Wild Things: YA Grown-Up discussion

I hope it's not just me, but the Harry Potter series reinvigorated my love for reading. I really had not been reading much outside of school until I got into that series.

I was just wondering where people went after Harry Potter. What books were HP-mania-like, or have the same suction power?



On recommendations, I got into the Charlie Bone series, Twilight, and the Percy Jackson series. Charlie Bone and Percy Jackson have similarities plot and device-wise, and Twilight has the -mania quality. I'm currently reading Tunnels, which was touted (by the publisher I think) as being the next Harry Potter, but so far I think it's just hype.

Same with me! I didn't read outside of school until I read Harry Potter. After that I read Twilight and enjoyed it, not as much as Harry of course. Since then, I've been reading non stop! I greatly enjoyed the Graveyard Book. You should definitely read that one. Along vampire series, I also liked the House of Night series and Vampire Academy. Since joining GR, I've been trying to read more and have gotten many great recommendations. Hopefully a couple years down the road I will be able to recommend books as well, but I've only been reading steadily since the beginning of this year and don't feel as qualified as some of the other readers... :)

This one I thought was terrific, but it's not YA. Kind of like Austen/Dickens/Harry Potter all combined (sorta), and definitely magical.

And saying it's not YA, but not inappropriate for older teens either. There's nothing racy in it, but it's a higher reading level, that's all....so definitely fine for high-schoolers.

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell

Thanks Laura, I will look into that one! :D

Just a few series enjoyed by some of my library students who also liked Harry Potter:

* Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer
* Inkheart, Inkspell, & Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke
* Septimus Heap series by Angie Sage
* Fablehaven series by Brandon Mull
* Chronicles of Ancient Darkness by Michelle Paver
* Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr by Christopher Paolini
* The Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
* Ranger's Apprentice series by John Flanagan
* Young Wizards series by Diane Duane
* Dave Barry's Peter and the Starcatcher books
* Leven Thumps books Obert Skye
* The Edge Chronicles by Paul Stewart
* Here, There Be Dragons series by James A. Owen

There is also a nice list at Listopia on this topic:
http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/55...

I didn't particularly care for JS&MN. It was pretty slow, and while there was magic, to me it felt like the story was building and building, and then forgot where it put the directions, so just evened off the edges and went home. LOL

Not to say it was BAD, because it wasn't, but I just expected a bit more from it. :)

I would recommend the Artemis Fowl series, and the Bartimaeus trilogy (even though I haven't read it yet). Artemis is wonderful and magical and fun and funny!

I tried the Bartimaeus trilogy and couldn't get past the first 100 pages. :S I might try it again some day, but for now I think I will read the others on Luann's list. I've started the Inheritance (Eragon) series and most of the others are already on my TBR shelf.

I really liked Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell - but I read Harry Potter in my 30s. I also have a fondness for 19th-century literature, which I think JS&MN purposely imitates stylistically. Also, footnotes do not scare me!

Susanna, I also love 19th century lit, and I don't usually mind footnotes either, but these just seemed like they could have been better worked into the story rather than interrupting it, if you know what I mean.

I did love the writing in JS&MN, Clark did a great job imitating that style, but the story just didn't really do anything for me, as it didn't seem to go anywhere...

Well it did go somewhere, but it took a looooong time to do it. I enjoyed that it took a long time, cuz I loved her tongue-in-cheek style.

I disagree Laura, but of course that's just my opinion.

I did like the writing style, but I just didn't feel that the bad guy was bad enough, or that the resolution was good enough. I read it in January, and I can't really remember the ending of the story, which is strange for me. I usually have pretty good recall for books!

*shrug* I'm not trying to bash the book, but I can't say that I loved it. There were things that I liked about it, but the plot and story progression unfortunately aren't among those things. =\

Actually, I shouldn't say that I disagree. It DID go somewhere, you're right, I just didn't think there was much point of going where it went. LOL

I really, really struggled with JS&MN, but finally got permission from Fiona (LOL) to just put it aside. I couldn't make myself read more than a page or two at a time, and so wasn't reading anything else either. I had bought it for the TNBBC group read, so I may try again later, but...maybe not.

For something lighter post-Harry Potter, how about His Majesty's Dragon? The Napoleonic Wars, with Dragons.

I'm reading the Percy Jackson series now and want to start "Uglies" sometime soon.

I have read the first two of Uglies and really liked them. I am looking forward to Specials and Extras.

Kandice wrote: "I have read the first two of Uglies and really liked them. I am looking forward to Specials and Extras.

Good to hear Kandice. I've seen a lot of the girls reading them and thought I'd give them a shot.

Susanna wrote: "For something lighter post-Harry Potter, how about His Majesty's Dragon? The Napoleonic Wars, with Dragons."

It is a clean series so I vote for it as Post Harry Potter :) .