Not Another Twilight Blog...

August 17, 2010

I don't know how it happened.  One day, I was minding my own business, working my way through various parts of Young Adult Literature, enjoying the company of a boy wizard and his friends, and revisiting Narnia... all of a sudden, I stop, look around, and vampires have suddenly replaced wizards, aliens, and even managed to suppress a troupe of flying kids brought to us courtesy of James Patterson.

I am, of course, talking to you about Twilight.  Speaking as one of those who found this saga to be seriously lacking a lot of things, I decided someone had to speak up for those of us who weren't dazzled by the Cullen Clan like Bella Swann was.

If you're looking for YA Paranormal Romance, I would like to suggest Becca Fitzpatrick's Hush Hush, in which the average girl, in this case a young woman named Nora, does everything she can to avoid the strange boy with a secret in her class, the mysterious Patch - who runs the whole gambit of emotions towards the heroine.  Nora's friend, Vee, tries to convince her to stay away from Patch and instead turn her attention to two new transfer students, who are as interested in Nora as Patch is.  The only question is - who is the real villain?  The sequel to this story, Crescendo, will be out this November and you can already get on the holds list.

If your looking for YA Adventure, there's The Shadow Children series by Margaret Peterson Haddix.  It's the story of Luke, a boy born third in his family - in a world where only two children per family is allowed.  Forced to remain hidden from a government who would think nothing of killing him, he soon discovers another third child hidden in the new housing development that is build behind his family's farm.  His friend, Jen, is convinced that the government can change and the third children will be allowed out of hiding.  But the cost of this freedom will be exceptionally high.  Also in this series is a young man named Matthias, another third born child - and his journey will take him from a safe haven in a school to the very heart of the government's dreaded and feared Population Police.  You can read about Luke, Matthias, and the other 'Shadow Children' in the books: Among the Hidden, Among the Imposters, Among the Barons, Among the Betrayed, Among the Enemy, Among the Brave, and Among the Free.

Another one of Margaret Peterson Haddix's work is The Missing series, which currently contains the books Found and Sent. The third book, Sabotaged, is due out later this year.  This series opens thirteen years ago in an airport, when a plane arrives at a dark gate on a busy evening.  Onboard, there is no pilot, no flight attendants, and no crew of any kind.  There are thirty seats onboard, each and every one of them filled by an infant.  Who these children are and where they came from is only a bigger part of the mystery.  Thirteen years later, the people who put them on the plane have returned to put the children back "where they really belong."  And it's not just where they belong, but also when.

There's been a change in the YA section here at Red Bridge as well!  All the graphic novels and manga have been gathered together and can now be found at the beginning of the YA section.  We hope this makes it easier for you to find what you're looking for.

Happy Reading!
Red Bridge Branch