My Goodreads shelf is kind of embarrassing. Most of the stuff on there is either about two dudes in love (what can I say, it’s a thing) or some sort of pseudo-fantasy written for teenaged girls. Actually one of the books on there is a pseudo-fantasy about two dudes in love written for teenaged girls.
I’d like to blame my love for young adult literature on my mommy brain, but like most of the time I pull that card, it’s just a cop-out. Yeah I’m more tired and distracted and busy now, but when it comes down to it I just have a better excuse for being late, flaky and exhausted.
The truth is I enjoy adventures and hearty use of the imagination. I rarely want to read about married women or family drama. (A few exceptions like Middlesex and yes, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood stick out.) I want to remember what it felt like to be fourteen-years-old and obsessed with Marion Zimmer Bradley novels and Outlander (neither of those are for teens) and swordsmen and pirates and rebels and dragons.
I might be 29 with a job(s) and two kids, but I still want to fly. I still want to be someone’s spunky sidekick who sweeps in at the last second and saves the day. I want to be the brainy one who secretly knows Kung Fu. I want to live on a deserted island where I become best friends with the wolves and learn how to fashion my own clothes.
Last year, the best books I read were for (older) kids. The Hunger Games and it’s sequel Catching Fire grabbed my inner-girl by the throat. (In a good way.) I read Twilight and enjoyed Twilight the way I enjoy People Magazine (with shame), but as soon as I finished the books I started picking them apart for their ridiculous portrayal of girls. The Hunger Games, on the other hand, features a female protagonist who can kick your ass because she’s worked hard and lived hard. Boys fall for her but her hormones and infatuations are just a blip on the road toward survival.
Next time you look for a quick read, I’d suggest the Hunger Games or Weetzie Bat or anything else you might find in the Young Adult section of the library or your local bookstore. You might find yourself face to face with the bright emotions and crazy dreams you had when you were a teenager. (Without all the stupid boys and stupid high school and stupid hormones and general suckiness. Not that I’m bitter.)
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{ 77 comments… read them below or add one }
I LOVE the young adult section at the book store. some of my faviourite books have been found there. :-)
I’m a sucker for em, those and well…um… Mills and Boons Romances.
Twitter: mariamelee
January 20, 2010 at 10:04 am
@Becca_Masters, I swear they’re just more entertaining than most grownup books.
Twitter: motherbumper
January 20, 2010 at 8:28 am
Word up. Whenever I’m stuck at the airport or am buying for the plane instead of doing my old stand-by of People or USWeekly, I know hit the young adult section. It’s just the right speed AND it reminds me of when I used to be able to get lost in a book so many years ago (before the tiny distraction I helped create.)
Twitter: mariamelee
January 20, 2010 at 10:05 am
@katie, The pacing really is perfect for “whenever I can grab a second to read” or “staying up for three hours past my bedtime to finish this.”
I’m going to need to be an auntie to some girl I can give all these books to.
I am so glad to hear that I am not the only mom who rather read about magic and fantasy worlds. I recently joined an “adult” book club and I am bored to tears!!! I am going to take your suggestions for future reads. It is also great that I am reading the same books as my teenage son…gives us something to talk about!!!!
Twitter: mariamelee
January 20, 2010 at 10:05 am
@maggie, When I worked with fifth graders, a few of the boys loved that I could talk about Dune with them!
Twitter: thecaffeinatrix
January 20, 2010 at 9:08 am
As you already know, I loves the young adult fiction genre and of course the the bromance, too. Someday, N and I will read the same books…hee. Have you ever read “The World of Normal Boys”? You would probably like it. I found it through someone on Goodreads, actually. (translation: we are not alone ;)
Twitter: mariamelee
January 20, 2010 at 10:06 am
@IzzyMom, I haven’t read that. I’ll have to check it out.
Twitter: ladyjess78
January 20, 2010 at 9:40 am
I will read just about anything with words, and while I love my adult book club, I get what you are saying. When I think about the books that really have formed a bright spot on my inner landscape, it’s the young adult books that stick out the most.
