Girl-Ventures For Teens!

July 27, 2010

I grew up reading adventure stories about boys, and while I enjoyed them, I have been overjoyed at the recent rise in "Girl-venture" stories geared toward teenagers. I just can't get enough of them. If you are looking for a good book to get caught up in, here are a few of my favorites.

• A Great and Terrible Beauty (sequels Rebel Angels, A Sweet Far Thing) by Libba Bray

Gemma is coming of age in Victorian times, and wants nothing more than to move to London. How can she ever truly find a quality marriage match in Bombay, India? She gets her wish is a horrible way after her mother is mysteriously killed. Even more frightening is the vision Gemma had before her mother was attacked. Is she going crazy? At her new finishing school, the visions get worse, and she learns about the Order. Long ago, a group of priestesses ruled over the realms. Could it be that Gemma is a decendant? As she takes her friends with her into the realms, they discover that the adventure comes at a price, one that none of them could have anticipated.

• Graceling (sequel Fire) by Kristin Cashore

  This is a fantasy about a kingdom where some children exhibit signs of a "grace", or a superhuman ability toward a specific thing. You might develop a cooking grace, or a fighting grace. Katsa's happens to be killing, which becomes widely known after she kills a man with her bare hands at the age of 8. Her uncle, the king, is quick to exploit her as his personal assassin, but Katsa is unhappy. When she finds an unlikely friend in Po, she begins to see that there may be a world outside of this life for her after all. And for all you romance lovers, there is plenty here without ruining the story.

• The Hunger Games (sequels Catching Fire, Mockingjay) by Suzanne Collins

  The story takes place in a dystopic future where The Capital holds a "Lottery-esque" drawing for 2 children, from each of the 12 districts, to fight to the death for fame and money. After her little sister is chosen, Katniss volunteers to take her place, even though she is the main breadwinner, and fears what the outcome will be for her family and her village. She and the other boy from her district must travel to The Capital to represent their homeland, train to fight, and develop a strategy to survive.

• Ghostgirl (sequels Homecoming, Lovesick) by Tonya Hurley

  Charlotte has always been invisible, but this year everything is going to change. She's got a plan to get the guy, get noticed, and have a date to the dance. Until she chokes on a gummy bear, dies, and gets sent to Dead Ed! O.m.g...school for dead people!? A book about accepting yourself, your fate, and recognizing who your real friends are.

• Evil Genius (sequel Genius Squad, Genius Wars) by Catherine Jinks

  The main character, Cadel, is a boy genius who's biological father just happens to be a criminal mastermind who sets up a School of World Domination just for him, which proves to be less enticing than it sounds. As things start to spin out of control, Cadel can only count on one person: his best friend, the amazingly intelligent Kay-Lee, who in addition to her mad math skills, also suffers from cerebral palsy. Great diversity! Her role really expands in book 2, Genius Squad.

• The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart

  This fantastic coming of age story is about a girl who finally gets noticed after she "matures" over the summer. She wins the boy of her dreams, only to find herself being excluded and blown off by her boyfriend for a "boys only secret club". When her spying leads to subversively taking control of their antics, we see that she's not just in it for the fun. She really wants to send a message with all their pranks, but at what cost?

• Wicked Lovely (sequels Ink Exchange, Fragile Eternity, Radiant Shadows) by Melissa Marr

  Aislinn (pronounced Ashling) has a secret...she can see faeries. You might think this is a good thing, but Aislinn knows how faeries really are: mean, spiteful, and like causing humans pain. When she is approached by Keenan, a high court fey, she wants nothing to do with him, even if his magic is strong and it confuses her. She just wants to spend time with Seth, her best friend, and maybe more. When it becomes apparent that Keenan has other plans, plans that may disrupt her life forever, she must figure out how to keep her independence.

• Wake (sequels Fade, Gone) by Lisa McMann

  Self-sufficient Janie has everything figured out...except how to keep from falling into people's dreams. When she falls into a dream that is particularly horrible, she is surprised and intrigued to find out who it belongs to - the ever alluring, if somewhat mysterious, Cabel. This sci-fi has a little romance, a little ingenuity, and a plot that keeps you guessing.

• The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

  Jenna wakes up after being in a coma for over a year. The terrible accident that killed her friends has been lost in the resulting trauma. What happened? Why can't she remember? As she starts to remember bits and pieces, nothing seems to explain why her mother and grandmother are treating her so oddly. When she wins the fight to go back to school in her new town, she starts to suspect that something is Really wrong...a fact that is confirmed by the blue goo under her skin, where her blood should be!

• The Alchemyst (sequels The Magician, The Sorceress, The Necromancer) by Michael Scott

  Sophie and Josh are just two normal teenagers excited about saving enough money to buy a car. Oh, and they're twins. Which wouldn't be important, except that Nicholas Flamel and his wife are looking for the "twins of legend" to awaken their elemental powers, so they can defeat the Dark Elders and save the world. No biggie... They also have to fight against the immortal humans, Elders, and Next-Generation that exist all over the world. Look for cameos by John Dee, Machiavelli, Gilgamesh, the Witch of Endor, Mars, Scathach, the Morrigan, Hekate, Bastet and more. Great mythology, fantastic storytelling, I can't put it down!

These are just a few of my favorites off the top of my head. This should get you started, at least :)

Abbey L.