Thursday 3 June 2010

Please help me pick my next Young Adult book series. I need to catch up!

I'm a bit behind on a lot of the great Young Adult series that are around at the moment.  I was asked yesterday if I'd ever read any of Cassandra Clare's  Mortal Instruments series and the answer is, no, I haven't.  I haven't  read Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games either. I'm so behind! I've heard really good things about these books, though, and I hope to get to them soon. I don't devote all my reading time to YA books, which is maybe why I've missed out on a lot of these series.  Now though, I'm going to catch up!  I've picked three YA series that I'm interested in, and I'd love to read your thoughts on them.  I intend to get through one series before starting the next.  

Please help me out and tell me what you thought of these books.  If you've read all three series, tell me which series was your favourite.  I think all of these books sound really good, but I want to know how good the series remain as they progress.  Also, if there's another YA series you'd recommend along with or instead of these, then let me know that too. I've missed out on so much!



Blue Bloods (Blue Bloods #1)
Melissa de la Cruz

Vampire novels are my great weakness....!

When the Mayflower set sail in 1620, it carried on board the men and women who would shape America: Miles Standish; John Alden; Constance Hopkins. But some among the Pilgrims were not pure of heart; they were not escaping religious persecution. Indeed, they were not even human. They were vampires.The vampires assimilated quickly into the New World. Rising to levels of enormous power, wealth, and influence, they were the celebrated blue bloods of American society.

The Blue Bloods vowed that their immortal status would remain a closely guarded secret. And they kept that secret for centuries. But now, in New York City, the secret is seeping out. Schuyler Van Alen is a sophomore at a prestigious private school. Suddenly, when she turns fifteen, there is a visible mosaic of blue veins on her arm. She starts to crave raw food and she is having flashbacks to ancient times. Then a girl from her school is found dead... drained of all her blood. Schuyler doesn't know what to think.

Could those vampire legends really be true? Steeped in vampire lore and set against the heady backdrop of the rich, young, and powerful in the heart of New York City, Blue Bloods will be devoured by Melissa de la Cruz's legion fans.


The Luxe (Luxe #1)
Anna Godbersen

I featured Godbersen's upcoming book 'Bright Young Things' as my Waiting on Wednesday a few weeks back.  Got me thinking that maybe I should get started on this series too!

A big, sumptuous tale of catty girls, dark secrets and windswept romance unfurls in this compulsively readable novel of late-19th-century New York City socialites. Godbersen weaves a tenuous web of deceit, backstabbing and pretense that follows four teens: Elizabeth Holland, a prim and proper lady of old-money society, is betrothed to one man, though furtively loves another; Henry Schoonmaker, a debauched playboy who must marry Elizabeth or be disinherited; Diana Holland, Elizabeth’s younger sister who is in love with her fiancé; and Penelope Hayes, a member of the nouveau riche who will stop at nothing to win Henry’s affections. As Elizabeth and Henry’s wedding approaches, the spectacle unfolds in a wondrously grandiose scene, making for a fun, though not entirely unexpected dénouement. A delicious new twist along the Gossip Girl vein, readers will clamor for this sharp, smart drama of friends, lovers, lies and betrayal.

 Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy #1)
Richelle Mead


Ahhhh...More vampires! How do I choose?

St. Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger. . . .

Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever.

28 comments :

  1. I've read the Blue Blood series (to date) and The Luxe series. I like the blood series, but loved the luxe series. Plus that series is done with 4 books! Both Blue Bloods and Vampire Academy have more to come (I intend to continue reading the Blue Bloods and will start Vampire Academy soon)

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  2. I haven’t read any but Vampire Academy is at the top of my list. I love Richelle Mead.

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  3. I love The Luxe series! It's kind of like Gossip Girl, but in the early 1900's with way better scandals. I also liked Vampire Academy, but you'll still have to wait for the next books. I think you should give The Luxe series a try.

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  4. Vampire Academy is tops for me. The first book is a little slow, but then the series just takes off. Same thing for Blue Bloods, first book is really a bunch of world building, but then it's great. Haven't read Luxe....

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  5. I really liked the Blue Blood series. I have only read the first one in the Luxe series, but I like it as well too. I like the Blue Bloods series better, though.

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  6. The Luxe series is supposed to be really good! But if you ask me, I think you should read Patrick Ness' Chaos Walking trilogy. I just finished The Knife of Never Letting Go and it was fantastic!

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  7. i would have recommended city of bones since its amazing, but you have three really great selections there, blue bloods is very enjoyable and the main girl is very likable, the luxe series is quite unique and a great read whilst the vampire academy series is one of my favorite vampire series out there, rose is very strong minded and independent you will really root for her plus there are some cool potential romances and they are hot!all three are awesome so you cant go wrong with either, enjoy! and read city as bones as soon as possible so we can discuss jace hotness :D

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  8. The Vampire Academy series is absolutely amazing. Richelle Mead is a freakin genius!!!

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  9. I love the Vampire Academy as well. Luxe is good, but VA is OUTSTANDING! I am pretty much obsessed with that series. Also, you need to read the Mortal Instruments and Hunger Games. BOTH AMAZING!

