Seven Books I Can’t Believe I Haven’t Read Yet

Do you ever look through your home library and wonder: Why haven’t I read this book yet? I’d know I’d love it, so why haven’t I made time for it? I ask myself these questions way too often. I have hundreds of books, and I need to read more of what’s on my shelf! So here's the challenge: take a look at my list below and tell me what I should read next! I own two of these books in hard copy, and have the rest in e-book form, but I want to know what YOU recommend, whether based on the descriptions (courtesy of bn.com) or your own reading experience.

 

The Naturals—Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Seventeen-year-old Cassie is a natural at reading people. She can tell you who you are and what you want, but it's not a skill that she's ever taken seriously. That is, until the FBI come knocking: they've begun a classified program that uses exceptional teenagers to crack infamous cold cases, and they need Cassie. She’s sent to live with a group of teens whose gifts are as unusual as her own. When a killer strikes, danger looms close. Caught in a lethal game of cat and mouse, the Naturals are going to have to use all of their gifts just to survive.

 

The Girl of Fire and Thorns—Rae Carson

Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness. Elisa is the chosen one. But she is also the younger of two princesses, and hasn’t done anything remarkable. Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. He needs her to be the chosen one, not a failure of a princess. Yet he's not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies, seething with dark magic, are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people's savior. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

 

 

The Outsiders—S.E. Hinton

Three brothers struggle to stay together after their parents' death, as they search for an identity among the conflicting values of their adolescent society in which they find themselves "outsiders." The ruthlessly realistic and violent story of the Greasers and the Socs, rival gangs from very different sides of the railroad tracks, is narrated by Ponyboy Curtis, a smart, sensitive kid forced to be tough on the outside, but who underneath is just as scared and needy as anyone.

 

 

 

 

Finnikin at the Rock—Melina Marchetta

 

Finnikin was only a child during the five days of the unspeakable, when the royal family of Lumatere were brutally murdered, and an imposter seized the throne. Now a curse binds all who remain inside Lumatere’s walls, and those who escaped roam the surrounding lands as exiles. Now Finnikin’s on the cusp of manhood and joins forces with an enigmatic young novice named Evanjalin, who claims that her dark dreams will lead the exiles to a surviving royal child and a way to pierce the cursed barrier and regain the land of Lumatere.

 

 

The Archived—Victoria Schwab

Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures that only Librarians can read. The dead are called Histories, and the vast realm in which they rest is the Archive. Da first brought Mackenzie Bishop here four years ago, but now Da is dead, and Mac has grown into what he once was: a ruthless Keeper, tasked with stopping often-violent Histories from waking up and getting out. And yet, someone is deliberately altering Histories, erasing essential chapters. Unless Mac can piece together what remains, the Archive itself might crumble and fall.

 

 

The Raven Boys—Maggie Stiefvater

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. This year, a boy emerges from the dark and speaks to her. His name is Gansey, a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble. He's on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, Ronan and Noah. Blue has always been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She doesn't believe in true love, and never thought this would be a problem until her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys.

 

 

Uglies—Scott Westerfeld

In Tally's world, your sixteenth birthday brings an operation that turns you from a repellent ugly into a stunningly attractive pretty and catapults you into a high-tech paradise where your only job is to have a great time. In just a few weeks Tally will be there. But Tally's new friend Shay isn't sure she wants to be pretty. When Shay runs away, the authorities offer Tally the worst choice she can imagine: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all. The choice Tally makes changes her world forever.

 

 

Which one of these books should jump to the top of my TBR pile? Let me know in the comments!

 

Seven Authors to Read if You Love The Maze Runner

A couple weekends ago, I finally watched The Maze Runner! It has non-stop action, gasp-worthy thrills and a cliffhanger that makes me want to read the rest of the series. (I read TMR in 2009.) In short, I loved it! The Scorch Trials (which is filming now) is on my TBR pile, along with the rest of the series. But with so many people diving into The Maze Runner, it got me thinking about authors and books to read after finishing book. Here are some of my suggestions:

 

Joelle Charbonneau
 

When Cia gets chosen for The Testing, she realizes it’s not the straight-forward program for future leaders that she thought it was. This trilogy has a strong female lead, moments of astonishing terror and threads of romance. The Testing is followed by Independent Study and Graduation Day, and is an exciting dystopian trilogy!

