The ladies at BUST picked up that our lovely readers are crazy about finding new reads. We saw how you jumped at Lisa’s call for summer reading. As a YA-lit junkie myself, it’s awesome to see how dedicated you guys are to the tomes of our youth. That said, there’s this incredible Renaissance going on in young adult literature, and we’ve decided to regale you with shiny new books based on your literary loves of the past.
First up: If you loved Weetzie Bat, then try The Orpheus Obsession by Dakota Lane.
There are moments when you only have to think a thought to make it happen. If only that were true at all times. You could paint your world in perfect strokes.
Anooshka Stargirl is a Woodstock native, a dreamer with a camera and a computer and a crush on Orpheus, soulful rock-god to alternachicks everywhere. Her sister Zoetrope’s birthday trip to Brighton Beach for blinis and beachcombing turns into a wild maze chase with the prize being Orpheus’s digits–but ignoring mythic archetypes will be her downfall. Anooshka falls in love often, with the beauty of twilight in the East Village, surreal 3D collages, wild yet delicate desserts, her parakeet-psychopomp Zack, and the glory and humanity of her peers. She is eventually stripped bare in a 3rd-act twist that will appeal to fans of obscure NYC lore. Ultimately, Anooshka learns her place a world as flawed yet transcendent as herself. Lane does a fantastic job of bringing Anooshka’s world to Technicolor life, full of teen drama, the secret lives of rock stars, really great fashion and food, family secrets and all those silly things that fangirls do. Pick up a copy at your local book emporium, and stop by Dakota Lane’s MySpace for news, videos, and other good stuff.
Please join us in the comments for other recommendations and requests-we’d love to hear from you!
