Young Adult Fiction for Adults discussion
Challenges
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Monthly Theme Read
message 151:
by
Heidi
(new)
Apr 02, 2011 07:37PM
Jessica feel free to just pick one theme! You don't have to read a book for each unless you want to :)
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Well I'll look around and see if I find anything I think I'd like to read. If I don't then I'll skip that category.For people who haven't read it Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith might be good for the war/fighting book. The version that is out there now was originally two books - Crown Duel and Court Duel - and now they are combined. The first part has the war/fighting and the second part has political intrigue/fighting. Thought I'd recommend it.
I hope you like Rules of Survival on audio Catie :) I read
for my funny book and need to work on my other two!
Sadly, I haven't gotten to Finnikin of the Rock yet for the Patriot's Day theme. Maybe I'll try First Grave on the Right for the funny/humorous theme first. :)
Thinking ahead to May themes. Here are some suggestions:1. Mental Health Awareness Month - books with characters who are suffering from mental health issues (depression, eating disorders, cutting, etc..) OR books with characters who have someone close to them with mental health issues (parents, friends, boyfriends).
2. Mother's Day - books with characters with anything pertaining to mothers (children and mothers with close relationships, strained relationships, or a lack of mother).
3. National Teachers Day - books with characters who are close to teachers OR books read in school.
Thoughts?
I can change any of them Catie, so if you have other ideas please let me know! I couldn't think of anything else! p.s. Crazy is a great book for mental health month. The Agony of Alice is a good book about mothers and teachers (two birds with one stone) and it is only like 145 pages.
Catie sorry you are having a hard time with Rules, it is a hard listen, but worth it IMO.
I've just finished
which I think works for Patriot's Day. That's probably all I'll get to this month since I'm reading very slowly lately.Heidi - What do you mean by books read in school? Like something you would read in English class?
Yup Jessica books read in school (either when you were in school or currently read in school). As Catie said the categories are vague so more people can join in.Catie - I'm sorry again about Rules - don't finish it if it gets to be too much. That mother is a psycho and I wanted to hurt her badly.
Here is some that I have read that I recommend for May.Mental Health:
Mother's Day:
Teacher's Day:
most of those are not young adult though sorry
They don't have to be YA so that is fine Nikki. Love Joy Luck Club. FYI -
is a great book for the mother theme.
Catie wrote: "I was thinking of 
for mental health...anyone read that one?"I saw the movie.. lol
I'll maybe even get to
for mental health read!
Wendy F wrote: "I'll maybe even get to for mental health read!"Great book. Hard read though. I felt so bad for him!
message 168:
by
Brittany (finally graduated and can once again read for fun)
(new)
I've been meaning to pick up
for a while now because Peep rated it so highly. I still think it will be a while before I'm able to, but it's definitely up there in my TBR list.
I still do recommend it. It really is good and you should bump it up. If I remember, it's a quick read, though the subject is kind of intense. It is a GREAT pick, and I wish more people would read it.
message 170:
by
Brittany (finally graduated and can once again read for fun)
(last edited Apr 18, 2011 04:59PM)
(new)
Peep, you have yet to steer me wrong. You are the reason I picked up Finnikin and began my love affair with Melina Marchetta. I usually *I mean Always* find when you or Heidi (and especially when it's both of you) are that vocal about a book that it's worth the read!
Hahaha, thanks! At least you see it :) I like quite a few books, but I only love a few. Those are the few that enjoy nagging people to read. Though I'll admit that most of them are kind of not very light reading.
I really want to read it, and it's one of those that I already bought, but I'm not sure how fast I'll get through it.Im reading
right now. It's really good.
message 174:
by
Brittany (finally graduated and can once again read for fun)
(new)
Heidi (the original) wrote: "I rated Crazy 5 stars too!"I will read it... someday! I'm currently on a book ban from the library because I'm moving and it wouldn't do well to steal. I've currently got 3 (yes only 3) books checked out and I have to finish them before I'm allowed to read anything else. I'm hoping one will be a good airplane book! Although maybe not as good as Jellicoe. That book turned me into a horrible passenger. That poor child. Sigh, at least I was able to finish, and hide the potential tears.
I finished First Grave on the Right for the April Fools theme! Unfortunately it wasn't as hilarious as I thought it would be :( I liked the mystery and sensual parts better. :)
Laraine wrote: "I finished First Grave on the Right for the April Fools theme! Unfortunately it wasn't as hilarious as I thought it would be :( I liked the mystery and sensual parts better. :)"I agree. I liked it, but did not LOVE it. It was a first book in a series, so I will still read the next one :) I didn't love the Kate Daniels books until the 4th one.
Hmmm, mixed reviews. I have it too, just haven't read it yet. I am excited to though. I didn't read Kate Daniels yet, but I didn't much care for the first book of Fever or BDB. It wasn't until I got a few books in.
Wendy F wrote: "Hmmm, mixed reviews. I have it too, just haven't read it yet. I am excited to though. I didn't read Kate Daniels yet, but I didn't much care for Fever or BDB after the first book."Hmmmm...I am wondering if you will like it then??
I meant to say UNTIL after the first book, lol. Editing that comment.
Wendy F wrote: "I meant to say UNTIL after the first book, lol. Editing that comment."Oh! Then I change my comment too. Paranormal books are my least favorite, but if they have humor that always helps IMO.
