I grew up on the movies of John Hughes and Cameron Crowe, the writing of Nora Ephron, and every YA, horror, and adventure novel I could devour. I’m a YA novelist and still heavily influenced by the stories that shaped my young brain and perspective. There is something about the teenage experience that compels me. Maybe it’s that everything we feel as teenagers is so visceral, exhilarating, and scary. If you’re a teen, these five books should help you feel more seen or give you that little bit of escape that you crave (and deserve).
Tegan and Sara zero in on their high school years to perform an autopsy on that formative period where we find our passion, discover ourselves, and fall in love in sometimes unexpected ways. I’m around the same age as the authors and this book was like walking back in time to those weird years where everything was both exciting and scary. It skimps on the normal musician bio tropes to give an honest look at being a teenager in the 1990s. I also couldn’t help but think of My So-Called Life while reading High School. If you’re unfamiliar with this series, trust me, it’s a compliment.
From iconic musicians Tegan and Sara comes a nostalgic memoir about high school, detailing their first loves and first songs in a compelling look back at their origin story.
'Genius' Augusten Burroughs, author of Running with Scissors 'A gift' Elliot Page, actor 'Utterly charming' Carmen Maria Machado, author of Her Body and Other Parties
Before they became international musicians and LGBTQ+ icons, twin sisters Sara and Tegan Quin came of age in 90s Canada. They argued relentlessly, skipped school, dropped acid and fell in and out of love - sometimes with their best friends.
This fun tale of friendship is rife with 80’s inspired horror elements. The satanic panic, skinny dipping, big hair, and some chilling moments make this a solid pick for fans of the genre and era. I grew up on movies like The Lost Boys, Fright Night, and, of course, The Exorcist, and this scratched an itch that I have every day for these types of stories. There are also some awesome Spotify playlists to help set the mood while reading.
The year is 1988. High school sophomores Abby and Gretchen have been best friends since fourth grade. But after an evening of skinny-dipping goes disastrously wrong, Gretchen begins to act different. She s moody. She s irritable. And bizarre incidents keep happening whenever she s nearby. Abby s investigation leads her to some startling discoveries and by the time their story reaches its terrifying conclusion, the fate of Abby and Gretchen will be determined by a single question: Is their friendship powerful enough to beat the devil? Like an unholy hybrid of Beaches and The Exorcist, My Best Friend s…
I love this book. It’s a great reminder that young people have been feeling the same feelings and taking the same risks since forever. Set in New York City in the 1940s, Gilbert draws an exciting world of vice and art where you feel the bulb burning on every marquee on every playhouse. It’s the story of a young woman, Vivian Morris, who ditches school to pursue the big city life of independence. While reading the book, I worried about her, rooted for her, and couldn’t help but wonder what trouble she was going to get into next.
From the # 1 New York Times bestselling author of Eat Pray Love and The Signature of All Things, a delicious novel of glamour, sex, and adventure, about a young woman discovering that you don't have to be a good girl to be a good person.
"A spellbinding novel about love, freedom, and finding your own happiness." - PopSugar
"Intimate and richly sensual, razzle-dazzle with a hint of danger." -USA Today
"Pairs well with a cocktail...or two." -TheSkimm
"Life is both fleeting and dangerous, and there is no point in denying yourself pleasure, or…
This might be an obvious one but stick with me here. YA dystopias are old news but the idea of a teenager evolving—and growing more dangerous to adults—by gaining knowledge of the world still holds up. In fact, in our post-truth age of misinformation, it might be more relevant than ever. If you’re sick of this type of story, remember that Lowry did it first and did it better. It also does a thorough job of building a compelling relationship between the two main characters, one that continuously drives the story forward.
I wish this was mandatory reading when I was in high school. Discovering it as an adult was a pleasure, though, and reminded me that YA can be thoughtful and meditative.
THE GIVER is soon to be a major motion picture starring Jeff Bridges, Katie Holmes and Taylor Swift.
Now available for the first time in the UK, THE GIVER QUARTET is the complete four-novel collection.
THE GIVER: It is the future. There is no war, no hunger, no pain. No one in the community wants for anything. Everything needed is provided. And at twelve years old, each member of the community has their profession carefully chosen for them by the Committee of Elders.
Jonas has never thought there was anything wrong with his world. But from the moment he is…
I watch Stranger Things with total jealousy and this graphic novel came close to capturing the magic of the Duffer Brothers.Paper Girls takes place in the late ‘80s (clearly, I have a type) and has some serious Stand by Me vibes and layers of character-driven imagination on every page. There’s also a heartwarming love story at the center of this engrossing exploration of friendship.
Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang's Eisner Award winning series Paper
Girls is coming Amazon Prime Video in July 2022!
From Brian K. Vaughan,
#1 New York Times bestselling writer of SAGA, and Cliff Chiang, legendary artist
of WONDER WOMAN, comes the first volume of an all-new ongoing
adventure.
In the early hours after Halloween of 1988, four 12-year-old
newspaper delivery girls uncover the most important story of all time. Suburban
drama and otherworldly mysteries collide in this smash-hit series about
nostalgia, first jobs, and the last days of childhood.
Collecting Issues
#1-5 for only $9.99! "Along with Paper Girls,…
The Book of Sam is the story of the unchosen one, a kid with no prophecy to fulfill who ventures to Hell, a fantastical world of falling cities and strange creatures, in search of his best friend.
This is a steamy tale of vulnerability and betrayal. Struggling in her marriage, her new life in England, and her work in a hospice, Canadian-born Lindsey is drawn to her best friend's attractive husband, David.
Guilt about her fascination with David is complicated by her admiration for his wife, Grace, a cancer doctor at the hospice. But when Grace is killed in a terrorist attack, Lindsey is drawn to Grace's man, unheeding of the dangers.
Struggling in her marriage, her new life in England, and her work in a hospice, Canadian-born Lindsey is drawn to her best friend’s attractive husband David. The sight of his lean gardener’s body working in the hospice grounds fills her with longing and makes her forget the sadness in both the hospice and her marriage. Guilt about her fascination with David is complicated by her friendship and admiration for his wife Grace, a cancer doctor at the hospice. But when Grace is killed in a terrorist attack, Lindsey is drawn into a passionate romance with Grace’s man unheeding of the…
