Kindred Reads {10}

Kindred Reads is my weekly feature where I recommend similar books. These books contain similar elements, whether it's content, writing style, or other themes found in the novels. They are always books which I have read, and clicking on the title of the book will take you to my review of that book (if I have reviewed it) or the Goodreads page (for those not yet reviewed). They aren't always books that I've loved, but always include reasons why I'm recommending them for specific similarities.

This is something that I personally wish I saw more of; after reading a book I enjoy, I often want to read similar books but they can be hard to discover!

This week, I'm recommending books filled with magic in a Victorian setting - these are some of the best paranormal stories out there, just because it's such a fabulous setting! There's so much mystery and intrigue, and the men are always gentlemen... well, most of the time!

If you like...

The Gemma Doyle Trilogy by Libba Bray

Then you might want to read...

Darker Still (Magic Most Foul #1) by Leanna Renee Hieber

After first discovering Darker Still on Goodreads, I was SO excited by its cover and description! It just sounded wonderful, and while reading this novel I found myself completely enchanted by it! Nothing says dark magic like a young Victorian heroine getting into all sorts of mischief to save a dashing gentleman from some dastardly fate!

You can read my review here, if you want to hear more!









Dark Mirror (Dark Mirror #1) by M.J. Putney

Dark Mirror is somewhat special to me, because it was the book that kind of set my book blogging in motion... :)
This was the first book I ever won in a Goodreads giveaway- and one of the first I ever reviewed seriously. This is M.J.'s transition from adult romance to YA - and it's an impressive one as well. In a society where magic is highly frowned upon and outlawed, the world is just dark with hidden secrets and mysteries. Plus, it was rather unexpected as things turned out in a twist that I wasn't quite expecting.

You can read my review here - but remember, this was one of my FIRST reviews!





Let me know your thoughts - did I miss any other books? Have you read any of these, and did you enjoy them? Do you love these Victorian paranormals as much as I do? I'm really hoping for some more in the future!

Crossover Authors

A couple of months ago I was contacted by HarperCollins Canada about doing a special post for the release of Sara Shepard's new book: Everything We Ever Wanted, and since I was such a fan of her and the Pretty Little Liar books I am ecstatic to be a part of it!

While my actual review of Everything We Ever Wanted will be posted on the actual release date of the book, in anticipation of it I'm doing a special post to highlight some extremely talented authors that have done an excellent job of genre blending and crossing over to different types of books.

Because while Sara Shepard is best known for her success with Pretty Little Liars, Everything We Ever Wanted is definitely adult fiction. And there are so many other authors that do the same thing, and it's incredible to realize just how talented they are for doing so, because it isn't easy.

Sara ShepardShepard's Pretty Little Liars series has done so well that she's written nearly a dozen books in it (number 12 is to be released in 2014), and it now has its own spin off show. On the rise of this success, it seems appropriate that she'd try something a little bit different from what she's been doing for a few years now- and I will give a small tidbit of my review about Everything We Ever Wanted, which is that it struck me as containing some of the elements which made Pretty Little Liars popular and enjoyable, but she carries it over in such a way that those readers who've grown up since reading PLL will enjoy her new book for the similar ideas, although they're expressed in a very different way.

So without further ado, my lovely list of 5 other authors (besides Sara Shepard) who can bring out both the child AND adult in you:

1. Lauren OliverAs well known as she is for her Young Adult novels Before I Fall and Delirium, Oliver is also the author of a new middle grade book titled Liesl & Po (which really is as good as her previous books, just written for a different audience)
2. Suzanne Collins Because yes, while she's best known for her outstanding Hunger Games series, Collins also wrote the Underland series which is a Middle Grade story about an 11 year old boy.
3. Marianne de Pierresde Pierres is an Australian author who has previously written adult fiction novels, until the first of her Night Creatures trilogy was released in early 2011 (so far, it hasn't been released in North America yet) as her YA debut- and it is personally one of my new favourites! You can tell she has her roots in adult fiction though, since parts of it do come across as darker than the typical North American YA releases.
4. M.J. Putney (a.k.a. Mary Jo Putney) While Putney is extremely well-known for her romance novels, she took the pen name M.J. for her YA debut, Dark Mirror, in order to help keep the two separate.
5. Richelle MeadOne of the most well known contemporary writers, Mead is currently the author of four rather involved series; two of which are adult fiction, and two of which are written primarily for a young adult audience. All of which have done extremely well, proving that you don't need to stasy within one narrow genre to be a successful writer.

