The Twelve Posts of Christmas: Christmas Is Over... Now What?

By now you've unwrapped the presents, eaten the food and are completely ready for the next stage: relaxation.

For me this is chipping away at my endless and every increasing To-Be-Read pile.  And trust me it's a pretty big pile.

I've been waiting for Visions by Kelley Armstrong the supernatural/crime sequel to Omens for what seems like ages.  Luckily I have finally got it and it's taking pride of place on top of my holiday reading pile.

Tucked underneath it is another sequel, this time Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop and yes it's a another supernatural/fantasy book.  Because yes I have a little weakest for them.  Okay maybe a big weakest.  Don't judge me.

And just to continue on with the theme also in the pile is Midnight Thief by Livia Blackburne, a teen fantasy book that sounds like a cross between Graceling and Best Served Cold, two of my all-time favourite fantasy books, featuring kick-ass chicks.

Which leads me to Winterkill by Kate Boorman, whose cover reminds me of that movie The Village, which may or may not be a good thing.  It also sounds vaguely apocalyptic and if I have a big thing for supernatural/fantasy I have an even bigger weakest for dystopian/apocalyptic. Because angst and adventure is what it's all about.
 
The Rain by Virginia Bergin fits nicely into this theme and is another book I can't wait to read along with The One Safe Place by Tania Unsworth which has been described as the new Giver and which has already begun appearing on Best 2014 lists.

Of course my To-Be-Read pile is not all supernatural or end of the world goings on, I do have some lighter reads such as The Year I Met You by Cecelia Ahern, a book that I keep putting on the top of the pile then dropping back down because having read all of her previous books it's one I want to save until last... or at least until it's due back date.

There's also I Will Marry George Cloony By Christmas by Tracy Bloom and Unleashed by Rachel Lacey which are light and romantic and utterly perfect to read on sunny day, accompanied by a bowl of cherries to eat your way through as you do so.

And finally for a SyFyGirl like me the absolutely best book to round out a reading feast; one with aliens and the ending of humanity, Firefall by Peter Watts

Reading But Not As You Know It...

Picking a best book of the year or even a selection of best books is actually kind of hard, partially because I read so much and partially because 2013 was the year I veered a little - okay make that a lot - from traditional books.

Instead I have been reading  fanfic. Lots and lots of fanfic.  Which I adore.  Still that doesn't mean that I haven given up reading more traditional and accepted stories.  But even these I have been doing in slightly less traditional means.

Because e-books and audio dramas ARE THE BEST.  Like REALLY.  I have become a major convert.

One, because with e-books I can store hundreds and hundreds of books on one little device.  No more lugging around bags bursting to the seams with books - well not as much.  Instead I can pop in all the stories, books, music and audios that I could possibly get through on a device the size of a paperback.

Two, multi tasker that I am, I can now do housework, exercise, even do my work all while getting my latest story fix courtesy of all the audio dramas I now have.

Bliss.  Utter bliss.

So instead of giving you my best of best books for 2013 here are my picks for best stories.  Because really they are all one and the same. 

A series of murders [compact disc] : a Charles Paris mystery / by Simon Brett.

I adore Bill Nighy.  But I really adore him in these series of audio dramas done by the BBC.  Wonderfully funny as well as being detective stories, Nighy is glorious as Charles Paris, a sometimes actor, a womaniser, a man who drinks and smokes too much who seems to have a knack for getting involved in solving murders.  If only they would turn these into a TV series with him starring in them my life would be complete (well almost...)

Cabin pressure. The complete series 4 [compact disc] / written by John Finnemore.

I love Benedict Cumberbatch but that's not the only reason that I choose this as one of my favourites of the year.  After all any audio that makes you laugh so hard that it causes you to shoot drink out of your nose has got to be a winner... Trust me you just have to give these a go.

  Dark Eyes: An 8th Doctor Who Adventure

Sadly we don't have these at Auckland Libraries (hint hint hint to any audio selectors) but don't let that put your off in trying to hunt them down because they are well worth it.  If you had any doubts about Paul McGann as the 8th Doctor Who then listening to all the Big Finish audio dramas will completely change your mind. 

Pines / Blake Crouch

Thrillerly, sci-fiing Pines is one of those books where you just didn't see it coming.  Even better the sequel is now out AND it's being turned into a TV series, though I'm not getting my hopes up as they'll probably ruin the book completely.  As they do...