Twitter: mariamelee
January 20, 2010 at 10:07 am
@Jessi, I need to read more in general! A book club sounds nice.
I took my 9 week old over to the public library the other day for her 2 month vaccinations and while I was waiting, I picked through a section. Avoiding the usual James Patterson, Patricia Cornwall, Dan Brown fare I happened upon a dog eared omnibus of all the Indiana Jones novels. I sat enthralled, killing time while I read away remembering how cool these books were to read back in the day. Screw adult books – I’m going the young adult route too!
Twitter: mariamelee
January 20, 2010 at 10:08 am
@Dean from Australia, Awww that is so cool. I used to love those.
Lately, I’ve been re-reading the Little House series, which would be great if I were, say, ten… but as a 23 yro graduate student, I should probably aim higher in my literary taste. At least you’re reading books that are geared towards people who can drive!
Twitter: mariamelee
January 20, 2010 at 10:09 am
@jkru, I would re-read those in a heartbeat! Those books had a HUGE impact on me growing up. I think about things I learned in them all the time. It’s one of the reasons I’d love to visit the great plains some day.
I will have to write those down. I want to get back into reading again and I am always looking for good things to read.
Twitter: mariamelee
January 20, 2010 at 10:26 am
@Stacie, I find it helps to start VERY easy!
The thing with good YA is that, like Warner Bros cartoons, it works for anyone. It’s well written, period. And that’s crucial.
Twitter: mariamelee
January 20, 2010 at 10:27 am
@Adam P. Knave, The well written part is always VERY helpful.
Fantastic post! I couldn’t have written it any better- and it could have come from me. I too am 29, married with 5 kids and I too LOVE young adult fiction. There is nothing better than living in a fictional world and escaping a husband who needs something (always), screaming kids and a house that refuses to stay clean!
Love this post!
Twitter: mariamelee
January 20, 2010 at 1:37 pm
@Larissa, Do you read in the tub? Cause that’s the best. If you can make room without sitting on toys. Sigh.
I have a whole YA Shelf and it’s kinda rad cause my coworker reads ‘em too and it’s the one area of novels we can both sit around and talk about. I have no shame in reading the Princess Diaries, but I can tell you the movies were actually slightly better. Hahah!
Twitter: mariamelee
January 20, 2010 at 1:38 pm
@Melissa Dominic, You always have the best recs.
@Maria, I’ve tinkered with the idea of doing recs for random stuff on my site cause people seem to like what i rec them.
I think you’ve just helped push along that idea, just a smidge :D
Twitter: SillyJaime
January 20, 2010 at 10:34 am
Young adult books are my favorite. I don’t care if I’m 26.
Twitter: mariamelee
January 20, 2010 at 1:38 pm
@SillyJaime, *fist bump*
Twitter: lotsOspermies
January 20, 2010 at 10:38 am
I always tell my sons (15 and 10) that if HALF the books available to them today were available when I was their age, I never woulda left my room!
Didn’t work… They still hate to read.
Twitter: mariamelee
January 20, 2010 at 1:38 pm
@Pamela, I LOVED reading by 10. It worries me that my boys might not love it as much as I did. It was such an awesome part of growing up.
Reading your post reminded me about my favorite series growing up. “The Baby-sitters Club”. What fun memories growing up. Thanks for the reminder. And I might have to check out one of the books you suggested!
Twitter: mariamelee
January 20, 2010 at 1:40 pm
@Elisa, I totally loved those too!
Twitter: lotsOspermies
January 20, 2010 at 2:11 pm
@Elisa, OMG! I remember the one about a ghost that I love love loved! Those books rocked!
Twitter: MPoppinsinHeels
January 20, 2010 at 11:04 am
I live with someone who, among other things, teaches 8th grade English. We have a house full of “young reader” literature and nary a young reader in sight. He’s always handing me something out of his collection to read. Have you read Holes? Great book. And Speak is another amazing book.
