The Lure of YA

It's official. I'm hooked on YA books. This is a big deal because a) my book budget is already stretched to the max, and b) I made the mistake of thinking about my brutal teenage years and believed reading about more teen angst would irritate me. May I say I've been happily proven wrong on that erroroneous assumption. As for the other, well, like any good book addict, I make it work. *grins*

I finally (yes, FINALLY) started The Hunger Games. I can't remember the last time I was sucked into a story so fast. I devoured the first book in a few hours and rushed out to get the second. I love the message Suzanne Collins is conveying, and the authenticity of her characters and world-building. Pure awesomeness.
I also recently read Fateful by Claudia Gray and Supernaturally by Kiersten White--both awesome paranormal reads with very different tones, but equally engaging. I enjoyed them for the same reason I've avoided them for so long--the teen perspective. It's so different from what I'm used to reading. The problems aren't less dramatic or painful, but teen characters approach these issues differently. Apparently I'm old enough to now appreciate the youthful ideals and melodrama in a way I couldn't when I was experiencing it as a teen. (feel free to insert an old joke here)

The best part is knowing I can share these books with my oldest daughter in a couple of years. We already read middle grade books and discuss them. Being able to talk to her about the issues YA writers present in their books is a golden opportunity to introduce difficult topics in a way I might have struggled to otherwise (thank you YA writers!) Ah, the power of books...

So here's my dilemma. I need recommendations so I can delve deeper into the world of YA. I have no idea what to try next, but I know that die hard YA fans can point me in the right direction. I'd love to know--what is the best YA book or series you've read and why?

You Might Be A Paranormal Junkie If...

Those of us who read paranormal romances know what the rest of the world doesn't--supernatural hotties just have that charisma, that element of danger, that sexy aura that can pull us into a story faster than anything else. I recently took stock of my book shelves and noticed they were filled with as many supernatural protagonists as there are creative minds in the writing world. Am I addicted? Possibly. Are you? If you answer Yes to any of the following, you might be too...

You might be a paranormal junkie if...

• You can't handle your husband's Chia Pet-like back hair, but drool over the sexy were in your latest urban fantasy read.
• You keel over at the first sign of a needle, but would think nothing of offering your neck to a vampire hottie.
• The thought of ghosts freaks you out, but if they all looked like Patrick Swayze in GHOST, you'd create your own ghost hunting group.
• You secretly wish the cop who just gave you a speeding ticket would turn into a shifter and take you away to give you his mate mark.
• You know who I'm talking about when I say, "Sam and Dean."
• You go to flea markets and rub every cheap, grubby bottle hoping to nab your very own dijinn.
• You join your local Bigfoot Research group with the hopes of catching a werewolf mid-change.  
• You're convinced the gorgeous guy you made eye contact with at the coffee shop this morning was actually reading your mind because he's psychic and fated for you. 
• You get into a physical altercation with your best friend because she has the nerve to think your book boyfriend belongs to her.

This is by no means a complete list. And if you answered yes to most of them, you need to know one thing--you're in good company. All I can say is thank you to the muses of the many authors who make these heroes so real to us. I'll continue to give them all the shelf space they deserve. ;)

If you have any criteria to add, I'd love to hear it!