A few years ago I wasn’t reading any Young Adult novels. My reasoning was that I had to many adult fiction books to read but I can’t remember now what prompted me to give YA books a try (probably a challenge or one of you dear blog friends!) and now I read them. I don’t read that many but I do like to read a few here and there.
One I’ve recently finished is Pieces of Me by Charlotte Gingras and translated by Susan Ouriou. This moving story is about Mirabelle, or Mira as she prefers to be called, a lonely young girl who feels abandoned. She has no friends, her mother is mentally ill and her father well Mira refers to him as her “ex-father” so you get the idea.
I loved this story. I loved it for its vulnerability, its honesty and how it made me remember in some ways growing up. Our situations were completely different yet at one time or another as a teen you feel so alone and that no one understands you. I thought the author captured that perfectly. Pieces of Me (click on title for my review) has recently been released in the U.S. so I hope you’ll add this book to your radar.
Speaking of books on the radar, I’ve just added a few more YA novels to mine from a new to me imprint, WestSide Books.
- Seattle Blues by Michael Wenberg. The summer of 1969 starts off badly for 13-year-old Maya. Her mother has sent her to Seattle to stay with the grandmother she’s never met; her father is reported MIA in the jungles of Vietnam; and angry Maya’s determined to get back home, even if it means running away.
- Between Us Baxters by Bethany Hegedus. It’s hard to be a “Black Sheep Baxter,” at least for 12-year-old Polly. From a poor white family, Polly’s best friend, Timbre Ann Biggs, is black, making them the only “salt-and-pepper” friends in town.
- Running for My Life by Ann Gonzalez. The powerful story of Andrea McKane, a fourteen-year-old who struggles to cope with her mother’s schizophrenia. She must face the heartbreaking fact that her mother, with whom she once laughed and played, has vanished into her disease, possibly forever.
- Stepping Up by Mark Fink. Ernie Dolan, 14, is plagued by the curse of the average. Nothing about him stands out—except his stutter. Only best friend Mike Rivers sees him at his best. Then, at a competitive basketball camp, Mike excels while Ernie is—average.
- Waiting to Score by J.E. MacLeod. Quirky, smart, and good looking, Zack Chase is a book-loving, talented hockey player. But he doesn’t want to turn pro like his late dad, despite his mom’s hopes.
These all sound like the type of books I would have devoured as a teen reader. What do you think? Got a recent YA book you’ve been reading that I must add to my radar? Actually, I am reading another YA book but I’ll save that for another post because I’m almost done with it and no doubt I’ll want to tell you all about it.
I recently read The Hunger Games and loved it! Not sure if you’ve read that one but I definitely recommend it.
Pieces of Me sounds good to me so I’ll definitely check it out during my next trip to the bookstore.
I’ve recently finished reading Sweethearts by Sara Zarr and it’s so good! It’s more of a bittersweet story of friendship and finding one’s identity.
This sounds like such a good book, your review has me captivated!
With the exception of the Twilight Series and Harry Potters (which really both don’t count), YA is pretty new to me too. I felt the same as you…I’ve got enough adult ones to read! But then I started reading YA books to my kids who are at the appropriate age for most of them, and I’m really enjoying it. If I didn’t have kids, I’m not sure I’d be reading them, but it is the perfect excuse. When I started blogging, I was amazed at how many people read YA! Pieces of Me sounds like a great one to try!
Hunger Games! The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks! Octavian Nothing! Looking for Alaska! (Seriously….I could keep going…)
Many young adult books could do equally well as adult books and vice versa. Think about it…To Kill A Mockingbird would *not* be an adult novel if Harper Lee was pitching it today. And then there are books like (Lori Lansens’) The Girls or The Curious Incident of the Dog In the Nighttime that were successful adult HC releases and are now often found in both adult and teen sections in PB.
Like you, I didn’t read any YA until I started blogging. Now I love them. How about Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer or Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson or The Giver by Lois Lowry or The Earth, My Butt and other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler? I liked all of these!
I agree with Maria and Sassymonkey — The Hunger Games!!!! I read it earlier this month and am about to post my review. LOVED it!
I have to give a third to The Hunger Games! It was a totally unexpected wonder. I thought I wouldn’t like it, but I absolutely loved it. I’ve read lots of YA this year for some reason and it’s really becoming my favorite genre.
I also have to second The Disreputible History of Frankie Banks. Also; Paper Towns by John Green, ANYTHING by Sarah Dessen, Abundance of Katherines by John Green, Cecil Castellucci (if fact I think you would love The Plain Janes, it’s about art), and oodles more. I can’t think of them all!
Pieces of me sounds really good. I agree, I am sure we have all felt some of those same things when we were younger. I might need to add this to my TBR pile!
Love YA lit, but I haven’t had much time to read it lately either! Thanks for the recs.
Maria – No, I haven’t read it but have been hearing lots of good things about it so I’m taking note! 🙂
Melody – Oh that sounds like a book I’d like. I’ll be looking for your review of it to learn a bit more.
Claire – I hope you’ll give it a try!
Sandy – I know, it is amazing how many people like YA isn’t it? I’ve really been impressed with a lot of YA stories the one that sticks most in my mind is The Book Thief. Have you read it? Now that’s one story I’m so glad I didn’t overlook just because it was shelved in the YA section.
Sassymonkey – You’ve seen The Girls on the YA shelves? Wow. I guess I could see it being there. That is such a wonderful story. I’m taking note of some of the others you mentioned and you know you are right, To Kill a Mockingbird would probably now be in the YA section.
