YA Shot Blog Tour with Kat Ellis

Science fiction is such a big umbrella term for a genre that has lots

hiding underneath it. I think this every time someone tells me

they don’t like sci-fi, but they loved The Hunger Games… or The 100... or Divergent... or Star Trek: Beyond...

If I point out that these (and sooooo many other

popular books/TV shows/films) all fall under the sci-fi banner, I’m usually

told, “yeah, but I really like it because of all the relationships in it”, or “I

like it because it’s more action-y than sci-fi”. I have a sneaking suspicion

that people just don’t like the term sci-fi because of the ‘science’ part;

maybe it conjures memories of school science lessons and chalkboards full of

dry equations.

But I’m pretty sure there’s something under the ol' sci-fi umbrella to

satisfy any YA reader, no matter what type of story they’re looking for. So here are

a few great intro books for the non-believer:

LOVE ROMANCE? 

Try CHASING THE STARS by Malorie Blackman or THE NEXT TOGETHER by Lauren James

 

LOVE ACTION? 

Try LEGEND by Marie Lu or WINDRUNNER’S DAUGHTER by
Bryony Pearce

 

LOVE FEMINIST STORIES? 

Not that the others on this list aren’t, but if
you want something with a strong feminist message that punches you in the
heart, try THE COLOR OF RAIN by Cori McCarthy or ONLY EVER YOURS by Louise O’Neill.

 

LOVE HUMOUR? 

Try DEAD ROMANTIC by C. J. Skuse or ALIENATED by Melissa
Landers

 

LOVE HORROR? 

Try UNWIND by Neal Shusterman

LOVE GAMING? 

Try READY PLAYER ONE by Ernest Cline or GAMESCAPE: OVERWORLD by Emma Trevayne

 

LOVE SURVIVAL STORIES? 

Try THE RAIN by Virginia Bergin or THE TERRITORY
by Sarah Govett

 

LOVE THRILLERS? 

Try DUPLICITY by N. K. Traver, THE EDGE OF GONE by
Corinne Duyvis, or PURGE by me, heh heh

  

LOVE CRIME STORIES? 

Try CELL 7 by Kerry Drewery or FORGET TOMORROW by
Pintip Dunn

 

LOVE INTRIGUE? 

Try ALIEN RAIN by Ruth Morgan or ILLUMINAE by Amie
Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

 

LOVE SPORTS? 

Try ZEROBOXER by Fonda Lee

LOVE ADVENTURE? 

Try PHOENIX by S. F. Said or CINDER by Marissa Meyer

 

LOVE HISTORICALS? 

Try RED RISING by Pierce Brown or FRONT LINES by
Michael Grant

 

LOVE LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE? 

…Wait, what? Oh – you need LOST ON MARS by Paul Magrs

Fancy trying any of these reads? Read them all (and loved them)? Welcome
to the dark side, my friend.

Come and see Kat Ellis, Lauren James, and S. F. Said talking all things sci-fi at YAShot on 22nd October.

Kat Ellis is a YA author from North Wales. When she isn’t writing, she spends her time photographing ruins and cemeteries to inspire her creepy stories. PURGE is her third novel, and BREAKER and BLACKFIN SKY are also available now.

PURGE

Mason and Noah exist in different worlds, but their lives are about to collide.

Mason has a habit of getting into trouble. He's been kicked out of every place he's ever lived in. Moving to the cult-like community of Alteria is definitely a last resort, even if it's better than braving the wastelands outside. But following their strict rules is a hundred times harder when Mason meets Eden, who has a wicked streak to match his own. Caught with contraband, Eden is forced into a programme to purge her bad behaviour. But Mason has seen what happens to people who get purged, and knows he will lose Eden if he can’t help her find a way out.

Out in the wastelands, Noah has no memory of what happened before he was abandoned in a war zone. All he wants is to know who he is, and if he can trust the strangers who rescued him from the rubble.

With lies surrounding them on all sides, Mason and Noah must piece together the truth if they want to escape. Failure is not an option when it means being purged from existence.

You can add PURGE to your Goodreads list here.

Find out more about Kat and her books here:

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