TYF Column: Goodbye YA

I started truly reading YA novels in seventh grade. Even though the Twilight series and Sarah Dessen’s books were read by me in fourth grade, I consider seventh grade the birth of my YA reading life. That’s when I created a book blog, got a Goodreads, and started to read.

Read what, you may ask.

Only the classics of YA fiction, of course. The Mortal Instruments series, The Iron Fey, Gallagher Girls, Hex Hall, The Wolves of Mercy Falls and more. (Note: I do realize this is mainly fantasy, but not many realistic fiction books are part of a series). As for contemporary fiction, I fell hard for The Sky is Everywhere, Cracked Up to Be, Some Girls Are, Between Shades of Gray, and If I Stay.

I was basically a swear virgin before the YA life. F— and b—- and s— would be the main words on the page. It scared me on so many levels. It took me about two months to be assimilated into the swear word world. As for sex in novels, it was hard for me to even read kissing scenes of declaration of love scenes. (I remember in The Iron Daughter how mortified I was when I read Meghan’s confession of love to Ash). By eighth grade, skipping the very few sex scenes had become second nature.

I loved YA. It was reckless, dangerous, and new. I had never touched a dystopian novel in my life. Divergent? Beautiful. Legend? Legendary. Matched? Charming. Clearly, my tastes became much more refined as time passed. Insta-love? So undetectable by me.

Now YA is a skin I sometimes want to shed. For two years it’s been my best friend. I know it better than I know myself. In fact, sometimes I feel like I know YA a little too well. Dystopian novels have become the same. Most realistic fiction novels follow the same plot line. Paranormal and fantasy novels are so dead to me now.

Goodbye, YA.

This isn’t a permanent goodbye. It’s a goodbye in lieu of my months long reading slump until I find a novel worth staying up all night for. When I find another The Sky is Everywhere or another If I Stay, maybe I’ll consider saying hello again.

But as for now, I’ll stick with my classics. After all, my all-time-favorite novel is Anne of Green Gables. A Tale of Two Cities and Pride and Prejudice are simply masterpieces. It’s as if when I matured into a better-read reader, YA fell into the dust.

No one, especially me, should view their reading life as a dichotomy. Unfortunately, that is my case. PLEASE JANDY NELSON, WRITE ANOTHER BOOK.