Mette Ivie Harrison, Children's writer, The Princess and the Hound, Mira, Mirror, The Monster In Me, The Princess and the Bear, Young Adult Books, Fantasy, Romance, YA books, YA fantasy, YA sf, young adult fantasy, young adult science fiction, YA science fiction, Holly Black, Tithe, Ironside, M.T. Anderson, Thirsty, Feed, Franny Billingsley, The Folk Keeper, Clare B. Dunkle, These Bones, recommendations, reviews, YA reviews, Keturah and Lord Death, Martine Leavitt, National Book Award, Black Juice, Margo Lanagan, Robin McKinley, The Blue Sword, The Hero and the Crown, Rhymes With Witches, Lauren Myracle, Life As We Knew It, Susan Beth Pfeffer, Beauty, Twilight, Stephenie Meyer, Lirael, Garth Nix, Shade's Children, Kenneth Oppel, Aiborn, Sherwood Smith, Crown Duel, The Thief, Attolia, Megan Whalen Turner, Peeps, Scott Westerfeld, Uglies, Pretties, Specials, Extras, Heir Apparent, Vivian Vande Velde

Thirsty by M.T. Andersen	About a boy who discovers he is turning into a vampire and he does everything in his power (ultimately —nothing at all) to stop it. Also hilarious.	The Folk Keeper by Franny Billingsley	The "folk" in this book aren't nice. They have teeth! So why would anyone volunteer to keep them? There are reasons, gradually unfolded as this story about identity and love unfolds.
Tithe by Holly Black	A dark urban fantasy about the "real" fairy world and what it would be like to find out you belonged to it. I liked it because it made hard choices, but didn’t break my heart.	Ironside by Holly Black	Another great, great book! I love Holly Black's vision of the fairy world, a dark place tht mirrors the worst reality of our own world--and maybe a bit of the best, too. I loved the romances in this book. I find that I can't love a romance if that is all the book is about, but when the romance is wrapped around real-life choices, around betrayal and courage, self-sacrifice and self-knowledge, then I want to stand up and cheer.
These Bones by Clare B. Dunkle	This is a fun fantasy romance, but that’s not what it is primarily. It’s also a were-wolf story and a story about a choice. A very hard choice that one person has to make for herself, and for the one she loves. Does she love him enough?	Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause	This is a book with feeling. It evokes the passion the young girl is experiencing throughout and afterwards, you will never think of humans the same again.
Black Juice Margo Lanagan	The whole price of this book is worth it for the first story, "Singing My Sister Down." And for a bonus, you get all of the others. I don't want to spoil it by telling you any of the great details, but I will say that this is a dark book, and that there is something dark inside of me that revels in it.	Keturah and Lord Death Martine Leavitt	An incredible story that engaged me all the way through. I wanted one ending so much at first, and then gradually found myself wanting a different ending instead. About a girl who is caught in the forest by death and has to tell a story each day to stay alive. Also about a lot more than that.
The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley	A classic, with romance, otherworldy magic, girl power, and the discovery of "the truth." I don’t think there is another YA fantasy that compares with this one. What else is there to say?	Robin McKinley	I'm partial to fairy tale retellings, and I love this one, with the fresh voice of Beauty speaking for herself. My style has been compared to Robin McKinley's, and I can't think of a nicer compliment.
Queen of Camelot Nancy McKenzie	McKenzie sets herself a challenge from the beginning: to make Mordred a hero, to make Guinevere and Lancelot’s love true but spotless, and to recreate a king no one would ever betray. She does it well, and she does it all without changing the hallmarks of the traditional story.	Stephenie Meyer	This is the book that will get people reading. I can't say how many times I've recommended it to parents who think their teens (boys and girls) won't read anything. It works! They become addicted. Yes, I know there are flaws in the writing and I am annoyed at how long she is drawing it out, but read!
Rhymes with Witches by a href="http://www.laurenmyracle.com">Lauren Myracle	This is one of those books I wish I'd written. And if I were as good a writer as Lauren I would have. It’s about the worst side of high school, the girls who seem so high above everyone else in all realms, and the secret of how they got there. You can, too, so long as you’re willing to pay the price. Think it can’t be that bad? It is.	Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer	I devoured this book in a few hours, and I think the most telling thing I can say about it was that every time I looked up or had to go to the bathroom or get food for the kids I had to remind myself that I wasn't still living inside the book. I felt like I was as cold as the main character was. I kept checking the cupboards to see how many cans of food we had in them.
Lirael by Garth Nix	A very different fantasy, where a world of magic and non-magic live side by side. Until . . . Also the story of a girl with the power to hold back the dead. And the price she has to pay to keep the world in balance. My second daughter’s favorite series currently. She is ten.	Garth Nix	I love this dystopian science fiction look at what happens when kids trust adults too much.
Airborn by Kenneth Oppel	I wish I had written this book. Towards the end of the book, there is a scene where Matt tells Kate to take off her shoes so they can walk silently through the airship towards the pirates. It is a long, tense section of the book where the stakes are raised every page and some of the people you really like don't make it through. But at this moment, Kate takes off her shoes and says that she hopes her feet don't stink everyone out. I loved it! Perfect way to cut tension, but also the perfect characterization from Kate.	Sherwood Smith	I loved her spunky heroine and her hero, too. She made old things a little newer and a little truer.
The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner	Megan Whalen Turner's series beginning with The Thief is one of my all-time favorite fantasies. I buy it and give it as gifts. I do NOT loan it out. I have reread this series many times. It is about a very clever thief who can steal anything, even the Queen of Attolia. The twists and turns and intricacies of plot are amazing.	Vivian Vande Velde	About a girl who gets stuck in a video game set in medieval England. She's the king's heir, only she has no idea what's going on or who her real allies are. Until she finds out, it's real dangerous to have that crown on her head. Like a big, red target.
Peeps byScott Westerfeld	About the black plague and vampires, and a future where we're going to need them both.	Uglies Scott Westerfeld	About a world where everyone becomes beautiful at age sixteen, through a government-mandated operation. But what else does being "pretty" do to you? And what if you don't want it?
Return to home page