Let’s switch around who we have sharing their picks this week. Let’s talk to someone who is in the business of getting YA books into the hands of those who work with teens. We’ve got the manager of school and library marketing, as well as social media, from Little, Brown, Zoe Luderitz. 


Zoe Luderitz is the Manager, School & Library Marketing and Social Media at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. She also has her MLIS from San Jose State University. She did not want to give us a head shot, so imagine her smile right about here.

Thinking about how I would introduce YA to non-YA readers was more of a challenge for me than I thought it would be! I’ve always been such a fan of teen books. When I was a teenager I was into alternative lit. I loved Francesca Lia Block and read all of her Weetzie Bat books. The worlds she created of real teen lives mixed up with unexpected circumstances always appealed to me. My friends and I would draw stars and faeries on our notebooks. I would have died if Holly Black was around when I was in high school! I absolutely would have loved the Tithe series.

But YA was still so new when I was a teenager. There was not the variety that there is today. It was just becoming a “thing” when I started High School. I completely remember my freshman year when Speak was making the rounds. Then my senior year when the new The Perks of Being a Wallflower came out it was the first time I had heard about a fiction book for teens specifically. 

Though I was interested in children’s lit when I started my marketing internship at Candlewick Press in college I came away with a real love for YA. I read Feed by M.T. anderson and The Earth, My Butt and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler. I realized the depth and breadth of new YA. 

When I started working at The Horn Book I became fascinated by the conversation around YA literature. The topics ranged from more traditional realistic fiction to fantasy to paranormal romance. I started the year that Twilight came out. But it was also the year that The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian was published. One of my very favorite books of all time. I still remember sitting on the couch in The Horn Book offices opening it up not knowing the awesomeness that was in store. When I got my job at Little, Brown working on that book had me starstruck. 

I love that some of my favorite books of all time are written for teenagers! Sweethearts by Sara Zarr, Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock that’s coming out this summer from Matthew Quick.  And I promise I’m not just naming Little, Brown titles! Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock, Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You by Peter Cameron, The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han, Going Bovine by Libba Bray. The list could go on and on.

YA is such a welcoming place. You can read realistic fiction like This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen AND graphic novels like American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang. Science Fiction like Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi AND novels in verse like This is What I Did by Ann Dee Ellis. The characters and emotional experiences are some of the best out there and if you haven’t yet, you should definitely join the club. 

This week’s  guest post comes to us from recently-debuted author Stephanie Kuehn.

Stephanie Kuehn holds degrees in linguistics and sport psychology, and is currently working toward a doctorate in clinical psychology. She lives in Northern California with her husband, their three children, and a joyful abundance of pets. When she’s not writing, she’s running. Or reading. Or dreaming. Her debut young adult novel, CHARM & STRANGE, was published by St. Martin’s Press on 6.11.13. COMPLICIT will be published in 2014 (St. Martin’s Press).

There’s
Janne Teller’s NOTHING, which uses direct, unflinching, and
evocative prose to narrate readers straight to the edge of the
existentialist abyss, while skillfully highlighting the uselessness
and meaninglessness of our daily lives along the way. More sweetly
and subtly, and with a hell of a lot of southern charm, John Corey
Whaley juxtaposes the search for meaning outside of oneself with
self-defined meaning in WHERE THINGS COME BACK. In 47, Walter Mosley
blends a multitude of genres and worlds, all while breaking down the
dichotomies of our zero-sum social order, as exemplified by the
poignant directive: “neither
master nor nigger be.”
For a stark look at balancing fear of the self against fear of living
in a world that’s frightening and violent, there’s Andrew Smith’s
THE MARBURY LENS. On the flip side, Kat Rosenfeld deftly examines the
fear of not
living
by exploring death, both literal and metaphoric, in AMELIA ANNE IS
DEAD AND GONE.

This week, let’s hear what blogger and author Colleen Mondor has to say are her must read YA picks for “So You Want to Read YA?” Get ready: she’s got non-fiction picks, too.

Colleen Mondor has been the YA columnist for Bookslut for seven years. She also reviews adult titles for Booklist, writes about aviation for Alaska Dispatch and is the author of the flying memoir The Map of My Dead Pilots: The Dangerous Game of Flying in Alaska. She tweets @chasingray.