Now, these are just some authors that have crossed over into writing different genres. And they've done an excellent job of proving there's no need to limit yourself as an author- let those creative juices flow! Branch out, try new things! I'm sure this is something we'll be seeing more of in the future, since there does appear to be a lot of overlap in readers from adult to young adult to middle grade books.

How do you, as a reader, feel about authors who crossover or blend genres? Do you think it can be done well? Is it something you appreciate in an author?

And for any of you who are writers- have you written books which could target various age groups? Did you find it difficult?

Any other authors you can think of who've tried this? Did they succeed, in your opinion?

Waiting on Wednesday ~ 7/20

(see this lovely picture? It was made by Lindsay at The Violet Hour. So thanks to her for sharing it!)
 Breaking the Spine hosts weekly "Waiting on Wednesday" for books that haven't been released yet but we are anxious for!

Shut Out by Kody Keplinger

 

Release Date: September 5, 2011

 

Goodreads Synopsis:

Most high school sports teams have rivalries with other schools. At Hamilton High, it's a civil war: the football team versus the soccer team. And for her part, Lissa is sick of it. Her quarterback boyfriend, Randy, is always ditching her to go pick a fight with the soccer team or to prank their locker room. And on three separate occasions Randy's car has been egged while he and Lissa were inside, making out. She is done competing with a bunch of sweaty boys for her own boyfriend's attention.

Lissa decides to end the rivalry once and for all: she and the other players' girlfriends go on a hookup strike. The boys won't get any action from them until the football and soccer teams make peace. What they don't count on is a new sort of rivalry: an impossible girls-against-boys showdown that hinges on who will cave to their libidos first. And Lissa never sees her own sexual tension with the leader of the boys, Cash Sterling, coming.

Inspired by Aristophanes' play Lysistrata, critically acclaimed author of The Duff (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) Kody Keplinger adds her own trademark humor in this fresh take on modern teenage romance, rivalry and sexuality.

I really adore Greek plays/myths/stories, etc. and if I could have continued to study it in university (had there been more courses) I would have loved to! So any book based on Greek stories is a must-read for me.

Dark Passage (Dark Mirror #2) by M.J. Putney

Release Date: September 13, 2011

Goodreads Synopsis:

The Irregulars return home to 1803 England safely, but their worldview has changed.  Not only have their heroic efforts at Dunkirk given them pride and confidence but their dangerous mission has increased their magical powers. 
Tory delights in the ever deepening bond she shares with Allarde until she discovers how powerfully he is connected to his ancient family estate—the lands he will not inherit unless he denies his magical powers and chooses a nonmagical mate. If Tory really loves him, she must walk away—but does she have the strength to leave the love of her life?
Cynthia’s heroic efforts at Dunkirk have won her the respect of the Irregulars, but her sharp tongue keeps everyone at a distance. Isolated and very alone at Lackland Abbey over the Christmas holidays, she reluctantly agrees to join Jack Rainford and his family for their celebration even though they’re commoners, far below her own noble rank. The warm welcome of the Rainfords makes her feel happier and more accepted than she has ever been. But she can’t possibly be falling in love with flirtatious Jack! Can she?
Then the Irregulars are drawn into a dangerous attempt to rescue a vitally important French scientist from Nazi-occupied France. Tory and Allarde must work together because countless lives are at stake. Disaster strikes and not only is their mission threatened, but their very lives. Can magic and their loyalty to each other help them survive to return home?

I won Dark Mirror in a Goodreads giveaway and really enjoyed it. The story was pretty easy to get in to, and I'm excited for this sequel (coming out soon)! You can read my review of Dark Mirror on this blog post. Also, I think this cover is gorgeous! Much better from the first.

So what are you waiting on today?