YA Anyone?

[iamdivergent]

I am a big fan of the YA genre despite being almost 30 - anyone else? I find that some YA books have more depth than some aimed at adults and it really annoys me when people scoff at what I am reading!

Favourites of mine are Gena Showalter, Rainbow Rowell and Gayle Forman

I read loads of YA, I must admit largely because dd (13) has an endless supply via the school library, book tokens etc so if I don't have anything to read I raid her room. I'm quite a bit older than 'almost 30'

I liked Fangirl, haven't read any other Rainbow Rowell. I think dd has a copy of Eleanor & Park, but somehow that didn't appeal so much. Don't know the other two you mentioned.

The one YA author I really don't get on with (ironic, as dd is a massive fan) is John Green - I found TFIOS overly mawkish, and none of the others that I've skimmed have grabbed me.

I read lots of non-YA light fantasy, and tbh I don't see a massive difference in things that would have been marketed to adults in the past, but are now badged YA. I read a lot of Mercedes Lackey in the 90s for example, I'm sure they'd be sold as YA if they were published now.

Have you read Wonder?

I've started reading more YA in the last few years because a lot of it is really good. Some recommendations:

Conquest and Empire by John Connolly and Jennifer Ridyard
A Vision of Fire by Gillian Anderson (yes, THAT Gillian Anderson)
Anything by Matt Haig
Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
The Perks of being a wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker

I read loads of it as well and currently love Patrick Ness and Sally Gardner, to the extent that I buy their latest in hard back when they come out. I'd love recommendations for other authors as original and creative as these two. Looking for a another YA Neil Gaiman I guess. I loved The Graveyard Book.

I've read and enjoyed a few, sometimes without realising they are YA

Between Shades of Grey by Ruta Sepetys in particular was excellent