About Jia

http://dearauthor.com/author/jia/

Jia is an avid reader who loves fantasy and young adult novels. Her favorite authors are Michelle West and Jacqueline Carey. YA authors whose works she's enjoyed include Holly Black, Laini Taylor, Malinda Lo, and Megan Miranda. Jia's on a neverending quest for fantasy novels with diverse casts and multicultural settings. Feel free to email her with recommendations at jia@dearauthor.com!

Posts by Jia :

REVIEW:  What’s Left of Me by Kat Zhang

REVIEW: What’s Left of Me by Kat Zhang

Dear Ms. Zhang, When I first saw the premise for your debut YA novel, I was intrigued. Everyone is born with two souls but one gains dominance until finally, the other vanishes in childhood? Interesting yet twisted – my kind of thing. It was enough to make me look past the dystopian setting that’s become(…)

REVIEW:  Hanging by a Thread by Sophie Littlefield

REVIEW: Hanging by a Thread by Sophie Littlefield

Dear Ms. Littlefield, Your name’s been on my radar for a while now. Alas, I’m teetering on burnout when it comes to post-apocalyptic novels so I’ve consistently given your Harlequin Luna series a pass. This is no fault of your own. It’s all on me. But when I saw your new novel, a YA, on(…)

REVIEW:  Defiance by C.J. Redwine

REVIEW: Defiance by C.J. Redwine

Dear Ms. Redwine, There’s been an influx of female-led traditional fantasy in the YA genre. If you had told me last year that this was going to become a thing, I would have been ecstatic. I’ve been getting bored with the urban fantasy and paranormal subgenres, and traditional fantasy is my weak spot. But let’s(…)

REVIEW:  Thirteen by Kelley Armstrong

REVIEW: Thirteen by Kelley Armstrong

Dear Ms. Armstrong, All things must come to an end. That includes your Women of the Otherworld series. I can’t believe it’s been over ten years since we were first introduced to Elena, the only female werewolf in existence. And while I’ve liked some books more than others, I still consider this series to be(…)

MANGA REVIEW:  Jiu Jiu volume 1 by Touya Tobina

MANGA REVIEW: Jiu Jiu volume 1 by Touya Tobina

Story & Art: Touya Tobina Publisher: Hakusensha/Viz Rated: T+ for older teen Volumes: 1/5 Dear readers, It’s been a while since I picked up a new shoujo title so after looking around a bit, I decided to give this a try. I admit I don’t often read shoujo manga much these days but it’s good(…)

REVIEW:  Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard

REVIEW: Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard

Dear Ms. Dennard, It seems like steampunk books are all the rage these days. I admit I’ve yet to find a steampunk YA that I can really get behind but I keep hoping. And if there’s one thing that steampunk novels can’t seem to do without, it’s zombies. I’m pretty ambivalent when it comes to(…)

REVIEW:  Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake

REVIEW: Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake

Dear Ms. Blake, Last year I read your debut, Anna Dressed in Blood. I loved it. It was a creepy ghost story about a ghost hunter on a mission to track down a violent, bloodthirsty ghost but ends up falling in love with her instead. Sometimes I think the urban fantasy subgenre has made us(…)

MANGA REVIEW:  Walkin’ Butterfly volume 2 by Chihiro Tamaki

MANGA REVIEW: Walkin’ Butterfly volume 2 by Chihiro Tamaki

Story & Art: Chihiro Tamaki Publisher: Ohzora/JManga Rating: T+ for Teen Plus Length: 3/4 volumes Dear readers, I recently reviewed the first volume of this josei manga series about Michiko, a young woman who’s self-conscious about her height and decides to become a model to overcome it and break out of her stagnation. Though I(…)

MANGA REVIEW:  Walkin’ Butterfly volume 1 by Chihiro Tamaki

MANGA REVIEW: Walkin’ Butterfly volume 1 by Chihiro Tamaki

Story & Art: Chihiro Tamaki Publisher: JManga Rating: T+ for Teen Plus Length: 2/4 volumes Dear readers, Unlike shounen, shoujo, or BL, josei is one of those manga genres that seems unable to get a foothold in the U.S. It’s true that there are exceptions, such as Ooku, but for the most part, it doesn’t(…)

REVIEW:  The Forsaken by Lisa M. Stasse

REVIEW: The Forsaken by Lisa M. Stasse

Dear Ms. Stasse, Ah, the dystopian subgenre. For something touted as the new vampire, it wore out its welcome fairly quickly, didn’t it? Despite the popularity of the recent Hunger Games movie, I remain skeptical that it’ll see a resurgence in popularity. I’m still willing to give the subgenre a try because you never know,(…)

REVIEW:  The Hunter and the Hunted by Kelley Armstrong

REVIEW: The Hunter and the Hunted by Kelley Armstrong

Dear Ms. Armstrong, Bitten was one of the first urban fantasy novels I read from the current subgenre that sprung up during the last decade. I loved Elena, Clay, and the world you introduced. When you expanded the Otherworld setting beyond the werewolves, I had mixed feelings. I have a weak spot for the pack.(…)

MANGA REVIEW:  Urameshiya volume 1 by Makiko

MANGA REVIEW: Urameshiya volume 1 by Makiko

It's the return of the manga review! I know it's been a while. While we can't promise that these will become a regular feature at Dear Author, I will try to review a couple titles occasionally. Story & Art: MakikoPublisher: JMangaRating: M for MatureLength: 1/1+ volumes (14 volumes currently available in Japan) Dear readers, Dear(…)

REVIEW:  One Moment by Kristina McBride

REVIEW: One Moment by Kristina McBride

Dear Ms. McBride, I’ve been in a reading slump lately. It’s probably the result of a speculative fiction overdose. I love these genres but sometimes a girl needs a change. When I saw your novel offered up on NetGalley, I decided to give it a look. I always say I need to read more contemporary(…)

REVIEW:  A Midsummer’s Nightmare by Kody Keplinger

REVIEW: A Midsummer’s Nightmare by Kody Keplinger

Dear Ms. Keplinger, I think you’re one of the more interesting contemporary YA authors to be published in recent years. There’s an authenticity to your narrative voice that’s difficult to match. Despite their flaws, I enjoyed your previous two novels, The DUFF and Shut Out, so I snatched up your latest without hesitation. Whitley is(…)

REVIEW: Revived by Cat Patrick

REVIEW: Revived by Cat Patrick

Dear Ms. Patrick, I’ve been on a sci-fi YA kick lately. It’s a result of my wanting to love the dystopian sub-genre but continually being disappointed by its offerings time and time again. I know these are just marketing labels and can shift based on current trends. (With the success of the Hunger Games movie,(…)