 Sleepwalkers / Tom Grieves

Another thrillerly, sci-fiing story. I'm sensing a pattern here but that's okay I often find that I tend to go through trends with my story intakes.

Wool / Hugh Howey

An online sensation that resulted in a book deal and a movie deal, Wool is the first in a series and is just my kind of thing.  Science fiction rules (as it should) and 2013 was the year of some great science fiction books.

And there you have it. Six stories that stayed in my head.  Not necessarily the best books of the year but ones that I enjoyed along with a huge range of others.  So why not check the above out as well as these other titles that I enjoyed through 2013.

City of Bones / Cassandra Clare
The Maze Runner / James Dashner
Best Served Cold / Joe Abercrombie
The Fault In Our Stars / John Green

This Month I'm Loving...

The warmer weather and the smell of spring flowers in the air.

Spring is one of my favourite times of the year and what better way to enjoy it than by discovering a wealth of new and wonderful things for me to indulge in.  As usual in my normal obsessive way, I've become addicted to a new TV show and some new music. All of which I have added to my already massive list of things I'm addicted to.

Suits

I *adore* this show. It has become my new obsession over the past few weeks and I have been marathoning it like madly.  It's a bit like White Collar meets Boston Legal with a slightly more cut throat edge to it.

It also has Harvey Specter.  A man with a gravelling voice. He also has moles (and my TW cohorts know what this means) and wears designer suits and has the whole bad boy vibe going for him.  You just knew that I was going to be fan just for him alone. The fact that it's a great show with some great 50's and 60's jazz, blues and soul music just makes it all the better

Oh Land 

A Danish singer/songwriter who lives in the US, Oh Land is a recent and accidental discovery for me, courtesy once again of the YouTube sidebar - which is my bestest friend as far as finding music and a whole lot of other interesting things.

Best describe as a boppy and catchy Bjork, my current two favourites of hers are Sun of a Gun and White Nights

Night visions / Imagine Dragons

Just as YouTube's sidebar is my bestest friend, Amazon's lists of music and artists to watch out for is probably my second best friend in terms of finding great music to listen to.

Just listening to this album it is easy to see why they won Rock Song of the Year at this year's Teen Choice awards. My personal favourite is Working Man which I've been playing constantly.

Secondhand rapture / MS MR

I've been waiting for this album ever since I heard the song Bones on the season 3 trailer for Game of Thrones at the end of last year.

A versatile duo, each song of this album is different and shows just how talented they are.

Along with Bones, an epic, lyrical song that was just so suited for the Game of Thrones trailer, my other favourite is Salty Sweet, a modern jazz/pop song.

The maze runner / James Dashner

 Like many I can hardly wait for the release of this film but until then this and the other books in the series will have to do.

I actually read this, the first book, when it first came out.  Now though I have finally gotten around to getting the other books in the series and am reading it again.

Futuristic dystopia, this is exactly my kind of book.

It's exciting stuff and if f you haven't read it and the rest in the series I highly recommend that you do - at least before the demand for it sky rockets.
 

And for those of us who are waiting for the film's release in Feb here is a picture of the main star Dylan O'Brien, better known as Stiles in Teen Wolf (and yes that's another show that I'm highly addicted to and that you just have to watch).

Freedom of Choice: How The Banning of Books Is Never A Good Thing

I struggled to write this post. I started. I stopped. More times than you can imagine and very nearly deleted the whole damn thing and gave up.  But in the end I didn't.

Being a writer is hard.  Really, really hard.

It's especially hard when you've written something only for others to come out and tear not only what you have written apart but who you are as a person.

And I'm not speaking about a critical review (which is probably hard enough to take if you get a bad one) but about the furore that Into the River has created by winning the NZ Post Children's book of the year award.

The kind of furore where people are asking for the the book and the author to be stripped of the award, to be banned from shops and schools and basically where people seem to want the author's head on a platter.

Ted Dawe is a brave, brave man.

I've never met him or talked to him.  He does, though, have my utmost respect for writing something that was important to him and putting it out there for others to read.

And that's a good thing.

We might wish that the world was one of fluffy bunnies and kittens but the reality is quite different. And we need to know this.

Because only by knowing this can we have respect, acceptance and understanding for ourselves and for others.

Should children and young adults be encouraged to look at the positive aspects of life?  Most definitely yes.

