Nollaig Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 (edited) As I try to get back into reading, I'm going to attempt to start from the ground up, so as it stands, I have no TBR pile. Aside from the physical TBR pile leaning at a dangerous angle beside my bed. I will only dip into that as I feel the urge though - I want to get my reading mojo back and I think I need a very specific type of book to do that - Young Adult. *** January: The Nine Lives of Montezuma - Michael Morpurgo Being Henry David - Cal Armistead Unwind - Neal Shusterman More Than This - Patrick Ness UnStrung (Short Story) - Neal Shusterman The Program - Suzanne Young Dante And Aristotle Discover The Secrets of The Universe - Benjamin Alire Saenz February: The Painted Man by Peter Brett Edited February 6, 2014 by Nollaig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted January 11, 2014 Author Share Posted January 11, 2014 (edited) Young Adult Fiction Challenge Starting with a list of 2013's best offerings by Buzzfeed, I'm going to gradually pick and add different books I like the sound of based on googling around for suggestions. I plan to read no fewer than 21 YA novels (the number in the original list), possibly more. 1. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell 2. The Program by Suzanne Young - 3/5 3. The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider 4. Divergent by Veronica Roth (putting down the first in the trilogy, rather than the third) 5. This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales 6. Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare (I'll research her books and pick a first one) 7. Just One Day by Gayle Forman 8. The Elite by Kiera Cass 9. Mermaid in Chelsea Creek by Michelle Tea 10. The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey 11. Being Henry David by Cal Armistead - 3/5 12. Perfect Ruin by Lauren Destefano 13. This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith 14. Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo (I'll look up Book 1) 15. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell 16. Where The Stars Still Shine by Trish Doller 17. These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner 18. Golden by Jessi Kirby 19. Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein 20. The Coldest Girl In Coldtown by Holly Black 21. Out Of The Easy by Ruta Sepetys 22. Unwind by Neal Shusterman - 5/5 23. I Am The Messenger by Markus Zusak 24. More Than This by Patrick Ness - 3/5 25. UnStrung (Short Story) by Neal Shusterman - 4/5 26. Dante and Aristotle Discover The Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz - 4/5 Edited January 29, 2014 by Nollaig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted January 11, 2014 Author Share Posted January 11, 2014 (edited) Wishlist/TBR: This post will include any non-YA titles I come across throughout the year. 1. The Shock Of The Fall by Nathan Filer 2. Mrs. Palfrey At The Claremont by Elizabeth Taylor 3. I, Zombie by Hugh Howey 4. The Stonehenge Legacy by Sam Christer 5. Beyond the Great Indoors by Ingvar Ambjørnsen (Poppyshake) 6. A Fraction Of The Whole by Steve Toltz 7. Kilvert's Diary by Francis Kilvert (Poppyshake) 8. On The Black Hill by Bruce Chatwin (Poppyshake) 9. The Vintage TeaCup Club by Vanessa Greene (Inver) 10. Longbourn by Jo Baker (Kidsmum) 11. Snake Ropes by Jess Richards (Weave)1 12. The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion (various) 13. Sisterland by Curtis Sittenfeld (various) 14. The Library Of Unrequited Love (Poppyshake) Flavorwire's 50 Incredibly Tough Books For Extreme Readers This is a shorter TBR I've put together from the list. 1. Geek Love by Katherine Dunn 2. Coin Locker Babies by Ryu Murakami 3. House Of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski 4. The Painted Bird by Jerzy Kosinski 5. Out by Natsuo Kirino 6. Hopscotch by Julio Cortazar 7. Bad Behaviour by Mary Gaitskill 8. Tampa by Alissa Nutting 9. The Demon by Hubert Selby Jr. Edited February 6, 2014 by Nollaig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted January 11, 2014 Author Share Posted January 11, 2014 (edited) Explore An Author Challenge: Michael Morpurgo Essentially, I adore two of Morpurgo's books, and have been meaning to check out his others for years. So, I found I have 10 lying around in hardback and epub form - including the two I've read - so I'm going to start with those ten and expand to 20 if I so choose 1. From Hereabout Hill 2. Little Foxes 3. Alone On A Wide Wide Sea 4. Escape from Shangri-La 5. The Nine Lives of Montezuma - 3/5 6. Not Bad for a Bad Lad 7. The White Horse of Zennor 8. My Friend Walter 9. Private Peaceful 10. The Ghost of Grania O'Malley Edited January 17, 2014 by Nollaig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 Go for the 5th Wave Noll, my mojo was suffering when I picked it up, and I was soon reading it at every chance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted January 11, 2014 Author Share Posted January 11, 2014 Oooh okay, thanks, I'll make sure that's one of the first I check out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 Happy Reading in 2014 Noll! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted January 11, 2014 Author Share Posted January 11, 2014 Thanks Poppyshake, you too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 Happy reading, Noll. