What are you reading in October 2011?

Thought I'd better start a new thread.

Anyway, I just finished A Nest for Celeste (probably more children's than YA) and posted a short review. Nice book, I gave it three-and-a-half (in large part because of the illustrations), but also a caution about classroom use because of its setting (an antebellum plantation) with no African-American references. Of course, it's an animal story, not a slavery story, but still, be prepared to give some explanation to students so that antebellum plantation life isn't glamorized.

I'm rereading The Exiled Queen by Cinda Williams Chima, with The Gray Wolf Throne up next. There are a lot of exciting new releases in October, too.

2>> "There are a lot of exciting new releases in October, too."

Abarat: Absolute Midnight just came in the mail today from Amazon pre-order.

And The Son of Neptune is due out October 4. I just checked my Amazon orders page, and it doesn't look like I pre-ordered so I'll probably just pick it up at B&N on Tuesday (unless it's sold out). Darn it though, I just hope Son of Neptune has a little bit more of Clarisse LaRue!

#4 -- The Son of Neptune is certainly one of the ones I was thinking about. However, I doubt it will contain much about Clarisse. Not to go into spoilers, but everything I've seen seems to suggest that it will feature mostly new characters -- not even a lot about Jason, Leo, and Piper. Of course, I could be wrong.

4>> I know. I'm not very optimistic about seeing much of Clarisse either, maybe not even the cameo we had in The Lost Hero. Oh well, maybe she'll turn up later in the series when the Greeks and Romans get together (as I assume they sooner or later will).

>3 CurrerBell:: I'm hoping to pick up Absolute Midnight when I visit the US in a couple of weeks' time.

I finished Days of Little Texas last week, which was an interesting read. The narrator is a teenage preacher and healer, which was something new for me to read about, and the Southern US setting was well drawn. The supernatural events got a little confusing at the end, but all in all I enjoyed the book.

Now I'm reading Long Lankin, which I found at the library and have been wanting to read since Robin McKinley reviewed it on her blog.

Ready Player One was a very enjoyable ride. It's likely to have extra appeal for video game players, but others will enjoy it, too.

Having trouble finishing Specials. I don't know why: I think this is the most exciting installment in the series so far. Still, I can't seem to get into it. =(

I'm also reading The Poisonwood Bible, which may or may not qualify as YA. I'm in love with the style already.

I just got The Son of Neptune a few minutes ago from my local B&N so I'll be getting to that immediately, maybe finishing it in a single sitting.

Started The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross.

I had Son of Neptune on preorder at Amz... it just shipped today. :/ Supposed to GET it today, grr. Not that I'm ready to start it, but preorder is supposed to have some perks.

October is a big month for book releases (for me). I'm waiting on Snuff, The Death Cure, Warm Bodies pb, and Darwen Arkwright and the Peregrine Pact.

Finished up The Declaration today... highly recommend it for anyone who likes middle-grade dystopian novels. It's the start of a trilogy but can stand alone. My only complaint is that the main characters are supposed to be 15/16 but I couldn't help but read them as younger. Interesting world building and a dark ending.

I had been reading through the 100 cupboards series (I forget who writes them) and I liked them well enough to get through the first two, but I got about halfway through the third book, The Chestnut King and I couldn't finish it for some reason. I can't really pinpoint why, but I have a feeling it has to do with the characters. They're not particularly badly done, but there are just so many of them that some of the characters kind of feel like a warm body placed in the story simply because it could be there. I'm a character reader, so when the characters in a book fall flat, I'm inclined not to continue with the story.

I am excited, though, for finally being able to read Patrick Ness's A Monster Calls -- my library has it through Overdrive, which won't be quite as good as having a book in my hands, but it's better than nothing. I've heard so many good things about this story and I'm probably going to cry, just like everyone else whose review I have read, but it'll be worth it.

ETA: I finished A Monster Calls and yes I did cry (and in public, too, no less), but it was worth any embarrassment I might have received because it was a beautiful book. I can't recommend it highly enough.

Just finished Found as the month turned over and am reading The Golden Goblet at the moment, as far as young adult goes. Not sure where I'm going after that. Have been rereading the Narnia books and Firebringer off and on... Narnia one book at a time with monthly gaps in between and Firebringer with the seasons, matching up the action with what it's like outside. I'm /loving/ rereading it that way, especially when I can be outside with the deer when I'm reading. But again, don't know what YA book I'll pick up next. I've got a few books to review from giveaways, they'll probably break in to my long list of "I must read next," which is including the non YA Star Trek Typhon Pact series at the moment because I've put it off for way too long.

Just finished The Son of Neptune and I posted a three-star review. Very good, but it took on a little too much campiness for my taste, much more so than in any of the previous "Percy Jackson" volumes.

