last week, i published a post about YA deal breakers, which instantly launched a litany of hell nos and DONNEVENS regarding yr least favorite qualities in teen fiction. it turns out that y’all are 176 sizzling pieces of SNARK, which obvs is why i love you. and also cos you’ve all promised to buy me a drink at some point. wait, you haven’t? I THOUGHT WE HAD AN UNDERSTANDING.
anyhoo, there we were, bitching and ranting in perfect unity, until katiecoops posed a provocative question: what are our YA deal MAKERS? what’s the one thing that will make us pick up a YA book, no matter what?
[insert mp3 of crickets chirping. or, if you live in TX, go outside cos they are mothereffing EVERYWHERE]
um… HUH. i mean, sure, i have TONS of YA books that i love the shizz out of, but for some reason, it’s a lot easier to identify what i hate than what i love. i believe that reason is called being human.
and even though FYA is all about the sass, we’re also here to celebrate young adult literature, so today i sat down and engaged in some Super Serious Meditation in order to come up with my personal deal makers. check ‘em out and see if you agree (and don’t worry– this post may be positive, but the snark abides).
1. Mysterious Loner Dude
y’all it’s a bonus factor FOR A REASON. extra points for the following:
- he’s straight outta juvie.
- he’s misunderstood but not whiny about it.
- he rocks the surprise muscles (aka he’s not body builder, but when he takes his shirt off, HELLO!).
- he’s a little bit scary but would never, ever hit a girl.
- he doesn’t take himself too seriously.
- he can, in fact, read.
ok i feel like i just wrote a personals ad. um. MOVING ON.
2. Kickass Heroine
just like its deal breaker counterpart, this one’s obvious but needs to be said. if a book features a strong, smart female lead who isn’t afraid to take charge of her life, who puts chicks before dicks, who believes in herself and who LITERALLY can kick the shizz out of someone (mentally or physically or BONUS: BOTH!), then I’M IN! also, please don’t hurt me.
3. Anything Written by Meg Cabot, Sarah Dessen, John Green, E. Lockhart, Melina Marchetta or Sara Zarr
i could make them each their own deal maker, but that feels like cheating. which makes sense, because with these genius authors, ALL I DO IS WIN!
4. The (Extra)ordinary
i have no idea who those people are, but i’m pretty sure none of them have magical powers, and i’m also fairly certain that they’re not vampires, although the girl in the hat is looking at me kinda funny. these teenagers are just regular human beings, which is EXACTLY WHAT I WANT TO READ ABOUT. because when i meet a character who, oh, hey, surprise, turns out to be a mothercussing mermaid, i have absolutely zero connection with that (ok, well, besides ariel). but when i read about a teenager experiencing the pressure of trying to fit in, the pain of unrequited love, the trauma of spilling ketchup on yr pants, I’M ENTHRALLED. sure, there’s some great fantasy and sci fi out there, but my favorite YA adventures happen in the tiled hallways and smelly cafeterias of reality.
5. Any Plot That Somehow Combines Spies, Prank Wars, Boarding School, Quiz Bowl, Rich Crazy Old Ladies, Drama Club, NYC, Charming Boys in Tailored Suits, Fine Dining, Cross Country Train Rides, Secret Societies and a Mini-pig Named Mr. Pickles.
does this book exist? no. should it exist? YES.
6. Tiny Cooper
i pray to the gods of literature that john green and david levithan write a will grayson spin-off series starring the one, the only, the extremely dazzling and incredibly huge TINY COOPER. if this happens, i will be holding that book closer than a tiny dancer and faster than you can say SATAN’S FIRE COCK.
ok, i think i’ve done enough rhapsodizing for the day. now it’s y’all’s turn to share yr own personal deal makers! also, i reserve the right to add anything after i’ve had some champers because those sweet, sweet bubbles have a tendency to make me fall in love with EVERYTHING.
Related posts:
{ 1 trackback }
{ 103 comments… read them below or add one }
← Previous Comments
I love this post.
#1 instantly made me think of Cabel in the Wake series by Lisa McMann. :Swoon:
FYA bloggers,
First, I have known you all (y’all) less than a week, but yet, I am in love. Yes, swoonworthy = 10. I feel like I know you. I feel like I want you to be, like, my besties. Ever. In fact, I feel like I know you well enough to make a suggestion. Please, please PLS start blogging about Glee. GLEE!
