Well, I have avoided it long enough. It was necessary to read some teen fiction so I would have something to recommend. Don’t get me wrong. There are some very talented young adult writers; however, the genre seems to be in a “dark and dystopian” frame of “mind”. It just isn’t where I want to spend a lot of my time. Fortunately, I had some lovely folks recommend these books or authors to me, so I was able to pick up a few reads to pass along….
The best fantasy novel I have read all Summer (adult included). Psychics, ley lines, and a hunt for a missing king. I am a sucker for a good “treasure” hunt and this delivered. It is a mystery/gothic romance and the first in a series so there will be more fun in the future. Thanks Mrs. D. for the rec.
“Imperfect Spiral” is a story of grief and guilt following a terrible accident and the scapegoating of “others”. When a young boy is killed walking home from the park, a community plays the “blame game” and a young girl tries to deal with her own feelings of guilt and grief while deciding how involved she will become in the political aftermath. Thanks to Taylor for the recommendation (actually she gave me a two page list of books to read and this was one of them).
The rich and middle class live in a compound to protect them from the monsters that roam the earth following a catastrophe that changed the earth’s social structures. Hunters track down and kill the monsters trying to break into the compound and have a huge, ranked social media presence. The monsters are getting smarter and the hunters fewer. Suddenly, the hunters realize they may be fighting more than monsters…..Thanks to Jaida for the rec.
Amy’s father died in a car wreck. Her mother moved from California to the East Coast, leaving Amy to come after the school year finished. Amy’s brother is in rehab. Now she must travel cross country with a young man she doesn’t know.
Roger’s girlfriend dumped him with no warning. His mother’s old friend wants him to drive a young girl across the country. She didn’t mention the reason Amy doesn’t drive anymore….
A melancholy look at two souls dealing with different types of loss and grief and the friendship and romance that result. Morgan Matson knows how to write a good book!
“Heartless”. The Queen of Hearts lost her heart. This is the tale of how that happened and why this book couldn’t have a happy ending. It is very atmospheric. The first part was a 5 
read; however, the drama drama got to be a bit much.