Top Contemporary Young Adult Authors

ORIGINAL POST

I lived through the time where The Hunger Games, Hary Potter, Percy Jackson, Divergent, and Maze Runner series took the world by storm. What series and authors are dominating in that age demographic now?

12 replies

Kathulhu1433 · 5 months ago

I teach in a middle school. My kids are mostly reading below grade level, so these are more middle grade, not ya.

My students read Manga and graphic novels as their number 1 picks. Dog man, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Dork Diaries

Some Percy Jackson and Harry Potter. But not as much as there used to be. If their parents read those books they might, but they're not picking them up on their own anymore.

Sharon Creech is pretty popular, as is Raina Telgemeier.

In class they have read books like A Long Walk to Water, Wonder, Eaperanza Rising and they tend to like them.

33 upvotes on reddit

beldaran1224 · 5 months ago

Is Sharon Creech popular? I'm curious which titles.

3 upvotes on reddit

Love-that-dog · 5 months ago

Riordan still, and Collins too when the new Hunger Games is released next Tuesday. Pretty consistently Harry Potter but not the merch (which shows up anyway :( )

Also (YA) Realm Breaker by Victoria Aveyard, Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo, and Legendborn by Tracy Deon (Middle grade) Keeper of the Lost Cities by Sharon Messenger, Wings of Fire by Tui T Sutherland, and some of Riordan’s franchised series

Mostly though the book store I work at can’t keep Kelly Yang & Stuart Gibb’s middle grade books and Holly Jackson & Katherine McManus’s YA books on the shelf and those aren’t fantasy. Yang writes stories set in the real world, with Asian girls as the protagonists, while Jackson and McManus write suspense/thrillers and Gibbs writers humorous stories & spy books for kids.

I think Wings of Fire is filling the niche that Warrior cats did for me (although the Erin Hunters are still at it): a million books about a species of anthropomorphic animals you like and there’s a new one every year!!! Wow!! And they come from groups so you can sort yourself but it’s not as rigid as Harry Potter!! Cool!! And it’s easy to make a cool OC or even a cool OC clan!! (This is less surprising when you find out that Sutherland used to be one of the Erin Hunters).

44 upvotes on reddit

QuasarchShooby · OP · 5 months ago

Glad to here that Tracy Dionn’s books are doing so well! I read Legendborn last year and quite enjoyed it. Cheesy romance aside, I think it’s just as enjoyable for adult readers.

5 upvotes on reddit

littlemedievalrose · 5 months ago

As someone who is actually part of that teen demographic:

Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Hunger Games, Divergent, Twilight are all still being read. Keeper of the Lost Cities is also a popular one in my experience. Arc of a Scythe by Neal Shusterman, also Talon by Julie Kagawa

I know peers who have read A Court of Thorns and Roses but none of them had anything good to say about it which kinda shocked me.

I don't have many specific titles since I don't read them, but graphic novels are extremely popular, Heartstopper by Alice Oseman being one I see a lot. Also a lot of manga

Other series like The Selection, Matched, Delirium. I only finished The Selection, the other series I couldn't get into.

91 upvotes on reddit

BubbleDncr · 5 months ago

“I know peers who have read A Court of Thorns and Roses but none of them had anything good to say about it which kinda shocked me.”

Oh good, teenagers still have taste.

102 upvotes on reddit

telvanni-bug-musk · 5 months ago

Beat me to it. I work in an indie bookstore and the folks who spring for ACOTAR are seemingly all adults.

6 upvotes on reddit

deadcomefebruary · 5 months ago

Oh! I read Neal Shusterman's Unwind series in high school, fantastic read! Excited to see that he has new stuff out!!

12 upvotes on reddit

honey_bunchesof_oats · 5 months ago

I'm pretty shocked to hear about teenagers reading A Court of Thorns and Roses. Like it's crazy it's marketed as YA but at the same time it's so explicit. Not sure I like that tbh. I'm relieved to hear your peers aren't jumping on the booktok bandwagon of raving over this book

9 upvotes on reddit

thymeisfleeting · 5 months ago

Why is it shocking though? Teens are pretty obsessed with sex. At least they’re reading about it in ACoTR rather than watching graphic porn. Although, sadly they’re probably doing that too. I’d worry a lot more about that than books, tbh.