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Begins Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 Divergent, I have to recommend. So good. There are 3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted January 12, 2014 Author Share Posted January 12, 2014 Thanks Pontalba! Anna, I actually bought Divergent for a friend of mine this Christmas. She loved it. I'm not entirely sure about it based on the premise, as I'm quite fussy about dystopian novels (I can't stand The Hunger Games, for instance, but I love The Maze Runner.) I will however give it a go! At the moment I'm reading The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey. I've read a hundred or so pages and it is definitely very good - I'm tearing through it just to learn more and more about what's going on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devi Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 Happy reading in 2014 noll! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 Happy Reading in 2014 Noll Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 Hope your mojo returns for you this year, Noll. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 I don't usually read much YA, but I really enjoyed Cassandra Clare's novels. The 'Clockwork' ones were my favourites - they're set in the Victorian era, and are prequels to the Mortal Instruments (City of Bones etc.), but I don't think it really matters which of the two series you read first. Happy reading in 2014! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marie H Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 Happy reading . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 Happy Reading in 2014, Noll ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted January 12, 2014 Author Share Posted January 12, 2014 Eeee thanks everyone! So far so good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted January 17, 2014 Author Share Posted January 17, 2014 (edited) Finished my first two books of the year! *** The Nine Lives Of Montezuma by Michael Morpurgo Synopsis: A cat's nine lives are full of adventure and excitement and none more so than Montezuma, the farmyard cat. From a young kitten to a grand old cat, he is cunning and proud while establishing his kingdom, but to Matthew, he's always loving and adorable. Review: I picked this one up specifically because it was short, and I figured it would be relatively light (which is an unfair assumption when it comes to Michael Morpurgo, I suppose), as it seemed to be aimed towards younger audiences. It definitely is - but it was still a beautifully written book, even if the story didn't entirely enthrall me the way some of Morpurgo's other books have done. Each of the 9 chapters was a short tale about Montezuma, referring to one of his 9 lives. I actually loved this idea - the idea that cats don't have to have a near death experience to lose one of their 9 lives, but in their lives they go through distinct experiences which are lives in and of themselves. Of course, being that it covered all 9 lives, it did of course conclude inevitably with the death of Montezuma which, despite my general lack of attachment to the cat, still made me tear up. If I have one criticism of Morpurgo's writing in this book, it's that there seems to be no sentiment attached to any of the characters - while the writing is very lyrical, the the expression of emotions is almost entirely absent. Still, an easy read to start off the new year! Rating: 3/5 *** Being Henry David by Cal Armistead Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old "Hank" has found himself at Penn Station in New York City with no memory of anything --who he is, where he came from, why he's running away. His only possession is a worn copy of Walden, by Henry David Thoreau. And so he becomes Henry David-or "Hank" and takes first to the streets, and then to the only destination he can think of--Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts. Cal Armistead's remarkable debut novel is about a teen in search of himself. Review: I suppose I should have expected this novel to revolve somewhat around the philosophies around Thoreau - but I didn't really expect there to be regular quotes from Walden, many often repeated twice or more throughout the novel. The book started off immensely, I absolutely adored the beginning and it seemed so full of promise. I immediately came to like three out of the four characters introduced (though the one I did not was the narrator himself, which I suppose never bodes well). I had been looking forward to a dark, gritty exploration of life on the street in New York City while this boy with no past dreamed of a cabin in the woods which might, and eventually would, unlock the secrets of his past. Unfortunately, the book does a 180 not far into the story, leaving New York and heading to Concord quite early. From there, we meet one more character I liked, and another I hated. From the point where Hank reaches Concord, the whole thing descends into a contrived bout of convenient plot points, and a secondary plot that made me want to hit my head off a wall. It's a shame, because the book picks up again as soon as we begin to learn about Hank's past, and in fact the facts of his situation are quite original and refreshing in their lack of immediate obviousness. Unfortunately, this is not enough to save a novel that wanders through a few different tones, and ultimately never really resolves anything for the few characters I cared about. Worth giving a go, and easy to read to the end, but don't expect too much. Rating: 3/5 Edited January 17, 2014 by