'I'm badly missing Clarisse (who doesn't even make a cameo this time, though I'm more optimistic for the next book, because I'd hate to see her have to rearrange Mr. Riordan's teeth for him), but a new character, 13-year-old Hazel Levesque, does help make up for Clarisse's absence (though she and Clarisse are very different characters).

I just finished Absolute Midnight and gave it two stars. The series is really starting to pall on me. There's just so much magic that eventually cause-and-effect are thrown away, and without cause-and-effect there's no logical, sequential plot. Barker's illustrations, also, seem just like more of the same from the previous two books.

I'll read the next two books when they come out, just to see how the whole story wraps up, if it ever does, but I'm not going to be anxiously awaiting the next volume like I was waiting for Absolute Midnight.

I requested and just picked up at the library The Revenant and Imaginary Girls, both of which I've heard good things about.

Re-reading Mockingjay... yet again. THG has become a comfort read: every time I'm feeling low, or the books I'm reading bore me, or when the dreaded Book Funk hits, I re-read it.

So yeah, what I'm saying is a series of books on kids sent to lethal arenas to kill each other on TV for the entertainment of spoiled rich people... is comforting to me. Am I twisted? o.O

Reading Wildwood by Colin Meloy which is more Juvenile than YA, although the main character is 12. I have jury duty tomorrow, so I'm hoping this will keep me busy while I'm waiting to get sent home. (Please don't pick me!)

I've been reading the Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season Eight TPBs. I've read volumes one to four since the weekend and plan to polish off the final four in the coming week.

I've also listened to Justine Larbalestier's How To Ditch Your Fairy on CD and have just started Cassandra Clare's City of Bones also on CD. I think I'll probably alternative between the book and the audiobook for this one.

I just read The night tourist which is a fun romp through an alternate NYC with ghosts. I liked that the ending was not 100% happy, which fit with the myth upon which the story is based.

Just finished If I Tell bye Janet Gurtler for Early Reviewers. I thought it was good.

I'm finishing up Blue Noon, last of the Midnighter's trilogy by Scott Westerfeld. The series has turned out to be more interesting than I expected it to be, but then I do like a plot that has geometry.

The Death Cure. YAY!

#23 Hope it's good. I should be getting it within a few weeks from the library, looking forward to it.

>24 SaraHope:: I'm reading it because I can no longer stand the suspense, but honestly the writing is severely lacking. I'm halfway through and gritting my teeth, but ploughing on...

I'm reading Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo.

I got my hot little hands on a copy of Melina Marchetta's Froi of the Exiles, the sequel to Finnikin of the Rock. I couldn't stand the idea of waiting five more months for the US version to be released, so I visited the site Melina Marchetta recommended on her website for worldwide shipping and bought the Australian version (I like their cover better anyhow). It was so good I stayed up until 4 in the morning to finish reading it (and then I had to wake up at 6:30 that morning for work).

The thing that I like about this series, is that although it's fantasy, the books have broad themes, like finding hope in dark situations, conquering fear and guilt, and learning to forgive and even come to understand those who are supposed to be your enemy, that readers are able to relate to easily. And, of course, since this is Melina Marchetta we're talking about here, the characters are amazing, and though they're darker books, there's still her trademark humor present. Good stuff!

Just finished Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone. I gave it a three-and-a-half, but in fairness that's probably just me (I'm not big on demons and angels mingled with romance), and someone who likes this subgenre will probably rate it higher.

I'm hoping Taylor returns to her Dreamdark series soon.

#28 -- My sentiments exactly!

#25 I'm not surprised, but I've found this trilogy is one where I'm willing to forgive a lot of faults because I'm interested to see how the plot will be resolved. If the resolution is crappy, I'll be quite irritated!

>30 SaraHope:: Well, I've already finished it. It's, um... bittersweet.

#31 Hmm. After I read it I will report back. I think I can probably deal with bittersweet.

I read Daughter of Smoke and Bone over the weekend and thought it was quite good. I suppose it depends on your appetite for high fantasy, which it does take a turn towards 2/3rds of the way through. Didn't like that it was a "to be continued..." ending.

I'm about halfway through Breadcrumbs. So far I'm enjoying it.

#33>> I actually wasn't so much bothered with that "to be continued..." ending, considering that trilogies and series are almost de rigeur today. It definitely, any way, wasn't a cliffhanger like the endings of so many other serial novels.

I just finished Jaguar Stones: The End of the World Club and gave it a three-and-a-half. It was a little too campy; but considering Jaguar Stones: Middleworld, I expected that from J&P Voelkel so I'm not complaining that much.

I'm reading Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry. I don't like horror and I have no real interest in zombies. But I am loving this book!!!

