Tuesday, August 23, 2011

A Few Good Books

For the first time in a while I've gone through several books that I absolutely adored and devoured with a voracious hunger. These are the kind of books I want to write.



They are the kind that stick in your head. The ones where you wonder about the characters becasue you feel like they've become your friends. The ones that you want to read again, and again.



A part of me wants to horde them to myself, I want them to belong to me. I want to study them and dissect them and think of every possible every possible scenario that could happen in the character's future.



Another part, a bigger part, needs to talk about them. To tell someone so that I can lay them aside for a little bit and think about other things. Because these books are all-consuming.



So I'm going to share the books with you and give you a little blurb for each one. Then you can go read them and we can chat, then we will both be happy.







First Up is Divergent. I read this one becasue I saw it spreading across the blog-o-sphere like wildfire. Here's the blurb :

In Beatrice Prior’s dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can’t have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she’s chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she’s kept hidden from everyone because she’s been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her. (find the website here.)



Next is a tale on the opposite end of the spectrum, Anna and the French Kiss. Teen romance in Paris? Yes please:

Anna was looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. So she's less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris—until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Étienne has it all . . . including a serious girlfriend.

But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss? Stephanie Perkins keeps the romantic tension crackling and the attraction high in a debut guaranteed to make toes tingle and hearts melt. (find her website here)









Last, but certainly not least is YA book from my favorite adult author. Can I tell you how thrilled I was when I heard he was releasing a YA? Thrilled. Blurb time:

My name is Michael Vey, and the story I’m about to tell you is strange. Very strange. It’s my story.

To everyone at Meridian High School, Michael Vey is an ordinary fourteen-year-old. In fact, the only thing that seems to set him apart is the fact that he has Tourette’s syndrome. But Michael is anything but ordinary. Michael has special powers. Electric powers.



Michael thinks he's unique until he discovers that a cheerleader named Taylor also has special powers. With the help of Michael’s friend, Ostin, the three of them set out to discover how Michael and Taylor ended up this way, but their investigation brings them to the attention of a powerful group who wants to control the electric children – and through them the world. Michael will have to rely on his wits, powers, and friends if he’s to survive. (find it on goodreads here)



That's it for now folks, but I'm out of books to read. What do you recommend?



22 comments:

Kateri Von Steal said...

The Evans book looks awesome, I'm going to pick it up!

I have been slacking on my reading recently... so, it's time for a Barnes & Noble run!!!

I wrote a post about food today, please come laugh with me!

www.katerivonstealsnewlife.blogspot.com

Madeline Jane said...

I've heard of Divergent and Anna and the French Kiss, but I haven't read them yet. Hearing so much about them though, I think I should. Great list! :)

Kelley said...

The first two you listed? AMAZING. Haven't heard of the third, so I'll have to check it out. Have I mentioned I like you blog oodles and boodles :)

Nice to know I know some people campaigning with me!

Krista said...

I am taking time to go back and read old favorites. You know, the ones that inspired me to write. I am currently reading The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander

Brittany said...

I haven't read those but Divergent is on my TBR list. And thanks for commenting on my blog!

J. A. Bennett said...

@Kateri - it was, I just finished it yesterday and I'm still siting here thinking, whoa.

@Madeline - that's the reason why I read them, people just couldn't stop talking about them!

@Kelly - I like your blog oodles and boodles too, let's be friends, lol!

@Krista - Good idea, for me it would be Harry potter, and I've read that plenty :)

@Brittany - glad to meet ya!

Chantele Sedgwick said...

I have Divergent sitting on my night stand. Can't wait to start it! And I really liked Anna and the French Kiss. :) I may need to find Michael Vey. it looks very interesting! Thanks for the recommendation!

Jenny S. Morris said...

Oh my, I am going to go reserve Michael Vey's book right now. I loved Divergent and I should probably read French Kiss because everyone thinks it's great ;0). Thanks for sharing!

Donna K. Weaver said...

I've got the first and the third on my list of books to read. I loved Anna. I'm listening to "The Sum of All Men" by David Farland. It's the first of his runelord books, which I just recently discovered. Have you read My Fair Godmother by Janette Rallison? LOVED it!

cookie said...

I love Divergent and Anna and The French Kiss!

I haven't heard of Michael Vey, but I've been looking for more good YA sci-fi books.

Olga said...

Thank you for the tips!
I would recommend - Object of Beauty by Steve Martin.

Steph Schmidt said...

I've heard so much about Anna and the French Kiss. I've been avoiding reading it because the premise sounds like cliche Chick Lit but for teens.

I just finished an interesting YA called Crush Control by Jennifer Jabaley you might want to check out. Contemporary with a dash of hypnosis.

L.G.Smith said...

I, too, have Divergent on my TBR list. Heard so many good things about it.

cherie said...

I haven't read any of those. Must check them out!

Ava Jae said...

I LOVED Divergent. Loved. Haven't heard of the other two before, though.

I just picked up The Fire in Fiction at Borders, so I'll be devouring that one over the next week or so. :)

As for other recommendations...have you read The Hunger Games? If you liked Divergent, you'll love The Hunger Games.

J. A. Bennett said...

@Chantele - Michael Vey was really good, I can't wait for the next book!

@Jenny - I love Divergent too, LOVED!

@Donna - I've heard of that book, but I haven't picked it up. I take a note to look for it :)

@Cookie - Michael Vey isn't really Sci-Fi it's more paranormal, but it's still good if you,like fantastical things!

@Olga - Sounds intersting, I'll have to take a look!

@Steph - it kind of is, so you may want to continue to avoid it ;) Hypnosis, eh? You have my interest!

@L.G. - I did too, that's why I read it, so worth it!!

@Cherie - What rock have you been hiding under, lol!

@Ava - Of course I've read the Hunger Games! That's what turned me on the idea of Divergent in the first place :)

The Golden Eagle said...

I've been reading a lot of buzz about Divergent . . . it sounds like a great book. :)

I haven't heard of Michael Vey before, but I'm putting it on my TBR!

I recently read Black Hole Sun by David Macinnis Gill--I cannot get enough of that story. It's YA Science Fiction.

Sarah Pearson said...

I'm desperate to read Divergent but it looks like I'll have to wait until Christmas for that one. I think I'll be adding the Evans book to the list too.

Cat said...

Hi, I'm a fellow campaigner and I'm looking forward to get to know you all. Some of the books you suggest sound super interesting. I might buy one or two... ;-)

Rachel Brooks said...

Divergent and Anna and the French Kiss are both already on my TBR list. I can't wait to read them!

Also, I’m a new follower— wonderful blog! Stop by my blog and follow me too? :) http://rachelbrookswrites.blogspot.com/

V said...

The third book sounds really interesting. I should definitely try and read it. Thanks for posting :)

Maeve Frazier said...

I've have Anna and the French Kiss, it is in my TBR stack. I am a new follower through the campaign. I love checking out new books to read. I enjoyed reading your blog.