Vacation Getaways: Banish Boredom

By Sarah Abbott

During the summer, it’s easy to idle away the long days in the sun. So while you’re lying out by the pool, sitting on the beach or just relaxing at home, here are a few of the best young adult book series out there to keep your brain from going completely AWOL between now and September.

‘Twilight’ and ‘New Moon’ by Stephenie Meyer

When Bella Swan moves from sun-soaked Phoenix to rain-drenched Forks, Wash., to live with her father, she believes she’s making a sacrifice. What she doesn’t realize is that Edward Cullen, a mysterious, dazzling boy, will lure her in and she will begin to love living in the rain.

As Edward and Bella’s story unfolds, readers will be continually amazed by the depth and beauty of Meyer’s work. A tale of love, the supernatural and of human (as well as superhuman) nature, "Twilight" will draw you in and "New Moon" will hook you. The third book, "Eclipse," comes out in August.

This is a series with true bite. It will leave you breathless!

‘Maximum Ride’ trilogy by James Patterson

Told from a sarcastic, amusing point of view, this trilogy is destined to be a young adult classic. Maximum Ride and her five "brothers and sisters" are united because they’re 98 percent human and 2 percent bird. Their story is alternately chilling and lighthearted.

Patterson, an experienced thriller author, uses his expertise to bring an excellent and well-plotted book to the YA section. The sarcasm of the narrator, Max, and creepiness of the youngest character, Angel, are the highlights; however, the exploration of morality is also very interesting.

The Ride kids originally set off on a quest to save Angel but find themselves locked into an eternal flight from their would-be captors. They discover much about themselves and even more about the value of sticking together.

‘Summer Boys’ by Hailey Abbott

This would be a good read for fans of series like "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" and "Gossip Girl." It’s about four girls – Beth, Ella, Jamie, and Kelsi – and, well, boys in general. While the four are on their annual vacation to Pebble Beach, they experience things they’ve never felt before.

Jamie learns to be a little less trusting. Kelsi begins to relax and enjoy what she has – only to have it taken away. Beth realizes that maybe she, the tomboy of the group, needs to let herself be a girl every once in a while. Ella discovers, to her surprise, that you can’t always have everything, and sometimes you just have to settle for being normal.

A tale of discovery, friendship and all those things that make us teenagers, "Summer Boys" is perfect and fluffy. It’s also the first book of the "Summer Boys" series.

‘The Farsala Trilogy’ by Hilari Bell

Written in the style of "Lord of the Rings," this deftly subtle trilogy is a chronicle of war – both internal and external. It follows the adventures of Soraya, Jiann and Kavi, three extremely different people brought together to fight for their freedom.

The first book, "Fall of a Kingdom," demonstrates that no one and nothing is invincible. Delving into both the shallow (swordplay and war strategy) and deep (the belief that everyone has the ability to change), "Rise of a Hero," the second novel, explores the groundwork set up by the first. "Forging the Sword," the final book, is a satisfying and ironic end.

I would recommend the trilogy to anyone who enjoyed "Lord of the Rings" and/or "Eragon."

‘Stravaganza’ trilogy by Mary Hoffman

Lucien is struggling with chemotherapy for his cancer. When his father gives him a novelty journal with strange Italian designs, his mind is swept away to a city resembling Venice – Bellezza. This ability is known as being a Stravagante.

Lucien meets a girl, Arianna Gasparini, in Bellezza and begins to make more frequent journeys there. However, some people in Bellezza aren’t as nice as Arianna. They see in Lucien the trademark sign of the rare Stravagantes: They have no shadow.

Those against Lucien plot to steal his magic journal and anchor him in Bellezza. There’s only one problem with this: While he is in Bellezza, his normal, sick body is in a coma back in the hospital. When he becomes stuck in Bellezza, his parents are forced to make a decision: to cut the lifeline or keep waiting.

What started out as a simple way to escape sickness escalates into a battle for Lucien’s life. "City of Masks,""City of Stars" and "City of Flowers" are three books that should be in the limelight as much as possible, for they’re witty and sweet with a realistically magical heart.

(c) 2007 Charleston Gazette, The. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.