Summer is just around the corner, my friends, and you’ve got some catching up to do if you want to be all ready for some of the fantastic stuff that hits the shelves in coming months.
Let’s begin with my new favorite series, which includes two books so far: Violet on the Runway (book the first) and Violet By Design (book the second) by Melissa Walker.
Melissa writes with a really personal, conversational voice that practically forced me to love Violet Greenfield from the moment I met her. We first see Violet as a shrinking wallflower type, a high school senior in Chapel Hill, North Carolina who is embarrassed by her height and can’t seem to forget that her classmates called her the Jolly Green Giant back in eighth grade. But of course being tall and thin has its advantages: Shortly after the book begins, she gets scouted by a powerful talent agent, who starts her off in the career of many girls’ dreams: modeling.
Actually, Melissa doesn’t paint it as a dream career, or as a nightmare career either. There are moments of bliss and others of painful embarrassment. You can’t help but love Violet and want her to succeed — although the jury is still out on whether high fashion is an industry in which she should succeed.
Book one focuses mostly on Violet’s intro to the modeling world, but we also get to read about some heavy issues: drugs, eating disorders, evil boyfriends. Book two takes those issues to a global level — and, of course, things get a bit more personal for Violet as the story progresses.
What’s great about Melissa’s novels is that they neither glorify nor trash models. There is nothing two-dimensional about the world Melissa has created. It’s vibrant and realistic (at least to this non-model’s eyes), and though the books are easy, sweet reads, they’re also thought-provoking in that awesome “read this by the pool” way.
The reason you need to get to work on these two books now is that Melissa’s third novel, Violet in Private, hits the shelves on August 5. I know, August seems like a lifetime away, but I’m not just assigning you one piddly book to read here. You’ve got to get through the first two some time early this summer so you’ll be ready for the third — and, in my humble opinion, best — book in the series.
Buy Violet on the Runway
I was meaning to read this series for a while now. Hope to do it soon. I really like your manifesto. I just started reading YA again and I’m 24. I don’t remember it being nearly as interesting when I was a teen. I think by the time I was teenager I was reading more adult literature because there wasn’t much out there that looked good for teens. I’m so excited about what’s happening now, there are so many new authors and titles I can’t keep up!
Alea — you’re totally right. YA has just exploded in the last few years, and right now I’d say it’s the best thing out there. I also think you won’t be disappointed by Melissa’s Violet series. The perfect pick-me-up for when you just need to escape from your own life for an hour or two.
I’m going to have to order these too, my bookstore doesn’t even carry them!!! I’ll just have to wait til I read some of the stuff I already have!
Alea, I’d say it’s time you signed up for an Amazon Prime membership. Or you could check and see if your bookstore does special orders. When you start specifically requesting certain YA stuff, the folks in charge of which books to stock may notice.
And don’t worry; I stopped reading YA when I was about twelve (and switched to trashy historical romance for about four years). But I started up with YA again, in earnest, when I was in my early twenties, mostly because an evil but benevolent editor tossed a bunch of YA novels on my desk. I need to send that man some flowers or something.
I’m way too cheap for Amazon Prime, maybe someday! I keep way too many books around it’s probably a good thing I go with the free shipping so I get a chance to read what I already have! Whoops! My bookstore does do special orders, I’ve done it in the past for really hard to find stuff (usually comics).
I’d love to hear more about the story of how you got back into YA, that sounds pretty awesome!
PS One more thing. This is my new favorite blog! Thank you!
Alea, thank YOU. You’ve just made my day.