Hi everyone! It’s
great to be here today! My name is
Megan, AKA The Book Addicted Girl, and I’ve been blogging since December 2010. I’m addicted to YA fiction – especially
anything related to the paranormal! – but I read anything and everything really! I’m always up for talking about books, but in
my spare time I love to watch crime drama, mess about making fanpics and spend
time with my family and friends.
Why do you READ and WRITE about teen/YA books?
Well, I guess I read YA because I am a teenager. When I
started blogging, I was only fourteen, so obviously I was already reading YA
books without even really realising it (saying that, though, my first post was
a review of A Christmas Carol)! But even if I wasn’t a teen, I’d still be
reading YA books. Why? Because they all just have this magical feel
to them – something about YA books is just so much more interesting and addictive
than adult books. I think it’s because
they’re faster paced, often funnier, and with characters I can really relate
to.
And, of course, I write about YA because I read, love and
obsess over YA. I just love sharing my
views with all my poor, unsuspecting followers who just weren’t expecting the
rambling, excited and insanely long review of a book I loved to pieces!
What are the most ORIGINAL YA books that you
have read?
Ooh, good question…
Um, paranormal wise it just has
to be Vampire Academy by Richelle
Mead: her spin on the vampire genre is just absolutely awesome! I want to go to St Vlads and train to be a
Guardian. Or maybe I just want to be a
Moroi…
As for fantasy I have to say the most original is Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo. Why?
‘Cause it rocks! Seriously,
though, there is nothing normal or mundane about the Grisha series: there are
guns, cannons, magic, old-timey Russia, The Darkling and a whole new genre:
Tsarpunk!
Throne of Glass by
Sarah J. Maas is also very, very
original. I mean, c’mon. Assassins. That’s awesome. But female assassins in a world where magic
once ruled? Awesomely original.
Shadows by Paula Weston is brilliant too. It is original for many reasons, but I’ll
list the top three. One: Its angel lore
is absolutely awesome. Two: It’s NA – my
first paranormal NA too! Three: The lead
girl has lost almost everything but she doesn’t sit around and mope – gotta
love that! And I know it’s cheating
because it’s NA not YA but I just had to mention it!
Um… I can’t think of
any more off the top of my head… But we
all know that I’ll click ‘send’ on the email to you guys I’ll think of a
million others!
What is a TURN OFF in YA fiction?
Whiny characters or stupid ones that always need saving – be
they male or female. And my old and most
notorious foe: Instalove. Drives me
insane. I get instalust or
instaattraction, but insta-I-love-you-and-will-die-with-you-love just doesn’t
exist. And even if I’m reading about
angels and demons, I still like my reality…
That makes no sense, does it?
Moving swiftly on…
What makes for a great YA book?
Strong characters, witty writing, a unique plot and real
emotions. Throw in a kickbutt girl, a
funny and hot guy and one heck of a world and you’ve got yourself a best seller!
Which YA characters would you most like to take
OUT TO DINNER and why?
Ooh… First on my guest list would be Daemon Black from the
Lux series by Jennifer Armentrout.
Why? Because he’s H-O-T hot and
also really funny – though the night may end with him being punched: he can be
a bit obnoxious sometimes too...! Magnus
Bane would be invited because he’s funny too and because I love him to pieces. Rose Hathaway would have to come, because
she’s one of my favourite YA leading gals – ditto for Celaena Sardothien. Also, I just really want to get the two of
them in the same room – they have a few similar traits and I think the initial
meeting would result either in friendship or insant-nemesis, both of which
would be really really interesting
and funny! Adrian Ivashkov and Jace
Wayland would come because they’re hot and funny… Valkyrie Cain and Skulduggery Pleasant
because that would just liven the table up…
And Augustus Waters because he’s Augustus Waters. Duh.
Who is your ideal YA HERO/HEROINE and why?
My ideal heroines are probably Rose Hathaway and Celaena
Sardothien – they are strong, feisty, kickbutt and snarky – the embodiment of Girl Power. Billi SanGreal is brilliant too because she’s
so… different from the normal
heroine: she’s strong and brave but also alone and kind of weary too. And, of course, totally kickbutt as well. Saying that, I also love Tessa from Before I
Die because while she doesn’t go around killing off demons or just killing
people off, she’s strong – so, so strong.
