Fans of “The Fault In Our Stars”: By now you’re probably done ugly crying over the cinematic adaptation of the book starring the utterly perfect Shailene Woodley. Or, at least you should be, because you don’t want to drip tears all over the passel of awesome contemporary YA books we’re going to suggest that you pick up to read the pain away.
MTV hit up some of our favorite YA authors to give their post-TFIOS reading suggestions — and boy, did they deliver. Go on, folks, the bookstore is calling. Gus would have wanted it this way:
1) ‘Where’d You Go, Burnadette?’ by Maria Semple
“Part caper, part mother-daughter love story, this book cracked me up and made me weep, as all my favorites do. It’s vivid and strange and will make you want to call your mom more often.” – Lauren Kate Morphew, “Teardop”
2) ‘Please Ignore Vera Dietz,’ by A.S. King
“This mysterious and romantic story is told by one of the most honest and unforgettable voices in recent YA literature. Once I started this one, I could do nothing else until I finished.” – Lauren Kate Morphew
3) ‘The Future of Us,’ by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler
“A beautiful harmony is created by these two marvelous author’s voices. This alternate reality tale about the power of social media is poignant and provocative, told by two very easy-to-love protagonists.” – Lauren Kate Morphew
4) ‘The Marbury Lens,’ by Andrew Smith
“This book is creepy and magnificent. The main character was kidnapped, and is struggling with the trauma of that event, and the reality that most people close to him don’t know it even happened. It’s not your traditional contemporary YA novel (Jack is given a pair of glasses, through which he sees a war-torn world), but that’s what I love about it. It’s hard to say how much of what Jack is imagining is real, how much of it is an expression of the trauma he’s been through. How do you move past something like that?” – Anna Carey, “Blackbird”
5) ‘If I Stay,’ by Gayle Forman
“This is one of my favorite YA reads, my go-to ‘if you haven’t read this READ THIS.’ After a car accident, Mia is suspended in the in-between, where she has to decide if she wants to live without her family or not. Forman writes about that choice in all its complications, and you really feel Mia’s struggle. Like ‘The Fault in Our Stars,’ I was a sobbing mess by the last pages. Really looking forward to this movie too.” – Anna Carey
6) ‘My Life After Now,’ by Jessica Verdi
“Want another book about teens dealing with illness and hospitals? Try Jess Verdi’s ‘My Life After Now,’ about a girl who has recently been diagnosed with HIV.” – Corey Ann Haydu, “Life By Committee”
7) ‘The Sky Is Everywhere,’ by Jandy Nelson
“In the mood for another tear-jerker? One of the most loved YA novel of the last few years, ‘The Sky Is Everywhere’ will do the trick. It’s a gorgeous, lyrical novel about a teen girl whose sister has recently died, and how she encounters romance after that tragedy.” – Corey Ann Haydu
8) ‘Twenty Boy Summer,’ by Sarah Ockler
“Another excellent tear-jerker pick is Sarah Ockler’s ‘Twenty Boy Summer,’ also about a girl dealing with the aftermath of a tragedy that she can’t quite get her head around.” – Corey Ann Haydu
9) ‘Love And Leftovers,’ by Sarah Tregay
“Looking for more smart, quirky characters in unique situations with impressive writing? Take a risk with beautiful YA verse novel ‘Love And Leftovers’ by Sarah Tregay. It’s a long distance love story and has fresh, interesting characters and a great style.” – Corey Ann Haydu
10) ‘How To Save A Life,’ by Sara Zarr
“Read my personal favorite of Sara Zarr’s incredible novels, ‘How To Save A Life,’ told from two points of view, about a family undergoing a major transition.” – Corey Ann Haydu
11) ‘It’s Kind Of A Funny Story,’ by Ned Vizzini
“This novel by Ned Vizzini will make you feel ALL THE FEELINGS. Partially based on Vizzini’s own experiences, “It’s Kind of a Funny Story” is about Craig Gilner, a 15-year-old who checks himself into a psychiatric hospital after seriously considering suicide. Like Hazel and Gus in TFIOS, Craig finds himself having to reconcile normal teen stuff—like falling in love for the first time, dealing with pressure from school and parents, and trying to figure out who the hell you are—with his serious, heavy, beyond-his-years situation. This book will make you cry, yes, but it will make you laugh and cheer too. And—bonus—just like TFIOS, it was adapted into a brilliant film!” – Jessica Verdi, “My Life After Now”
12) ‘Where Things Come Back,’ by John Corey Whaley
“I’ve found one of the dangers of studying literature and learning how to craft a story is recognizing subtle hints early on in a book that reveal exactly where it is headed. I’m pleased to say for the majority of ‘Where Things Come Back’ I had no idea how the two very different, equally interesting story lines would eventually come together in an unexpected way.” – Anna Shinoda, “Learning Not To Drown”
“Tyrell’s one of those characters that I can’t get out of my head — certainly because his story is written so well by Coe Booth that he feels like someone I intimately know — but also because I know that there are so many kids out there living like he is, stuck with very few options. With understanding sans judgement, the book answers the questions of why and how a street smart kid like Tyrell, who has a lot of potential, gets involved in illegal activities.” – Anna Shinoda
14) ‘Picture Me Gone,’ by Meg Rosoff
“I really love anything by Meg Rosoff. She had me as a reader as soon as I realized she wasn’t using quotations and was getting away with it in her first novel, ‘How I Live Now.’ I had never read anything like it — bizarre and brilliant. Although there is a a mystery to be solved in ‘Picture Me Gone’ (Rosoff’s latest novel), the real treat for me is how distinct Mila’s voice is. I instantly wanted to go on the adventure with her just to spend time seeing New York state through her young, witty, intuitive British eyes.” – Anna Shinoda
MTV Picks
15) ‘Life By Committee,’ by Corey Ann Haydu
This book is like “Catfish” meets “Mean Girls.” Would you ever let an online group of anonymous strangers make all of your decisions for you? Find out what happens when Tabitha — who has been hooking up with someone else’s boyfriend — does just that.
16) ‘Dangerous Girls,’ by Abigail Haas
Haas has written “Gone Girl” for teens — but ten times more nail-biting. Imagine getting busted for your best friend’s murder in a foreign land when you know you’re innocent and the media is doing all it can to smear your name. Now try to stop having a panic attack long enough to read.
17) ‘We Were Liars,’ by E. Lockhart
A chill-you-to-the-bone novel wreathed in sea mist, “We Were Liars” tells the tale of teenage Cadence’s return to her idyllic family vacation home after a memory-altering accident. You won’t see the end coming.
Brenna Ehrlich
No Comments