It's May! Here are the themes. You can read one theme book or read all three themes - it is up to you :) p.s. I am fine with any genre too. p.s.s. I think I may only read one theme book this month unless something changes.1. Mental Health Awareness Month - books with characters who are suffering from mental health issues (depression, eating disorders, cutting, etc..) OR books with characters who have someone close to them with mental health issues (parents, friends, boyfriends).
2. Mother's Day - books with characters with anything pertaining to mothers (children and mothers with close relationships, strained relationships, or a lack of mother).
3. National Teachers Day - books with characters who are close to teachers OR books read in school.
I think I'm going to do something Mental Health Awareness.
I am going to read
for Mothers Day. Pretty sure it is about baby mommas.
I am considering
as a Mother's Day book because it includes a mother/daughter relationship, so I have that theme covered as I just read it :)
More options for mental health:Girl, interrupted by Susanna Kaysen (nf)
In the arms of stone angels by Jordan Dane (ya)
Speed of dark by Elizabeth Moon (sci fi)
Personally I think Teacher's Day is a great excuse to re-read either Harry Potter or Roald Dahl's Matilda- most memorable teachers anywhere!
Another good MG option for Teacher's Day if you're in a British governess mood is the Incorrigible series by Maryrose Wood. Hilarious!
Does anyone have a mother's day recommendation with a strong mother character? I'm getting tired of the contemporary ya trend of absent/ineffective/bad/clueless mothers.
My best recommendation would be
. The mother/daughter relationship that develops in that one is gorgeous even though it's not the main thread of the story. The mother's part in the story was probably the most powerful part for me.Another one I really enjoyed was
. The mother is a little ridiculous (as in shake my head in laughter), but the relationship isn't.And even though Georgia thinks her mother is clueless, she isn't, and I love their dynamic in
.
Wendy F wrote: "How about 
?Great Mother book."
most def.
Ha! Already done!I think The Battle for Skandiais a great book Teacher's Day though honestly you need to read the whole series and DON'T start there whatever you do! The book (and the few before and after it) show just how close will and his mentor, Halt have become. It's really more of a father, son relationship than a teacher, mentor by this book and the lengths Halt is willing to go through for Will are really touching.
I would have to say Infinitywould be a perfect book for Mother's Day. After all, were it not for his mother, who literally gave up everything for him, Nick would be evil and the world would be doomed. She is the only one who loves him and it's cute how protective he is of her even if it does get him into trouble. I LOVE what happens to the two of them in the second book but I won't spoil it!
I would say The Supernaturalistis a fine choice for Mental Health. First you have the character, Zip Lock who has been so traumatized by the institute that he literally cannot shut up and commits suicide to keep from going back there. Then let's not forget the fact that almost everyone in this book is suffering from MAJOR PTS. Cosmo has flashbacks, Stephan has his plot related issues, Ditto is an adult stuck in a child's body... yeah I think this book works, lol.
Thanks for the recommendations Becca, Wendy and Heidi!
Thinking ahead to June I have two ideas so far that I am excited about. 1. First Day of Summer - light summer type books (romances, funny books -- you know Meg Cabot type books)
2. Paul Bunyan Day - Fairy tales or fairy tale re-tellings
Thoughts? I know June is Father's Day but I am not sure if this should be a theme or not.
Gay Pride Day is also in June.
My last thought for June was Old Maids Day - we could read books with kick ass heroines. Thoughts??
Thanks Catie. I thought the same thing! Do you have a preference? Also I was thinking perhaps we just have two themes for June??
I like the idea of something Father's Day. Maybe books with good dads or even bad ones? And the Summer theme. Because I am a firm believer that the first day of summer should be a national holiday!So my vote is for Father's Day and Summer (I don't think I've read too many of those themed books).
Thanks Peep and Catie. So for June...1. First Day of Summer - light summer type books (romances, funny books -- you know Meg Cabot type books)
2. Tie: Read a book from either theme
Father's Day - books with strong father figures (good and bad) as well as books with fatherless protags (i.e. missing or dead fathers) OR
Gay Pride Day - books with gay or lesbian characters.
Hmmm, okay I will do 13 Little Blue Envelopes or Twenty Boy Summer for light read. (Having not read them, I assume this is what they are.)I'm not sure what Father's Day book I could read. I'll have to think about it.
Btw, I finished Crazy for my May read. I wish I was able to do more then one but between the ones I want to read, challenges, group/buddy reads and the May Theme... it's hard.
Ok I changed June again! I decided the Father's Day and Gay Pride Day themes both likely have fewer books than some other themes would have so I say go ahead and choose one or the other (if you want). Otherwise you can always just read the summer read and leave it at that!p.s. I highly recommend Will Grayson for the Gay Pride theme.
Ah okay, cool! That's fun. I was going to vote for Gay Pride anyway.I can't remember what the rule was, should we be sticking in the YA genre?
Young Adult Fiction for Adults
Books mentioned in this topic
13 Little Blue Envelopes (other topics)Where the Mountain Meets the Moon (other topics)
Paper Towns (other topics)
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon (other topics)
Amy & Roger's Epic Detour (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Sherwood Smith (other topics)Maeve Binchy (other topics)