Whenever Iʼm asked about adults reading YA, I always feel like I donʼt have enough information. I need to know a readerʼs specific interests in order to best recommend a YA title they might enjoy. If you like Stephen King, then I suggest Libba Brayʼs The Diviners (with the caveat that she writes endings much better), for a straight up thriller with historical overtones (not Dan Brown, not Dan Brown!), Robin Wassermanʼs The Book of Blood and Shadows should keep you riveted. Mystery fans need to take a look at Soho Pressʼs new YA mystery line; they know what theyʼre doing with mysteries better than just about anyone and are bringing that expertise to teen titles. (So far Iʼve found the upcoming Deviant by Helen FitzGerald to be especially compelling.)

And as for paranormal, and you canʼt discuss YA without bringing up paranormal, Nova Ren Sumaʼs Imaginary Girls continues to haunt me. There is a relatively conventional ghost in the plot but more disturbingly, there is a sibling relationship that is utterly and completely devastating. Itʼs not quite “Baby Jane” levels of terrifying but Suma does a masterful job of ratcheting up the tension in this one that will impress any reader.

Other recent titles I have gifted are Tracking Trash by Loree Griffin Burns, and The Bronte Sisters and Jane Austen: A Life Revealed, both by Catherine Reef. All of these books are notable for their attention to deal, factual accuracy and outstanding illustrations (mostly photographs). They do not talk down to their intended audiences, but rather inform in an entertaining manner, something that is appealing regardless of the age of the reader. For adults who want to learn a bit about a subject (such as the Triangle Fire), but not plow through hundreds of pages, these type of books are ideal and I think an excellent place for curious adults to take a look at YA.

Today’s guest post for our “So you want to read YA?” series comes from author Daisy Whitney!

Daisy Whitney reports on television, media and advertising for a range of news outlets. She graduated from Brown University and lives in San Francisco, California, with her fabulous husband, fantastic kids, and adorable dogs. Daisy believes in karma and that nearly every outfit is improved with a splash of color. She is the author of The Mockingbirds novels, and is also the author of Starry Nights, coming in Fall 2013. Daisy invites you to follow her online at DaisyWhitney.com.

The big blockbuster teen series have lured millions of new readers to young adult literature, but if you’re new to the genre, it can be daunting to know what to read beyond The Hunger Games, Beautiful Creatures and, of course, Twilight.

Especially because young adult literature is all that and a whole lot more. 

Many of my mom friends — gasp, they’re not teens! — have read these series and are eager for more young adult books, so have turned to me for recommendations. 

My “gateway drug” to the bounties of teen lit for anyone who has devoured the big series is Gayle Forman’s If I Stay.

Fine, fine. Everyone loves that book, and everyone recommends it. That’s because it’s amazing and crosses over from teens to adults. Its sequel, Where She Went is as heart-wrenchingly beautiful and hopeful as the first story.

Beyond that, several other titles that I lean on to lure new readers to YA include Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Dana Reinhardt’s The Things a Brother Knows, E Lockhart’s Disreputable History of Frankie-Landau Banks, Trish Doller’s Something Like Normal, Melissa Walker’s Unbreak My Heart, Stephanie Perkins’ Anna and The French Kiss, Holly Black’s Curse Workers trilogy, Laini Taylor’s Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Amy Plum’s Die For Me, Barry Lyga’s Boy Toy, Kendare Blake’s Anna Dressed in Blood, Chris Lynch’s Inexcusable, Cynthia Omolulu’s Dirty Little Secrets, Jandy Nelson’s The Sky is Everywhere and anything by Courtney Summers.

But I wouldn’t recommend all these books to every reader. 

For starters, a book like Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is the sort of coming-of-age with humor-and-pathos story that you can put in anyone’s hands. 

Daughter of Smoke & Bone is an exquisite novel and a masterfully wrought tale of love and war, and everyone I have recommended that book to from my mother-in-law to friends to my age to teens has adored it.

For smart girls, and the boys who love them, I like to recommend E. Lockhart’s The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks. Witty, clever and anthemic, I haven’t met a reader of this book who doesn’t count it as tops on their list of best books.

Then there is Holly Black’s Curse Workers trio. It is quite sophisticated and is usually a hit with readers who enjoy mysteries, plot twists, and heist-style stories. If your new YA reader is an Ocean’s Eleven fan — give them Curse Workers!

For readers who want an intense, literary story, that’s when I’d hand them a Dana Reinhardt book, Barry Lyga’s Boy Toy or Chris Lynch’s Inexcusable, which packs such a punch, but is also a gorgeously written story and a wonderful example of an unreliable narrator. 

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake combines mystery, a touch of romance, and a whole lot of suspense, along with gore and ghosts. Make sure the reader likes blood and guts with their stories, but if they do give them this book. On a side note, I’m a complete scaredy-cat, but I devoured this novel and its sequel.

