These books may seem like they have nothing in common but they were all books I read for my YA Lit class last semester.  I read some other books that I will be writing full reviews for but I thought I’d just share a few of my thoughts about these three.

Title: Crank
Author: Ellen Hopkins
Rating: 5 Stars

I was not a fan of verse novels until I started blogging and was introduced to more of them. Now I find them really quick reads that usually capture my attention pretty quickly. That was definitely the case with Crank by Ellen Hopkins. It was the first book I’ve ever read by Ellen Hopkins and I was definitely impressed. Not only was the writing spectacular but the different ways in which each poem was set up really added to the story. Kristina/Bree captivated me from the start and while I was definitely horrified by her story, I couldn’t stop reading it. I look forward to checking out the other books in this series.

Title: Endangered
Author: Eliot Schrefer
Rating: 4 Stars

I picked this book up at BEA years ago but only read it now. I’m really disappointed in myself for waiting so long. Endangered is a really unique read that will appeal to a variety of readers. It’s a thrilling novel that really never slows down from the start. Sophie was a great character but more than that, so were the bonobos that she attempted to save. Each bonobo really was a character. They all had distinct personalities and they made me laugh quite a bit. Eliot Schrefer really captured the spirit of the animals and that was by far my favorite part of the book.

Also, this has nothing to do with the book but Eliot Schrefer has videos on his website about his time spent with the bonobos and the videos really added to my enjoyment of the novel, knowing the extensive research he did for this book.

Title: Staying Fat For Sarah Byrnes
Author: Chris Crutcher
Rating: 4 Stars

Chris Crutcher is one of those authors I’m a bit ashamed to say that I’ve never read. This class spent a lot of time talking about him as well as how controversial his books were. When I had the chance to read one, I picked Staying Fat For Sarah Byrnes and I’m glad I did because I really enjoyed it. There is some mystery to it, some romance, major drama, and some truly great characters. It’s definitely written for a younger audience but that didn’t bother me. Instead I just found it made the book that much quicker to read. I will also mention that Chris Crutcher does not shy away from any tough topics. There is sex, drugs, alcohol, abuse, and so much more wrapped up in this story. He handles everything very well though.

My YA Lit class really helped broaden my horizons and allowed me to read a lot of books that have been collecting dust on my shelves. If you ever have the chance to take a class like this at your school, I highly recommend it. And these books. 🙂