Week 1: Why I love Contemporary YA

My bookish friend Ashley is hosting a month long event on her blog for JUST CONTEMPORARY. You'll find a variety of posts (guest posts, interviews, giveaways) all month that deal with only contemporary books. Each week there's a different question floating around to be answered (I'm a few days late with mine).


Week 1: Why I love contemporary!


I don't know if there's an easy way to answer this question. Honestly, I started out reading contemporary when I was younger elementary/middle school. By then end of middle school and into high school I got caught up in the Fear Street books and left contemporary aside. After years (college and work didn't leave time for a lot of extra reading) I finally found my way back with The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. I read through that series a few times. Just loved it. But then things like Twilight and Dystopians and Science Fiction and The Shade boys got in the way. 

After finishing Shade/Shift I was looking for another book but I KNEW nothing would come close to what I had just read. Then I remembered I had 3 Jennifer Echols books sitting on my bookshelf untouched. remembering Ashley was going to be hosting JUST CONTEMPORARY I thought I'd give one a read. And one turned into two and then into three. Three books in three days. 

Then I found Anna and the French Kiss. Another book I finished in a day. It was so. Stinkin. CUTE! I HAD to read Lola and the Boy Next Door. A dear friend of mine had an ARC and let me borrow it (Thanks Jamie). Again, so cute! I like to say I finished it in a day, but I broke it up over two nights. These books are just that good. 








Okay, that really doesn't explain why I love them. It's also hard to put into words. The relationships, the friendships, the world surrounding them...it's all REAL life. It has, can, could happen to you or someone you know. The girls could be your best friend, your sister, or even you. I find at least one quality in each of the main characters that I can relate to in one way or another. And the boys...wow...Officer After and Cricket both hold a special place in my heart. They're the kind of guys you want to look for. 


Then there's the dark side of contemporary. The books that make you think and cringe and wonder...but without these books, we wouldn't know what else is out there. The people who experience these tales can be given hope that there is a way out that it can end okay and those who can't relate now have their eyes open. 


The bottom line is contemporary has it all. There's something there for everyone. I hope you'll pick up at least one contemporary book this month. Ask for a recommendation and if I can't give you one, I know a few girls who can!


My Contemporary List for this month:
1. Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
2. The Boyfriend Thief by Shana Norris
3. With or Without You by Brian Farrey
4. Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma
5. Sophie & Carter by Chelsea Fine
6. The Story of A Girl by Sara Zarr
7. Endless Summer/The Boys Next Door by Jennifer Echols
8. Breathe by Melanie McCullough (which will be released around 11/21 and I can't wait)