18 upvotes on reddit

HomicidalTeddybear · 5 months ago

Well the one kid in my classes I've had a conversation with about it this month is reading Mistborn

20 upvotes on reddit

Enderules3 · 5 months ago

I work in a bookstore Percy Jackson and Harry Potter were consistently our best selling kid/ YA titles for like 2 years. Harry Potter has fallen off a bit recently and right now Hunger Games is picking up due to the next book coming out soon.

133 upvotes on reddit

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r/youngadultbooks • [2]

Summarize

Hey, I'm looking for YA Contemporary recomendations

Posted by BookaholicMuch · in r/youngadultbooks · 4 years ago

I love books by authors like Sarah Dessen, Morgan Matson, Kassie West, Zoe Sugg, lot's of YA contemporary romance and teen angst.

What are some of your favorite titles? I'm looking for new reads, but it doesn't matter if the books are old =)

2 upvotes on reddit

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justian · 4 years ago

Fangirl and Eleanor and Park, both by Rainbow Rowell.

2 upvotes on reddit

BookaholicMuch · OP · 4 years ago

Both read and loved ♥

2 upvotes on reddit

joseacasillas · 4 years ago

Try Lisa Manterfield’s books especially A Strange companion. Regards.

1 upvotes on reddit

BookaholicMuch · OP · 4 years ago

Never heard of her. Will check her out on Goodreads right now! Thanks =)

2 upvotes on reddit

boggartslayer2 · 4 years ago

I have been a Sarah Dessen fan for at least 10 years now! Have you tried Jenny Han? Or Gayle Forman maybe

2 upvotes on reddit

BookaholicMuch · OP · 4 years ago

Yes, I love them too!!

2 upvotes on reddit

Megansreadingrev · 4 years ago

Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer. My fav ♥️

1 upvotes on reddit

mrsstiles · 4 years ago

Try books by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegenmund-Broka. I loved Always Never Yours and am in the middle of If I'm Being Honest. I also love Morgan Matson (can't wait for her new book!), so hopefully you enjoy these.

2 upvotes on reddit

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r/YAlit • [3]

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What are some current or recently finished book series that are popular with young adult readers?

Posted by DesperateFisherman · in r/YAlit · 6 months ago

I was growing up when Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, the Hunger Games, Twilight, and other young adult novels were being published. I'm sure they're still popular and being read today, but when they were coming out, they were absolutely massive. (The movies certainly helped, barring PJO.) I'm curious, are there any such hits today that shaped the zeitgeist of the current generation of YA readers to a similar level? Series that are still being published right now or have just finished within the past 5 or so years.

14 upvotes on reddit

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Drewherondale · 6 months ago

The shadowhunter books were pretty popular and are still being written.

Not as big as the ones you mentioned but the mortal instruments was pretty big

9 upvotes on reddit

_PopTart31_ · 6 months ago

I don't think they're quite as popular as the series you mentioned, but the Grishaverse concluded around 2022. Personally, it's one of my favourite YA fantasy universes. Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom in particular are very popular!

14 upvotes on reddit

charmedbychaos · 6 months ago

One of Us is Lying was a New York Times bestseller for like five years in a row, and I’m pretty sure the rest of the series sold well too.

8 upvotes on reddit

Upset-Cake6139 · 6 months ago

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

8 upvotes on reddit

demievrything · 6 months ago

In Germany we currently have "Woodwalkers" and "Schule der magischen Tiere" (direct translation: school of magical animals) which are THE hit rn as both have gotten movies and are a multi-book and still ongoing series for ages 10/12+.

We also have the phenomeon of "Drei ???" (started as Three Investigators but after the original series ended the german publisher kept publishing new books and now we have over 200 books in the main series, a whole 100+ kids spin-off, other spin-offs, it's literally crazy) and it's popular from Kids ages 10 to adults who grew up with the first books in the 70s.

Then international books that are huge here are A Good Girls Guide to murder series; PJO is still going strong. Mostly the publishing got way broader for YA and a lot more titles make it on the bestseller lists and there is a huge variety in fanbases of series since there is space for more nuances in interests. I don't believe there is that one series that is so popular in YA rn.

What I do know is that the YA kids from a few years ago are the New Adult readers today, so those books get popular.

8 upvotes on reddit

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r/Fantasy • [4]

Summarize

What books to give to my niece?

Posted by nidzk123 · in r/Fantasy · 1 month ago

Which three books can I gift my neice: 13-year-old avid reader, who’s already devoured the usual suspects like J.K. Rowling, Rick Riordan, Suzanne Collins, or John Green.

Which incredible fantasy author can I introduce them to? I'm looking to buy 3-4 books for her.

