Guest Post from Jenna Does Books: Crossover Book Recommendations for Brittany & Other YA Readers

Hi, friends! I just got MARRIED and am now on my honeymoon in Aruba!!! I won’t be able to attend to my blog this week since Shane and I are having fun in the sun and relaxing, but not to worry — I’ve left my blog in good hands. All this week, I have a series of guest post-ers (and they all have some pretty great posts!

Today’s guest post is from Jenna at Jenna Does Books. She came up with some wonderful book recommendations (and you know I love some good book recs!)

Crossover Book Recommendations for Brittany and Other YA Readers

By Jenna DeTrapani from Jenna Does Books

cover-pb-ready-player-oneFor the inner-geek…
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline – It’s the year 2044, and the real world is an ugly place. Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes his grim surroundings by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia that lets you be anything you want to be, a place where you can live and play and fall in love on any of ten thousand planets. And like most of humanity, Wade dreams of being the one to discover the ultimate lottery ticket that lies concealed within this virtual world. For somewhere inside this giant networked playground, OASIS creator James Halliday has hidden a series of fiendish puzzles that will yield massive fortune—and remarkable power—to whoever can unlock them. For years, millions have struggled fruitlessly to attain this prize, knowing only that Halliday’s riddles are based in the pop culture he loved—that of the late twentieth century. And for years, millions have found in this quest another means of escape, retreating into happy, obsessive study of Halliday’s icons. Like many of his contemporaries, Wade is as comfortable debating the finer points of John Hughes’s oeuvre, playing Pac-Man, or reciting Devo lyrics as he is scrounging power to run his OASIS rig. And then Wade stumbles upon the first puzzle. Suddenly the whole world is watching, and thousands of competitors join the hunt—among them certain powerful players who are willing to commit very real murder to beat Wade to this prize. Now the only way for Wade to survive and preserve everything he knows is towin. But to do so, he may have to leave behind his oh-so-perfect virtual existence and face up to life—and love—in the real world he’s always been so desperate to escape. A world at stake. A quest for the ultimate prize. Are you ready?

Why the Recommendation?
Outstanding – Outstanding – OUTSTANDING. A geek’s or 80’s pop culture fanatic’s dream. Now if only they would make progress on the film. If you read this, make sure you “read” it via the audio book courtesy of Wil Wheaton. It’s extra awesome/hilarious because Wil is briefly mentioned in a book for which he narrates. And there are NUMEROUS parallels between himself and the main character. Such a wonderful homage to geek-dom.


cover-girl-all-the-giftsOr your inner-freak…
The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey – Not every gift is a blessing… Every morning, Melanie waits in her cell to be collected for class. When they come for her, Sergeant Parks keeps his gun pointing at her while two of his people strap her into the wheelchair. She thinks they don’t like her. She jokes that she won’t bite, but they don’t laugh. The Girl with All the Gifts is a groundbreaking thriller, emotionally charged and gripping from beginning to end.

Why the Recommendation?
Oh my goodness, The Girl with All the Gifts is disturbingly awesome. It terrified me, but I’m alright with that! I have a feeling that if this book is ever made into a movie, I’ll be too much of a wimp to go see it. Sad truth. But reading the book was one amazing experience! Read it. Now. Prepare to be… honestly, I have no idea what. But you’ll understand once you’ve read it yourself.


cover-confessions-shopaholicFor the fashionably chic…
Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella – Becky Bloomwood has what most twenty-five-year-olds only dream of: a flat in London’s trendiest neighborhood, a troupe of glamorous socialite friends, and a closet brimming with the season’s must-haves. The only trouble is, she can’t actually afford it — not any of it. Her job writing at Successful Saving magazine not only bores her to tears, it doesn’t pay much at all. Still, how can she resist that perfect pair of shoes? Or the divine silk blouse in the window of that ultra-trendy boutique? But lately Becky’s been chased by dismal letters from Visa and the Endwich Bank — letters with large red sums she can’t bear to read — and they’re getting ever harder to ignore. She tries cutting back; she even tries making more money. But none of her efforts succeeds. Her only consolation is to buy herself something … just a little something… Finally, a story arises that Becky actually cares about, and her front-page article catalyzes a chain of events that will transform her life — and the lives of those around her — forever.