I've just finished The Isle of Blood. Fantastic!

Wow! I am enjoying all of the readers of YA Fiction and your comments are giving me ideas for my next reads!

So, here's a little about what I'm reading in October:

I'm an undergraduate student and I'm taking a children's literature class this term. A couple of weeks ago, we finished The Invention of Hugo Cabret, which as a thick book read very fast because most of the story is also being told through these amazingly detailed pictures that Brian Selznick himself illustrated!! Definitely an entertaining book and it leads up beautifully to the movie entitled"Hugo," which is an adaptation of the book and ir directed by Martin Scorcese.

Other than our reading of Hugo Cabret, our class is currently fixated on the book Feed. It took me a little bit of time adjusting to the book from the first few pages, but the more I continued reading, the more I'm enjoying the story. I'm wondering, has anybody else read this book?

>39 lizakhuu: Feed is a great book, but the audio book is amazing. You really start to get a feel for having the Feed come at you. I listen to audio books on my commute. My husband would get into my car and not realize it was the CD going and think he was hearing radio ads until he stopped and listened more closely.

40> Thanks for the tip. It's been years since I read Feed but I enjoyed it and recommend it often. Maybe it's about time to "reread" it on audiobook.

Just finished Plain Kate, a very definite five-star.

I second the praise for Plain Kate. It was one of my favorites of last year. Just finished Down the Mysterly River by Bill Willingham and really enjoyed it. It's smart and funny and thrilling. It's one of those books that can be enjoyed by all ages-- kids, young adults, and old codgers like me.

In the spirit of Halloween and Season 2 of the Walking Dead, I've read Rot & Ruin and Dust & Decay by Jonathan Maberry. I enjoyed them very much, and as zombie novels go, they are very YA friendly. I was reminded of the Hunger Games by the pacing and the characters. Great fun.

>40 AngelaCinVA:: Yes!! I heard the same great things about the Feed audio book too. Perhaps I will venture to the library and pick it up to listen to after I've finished the book. It's so far been a page turner and I can't seem to put it down. Thank you for the wonderful advice!

>41 BookLizard:: The fact that you've read Feed too and enjoyed it is making me so thrilled to be reading this book!

Thanks for the suggestions you two.

I just finished reading The Ghost Cadet. Nice story about a boy learning how to make friends, although I kept thinking the archaeologists certainly would've found that watch already. ;) Oh well, sometimes the suspension of disbelief is a difficult thing.

I just finished The Death Cure and gave it three-and-a-half stars. I have mixed feelings about this one, and I know some folks just plain don't like this trilogy, but it did carry through fairly well and was an improvement over The Scorch Trials, where I thought that, midway through the trilogy, Dashner fell a bit flat. I do have to say, though, that the original The Maze Runner promised more than the trilogy actually delivered.

I am currently a Library Science student through SHSU. One of the YA novels that I was assigned to read was Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco Stork. Our of five stars, I give this novel four stars. It really let me see inside the mind of a teen with asperger's syndrome. While this character described his condition as similar to asperger's, I would say he was a very close example to a child with this syndrome. This novel brought in humor as well as sadness to me as I read. At times, it was confusing to read his thoughts, which is why I give it four star. Another novel I read this month was Chains by Laurie Anderson. I was completely moved by this character's willpower and endurance to survive slavery. She showed such courage against her masters and those that treated her harshly. This would be a great book for high school classrooms to read and discuss with educatorsl

Vanessa, I LOVED Marcelo in the Real World. I read it in 2009 and it was one of my favourite reads from that year.

As for what I've been reading... well, I've finally got back on track after about 3 months of barely reading at all. I've tackled Cassandra Clare's The Mortal Instruments series and am looking forward reading the fifth book when if comes out next year. I suspect I'll start reading The Infernal Devices prequel series at some point as well.

I'm about half-way through Marked at the moment and plan to read the rest of the House of the Night Series (or as many as it takes for me to get sick of them). I own six, most of which have been sitting on my bookshelf for nigh on two years. They always seem to get bypassed by other books on my TBR pile.

I've just finished Mastiff, the third of the Beka Cooper books by Tamora Pierce, and enjoyed it greatly.

Just started Enclave by Ann Aguirre.

I'm near the end of Birthmarked by Caragh O'Brien. Really enjoying this dystopian novel - the main character actually thinks before taking action, and doesn't lose control when the handsome guy comes along.

51>> I really liked Enclave (Razorland 1) 's beginning, but once the setting shifted in the second half (don't want to say more for SPOILERS) it became just another ordinary dystopian.

52>> Hadn't heard of Birthmarked. Thanks for mentioning it. I just downloaded it to my Kindle for $2.99.