I had my own little squee! moment this morning when I realised that I got to read Skulduggery Pleasant: Kingdom of the Wicked before the UK/Ireland release date of August 30 because Derek Landy is touring Australia from August 8th. Okay, the squee! moment was actually for stumbling across KOTW yesterday when I'd not even realised it was out yet ... oh, and reading it in one afternoon. (So nothing else got done, I'm sure my family as learned to cope with my particular reading binges by now.)
I have thoroughly enjoyed the Skulduggery Pleasant series since my daughter introduce me to it some 3 years ago. I devoured the first few books and have ensured that as each new title comes along it is quickly added to our book shelves. (My daughter was more than pleased to discover this morning that she could now read the latest instalment.) Indeed Skulduggery Pleasant not only rates as one of my favourite Young Adult series, Derek Landy rates as one of my favourite writers. His blog, Derek Landy Blogs Under Duress, is quirky and engaging, there is no mistaking his wit and satire - the same wit and satire which permeates the Skulduggery series. A highlight to any day is reading his latest post and admiring his certain charm with words - as a lover of words myself I am most certainly lost.
Perhaps I should mention that my other favourite YA series include (in no particular order):
- Leviathan / Scott Westerfeld
- The Ranger's Apprentice / John Flanagan
- Brotherband / John Flanagan
- The Saga of Darren Shan (aka: Cirque du Freak) / Darren Shan
- The Demonata / Darren Shan
- The Saga of Larten Crepsley / Darren Shan
- Conspiracy 365 / Gabrielle Lord
- The Steampunk Chronicles / Kady Cross
- The Wardstone Chronicles (aka: The Spook's Apprentice (book 1); aka: The Last Apprentice in the US) / Joseph Delaney
- Wicked Lovely / Melissa Marr
Mmmm, I detect a certain theme to my YA reading here....