 
 

James Dashner

What better to read after The Maze Runner than the rest of the series? Okay, so this may be cheating a bit, but after finishing The Maze Runner, The Scorch Trials and The Death Cure are the logical next step. The prequel The Kill Order and Dashner’s other series Eye of Minds, should be on the list too! The latter is a technological thriller, where Michael is a gamer and a hacker.  

 

 

 

Michael Grant

In the span of a moment, all the adults disappear. Phones stop working; there’s no internet or television. Just teenagers remain, and they can’t figure out what happened. This is the premise of Gone, which begins a six book series that’s reminiscent of Lord of the Flies. Grant has two other thrilling series, BZRK and one that began a few months ago: Messenger of Fear.

 

 

 

Emmy Laybourne

Fourteen kids ranging from elementary age to high schools are trapped inside a superstore during a series of escalating disasters. With apocalypse banging down the door, this trilogy is an exhilarating tale of survival and adventure with a monster cliffhanger that will make you want to dive into the rest of the trilogy, Sky on Fire and Savage Drift, right away.



 

Marie Lu

In a future where the United States is split into two, June is a prodigy and Day is a wanted criminal. Their paths cross, of course, and the results are action-packed. The trilogy is one of my favorite dystopians! I have yet to read The Young Elites, but it’s on my TBR list!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Neal Shusterman

After America’s Second Civil War, Unwinding is a common practice. Children between age thirteen and eighteen can be unwound, meaning all their organs are transplanted to various recipients. Conner, Risa and Lev are runaway Unwinds whose paths intersect. With death on the line, issues of morality are tested in the Unwind Quartet. Shusterman has many other series and books worth diving into as well.

 

 

 

Rick Yancey

Alien invasion doesn’t exactly equal dystopian future, but something that’s vital to Thomas’ story in The Maze Runner is his ability to survive, which runs deep in Cassie’s story. Cassie’s survived four waves of the alien invasion, but now she’s on her own, searching for her brother, as The Fifth Wave begins. A movie version is coming in just over a year, and the sequel, The Infinite Sea, was released over the summer.

 

 

 

What authors and books do you recommend for fans of The Maze Runner?

15 Must-Read Teen Books: 2014 Update

Shortly after I started this blog two years ago, I compiled a list of 15 must-read teen books. It's highly subjective and based on what I’ve read, but it also represents a variety of genres within the YA category. I’ve updated the list twice since then, in 2013 and now, in this 2014 update!

For those new to YA, this list provides an introduction to YA. Which books on the list would you pick up? For avid YA readers, what are your must-reads? Do we share ten, five or possibly even none?

Anna and the French Kiss: Stephanie Perkins (new)

Anna’s senior year in a Parisian boarding school is an adventure, especially when she meets Etienne St. Clair, a Parisian/English boy with a great accent. Their friendship and budding romance is a swoon-worthy YA relationship with an equal balance of realism and fairy tale. This is Anna’s first year on the list.

Boy Meets Boy: David Levithan

This is an expertly crafted book about a boy who loves another boy and the crazy unique high school that they attend. Its ground-breaking impact continues to be felt in YA, especially as it reached the 10th anniversary of it's publication last year! This is Boy Meets Boy’s second year on the list.

 

Code Name Verity: Elizabeth Wein (new)

This historical fiction novel isn’t your typical WWII tale. A British spy plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France with two best friends, the pilot and the passenger, on board. What follows in this Printz Honor Book is a fierce, forward, expertly plotted story. Code Name Verity is a new addition to this year’s must-read list.

 

Divergent: Veronica Roth

When Tris Pryor chooses to leave her family behind for the danger of the Dauntless, she has no idea the hard work, controversy and consequences that will come. Roth creates a magnificent dystopian tale where Tris, Four and others are not only in the midst of the action, they are the action. This is Divergent’s second year on this list.

