Awesome Reads!

Okay, so I've had a lot of time to read recently. Naturally, I'm drawn to a mixture of YA contemporary, science fiction, and fantasy.

Some of my favorites include:

GRAVE MERCY by Robin LaFevers (fantasy): I loved this book so much I posted about it on my own blog during one of my Bookanista Thursdays. Go check out my review.

MAGISTERIUM by former Leaguer Jeff Hirsch (science fiction/fantasy): I seriously don't know why it took me so long to open this book. It was SUCH a fantastic world! I also blogged about this book for Bookanista Thursday.

THE SELECTION by Kiera Cass (dystopian): Again, another one that took me a while to crack, even though I'd purchased it during release week. This book has the feel of WITHER by Lauren DeStefano and MATCHED by Ally Condie. If you haven't read it yet, you should.

THE PLEDGE by Kimberly Derting (dystopian): I know, I know. I'm late to the party again! I really liked the mix of magic and dystopian tropes in this tale. The best part of reading books a little bit late is that the second one is already out!

THE CROWN OF EMBERS by Rae Carson (fantasy): I adored THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS, and THE CROWN OF EMBERS delivered again -- something rare and hard to do with a second book. This series has become the pinnacle of fantasy for me. Read it. Love it.

What fantasy and science fiction reads have you devoured recently?

How I Was Influenced by UGLIES

Hey there! So you've seen our new design. Followed all our new people. Added some books to your lists. Joined our newsletter, and you're ready for an amazing year full of science fiction, dystopian, and speculative discussions! Right? You are ready, right?

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And now onto our regularly scheduled topic week: Influences!

When I first started writing, I wrote an urban fantasy. That's the kind of whack stuff I used to like to read. I started devouring more than just Harry Potter, and I came across Scott Westerfeld's UGLIES series in about 2008.

It was new for me. Something different I'd never read before. As I was reading it, I thought to myself, "I want to write a book like that." But I had no idea what that was. So I turned to my good pal, the Internet. After some searching and researching and more reading, I realized that there was this whole genre out there called dystopia. The future as we don't know it. Warped. Different. Weird.

I liked it.

I wanted to write in it. Not only that, but I wanted there to be cool gadgets and technological advancements, and anything else that sounded cool and could explode or transform someone into something they're not.

Yeah, those kinds of stories.

So I did. I wrote my first dystopic novel, POSSESSION. Since then, I've dabbled in dystopian fantasy, and more hard science fiction, like time travel. I love making and exploring new worlds outside the realm of existence.

I've moved on to reading more of this kind of fiction too. THE GIVER, INSIGNIA, MONUMENT 14, LIFE AS WE KNEW IT, ACROSS THE UNIVERSE, WARM BODIES. They're all completely different, yet awesomely the same.

They create a world beyond what I already know. I can't seem to get enough of this kind of story for some reason. It all started with UGLIES.

Have you ever read a book that expanded your horizons? What was it?