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Young Adult Fiction – An Aside from Shojo Manga

Lately my budget for manga has gotten tighter, thus fewer reviews since I’m not getting much that is new.  What I have plenty of at my disposal is young adult fiction.  Seeing how much I enjoy shojo manga, it’s not a big leap to teen romance fantasies, or children’s literature in the same genre.  Since I’ve been reading so much of it, I thought a post might be helpful to those who enjoy the same type of stories.

Twilight Series

Let’s start with a series that gains a reaction no matter what extreme.  I have read the entire “Twilight” series by Stephanie Meyer.  I tend to agree with other adults that the characters in this series are poor role models, but I understand how teens can relate to the emotions of said characters.  Meyers renditions of vampires and werewolves are entertaining enough that I enjoyed the first three books, but I thought “Breaking Dawn” finally jumped the shark.  I happen to be team Jacob by the way, because I think that type of relationship is healthier than what Bella had with Edward, but I digress.  The conclusion of the series was less than stellar, and I just felt sorry for Jacob in the end.  Werewolf and half-vampire?  What would their kids be?  Horrid thoughts, and I hope it doesn’t get written.  Sorry, Stephanie.

Mortal Instruments Series

After the “Twilight” series, I came across another that was heads and shoulders above it, and that was the “Mortal Instruments” series by Cassandra Clare.  Starting with  “City of Bones”, we are introduced to Jace and Clary, and their ensuing adventure of angels, demons, fairies, vampires and warlocks.  I loved the first book, starting doubting in “City of Ashes” because I found plot parallels to other YA series, and then was blown away by the third “City of Glass” because the conclusion was so unexpected. Clare made me long for the interactions between Jace and Clary in every book.   The newest book in that universe is “Clockwork Angel”, written to precede the more modern tale, set about a century earlier.   Lots of parallels due to the similar universe, but the characters are still unique, and some from the earlier series reappear in the second.

Wicked Lovely Series

Ah, then came Melissa Marr’s “Wicked Lovely” series.  The world of fey and fairy beings accented with romance and conflict.  I enjoyed “Wicked Lovely”, although was not too impressed with main character, Aislinn.  I really loved the character of Seth.  I found “Ink Exchange” to be depressing to read, and was reluctant to read “Fragile Eternity”.  “Ink Exchange” was told from a  teen girl’s perspective of being controlled by the fey, and I felt sorry for the main character all the way through.  I finally stalled halfway through “Fragile Eternity” because I had to return it to the library.  I haven’t picked it back up yet.  Maybe I will if my curiosity gets the better of me, but Marr made me not want to be too attached to her characters.

Hunger Games Trilogy

The most recent YA series I’ve picked up is the “Hunger Games” trilogy.  I didn’t recognize the author, or have any expectations for it, so I was sucked into the story of this dystopia right away.  Main character Katniss Everdeen is a strong female, bent on survival.  Her uncertainty when it comes to romantic emotions rang true to her age and situation.  The setup of the Hunger Games being what it is – a lottery of children from around the districts of Panem, chosen to fight against each other to the death, all for the entertainment of the Capital like a reality show – was gruesome in concept.  But to experience it through the eyes of Katniss was riveting.  I couldn’t put the book down. I quickly bought up “Catching Fire” and “Mockingjay”.  I sped through the second book, glad that I had waited for the whole trilogy to be released or I would have cursed Suzanne Collins.  “Catching Fire” ends with a cliffhanger.  By the time I got to “Mockingjay”  I had hopes for how I wanted the story to end, but I had no idea how rocky the ride would be.

What I realized about the time I finished “Catching Fire” was that I’d read Suzanne Collins before.  She wrote the “Overlander” series that starts with “Gregor the Underlander”.  I read all the books. I liked that series very much, until the very end.  It was not a satisfying ending, and it just made me feel sorry for the main character Gregor, and the hardships he had faced, with very little to show for it.  I couldn’t image why a children’s series would end so bittersweet.  Well, by the time I got to the end of “Mockingjay” Suzanne Collins had disappointed me again.  I would like to ask her to write something else for the ending, because I hated what she did to her main characters.  Sure, I get that it’s suppose to be a reflection upon the outcomes of war.  She was brilliant when it came to depicting the mental fragility of her characters.  She did that well in the other series too.  When I read a book though, usually it’s because I want a reality escape, so for the characters to be so broken at the end, even though there was a positive future, was hard to digest.  Many will probably disagree with me, but I will no longer read anything else by Suzanne Collins.  It’s just too dang depressing.  Obviously she’s a fabulous author, because it evokes a great response anyway.  Judge for yourself.

“The Lost Hero”

The last series that I can rave about is the newest offering from children’s author Rick Riordan.  “The Lost Hero” is Riordan’s newest series set in the same universe as the original “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” series.  Which if you haven’t read, you should, because it’s just that good.  I’ve read it to my students several years now, and kids always love it.  Adults too, parents are always telling me their children talk about it so much that they read it as a family, and it’s a big hit. I’ve won over adult friends of mine to become Percy fans.  Also, the movie doesn’t do it justice so don’t base your opinion on the movie. But again, I digress.

“The Lost Hero” introduces an new set of  demi-gods to the world of Camp Half-Blood and those ever occurring quests.  Prophecies ignite a new adventure with obstacles around every corner.  Riordan has expanded the universe of Percy and I can’t wait to find out all the new myths and figures we will encounter on said quests. Like the previous one, this series is set in modern times with the infusion of Greek mythology.  “The Lost Hero” offers much more to come with the addition of Roman mythology.  Past characters make appearances, and it looks like the next volume will be told from Percy’s perspective.

Young adult fiction and children’s lit is always available in my neck of the woods since I am in the field of education.  Not so much with graphic novels and manga, although I am trying to remedy that in my little area.  If you enjoy a novel or two alongside your comics, then maybe you’ll get some benefit from this post.

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