Eleanor & Park: Rainbow Rowell

The relationship of Eleanor and Park is not only moving, but makes for an astounding and unputdownable read. It's ground-breaking in its realness and their love is relatable in its imperfection. A Printz Honor Book and the newest book on this list (published in early 2013), Eleanor & Park is a YA gem.

 

Graceling: Kristin Cashore

Katsa is a strong, Graced but flawed girl struggling to break from her uncle's control. Her world is medieval fantasy and full of magic and mystery. This novel is one of my favorite YA reads, and due to the fact that I’ve loved it for over four years, Graceling has graced this list since the beginning.

Heist Society: Ally Carter

Kat Bishop is from a family of thieves but strives to use her skills for good, which equals an intriguing yet mischievous female Robin Hood. Carter writes light-hearted novels that are fun yet entrancing reads. Heist Society is the first in her second series and has been on this list since its conception.

If I Stay: Gayle Forman

Mia is in a coma after a devastating car accident that took the lives of her family. In an out-of-body experience, she relives past events and watches her friends and family gather around her. Will she join her family on the other side or wake to the everyday struggle that is life? This is a profound, moving YA book about the importance of choices and the will to fight. The movie adaptation's coming to theaters on August 22!

 

Levithan: Scott Westerfeld

Westerfeld writes an alternate version of WWI in a story that pits the Darwinists (British, French) and their living creatures against the Clankers (Austro-Hungarians, Germans) and their war machines. Imaginative, full of action with sprinkles of history, this tale is on the forefront of YA steampunk and has been on this list three years running.

Shadow and Bone: Leigh Bardugo

When Alina, a lowly mapmaker in the nation of Ravka, discovers an ancient and terrifying power, she's whisked away by the mysterious yet alluring Darkling. Bardugo crafts an intriguing, new tale with layers of Russian legend and lore. This debut for Bardugo is the first in a trilogy and it’s appearing on this list for the second time. 

The Book Thief: Marcus Zusak

This historical fiction novel has quickly become a modern classic. Narrated by Death during the Holocaust, the story follows Liesel and her life in Nazi Germany. This is a fascinating, powerful tale and a new take on this time in history. The Book Thief has been on my must-read list since the beginning.

The Fault in Our Stars: John Green

Hazel and Augustus are both teens dealing with cancer. Theirs is a love story for the ages and is already a record-setting bestseller for YA. With the movie release just over a month ago, this novel has cleared a place in pop culture history. I added TFIOS to this list last year, shortly after I read it for the first time.

The Giver: Lois Lowry

A classic dystopian novel, this is a quick, intriguing read that leaves the reader thinking. A precursor to today's dystopia and a permanent fixture on this list, Lowry created a classic in her telling of Jonas and his seemingly perfect world. The movie adaption will be in theaters next month.

The Hunger Games: Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games will likely be immortalized as the poster-child for YA dystopia. In a televised fight to the death in a futuristic world where the U.S. has fallen and the Capitol controls twelve districts in a grueling manner, one girl starts a revolution. With the Mockingjay: Part I in theaters this November, this series is now a household name. It’s been on this list three years running.

Throne of Glass: Sarah J. Maas (new)

Celaena Sardothien is an assassin brought before the king not to be sentenced to death, but for a chance to win her freedom in a competition to become the king’s champion. But there’s evil lurking at the edges of the castle, and possibly even inside. Throne of Glass is one of my favorite YA fantasies and I’m thrilled that the third book in the series is less than two months from publication! It’s new to the list this year. 

 

Thanks for reading!

Reviews: Series Endings

As series begin, so must they end. Here are three reviews of recently released (or in the case of Mortal Heart, soon to be released) series finales! They answer questions for which we’ve been impatiently waiting, mostly to our pleasure. Don’t worry, no spoilers!

Dreams of Gods and Monsters—Laini Taylor

Daughter of Smoke and Bone series

Released April 8, 2014

The most spectacular aspect of this book (and the series) is Taylor’s words and descriptions. They’re outstandingly descriptive, detailed, precise and PERFECT. Her style, explaining everything so thoroughly and with the best words, is hers and hers alone. Most other writers would have written the same book in half the pages but Dreams of Gods and Monsters is over 600 pages. It’s unbelievably in-depth. We experience the 72 hours after the Dominion’s arrival to Earth with Karou and Akiva in exquisite detail. I gasped audibly twice but I won’t divulge why as they’re MAJOR SPOILERS. But suffice to say they are amazing, heart-wrenching surprises. This series is the epitome of YA fantasy! I can’t wait to see what Laini Taylor writes next!

