It's another Top Ten Tuesday courtesy of The Broke & The Bookish! Last week was my first time to participate, and I had so much fun that I decided to do it again. (See last week's here.) This week's topic is Top Ten Books I'd Give To Readers Who Have Never Read __________. I decided to fill in the blank with Christian YA Fiction.
Young Adult (YA) fiction is all the rage with The Hunger Games, Divergent, Twilight, and The Fault in Our Stars all topping bestseller lists and spawning successful movies. But what about Christian YA? I work at a Christian school, and while I've often seen students (mainly girls) grasping the aforementioned books in the hallway, very rarely do I see a student with a Christian YA novel. I have nothing against the novels I mentioned (save Twilight. I hate Twilight.), but I wish the girls at my school would give some Christian YA a chance. Here are the books that I'd recommend:
Fans of The Hunger Games will love this trilogy, which takes place decades following a nuclear war in what used to be the United States. The plot twists and turns its way through one adventure after another, and Thalli is a heroine readers will cheer for. I also love the focus on the Designer, who Thalli first learns of while she's waiting to die. Sometimes, the faith element in Christian novels can seem forced, but here it perfectly weaves into the plot. I can't recommend these books highly enough! (See my reviews: Anomaly, Luminary, and Revolutionary.)
When I read Angel Eyes, I called it a cross between Twilight and Frank Peretti's This Present Darkness. This series expertly combines teen romance and the supernatural to create a thoroughly captivating Young Adult series. I've recommended this series to numerous girls at my school who are Twilight fans. (See my reviews: Angel Eyes, Broken Wings, Dark Halo.)
The only novel on this list that doesn't involve sci-fi, the supernatural, or anything else "weird," There You'll Find Me is a love story firmly grounded in reality. While the book is about finding yourself, finding love, and finding God, it also deals with bullying and eating disorders. It's a fantastic book for girls who are looking for a serious, romantic read. Plus, there's that cover. Isn't it spectacular? (See my review. Also check out Jones' Save the Date—it's not YA, but it's so, so good!)
I suppose this is somewhat of a cheat, as I haven't exactly finished reading Waterfall yet. I actually started reading it last week, and then I had to put it down to read some books that I need to review soon. But so far, I'm loving this time travel novel, and I know Bergren's books are always excellent, so I guess I can recommend it without having finished it :-)
So far, all of these have been books geared more toward girls. (Not that boys couldn't or wouldn't read them, but they seem more female oriented.) Teen boys—and some girls—will love these books by Andrew Klavan. Both feature male protagonists, and they are thrill rides from beginning to end. I loved them! (See my reviews: Crazy Dangerous, Nightmare City.)
Now it's your turn! Do you have any books to add to my list? What 10 books would you recommend to readers haven't tried _____? Tell me in the comments, or publish your own list and link up here.
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