1. My Plain Jane | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

5 Young Adult Novels That Are Worth More Than Sleep

I will gladly walk around with panda-eyes if it means getting through these gems.

38
5 Young Adult Novels That Are Worth More Than Sleep

So June may have passed but Goodreads has let me know that my list of June books to read has currently reached the beautiful quantity of 47 books — and that's only June. I may not be able to get through all of those this July so I decided it would be best to prioritize my favorite five before attempting to wade through the depths of the list. These are what I believe are June's unmissable Young Adult novels. As a disclaimer, most of them are heavy on the fantasy and historical fiction, so I apologize if that isn't your jam. And now, drumroll please…

1. My Plain Jane

Giphy

After Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadow's delightful collaboration on My Lady Jane, it only seems reasonable that I join the ranks struggling to get their hands on their latest retelling. This time, it's a redo of the classical Jane Eyre and I am completely prepared for all the charm and intrigue of the original story (not to mention the swoon scenes between our favorite governess and a certain brooding employer), with that extra sprinkling of Sriracha and lemon pepper that these ladies infuse the classics with. The best part is you can be completely unfamiliar with the classic and not lose a whit of enjoyment in this retelling because it functions as a stand-alone.

2. A Reaper at the Gates

Giphy I have followed Elias and Laia from the gates of school to the doors of death and after sticking it out with them for two books, have absolutely no desire to see their lives left hanging in this third installment. Am I surprised that Sabaa Tahir chose to make this a tetralogy, rather than following the typical YA trilogy route? Yes, especially since this was originally supposed to be a one-shot but I'm sure Tahir has plenty of surprises in store with us. This series has some of the strongest characterization I've seen in YA-fiction for a while, and the Romanesque setting make it even more of a gem for readers who like some history mixed into their fantasy.

3. Smoke in the Sun

Giphy The first book in this duology, Flame in the Mist, was highly anticipated mostly because it was advertised as a Mulan retelling set in Japan — what's not to love? I loved our samurai warrior girl, Mariko, in the first installment which left her in a rather sticky situation (cue the cruel author ploy known as a cliffhanger). Renee Ahdieh's writing is a must to read, not only because it is perfectly balanced with romance, intrigue, suspense and action but because the way she writes prose is so beautiful, I've actually shed tears reading it. Her tone and style are lyrical in a way that moves the story without ever feeling like you're having to force yourself through it.

4. Sweet Black Waves

Giphy Disclaimer: this book is centered around Celtic mythology and literature about which I am absolutely clueless. Really. I have no idea what's the deal with the mythological story of Tristan and Eseult, except for understanding that apparently Branwen was a somewhat significant side character in this folklore and that this is her story. But Goodreads has adequately convinced me that this is one of those books that needs to make my to-read list immediately because it is fantastical and romantic and apparently has exquisite worldbuilding (the key to writing good fantasy is to become a master worldbuilder). I'm also interested in getting a flavor of Celtic mythology, which is not my usual foray so let's see how this plays out.

5. Bring Me Their Hearts

Giphy

Sara Wolf's new title screams YA-romance the way the Kung Fu Panda franchise is starting to scream money-grabbing piece of consumerism. The story of a girl who must actually go after a prince's heart to secure her own freedom — well, there's plenty of room there for literal and metaphorical entanglements. To get her own heart back from the witch she's forcibly bound to, our protagonist Zera must take the prince's heart, as long as he doesn't take hers first. It's hard to tell who's the cat and who's' the mouse but I have every hope that this story, at least, will live up to its luscious cover.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

5 Things To Do That Are Better Than Writing A Paper

Don't waste your time trying to write that paper when there are so many more interesting things you could be doing.

501
computer keyboard
Unsplash

Writing a paper is never fun and is rarely rewarding. The writer's block, the page requirement, be specific, but don’t summarize, make sure you fixed any grammatical errors, did you even use spellcheck? and analyze, analyze, analyze.

Papers can be a major pain. They take up so much time and effort that by the end of the process you hate yourself and you hate the professor for making life so difficult. Questions of your existence start roaming in your mind. Am I even cut out for college if I can’t write a single paper? Am I even capable of taking care of myself if I lack the energy to open my laptop and start typing?

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

10 Reasons Why Sisters Are The Best

Who could be a better friend than your own sister?

361
sisters
Taylor Hooper

I can barely remember back when I was the only child. Most would say it’s because it is extremely difficult to remember things as a toddler but I would say it's because I was bored until my sister came along. My mother always says how important the "sister bond" is and with every year that passes I realize how right she is. Instead of writing a novel about all of the wonderful things there are about having a sister I decided to list a few of them instead.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

How To Adult

You're gonna make it after all.

2041
how to adult
Twitter

It is the time of our lives that we are beginning to enter the adult world and most of us, if not all of us, have no idea what we are doing. It's like starting a video game, but skipping the tutorial. We're all just running around aimlessly hoping we accidentally do something right that moves us along the right path. Now that graduation has just happened, or is right around the corner for some of us, it's time to start thinking about how we are going to take care of ourselves once we are on our own.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

7 Signs You're A Starbucks Addict

I'll be the first one to admit I'm addicted to Starbucks.

908
drinking coffee
Tumblr

If you’re anything like me, you love a good cup of coffee. My coffee always comes from Starbucks; I refuse to drink it from anywhere else. Over the years, it’s become one of my biggest addictions. So, if you are aware that you’re a Starbucks addict as well, or maybe you need to check to see if you’re an addict, here are seven ways to tell.

Keep Reading...Show less
people  in library
Photo by redcharlie on Unsplash

College involves a whirlwind of emotions, whether it’s from the stress of an assignment (or twenty), or from fighting with your roommate. It can be overwhelming at times and it’s important to take a step a back and calmly think things over. Maybe gain some perspective. The following aren’t foolproof tips and may not apply to you, but I was able to find success with them (hope you do too!)

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments