The Best of the In-Betweens

I read a lot. I'm not trying to blow it out of proportion, but I'm one of those "might leave my american express at home but won't leave the house to go to the grocery store without a book" types. I try to vary my reading so I don't get bored, or boring. Sometimes it's kid books that I first read in elementary school. I can knock most of those out in an hour or two. Sometimes it's classics- Gone With The Wind usually takes a week. I read popular fiction, and memoirs. Biographies, scientific theories, magazines, and sports books.

Lately (probably as a result of being friends with someone who spent too long as a middle school English teacher in Dunnellon), I've been in a "young adult" phase. I'm not fond of the label that the bookstores use. I feel like "young adult" tries to assign the unassignable- some books are in-betweens. They aren't truly children's books. They aren't written for adults. They're written for the people who are (or remember) being somewhere in the middle: the awkwardness and confusion and utter frustration of being a teenager.

These are some of my favorites, and I encourage anyone looking for fun reads to consider them:

1. The "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" books by Rick Riordan. The fourth book (something with "Labyrinth" in the title) releases late this spring. Start at book one now so you're ready. I LOVE these.

2. Avalon High by Meg Cabot. I've read a lot by her, and find her very entertaining (also recommended: the Queen of Babble books by her). Avalon High is fun in the same way the Percy Jackson books are- they incorporate myth and legend into modern day in a very pleasant way.

3. The Alchemyst by Michael Scott. Very fun read. The first in an anticipated six book series. Again with the myth/legend/modern day. I sense a theme...

4. The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer (Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse; Breaking Dawn to be released in August). This series defies an easy label because the easy label is what kept me from reading the books sooner. Yes, they technically are a vampire romance story in several parts. (eep! i know!) But they are amazing and not scary (clearly, since I read them). <3 them!


I'm just enjoying fun books right now and thought I would share.



PS- Breanna, if you're reading this- I'll make you a deal. For every one of these books that you finish I'll take you to get a milkshake or cheesy fries at Steak n Shake. If you start a book and find a word (or words) you don't understand, you can call me every time you don't know a word and I'll tell you what it means. Good deal, huh? :)