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From sequels, finales, collaborations and debuts, it's difficult to single out the must-reads in great choice of YA fiction, says Justine Carbery
THERE are so many great books for teens and young adults this year, that it's hard to single out just a few. From favourite authors teaming up for a one-of-a-kind story to stand-alones, from sequels and finales to highly anticipated debuts, 2020 has so much to offer. If you're a fan of romance, fantasy, historical or contemporary fiction, there is something here for you.
Launched recently, Sheena Wilkinson's third historical novel, Hope Against Hope, (Little Island €11.40) could not be more relevant in today's post-Brexit Northern Ireland. Set in 1921 Belfast, a city beset with political unease and the threat of partition, this novel brims with life, peopled by a wonderful cast of politically-engaged women from across the social and political divide.
The young protagonist, Polly, follows her cousin Catherine to Belfast, to live in an unusual cross-community women's hostel called Helen's Hope. The feisty feminist inhabitants of this social experiment try to find their place in a society that doesn't always share their ideals, in a city fracturing along sectarian lines. A gritty but warm read with engaging characters and engrossing storyline, this historical novel has a distinctly modern feel.
Wranglestone (Stripes €9.99) by Darren Charlton is a surprisingly well written post-apocalyptic zombie queer novel; creepy, compelling and cute all at the same time. What more could you want? It tells the story of 16-yearold Peter, who lives with his father in an isolated community perched on stilts above islands in a huge lake. Most of the year they're safe,...