In case you have been living under a rock for the last couple years, the newest trend in YA literature has moved from vampires (and somewhat away from zombies as well) to dystopian/post apocalyptic themed books. Bestsellers like the
Hunger Games Trilogy (Scholastic),
Chaos Walking Trilogy (Candlewick), and Susan Beth Pfeffer's
Life As We Knew It trilogy (HMH) have totally changed the market, much like Harry Potter did when those first came out. This has paved the way for a welcome resurgence in smart, well written fantasy for young adults and adults alike.
Many of this fall's biggest titles are coming from one publisher: Penguin. They have become more and more cognizant of the trends of the market in the last couple years and have shifted gears accordingly, but all the while, not flooding it with crap. Titles like Catherine Fisher's
Incarceron (and the upcoming
Sapphique), Brenna Yovanoff's
Replacement, Ally Condie's
Matched, and the much awaited title from Beth Revis,
Across the Universe (one of the BEST first chapters that I have read in a long time and a phenomenal cover; I can't wait to see an ARC!) are all extremely well written in a genre that is notorious for mass produced junk when it comes to trends. These books are smart, funny, emotionally gripping, and although they might deal with some adult themes, are perfectly toned for the younger set but still great reads for those of us who refuse to grow up. They take place in well-drawn alternate worlds and futures but don't focus on the extraneous like some authors try to do. (Really? Do you think that a teenage really cares about all of the science? Save it for the adults who like Michael Crichton. If kids want science overwhelming the story, they will just read
Jurassic Park.) They also deal with issues that most kids deal with (although in a different way) like ethics, good vs. evil, and the ever present young love. Get on the hold list now at your local library because once these titles come out, it will be hard to get them for a while. Better yet, order them from your local indie bookstore and help your community by keeping your money there.
In case you have been living under a rock for the last couple years, the newest trend in YA literature has moved from vampires (and somewhat away from zombies as well) to dystopian/post apocalyptic themed books. Bestsellers like the Hunger Games Trilogy (Scholastic), Chaos Walking Trilogy (Candlewick), and Susan Beth Pfeffer's Life As We Knew It trilogy (HMH) have totally changed the market, much like Harry Potter did when those first came out. This has paved the way for a welcome resurgence in smart, well written fantasy for young adults and adults alike. 
Many of this fall's biggest titles are coming from one publisher: Penguin. They have become more and more cognizant of the trends of the market in the last couple years and have shifted gears accordingly, but all the while, not flooding it with crap. Titles like Catherine Fisher's Incarceron (and the upcoming Sapphique), Brenna Yovanoff's Replacement, Ally Condie's Matched, and the much awaited title from Beth Revis, Across the Universe (one of the BEST first chapters that I have read in a long time and a phenomenal cover; I can't wait to see an ARC!) are all extremely well written in a genre that is notorious for mass produced junk when it comes to trends. These books are smart, funny, emotionally gripping, and although they might deal with some adult themes, are perfectly toned for the younger set but still great reads for those of us who refuse to grow up. They take place in well-drawn alternate worlds and futures but don't focus on the extraneous like some authors try to do. (Really? Do you think that a teenage really cares about all of the science? Save it for the adults who like Michael Crichton. If kids want science overwhelming the story, they will just read Jurassic Park.) They also deal with issues that most kids deal with (although in a different way) like ethics, good vs. evil, and the ever present young love. Get on the hold list now at your local library because once these titles come out, it will be hard to get them for a while. Better yet, order them from your local indie bookstore and help your community by keeping your money there. 
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I'm so glad you're looking forward to the Penguin line!
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