On March 31, 2015 Y.A. authors Claudia Gray and Moriah McStay will be at Lemuria Bookstore. Signing at 5 p.m., Reading at 5:30 p.m.

Y.A. is a publishing term that stands for Young Adult, and is a genre marketed to high school students. This genre of “children’s literature” borders between adolescence and adulthood, and often features themes that explore that transition in a young person’s life. Young Adult authors have written books that are fun to read, and some of the best Y.A. books are sharp and well-written, so that there is a far-reaching crowd beyond the age of 17 that enjoys reading Y.A. (looking at you, John Green).

I am delighted to bring the sharpest and wittiest pair of Y.A. authors from the South to Jackson.

Attend an exciting panel at Lemuria Books this Tuesday, featuring Claudia Gray and Moriah McStay. I interviewed Claudia back in November when “A Thousand Pieces of You” hit the shelves, but now she will be visiting Jackson and Lemuria, along with Memphis author Moriah McStay with her debut Y.A. novel, “Everything That Makes You.” I can’t sing their praises enough, and will divide and conquer each book.

“A Thousand Pieces of You”

by Claudia Gray

“Orphan Black” meets “Cloud Atlas” in the first book of this epic dimension-bending trilogy about a girl who must chase her father’s killer through multiple dimensions. A little Dr. Who, a little “Wrinkle in Time” that takes place not only in different dimensions, but in different cities around the world. Gray began her writing career with the Evernight series: four YA novels set in an eerie gothic boarding school. The Evernight books received critical acclaim from national media, earned Gray the title of New York Times bestseller, and jumpstarted her career. She is also the author of the popular and highly praised Spellcaster series, the Firebird Trilogy, and the upcoming Star Wars novel, “Lost Stars.”

Though she has worked as a lawyer, journalist, disc jockey, and extremely poor waitress, she currently writes full time. She resides in New Orleans.

Fun facts: Claudia’s favorite childhood book was “A Little Princess” by Frances Hodgson Burnett, and if she could be any fictional character, she would be Hermione.

“Everything That Makes You”

by Moriah McStay

What if your life had two trajectories that were almost the same, but with slight nuances. What if you never had that scar on your face? These are the questions “Everything That Makes You” asks. The reader follows the same girl in two stories. Moving between them feels like a game, or a great song—exciting, unpredictable, and so compelling. Because luck may determine our paths, but maybe it’s who we are that determines our luck. You will not be able to put this book down—all the more reason to come listen to McStay read this Tuesday!

Moriah says: “I love Mr. Darcy, guacamole, Hob Nobs, indie music, consignment stores, Harry Potter, and love stories.”

While these books may be for the young “adults” of the world, they are also for the young at heart! Visit Lemuria on Tuesday at 5 p.m. to hear Gray and McStay read from their books and explain their writing process.

What do you get when you cross dystopia with cyborgs, space, and the Brothers Grimm? The Lunar Chronicles! Is it sci-fi? Fantasy? Fairy tales? The wonderful thing about the YA genre is that ALL of these things can be merged…and they can make sense. I’m a little late coming to this fan club, but let’s just say that once I picked up Cinder (Book 1), I flew through the whole series in one weekend, and I couldn’t read Scarlet (Book 2) and Cress (Book 3) fast enough. Also, let’s talk about princesses rescuing princes, because that definitely happens!

The books are well-written (a huge toss-up with YA) and really have a clever twist on the Grimm fairy tales. Each book in the series focuses on a heroine from the Grimm tales (Cinder=Cinderella, Scarlet=Little Red Riding Hood, and Cress=Rapunzel). Have I given too much away already? The reason these books are so smart is that if you know the TRUE Grimm fairy tales, there are some details from the original, German editions that Meyer does not overlook, and she uses these details to her own advantage to drive the plot of her story. While each book stands alone, each heroine’s story is intertwined with the others. Now I’m really giving too much away.

Now, for those people who had to wait 2 years between the releases of each of those books, I feel your pain. Winter is coming (quite literally) in November of 2015, and that feels like light years away. Lucky for us, Marissa Meyer, the lovely author of these books, has inserted a little bonus in the form of Fairest, a story just about Queen Levana (who is she?? Pick up Cinder to find out more) that releases 01/27/2015.