 

The One—Kiera Cass

The Selection series

Released May 6, 2014

This book answers the ultimate question: Aspen or Maxon? Don’t worry, I won’t spoil it for you, but The One (as well as the rest of the series) is about America finding herself and her soulmate. As the end approached, I could sense who America was going to chose and the story became more about overcoming their misunderstandings and admitting their love. Truthfully, I felt a lot of the misunderstandings could have been solved by simple communication, but America and *whomever* are young. One of the best moments of the book was America’s solution when sentencing the thief to punishment, as forced on her and the rest of the Elite by the king. It was a creative surprise which really made me respect America. In the darkness of dystopia, this series is a fun, shining light.

 

Mortal Heart—Robin LaFevers

His Fair Assassin series

To be released November 4, 2014

The third book in His Fair Assassin series focuses on Annith and her journey of breaking free from the abbess who aims to imprison her. I loved that in Ismae’s and Sybella’s stories of Annith, she was always “Saint Annith” but when I got inside her head, I saw she was just as stubborn and rebellious as the other girls, if not more so. When Annith escapes to find her own way, a mysterious and dark man named Balthazar saves her in the forest. I loved his slow, ebbing march into Annith’s life, especially since he’s the strong, quiet, brooding type. One of the best features of this series is how strong the girls are—strong in faith yet strong enough to stand up to the abbess when they see she’s doing wrong. This series is a historical fantasy gem. I’m curious to see what LaFevers has in the works for the future!

Happy summertime!

 

Reviews: New Series Starters

New series can delight or disappoint. In this selection of reviews, there's a science fiction tale of love, a dystopian with enough twists to give a reader whiplash and a fantasy tale of love across lines and sacrifice for survival. None of these books disappointed and though I enjoyed them on different levels, I plan on seeing these series through to the end. Now if only the sequels would come sooner, rather than later...

 

Pawn – Aimée Carter

Blackcoat Rebellion series

Released November 26, 2013

In the dystopian America where Kitty Doe lives, there are seven levels of society. Just when it seems like Kitty will never make it higher than a III, she’s offered a chance by the Prime Minster to become a VII. She’s remade into the Prime Minister’s beloved niece, Lila Hart, who passed away a few weeks before. Quite suddenly, Kitty is ensconced in the ruling family’s lies, manipulation and special brand of evil.

The steady flow of secrets revealed is what catapulted Pawn to unputdownable, especially near the end. The characters, from Kitty to boyfriend Benjy to the entire Hart family, are distinctive, intriguing and all clearly motivated. The only thing that threw me was the pacing, as the beginning read slowly and the middle quickly. It steadied as the story neared the climax, and that plus the unbelievable revelations, kept me reading to the end. Captive, the sequel, is expected later this year.

These Broken Stars – Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

Starbound series

Released December 10, 2013

Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen are the only survivors of a luxury spaceliner crash on an uninhabited planet. When it’s clear that rescue teams aren’t coming, Lilac, a privileged daughter, and Tarver, a young war hero, must learn how to survive on this uncharted planet. They are barely succeeding when Lilac begins hearing whispers in the surrounding countryside.

Immediately upon opening this book, I was intrigued by the format. In snippets of conversations between chapters, Tarver is being debriefed. I looked forward to his sarcasm in the midst of the dense, detailed chapters. This novel has an epic feel, as it is not only science fiction, but romance and adventure as well. Yet, there are only two main characters and a handful of secondary ones who make appearances. I loved that Lilac and Tarver, their adventure on this planet and their slow, uncertain romance were the sole focus of the tale. Also, not only are two sequels in the works, but a TV show adaptation as well!   

