Dark YA 4

The good people at YATopia are running this fantastic blogfest throughout November. So, every Wednesday (or Thursday if you're on my side of the world) I will be posting something on that topic.

This week's topic is #YAsaves. We have to write about a dark YA book that had a real impact on us.

Once again this is a challenge. There are so many books that have profoundly influenced my life, and many of them were dark YA books. I moved all the time when I was a kid. A new country every two to three years, a new house, a new school, new friends. It was challenging, and books were my one constant. No matter where I was, I could dive into a book and find old friends. Books quite literally saved me.

I'm going back now, and trying to remember the ones I read over and over. The ones I still love and cherish in my bookshelf.

There's Second Star to the Right which showed me I wasn't alone in my screwed up thinking when I was twelve or thirteen. It also showed me I could change those thoughts.

There's Walk Through Cold Fire which showed me love could be both tender and violent- often at the same time.

All the books by S E Hinton. Her characters spoke to me in a way no other characters ever have again. Those books made me want to write, and since I was thirteen and first read The Outsiders, I have written.

And there are many more too. I could probably go on for days about all the books that have influenced, changed, affected and nurtured me.

What dark YA books have changed your life?