YA author Alina Choy Krieg lists five fantasy novels for summer reading

Indie teen author Alina Choy Krieg is calling on young adult readers to re-energize their imagination and empathy muscles this summer with five fantasy novels.

CHICAGO, IL, USA, June 23, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ -- Before writing her debut novel The Spirit Hunters, Alina Choy Krieg read a ton of books. Books, especially YA fantasy books, opened her imagination and showed her how to bypass her own angst and everyday trials to create new realities. Krieg says, “Books are amazing for inspiration. The lush worlds, amazing characters, complex plots make you excited. They are great tools for guiding your own writing; they help you understand voice and tone, grammar and sentence structure, as well as just cool ideas to inspire your own. If you want to write, start reading.”

In The Spirit Hunters, Krieg wanted to explore what bravery might look like when a hero, a typical teen responsible for saving the world, experiences self-doubt and questions her own self-worth. The result is a thrilling and surreal adventure to another world where the main character must face evil spirits and her own nightmares with spectacular feats of power she doesn’t even know she has.

Now that summer is here, Krieg is calling on all YA readers to reignite their imagination and empathy muscles with these five fun and thrilling summer reads. Because when you give a teen a good book to read, amazing things can happen. Readers grow in empathy, overcome fears, and learn new methods of self-expression. They even might discover their own desire to write and build worlds like Alina Choy Krieg did. Her summer reading recommendations are books that helped her finish her first novel. “They helped me believe I could finish a book myself, as others had done so. Secondly, they fired up my imagination. Watching other writers create amazing ideas often has the effect of inspiring ones of my own. Reading is an absolutely essential part of writing.”

Recommended Summer Reading To Inspire Empathy and Imagination curated by Alina Choy Krieg

An Ember in the Ashes [An Ember in the Ashes Series] by Sabaa Tahir. This is a gripping, action-packed tale with characters so compelling you forget they’re not real. Set in a brutal world of martial law inspired by ancient Rome, the main character Laia decides to risk it all to try to save her brother. Top Quote: “Life is made of so many moments that mean nothing. Then one day, a single moment comes along to define every second that comes after.”

City of Bones [The Mortal Instruments Series] by Cassandra Clare. A creative, original story with amazing characters and plot twists, it will leave you reeling. The main character Clary stumbles into the world of the Shadowhunters, a secret group of warriors dedicated to driving demons out of our world and back to their own, and adventure ensues. Top Quote: “Sarcasm is the last refuge of the imaginatively bankrupt.”

Keeper of the Lost Cities [Keeper of the Lost Cities Series] by Shannon Messenger. This is a relatable and heartfelt story of the difficulties of growing up, finding your people all alongside battling villains scarier than you’d imagined possible. Telepathic Sophie feels out of place all the time. In this first of the series, Sophie learns it’s because she belongs to another, very different world. Top Quote: “At nine years old, Amy already had the annoying little sister role mastered.”

Shadow and Bone [The Grisha Trilogy] by Leigh Bardugo. A fascinating, explosive story with complex, beautiful characters that will rip your heart out and then help you heal again. A lowly foot soldier, Alina learns of her own magical powers when her unit is attacked by otherworldly monsters. With this discovery, her life changes and she must learn quickly that nothing is as it seems. Top Quote: “‘I’ve been waiting for you a long time, Alina,’ he said. ‘You and I are going to change the world.’”

The Cruel Prince [The Folk of the Air Series] by Holly Black. A thrilling, addictive story following a cunning main character, her complex relationships and hunt for power, this novel is set in a faerie royal court. Here, the human character, Jude, defies the role she has been given and risks her life to join the fey and rescue her sisters. Top Quote: “I cannot seem to contort myself back into the shape of a dutiful child. I am coming unraveled. I am coming undone.”

Esther Choy
Leadership Story Lab
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