63 upvotes on reddit

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ChronoMonkeyX · 1 month ago

Sabriel by Garth Nix. I grabbed the audiobooks from the library because they are read by Tim Curry. Didn't realize they were for kids until halfway through the second book, because they are so good.

45 upvotes on reddit

bestmancy · 1 month ago

Yea, seconding this!! Sabriel and the other books in the Abhorsen series are SO GOOD - I think I read them around that age and I remember loving them.

2 upvotes on reddit

Maidtomycats · 1 month ago

Sabriel is fantastic no matter what age you read them! I just did a reread this year and they hold up really well.

2 upvotes on reddit

HaplessReader1988 · 1 month ago

I still don't know why they are considered YA-- it just happens to be about teenagers.

4 upvotes on reddit

ChronoMonkeyX · 1 month ago

Not even YA, I think these are juvenile, middle-grade. Still great.

YA has a bad reputation, but it doesn't need to be bad, it's more about how appropriate it is for the audience. Meanwhile, Hunger Games is actually excellent, considered YA because the characters are teens, but is seriously fucked up. I don't know how teens can handle it, but I think teens are slightly sociopathic, I don't think it would have bothered me when I was young.

7 upvotes on reddit

kainewrites · 1 month ago

The Wee Free Men

A Hat Full of Sky

Wintersmith

I Shall Wear Midnight

The Shepherd's Crown

They are Terry Pratchett's witch novels for that age group.

Sabriel

Lirael

Abhorsen

by Garth Nix for a fantastic trilogy with

Clariel

Goldenhand

Terciel and Elinor

as sequels/prequels if she loves them. Also his series The Seventh Tower and Keys to the Kingdom but they have boys as protagonists.

Diana Wynne Jones has already been mentioned and could not be more fantastic. A few of her books have been adapted into beautiful animated features as well.

So You Want to Be a Wizard

Deep Wizardry

High Wizardry

A Wizard Abroad

The Wizard's Dilemma

A Wizard Alone

Wizard's Holiday

Wizards at War

A Wizard of Mars

Interim Errantry

Games Wizards Play

by Diane Duane are absolutely perfect, and star a thirteen year old girl as the lead.

She's probably already read it but

The Golden Compass

The Subtle Knife

The Amber Spyglass

by Philip Pullman should be on any young readers shelf.

48 upvotes on reddit

twinklebat99 · 1 month ago

Pratchett's Tiffany Aching books for sure!

7 upvotes on reddit

Critical_Crow_3770 · 1 month ago

I loved the So You Want to Be a Wizard books. I might have missed the last two, so thanks for the list!

2 upvotes on reddit

DriftingInLifesRiver · 1 month ago

His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman. I was around this age when I read them and I loved them so much.

101 upvotes on reddit

Flugegeheymen · 1 month ago

Diana Wynne Jones books are magical, incredibly funny and easy to read.

Howl's Moving Castle is a decent starting point.
She's going to love Fire and Hemlock - it is basically a girl's coming of age story

85 upvotes on reddit

CraftyHon · 1 month ago

I agree with the Tamara Pierce and Diana Wynne Jones suggestions. And I’d add Jane Yolen and Robin McKinley to the list.

77 upvotes on reddit

hadillicious · 1 month ago

Yes, Diana Wynne Jones is truly the GOAT

6 upvotes on reddit

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r/RomanceBooks • [5]

Summarize

NA books that feel like YA contemporary love stories

Posted by daydreamingatnight01 · in r/RomanceBooks · 4 years ago

Hello. I'm in my late twenties and I'll appreciate suggestions for a book with characters in twenties or thirties that feels like YA contemporary love stories in the vein of All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven, I'll give you the Sun by Jandy Nelson, Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell, Aristotle and Dante discover the secrets of Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz, Hopeless by Colleen Hoover. I don't like rom-coms, YA fantasy romances and regency romances.

Thank you.

3 upvotes on reddit

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whatkatiedidx · 4 years ago

{The Mason List by S.D. Hendrickson} might fit what you're looking for. I'd consider it both YA and NA because it covers quite a few years.

2 upvotes on reddit

goodreads-bot · 4 years ago

The Mason List

^(By: S.D. Hendrickson | Published: 2015)

^(92484 books suggested | )^(I don't feel so good.. )^(| )^(Source)

1 upvotes on reddit

daydreamingatnight01 · OP · 4 years ago

Thanks a lot. I'll look for the book.