Twitter: mariamelee
January 20, 2010 at 1:39 pm
@MaryPoppinsinHeels, I am totally going to check those out, thank you.
Twitter: alimartell
January 20, 2010 at 11:08 am
oh, lady.
UM. did you know that I work at Scholastic?
I know ALL sorts of good YA fiction…
Twitter: mariamelee
January 20, 2010 at 1:39 pm
@ali, Yeah! @halushki does too I think. She recommended the Hunger Games.
I THINK WHAT YOU DO IS AWESOME.
I LOVED The Hunger Games! I’m waiting for Catching Fire to come in the mail so I can dive into that one, too.
My goodreads shelf is a pretty eclectic mix, but there is quite a bit of YA on there (I’m 26, no kids yet). I think YA moves a lot quicker than typical “adult” literature. I read The Hunger Games in less than a 24-hour period and I’ve been attempting to read The Great Gatsby for more than a week now. Not because it isn’t good, but because there isn’t anything about the book that’s keeping me from putting it down.
Oh, and to echo Mary above, I recently read Speak and was blown away. Had I known about that book when I was younger, it would have been that one dog-eared book that I toted around with me and read over and over. Highly recommended.
Twitter: mariamelee
January 20, 2010 at 1:40 pm
@AlwaysAwkward, That you for the rec!
I love reading things that I tear through in a day or so. But then I’m so sad when I’m done!
@Maria, Gah! Seeing all of these comments have reminded me of all the YA books I’ve read and loved recently. I wholeheartedly second the sentiments on The Book Thief (AMAZING!) and The Giver.
I love pushing books. Therefore, I can also recommend:
Sloppy Firsts, Second Helpings, and Charmed Thirds – all by Megan McCafferty. There are at least two others following those in the series, but I haven’t read them yet.
I Am The Messenger – Markus Zusak – not as good as The Book Thief but still very good.
And because you like fantasy, I think you would really like the Gemma Doyle trilogy – A Great and Terrible Beauty, Rebel Angels, and The Sweet Far Thing – all by Libba Bray.
All fantastic YA books with (I think) better protaganists that some of the other stuff available these days.
Twitter: mariamelee
January 25, 2010 at 9:23 pm
@AlwaysAwkward, Thank you! I can’t wait to check this stuff out.
Twitter: alotofnothing
January 20, 2010 at 12:22 pm
As long as a book is less than 12 pages and includes large pictures, it’s not getting read. I’m too busy watching Dexter.
Twitter: mariamelee
January 20, 2010 at 1:40 pm
@Angie [A Whole Lot of Nothing], Hahaha
The last book I read was for young adults. It was called “The Giver” and Angie recommended it! I absolutely agree with your sentiments.
Twitter: mariamelee
January 20, 2010 at 2:24 pm
@Secret Agent Mama/Mishelle, I think I read it when I was younger, but I really need to re-read it.
I just finished City of Bones and I am right there with you. A lot of times, my RL (family, relationships, career, school…) are so hectic, that when I want to read, I want to ESCAPE. Give me my candy! I have stopped being apologetic about it- if someone is going to judge me by my recreational reading, then I was never going to be good enough for them anyway.
Twitter: mariamelee
January 25, 2010 at 9:23 pm
@Melanie, I figure at least I’m reading SOMETHING. And not Entertainment Weekly. (Which I also read.)
Read The Book Thief. Soooo good. Yes, young adult, but you’d never know it.
Twitter: mariamelee
January 25, 2010 at 9:23 pm
@Lindsey, A lot of people are saying that. Definitely gonna check it out.
Twitter: txtingmrdarcy
January 20, 2010 at 1:09 pm
Can I get an A-men!? I’m reading “The Shadow of the Wind” right now, and while it’s amazing I’m not able to zip through it the way that I could through the Hunger Games novels. Some other good young adult books are “Graceling” by Kristen Cashore and “Poison Study” by Maria V Snyder. More smart young women kicking butt and taking names. :)
Twitter: mariamelee
January 25, 2010 at 9:22 pm
@txtingmrdarcy, I will check these out, thank you!!