Should they be blocked, banned and prevented from knowing about the hard aspects of life? Most definitely not.

Because without the bad, how do we hope to create a better place, a better world for everyone and everything that lives in it?

Surely that is the greatest thing we can pass onto the next generation.

And Tango makes three / by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell

A true story of 2 penguins who were given an egg to nurture and care for and who raised the chick that hatch to form a family.  Sounds kinda cute so far. Which it should be for a children's picture book.

But what if I said that the 2 penguins were both males.

If like me, this probably didn't even register and you just went awww how wonderful.  Others out there didn't have quite the same reaction.

Since 2006 it has made the ALA top ten list of banned books 6 times. Because apparently 2 male penguins raising a chick promotes same sex lifestyle and that is wrong.

And no I'm not even kidding.

The perks of being a wallflower / Stephen Chbosky

Struggling to find our place in the world is something that we all go through.  Whether as a teenager or as an adult.  We all have issues and we all deal with those issues in a way that is unique to us.

Perks is a realistic look at teenage life to today.  It's honest.  It's painful.  It doesn't hold back.  And all of that makes it something worthwhile for all teens and adults to read.

It's also appeared on the ALA banned book list 5 times in the last decade.  Because it seems being honest about what teens are really going through is something that we should ignore.

Speak / Laurie Halse Anderson.

Sometimes life is hard.  And sometimes it goes beyond the realms of hard and in to the truly horrific.

Speak is one such book.

It is also almost overwhelming sad and beautiful, all at the same time.  It's about finding your voice even in the face of something terrible like rape.

Sadly some people see this as a bad thing and called for the book to banned because it "exposed children to immorality"

Th1rteen r3asons why / by Jay Asher

Some people can handle the knocks that life gives you and others struggle against them until it all gets too much.

Suicide always leaves a wake of unanswered questions for those left behind.  But what if the person left a series of recorded messages, detailing their thoughts and feelings ?

In Th1irteen r3asons Hannah does just this. Revealing how one little lie can snowball out of control and the ramifications of that one lie, not just on the victim but on everyone involved.

Once again though there are some who think that talking about suicide is just encouraging others to follow suit.  Oh yes teenagers are just lemmings without the ability to think for themselves.

The fault in our stars / John Green

Cancer is no laughing matter. I know from personal experience having seen someone I love die from it.

But living with death also gives you an appreciation for life and in The Fault In Our Stars Hazel and Augustus are two teenagers who believe that life is for living even when death is knocking at the door.

They want to experience all that life has to offer and try to do just that.

But talking about life and life experiences including wanting to know what sex feels like is something that others see as something to hide and ban, especially when it concerns young adults, who shouldn't have sexual desire, who shouldn't want to share something intimate with the one they love.

The diary of a young girl / Anne Frank

This is my book.  If I was asked to pick the book that meant the most to me, that was my favourite of all time then this would be it.

Words can not begin to describe how wonderful this book is.  It's about being alive, about what it means to be human, about what it is to live a life where all you know is hate and persecution.

That it has made several banned and/or challenged books lists just wants to make me cry.  Because apparently it's "too depressing".

And no I really am not kidding. Not even in the slightest.

It also has some sexual content. Like about 2 paragraphs. And that is also reason even to ban it. THAT'S what some people got from this book? It's promotes sex and sexual feelings?  Really???

I despair.  I really do.

This book and all of the above books are something that everyone should read, teens and adults alike.  Hopefully like me you'll come away with feeling that life is beautiful and precious and something to celebrate

This month I'm loving...

Online chatting.

Whether it's via twitter or a forum I just have to say it's absolutely *awesome*.

The conversations that people have online are intelligent, interesting and inspirational.  They are also - quite often in fact - really funny.  Where else can you chat about the books with outlandish titles, linear writing vs free-form writing (or chapter hopping as I call it - and which I am entirely notorious for doing in my own writing) and which TV show pairing is awesome or just plain icky and voice your opinion that the she or he of such pairing should be killed, preferably in the most gruesome way possible.

I always come away from these chats with a warm, glowy feel-good feeling that helps to inspire and encourage me throughout the day.  I also often come away with an ever increasing list of music to listen to, things to read and movies/TV shows to watch.  So much so that I've pretty much given up the idea that I will ever get my To-be-read, watched and listen to pile down. 

And that's exactly how I like it.

