A Rare State of Being
Originally posted at Uncreated Conscience.
I currently have a bit of a dilemma.
Nothing major, of course. But my dilemma is that I have $50 to spend on books and I don’t know what I want to read.
Here’s my problem: in the past year, I have accepted that I am almost exclusively a reader of young adult books. I am more than comfortable with this. I like reading YA. For the most part, I find them much more entertaining and just as rewarding as “serious” adult literary fiction. So when Bear’s parents gave me a gift certificate to the bookstore for my birthday, I was more than ready to spend it.
Until I realised two things. 1) I have read all the books to which I had been looking forward and 2) all the books I want to read won’t be published until later this year or 2010.
I am also somewhat particular about what tropes I like in my YA fiction. I was never much for vampires (or really other paranormal creatures) and right now, I have reached saturation point on what I can handle. So no vampires, and especially no love stories between a vampire and a mortal human, thanks. In fact, I am so fatigued by romances between a paranormal creature and a human that I am considering ritual suicide. Exceptions will of course be made for exceptional books/series, but…no.
So it seems as though a lot of YA fantasy is out. The other problem is, I’m not a fan of “straight” or contemporary YA either. I mean, I am. I love everything by John Green and am working my way through Maureen Johnson’s backlist. Back in the day, I read a lot of Meg Cabot’s PRINCESS DIARIES. But I am not in the mood for either at the moment.
I am still gung-ho about YA fantasy, of course. Just…no vampires/werewolves/fairies/what-have-you. Fantasy along the lines of Jenny Davidson’s THE EXPLOSIONIST is pretty cool. (Speaking of which, is the sequel published yet?) Superheroes are still good. Zombies are fine. Demons are okay. (In all honesty, shapeshifters and fairies are still fine, but they veer dangerously near my saturation point.)
I am asking people to help me out here. Recommend me stuff!
What I Am Looking To Read
- Historical fiction. For that matter, historical nonfiction is just as good. I happen to love anything that involves war, by the way, particularly World War I. The American Civil War is fascinating too.
- Steampunk. But less on the punk, more on the steam. Or rather, less on the Victoriana, more on the alternate scifi-ish awesome.
- Urban fantasy that somehow doesn’t involve vampires. As love interests.
- Alternate universe. I’m sure you all know HIS DARK MATERIALS is my favourite book series in the history of Ever.
- Fiction that somehow deals with religion. I don’t necessarily mean Christian fiction; just something that addresses religion in an interesting way. I mean all religions, of course. Fiction that somehow wrestles with the questions of faith and belief. Like John Green’s stuff. Or…even Jacqueline Carey.
…help?
P.S. Two more questions:
1) What does one wear to a morning wedding?
2) What does one charge for digital artwork commissioned by my perpetually broke skydiving instructors?