If you’ve read this far, here’s a step-by-step process to having an enjoyable weekend where all you do is nerd out and read a twist on Cinderella that includes a cyborg.

1. Read Cinder
2. Read Scarlet
3. Read Cress
4. Pre-order Fairest here at Lemuria.

You know you want to read this series. Do it. You won’t be disappointed.

Written by Clara

I have a confession.  Ok, here goes:  I’ve fallen in love with a fictional character that I will never meet…and I’m ok with that.  His name?  His name is Vango.  Well, I haven’t fallen in love with Vango himself, but more of the idea of Vango and his story.

In December, I was about to leave work.  I walked through Oz, bag in tote, cup in hand, some bread from Broadstreet haphazardly wedged under my arm and that’s when I saw it.  The cover got me first.  It was a beautiful hardback book with a cityscape colored with pastels showing the sillhouette of a boy, and there were strong typeface letters spelling out the name Vango.  Even as overloaded as I was, I had to stop, and that’s when it happened:  I was trapped in Timothée de Fombelle’s spell.

Why do I want the absolute best for Vango as a reader?  Because the reader cannot help but be drawn into his story and fall in love with his character.  Here’s a kid who speaks several languages, is athletic, fearless, can cook, and is respectful towards the woman who raised him; he’s the real deal.  He’s like that mysterious guy in high school who kept to himself that everyone was secretly in love with but never admitted.

We first meet Vango in Paris 1934 on the day he is about to be ordained as a priest.  (My thought:  Ok, so what?  A bunch of kids in Paris, lying on a cobblestone walkway in front of Notre Dame…nothing exciting here…)  Suddenly, a shot is fired directly at Vango.  (Uh…WHAT?!)  Within seconds, Vango finds himself on the run, a wanted man, for a crime or crimes of which he is completely innocent.  (OH DANG!  You have my attention.)

The story of Vango seamlessly takes its readers from the streets of Paris, to the skies of a world-traveling Zeppelin, to the Greek isles, to the forests of Scotland, and everywhere in between.  World travel isn’t your thing?  How about a story filled with Nazis, pirates, monks, and inspectors who are met along the way?  Still not good enough?  What about a storyline filled with intense action, mystery, comedy, and love all tied into one?  All so Vango can find out who he is, where he is from, and to prove he is innocent on all accounts.

Originally written in French, Vango was beautifully translated by Sarah Ardizzone.  Ardizzone captured the feel, the flavor, and the style of the storytelling.  As epic as Vango is, nothing is over-exaggerated or trivial. Everything is there for a reason.

I found myself unable to put this book down, and I wanted to savor every moment I had with this mysterious character.

Who are you?

Who are you?

Who are you?

-Ethel 

Take the time to find out who Vango is and, I promise, you will treasure this book just as much as I do.

Written by Laura 

I don’t care who you are or what you are, you are never too old to read children’s books. Perhaps I’m biased because I work in the children’s section, but I stand by my statement; especially, where middle grade books and young adult classics are concerned. In fact, I am not alone in my belief. Ask Hannah, Clara, or Justin­­; who can be quoted saying, “for every four adult books you read, you should read one middle grade book.” See? I’ve got backup––Charlie’s Angels has got nothing on us.

Part Three

Novels and Short Story Collections, of the Youth Variety:

1. Egg & Spoon, by Gregory Maguire

First off, who doesn’t love Russian folklore? Baba Yaga? Yes, please. I mean, we chose it for September’s Oz first edition club pick for a reason. On top of that, the cover is beautiful, so well done, Candlewick. You guys out there should invest.

2. Cartwheeling in Thunderstorms, by Katherine Rundell

Another beautiful middle grade book; not only has it got the looks, its got quality as well. Not just one Lemurian, but the entire four who have read it, loved it. Just ask Kelly, Adie, Hannah, or Clara. If you need any more reasons to crack open this book’s spine, just come by and ask one of them––or all––that’s what why we’re here.