Pitch Perfect

I found out about this movie entirely from twitter conversations which raved about it. So of course I just had to check it out.

As you do.

It's funny, has awesome female characters and some great singing.  It also has The Cup song.  And if you don't know what this is then you really do need to check it out.  It just might make you want to watch this movie for that scene alone.

Bleak Expectations

I *adore* Anthony Head, better known as Giles from Buffy as well as a realm of British TV shows and the Nescafe coffee ads from the late 80's.

I now adore him even more after listening to this radio comedy in which he plays Mr Gently Benevolent, the sinister villain. 

Bleak Expectations is a silly, hammy and utterly irreverent take on just about every Charles Dickens novel written plus a few others.  My favourite was the War of The Worlds send-up of which I will probably never look at in quite the same way again.

Reviver by Seth Patrick

"Jonah Miller is a Reviver, able to temporarily revive the dead so they can say goodbye to their loved ones--or tell the police who killed them. But while reviving the victim of a brutal murder, he encounters a terrifying presence. Something is on the other side watching..."

A crime novel.  A horror novel. A science fiction novel. Reviver combines them all in this creepy and absorbing read.

172 Hours On The Moon by Johan Harstad

"More than forty years since the first moon landing,  no-one has been back since then - until now. Three teenagers are about to find out why..."

Blood-curling creepy.  The ending will just blow your mind.

Pretty Girl-13 by Liz Coley

"16 year old Angie finds herself in her neighborhood with no recollection of her abduction or the 3 years that have passed since, until alternate personalities start telling her their stories through letters."

Gripping and sad, Pretty Girl-13 is a story of a girl trying to come back after the truly horrific has happened to her.

Backtrack by Jason Dean

"James Bishop is no stranger to being on the wrong side of the law. Finally a free man, with his name cleared, he has the chance to get his life back on track. But as he flees the scene of the hold-up with a terrified hostage, he once again finds himself a wanted man."

This novel starts out one way and then takes a complete 180 and spins everything you thought you know on its head.  Don't you just love stories that do that?

Inappropriate books for young people

Here in libraries, we're used to the stereotypes. We're all dull intellectuals with the sense of humour of a damp lettuce sandwich, and can possibly be incited to murder by the sight of a book shelved out of sequence. Just try it sometime.

Either that or we fall vaguely into one of these categories:

1) Sci fi and fantasy geeks who come to blows over whether Anne McCaffrey's books really count as fantasy when the dragons are genetically engineered.

2) Repressed madams who just want a man to unleash our inner tiger.

3) Beaming freaks who address everyone like a class of kindergarteners, clap our hands a lot and think everything is "woooonderful"!

No one - no one - ever views us as crusaders for social justice, or defenders of your freedom to speak. But we're that too.

There was a piece in the Daily Mail recently that really pissed me off. Ha. I can say things like that because I'm a librarian and we don't censor. Here's the link (with thanks to Syfygirl): http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2256356/The-sick-lit-books-aimed-children-Its-disturbing-phenomenon-Tales-teenage-cancer-self-harm-suicide-.html

You may remember me having a go at Sherryl Jordan for criticising violence in teen fiction, particularly The Hunger Games. Well, would you believe it, this author deplores books like The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (and presumably the likes of New Zealand's own See Ya, Simon) that feature dying teenagers. They're "distasteful", apparently. Kaayyyyy. Furthermore, the argument goes, they are preoccupied with sex and swearing. I would posit that the author knows few teenagers. And if she does, that she doesn't recognise that they too are capable of wanting more than mere escapism.

I'm the first to admit that I don't like books like John Green's. While I admired See Ya, Simon, and would recommend it to anyone, it's not the sort of book I would normally go for, either. Terminal illnesses, teen pregnancy, self-harm, abuse and doomed love - I avoid them all like the plague. But why should I stop others reading about them? The people who say that teens aren't ready for such books are also the ones who then complain that teenagers care about nothing but themselves, live in a fairyland, and want only to be famous (or marry someone who is). Which is it? Do we "protect" our kids from reading about real issues - and these are
real issues - and then curse them for not understanding?

