Young Writers Society

Seconding Life of Pi.

Title: The Little Prince
Author: Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Genre and keywords: "Speculative fiction," according to Wikipedia (if that means anything to you), children's literature, fairy tale, spiritual.

What's it about?
A pilot crashes in the desert. Alone and short on water, he is understandably surprised when an earnest voice says, "Please. Draw me a sheep." The voice belongs to the Little Prince, a boy from a planet the size of a house. Through the course of the novella, the pilot learns the prince's story--and a lot about his own life.

Why you should read it: It's simple yet complex--an easy read, not very long, humorous and beautiful, yet it really makes you think.
This book would suit you if: You want something short and on the fantastical side. You are in touch with your inner child or wish you were in touch with your inner child. You want to read something that understands children and adults both.

Plus there are pictures. (If you remember my last avatar, it was the Baobabs.)

Seconding Ender's Game and The Little Prince.

Seconding The Little Prince (which I'm going to try again to read in the original French) and The Raven Boys.


Title: Code Name Verity
Author: Elizabeth Wein
Genre: Historical
What's it about? Oh dear, how to describe without spoilers? It's the story of two young women in World War Two. When one is captured in France by the Gestapo, she gives in and writes out a confession, where she tells of her friendship with Maddie, and all the events which culminated in their friendship and her arrival in France.
Why you should read it: It's one of the most beautiful and heartbreaking novels I've ever read. It conveys the wonders of friendship and the atrocities of war in an absolutely stunning way, and the characters are so beautifully crafted that you just fall for them. The relationship between the two main characters is just perfect, and it isn't cheapened by a romance. It's about friendship, and it managed to make me laugh and cry.
This book would suit you if: You have any interest in WW2, if you want a book with strong, memorable female characters or if you want a book that will draw you in emotionally.
Title: Life in Outer Space
Author:Melissa Keil
Genre: YA
What's it about? (I'm just going to be lazy and copy the blurb: Sam Kinnison is a geek, and he’s totally fine with that. He has his horror movies, his nerdy friends, World of Warcraft – and until Princess Leia turns up in his bedroom, he doesn’t have to worry about girls.

Then Sam meets Camilla. She’s beautiful, friendly and completely irrelevant to his life. Sam is determined to ignore her, except that Camilla has a life of her own – and she’s decided that he’s going to be part of it.

Sam believes that everything he needs to know he can learn from the movies ... but now it looks like he’s been watching the wrong ones.
Why you should read it: It's a fairly light read that's perfect for holidays, with lovable characters, nerdy references and brilliant humour, but it's also very sweet and swoon-worthy.
This book would suit you if: I don't know... you're a bit of a nerd, if you're looking for a book to make you happy, if you like a little romance.
(Just a note, I'm not sure about the availability of this book outside Aus. I know it's being released in the US but I'm not sure when. Still, there's always the internet).

Title: Everlost
Author: Neal Shusterman
Genre: Fantasy
What's it about? A boy and a girl whom are involved in a car crash find that they lost their way to the light, and ended up in the forest beside the road. They discover things are very different in the afterlife and have to survive, with the help of a boy who has long known the afterlife.
Why you should read it: It's a great adventure, and fun to read.
This book would suit you if: If you enjoy adventures, you are curious about the afterlife, or you like fantasy [No princesses though].

Title: Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie
Author: Jordan Sonnenblick
Genre: Realistic Fiction
What's it about? It's about a boy who has a little brother with cancer. He goes through a lot as his brother receives treatment, which makes things a bit different than he is used to.
Why you should read it: It's interesting to read, and with the mixture of funny and sad it's a great book.
This book would suit you if: you like realistic fiction, you like to read stories about fighting cancer, you are a high school-er

Title: Freak the Mighty
Author: Rodman Philbrick
Genre: Realistic Fiction
What's it about? Two boys, one with robotic body parts and the other being huge. They help each other with challenges in each other's lives.
Why you should read it: It's a great story about friends who help each other and take care of each other.
This book would suit you if: you like realistic fiction, you are a middle school-er, or you like uncommon friendships

Title: George Washington, Spymaster: How the Americans Outspied the British and Won the Revolutionary War
Author: Thomas B. Allen
Genre: Biography
What's it about? The title's long enough to tell you what it's about, probably. It goes through how the Americans spied and worked together to win.
Why you should read it: It's a history lesson with the lack of boring. It's more of an adventure through a person's viewpoint.
This book would suit you if: you like history, you like adventure, you like spies, or you like mystery/suspense

Title: Left for Dead: A Young Man's Search for Justic for the USS Indianapolis
Author: Peter Nelson
Genre: Non-fiction
What's it about? For the first chapter, it's more about the boy finding people from the boat to interview and learn from. After that, it goes into what happened and what it was like to be on that boat.
Why you should read it: It really happened, and you could learn something new. It's surprising what the guys on that boat went through.
This book would suit you if: you like boats, you like war books, you like history

Title: The Nine Pound Hammer
Author: John Claude Bemis
Genre: Fantasy
What's it about? It's about a travelling healing/circus group, which hides a secret. The main characters at the beginning are orphaned siblings.
Why you should read it: It's a fun story to read, and adventurous.
This book would suit you if: you like mystery, you like fantasy [No princesses], you like reading books

Those and any book on the 2011-12, 2012-13 or 2013-14 BOB list.

