Inspiring Myself Through YA Reading

It has always been my dream to publish a novel and become an author ... and maybe it's because I was 13 years old when I declared this dream that I decided I would be a young adult fantasy novelist. (Or maybe it's because I'll be 30 in January and I'm convinced I'm still not fully an adult.)

I have gone through many reading slumps over the past 10+ years, and I'll be the first to admit I'm still in one - I'm working on it! However, I still have my books on my shelves and in my book cart, staring at me daily, reminding me how badly I want to see my name on a book like that some day.

While I'm working on getting myself out of the reading slump (slowly but surely), I'm mentally preparing a list for myself of books and series I want to read (or reread) in 2024, as inspiration for my own reading.

So if you have any interest in YA Fantasy, whether it's reading it or writing it (or both, like me!), here are the ones I'm thinking of diving into soon:

The Siren, by Kiera Cass

Kiera Cass is my favourite author - and truthfully I may end up rereading all of her work next year. (With the exception of A Thousand Heartbeats - this will be a first-time read for me!) Why I'm saying The Siren is on my list is because I have read this book in physical copy, ebook copy, and have listened to the audiobook more times than I can count. Kiera Cass is the author that got me out of my 7-year reading slump when I finished university, and because this book is a standalone there's no commitment to continue the series. I love the characters of Kahlen and Akinli, and there's so many cute and unique details in this book that just make my heart swoon every time I read. I really want to dive deeper into this book again and almost study it to the point of asking myself "WHY is Kiera Cass my favourite author? What exactly is it about her writing, and particularly about this book?" Normally I try to recommend books to people based on their interests ... this is the only one I try to shove onto people, I will never stop recommending it.

Heart of Thorns, by Bree Barton

I have only currently read the first book in this trilogy, but I absolutely fell in love with Heart of Thorns last year! It wasn't what I expected, and I appreciate the royalty background with the learning about magic in the world ... it's honestly the closest I've come to seeing a book I've wanted to written that's already been written! So I will, of course, have to do my best not to duplicate anything major - and I think I'm perfectly capable of that - but it will certainly be one that heavily inspires me, and I'm hoping to gain a lot of insight into my own ideas based on how Bree wrote hers. "What do I love about her magic system?", "What would I do different?" - those sort of questions.

Three Dark Crowns, by Kendare Blake

When I first read Three Dark Crowns, I ended up DEVOURING this series ... in the midst of a reading slump! Multi-POV books don't get enough love, in my opinion, and each sister is so unique that I just didn't know who I was rooting for half the time - I wanted them all to have a happy ending! (Semi-spoiler alert: This series is not for you if you're looking for everyone to have a happy ending ...) I think Kendare Blake has done a phenomenal job of the multiple perspective writing, and I just know I could learn a lot from this series if I'm also hoping to try that out myself (which I have been seriously contemplating for awhile).

Caraval, by Stephanie Garber

If I remember correctly, the first book in the Caraval trilogy took on one sister's perspective, the second book took on the other sister's perspective, and the third was a combination of the two ... so definitely not multi-POV for the first book, but another great idea to have a different perspective for each novel. Stephanie Garber's world-building is another thing that intrigues me though, and I remember listening to the audiobook for Caraval and there was an interview at the end of it with Stephanie Garber ... I think I may have to listen to that one again, to enhance the inspiration. Even for non-writers though, that interview was very cool, to get that insight into how Caraval was created.

Cinder, by Marissa Meyer

This series is definitely more sci-fi than fantasy, but I will read almost anything related to fairy tales ... and I think, despite knowing that these tales have been done and twisted and turned and just overused, it is still a secret hope of mine that I could one day write my own take on a fairy tale (maybe even a whole series, like what Marissa Meyer has done here!). I will say, I've never read anything like this series; the way Marissa Meyer interweaves the fairy tales (as well as stays true to many of the key components of each, as individuals) is truly awe-inspiring and brilliant!

Winterspell, by Claire Legrand

Speaking of retellings, Winterspell is Claire Legrand's standalone take on The Nutcracker. I haven't read this one yet, but I love Tchaikovsky's work, and I've had this book on my shelf for years. It is time to get this one off my TBR, and perhaps it'll inspire me to take a deeper look at the story of The Nutcracker.

These are just a few ideas, for my personal reading and writing journey - I may come up with a proper reading list closer to the start of 2024. If anyone has any suggestions for their favourite YA fantasy novels (standalones or series), I'd love to hear this!