Moving from dystopia to paranormal/supernatural (with a little touch of historical) YA, I just read Aprilynne Pike's Earthbound. I hadn't read anything by this author before and this was a great fun read. Lots of romance, mystery and action and a very original plot. While there is plenty of romance, none of it is too graphic, so it's suitable for MG and YA audiences, and the paranormal mystery aspects should keep readers interested. It's more of a "girls'" book than a boys' book, although I suspect some guys might enjoy it. And it's clearly the first in a series. The first book wraps up nicely but there's obviously more of the story to go. I did find the romance overdone in places but I suppose it was integral to the story. The idea of who the main character (Tavia) is destined to be with, as opposed to who she might WANT to be with are central themes. And I always enjoy a story where one of the themes is the battle between destiny and free will. There's not much I can write about the actual plot without giving things away. After a plane crash, Tavia discovers she has some unusual powers and that her whole life is not what she has been led to believe, but beyond that the reader is on his/her own because the rest of it is the mystery of the story. A good end-of-summer read indeed.
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