The Winner’s Curse – Marie Rutkoski

Winner’s Trilogy series

To be released March 4, 2014

In the simplest sense, The Winner’s Curse is the story of love in the midst of war. And yet, it is so much more: a story of slavery, romance, betrayal and sacrifice. Kestral, a general’s daughter, lives in an empire that enslaves those it conquers. Even though she shies away from the idea of slavery, one day she spots a young man for auction and buys him on instinct. He’s intriguing and defiant, and soon their growing friendship cannot be hidden.

The romance between Kestral and Arin is slow, which makes it realistic, and barely explored, which makes it heart-wrenching. I adore that Kestral understands strategy but is just a fair fighter, which makes her different from a lot of YA heroines. Kestral’s imperfection is her strength (and makes her human). The fact that Kestral and Arin are both masters and puppets of their own fate is ingenious. The book is expertly plotted and the characters expertly crafted. The Winner’s Curse is powerful, unforgettable and a must-read of the YA genre. I’m beyond thrilled that it’s going to be a trilogy!

 

Reviews: Sequel Sensations

Sequels are lovely creatures. They are highly-anticipated continuations of the stories and characters we love. I usually have mixed emotions, as I’m both eager to read the next adventure and hesitant of the possibility that the sequel could let me down. Here are a few reviews of sequels that lived up to the hype, at least in my opinion!

Altered – Gennifer Albin

Released October 29, 2013

After reading Crewel, I immediately dove into Altered, its sequel. Even though Altered is a continuation of Adelice’s story, it’s a book of discovery as well. Adelice is on a new world, meeting new people while still on the run from Cormac. And if it wasn’t hard enough to be on another world, Adelice has to deal with the fact that this world moves slower, so her sister is quickly spinning away from her on Arras. This was a delicious, unanticipated twist. Speaking of unanticipated events, what happened between Adelice, Erik and Jost in this sequel took me completely by surprise. I don’t want to spout any spoilers, but I would like to say that it’s a mark of a great writer when she can make me weary of one character only to make me re-think my assumptions and grow to love him in the sequel. And all with words! I can't wait for the third book in the series, as I crave more of the Karios Agenda, Falon, Adelice’s sharp tongue and of course more developments on the Adelice-Erik-Jost front.

Independent Study – Joelle Charbonneau

To be released January 7, 2014

Sequel to the dystopian thriller, The Testing, this book ramps up talk of a rebellion while piling on action with conspiracy. Cia has moved on to Government Studies and subsequently been distanced from the only person she trusts in Tosu City, Tomas. One of the things that I love about this series is how deeply Charbonneau delves into Cia’s thought process. Also, I adore that Cia is a strong, smart and unapologetic female lead (even though this is becoming more common, it’s still refreshing!) I feel like Cia’s extracurricular adventures will catch up with her soon, especially after the cliffhanger at the end of this book! Speaking of, I appreciated that the cliffhanger was just right: not too big, not too small and just frustrating enough. I can’t wait to dive into Graduation Day, the next and last book in the series!
 

Just One Year – Gayle Forman

Released October 10, 2013

There was a point very early on in Just One Year where I could not set it down. It’s odd because I knew how it ended from reading Just One Day, as this is less of a sequel and more of a companion. In Just One Day, Allison and Willem have one glorious day together in Paris, but are separated. Just One Year is Willem’s story of the following year, as he searches for his mystery girl (because he never learned her actual name). So, even though I assumed their story would end at the same place, I needed to know Willem’s side of the story. I needed to know how he got to that apartment where Allison introduced herself, one year after their one day. I love almost everything about this book, notably the traveling and the everyday experiences that were both menial yet great. The only thing I wanted was more of an ending for Willem and Allison. I understand Forman’s creative choice, as they truly don’t know one another (as they did only spend one day together), so it would be unrealistic to provide them with a happily ever after moment. However, that didn’t stop me from wanting more, as a reader and as a romantic.

The Myth of Happily Ever After

SPOILER ALERT: If you haven’t read Allegiant and/or don’t want to know what happens, do NOT read this post! You've been warned.

Real life isn’t a fairy tale, and I believe that literature is allowed to reflect that. In most fairy tales there is a happily ever after, at some point after the main characters get past all their scruples and are together/engaged/married, and ta-da! Happy.

