I’ve been on a reading frenzy these past few weeks, mainly focusing on YA. While I’ve read some amazing things, I need to take a bit of a break from young-adult titles. I find YA more emotionally exhausting than any other genre I read. So, here’s to some issue-free reading for a while!
What YA titles have challenged you? Any young-adult books you consider a light read?
Ally Carter’s series are a great fun read with depth. I love YA and the emotions, but a break is fun too! Good luck in reading 100 books! – Laura
I know the feeling! As much as I love it, teen angst starts to wear on me after a while.:)
I like to read something light and funny every once and a while, like Saffy’s Angel or No More Dead Dogs (although both of those might be considered MG).
And I love your new picture! You are so cute.
I find your list inspirational, as if I need any more books to add the the list! If you need any more ideas, I have some reviews and ‘whoa, I cannot wait for this to come out’ titles on my blog.
http://jonathonarntson.blogspot.com/
LOL-so true! I tend to flip back and forth b/w adult and YA because of that!
The Fablehaven books are a real joy to read (IMO) and so are the Percy Jackson books. 🙂
True. When I picked up an adult book after months of YA, it felt so quiet and slow to me . . .
It’s not YA or angst free, but I do love to laugh w/my boys at the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. BTW, I found your blog via Mother Reader and smiled because I’m one of those “mother, writer, teacher” people, too.
Thanks, all!
Chick lit is usually light read. I enjoy Janette Rolston.
btw, thanks for the follow. I have a good friend who is also repped by Michelle Humphrey–Denise Jaden. Maybe you know her? She has a YA book coming out this year.
I like Ally Carter’s series, also Jessica Day George’s Dragon Slippers series is fun and light.
Jenn’s Blogdom 🙂
Elle,
Yes! Denise and I have “met” through Michelle. Her LOSING FAITH is amazing.
Meg Cabot can really be fun. I also read a book by Tamara Summers that was really light and fun,too.
So true! YA can be so emotional – just like the kids themselves 🙂
I would definitely consider Twilight a light read, but fun. I’m dying to read Scott Westerfield’s UGLIES series, and Suzanne Collins’ HUNGER GAMES, but I do hear they’re “heavier”. Not that that would stop me; just distinguishing since you asked. 🙂
Hey, your new blog looks great!
Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott is really hard to read. It’s the one YA I’ve told my almost 14 year old she is not allowed to read.
Love the new photo. 🙂
TWILIGHT was a fun, light read (though I have no need to finish the series). Loved THE HUNGER GAMES. Lots of great titles to add to my list.
And thanks for the compliments.
Megan Whalen Turner’s THE THIEF is a great light read. The sequels aren’t light, though; I’d put them in the challenging stack.
The Percy Jackson books are light. Boy targeted books tend to be heavier on the action, lighter on the emotion (a huge generalization, of course).
I once read around 100 YA books in 2 1/2 months (for the Cybils), and it seemed like only 1 in 20 was at all cheerful. YA fantasy is more often diverting, but even there, there’s a sad tendency to encounter Bad Things…
I second the Megan Whalen Turner recommendation, btw, if you haven’t read her yet.
I love Laura Resau’s books–The Indigo Notebook and What the Moon Saw. The protagonists in both are strong female characters who explore new countries (Peru and Mexico).
When I really need a break from YA books, I like to read adult mysteries… it’s so nice to get caught up in story and just turn the pages.
Heather–My friend Laura Bradford (or Elizabeth Lynn Casey) writes mysteries and her first romance came out last week. You can get her books at Barnes & Nobel. She has a series of three mysteries under her real name and has a couple other books under her pen name. My favorite is FORECAST OF EVIL.
My favorite YA light reads right now are the “Peter and the Starcatcher” books by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson.
And thanks for stopping by my blog!
I haven’t really read anything light lately, but as far as an emotionally challenging YA read, The Patron Saint of Butterflies springs to mind. Just picked it out randomly from the library a few months ago; it’s about two girls escaping (one willingly, one less so) from an abusive cult. The two take turns narrating, chapter by chapter.
I love Shannon Hale’s Books of Bayern. I don’t think they’re light, but they are delightful.