1 upvotes on reddit

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1 upvotes on reddit

MunchkinsOG · 4 years ago

Have you read the Red Queen series? It's really good, YA fantasy and romance without being cheesy. I think you'd enjoy it, supposedly they will be coming out with movies based on the series but it's been out on the back burner.

2 upvotes on reddit

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r/suggestmeabook • [6]

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What are some “trendy” modern/contemporary fiction writers worth reading?

Posted by fishtanktreasure · in r/suggestmeabook · 4 years ago

Edit: to try to clarify, when I said “trendy”, I meant writing and authors that people are really discussing; maybe works that are influential in their style? If that makes sense? Sorry!! Also...I’m going absolutely bonkers over all these amazing suggestions, keep them coming!!!

I’m looking to expand my exposure to writers that are current, and producing high quality, thought-provoking stories (though I wouldn’t complain over some contemporary poets either!). I’m open to any genre! When I was working on my English degree, I was exposed to a huge variety of contemporary work that otherwise I would never have read or even known about. Now that I’m out of the program and took a break from reading for pleasure, I don’t really know what’s out there. I even enjoy essay collections and short stories. Anything in the last 5-10 years preferred! Thanks everyone :)

621 upvotes on reddit

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Several-Car-9080 · 8 months ago

I’m

1 upvotes on reddit

drk09 · 6 months ago

Olga tokarcuk writes some of the most interesting books I’ve read for a long time. Start with Drive Your Plow

1 upvotes on reddit

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r/suggestmeabook • [7]

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Well written New Adult contemporary books

Posted by [deleted] · in r/suggestmeabook · 5 years ago

I have so much trouble finding new adult contemporary fiction because most of the ones I read are dull, full of clichés, corny or have a very plain writing (bad dialogues, descriptions, basic characters, etc.).

I know there are great stories out there, but I just can’t seem to find them. That’s why I always pick heavy books (classic, historical fiction, fantasy, sad or mystery books) and I’m looking for happy and easy books to read between those. Can you recommend me some? Thank you!

*Last book I read was Normal People by Sally Rooney. The whole story wasn’t my cup of tea, but I enjoyed reading characters with those ages, the setting places, the imperfect characters and their relationships.

*I prefer a female lead character/narrator

*I’m 25 years-old and I enjoy characters around my age (university, new job, traveling the world, finding love or friendship)

3 upvotes on reddit

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crisenthia · 5 years ago

You could try The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo

2 upvotes on reddit

[deleted] · 5 years ago

Thank you!

1 upvotes on reddit

onlythefireborn · 5 years ago

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine (Gail Honeyman)

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (Taylor Jenkins Reid)

The Rosie Project (Graeme Simsion)

The Secret History (Donna Tartt)

Room (Emma Donoghue)

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Stieg Larsson)

Bridget Jones' Diary (Helen Fielding)

3 upvotes on reddit

[deleted] · 5 years ago

I loved Room, definitely going to check the others.

2 upvotes on reddit

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r/YAlit • [8]

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Young Adult Horror Books?

Posted by No-Read-243 · in r/YAlit · 4 months ago

I'm looking for ya horror books!! Its my favorite genre!! I would love some recommendations!! I'm putting a list of authors who I adore!!! Thank you to everyone in advance!!

These are the authors!! (P.S. there are more authors but I can't remember them off the top of my head)

R.L Stine (Fear Street)

Christopher Pike (Witch World)

Karen M Mcmanus ( Two Can Keep A Secret)

Maureen Johnson (Truly Devious)

Ellie Marney (None Shall Sleep)

Adam Cesare (Clown In A Cornfield)

Cynthia Murphy (Win Lose Die Kill)

Danielle Valentine (Two Sides to Every Murder)

Kalynn Bayron (You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight)

32 upvotes on reddit

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socialbookworm7 · 4 months ago

Don't Let the Forest In by C.G. Drews

How to Survive a Slasher by Justine Pucella Winans

Our Wicked Histories by Amy Goldsmith

What Stalks Among Us by Sarah Hollowell

A Place for Vanishing by Ann Fraistat

Dead Girls Walking by Sami Ellis

Under the Surface by Diana Urban

Light as a Feather trilogy by Zoe Aarsen

Trespass Against Us by Leon Kemp

Don't Look Back by Jennifer Armentrout

Go Hunt Me by Kelly Devos

Harrow Lake and Burden Falls by Kat Ellis

Horrid by Katrina Leno

Their Vicious Games and The Blonde Dies First by Joelle Wellington

Another Little Piece by Kate Quinn

The Girls are Never Gone by Sarah Glenn Marsh

Come out Come Out Whatever You Are by Kathryn Foxfield

This Is Not a Test by Courtney Summers

All of Natasha Preston's books

I'm sure I have more but this is what I've got tonight!