 

But in the real world, that’s not how it works. Marriage is not the finish line, but a starting point at a life together. And for many people, marriage is not the end goal, but maybe a career or friendship or travel or something else entirely. There will not be a point in life when everything comes together and from that point on, life is good. There will always be bad mixed with good, which is what makes life interesting.

 

A happily ever after is hard to come by in real life. So why do we require it in our fiction?

 

I understand that some people want an escape. That’s why we read books that take us to fantasy worlds or far away galaxies or the distant future when no one’s heard of the United States. We read about wizarding wars, Hunger Games and the quest to destroy the one ring in an attempt to escape from our everyday routine of work, eat, sleep.

 

The worlds to which we escape are not perfect. We wouldn’t want them to be! So, why do we want the endings to be perfect? Why do we require a happily ever after?

"As a reader, I don’t feel a story has an obligation to make me happy. I want stories to show me a bigger world than the one I know… Basically I would argue that books are not primarily in the wish fulfillment business. " –John Green

 

I was about 100 pages from the end of Allegiant when the dread starting creeping in. Suddenly, the end was upon me, I knew I was reading toward it, and I was afraid for what it would hold for Tris and Tobias. Apparently, I was right to be worried.

What Tris did for Tobias, Caleb and all those she left behind, was noble. It was brave, self-sacrificing and a little crazy. It was Tris. I truly believe she was the only one who could have fought her way into the Weapons Lab and I know she was the only one who could fight the effects of the death serum. In the end, it was a difficult irony that she survived the serum that would have killed everyone else just to be killed by one enemy with a gun.

 

Yes, life is unfair. Sometimes literature is too. But I know that Tris is the only one who could have completed it all, so that Chicago could be reborn as the fourth city. Don’t get me wrong, I was heartbroken the moment her mother came for her. But I kept reading and when I finished I took a step back and realized something important. In sacrificing herself, Tris saved numerous lives, she rescued a city from the brink of destruction and she pushed back on inequality.

 

The end of Allegiant was a different kind of ending. It was not a happily ever after, but a thought-provoking closure that was hard to swallow. It was elegant, powerful and (obviously) controversial. However, the lack of a happily ever after will not make me love Tris and Tobias, the Divergent series nor Veronica Roth any less. Because the ending was a reflection of real life. Every now and again, we need some real life in our literature. Occasionally, we need some reality in our escape.

 

The Elements of Dystopia and Apocalypse

Dystopian and post-apocalyptic YA novels are all the rage right now. Hunger Games may have kickstarted the fascination with these sub-genres, but books like Divergent (with the finale Allegiant coming this October) and The Fifth Wave (released earlier this month) are keeping these sub-genres on the forefront of YA fiction. As readers and writers, we should be aware that the line between dystopia and the apocalypse can be hard to draw (as I discovered after my Rise of Dystopia post last August). These sub-genres are separate entities, no matter if some YA novels have elements of both and no matter how similar they may appear.

Definitions & Descriptions

Dystopian books are often characterized by dehumanization, totalitarian governments or the general cataclysmic decline of society. The elements of dystopia may vary from political to social to environmental, and are commonly undesirable or frightening. Dystopia can come in the form of totalitarianism, political repression, societal collapse, poverty or pollution. It should be noted that a dystopian society is the opposite of a utopian one.

Post-Apocalyptic books are about the end of human civilization as we know it. The apocalypse can come in many forms, including but not limited to: nuclear warfare, pandemic, extraterrestrial attack, impact event, cybernetic revolt, divine judgment, runaway climate change, resource depletion, ecological collapse or any environmental disaster. Usually this event results in the crippling or destruction of the political structure and its ability to aid its citizens.