Maybe I'm a little bit slow but I am seconding Ender's Game and also Jellicoe Road!

I'm definitely down to read Hitchhiker and Ender's Game. I've been meaning to read both and keep forgetting to. Maybe this will force me to read them this summer. x)

Seconding TFioS!

Title: The Thieves of Heaven
Author: Richard Doetsch
Genre: Modern
What's it about?



Why you should read it: It is SO good. I'm not even kidding. This book is amazing. It isn't overly religious; it just has to do with the Vatican and why these two keys are so important.
This book would suit you if: you're okay with books that center around religion. I myself am not very religious but I assure you, this is so good and is worth a read.


Title: The Host
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Science Fiction/Romance/YA
What's it about? The book is about Earth being invaded by a parasitic alien race, known as "Souls", and follows one Soul's predicament when the consciousness of her human host refuses to co-operate with the takeover of her body.
Why you should read it: Please don't let your opinion on Twilight sway you. This book is ten times better than Twilight was. It's amazing; it's got a great backstory and lots of creativity and originality. Meyer took this idea of aliens and turned it into something amazing. Plus, it's way better than Twilight.
This book would suit you if: you're willing to look past your personal hatred for Twilight and give Meyer's book another try. >_>


Title: The Green Mile
Author: Stephen King <3
Genre: Uhhh... Realistic with a twinge of fantasy? I'm not sure, exactly. >_>
What's it about? It tells the story of death row supervisor Paul Edgecombe's encounter with John Coffey, an unusual inmate who displays inexplicable healing and empathetic abilities.
Why you should read it: It will make you cry ;^;
This book would suit you if: you enjoy books set in the 1980s that center around a black man charged with the rape and murder of two little white girls, a man with a urinal infection, a mouse that can do tricks, a jerk named Percy Wetmore, an electric chair and the green mile. Oh, and if you're a big Stephen King fan <3

*falls onto knees and begs people to give If I Stay a try. <_<

Is it possible to veto something?

If so, I'd very much like to veto 'The Host'.



No, just no.

I'm actually not going to allow vetoing (otherwise Pork's post would have cancelled out a lot of books!) If you don't like a book of course you don't have to read it, but I'm not going to stop it being on the list. For instance, I would veto Ender's Game, but there's clearly a lot of people who like it and would like it to be on the list, so I'm going to put it on the list!

Shall I say list again? List.

Also, on an entirely unrelated note, I'm actually going to second The Host. I flipping adored that book. I read it. Twice. In one weekend. Before a major set of exams. It was a great weekend.

Sorry I've been so behind on updating said list, I've got a big exam this morning (hence why I'm on YWS) so I just haven't had time to do all the formatting, but I will get an updated version up tonight!

Seconding The Princess Bride a million times over!!! ( !!!! )

Here is an updated version! *breathes and collapses*

@TriSARAHtops - I've actually only ever read Le Petit Prince in French (ooh Stella look at you aren't you so sophisticated) so I've put up both the French and English versions! To other people considering this - it's actually a super easy read en francais as well! (Plus you can pretend to be really sophisticated. Like me.)

Confirmed Books



And below is a summary of books of suggested books!

Oh, I forgot one book!
It was originally written in Italian, and then translated to English. I haven't read the original (I don't speak Italian, even though it's a beautiful language), but the translated version is quite good.

Title: The Last Dragon
Author: Silvana De Mari
Genre: Fantasy
What's it about? The last elf, Yorsh, struggles to survive in a flooding world. Yorsh befriends two humans who gladly travel with him, until they find the dragon. At which point, in an attempt to stop the unending rain, Yorsh stays with the dragon as his companions travel on.
Several years later the dragon reveals several secrets to Yorsh. He is then whisked away into fulfilling an age-old prophecy.
Why you should read it: A heartwarming tale of friendship and love. With a wonderful balance of action, adventure, love, and humor. It is well written and a wonderfully enjoyable read. (And for those of us who like audio books, I found that the audio book was read very nicely)
This book would suit you if: It is a children's book. So naturally anyone from the ages 8-12 would love it. But it was done in such a way that older teenagers and adults can easily fall in love with this story too. If you're the type who occasionally (or frequently) enjoys going back to read childhood favorites, you'd probably take a great liking to this book.

You put Slaughterhouse Five on both things.

Title: Wuthering Heights
Author: Emily Bronte
Genre: Classical/Victorian

Summary: A lovemstpry that follows two generations. One that will be sure to krepn ypou turning through the pages.

Animal Farm
George Orwell
Historical

Twists around communism and the Russian revolution.Shortish but good.

Night
Elie Wiesel
Biography

Follows the authors stor. He is a Jewish man.,


(Sorry for misspellings)

I think this thread got broken... or maybe only for me?

Oh, never mind it's working...