Why the Recommendation?
The Shopaholic series is one of the few adult contemporary series that I’ve read. Admittedly, the quality of the story has declined with each new release, but my love for this first, ingenious, flirty-girl comedy installment will likely lead me to frequently reread the book for many years to come. (Also, what obsessive book nerd cannot connect to the main character’s dilemma in one way or another?)


cover-the-princess-brideOr if “twoo wuv” is what you seek…
The Princess Bride by William Goldman – What happens when the most beautiful girl in the world marries the handsomest prince of all time and he turns out to be…well…a lot less than the man of her dreams? As a boy, William Goldman claims, he loved to hear his father read the S. Morgenstern classic, The Princess Bride. But as a grown-up he discovered that the boring parts were left out of good old Dad’s recitation, and only the “good parts” reached his ears. Now Goldman does Dad one better. He’s reconstructed the “Good Parts Version” to delight wise kids and wide-eyed grownups everywhere. What’s it about? Fencing. Fighting. True Love. Strong Hate. Harsh Revenge. A Few Giants. Lots of Bad Men. Lots of Good Men. Five or Six Beautiful Women. Beasties Monstrous and Gentle. Some Swell Escapes and Captures. Death, Lies, Truth, Miracles, and a Little Sex. In short, it’s about everything.

cover-as-you-wishWhy the Recommendation?
Who can possibly resist this tale that has become a timeless classic for book and movie buffs all over the world? A whole lot of everything plus the kitchen sink, The Princess Bride is proof that any genre can be for anyone, young and old. Goodness, I love it. Additionally, check out As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes – best experienced as an audio book!


cover-the-beesOh, if only these animals could speak…
The Bees by Laline PaullThe Handmaid’s Tale meets The Hunger Games in this brilliantly imagined debut set in an ancient culture where only the queen may breed and deformity means death. Flora 717 is a sanitation worker, a member of the lowest caste in her orchard hive where work and sacrifice are the highest virtues and worship of the beloved Queen the only religion. But Flora is not like other bees. With circumstances threatening the hive’s survival, her curiosity is regarded as a dangerous flaw but her courage and strength are an asset. She is allowed to feed the newborns in the royal nursery and then to become a forager, flying alone and free to collect pollen. She also finds her way into the Queen’s inner sanctum, where she discovers mysteries about the hive that are both profound and ominous. But when Flora breaks the most sacred law of all—daring to challenge the Queen’s fertility—enemies abound, from the fearsome fertility police who enforce the strict social hierarchy to the high priestesses jealously wedded to power. Her deepest instincts to serve and sacrifice are now overshadowed by an even deeper desire, a fierce maternal love that will bring her into conflict with her conscience, her heart, her society—and lead her to unthinkable deeds. Thrilling, suspenseful and spectacularly imaginative, The Bees gives us a dazzling young heroine and will change forever the way you look at the world outside your window

Why the Recommendation?
Undoubtedly the most unusual book I have read in at least a decade (or more). The story does for bees and religion, “group think” and society roles what Animal Farm did for barnyard animals and government. It has transformed this reader. I have a deeper curiosity and respect for an animal that I once looked at with nothing more than revulsion and fear. I’m not saying I’ll be going out and making friends with my neighborhood bees anytime soon, but at least now I can understand their position.


Thank you so much for guest posting on my blog today, Jenna! I LOVE the book recs! READY PLAYER ONE and THE PRINCESS BRIDE are two I hold near and dear to my heart and I really can’t wait to get to AS YOU WISH! 😀

Don’t forget to stop by Jenna’s blog after seeing all of her recs today! She runs the fabulous blog, Jenna Does Books so be sure to stop by and show her some love there too!

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You can also see my own selections for some crossover recs (for both adults who want to try YA and YA readers who want to try adult fiction) on my Book Addict’s GUIDE to Crossover Books!

 

Hi, I'm Brittany!
Hi, I'm Brittany!

I'm an avid reader, candle-maker, and audiobook lover! Here you'll find book reviews, fun blog posts, and my other loves of photography & craft beer!

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6 thoughts on “Guest Post from Jenna Does Books: Crossover Book Recommendations for Brittany & Other YA Readers

  1. Stormy

    Ready Player One is really one of those few perfect crossover books. I agree that the audiobook is definitely awesome! I really need to read The Princess Bride–I’ve wanted to for years.

    Reply

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