#YA series

[brood-me-daddy]

Was scrolling and thought this was a new YA series then realized it's just how they're announcing we're getting weather tomorrow

[bookishfreedom]

series i wanna read again 📚

[bonobochick]

Spellbound ... available to stream on Hulu... is fine. 🔮

The writing skewed a bit younger than I thought it would (it's along the lines of Free Rein) but it's nice to have a Black female lead plus the cast has good chemistry with each other. I still have a bunch of eps left to watch.

I like to support shows with Black female leads esp young Black women, hence my tuning in to check out this show. (Emily in Paris doesn't even believe Black women exist in Paris so it's nice to have Spellbound throw tomatoes at that bit of misogynoir 🍵)

I haven't seen much chatter about this new show, maybe due to the holiday weekend, but I thought I'd throw in my 2 cents.

[myreyisbae]

So I decided that I'm gonna start reading some YA Vampire books I missed as a Teen

First up Vampire Kisses 1-9 by Ellen Schreiber

And the OEL (Original English Language) Manga Vampire Kisses: Blood Relatives/Graveyard Games By Ellen Schreiber with Art by Rem (Devil's Candy)

If you can recommend other YA Vampire Books/Manga for me to read please let me know

[shyshyaaaaaa]

we got some plot-twist family packages for y’all ! :3

When I make these designs I literally like completely forget how they’re described in the book and js use my own interpretation— hence why I drew roden with like redder hair instead of dirty blond. I js like imagining things and putting them on digital paper :3

still wondering if Darius being conners son was preplanned from the start cuz I mean there is some foreshadowing MAYBE but like captive kingdom has a lot of js random shit from what I remember so it could’ve been neilsen grasping at straws. I still really like the idea, js curious.

[vel-thoughts-mostly-vtm]

If it's not here include your favorite in the replies.

[itsbooktimepeople]

Strange the Dreamer

★★★★☆

In middle school, I remember reading and really liking Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone series. That, and a friend's recommendation, inspired me to pick up Strange the Dreamer, and I'm so glad I did.

What is this book about? It's so creative and wonderful that it's hard to describe, but in short: Lazlo is an orphan obsessed with the lost city of Weep. Sarai is a half-goddess who lives in a giant floating citadel above the city. Lazlo accompanies other experts to Weep in order to help discover the secret of the citadel, and discovers the twisted history of the old murdered gods of Weep.

If that summary doesn't sound enticing, don't worry, because it doesn't do the book justice at all. On a more fundamental level, Strange the Dreamer is about love, both the power it gives us and has over us. It's about prejudice. It's about judging people for their parents' mistakes, and it's about what makes a hero or a villain.. (Let me just say, the themes in this book were presented excellently.)

So, as always, I will start with the things I liked.

High on the list is characterization, because holy smokes, Taylor knows how to write a protagonist. The scene where Lazlo first came to the library almost made me cry because it reminded me so much of why I fell in love with stories in the first place. He's a very genuine character, and something that really struck me was what a good person he is. I mean, lots of books have "good person" main characters, but we were never told that Lazlo is good. It's shown through his actions, and that makes all the difference. He's always willing to lend a helping hand, but he also knows when to back off, and understands that people have to star in their own stories.

And our other protagonist, Sarai, was also great. Her gift of entering and altering other people's dreams is explored deeply, and so is her relationship with Minya, who manipulated her into using her powers to bring nightmares to the citizens of Weep. A lot of Sarai's perspective dwells on her guilt and turmoil and longing to be considered a normal girl, but it never feels repetitive or annoying. When Sarai is sad, so is the reader, and when she's happy the reader rejoices.

Speaking of which, the romance also deserves a shout out. I'm not usually a fan of lovey-dovey books, but Sarai and Lazlo were so sweet together that I couldn't help but enjoy this one. They tell each other their deepest secrets and support each other's most difficult decisions. Maybe it's just me, but I also loved how slow they took their relationship. And, I think my favorite part was that, even though Sarai was raised to despise humans and Lazlo was told horrendous stories about the blue gods of Weep, they came to understand each other's people as well as love each other. And the ending completely broke my heart, but anyway

However, as wonderful as the characterization is, it pales in comparison to my favorite aspect of Strange the Dreamer, which is the sheer creativity. I think Laini Taylor must be a genius or something. I don't want to spoil the story, but let's just say the dilemma Weep is facing, the creatures that used to live there, the fact that everyone in the book has two hearts (one that pumps blood and one that pumps spirit), the tattoos the women of Weep receive, and of course the writing style... Reading this book really does feel like stepping into a dream.

To anyone who loves fantasy, I completely recommend Strange the Dreamer. I can't wait to read the sequel!

[oracleofmadness]

This excellent steampunk world that also has dragons was not only fun but also very poignant about the reality of colonialism and racism (many of these factors still exist today).

I loved the energy here. The author did not hold back with this main character. I felt pure pride reading about this MC challenging every misconception of her people and standing up against any slight.

This is a great fantasy with a lot of attention to the details, which is what really highlights it as steampunk to me. These small details of designs to either create machinery or to control a dragons breath are simply fantastic.

I will say that parts of this book seriously dragged for me and seemed a bit slow. But I am so glad I kept reading because the ending is wild!

Out May 9, 2023!

[chilledagridolce27]

My standards for every YA fantasy adventure series now requires a mandatory sequel that's just "the MC gets therapy" steven universe future style

I don't even care about happily-ever-after but I need to see the character I fixated so hard on get some actual help, do some actual healing ...please

[thelilysparks]

TEEN KILLERS AT LARGE NOW AVAILABLE ON NETGALLEY!!!

[unamedherlochnessmonster]

If you enjoy the absolute stupidity of twilight and need something to fill your stupid scifi fantasy love triangle void consider watching the Shannara Chronicles. Its what outsiders *think* twilight is except its 1000% worse and very entertaining. The acting is terrible, it looks absolutely atrocious and it has some pretty problematic writing choices but man i cant look away. 10/10 stimulates the twilight part of my brain

[paigeypaige19]

And because she was young, and so damn clever and amusing and wonderful, wherever she made her home, there would be some man who would fall in love with her and who would make her his wife, and that would be the worst truth of all. It had snuck up on him, this pain and terror and rage at the thought of anyone else with her. Every look, every word from her... he didn't even know when it had started.

Sarah J. Maas, Crown of Midnight

[septemberkisses]

the fact that i'm no longer the same age as the protagonists of novels and films i once connected to is so heartbreaking. there was a time when I looked forward to turning their age. i did. and i also outgrew them. i continue to age, but they don't; never will. the immortality of fiction is beautiful, but cruel.

[annafromuni]

The Darkest Minds - Alexandra Bracken's YA Dystopian I Still Thoroughly Enjoy

Alexandra Bracken’s The Darkest Minds has been one of my favourite YA dystopians for a while now. There’s something so simple and familiar about it, but it packs such a powerful punch and feels both plausible and terrifying. I liked it so much I did a high school character monologue as Ruby, and I used red liquid lipstick to create a bloody nose and blood-crusted fingertips. If that’s not a…

[thequietesthing]

Suzanne Collins was really pissed when she saw all those edits of Snow as ‘daddy’ and whatever other bullshit after the TBOSAS movie, sat down at her laptop again and started typing “let’s see if you get the message now when HE KILLS 47 CHILDREN”