YASH Follow-up

Thanks to all of you who stopped by on the YA Scavenger Hunt, and to all of you who just stopped by to read PJ Hoover's exclusive content!

Congratulations to the GOLD team winner, Rena Malik, who won twenty signed books from each member of the team.  And congratulations, as well, to Barbara Gordon, the winner of my giveaway!

I asked for comments as an entry to my giveaway, answering the question: What is your favorite coming-of-age novel and why?  I received over one hundred responses, and I was delighted by how enthusiastic everyone was about their favorite books!  I have definitely added some of them to my own TBR list, and I hope that you might stop by and check out some of the answers, too.

Unsurprisingly, the book that had the greatest number of recommendations was The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green.  What did surprise me was that it was tied with Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell.  Not because Rowell's book isn't as good, but because I would have guessed one of her other books!  I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson was the next leading contemporary novel.

By far the majority of the other books were futuristic and/or fantasy, with Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi leading the pack, followed closely by Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas, The Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare, Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead, and, of course, The Hunger Games, Twilight, and Harry Potter.

A few of you especially loved historical novels, including the Bloody Jack series by L.A. Meyer, The Agency by Y.S. Lee and All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (which was also one of the only books written for adults that made the list.)

But probably the most surprising answer was "No fav.  I don't really read them."  This made me wonder why this person was on the Scavenger Hunt in the first place!  But perhaps he or she mistook my question.

Thanks again for coming by and recommending books to me.  I'm looking forward to reading them!

Friday Five -- Facts about Me and Books

1.  The first book I ever read alone was THE CAT IN THE HAT.  I was six.  Until then, I was determined never to learn to read because it made my older sister boring.  But the day I read that book, I cancelled a playdate so I could read it again.

2.  My favorite book in junior high was STAR WARS.

3.  My favorite book in high school was A FAREWELL TO ARMS.  I thought Hemingway was a god.

4.  I spent five years in and after college reading nothing but travelogues and South American literature.

5.  The most amazing books I’ve read in the past three years are THE EVOLUTION OF CALPURNIA TATE by Jacqueline Kelly, WOLF HALL by Hilary Mantel and BETWEEN SHADES OF GRAY by Ruta Sepetys.