For a lot of people, the school year is about to start or has already started. This means homework, studying, books to read for class, and extracurricular activities.
Translation: There's suddenly a lot less time to read.
And there's even less time to figure out what to read. Why waste reading time figuring out what to read? So in order to make this a little easier, I have compiled a LIST of new and old books that you can read to relax.
Feel free to contribute to this list in the comments! Maybe you'll have a suggestion that /I/ need to read.
Firelight
Author: Sophie Jordan
Series: Draki (#1)
Released: September 7, 2010
With her rare ability to breathe fire, Jacinda is special even among the draki—the descendants of dragons who can shift between human and dragon forms. But when Jacinda’s rebelliousness leads her family to flee into the human world, she struggles to adapt, even as her draki spirit fades. The one thing that revives it is Will, whose family hunts her kind. Jacinda can’t resist getting closer to him, even though she knows she’s risking not only her life but the draki’s most closely guarded secret.
Why? It's full of action and romance! Though it has the same basic outline as Twilight, it's much better written, with much better characters - you can get your friends hooked on this instead. Besides, dragons rock.
Bloody Jack
Author: L.A. Meyer
Series: Bloody Jack (#1)
Life as a ship's boy aboard HMS Dolphin is a dream come true for Jacky Faber. Gone are the days of scavenging for food and fighting for survival on th...more Life as a ship's boy aboard HMS Dolphin is a dream come true for Jacky Faber. Gone are the days of scavenging for food and fighting for survival on the streets of eighteenth-century London. Instead, Jacky is becoming a skilled and respected sailor as the crew pursues pirates on the high seas.
There's only one problem: Jacky is a girl. And she will have to use every bit of her spirit, wit, and courage to keep the crew from discovering her secret.
Why? It's my favorite book ever, with a spunky character that will give you hope to survive your hardest math test.
Zombies v. Unicorns
Author: Holly Black & Justine Larbalestier
Series: ---
Release Date: September 21, 2010
It's a question as old as time itself: which is better, the zombie or the unicorn? In this anthology, edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier (unicorn and zombie, respectively), strong arguments are made for both sides in the form of short stories. Half of the stories portray the strengths--for good and evil--of unicorns and half show the good (and really, really bad-ass) side of zombies. Contributors include many bestselling teen authors, including Cassandra Clare, Libba Bray, Maureen Johnson, Meg Cabot, Scott Westerfeld, and Margo Lanagan. This anthology will have everyone asking: Team Zombie or Team Unicorn?
Why? It's perfect for you shy folk! Come on, this is a conversation starter if I've ever seen one.
The Season
Author: Sarah Maclean
Series: ---
Seventeen year old Lady Alexandra is strong-willed and sharp-tongued -- in a house full of older brothers and their friends, she had to learn to hold ...more Seventeen year old Lady Alexandra is strong-willed and sharp-tongued -- in a house full of older brothers and their friends, she had to learn to hold her own. Not the best makings for an aristocratic lady in Regency London. Yet her mother still dreams of marrying Alex off to someone safe, respectable, and wealthy. But between ball gown fittings, dances, and dinner parties, Alex, along with her two best friends, Ella and Vivi, manages to get herself into what may be her biggest scrape yet.
When the Earl of Blackmoor is mysteriously killed, Alex decides to help his son, the brooding and devilishly handsome Gavin, uncover the truth. But will Alex's heart be stolen in the process? In an adventure brimming with espionage, murder, and other clandestine affairs, who could possibly have time to worry about finding a husband? Romance abounds as this year's season begins!
Why? It's a fast read with sexy boys and smart girls. Besides, you can read this during school - what history teacher can argue with a book that's historically accurate? (Well, for the most part.)
The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Series: The Hunger Games (#1)
In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.
Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love
Why? Sometimes, you'll need to lose yourself in another world - and remember that things could be much, much worse than that C+.
Jane
Author: April Lidner
Series: ---
Release Date: October 11, 2010
Forced to drop out of an esteemed East Coast college after the sudden death of her parents, Jane Moore takes a nanny job at Thornfield Park, the estate of Nico Rathburn, an iconic rock star on the brink of a huge comeback. Practical and independent, Jane reluctantly becomes entranced by her magnetic and brooding employer, and finds herself in the midst of a forbidden romance. But there's a mystery at Thornfield, and Jane's much-envied relationship with Nico is tested by a torturous secret from his past.
Why? It's a modern day version of a classic that I love - and that your English teachers probably do, too. Show them this and you'll suddenly have a new friend.
Have a book you think should be added? A different opinion? COMMENT and tell me!
And, as always,
