What YA Friendly Book Are You Currently Reading? Showing 251-300 of 1,359

[Anke]

I'm reading The Secret of Othello: A Fisher Key Adventure I already liked the first book of the series very much and this book is very good, too.

[Jennifer]

Anke wrote: "I'm reading The Secret of Othello: A Fisher Key Adventure I already liked the first book of the series very much and this book is very good, too."

I read both of those books and adored them! I cannot wait for the third book. :)

[Anke]

Yes, I just got aggravated by the open end/cliffhanger thing.

[Kaje]

I just finished Knight Errant.

This is a wonderful science-fiction romance, with humor, tenderness, exciting plot and wonderful characters. The SF element is fairly light, no serious tech interest needed. It took me a little while to get into this book, because there is very little background exposition. Everything filters through the MC's POV, so at first there were quite a few characters introduced, and their relationships to the MC were not always clear. But after the first couple of chapters I was seriously hooked, and whipped through the rest of the book. I bought the sequel His Faithful Squire as soon as I got back into Internet range.

This series could be read by older YA. The MC is sixteen at the beginning of it, albeit a very old sixteen, having been on his own most of the years between 12 and 15. Toward the end, the two guys have full on sex, a lot, but it is very, very much off page. (I think a couple of kisses make it into words.) As an adult reader, I wish I'd had a little more detail on what happened when, especially the first time, but for YA this would be entirely comfortable.

I love Taro so much - he's intelligent, hyper, violent, mouthy, honorable, confused and impulsive. The progression of the story was great fun, and the side characters were interesting in their own right. Definitely will be a reread.

[Chris]

I just finished Revenge, Jason Steed, although not marked up as gay fiction, I had to get this book as book 1 Fledgling Jason Steed is still my favorite. That book the author cleverly writes a young adult action book with a handsome blue eyed, blond haired boy in it. He goes through growing pains, gets close to his friends, and has a cupid love friendship with a young girl, it’s all very PG, but Jason is described as this great looking kid, he hides the secret code device down the front of his underwear, leaving much to the imagination of a dirty mind like me.
I also love the Geography Club.Geography Club and two boys at swim. At Swim, Two Boys

[Jess]

I'm a few chapters into Dolphins in the Mud by Jo Ramsey and it's a really sweet read so far!

[Kaje]

Jessica wrote: "I'm a few chapters into Dolphins in the Mud by J. Roman and it's a really sweet read so far!"

Oops, wrong author - that's by our own Jo Ramsey. I'm hoping (hint, hint) to win a free copy of it on the contest she has on her website/blog http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_...

[Jess]

Kaje wrote: "Jessica wrote: "I'm a few chapters into Dolphins in the Mud by J. Roman and it's a really sweet read so far!"

Oops, wrong author - that's by our own Jo Ramsey. I'm hoping to win a free copy of it ..."

Sorry, sorry. That's what happens when you're reading one author whilst blogging about another! Fixed it now.

[Kaje]

Jessica wrote: "Sorry, sorry. That's what happens when you're reading one author whilst blogging about another! Fixed it now.
..."

Been there done that. Jo will be pleased you like her book (and I'm still holding out for the freebie - I'm cheap that way.)

[Jess]

Kaje wrote: "Jessica wrote: "Sorry, sorry. That's what happens when you're reading one author whilst blogging about another! Fixed it now.
..."

Been there done that. Jo will be pleased you like her book (and I..."

Well, if you don't win a copy this time, I'm sure I'll be giving one away on my own blog in the not too distant future!

[Richard]

i love the young adult genre, i`ve heard there will be two more books in brent hartinger`s geography club series. cant wait.:) the last book i read was, scarecrows, by mark roeder. i really liked it.

[Kaje]

Richard wrote: "i love the young adult genre, i`ve heard there will be two more books in brent hartinger`s geography club series. cant wait.:) the last book i read was, scarecrows, by mark roeder. i really liked it."

I didn't know we were going to get more of Russle Middlebrook and friends - that's excellent.

[Jess]

Richard wrote: "i love the young adult genre, i`ve heard there will be two more books in brent hartinger`s geography club series. cant wait.:) the last book i read was, scarecrows, by mark roeder. i really liked it."

Can't believe I haven't read Geography Club yet. It's been on my to read list for ages!

[Kaje]

Jessica wrote: "Can't believe I haven't read Geography Club yet. It's been on my to read list for ages!
..."

I liked it a lot and thought the sequel, The Order of the Poison Oak, was even better.

[Jess]

I’ve just finished Dolphins in the Mud by Jo Ramsey and absolutely loved it! As well as being fraught with family conflict, it made me look at life from a whole new perspective. If you’re interested, you can check out my review on Rainbow Book Reviews.

I’m now about to start Safe a little novella by C. Kennedy Looks like a great read!