I think teens read what they are ready to read. If a book disturbs them, they won't read any more like it - but they will have learned. Like the child psychologist says at the end of the piece, parents' role is not to ban them, but to be there for them, and support them in their questioning. Or do we stop them asking questions too? I would suggest that a lot of society's worst problems are the ones that happen in silence. It's sad that some teens feel inspired by books about suicide and self-harm - but the double standard Carey talks about between newspapers and books is there for a reason. The books are generally about fictional characters, or, obviously, by survivors warning of the dangers of adolescent life. They're about misery.

Newspaper articles are about real people. Bans on reporting suicides prevent fingers getting pointed at grieving families. Also, think of the public reaction, and the vast outpouring of grief. It is this that can cause copycat behaviour among teens, seeing the love and remorse that are released after someone takes their own life. They think: "They'll be sorry too when I'm dead".

Reading about others' misery is cathartic - especially if you talk it over with adults. Reading about what could be perceived as a triumph is far more dangerous. The important thing to remember is not to let your kids read in a vacuum.

At Auckland Libraries, any borrower can borrow any book, unless there is a strict, official censorship rating. You may not be aware that children are perfectly free to wander the shelves checking out books of borderline art or illustrated bedroom manuals. With the use of self-check machines, we can't even always catch them and ask to check with parents first. If this bothers you, watch your children in the library. Taking your kids with you and showing an interest in what they're reading is also the best way to encourage them to read - it's a win-win. But it's not our job as librarians to lock ideas away.

So don't blame publishers for publishing books that challenge the reader. Don't blame libraries for stocking them, either. We believe in letting kids be kids - and that includes asking uncomfortable questions.

This month I'm Loving...

Moonlight walks which aren't nearly as romantic as they sound.  This is probably due to the fact that they have been undertaken at the ungodly hour of  5.30 am.

I mean really, how can anything be romantic when you're walking in the dark still half asleep. Still the moon light does make everything look pretty and glowy which is always a plus and even more importantly it helps me to see where I am going as I navigate my way around the estuary, so really I can't complain. Moonlight and water, the crisp early morning air and the company of my other half.  It's all rather lovely.

This month I have once again discovered a realm of new things.  Lots of new music, as usual.  This time courtesy of Spotify and Twitter discussions. Both of which I can just get a tad carried away with and easily spend a few hours perusing. (i.e. wasting time).

Along with the music there are also some new authors and a TV show that I have fallen in love with.  Life, as they say, is pretty damn good.

Halcyon / Ellie Goulding.

I just adore Ellie Goulding's music.

From the lyrics to her voice there is so much emotion in her songs and each one seems to speak directly to you. 

This, her second album, is just great.  My favourites are Figure 8 and Only You but I also recommend that you check out her first album Bright lights too.

Sounds like this / Eric Hutchinson

A very new discovery for me - like just last weekend - and one that I picked up, completely randomly, from a certain actor on twitter who raved about him.  And I'm so glad I checked him out as I have just fallen in love with this guy's music.

It's a little bit reggae, a little bit Jack Johnson, a little bit soul and utterly feel good.

Picking a fav song is hard as I love just about every one but Ok It's Alright With Me is one that stands out.

Nobody / Jennifer Lynn Barnes.

"15 year-old Claire Ryan has always felt invisible, which causes trouble when she instantly connects with 17 year-old Nix, who really can become invisible and has been sent to assassinate her."

There are so many great teen books out there and this is one that I just couldn't put down.

Don't you just love books like that.

Guardians of stone / Anita Clenney.

"As a relic hunter every mission Kendall Morgan accepts carries certain hazards, but her boss's latest is proving to be the most dangerous yet."

Now I'm not generally into paranormal romances but this one was actually quite good.  Perhaps because the romance aspect was quite minimal so that it mostly came across a bit like Relic Hunter/Indiana Jones adventure.

I certainly enjoyed it enough to want to read the sequel... when it comes out.

 Crewel : a novel / Gennifer Albin

"For generations, Spinsters have worked the looms and determine where people live, who they marry, and even when they die. Gifted with the rare ability to weave time with matter, Adelice is exactly what the Guild is looking for, but Adelice is about to unravel the deadliest one of all, a sinister truth that could destroy reality as she knows."

I loved this book.  Interesting sci-fi/fantasy books are always great to read and teen books seem to do this so well.  This one reminded me a little of Tamora Pierce's series Protector of the Small and also a little bit of Graceling and even The Giver.

Saturday night widows : the adventures of six friends remaking their lives / Becky Aikman.