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  10. I tried to read Luxe but just couldn;t get into it. The Blue Bloods series is sooo good! I totally recommend reading them : )

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  11. Oooh, I definitely vote for THE LUXE - I loved the whole series and absolutely looooved it! I can't say anything about the other two though - I haven't read them as I can't stand vampires (*gasp*). ;)

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  12. Top of the list is Vampire Academy, i'm on Spirit bound now. I think you'll enjoy the entire series.Favorite character is Adrien. Reading spirit bound now and I think this is the best so far. Althought Mortal Instuments are fantastic! I can't wait for Infernal Devices to come out. Hope this helped!

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  13. My vote would be for the Luxe series since all four books are out. I started to read Blue Bloods the other night and after the first chapter I was all 'damn, if I get into this book it means haveing to read all the other ones to catch up and then have to wait for the next one... like House of NIght (which should end but is being dragged out)'. So go for the completed series AND THEN once the end of July, beginning of August hits start reading the Hunger Games because it is AMAZING and I can't wait for Mockingjay to come out!

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  14. Vampire Academy is fantastic and you won't have to wait long for the final book (December). The books get better as the series goes along. I like all three series but Vampire Academy is my favorite. Blue Bloods has too much name dropping. It is like a vampire version of Gossip Girl at times.

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  15. Out of all of these, I've heard the most amazing things about Vampire Academy and the books that follow. :) I've only read the first book in the Blue Bloods series and it was just okay.

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  16. I have only read the Vampire Academy (and only the first one) but I loved it. I don't even normally like YA because of some annoying tendencies that these characters did not do. Very well written!

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  17. I didn't love the Luxe books. Vampire Academy is made of awesome. So is the Hunger Games. You MUST read it! Now.

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  18. Like Blue Bloods and the Luxe series, but I have to tell you that I LOATHE the Vampire Academy. First two books are ok, but too immature for me.

    Fav YA book series I think you'll enjoy: The Hunger Games, The Mortal Instruments, The Looking Glass Wars, the Inheritance series (Christopher Paolini).

    -Kelsey

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  19. I haven't tried this.

    You've read Hunger Games right?

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  20. I've read all three series, and while Blue Bloods was ok, The Luxe was pretty decent, Vampire Academy blew them out of the water!

    And the series by Cassandra Clare and Suzanne Collins are excellent as well!

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  21. I've read Vampire Academy series book #1-2 and i love all of it. I have #3 and plan to read it soon. It's amazing and trust me it is. I have not read any of blue bloods but read a lot of excellent reviews on that. maybe you can give it a go =)

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  22. I haven't read any of them, but Vampire Academy is definitely high up on my list of books to check out =)

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  23. I haven't read this series either...but I really want to read Luxe and Mortal Instruments.

    You should read The Iron Fey serie, I love it. #1 is The Iron King, and its great. #2 is The Iron Daughter, which is even better!

    Another YA book I love is Poison Study, the first of the Study serie by Maria V. Snyder. Another serie I like is Oh.My.Gods by Tera Lynn Childs.

    I've also heard great things about the Heavenly serie by Jennifer Laurens.

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  24. Interesting choices, I wonder what you choose. I would put the Wake Thrilogy in there also.

    I have an award for you.

    http://teawithmarce.blogspot.com/2010/06/awards-awards-awards-thank-you.html

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  25. I work in the YA section of my library and we can't keep Vampire Academy on the shelves. Our YA librarian swears they're the best vampire books out there right now and she's not really a huge fan of the vampire genre so if she says they're awesome, then I would 100% say they're awesome. I've also heard amazing things about Luxe (I'm starting it myself). Blue Bloods is take it or leave it so I'd put that at #3 on the must-read now list.

    On a side note - The Imortal Instruments are AWESOME you really should read em' if you're looking for a non-typical paranormal fantasy YA read. They're fantastic and Cassandra Clare is really accessible to bloggers and fans - she's great.

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  26. I've got the Blue Bloods and like you am also busy trying to catch up! From what I heard Blue Bloods is really good and the little I've read so far is also validating that point.

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  27. Wow! Thanks for all the great responses, guys. They have been a huge help! You lot are great!

    So, I think I've made my decision. I'm going to start with The Luxe series. It sounds unlike anything I've read before, so I'm excited to read something new and unique. Also, it helps that this series if finished, so no waiting around for new releases for me!

    I'll read the Vampire Academy books next - I really like the sound of these ones, but I might wait until the series has wrapped to start on them. Blue Bloods will be third. I've read some mixed reviews on this one, so it goes into third place.

    Sounds like I really need to check out Cassandra Clare's books and the Hunger Games series. I can't believe I'm so behind! Thanks for all the other recommendations too - I'll check them all out. I'm going to have a huge reading list!

    Thanks again for all the replies! :)

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  28. I haven't read The Luxe series yet, but loved Vampire Academy. Blue Bloods was also very good, but VA is better. The Hunger Games is outstanding and so is Clare's Mortal Instruments series. I would read Mortal Instruments, Hunger Games, Blue Bloods, then lastly VA so you'll be ready for the 6th VA book in December.
    I'm putting the Luxe series on my TBR list...I had never heard of it until your post. Thanks!

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