You Tell Us: What's Your Go-to Book Recommendation?
Hello PubCrawlers! Now that my debut YA novel, Ivory and Bone is out in the world, some of my friends who don't normally read YA have given it a try. Most of these friends have discovered they enjoy YA, (hooray!) and a few have asked me for further recommendations.
So today we'd like you to tell us: What's your go-to book recommendation—YA or otherwise? Here are a few of ours. Please share yours in the comments!
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Julie Eshbaugh
![Incarceron by Catherine Fisher Incarceron by Catherine Fisher](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3bcd6869-9ccb-471d-ad24-20e1028cb3e9_224x320.jpeg)
My go-to recommendation has long been Incarceron by Catherine Fisher. This futuristic story about a boy locked inside a living prison, the warden's daughter forced to live in a bizarre world that imitates the seventeenth century, and the relationship that results when each of them find a crystal key that allows them to communicate. It's full of surprises and I loved every page!
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S. Jae-Jones (JJ)
![Flora Segunda by Ysabeau Wilce Flora Segunda by Ysabeau Wilce](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F326df6c3-368f-4314-8ac0-76a3f02cb425_214x320.jpeg)
Hmmm, if we're doing underappreciated reads I keep foisting on people, it would be Ysabeau Wilce's books. These are criminally underappreciated: set in an alternate 18th-century California, it has magic, whimsy, intrigue, boys who wear kilts and maquillage, women who are generals of an army, and plucky heroines who use ingenuity to save the day!
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EC Myers
![Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe1642c0a-3329-4572-b272-e100b38f8236_197x320.jpeg)
I most often recommend Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve, which has some of the most amazing world building I've read and the most complex and sympathetic characters.
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Rachel Seigel
![A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8f2dcae9-542a-4859-a880-a8fcf92220c5_210x320.jpeg)
If I have a customer looking for a good MG read my go-to is A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd. It's one of those books that has wonderful language and a magical realism story that appeals to all ages from really young as a read-aloud to 8th graders. It's only a couple of years old, but I love getting people to discover this modern classic.
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Stephanie Garber
![The Kiss of Deception by Mary E Pearson The Kiss of Deception by Mary E Pearson](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F87093293-c48b-473e-88df-d8d8aa77faa4_214x320.jpeg)
I'm constantly recommending The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson—I love the way she plays with POVs in this book. I also love the sequel, The Heart of Betrayal—the villain in this book is excellent.
For my under appreciated reads I might go with The Falconer by Elizabeth May—a historical fantasy with one of my favorite romantic lines of all time!
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How about you? What are your favorite books to recommend to other readers? Please share your recommendations in the comments!