Sample-Chapter Showdown: Young Adult

Painted Devils by Margaret Owen (Macmillan Children's)
Ledge by Stacey McEwan (Angry Robot)
With a Little Luck by Marissa Meyer (Feiwel & Friends)

It's time for a sample-chapter showdown! These samplers are all from YA, and each with some sort of magical or dystopian twist—some more than others.

Painted Devils:
Let me state one thing up front: I wasn't trying to start a cult. (loc. 108*)

Vanja may not have been trying to start a cult, but let's just say that things have not gone entirely to plan...and Vanja is clearly not one to live a straightforward life.

Now, this is a sample for the second book in a series, and I have not read the first—but if even the sample is this wildly entertaining (and tongue in cheek), that might have to change. I'm here for a character who is not, you know, sweet and innocent and pure as driven snow; it's clear even from these few chapters that Vanja has been through it, and is still going through it, and damn if she's not going to scrap and scramble to come out on top. I suspect that this series would make for fab reading for anyone who liked the His Fair Assassin books. Hold on to your hats...and your rubies...because it's clearly going to be a wild ride.

Ledge:
Princess Academy meets The Lottery meets...oh, I'm going to have to think about that one. A more adult-oriented fantasy/dystopian book than Princess Academy, in any case!

These sample chapters introduce us to the world of the Ledge, where a tiny civilisation perches on a cliffside, constantly battling the elements—and at risk of sliding into a crevasse—and a general lack of food, lack of trees, lack of resources. They're supported by the winged Glacians, which make regular supply drops...but never enough, and the Glacians' support comes at a cost: twice yearly sacrifices, villagers swept off by the Glacians to an unknown fate.

This (and the rest of the series—the second book came out in September) will likely appeal to those who grew up with YA dystopia and are ready for something similar but smuttier, or for those who like fast-paced action in their fantasy worlds. I always appreciate sample chapters for giving me a sense of what to expect from a book, and this is no exception—an introduction to Dawsyn, to her world...and the knowledge that things are about to change for her, and quickly. For the most part I've gone in a different direction since moving on from the dystopian YA I once read a lot of (blame The Hunger Games, probably), but had the wind shifted perhaps I would have ended up on a Ledge more often.

With a Little Luck:
I've got a decent imagination, which is almost as good as epic quests and true love. Imagination surpasses real life...what? Ninety percent of the time? Tell me I'm wrong. You're the one with your nose in a book right now, so I know you agree with me, at least on some level. (loc. 42*)

Jude has things pretty good: close friends, a family he likes (most of the time), a satisfying hobby. If he doesn't have a love life right now, well, that's okay. But then Jude finds a spectacular gaming die, and things get...weird. Good weird. Lucky weird.

In some ways, reading this preview was the best of both worlds—enough time to see a likeable character have some good things happen to him, but not so far into the book that that started to get complicated, or for things to go awry and unlucky. It begs some questions about what you would do with a run of good luck—do you try to target that luck? How random is it, really? And just how long can that run of good luck last?

The sample I read contains the first six chapters, which is ample space to get a sense of these characters. Tons of energy to go around, and generally good vibes (I love that even the character who's being set up to be the wrong love interest—i.e., not the right one after all—is also being set up to be a generally good person, regardless of romantic fit), and an entertaining concept. It should be a lot of fun to see where things go from here.

The Verdict: These are pretty wildly different books—one fantasy, one dystopia, one contemporary with a fantastical twist. It's hard to compare...but if I could only read one, I'd go for Painted Devils (well, and its predecessor), because the first chapters set the scene for something wildly snarky and fun.

Thanks to the authors and publishers for providing these previews through NetGalley. *Quotes may not be final.