Top Ten Tuesday #2: My Top Ten Favorite Contemporary YA Authors

October 16, 2012 / 12 Comments / Top Ten Tuesday, Uncategorized

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted at The Broke and the Bookish to highlight a top ten list related to book blogging, and to get to know fellow book bloggers.

October 16: Top Ten Favorite Authors In X Genre (Ex- Top Ten Favorite Science Fiction Authors, Top Ten Fave Contemporary YA authors)

Contemporary YA rarely gets the spotlight that it deserves beside all of the dystopian, sci-fi, fantasy and paranormal stuff that’s out there right now. Since this blog is mainly contemporary, I thought I’d assist you by giving a list of my personal favorite contemporary YA authors. Because many authors write in many genres, my focus is on authors who have mainly released contemporary novels.
Since I’m attempting to write shorter posts, I’ll try to do this in two lines or less. In no particular order: 
1. Ann Brashares is the wonder behind The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series. No one knows how to write about art or girl-friendship like she does.

2. Ally Carter is a plotting genius. Read the Gallagher Girls series and the Heist Society series and marvel at the twists and turns. 

3. Stephanie Perkins is, hands-down, the best contemporary romance out there right now. Your heart will ache and squeeze for the couples in Anna and the French Kiss and Lola and the Boy Next Door.

4. Melissa Walker writes books I wish I had thought of,  like the cathartic Unbreak My Heart (read my review!), about a girl exiling herself to a miserable summer (but on an awesome boat!) because she cheated with her best friend’s boyfriend, or Lovestruck Summer, about a girl who is a bit of a snob about indie music, and has to learn to broaden her horizons. 
5. Gayle Forman‘s If I Stay and Where She Went have the starkest, most beautiful prose. She basically wiped the floor with everyone else doing the whole life-after-death scenario that’s in so many contemps right now.

6. Abby McDonald writes YA that is awesome and girl-power-y…and manages to sneak in some philosophy, criticism, and issues that make you think. Read Sophomore Switch and remind yourself why you’re a feminist. 

7. Maureen Johnson is a hilarious and original character writer. Her 13 Little Blue Envelopes series is the smartest travel YA I’ve ever read, and her Suite Scarlett series boasts some of the best, funniest characters in YA today (Spencer, anyone?).
8. Kieran Scott – Kieran Scott/Kate Brian writes some of the most addictive YA out there. I’ve been reading her stuff since I was in eighth grade, from her books in the Love Stories series (come on, you 80s babies, admit it, you read them, too) to awesome stand-alones like Lucky T and Ex-Mas, to the recent “She’s So Dead to Us” series (read my review of the final book in that series!).

9. Cynthia Voigt – If you haven’t picked up the Dicey series, you’re missing out one of the most heartwrenching and unique family stories ever written. Read Homecoming, then read Dicey’s Song, and find out why Voigt is still one of the masters. 
10. L.M. Montgomery – Anne ‘with an E’ Shirley and her awesome ‘Carrots’ hair. And Gilbert Blythe, one of the most awesome YA boys ever. ‘Nuf said.

What’s on your Top Ten this week? Leave me a link, and I’ll come by and comment!


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12 responses to “Top Ten Tuesday #2: My Top Ten Favorite Contemporary YA Authors

  1. Great list!! I absolutely love Ally Carter's books! πŸ˜€ She is so amazing! Maureen Johnson is great as well!

    I like your background too! πŸ˜› Thanks for commenting on my TTT.

  2. I appreciate the branch out of what seems like the preferred genre. I tend to follow in that later category as well – preferring paranormal over others. But if we were all the same, life would be really boring.

    New follower.

    Here's my Top 10

    Holly @ Words Fueled by Love

    • Yeah, it's true – I know para is the big thing right now, and I'm always up for trying new authors, but it is interesting how we all gravitate towards certain genres.

      We can meet in the middle at dystopian! =)

      Thanks for stopping by!

  3. How could I forget Ann Brashares!? I was in love with The Sisterhood series when I was younger! (Same goes for Maureen Johnson's 13 Little Blue Envelopes, but I did think of that!)
    Great list πŸ™‚

  4. I love Gayle Forman! If I Stay and Where She Went are two of my favourite contemporaries ever. Hands down. I have 13 Little Blue Envelopes waiting to be read, and I can't wait to get started on it!

    My TTT

  5. Cool list… I always want to read those Ally Carter books bc I love all those plaid clothes on the covers πŸ™‚ Anyhow I also want to read the he's so/she's so series it looks good.

    Thanks for stopping by My TTT

  6. this is such a solid list! love ally carter, stephanie perkins, and gayle forman. also the sisterhood of the traveling pants! it's been awhile since i've read that series.

  7. A wonderful list! I started reading Cynthia Voigt at age 12 and dreamed of being as resourceful and intelligent as Dicey. I loved watching the children grow throughout the series. I remember reading Caroline B. Cooney as a kid; I found "Twenty Pageants Later" in the school library and wanted to be friends with the characters!

    • Yay! You're the only one who commented on Cynthia Voigt – she is wonderful. =) I totally read all of Caroline B. Cooney's "Face on the Milk Carton" books – I used to order them from our Scholastic book order every month! There's another one I have that you've probably read: Flight #116 is Down. That one is awesome.

      Thanks for reading, Liz! =)

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