Joanna – I haven’t read any of those titles you mentioned but I’m writing them down… Love the last one. That made me smile 🙂
Les in NE – I know you said you couldn’t find a book to read after this one right? Can’t wait to read your review!
Heather – I’m taking note of all the ones you mentioned! And, everyone is just loving Hunger Games. I must read it! 🙂
Christine – I think you’d like it girl. Plus she’s an artist so it’s neat to read about her dreams of growing up.
Tiffany – If you check out any of these you’ll have to keep us posted! I get the feeling I’ll be picking up another YA book soon 🙂
Great finds.
I will keep this list for my young relatives.
I don’t like them to read the Mormon Vampire series.
I have read more young adult novels this year than I have in years! Even when I was a young adult I hardly ever read them, so it is nice to explore them now. 🙂
I don’t really have any suggestions for you. I too have started to be more open to YA books than I was in the past. Someone else was talking about this yesterday (of course I can’t remember who – – maybe Cornflower. Anyway, I shared a quote that I’ve always liked by C. S. Lewis. In general, he says that if a children’s or YA book isn’t good enough for an adult to read, it’s just bad literature in the first place. I couldn’t agree more.
Now that I’ve started I’m loving YA, so I guess I’ll just have to read faster to fit those books in around my adult read. I just finished ‘Ten Cents a Dance’ which was fabulous and I think it’s a really good crossover book because it’s really easy to forget that the main character is a teenager.
Isabel – Oh no you censor reading lists! 😉 The vampire series by Meyer is really a lot of fun but I do think your relatives may be a bit too young for those still. Well, and Pieces of Me is probably not for them either. Maybe look on the WestSide books link to check out the books and see if they’d appeal.
Kailana – Haha… I did read a lot of the genre as a kid but I quickly moved into the adult books. I’m so lucky my parents let me choose my books so I was reading from all over the place 🙂 I’ve gotten a lot of good tips on YA books from your recs!
Lisa – That’s a great way to look at it! I mean a good story is one that should have appeal for all ages/groups. Love it.
Jodie – Ok, I’m taking note of the Ten Cents book. And, hey, I didn’t realize you had your own book blog too! Oh how embarrassing. I was just used to read your craft blog. I’ll quickly be updating my links and blog feeds! 🙂
That sounds wonderful! The best YA book I’ve read, lately, is So Not Happening by Jenny B. Jones. It is just a breath of fresh air — very, very fun reading that made me laugh out loud a few times.
Wow, so many recs for The Hunger Games!
I am reading more and more YA. Just in the last few weeks I read The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner, Marked by PC and Kristin Cast, Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon, Coraline by Neil Gaiman and Superior Saturday by Garth Nix.
I never used to read any YA, but now I have a little stack thanks to blogger recommendations and books I’ve just come across that sounded good. YA novels can be surprisingly sophisticated and good! I will have to check these out.
I was the same way! Now about 50-60% of what I read is YA lol. I’m loving Cameron Dokey’s Once Upon a Time series right now.
Hehe that’s fine, it’s only a little ‘un, a new blog.
I am happy that you made that decision awhile back to add YA to what you read. There certainly are a number of wonderful YA titles that it would be a shame to miss out on. I go through periods where I seem to read quite a few of them and then don’t read any. The most recent that I can recall reading and is a must read is, of course, Neil Gaiman’s Newbery award winning, The Graveyard Book.
YA fiction has become one of my favorite genres. I just finished a really good one called The Patron Saint of Butterflies.
I don’t regularly pick up young adult fiction, but when I do, I enjoy it. I really loved the Philip Pullman books when I read those a few years ago. I should probably read YA fiction more often!
Bookfool, aka Nancy – Did I miss your review of that one? I’m so behind. I’m going to look for that one!
Marg – I know, right. I need to get on board and go look for that one. I loved Coraline. What a great story. I need to read more by him. And, I’ve been hearing some great reviews of The Thief too!
danielle – I must have been expecting very simple books to be honest but I’m really amazed at the topics they cover and go “raw” some of these feel. I especially like the ones geared for the older YA audience.
Ladytink_534 – Oh wow, you’ve really found a genre you like! I don’t read too many in a year but I’ve been pretty lucky in that the ones I’ve read I’ve liked so the genre still feels quite new to me but I look forward to discovering more!
Jodie – I still haven’t stopped by… Decided to stay away from the computer on Saturday but am going to visit today 🙂
Carl V. – The Graveyard Book – that’s the one I really would like to read. It sounds wonderful and I think that should be my next Gaiman book!
Nicole – Ooh, hadn’t heard of that book but I like the title so I’m intrigued. Have you reviewed it already? Hope I didn’t miss your review but I’ll stop in to check 🙂
Dorothy W. – Pullman is another author that comes highly recommended and yet I haven’t read. Marking for that YA list which is becoming quite lengthy 🙂
Pieces of Me sounds great. I’ve been really enjoying the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series.
Pieces of Me sounds just like my kind of book! As for YA recommendations, most of what I’d recommend had been covered! So I’ll just add Nation by Terry Pratchett.
I’m holding a lot of the same ideas that you used to – that I have so many “adult” ficion books to read (and I enjoy them!), that I don’t want to add YA to my list. However, thanks to all the blogs I read, I have added some YA titles to my wish list, and plan to read a few this year. My older daughter reads YA, and it would be nice to read some of the same titles as she, to have a better idea of what she’s up to 🙂
Sounds like an interesting book, and I enjoyed your review. I read YA books here and there, and I’ll have to keep this one in mind.