Classifying the Bestsellers

So how do we classify our favorite science fiction/fantasy/adventure novels into these two sub-genres? They appear similar, at least when it comes to applying their characteristics to books on the shelves. However, there are important differences, usually involving the existence, presence and strength of the government. Whereas dystopian societies are usually orderly (sometimes to the extreme), post-apocalyptic worlds tend to be quite chaotic. Also, in dystopian novels, the political regime is usually overly present, visibly strong and often restrictive of its citizens. But post-apocalyptic novels, the apocalypse usually results the crippling or outright destruction of the government, often leaving citizens to fend for themselves. It should be noted that in some dystopian novels, an apocalypse may have been the catalyst for that political regime to eventually take power and over-reign its citizens. However, the key word here is ‘eventually’ as it can take decades or even centuries for society to rebuild after an apocalypse and transform into a dystopia.

Some examples:

Matched/Crossed/Reached by Ally Condie

Cassia’s world is one of pristine order, where the streets are clean and everything runs like clockwork. The Society even selects her mate for her in the Matching ceremony. When Cassia is matched with her childhood friend Xander, she can’t be happier until another boy’s face flashes where Xander’s should be. Ky is an aberration who has been cast out from Society and when Cassia falls for him, she starts to realize that the Society she lives in may not be as infallible as she thought.

The world Cassia lives in is a DYSTOPIAN one. The government can be described as totalitarian as it controls its citizens extensively and promotes a high level of order. Also, the government labels and outcasts those that are not up to its standards.

Ashfall/Ashen Winter/Sunrise by Mike Mullin

When the Yellowstone super volcano erupts, Alex’s normal high school life in Iowa suddenly becomes one where he is struggling to survive. Looters and cannibals roam free in the land west of the Mississippi River, since the government has abandoned those states due to their inability to the lack of resources and their inability to restore and enforce order.  

The world Alex lives in is a POST-APOCALYPTIC one. The super volcano is the apocalypse as well as the inciting incident to the series. The government was crippled by the volcano, and with the Corn Belt under feet of ash, a main food source for the world is no longer available. The government pulled back from the very area in which Alex lives, leaving him struggling for food, shelter and safety.

Wither/Fever/Sever by Lauren DeStefano

In a futuristic society, a genetic error leaves men with the lifespan of 25 years and women with not living past 20. With geneticists seeking the antidote, the world is close to anarchy and orphans wander the streets while only the rich remain protected from the surrounding chaos. When 16 year old Rhine is kidnapped and sold as a bride to a wealthy doctor for his son, her world does not extend past the doctor’s mansion and his desperate, maniacal attempt to find the antidote.

The world Rhine lives in has elements of both DYSTOPIAN and POST-APOCALYTIC. It can be argued that the genetic error was the apocalypse that led to the world descending to near chaos. However, I would argue that Rhine’s immediate world, the one inside the doctor’s mansion, is a dystopian one, where he is the totalitarian leader of a society in which even his son has no say. Even though this series has elements of both sub-genres, I would argue that Rhine’s world is a DYSTOPIAN one.   

This was a bit more research papery than my normal posts, but I hope it helped differentiate these YA sub-genres. I know I learned something, and I hope you did too! Have a great Memorial Day weekend!

The Rise of Dystopia

-or- if you like the Hunger Games

As we approach the fourth anniversary of the Hunger Games publication, the rise in popularity of the dystopian genre has never been more evident. The teen section has been overcome with dystopian-themed novels, such as Veronica Roth’s Divergent and Ally Condie’s Matched. These novels and more have been gobbled up by teens—once they set down the Hunger Games, they are ready for another dystopian teen novel. According to the Telegraph the week before the Hunger Games movie release, “with the arrival of the film of the first book of Suzanne Collins’s best-selling trilogy the Hunger Games this month, dystopia for teenagers has hit an all-time high in public consciousness.” Publishers have been meeting these demands with the release of dozens of well-publicized dystopian teen novels over the past four years since the Hunger Games rocketed into popular culture.

                The authors that are following Collins in publication may not have been influenced in their writing of a dystopian novel. However, with the success of the Hunger Games, agents, editors and publishers have been more open to dystopian fiction as it is “the hottest genre in publishing and film on both sides of the Atlantic”. So it’s likely that the new teen dystopian releases were influenced by Collins’ Hunger Games in their publishing.  

 

History of Dystopia

The first novels that can be classified as dystopian were published over a century ago, but the genre has only enjoyed its rise in popularity since the release of the Hunger Games in 2008. This modern classic was preceded in the genre by such literary greats as Brave New World (1934), 1984 (1949) and Fahrenheit 451 (1953).

