Good books?

So I've been working on writing a couple of Young Adult (YA) books for a few years now.  Struggling along with writing them, probably because, frankly, who in their right minds want to go through all that angst again?

Not that as an adult you are home free or anything.  But teenage angst and worry..... yikes.

So anyway, rather than spend copious amounts of time reliving my own teenage angst I've preferred to check out YA books and read about others teenage angst.

At least from a perspective of an adult viewing it anyway, since even the most popular YA books are obviously not written by YA ages or anything.

At least that's the story, and I'm sticking to it. ;)

Hey, I just happen to Really like to read.

And there just so happens to be a Lot of Really good YA books around now!

Seriously!  Check them out!

The Harry Potter craze seems to have passed by, to be taken over by the Twilight book series of vampires versus werewolves.

Okay so I read all the Potter books, and for the most part enjoyed them all.  

But I'm not sure I'll ever gather quite the enthusiasm that a Lot of people seem to have for the Twilight books series.  [And yes, I Know only the First book is Twilight but it's so much easier to just write that rather than each book name.  Most will have heard and know about them.  And if you haven't, well, you seriously need to check out my blog more often.  Let me know and we'll 'talk.' ;-D  Espec. since I obviously need to check it out more often too. ;-}  ]

And now don't anybody shoot me flaming words or anything, but I read the last book in the series first.  Hey, it was the Only book I could actually check out from the library!  All the rest were checked out and had like 100 people waiting lists!  And actually even a few years after publications, that's still the case.  Impressive, if nothing else!

I finally bought the first two books in paperback since obviously it was going to be Forever to check them out from library.

I can sortta understand the appeal.  A bit.  I'm still not enamoured by them though.

Definitely not enough to pay the money for the 3rd one that's still in hardcover, not in paperback yet.

I think there are some good to better options out there for good story telling and reading.

Like Maggie Stiefvater's books, if you like the fantasy element, altho' singular book at present, soon to be joined by 2 new books coming out this year - And she's scheduled to be at the James River Writers Conference in Richmond, VA in October this year too!!!!!   has neat blog too - http://m-stiefvater.livejournal.com

My favorite book I've read in a Loooong time, YA or not!, has to be Melina Marchetta's book Saving Francesca.

[next to Maggie's of course, in case you're reading this Maggie. ;) ;)]

Marchetta has a new book out that Maggie and a lot of people are raving about - Jellicoe Road.

I thought it was good.  But had to stick with it and wade through a lot of confusing parts.  Although it did have some good things going for it to make you want to finish it.

But it still doesn't topple Francesca.

John Green's books are good - I think his first book Looking for Alaska probably the best, but if you've skimmed this blog at all you'll see things I took away from his other books also.

I also read Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, and think Every high school student Should read it!!!

Makes you wonder if peoples' lives would be different if more people, YA or adult, read it.

But that's enough of my reading talk for now.

I need to go read! ;)  

Oh, and after you read your great, not-so-great, or so-so books, get on here and let me know what you are reading!!!  And what you think about it.  And why!