I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga follows Jasper 'Jazz' Dent, the son of the world's most infamous serial killer, as he navigates his complicated past and tries to prevent a new series of murders in his town. Jazz's unique upbringing gives him insights into the mind of a serial killer, but he must confront his own dark legacy while trying to solve the mystery. The novel explores themes of identity, family, and the nature versus nurture debate.
The Grishaverse is a collection of fantasy novels by Leigh Bardugo, including the Shadow and Bone trilogy, Six of Crows duology, and King of Scars duology. These series are set in a world where magic exists and is wielded by powerful beings known as Grisha. The stories explore themes of war, politics, and personal identity across different nations within the Grishaverse.
The novel follows Lara Jean Song Covey, a half-Korean American high school student who writes love letters to all the boys she has ever had a crush on and stores them in a secret hatbox. When these letters are mysteriously mailed, Lara Jean's life becomes complicated as she navigates her feelings and fake relationships, particularly with Peter Kavinsky, a popular jock. As Lara Jean and Peter pretend to be in a relationship, they begin to develop real feelings for each other, leading to a complex exploration of first love, family, and identity.
In a post-apocalyptic Chicago, society is divided into five factions: Abnegation (selflessness), Amity (peacefulness), Candor (honesty), Dauntless (bravery), and Erudite (intelligence). The story revolves around Beatrice 'Tris' Prior, who leaves her Abnegation family to join the Dauntless faction. Tris's aptitude test results are inconclusive, marking her as Divergent, a secret she must keep hidden. As she undergoes the rigorous initiation process of Dauntless, Tris faces physical and emotional challenges, including simulations that test her courage and wits. She also develops a romantic relationship with her instructor, Four (Tobias), who is also Divergent. The novel explores themes of identity, selflessness, bravery, and the complexities of a rigid societal structure, culminating in a climax where Tris and Tobias must stop a mindless uprising against Abnegation orchestrated by the Erudite faction.
Twilight Eyes follows Slim Mackenzie, a 17-year-old on the run after killing his uncle, who possesses 'twilight eyes' that allow him to see evil beings called Goblins. Slim joins the Sombra Carnival and becomes embroiled in a plot to prevent a catastrophic event involving the carnival and a town infested with Goblins. The novel is divided into two parts, with the first half set in the carnival and the second half focusing on Slim and his allies investigating and battling the Goblins.
Island of the Blue Dolphins, published in 1960, tells the story of Karana, a young girl from the Nicoleno tribe who becomes stranded on an island after her tribe leaves without her. Based on the true story of Juana Maria, the Lone Woman of San Nicolas Island, the novel explores themes of survival, friendship, and environmental harmony. Karana learns to live off the land, befriends wild animals, and eventually finds her way back to the mainland.
In 'A Wrinkle in Time,' Madeleine L'Engle tells the story of 13-year-old Meg Murry, who is struggling to fit in at school and is deeply concerned about her father's mysterious disappearance. Along with her brother Charles Wallace and friend Calvin O'Keefe, Meg is guided by the enigmatic Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which on a journey through space and time to find her father. Using a process called tessering, they travel to various planets, including Uriel and Camazotz, to confront the evil force known as The Black Thing. The novel explores themes of good vs. evil, conformity, and the power of love and family bonds.
The Harry Potter series, written by J.K. Rowling, follows the journey of Harry Potter, an orphan boy who discovers he is a wizard. The series spans seven novels, each corresponding to one year of Harry's life at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry, along with his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, navigates the magical world, confronts various challenges, and ultimately faces off against the dark wizard Lord Voldemort, who murdered Harry's parents and seeks to dominate the wizarding world. The series explores themes of friendship, love, and the struggle between good and evil.
The Hive by Gill Hornby is a witty and insightful novel that delves into the complex social hierarchy of mothers at St. Ambrose Primary School. The story follows characters like Beatrice, the queen bee, and Rachel, a writer navigating her place in the group, as they navigate friendships, betrayals, and the challenges of motherhood. The novel is structured around a school year, highlighting the rivalries and alliances that form among the mothers.
Set in a post-apocalyptic North America known as Panem, The Hunger Games follows Katniss Everdeen, a 16-year-old girl from District 12, who volunteers to participate in the 74th Hunger Games to save her younger sister Prim. Alongside Peeta Mellark, the other tribute from District 12, Katniss must use her hunting skills and wits to survive the arena. The Games are a tool of oppression by the Capitol to remind the districts of their defeat in a past rebellion. As Katniss and Peeta navigate the treacherous arena, they also manipulate the audience and sponsors to gain advantages, while sparking the beginnings of a rebellion against the Capitol's tyrannical rule.
The Hive authors Barry Lyga and Morgan Baden talk with Recode's Kara Swisher about how they came to write a young adult book about a social media dystopia, based on a cinematic idea from actor Jennifer Beals and producer Tom Jacobson. The 2019 book is set "five minutes in the future," where social media participation is mandated by the government for everyone over 13, which introduces some familiar social issues: The pressure to be perfect when everything is public, and the risk of mob justice when you step out of line. Lyga and Baden also explain what works in YA literature now, their mixed feelings about the power of social media and "cancel culture," and how they would attempt to fix platforms like Twitter and Instagram.
Featuring:
Barry Lyga (@barrylyga) and Morgan Baden (@MorganBaden), co-authors, The Hive
Host:
Kara Swisher (@karaswisher), Recode co-founder and editor-at-large
More to explore:
On Reset, Arielle Duhaime-Ross explores why — and how — tech is changing everything.
On Recode Media, Peter Kafka interviews business titans, journalists, comedians and podcasters about the collision of tech and media.
On Pivot, Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway talk about the big tech news stories of the week, who's winning, who's failing, and what comes next.
And on Land of the Giants, Jason Del Rey chronicled the rise of Amazon. Season 2 will focus on Netflix and is coming soon!
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