[Kaje]

I just read The Celestial by Barry Brennessel. Although not written as YA, this book features a young protagonist and the sex is all fade-to-black. It is very much a coming-of-age story with a wonderful historical setting of California in the 1870's.

[Jess]

Kaje wrote: "I just read The Celestial by Barry Brennessel. Although not written as YA, this book features a young protagonist and the sex is all fade-to-black. It is very muc..."

Ooh, sounds like one for the to read list!

[Kaje]

I agree - I recommend Luna a lot.

[Jess]

Robyn wrote: "I recommend anything by Julie Anne Peters. Luna is great, as is anything else she's written"

Haven't had any of hers yet, but she's definitely on my to read list!

[Kaje]

Has anyone read The Secret to a Perfect Latke? I saw it recommended on the adult group as a very cute YA coming out story.

[Enny]

Kaje wrote: "Has anyone read The Secret to a Perfect Latke? I saw it recommended on the adult group as a very cute YA coming out story."

While the reviews sound good, I think that $ 2.49 for 5,300 words is too much so I gave it a pass.

[Sadonna]

Kaje wrote: "Has anyone read The Secret to a Perfect Latke? I saw it recommended on the adult group as a very cute YA coming out story."

I have. It's very very cute. I reviewed for my friend Cole's blog. Loved Noah's voice. It is definitely a short but sweet YA story.

[Kaje]

I just read Pretty Shade of Grey ;

This is a free online story (and I'm glad I didn't find it until it was basically complete as waiting would have been tough!) The author says there will be an epilogue someday, but it isn't necessary to enjoy this very engaging story of two young college guys finding the one person who is their complement and their match, in mind, then in spirit, and finally in body and heart. A wonderful out-for-you story with a very, very slow burn. One MC is wheelchair-bound but there is a very nice balance between matter-of-fact limitations and angst here. The sex is limited (although the tension is hot) and this would be a good read for older teens as well as adults. Told in alternating first person, this story has two very well-depicted main characters, some fun, some sweetness, some low-key angst and a HFN ending. Highly recommended.

[Rincess]

Currently reading

asdfghjkl; OH MAY GAWD GUYS YOU SHOULD TOTALLY READ THIS! It is a bit graphic but you'd go crazy with Achilles and Patroclus together! Seriously, check it out! I'm not even a fan of greek books and I'm loving it!

[Kim]

I've had The Song of Achilles on my to-read list for a while. I just finished Shadow Walkers (decent, albeit too short) and Witch Eyes (good premise and a potentially very interesting main character, but underdeveloped and overly vague narrative/dialogue). I really want to read How to Repair a Mechanical Heart , but I have no Kindle and have been trying very hard to avoid giving Amazon my money anymore. Next up will probably be the Diverse Energies anthology, for which I have high hopes, thanks to the inclusion of author Malinda Lo, among others.

[Jason]

The Secret Life of Billy Chase

[Kaje]

Kim wrote: " I really want to read How to Repair a Mechanical Heart , but I have no Kindle and have been trying very hard to avoid giving Amazon my money anymore. ..."

Me too.

I left a message on the author's website http://www.jclillis.com/blog/book/#co... asking if there was any other source for it.

[Anna]

I just read If I Told You So by Timothy Woodward. it is a sweet, funny coming out story and summer romance. The main character, Sean works at an ice cream shop for the summer and falls for his college age supervisor, Jay.

[Jamie]

Anna wrote: "I just read If I Told You So by Timothy Woodward. it is a sweet, funny coming out story and summer romance. The main character, Sean works at an ice cream shop for the summer and falls for his coll..."

Oh yes, that one's already on my to read list. Really liked the sound of it.

[Kaje]

If someone is looking, is now in epub - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-t...

[Kim]

Kaje wrote: "If someone is looking, is now in epub - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-t..."

Yay, thanks!

[Huston]

I'm currently reading 366 Days and Social Skills, although spending a bit more time with 366. Both are excellent in terms of composition, voice and plot flow.

[Kaje]

I added 366 Days to our group shelf - if you're willing when you're done, it would be great to make sure it's on all the relevant shelves - I basically put M/M and disabilities.

When you're done with Social Skills, if you think it stays YA please add it or ask me to. My only concern is that I've seen it over on the adult group a lot, and it's college age, which sometimes means not YA.

[Liz]

Not sure if this counts, but I saw in the pet peeves thread how some people just want to see LGBTQ characters in books that are not necessarily romantic, so I thought I'd mention a book I read recently that fits this category. The protagonist is a 17-yr-old girl and there is a romantic thread involving her, but her post apocalyptic companion, Peter, is gay, and while he does not get a romantic interest of his own, I thought he was very positively portrayed. This was the first in a series and I have not yet read the follow up books, so I don't know what happens later in the series, but I thought at least in this first book the author did a nice job. I will say that the book should probably be considered "edgy" and skews towards older YA readers, but not because of sex. Instead, it is the post-apocalyptic nature of the book and the violence and truly heinous and reprehensible that accompany it that might be too much for very young YA readers.

