I didn't see a new thread started yet, so here goes... I'm reading Glimmerglass and XVI, tough to put one down to read the other one ;)

I just finished Trapped a couple of days ago.  I liked it, but didn't love it.  Now I'm reading Eleventh Grade Bleeds and it is terrific. 

I just finished Starcrossed and Tempest Rising.

Think I may (gasp) read an adult book next. I have the Tiger's Wife and the new Jodi Picoult.

Working on Club Dead by Charlaine Harris (Horror).  Finished A Wind in the Door by Madeleine L'Engle (Margaret A. Edwards Award), a good little book for the younger set.  I understand why it is so popular now.  Fun fantasy!

Fiinished Tehanu by Ursulla LeGuin (Told from a third-person omniscient perspective).  A very good read!  Also read The Silent Boy by Lois Lowry, a compelling story told by a young girl about her experiences and friendship with a young boy who has limited mental abilities.  She understands him and enjoys the time she spends with him.   It's so charming. I truly enjoyed the storyl, sad thought the ending is.  Beginning Club Dead by Charlaine Harris and finished Perdido Street Station.   Wow!  What a wonderful fantasy read! 

 Graphic Novel:  Stuck Rubber Baby by Howard Cruse (won Eisner Award for best graphic novel) completed.  Needed to think about this onea bit before I write about it.   At first, I found it difficult to read about such serious subjects as segregation and homosexuality in graphic form but I finally became caught up in the story.  It's a most introspective look into a young man's struggle with his identity.  Is he a homosexual or not?  While he tries to discover the answer he finds friends in an equality group tht includes Negroes, homosexuals and lesbians and those who just believe that all people have the right to be whoever they are and to live free and private lives.  The book took place in a Southern town where segregation is a fact of life.  It gives one a great deal to think about, including who we are.  Can we accept others no matter the color of their skin or sexual orientation?  

Finished reading Skies Over Sweetwater by Julia Moberg.  For those interested in a book that has no off-color words or sexual scenes this is a good choice.    It is an entertaining and educational tale about those first brave women who joined the Air Force in WWII.  Their dedication and desire to fly when it was believed that only men should be pilots is admirable.  It took a long time for these pioneering souls to receive recognition for their efforts - until President Jimmy Carter granted them veteran status and gave recognition to their efforts.  Good, good read.

Completed Afrika by Colleen Craig for family conflict.  It's an excellent read focusing on a 13-year-old girl and her mother who are in Africa as for her mother's journalistic assignment.  Exstranged from her homeland, her family and her former friends, Kim's mother faces it all upon her return .  The three month visit provides answers to so many questions to Kim who has always wondered about her father, her mother's family and Africa.  I loved this story.

I am reading Wrapped currently and so far it is really good!

I just finished Wrapped. I liked it.  It wasn't dark or edgy like some YA -- had kind of a sweet feel -- but I enjoyed it.

I'm reading Bumped.  I like it, but I'm not very far into it so I don't really have an opinion.

I just finished The Girl in the Steel Corset, and ehhh, it's just not my type of book.  Starting Priceless by Nicole Richie.

I've just started Spells by Aprilynne Pike.  It's been awhile since I read Wings, but I hope I like Spells better.  I liked Wings, but I didn't love it.

Finished Glimmerglass and really liked it - now I'm excited to read Shadowspell. I admit it I love those Fairies!

Tracie I loved both Glimmerglass and Shadowspell. Two of my favorite YA books.

I finished Incarceron yesterday, it was okay didn't love it. I started Carrie Vaugn's Steel last night. I love pirate stories.

Alice

Good to hear Alice, I think I liked Glimmerglass more than I liked Need & Captivate! More action, less angst! I just finished XVI, which I thought got better as it went along... (Shanan it will go out tomorrow!) Now I can get on with Shadowspell...

Although Shelly Laurentson's Big Bad Beast is LOL funny and I think it's quite it bit better than the last 2 or 3 I've read by her ;-)

Almost finished with Afterlife by Sophie Littlefield.  It's great! I thought it was YA, I don't know why I thought that. It definitely isn't, but it's a good dystopian with some icky zombies.

I am trying to find the book you are talking about Wendy, but everywhere I look says it doesn't exist. I am finding a book called Aftertime by her. Is that the correct name?

I jst finished City Of Ember, I loved it.

From YALSA.ORG - The Wall Street Journal has posted an article about the dark and
dangerous YA Literature out there.

http://tinyurl.com/WallSjournalarticle

Authors are already responding, including Libba Bray, Maureen Johnson,
Neil Gaiman, Cassandra Clare, and probably a lot more.

Yes Colleen, I wrote the title incorrectly.  Is is Aftertime by Sophie Littlefield

thanks for the link to that article Tracie!

You know, here's the thing... seems like the negative author of that article is only focusing on one side of the shelf....  they fail to mention books like Amy and Roger's Epic Detour or Anna and the French Kiss among others that are some of the most awesome books..... 

That is an interesting article.

I agree that there are some great books like Amy and Roger or Anna, but I did not know anything about these books until I found you all here on PBS.  They are not the books that are being featured at my local bookstore (I really had to search for the one I bought and the store clerks did not know about it at all).  In comparison, the books they mentioned are featured.  They are the first books I see when I walk into the YA section.  If I am not sure what I want, and I go into to get a gift for someone--they would be the first things I see.

Also, I think their is confusion with what is being classified as YA and what is being classified as adult.  Even when we go to do one of our YA swaps, some books are harder to classify.  And classifications change.  For instance, I remember that I added Greyfriar to my wish list for one of Cindy's swaps one month, but had to remove it because we could not find it listed as YA.  Currently though, Amazon has made a change that has that book listed as YA.

I just finished Bumped.  It was okay, though I was a little annoyed with both of the main characters in the middle of the book.

When I started Bumped I found the book's tone very disconcerting. To me, dystopian meant dark and Bumped's chirpy, cutesy style kind of threw me for a loop. But it grew on me as I kept reading. What I ended up liking about it was the thoroughness with which McCaffrey built her world. The slang, the dress, the rules -- everything felt seamless. Not my very favorite of the year, but I'm glad I stuck with it.

Yeah, I'm glad I stuck with it and I'll read the next book in the series.  I did like the world.

I just finished reading Priceless and it surprised me.  I was expecting a book by Nicole Richie to be horrible but it wasn't!  I mean, it wasn't anything spectacular but I definitely enjoyed it.  Am just starting Supernaturally by Kiersten White.  Soooo excited!!!!

Here's a nice rebuttal to the WSJ article. I can totally relate to the reference to Judy Blume and V.C. Andrews!

http://www.salon.com/books/feature/2011/06/06/WSJ_young_adult_literature_too_dark

And if you're not afraid of cursing and another point of view, try author Barry Lyga's blog - truly Awesome!

http://barrylyga.com/new/wsj-ya-art.html