It has all of the YA elements that we love. (Again, with the L word, I know. Well, the other L word, anyhow). It is set in a high school with ridiculously beautiful people. It has angst. It has “love”. It has sex. It has the deal makers. It has…other stuff. IT IS A MUSICAL (not that is necessarily YA related, but still). They covered BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY for god’s sake.
Thank you. Wasn’t kidding about wanting to be, like, your BFF 4ever.
LYLAS,
Britt
britt, next year, we’re giving you an entire PAGE to sign in our yearbook cos you’re the sweetest!
the glee suggestion is a good one! i’ll convo with the other FYA ladies and see what we can do.
ok, britt, re: glee, you should think about creating a forum in the caf! at this point, none of us have time to review it but that shouldn’t stop you from convo-ing it up with other fans!
noted. shall do. likely when the next season starts. sadly, i watched the first season in like well, last week. it was an awesome week, though.
also, you should create a yearbook page. that was a genius idea.
OOPS. Just realized that BFF 4ever is a bit redundant. but the sentiment remains the same. or…doubled!!!
My FYA dealmakers correspond with my FYA dealbreakers: because Posh Deluxe says so!
and posh deluxe says: I LOVE YOU!
Oh Wow. Where to begin? I think I missed that other post when I was on holiday, but no matter – I shall seek it out later.
Erm, ditto to all of yours, EXCEPT for where magic is concerned. Though this is coming from the girl who first read the Pellinor series like year ago and *genuinely believed it was real*. I kid you not. I thought it was part of the Earth’s history, even though it’s like the kickass-female verson of Lord of the Rings. Which I hate a bit, btw.
But, anyway, I adore ficticious-fiction, because it’s more of an escape, and more exciting to me. But it doesn’t always haveto be magic. In fact, I’d like to ay that the only thing that could make me definitly pick up a book without question is this:
dystiopian-ya-romance-with-themes-of-rebellion-and-perhaps-a-civil-war.
But mainly the dystopian romance bit.
Anything Dystopian is a deal-maker for me. Yes, Kickass Heroines are the best, and Mysterious Loner Dudes Who Are Smart and Love Books rule too. Oh, and anything with ultra-smart/brainy/geeky/shy kids is a must-read.
My dealmakers are:
1. Awesome female characters
2. Female friendship
3. Diversity
4. E. Lockhart
Deal makers for young adult fiction? Beautiful covers with a glossy yet tasteful pictures of objects like tiaras, coffee cups, or cute footwear. I also love pictures where the bodies of gloved debutantes are spilling cocktails or holding crossed fingers behind their backs. Secrets! Suspicion! Dirty deeds! Mwhaha!
Awesome funny sarcastic heroine that solves crimes, plays drums in a band, runs a funky cool store or restaurant and is some sort of artist. Has amazing best friend who is equally fleshed out storiwise. Lots of snarky banter that makes me spew my drinks laughing as I read.
Sexy in a quirky way guy who is smart and has his own interests and friends. May or may not be romantic lead. I do want a few weak in the knees heart pounding moments.
I love when characters make pop culture lists about movies, bands, books, etc and I feel like I could have helped them compile that list. Howl with laughter.
At least one good shopping spree should occur. Someplace I could never afford so that I can live vicariously. Either that or it could be a funky thrift store but the item has to be amazing. Like this one book I read where the heroine finds a skirt with an applique of Captain Kirk on it. OMG! She did not! Shut up! I want that skirt so bad.
There’s way more but of course that’s all the time I have.
It’s really sad, but I really love historical fiction.
Especially when they include
-The Holocaust
-The Black Plague
…I’m not generally an unhappy or sadistic person, honest!
I’d really like to see more YA with female leads who aren’t super perfect. I’d just really like to read about the adorable and smart chubby girl scoring a boiler room date with her own Catalano.
In fact, can any of you fine ladies recommend anything like this? I can only think of a handful.
PS Oh and the “She’s All That” problem…ponytail and glasses aren’t fooling anyone, but man I love a good makeover scene.
i think number one is just describing jess from gilmore girls except the muscles, i dont think we ever get that privilige
← Previous Comments