This week’s guest post for our “So You Want to Read YA?” series comes from Courtney Summers. In addition to sharing her picks, Courtney has generously offered up a giveaway of a paperback copy of Nova Ren Suma’s IMAGINARY GIRLS for one reader (details at the end).

Courtney Summers lives and writes in Canada.  She is the author of CRACKED UP TO BE, SOME GIRLS ARE, FALL FOR ANYTHING and THIS IS NOT A TEST.  Visit her at http://courtneysummers.ca and follow her on twitter: http://twitter.com/courtney_s

One of the questions I get asked most as a YA author is, “Why do you write YA?”  I don’t mind it at all because it’s a chance for me to reflect on how great the work and the community is.  As a writer, I enjoy exploring brutal coming-of-age elements and I like the sense of immediacy and intimacy that those stories often demand of me.  But most of all, I write YA because that’s what I LOVE to read.  It’s undeniable that this is a really great time for young adult fiction.  Watching the YA section at my local bookstore expand over the last four years alone has been a great source of joy for me.  Knowing that the books on those shelves hold some of the most brilliant, important and innovative stories out there right now has been an even greater one.  I’m thrilled Stacked has given me the opportunity to share a (very small!) sampling of some of my faves with you, alphabetically by author.  If you, as a reader, are ready to plunge into the YA pool (clever reader), here are seven titles that will make you glad you did:

THE CHOCOLATE WAR by Robert Cormier
This book is a YA classic and it’s a classic for a reason.  It’s a relentlessly sharp examination of how easy it is to be a terrible human being.  Robert Cormier is never afraid to confront a reader with an unlikeable main character, and the way he does it is genius:  more often than not, he makes them just like you and me.  It doesn’t always make for a pleasant reading experience, but it’s a brave and compelling creative choice.

MY BEATING TEENAGE HEART by C.K. Kelly Martin
Martin is one of my favourite YA authors.  Readers who want to be right inside the heads of some of the most painfully realistic protagonists you’ve ever met need search no further than her body of work.  My Beating Teenage Heart is a masterpiece.  A raw and gorgeous look at death through the eyes of two unforgettable narrators.  It forces you to think about the time you have, the life you make for yourself, and what you’ll leave behind when you go.

IMAGINARY GIRLS by Nova Ren Suma
When Suma’s YA debut exploded onto the scene, I don’t think readers knew what they were in for.  The beautiful cover suggested something special to be sure, but you don’t realize how special until you are fully immersed in Ruby and Chloe’s secret and unsettling world.  A sophisticated and literary mind-bender that will chill you to the bone, Imaginary Girls is for the reader who isn’t afraid to be challenged by a story, a reader who wants to marvel at the possibilities of words.  Novels like this don’t come along every day, so be sure to pick it up.

RATS SAW GOD by Rob Thomas
Before he created the (awesome) Veronica Mars, Rob Thomas wrote a YA novel!  No matter how seasoned a YA reader you are or aren’t, this is a book you’ll want to check out.  The pop-culture references may be pretty dated–it’s set in the 90’s; you’ll be right with the characters when they hear about Kurt Cobain’s suicide–but it features a male protagonist with a voice that remains fresh.  It’s a funny, slice-of-life ode to outsiders that won’t bum you out.

THE MOCKINGBIRDS by Daisy Whitney
Whitney’s debut is a hard to put down, hard to forget story about a girl who turns to an underground, student-run justice society after she’s date raped.  The Mockingbirds is a book loaded with things to talk about–the emotional repercussions of rape, the definition of consent and when or if vigilante justice is appropriate–and Whitney explores each of them with care.  Her portrayal of a girl trying to understand what has happened to her, why it’s not her fault and what to do about it is sensitively handled.  This book is a great example of how YA doesn’t shy away from tough questions and forces to think about your own answers to them.  Be sure to check out the sequel, The Rivals, too, which is a thought-provoking and powerful follow-up.

THE SPACE BETWEEN TREES by Katie Williams
A wonderful and undersung debut, in my (humble!) opinion.  The Space Between Trees follows a very memorable unreliable narrator.  It’s easy to keep up with the lies Evie tells but it’s hard to watch her tell them.  This is a wrenching coming-of-age tale that captures the big and small heartaches of growing up during a dangerous and mysterious time.  You want atmosphere?  It’s right here.

ONCE WAS LOST by Sara Zarr
I love all of Sara Zarr’s books, but Once Was Lost is my favourite.  There’s so much to admire in this profound exploration of a crisis of faith.  To me, Once Was Lost (and really, all of Zarr’s books) is a great example of how YA novels can make us feel less alone.  Zarr has a knack for dealing the kind of emotional truths you might be too afraid to say out loud–but what a powerful thing to see them expressed on a page.

Courtney’s offering up a paperback copy of Nova Ren Suma’s IMAGINARY GIRLS for one reader who lives in either the US or Canada. We’ll pick a winner June 30.