I will have to check out the Hunger Games. Twilight was a biiiiig problem for me. It’s so shameful. If you ask me how many times I read them in 3 weeks….I will lie. I know what you mean about picking apart Bella’s character but (and I say this with SHAME) what if you just read it for all the hormone stuff anyway? LOL. I will seriously look into the Hunger Games. I need to get away from the Vampire porn. seriously. Thanks for the recommendations. I am getting lots of good ideas from here.
P.S. I really enjoyed Middlesex too.
@Tina, also…has anyone read the “Wicked Lovely” series? Some of my girlfriends are trying to get me to read them. They are supposedly about FAIRIES?
Twitter: mariamelee
January 25, 2010 at 9:22 pm
@Tina, Never heard of them but I love fairies!
Twitter: mariamelee
January 25, 2010 at 9:22 pm
@Tina, You have to tell me if you like them!!
You liked Weetzie Bat too?! All of Francesca Lia Block’s books are incredible, IMHO… If you haven’t yet, check out “The Hanged Man” and “Violet & Claire”… Great reads, and I’m not ashamed to admit it at 26! ;)
Twitter: mom2aroo
January 21, 2010 at 3:02 pm
@Jaden,
I second Violet & Claire. Its one of my faves.I read Summer Sisters, by Judy Blume each summer, I’m almost 26. Most people read it when they were teens, I didnt get it until I was older but I LOVE it!
Twitter: mariamelee
January 25, 2010 at 9:21 pm
@claire, I think they’re must reads, man.
Twitter: mariamelee
January 25, 2010 at 9:21 pm
@Jaden, I LOVED Violet and Claire. I actually discovered Weetzie Bat in a college course in 2001 or so. Adored it.
@MommyMelee, Wish I had taken that class!! Sounds like much more interesting reading than I was offered… ;)
I hear you on this. I was reading young adult books way into my not young anymore adult years. And yes, Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn are all on my shelf. Guilty.
Twitter: mariamelee
January 25, 2010 at 9:21 pm
@LessToLove, Oh they’re on mine too for sure. :)
OMG am totally into the Outlander series (not to be confused with THE Outlander. It’s just plain OUTLANDER. There’s a difference. BIG difference. And by difference, I mean one so totally sucks and the other so totally doesn’t.) Anyway, I’m currently on the second book of the series, Dragonfly In Amber. Dood. Must put book down and remember there are small children wandering around the house with possible bobby-pins-in-outlets/scissors-while-running/pennies-in-mouth. Hooked. HOOKED. Am on this here wagon with ya, Honey.
Twitter: mariamelee
January 25, 2010 at 9:20 pm
@Liz, It’s good stuff. I really need to re-read them.
OH! And remember the Fear Street series by R.L. Stein (also famed for Goosebumps, but Fear Street was BETTER cuz it was for GIRLS.)?? It used phrases like “bludgeoned to a pulp” and “jaggedly severed.” Teendom bliss at its absolute finest.
Twitter: mariamelee
January 25, 2010 at 9:20 pm
@Liz, Hahaha. my best friend feels the same way.
I love YA stuff, mixing it in with my ‘more adult reading’. My husband says I will read anything that catches my interest even for a second ;)
But, I must say that I had a moment of nostalgia when I saw your passing mention of a book that I loved so much as a youngster that I read it many times just so I could re-live it… and I even named one of my favorite dogs Rontu! Island of the Blue Dolphins was one of my first forays out of the kiddie section of the library. I remember that I had pretty much read everything in the section for my age group and one of the nice librarians took me aside and after making sure it was o.k. with my Mom took me into the Teen area. One of the books she placed in my hands was Island of the Blue Dolphins. I never looked back and dove into these new aisles of books with enthusiasm…. Actually with such enthusiasm that it wasn’t very long before this same librarian was slowly introducing me to the Sci-fi section of the Upstairs adult area!