I could never be as brave as her: facing cancer, finding love, accepting
the inevitable…
What is your dream YA ROMANTIC PAIRING and why?
Daemon Black and Katy Swartz. Why?
I’m in love with Daemon. Wait a
sec – maybe I shouldn’t root for them
because then he can be mine…
Ok, I change my mind: Malec.
AKA Magnus and Alec from The Mortal Instrument series. They are soo perfect for each other! And so
cute. I heart Malec!!
What makes you uncomfortable or question the
BOUNDARIES OF YA fiction?
Good question… I hate domestic violence – it makes me so
angry and I want to kill the offending person.
I don’t really like wanting to
kill people, even if they are evil sons of banshees. But I don’t think it makes me uncomfortable
because I question YA boundaries. I just
don’t like domestic violence full stop and I think it should be written about. And
sometimes… sometimes I think we need
to feel uncomfortable because it shows us how horrible some people are and how
badly others have it. The real issues –
the horrible facts of life – are meant to be uncomfortable, meant to be hard to read, and I think
it’s important that young adults read about them.
Ok, other things that do make me uncomfortable… Swearing.
Hate it. But I know lots of
‘normal’ teenagers swear a lot so I accept it – if rather reluctantly. Same goes for sex and drugs and alcohol and
whatnot. Real teen issues.
But non-teen things, like undying declarations of devotion
and instalove? No thanks. Just not gonna happen ever in the real world and lots of teens might get a bit of a shock
later in life!
What would you LIKE to see happening in YA over
the next five years?
I’d like less instalove, more ethnic minority action books
where ‘being part of *enter ethnic group here* isn’t the main focus but instead
all the kickbutt action is (like the amazing Ash Mistry series by Sarwat
Chadda)’, total equality between girls and boys, boys reading ‘girl’ books like
girls read ‘boy’ books, disappearance of gender expectations of what you can
read, more original paranormals, less love triangles, more books about less
mainstream paranormal beings… Wow, that
is a lot of want. I should probably stop there. You know what they say: if wishes were
fishes, am I right?
What do you think will ACTUALLY be the next big
thing in YA fiction?
I
have no idea. It’s pretty hard to judge
these things. And I’ve never been that good at predicting the future. (Or have I…?)
I think that ‘boy books’ and ‘girl books’ will prevail, we’ll get more
love triangles, instalove, lots of books about the same paranormal beings and
lots of cookiecutter paranormals.
Ooh,
maybe there will be more superhero books though! I love
superhero books. Fingers crossed!
Give us your top FIVE TEEN/YA books please,
Megan
Nooo,
this is EVIL! I hate picking faves… I have to?
Okay… Give me a moment… Alright, got them!
1)
Before I Die by Jenny Downham
2)
Lux by Jennifer L. Armentrout
3)
Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
4)
Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Septys
5)
The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare
And finally, Megan, if you read ONE book
this year, read THIS...
Oooh,
good one…
The
Fifth Wave by Rick Yancey! Why? Because it’s fast-paced, exciting and perfect
for boys, girls, teens and adults alike!
Megan, thanks so much for submitting to the
EDGE INTERROGATION!
If you’d like to read more of Megan’s
reviews, you can find her here: The Book Addicted Girl
And you can follow her on twitter @BookAddictedGirl
Thanks for the great answers, Megan! Great book recommendations - I loved Between Shades of Gray too, and Before I Die, and my teen son couldn't put 5th Wave down!
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I like your Shadowhunter marks, Megan! Magnus Bane is one of my fave characters too, but what did you make of him in the film version...?
ReplyDeleteBrilliant interview Megan and glad to see that you remain as ADDICTED as ever. We at the Edge find your enthusiasm both addictive and inspirational!! Keep on doing what you do.. we love it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great interview answers, Megan. I particularly liked your answer to 'what you'd like to see happening in YA over the next 5 years.' I really agree about ethnic minority characters and disappearance of gender expectations of what you can read.
ReplyDelete