"Struggling to forge ahead after becoming a widow at 43 and forced out of grief counseling because she wasn't sad enough, Becky Aikman starts her own widow's support group."

It might sound like a depressing read but this book is a heart-breaking, funny, realistic book that gives an honest look at what it is to be a widow, especially at a young age.

Having been there myself I could relate to this so much.  It's a wonderful tale of recovery, of hope and of moving on - and even maybe finding love again.

Throne of glass / Sarah J. Maas.

"Celaena, a daredevil assassin, is offered a chance of freedom from the salt mines where she has been imprisoned.  The only thing is she has to face the deadliest thieves, assassins and murderers in the land..."

I love kick ass heroines and yes Caleaena does sometimes come across as an arrogant, vain, brat and yes the story does have some flaws (another romantic triangle?  Really?  Can we just move on from those, please.) But this is still a great read.  Caleaena is a tough, pulls no punches kind of chick and the story pulls in you.
 
Miranda 

I *adore* Miranda but if I'm being completely honest, I have to confess that I've only recently become a convert to this wonderfully funny show.

I know!  Surprising - isn't it.

But I really thought that it wasn't my thing, despite never watching an episode.

It's my mum who got me into it.  And I'm so glad she did.

I love Miranda.  In fact we could be twins, since we are both klutzy, get nervous trying new things, are hopeless at relationships and love bopping around to music...except of course I'm not 6 foot 1.

The Deeply Paranoid, Zombie-Killing, Anti-Establishment Breakfast Club (no deathbots!)

Death comes to us all, eventually. The latest trend in youth fiction is to stare it in the face - then jab it in the eye. Mean girls and jocks usually come armed with more than a sharp tongue and a wet towel - and failing a test can be lethal.

Time for a new list of fiction for teens that takes the reader to dark places, and out the other side. Fans of The Hunger Games, rejoice!

Black Helicopters - Blythe Woolston

The recent kidnapping and hostage drama involving a small boy in Alabama shows just how dangerous anti-Government extremists can be. What if you were brought up by one? Meet Valkyrie White. She's fifteen. Her whole life, she's hidden in an underground den with her brother Bo while Da is working, because Those People will kill them like coyotes. But now, with Da unexpectedly gone and no home to return to, Valkyrie and her big brother must bring their message to the outside world. They're stupid out there - little boys wear their names on their backpacks and people don't pat down strangers before offering a lift. Valkyrie and Bo are going to wake them all up...Or will they be the ones to wake up? Explosions are promised.

City of a Thousand Dolls - Miriam Forster
Nisha was abandoned at the gates of the City of a Thousand Dolls when she was just a child. Now sixteen, she lives on the grounds of the isolated estate, where orphan girls train as musicians, healers, courtesans, and, if the rumors are true, assassins. Nisha makes her way as Matron’s assistant, her closest companions the mysterious cats that trail her shadow. Only when she begins a forbidden flirtation with the city’s handsome young courier does she let herself imagine a life outside the walls. Until one by one, girls around her start to die. Before she becomes the next victim, Nisha decides to uncover the secrets that surround the girls’ deaths. And may end up paying with her own life.

The Infects - Sean Beaudoin

Seventeen-year-old Nero is stuck in the wilderness with a bunch of other juvenile delinquents on an "Inward Trek." As if that weren't bad enough, his counsellors have turned into flesh-eating maniacs overnight and are now chowing down on his fellow miscreants. These kids have seen zombie movies. They know the rules. Unfortunately, knowing the rules isn't going to be enough.

Freakling - Lana Krumwiede
In twelve-year-old Taemon's city, everyone has a power called psi -- the ability to move and manipulate objects with their minds. When Taemon loses his psi in a traumatic accident, he must hide his lack of power by any means possible. But a humiliating incident at a sports tournament exposes his disability, and Taemon is exiled to the "dud farm". It's not what Taemon expected, though: people are kind and open, and they actually seem to enjoy using their hands to work and play and even comfort their children. But gradually he discovers that there are mysteries, too -- dangerous secrets that would give unchecked power to psi wielders if discovered. When Taemon unwittingly leaks one of these secrets, will he have the courage to repair the damage?