Twitter: mariamelee
January 25, 2010 at 9:20 pm
@Astaryth, That book is so heartbreaking and beautiful. It meant a lot to me when I was young.
Twitter: Al_Pal
January 21, 2010 at 12:10 am
Awesome. “It’s a thing” OH, yes. Yes, it is. ;D
My fave from childhood that I’ve re-read as an adult and still loved – The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley. LOVE. Female protag, earthy magic, swords and horses. ;p
Twitter: mariamelee
January 25, 2010 at 9:19 pm
@Al_Pal, I read that in college and actually didn’t like it all that much!
Twitter: Al_Pal
January 26, 2010 at 6:21 am
@MommyMelee, REALLY!?!?!??!?!
I mean, okay, my nostalgia HAS to be a factor… but really? I guess I haven’t re-read it since I was 24 or something…but. ;p
Have you read any of her other books? Some people are into them. I fairly-well enjoyed the prequel Hero & the Crown.
It’s good to know I’m not the only one. I rediscovered YA last year while manning my sons school book fair (it was slow, I was bored). It’s been a guilty pleasure ever since. I never told anyone though because it’s difficult to explain why a 42 year-old woman is reading that when her kid is only 7. Oh, except I do freely admit to reading the Harry Potter books every summer. Talk about escapism!
I still have the very first copy of Island of the Blue Dolphins that my grandmother gave me 30 years ago and I read it once a year. I’m hoping it survives long enough to hand over to my kids.
Twitter: mariamelee
January 25, 2010 at 9:19 pm
@Dawn, I really hope my boys enjoy that. It was so important to me growing up.
One of the best books I read last year came from the young adult section. You have to read The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak. It is a sad story but so beautifully written. You should definitely check it out.
Twitter: mariamelee
January 25, 2010 at 9:19 pm
@MB, I love all these recs. Thank you!
I absolutely love young adult books and kids are so excited to read them. I am studying to be an English teacher and a lot of my classmates are obsessed with using “real” literary works. Of course works by Shakespeare, Fitzgerald and Steinbeck are important and kids should be eventually exposed to them. But YA books are wonderfully written and you can have great conversations with children about family, friends, race, class, etc. I appreciate that their is a lot of support for YA literature. Did you ever read The Absolutely True-Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie. Highly recommended.
Twitter: mariamelee
January 25, 2010 at 9:17 pm
@Melissa, I will have to check that out!
My favorite college course was actually an adolescent lit course!
May I suggest the following for your reading enjoyment:
Angus Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison
Alice I Think by Susan Juby
The Secret Diary of Adrian Aged 13 3/4 by Sue Townsend (Not young adult fiction but great nonetheless.)
Twitter: steffierain
March 4, 2010 at 1:42 pm
I’m hooked on the teenage/young adult sections…. so much so that I can’t read Adult books.
I think it might have something to do with the fact that I don’t want to grow up.
Any ways I discovered a problem after I renewed my love for the teen section… I’m addicted to vampire stories. Shame or not I don’t care because I love them!
This is a tad late in the game, (but i just discovered this website and i must say it is fucking fantastic)
Anywho a few recommendations are:
Anything by Meg Cabot a YA fave is Jinx. Though her Adult stuff is amazing and just like her YA but much much more fun to read you cant go wrong with a Meg Cabot book.
Also the Gallagher Girl series by Ally Carter is fun (a spy school for girls but boys and romance is involved with a lot of ass kicking too)
The House of Night Series is also a good one by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast.
PS If you liked the Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer she wrote another book called The Host which is infinitely better then Twilight.
@ Lindz
I agree Angus Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging is a fun book (as is the rest in the series) but as a secret weakness of mine is the Movie Angus Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging when I’m in a movie mood instead of a book mood.