Thursday, August 19, 2010

Thoughts on Paranormal YA and Paranormalcy Anticipation

You won't hear me gush about Twilight or the like. It's not that I don't like vampires, just haven't found a YA vamp book/series that I really love. (I do admit that I'm reading the Sookie Stackhouse books -- total guilty pleasure and do watch True Blood, but they are definitely adult books) However I have found several werewolf, witch, and faerie books that I will gush over. So maybe paranormal is growing on me, maybe. What I like about the paranormal books I do enjoy is that they feature strong, smart, independent characters (especially female characters). The girls may fall in love with other-worldly creatures, but they are not helpless -- or they are the other-worldly creatures themselves. What really irks me about a lot of paranormal YA is that the girls are completely helpless without their other-worldly love interests. (Note: I also see a similar problem in YA romance as a whole) I'm sure you've all read this argument before, but I felt the need to share my thoughts on the subject since I'm planning on reading several paranormal books in the upcoming months. One being Paranormalcy by Kiersten White, which launches the end of this month.

After reading about Paranormalcy I became super excited about it. I absolutely love the whole premise of a strong female character "bagging and tagging paranormals," no ridiculous weak female love story here (does little happy dance).  
Sixteen-year-old Evie's job is bagging and tagging paranormals. Possessing the strange ability to see through their glamours, she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency. But when someone--or something--starts taking out the vamps, werewolves, and other odd beasties she's worked hard to help become productive members of society, she's got to figure it out before they all disappear and the world becomes utterly normal. From Goodreads.com
And to add to my anticipation HarperTeen has posted the first NINE CHAPTERS on their website! Check it out here. I will definitely be reading it this afternoon and the likely dying with anticipation and excitement until the 31st when the book will be released.

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