3. The Glass Sentence, by S.E. Grove

So, this looks awesome. And I know, there are things much more important than looks. (I just almost typed “books” instead of “looks.” Yeah right, there’s nothing more important than books. Oxygen? Who needs it?) But come on, you should see the cover in person. In fact, you should come by right now pick up a copy, thumb through it, before you inevitably buy it because, personally, I don’t think you have a choice in the matter. If you want more proof, just check out Justin’s blog. Also, Hannah says it is the best middle grade of the year. And Hannah is right about everything. (Hannah edits this blog and appreciates the flattery.)

4. The Thickety: The Whispering Trees, by J.A. Whiter

Now, this is a book I am really excited about. In fact, I’m reading an advance copy right now. IT IS SO GOOD, you guys. It’s wonderfully dark, but not in an overwhelming way. Ugh, I can’t wait to finish it. It comes out this March, so for those of you out there who have not yet read the first book in the series, The Thickety: A Path Begins, you have time.

5. The Blue Fairy Book, Andrew Lang                                                                                                         

I really enjoy fairy tales; the darker the better. Save those Disney flicks for the little tykes at home. Personally, I like something a little more Grimm. (As in the Brothers Grimm, their name could not be more accurate.) From time to time, I pick this book up, late at night, and read the stories my mother never let me enjoy as a child––even though she so totally should have.

6. The Princess and the Goblin, by George MacDonald

Ooooh, this looks so good. But do you want to know what sold me on this book, or should I say whom? Hannah’s mother read this book to her as a child, and the she describes the image of the way the light hit the staircase at night in the story stuck with her. And her story stuck with me.

7. The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien

Do I even need to state my reasons for wanting to read this book? Let’s just pretend I have read this book, for my benefit. Please, this list is starting to make me feel disappointed in myself. And I call myself a book lover…

8. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, by Lewis Carroll

Deep, deep personal shame, I feel for not yet reading this book. How has it slipped through my fingers for this long? How dare I quote this book on a regular basis? I have no right whatsoever. And do you know what the worst part of all of this is? I’m sure that I’m going to love this book, you know, the kind of love when you feel like a book was specifically written for you. (I feel like we’ve talked about this before.) Some of you out there know me personally, for those of you who don’t; I’m as weird as can be. “But I’ll tell you a secret, all the best people are.”

Written by Elizabeth 

Millie and I don’t always agree on books. But we are both in LOVE with Maggie Stiefvater’s work. Millie is one of my interns for this summer and she’s here to tell you all about one of her favorite authors:

When I see a critic’s raving on about a book I generally tend to ignore it. The quote is chosen to grab the attention of passerby while I like to read some and then decide if a book grabs my attention. However, the quotes about Maggie Stiefvater and her books have not failed me yet. A versatile writer, Stiefvater was praised by Entertainment Weekly with this spot-on description: “Stiefvater has established herself as one of the finest YA novelists writing today.”

Her popular series The Shiver Trilogy, published in 2009, took on the challenge of incorporating teenage love, paranormal beings, and temperamental drama that made me want to finish the book in one sitting.

Then in 2012, she published the novel The Scorpio Races, and I fell in love with her writing yet again. This book takes a look at the wild beauty and unexpected turns of life from the perspective of a girl who feels trapped in her small village and its dusty customs. And while this book also explored love and adventure, the heart of this novel was the concept of the ability to love and let go, but enjoy the ride while you could.

Those are just the novels from the perspectives of teenage girls who lead normal-turned-abnormal lives, which is why her novel The Raven Boys resonated with me. She goes from the humdrum perspective of a girl needing to spice up life to the personal lives and opinions of boys on life while they work to find the Welsh king their group leader Dick needs to believe in so badly. It’s an exciting, new way to look at the teenage guy’s mind. The attention to detail and the possibility of powers that each boy could contribute really drive the success of this phenomenal paranormal adventure. It was a super great refresher and made my whole month!

I’ve read most of her books and have never been disappointed by her writing, perhaps by the cliffhangers, but never her writing. I can’t wait until the next installment of The Raven Boys, The Dream Thieves, is released in September!