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The Dreamers by yours truly, Oliver Dahl. I am (quite) biased when I suggest it, but it is YA, and might be an interesting read. Sorry for the past and following self-promotion. :) I am 14 years old, published it when I was 13, with a sequel coming fairly soon. It's about a kid named Sam, who becomes a Dreamer, which means that he can live inside of his Dreams, and also affect events on earth through his dreams, so... Lots of cool stuff. It's in 1st person, full of Sci-fi/modern fantasy, explosions, and cheesy knock knock jokes. I've had 2nd graders enjoy it, and I have had grandparents read and enjoy it. Everywhere in between has so far, as well, too! Here's my amazon link, if you want to look into it a little more. Thanks! http://www.amazon.com/Dreamers-Story-Sam-Kullen/dp/1460919513/ref=la_B005H7HJRI_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1348878264&sr=1-1

Sherwood Smith. Start with Crown Duel because it's the best to start with from Pierce, but she has a number of really wonderful books. Possibly Maria Snyder's books as well. I didn't discover those until many years since I'd worked through every Pierce book more than once, but they're probably still age appropriate. I'd start with Poison Study. The Enchanted Forest series could also be a nice option. Walter Moers might be a bit intimidating at 12, but I'm a big fan. Robin McKinley's Damar series would also be good.

Oliver, congrats on the publication. I started writing my own YA book around that age, and I envy your courage and ability to put yourself out there while you're a YA yourself. Wishing you all due success, I hope you don't mind me offering you a marketing tip. http://www.amazon.com/dp/1460919513/ is also a direct link to your book, just shorter and so more... elegant.

Here's one you actually may not have heard of/considered: A Barrel of Laughs, a Vale of Tears was my favorite book when I was an ickle teense. I thought it was pretty much the funniest thing ever written.

Not sure how old I was, but I'm pretty sure I was single digits.

Some of the Valdemar books, by Mercedes Lackey, are pretty good - I can't speak for the others, since I haven't read them yet -, as is the Elvenbane series, which she worked on with Andre Norton.

And then, speaking of Andre Norton, there's the Witch World series, of course, or at least what I've read of it, including some of the stuff by other authors in the same setting.

The Dreaming Tree, which is an omnibus of two others, by C.J Cheryh, and the Morgaine series, by the same, are quite good.

Dragon Fate, if you have a Kindle or e-reader software.

There are more but it's one-thirty in the morning, so... Maybe tomorrow.

(And yes, I know it's a bit late, but I figure that since your family likes to read, recommendations are always going to be nice.)

One of my favorite YA books when I was actually in high school is Not A Swan by Michelle Magorian. This is the American version; the British version, which I have not read, is A Little Love Song, which I have not read. I do know there are some significant differences in some details (For example, Swan has three sisters, but Love Song only has two.), but the story itself is supposedly the same. Anyway, it's set in WWII and is about sisters who get sent to the country to get away from the bombing, and the youngest, Rose, is the main character. It's really a coming of age story for her, and I still love it. (I was able to get a library copy from Amazon, but Swan is out of print.) I read it every summer for at least five summers in a row, maybe more.

Here are some links for the product in the above comment for different countries:

Amazon Smile Link: Feed


|Country|Link|Charity Links|
|:-----------|:------------|:------------|
|USA|smile.amazon.com|EFF|
|UK|www.amazon.co.uk|Macmillan|
|Spain|www.amazon.es||
|Mexico|www.amazon.com.mx||
|France|www.amazon.fr||
|Germany|www.amazon.de||
|Japan|www.amazon.co.jp||
|Canada|www.amazon.ca||
|Australia|www.amazon.com.au||
|Italy|www.amazon.it||
|India|www.amazon.in||




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S by JJ Abrams and Doug Dorst is all about the footnotes (and the effluvia - it includes tons of letters, notes, maps, whathaveyou).

http://www.amazon.com/S-J-Abrams/dp/0316201642/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1408996926&sr=1-1&keywords=s+book

Very fun book to read, I can't imagine writing anything like it, personally.

I'm new here so I'm not sure if self promotion is not allowed. But since no one has answered yet, I know of a new fantasy novel that's in KU - mine!

If you're interested, check it out: Bad Unicorn - a standalone fantasy novel filled with action, adventure, and humor.

Suite Française (Irène Némirovsky) is probably the most recent one I've read that is set in Paris. This is an incomplete book. What's neat about it is that it's literature, but in the style of a symphony. And you can totally see the Overture and a the first part of the Allegro movement.

I thought Newton's Cannon (Gregory Keyes) was interesting, although it was between Paris and Versailles.

The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel (Michael Scott) has portions in Paris.

There are also the usual lineup: Hunchback of Notre Dame, Les Miserables, Three Musketeers.

For first person and not necessarily tied to a happy ending for everyone, I would recommend Feed (almost everyone grows up with the internet in their heads) or Boy Proof (geek girl pushes everyone away).

I *hate* the Winner's Curse cover because:

• the vertical text is super hard to read
  
• fashion aesthetic is Medieval reenactment cross with bridal expo
  
• she looks like she's getting a menstrual migraine or something

This anthology has 16 YA authors and ran a contest for a short story from a previously unpublished author to be the 17th contributor. One is included in the anthology--which is out today. Two runners-up are posted on the book's website and available for free--they're really good and totally worth a read!

