I'm new to YA, I've only read three YA series ( The Cruel Prince by Holly Black, Crimson Moth duology by Kristen Ciccarelli, Powerless by Lauren Roberts) And I'm quite confused as to whether YA refers to the preferable audience or is it a genre? Are the main characters always teenagers or are there YA books with adult MCs?

I follow this creator on instagram, Steven J. Reese, who is currently reading a book set in each of the 50 U.S. states. I love this project and have been really inspired by it. Personally, I've been trying to expand the scope of what books I read, particularly trying to read from different parts of the world (shoutout to women in translation!) I majored in English in college and the texts we read were largely from the States or Europe, particularly Britain. I've recently read a few books by Korean authors, Tender is the Flesh (Argentinian), amongst others. To keep track of my progress I'm thinking of both creating a few lists on Pagebound and also getting a physical map to check off the places where I've 'read from.' If you have any recommendations or want to follow along let me know!

hello Pagebound friends! i inherited this quest from our founder, Lucy. while i don't know her original criteria for choosing the first 40 books, i've come up with some general guidelines that i think this quest should follow. this is going to be a bit of a long-winded post but i wanted to let everyone know my thought process going forward!

since the title of this quest specifically highlights "Critically Acclaimed", and based on the books that are already included, this will be the general criteria for now:

• positive reviews from respected critics or publications • awards and nominations • commonly included on "best of" or other similar lists • scholarly attention, such as the book being referenced in academic discussions, essays, or scholarly literary analysis • longevity & relevance, meaning memoirs that continue to be relevant to cultural and professional discussion across a long period of time

however! there are some caveats that i think need to be mentioned.

i think there is room for some variation considering how common freelance book critique is on the internet, how influential online critique/reviewing has become, and how the internet has expanded literary circles.

i also think it's important to recognize that marginalized authors often do not receive the same amount of professional literary praise as non-marginalized authors. awards and mainstream critics & publications historically favor white, Western, often cis male authors, and marginalized authors often get fewer or less serious reviews. on top of that, there are many publishing barriers in place for marginalized authors that mean their books often don't get marketed widely and their work is often overlooked, or sometimes strategically suppressed or banned.

because of these issues, i will also take into consideration things like: • consistency, as in the book receives praise from multiple sources and not just virality • cultural impact, as in if the book is sparking deeper conversation in literary communities (both professional and casual) for its craft, style, and impact • adding on to the above, memoirs that are especially recognized in literary circles (both professional and casual) for courage, honesty, or an overall contribution to social/cultural understanding

TL;DR: i'd like to stick to memoirs that are specifically acclaimed for their literary merit and cultural or scholarly impact, rather than just memoirs that are bestselling/popular/viral. i want the books included to be works that contribute meaningfully to conversation and literature. i especially think this will help the quest not get overwhelmed by a ton of celebrity memoirs or other similar releases.

now with that all being said, i'm open to any suggestions and would be happy to sort through and see what i think is a fair addition :)

... which would it be? I love rereading books! I try not to do it too often, because I have so many amazing books waiting for me, but some books really profit from being read several times, or I'm overwhelmed or in a reading slump and rereading is what helps me then. But there are some books I really wish I could read for the first time again, because they had such a unique influence on me. Here are my top three: Babel - R. F. Kuang She Who Became the Sun - Shelley Parker-Chan Island Beneath the Sea - Isabel Allende

What are yours?