I would easily talk up Courtney Summers to any teen. Her novels are all hard-hitting, and they are all amazing. I am continually awed by her mastery of subtlety and intensity at once. Another edgy novel — and this one works for 12 and up readers — is Cynthia Omolulu’s Dirty Little Secrets, a fast-paced story about a girl whose mother is a hoarder. For a bit of hard-won truth and romance in the same place, turn to Trish Doller’s Something Like Normal. 

Now, if you haven’t read a Stephanie Perkins romance, you are missing out because she is the Princess of YA romance. Her novels are deep, rich and achingly romantic. Likewise, give Melissa Walker’s books to Stephanie Perkins’ fans, and for readers who want a bit of the supernatural, add in Amy Plum’s Die For Me. I simply adored that book. Last but not least, I don’t know a single girl or woman who hasn’t fallen in love with Jandy Nelson’s The Sky is Everywhere.

Today’s “So You Want to Read YA?” post comes to us from author Kody Keplinger.

Kody Keplinger is the author of three contemporary YA novels (THE DUFF, SHUT OUT, and A MIDSUMMER’S NIGHTMARE). Her next book, GOLDFISH, will be released in 2014. She lives in New York City, eats a lot of Thai food, and dabbles in improv (also known as: the art of making a fool of yourself).  You can check her out at kodykeplinger.com or follow her on twitter at @Kody_Keplinger.

One of my favorite things is being asked for book recommendations. I get a lot of emails from readers saying things like, “Can you tell me other books I’ll like?” or “I don’t read much, but I want more books like yours.” It’s always very flattering, and I always have a huge, huge list of books to send them.

So when Stacked asked me to contribute to this series, I was really excited. I decided to focus particularly on contemporary YA, since those are the recommendations I most often get asked for. So, without farther ado, here we go!

For a Good Cry

Before I Die by Jenny Downham – this book is easily one of my favorites of all time. On top of being beautifully written, it also features great, well-drawn characters. It’s painful and hopeful at the same time.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green – I loved this book far more than I expected to. I loved Hazel’s voice and the way it managed to make me smile and break my heart at the same time.

Nobody But Us by Kristin Halbrook – This book is the only one to date to make me Ugly Cry. I was sobbing and clutching my chest by the end. It left me with a wonderful ache, and I really, really fell for both of the narrators. An excellent read.

Dreamland by Sarah Dessen – This book holds a special place in my heart. It deals with abusive relationships in an honest, poignant way. I recommend it to everyone.

For a Good Swoon

Perfect You by Elizabeth Scott – Elizabeth Scott is one of my favorite authors, and this book really sealed the deal for me. It’s a sweet (and swoony) romance with a great family story, too.

The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen – There’s something to be said for a slow burning love story. I love all of Sarah Dessen’s books, but this one really got me, though. Wes and Macy forever!

Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles – Simone Elkeles knows how to write a romance, but this one is easily my favorite. It’s complicated and angsty in the best possible way.

Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard – This book tells two different love stories: a love story between a boy and girl, and a love story between a girl and the beauty around her. It’s possible to read this book and not want to hop on the next plane to a foreign country!

For a Great Character

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan – Two words: Tiny Cooper.

Like Mandarin by Kirsten Hubbard – Mandarin is one of the richest, most complicated characters I’ve ever read in YA, and the story of her friendship with Grace is incredibly powerful.

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson – I read this book when I was fourteen, and I remember thinking that I had had all of the same thoughts and feelings as Melinda. The voice in this book is so authentic, and that’s why it’s stayed popular for all these years. I think anyone can relate.

Sorta Like a Rockstar by Matthew Quick – This book took me totally be surprise. It has one of the quirkiest, most endearing voices you’ll find anywhere, and a great story to boot!

For a Darker Turn

Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers – Oh, God, this book. This book will kick you in the gut, that’s for sure. It’s painfully real and really nails the complexity of girl-on- girl bullying.

Ballads of Suburbia by Stephanie Kuehnert – Hands down, this is my favorite contemporary YA. There are a plethora of complicated characters dealing with complicated issues like sex, drugs, and suicide, all set against the 90s grunge era. Really, really wonderful book.

Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott – Warning, this book is brutal. It’s a short, quick read, but it’s haunting in it’s portrayal of a girl living with her abductor. Not for younger readers.

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson – You can’t go wrong with Laurie Halse Anderson, and Wintergirls is right up there with Speak for me as a favorite. It deals with anorexia in an honest, painful way. The writing is also genius.

I highly recommend all these books, especially if you’re a fan of contemporary YA. They cover a big range of stories and emotions, but I think they are all great books every YA reader, whether you are new to the genre or not.