My son just read J.D. Hallowell's Dragon Fate, and loved it.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone

To all the other suggestion so far, definitely add Deadline by Chris Crutcher.

Lucy and Linh https://www.amazon.com/dp/0399550488/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_2WgsDbKCFY34R

Jasper Jones https://www.amazon.com/dp/0375866272/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_tXgsDbRCF8272

> This box won't be delivered until January, when the Queen of Nothing book is released.

I thought that QoN had a November release date? Amazon is reporting November 19.

Some more YA books with religious figures and themes:

• A Wrinkle in Time, briefly, but generally positive
  
• His Dark Materials trilogy, definitely negative
  
• Good Omens, satire
  
• There's also the Left Behind crap. I hear terrible things about it.
  
• Speaker for the Dead and the rest of the sequels to Ender's Game deal heavily with religion (haven't read the sequels, but this was my husband's contribution)
  
  I think it's important to turn "trusted" figures into dangerous entities in YA fiction, whether that's by turning parents, teachers, coaches, and other authorities into antagonists or just portraying them as occasionally flawed people. While younger readers may benefit from some reassurance that authority figures can usually help them, teenagers are growing up and should be aware that questioning authority and the bases of their moral systems is important!
  
  You should cross-post this thread to /r/YAwriters. Looking for more discussion topics there, and I don't think everyone's subscribed to this sub.

I'm not sure if they're what you're looking for, but these books I read recently had a "YA-feel" to me:

The Unfortunate Decisions of Dahlia Moss by Max Wirestone


Spotless by Camilla Monk


Also, Rainbow Rowell's "Adult" novels Landline and Attachments

Boy, getting a list was difficult because she kept telling me the books she most recently read. Here are some non-magical options...

The City of Ember (Ember series) -- the story is told from the perspectives of two main characters -- a boy and girl -- with the perspective swapping in each chapter. (It's not a love story.)

>It is always night in the city of Ember. But there is no moon, no stars. The only light during the regular twelve hours of "day" comes from flood lamps that cast a yellowish glow over the streets of the city. Beyond are the pitch-black Unknown Regions, which no one has ever explored because an understanding of fire and electricity has been lost, and with it the idea of a Moveable Light. "Besides," they tell each other, "there is nowhere but here."

>Among the many other things the people of Ember have forgotten is their past and a direction for their future. For 250 years they have lived pleasantly, because there has been plenty of everything in the vast storerooms. But now there are more and more empty shelves--and more and more times when the lights flicker and go out, leaving them in terrifying blackness for long minutes. What will happen when the generator finally fails?

>Twelve-year-old Doon Harrow and Lina Mayfleet seem to be the only people who are worried. They have just been assigned their life jobs--Lina as a messenger, which leads her to knowledge of some unsettling secrets, and Doon as a Pipeworker, repairing the plumbing in the tunnels under the city where a river roars through the darkness. But when Lina finds a very old paper with enigmatic "Instructions for Egress," they use the advantages of their jobs to begin to puzzle out the frightening and dangerous way to the city of light of which Lina has dreamed. As they set out on their mission, the haunting setting and breathless action of this stunning first novel will have teens clamoring for a sequel. (Ages 10 to 14)

The Shadow Children Series --in a society where families are limited to 2 children each, the shadow children are third children. My daughter's class went nuts for this when their teacher read the first two books in class.

>Born third at a time when having more than two children per family is illegal and subject to seizure and punishment by the Population Police, Luke has spent all of his 12 years in hiding. His parents disobeyed once by having him and are determined not to do anything unlawful again. At first the woods around his family's farm are thick enough to conceal him when he plays and works outdoors, but when the government develops some of that land for housing, his world narrows to just the attic.

>Gazing through an air vent at new homes, he spies a child's face at a window after the family of four has already left for the day. Is it possible that he is not the only hidden child? Answering this question brings Luke greater danger than he has ever faced before, but also greater possibilities for some kind of life outside of the attic. This is a near future of shortages and deprivation where widespread famines have led to a totalitarian government that controls all aspects of its citizens' lives. When the boy secretly ventures outside the attic and meets the girl in the neighboring house, he learns that expressing divergent opinions openly can lead to tragedy. To what extent is he willing to defy the government in order to have a life worth living? The loss of free will is the fundamental theme of an exciting and compelling story of one young person defying authority and the odds to make a difference.

Any book by Andrew Clements -- Ya, any book. My daughter cited Lunch Money, The School Story, No Talking, etc. Of all of the books recommended here, Clements is probably the most accessible (lowest reading level, if that's a concern).

The Mysterious Benedict Society series

>"Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?"

>When this peculiar ad appears in the newspaper, dozens of children enroll to take a series of mysterious, mind-bending tests. (And you, dear reader, can test your wits right alongside them.) But in the end just four very special children will succeed. Their challenge: to go on a secret mission that only the most intelligent and resourceful children could complete. To accomplish it they will have to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules.

>As our heroes face physical and mental trials beyond their wildest imaginations, they have no choice but to turn to each other for support. But with their new found friendship at stake, will they be able to pass the most important test of all?