster's Choice, but that's just me. Have fun!

[Vanessa]

I really like Neil Gaiman's short story collections. I read both of them as breaks between difficult books, and it worked very well.

This is unrelated, but looking at your books reminded me that I should rate some Animorphs. Actually, if you haven't finished the series, the last few books are very good, but maybe a little more depressing than what you're looking for right now.

[Kay]

Vanessa wrote: "I really like Neil Gaiman's short story collections. I read both of them as breaks between difficult books, and it worked very well.

This is unrelated, but looking at your books reminded me that ..."

I love Animorphs! Glad to see another Animorphs fan. I have read them all, but I refrained myself from rating every one. Maybe one day I will create an Animorphs shelf.

[Kay]

Thanks to this forum, I read The Native Star in a span of one and a half days. It was exactly what I was looking for. Thank so much! I will definitely be coming back to this forum for more book recs! :D

[Algernon (Darth Anyan)]

questing and journeying in a fantasy setting, First come to mind, not mentioned yet:
- The Last Unicorn and
- Tamsin
- Winter Rose
more recent, a young girl adventuring:
- The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making
- The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There

[Sara]

Wide Open-- This is urban fantasy (actually, rural fantasy would be more accurate). When the book starts the main character's sister has recently died, but she quickly gets swept up into the mysteries surrounding her sister's death so she doesn't spend too much time dwelling. There's also a bit of a love interest. Finally, look at that cover. Just look at it. Need I say more?

His Majesty's Dragon-- The Napoleonic wars + dragons. It's pretty fun, though later on in the series the main character has to make some difficult choices.

Deep Secret-- I've read this book three times, each at a different point in my life. I'll probably read it again in a few years. There's magic and romance and a SF&F convention.

[Ashok]

Must reads: Hunger Games (trilogy), Divergent (trilogy) and Slated (trilogy). I'd start with the Hunger games, as the latter two aren't complete yet (book three isn't out yet). You'll love the Hunger Games (the book is much better than the movie)!