Thursday, 30 December 2010

FIVE Great Miracles

(I am changing this one up a little)... that Occurred to Get Me To Continue Reading Paranormal YA. I have become increasingly disenfranchised with this genre as the sheer volume of content being published is 1) resulting in less than impressive writing and 2) making the good paranormal harder to find. I also don't respond to be hit in the face with the paranormal YA wall when entering bookstores.

There were a few titles that restored my faith in the current flavour of the decade.

Hex Hall
This debut paranormal set in a boarding school made me instantly wary. That being said...I kinda fell in love with Rachel Hawkins' protagonist Sophie.  She's sassy and strong but has requisite vulnerability that help to create a relatable and striking entry point into the world of Hex Hall.

What particularly struck me was the simple but very emotive aspects of Sophie's relationship with her father.

Raised by Wolves
Note to Stephenie Meyer's....this is how one would go about structuring a werewolf community complete with hierarchy, history and intricate loyalties and bonds.  Whereas the story of the protagonist kept me invested in the overall journey, the pack life was endlessly interesting to me.

Similarly to the above mentioned title, Jennifer Lynn Barnes has crafted a complex and conflicted relationship between Bryn and her father figure that rings true.

The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May & June
Robin Benway has taken the relatability of sibling relationships, the 'ahhh' factor of contemporary romance and the intrigue of paranormal and mixed it all up to create something fresh and fun.  The dialogue between the sisters sets a cracking pace, showing their personalities and the details of their interactions with one another.  The barbed and snappy nature of their interactions plays both entertaining and authentic.

Again, the realness of the protagonist's family and surrounds plays into why the paranormal works.


And this where my FIVE finishes....at three.  That being said, I am currently reading a paranormal title - Paranormalcy - so I am not completely turned off...yet.

December 21 - 5 Great Debuts
December 22 - 5 Great Covers
December 23 - 5 Great Series
December 24 - 5 Great Re-Reads (books you've LOVED so much you went back for more)
December 25 - 5 Most Anticipated (2011 titles)
December 26 - 5 Hopes for YA in 2011
December 27 - 5 Great YA Movie Deals
December 29 - 5 Great YA Bloggers
December 30 - 5 Great Miracles that Occurred to Get Me Reading More ______ (choose your genre)
December 31 - 5 Best Titles for 2010 (which I double because 5 was too hard)

5 comments:

Chachic said...

I haven't read any of these titles but I'm curious since they have your stamp of approval and I know that you don't really like paranormal fantasy.

Pixie said...

Really enjoyed Hex Hall, maybe I should add the others to my list.

Blueicegal ♥ said...

I can't wait to know what you think of Paranormalcy! I personally wasn't to fond of it :)

Nic @ Irresistible Reads said...

I agree with what you said about Raised by Wolves. It is a well thought out and interesting story.

The other two I have yet to read. I will have to change that in 2011 :)

Bibliovore said...

While I haven't read Hex Hall (yet!!) I agree with you about the other two. Raised by Wolves, particularly, was right at the top of its game rather than being another lazy paranormal romance.