Anyway, the books is
Kahayatle (Apocalypsis, #1)
by Elle Casey Apocalypsis: Book 1, Kahayatle

[K]

Kaje wrote: "When you're done with Social Skills, if you think it stays YA please add it or ask me to. My only concern is that I've seen it over on the adult group a lot, and it's college age, which sometimes means not YA. "

I am about 20% into Social Skills and I am tending to think that possibly heading towards upper end YA only (+17 years)

[Kaje]

Thanks K.

[Kazza]

[Kaje]

That's on our Book of the Month vote so if you have comments it would be cool to hear them.

[Gino]

So, just finished my book for GoodReads, The Straight Road to Kylie. I gave it a mild four stars. Fun and entertaining story but the characters are asses but all for selfish reasons. As they said with American Pie being a teenager is R rated, so this book might not be appropriate for everyone. But I laughed on almost every page and was touched that all characters learn something very positive about themselves in the end making them stronger, better people! All in all I highly recommend, but parents I would review first before letting some teens read. Four stars! Next book is Whale Talk by Chris Crutcher, don't think it's gay but CC is very gay friendly and does have a few LGBT friendly books. :)

[Kaje]

I love Whale Talk a whole lot (but it has a sad bit - be warned.)

I'm about to read The Evolution of Ethan Poe. I like everything else I've read by Robin Reardon a whole lot, so I'm looking forward to it.

[Teresa]

I am reading Liz Winters book Beneath Angels Wings from goodreads and it is wonderful!!!! The characters come to life within a story line that could be happening at any high school around you! There are some themes that would be for older teens, but nothing that someone younger could not understand!!!

[Gino]

Thanks Kajes I just picked up John Greens Looking For Alaska today, so taking a slight detour but they're both short so like one day reads for me :) thanks for the heads up on the sad bit though! Hope your weekends going well!

[Gwen]

Huston wrote: "I'm currently reading 366 Days and Social Skills, although spending a bit more time with 366. Both are excellent in terms of composition, voice and plot flow."

I read both books and thought they were great :)also loved
currently planning to read kinda exited about it :)

[Kaje]

We read Exiled to Iowa. Send Help. And Couture as a BotM and I really liked it. I hope you do too.

Aaron is a pretty dark book, a lot of background of abuse, so I'd consider it borderline YA for content. Well written though.

[Kaje]

I'm reading - it's excellent nerd-goes-to-college, very well done. The sex is on-page and clear, but not overly erotic/descriptive. I loved and really identified with (and envied because I was worse)the MC. It is fairly explicit, though, so 16+, for sweet but on-page sex.

[Gwen]

Kaje wrote:
Aaron is a pretty dark book, a lot of background of abuse, so I'd consider it borderline YA fo..."

you´re right, now I think about it it is probably more for mature readers, at least 17+

[Kaje]

Gwen wrote: "Kaje wrote:
Aaron is a pretty dark book, a lot of background of abuse, so I'd consider it borderline YA fo..."

you´re right, now I think about it it is probably more for mature readers, at least 17+"

That sounds about right. I know it was a tough read even for me. But some teens could handle that - the characters are YA, but the themes are hard ones.

[Brooke]

I just started 13 Reasons Why. Very original and interesting.

[Gavin]

I just finished This High School Has Closets by Robert Joseph Greene yesterday.

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Life in high school has never been easy especially when you are not like all the others. Mr. Greene tells the story of two young men as they complete their final year of high school and find themselves. Barry Stillwater has just arrived in school and is introduced to Mark Thomas. Barry has come from a background and family tradition of sports and is a first string basketball player. As the two boys move through their days at the school they find that they share more than academics. The trouble arises when Barry chooses to keep up appearances and thus confuse and irritate Mark.

This is a great Young Adult coming of age story. It takes place in or around 2002 as there are clear references to events in that time period in the novel that are depicted as being current events. I would love to see a sequel to this story following the boys as they go off to university. Neither of the two are able to shed the safety of the closet and live openly as who they are while in high school.

From the eBook collection of the Toronto Public Library.



View all my reviews

I'll be recommending this one to my school librarian.

[Gabby]

K wrote: "Kaje wrote: "When you're done with Social Skills, if you think it stays YA please add it or ask me to. My only concern is that I've seen it over on the adult group a lot, and it's college age, whic..."

Well, there's a new genre called the New Adult genre, which a lot of YA books are being changed to...I don't know about those books, but yeah...just thought I'd let you know :)