Mystery is supposed to be the next paranormal, right?

Well, our latest Book Matchmaker victim participant, Victoria, wants a bit of both, plus some quality contemporary reads— only YA need apply, please. And add in a dash of romance for good measure!

Victoria’s Book Matchmaker Responses

YA or Adult: YA

Genres: Contemporary, Dystopia, Romance, Paranormal, Mystery/Thriller

POV or Narrative Style: First Person, Third Person, Multiple POV, Epistolary, Male POV, Main Character or Narrator, Female POV, Main Character or Narrator

Likes: Patrick Ness, Courtney Summers, Sarah Dessen, JK Rowling… probably my favourite authors EVER!

Dislikes: Instant love

Smut Factor: 2

Fluff Factor: 2

Swoon Factor: 4

Gross Out Factor: 3

We had a ton of fun with this matchmaker, since all of us love YA.

The Results

Stolen: A Letter to My Captor by Lucy Christopher

This is a genre-bending psychological novel that’s very challenging. It’s YA, but mature, and told in second person, in the form of a letter from a kidnapped girl to her captor. It takes place in the Australian outback and the landscape adds to the atmosphere of the novel.

{Buy at Amazon | Add on Goodreads}

My Beating Teenage Heart by C.K. Kelly Martin

This is an interesting contemporary YA that unfolds slowly, with elements of mystery, a dash of paranormal-ish as one of the narrators is, well, a ghost. It is a compex read, and in true Martin fashion, the novel unfolds at a measured pace.

{Buy it at Amazon | Add it on Goodreads | Read Sarah’s Review}

Fracture by Megan Miranda

An unusual contemporary-meets paranormal with a mystery element, Fracture is a strange little novel about life and death with a mysterious element ever looming. Even after i read it, I wasn’t sure if it was supposed to be a paranormal novel or a contemporary about the limits of the human brain. 2014 will bring us a companion novel that will hopefully help explain things.

{Buy it at Amazon | Add it on Goodreads | Read Sarah’s Review}

Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf

This is a very memorable book with a strong mystery. Breaking Beautiful unravels the mystery behind the night the main character’s boyfriend died, as she questions how and why it all happened. There are loads of surprises in this excellent debut.

{Buy at Amazon | Add it on Goodreads | Read Sarah’s Review}

Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King

This is a favorite novel of most of us here on CEFS. Please Ignore Vera Dietz is a tough read at times, but the switching points-of-view and creative storytelling make it unputdownable. It’s hard to say much else, but you’ll be wrapped up in Vera and the secrets behind her friend Charlie’s death the second you start reading. And, really, anything by A.S. King will probably fit the bill here—her writing is so strong and her storytelling is absolutely unique.

{Buy it at Amazon | Add it on Goodreads}

Ashfall by Mike Mullin

Renegade Rebeca recommend Ashfall as a different sort of dystopian/post-apocalyptic tale about surviving a volcanic disaster. There’s loads of action and a bit of romance to make this a good choice for a fresh take on this popular genre.

{Buy at Amazon | Add on Goodreads}

All right, y’all! What did we miss?

We were spoiled for choices with this one, so it was tough to choose just a few recommendations.

P.S. If you want to be a Book Matchmaker candidate, make sure to fill out our extremely scientific survey!