7 upvotes on reddit

Swimming_War4361 · 4 months ago

Your blood, my bones by Kelly Andrew

A sorceress comes to call by T Kingfisher

The devouring by Simon Holt

Anna dressed in blood by Kendare Blake

House of hollow by Krystal Sutherland

21 upvotes on reddit

talkbaseball2me · 4 months ago

More a note for OP than for you but T Kingfisher writes a lot of great horror, but a lot of it isn’t YA (she has a lot of protagonists in their 30s) so be aware of that if/when you love her writing and want to find more. She does creepy and unsettling horror the best of anyone imo :)

2 upvotes on reddit

milkywaywildflower · 4 months ago

THE WEIGHT OF BLOOD !!! by tiffany d jackson and the honeys by ryan l sala

4 upvotes on reddit

socialbookworm7 · 4 months ago

Yes! Definitely these

1 upvotes on reddit

DaisieMay25 · 4 months ago

-The Anna Dressed in Blood duology and All These Bodies by Kendare Blake are all very good ones

The Dread Nation duology by Justina Ireland is awesome if you dig the idea of a zombie apocalypse during the Civil War.

9 upvotes on reddit

talesfantastic · 4 months ago

The Lockwood and co books are my favorite of all time!

4 upvotes on reddit

AdDear528 · 4 months ago

My nephew devoured these.

2 upvotes on reddit

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r/suggestmeabook • [9]

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Does anyone have suggestions for Young Adult literature by diverse authors?

Posted by aminaelisa · in r/suggestmeabook · 6 years ago

I want to support and read more books in the Young Adult category that are more “diverse” than the typical authors you find out there, if anyone knows some great books that qualify, please tell me :)

1 upvotes on reddit

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nombre-de-pluma · 6 years ago

I’ve read and can vouch for most of these, but here’s another diverse author sampler if you’re still looking for one!

African American:

Angie Thomas (The Hate U Give, On The Come Up) Jason Reynolds (Long Way Down, All American Boys) Nic Stone (Dear Martin) Nicola Yoon (The Sun Is Also A Star)

Hispanic American:

Erika Sanchez (I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter) Benjamin Alice Saenz (Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe) Adam Silvera (literally anything he writes, also LGBT)

Iranian American:

Adib Khorram (Darius The Great Is Not Okay) Tahereh Mafi (Shatter Me, A Very Large Expanse of Sea)

Asian American:

David Yoon (Frankly In Love, out on 9/10/19) Jenny Han (To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before)

1 upvotes on reddit

aminaelisa · OP · 6 years ago

Thanks!

I love Jenny Han’s and Nicola Yoon’s books, they are the perfect amount of romance, and I own books by Adam Silvera and Benjamin Alice Saenz i plan on reading very soon!

Thank u for all the other suggestions, I can’t wait to check the author’s out :)

1 upvotes on reddit

bsthnvfgjvf · 6 years ago

Sabaa Tahir (Pakistani-American)

Angie Thomas (African American)

Toni Adeyemi (Nigerian-American)

1 upvotes on reddit

aminaelisa · OP · 6 years ago

Thank you! I really liked The Hate U Give so I’ll definitely pick up On the Come Up sooner or later

1 upvotes on reddit

NovaGirl5 · 6 years ago

Try Dreadnought and it's sequel Sovereign by April Daniels. They're about a trans girl who becomes a superhero, and they are written by a trans woman.

1 upvotes on reddit

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r/redscarepod • [10]

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What are your favorite books by authors under 40?

Posted by mansnotcoldeither · in r/redscarepod · 4 months ago

I want to read some contemporary fiction but I don’t know where to start. Short stories would be appreciated as well.

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BaloneyWater · 4 months ago

Why under 40, are you curating a LinkedIn group?

3 upvotes on reddit

mansnotcoldeither · OP · 4 months ago

I want to hear what young people have to say

2 upvotes on reddit

frest · 4 months ago

under 40 now, or when they wrote the book

1 upvotes on reddit

mansnotcoldeither · OP · 4 months ago

I was thinking the former but the latter also sounds very interesting ngl

1 upvotes on reddit

mansnotcoldeither · OP · 4 months ago

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