The Farm - Emily McKay

For Lily and her twin sister Mel there is only the Farm...It's a prison, a blood bank, a death camp - where fear and paranoia rule. But it's also home, of sorts. Because beyond the electric fence awaits a fate much, much worse. But Lily has a plan. She and Mel are going to escape - into the ravaged land outside, a place of freedom and chaos and horrors. Except Lily hasn't reckoned on two things: first, her sister's ability to control the horrors; and, secondly, on those out there who desperately want to find and control Mel. Mel's growing power might save the world, or utterly end it. But only Lily can protect Mel from what is to come...

Shards and Ashes
Powerful original dystopian tales from nine bestselling authors offer bleak insight, prophetic visions, and precious glimmers of light among the shards and ashes of a ruined world. Stories from: Kelley Armstrong, Rachel Caine, Kami Garcia, Nancy Holder, Melissa Marr, Beth Revis, Veronica Roth, Carrie Ryan and Margaret Stohl.

The Disappeared - C. J. Harper

In a future where children are segregated into institutions that range from comfortable “Learning Communities” to prison-like “Local Academies”, seventeen-year-old Jackson is an academic high flyer, living in a top Learning Community and destined for a position in the Leadership. But when he and his best friend Wilson are sent to deliver a package to a factory block, they are attacked, leaving Wilson dead. And now Jackson's teachers claim not to know him. Sent to an Academy set up to train factory workers, Jackson finds himself immersed in a world that couldn’t be further removed than the life he’s used to; where the students have created their own hierarchy based on fighting ability. He starts to realise that his whole life has been based on half-truths. In order to survive, he needs to expose the lies that surround the Academy and find out the truth about who he really is.

When We Wake - Karen Healey
Dystopian fiction by a Kiwi author. Sixteen year old Tegan was loving life: she was joining her friends to protest the wrongs of the world, she was playing guitar, and she thought she might be falling in love. She didn't plan on the best day of her life being her last. When Tegan wakes, a hundred years in the future, locked in a government facility, she has no idea what happened. The first person to be cryonically frozen and sucessfully revived, she is an instant celebrity - but all she wants is to rebuild some semblance of a normal life in this strange new future. When appalling secrets come to light, Tegan must make a choice: should she keep her head down and survive, or fight for a better future?

Revolution 19 - Gregg Rosenblum

Twenty years ago, the robots designed to fight our wars turned their weapons on us. Nick has spent his whole life in a community in the wilderness, hiding out from the robots that have enslaved mankind. But when the bots discover the community's location, he, his tech-geek younger brother, Kevin, and adopted sister, Cass, barely make it out alive--only to discover that their home has been destroyed and everyone they love is missing. All survivors were captured and taken to one of the robots' Cities. Determined to find out if their parents are among the survivors, Nick, Kevin, and Cass venture into the heart of the City. As they live among the bots for the first time, they realize they're fighting for more than just their family. The robots have ruled for too long, and now it's time for a revolution.
If you like this one, I recommend the Tripods trilogy by John Christopher - a classic.

Embracing your inner teenager

A few years ago the genre barely existed; now it's a major money-spinner for publishers and movie studios alike.

Hands up how many of you have read a young adult novel in the past year. Some of you will be teenagers, (like, duh), but many of you will be well past the age of adolescence, if not the angst part. And you are a major reason why teen fiction is doing so well. Thanks to Harry Potter, adults need no longer feel ashamed to pick up a book for "children". While they should actually be ashamed of picking up a book about sparkly vampires and vapid heroines, those days are long gone. In fact, publishers are now packaging books with separate covers for adults and teens.

This, my friends, is the age of the crossover. Now that the stigma of reading teen fiction is gone, so is the writing of it. Every big-name adult author is writing for teens now - Philippa Gregory, Elizabeth George, Harlan Coben, Gena Showalter, John Grisham, James Patterson, Jodi Picoult. They're all at it. Once Lee Child figures out how make his sentences any shorter, no doubt he'll get round to it too.

If you're like me, you probably want to forget your adolescence entirely, but the teenagers in the best of today's books are dealing with a lot more than what to wear to the prom, and the stories are generally easier to get into than the stuff written for adults. They're perfect escapism with bite. Ignoring The Hunger Games, which I've already written about at length, there are futuristic books in which evil regimes are overthrown, by heroes with complex problems. There are fantasy quests (think the Eragon series). There's historical fiction with intrigue. There are even stories based on real events, about refugees and concentration camp survivors.

And lots of paranormal stuff, of course.

So here it is: a list of crossover YA and adult books that will appeal to all audiences. Give one a try!