Nollaig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Begins Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Anna, I actually bought Divergent for a friend of mine this Christmas. She loved it. I'm not entirely sure about it based on the premise, as I'm quite fussy about dystopian novels (I can't stand The Hunger Games, for instance, but I love The Maze Runner.) I will however give it a go! Personally, I don't think its like The Hunger Games at all. In the beginning, I thought "Ya this is so Hunger Games" but wow- it totally changes and finds its own voice. And they are a page turner too, I read all 3 in about a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted January 17, 2014 Author Share Posted January 17, 2014 Personally, I don't think its like The Hunger Games at all. In the beginning, I thought "Ya this is so Hunger Games" but wow- it totally changes and finds its own voice. And they are a page turner too, I read all 3 in about a week. Wow, that's quite fast. I'll give it a go, alright - in my hunt for YA novels I seem to have come across quite a few dystopian ones, which wasn't my intention but they seem to be the flavour of the month (or last three years) so there's not really any escaping them. So I am giving them each a fair chance As for my current reading, I started Unwind by Neal Shusterman last night - and I am absolutely loving it, so I am hoping - HOPING - it just continues being as good. It is set in a future where the result of A) not enough organ donors and B) the pro-choicers versus the pro-lifers has led to something called the Bill Of Life - which proctects all newborns up to the age of thirteen, at which point (until eighteen) their parents may choose to unwind them - a process which dismantles the original person but never actually kills them because all the parts continue living as donor parts. Sounds crazy, but when you start reading how it's delinquints and disappointments that are unwound, you start to see how society might actually buy into such craziness, to give each human a chance at life and then weed out the crappy ones for the sake of better ones. It's horrific, but fascinating. The story revolves around three kids, each raised in a different setting which results from the bill - one kid being unwound by his parents, one kid raised in a State home (legal establishments protecting unwanted babies until 13 years) and one kid from a religious family who was raised as a tithe - a kid raised as awesome and treated like a saint, specifically to be unwound at 13, because this is seen to be the ultimate sacrifice/charity donation - giving yourself up for the lives of others. In short, awesome. Probably not for the faint of heart. But awesome. So far. (Please let the awesome continue, Mr. Shusterman!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Divergent is definitely worth a try Noll. What was it about The Hunger Games you didn't like, and I'll to see if you'll find that aspect in Divergent? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted January 17, 2014 Author Share Posted January 17, 2014 Divergent is definitely worth a try Noll. What was it about The Hunger Games you didn't like, and I'll to see if you'll find that aspect in Divergent? Didn't like the characters or basic concept, or the romance elements (even if partially faked). So sick of YA stuff with romance. I just didn't think it was particularly good. The writing was mediocre, story was mediocre, Katniss is almost as annoying as Jennifer Lawrence playing Katniss. I've read the snyopsis for Divergent and it sounds so basic that I find it hard to imagine a substantial, complex series arising from it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 I hate to read that, because I love The Hunger Games, Katniss, and Jennifer Lawrence playing Katniss! Ok - Divergent - I liked the concept, and there are some good twists. The end of the 2nd book is fab. However, the 3rd book is drawing a lot of criticism, and I was disappointed. So, if that would annoy you, then steer clear. There is romance, but in this case it works (well, I thought so!) - I also run away from YA now whenever I see a hint of cheesy romance, but I thought this one was realistic and it just felt part of the story. So on balance - worth a go, but you probably won't be that impressed! I will look more into Unwind later! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted January 17, 2014 Author Share Posted January 17, 2014 Haha, well each to their own - I like Jennifer Lawrence as a person, but I think any actress would have annoyed me in the role. I guess I was just expecting more from THG as they sort of blew up a couple of years ago, and I think being underwhelmed was just disappointing and has made me like 'jeeez they're not THAT good' to everyone Tis just a matter of taste. Definitely look into Unwind, it's very unusual! I googled 'underrated YA novels' and the author, Neal Shusterman, was mentioned by several people. He's got other books and series, too. I can only vouch for the first third of the novel so far, though! I also came across something called The Program (I think by Suzanne Young?) - again, dystopian, the Program being something that 'fixes' the 'epidemic virus' of depression in an attempt to combat teen suicide. I've heard it's not the thought-provoking exploration of the stigma surrounding mental/emotional illnesses that I'd like it to be, but it's meant to be good none the less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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