More recently, children’s authors have broadened the genre with such releases as the Newbury-award winning The Giver (1993) and Ender’s Game (1985), a science fiction yet dystopian classic takes the genre back to its original roots in science fiction.

In 2005, Scott Westerfeld published Uglies, the first of four in a dystopian teen series which became a turning point for the genre. Traditionally, dystopian novels were penned by men for men, but “Uglies was a strikingly new, dark tale which girls took to their hearts in droves.” Since that point, the teen dystopian genre has been driven by female characters and has seen an ever increasing number of female authors. 

Decade of Dystopia (2002-2012)

Here is a look back at the past decade of teen dystopian releases. It’s difficult to include every teen novel with a dystopian theme published in the past decade, but this collection includes those of note, influence and those believed to stand the test of time.

Feed: M.T. Anderson, 2002

House of the Scorpion: Nancy Farmer, September 2002 

How I Live Now: Meg Rosoff, August 2004

Uglies: Scott Westerfeld, February 2005

Sequels: Pretties, Specials, Extras

Life as We Knew It: Susan Beth Pfeffer, October 2006

Sequels: The Dead and Gone, This World We Live In

Unwind: Neal Shusterman, 2007

Sequel: Unwholly

The Declaration: Gemma Malley, October 2007

Sequels: The Resistance, The Legacy

Gone: Michael Grant, June 2008

Sequels: Hunger, Lies, Plague, Fear

The Knife of Never Letting Go: Patrick Ness, May 2008

Sequels: The Ask and the Answer, and Monsters of Men

Hunger Games: Suzanne Collins, September 2008

Sequels: Catching Fire, Mockingjay

Forest of Hands and Teeth: Carrie Ryan, July 2009

Sequels: The Dead-Tossed Waves, The Dark and Hollow Places
 

Maze Runner: James Dashner, October 2009

Sequels: The Scorch Trials, The Death Cure, The Kill Order

Incarceron: Catherine Fisher, January 2010 (UK May 2007)

Sequel: Sapphique

Worldshaker: Richard Harland, May 2010

Shipbreaker: Paolo Bacigalupi, May 2010 

Matched: Ally Condie,  November 2010

Sequels: Crossed, Reached

Wither: Lauren DeStefano, March 2011

Sequels: Fever, Sever

Divergent: Veronica Roth, May 2011

Sequel: Insurgent

Blood Red Road: Moira Young, June 2011

Sequel: Rebel Heart

Possession: Elana Johnson, June 2011

Sequel: Surrender

Across the Universe: Beth Revis, January 2011

Sequels: A Million Suns, Shades of Earth

Delirium: Lauren Oliver, January 2011

Sequel: Pandemonium

Enclave: Ann Aguirre, April 2011

Dark Parties: Sara Grant, August 2011

Eve: Anna Carey, October 2011

Sequel: Once

Legend: Marie Lu, November 2011

Sequel: Prodigy

Shatter Me: Tahereh Mafi, November 2011

Sequel: Unravel Me

Cinder: Marissa Meyer, January 2012

Sequel: Scarlet

Under the Never Sky: Veronica Rossi, January 2012

Sequel: Through the Ever Night

Partials: Dan Wells, February 2012

Sequel: Fragments

The Drowned Cities: Paolo Bacigalupi, May 2012 

Monument 14: Emmy Laybourne, June 2012

 
 

References:

“50+ Fantastic Young Adult Dystopian Novels” Bart’s Bookshelf (blog). http://www.bartsbookshelf.co.uk/2009/09/30/update-best-dystopian-ya-novels-redux/

Belanger, Ashley. “Defining Moments in Young Adult Dystopia: a Timeline.” Orlando Weekly (2012). http://orlandoweekly.com/arts/visual/defining-moments-in-young-adult-dystopia-a-timeline-1.1359164

Craig, Amanda. “The Hunger Games and the teenage craze for dystopian fiction.” The Telegraph (2012): http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/9143409/The-Hunger-Games-and-the-teenage-craze-for-dystopian-fiction.html