Top Ten Contemporary YA Authors

This week's Top Ten Tuesday is a toughie for me because I'm not a big genre reader, but I have been gravitating towards contemporary YA a lot lately so I thought I'd list some of the awesome authors I've come across...

Sure, it may look completely random and irrelevant, but contemporary YA makes me happy and so does this gif. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

1. Stephanie Perkins. Anna and the French Kiss completely blew me away, and although I didn't enjoy Lola and the Boy Next Door quite as much, it was still great. I can't wait for Perkins' next novel, Isla and the Happily Ever After, to come out.

2. Melina Marchetta. One of my favourite authors of all time. I love the way Marchetta captures authentic emotions and experiences and creates such wonderful, well-rounded and realistic characters. All of her contemporary fiction is fantastic, but On the Jellicoe Road is probably my favourite.

3. Ann Brashares. I've mentioned before that it was The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants series that introduced me to YA and made me rethink my previous (judgmental) stance on it. It was such a fun and touching read. I've been meaning to reread the series for awhile, especially with the last installment that's come out, but I've heard some spoilers so I'm kinda scared.

4. Gayle Forman. If I Stay is kinda supernatural, but its sequel, Where She Went is more contemporary. I adored both books and their characters, but I especially appreciated Adam's point of view in Where She Went.

5. Libba Bray. I have a ridiculous amount of love for Beauty Queens. I thought it was clever, hilarious and so much fun. I've wanted to read more of Bray's books every since I read it, but sadly for me I haven't gotten around to it yet.

6. Morgan Matson. I loved Amy and Roger's Epic Detour; the characters were likable and the story was so much fun, while still maintaining some serious aspects. It made me totally want to take a road trip around the US and eat lots of hamburgers. Second Chance Summer was also a great read, and utterly heartbreaking.

7. Simone Elkeles. I wasn't sure whether I should put Simone on the list given the recent hullabaloo around the way she responded to one of her reviews, but the truth is I absolutely loved her Perfect Chemistry series so she deserves a spot here. Sure, it's totally cheesy and predictable, but it's also completely addictive and fun.

8. Judy Blume. 'Nuff said.

OK, I'm out. Unfortunately I haven't read enough contemporary YA to have a complete top ten (though it's probably the genre I've read the most!). Because I'm kinda OCD and can't have an incomplete list, here are two contemporary YA authors I want to read.

1. John Green. I know. I haven't read any John Green. Yes, I'm hanging my head in shame.

2. Sarah Dessen. Now my whole body is hanging in shame.

Who are your favourite contemporary YA authors?

My Book Boyfriend: Sinjin St. Sinjin

It's my favourite time of the week - My Book Boyfriend day! MBB is hosted by the lovely Missie at The Unread Reader, and it's all about fictional boys who we want to do bad things with date. This week I decided I wouldn't mind being stranded on a island with Sinjin St. Sinjin, the British (faux) pirate captain/reality TV star of Libba Bray's Beauty Queens. I love how accepting and open-minded he is, how much he cares about Petra and his adorable, cheeky sense of humour. His knowledge of Dickens is totally hot, too. I pictured him as Ed Westwick.

Here's how he's described in the book:

"He was a broad-chested guy of twenty with long, black, wavy hair, devilish sideburns, and a wicked smile that had charmed its way through many a port... He wore breeches tucked into tall boots and a puffy white pirate's shirt unbuttoned to his navel."

Swoon-worthy Quotes

"Sinjin thought for a moment. He wasn't good with disclosure. And he had nothing to compare to Petra's tale. What if she thought he was shallow or boring? Unworthy? He wasn't used to being taken off guard, but Petra made him feel both uncomfortable and nervous at the same time... More than anyone he had ever met, he wanted her to like him. Because he really, really liked her.
'I grew up in an orphanage in London. Horrible place.'
'Really?'
Sinjin nodded. 'Mmm. Saffron Hill.'
Petra raised an eyebrow. 'Saffron... Hill?'
'Yes, Saffron Hill. And a terrible place it was. Made us work all the day, never got enough food. Mr Bumble - the headmaster - used to beat us.'
'Sounds like you had a dickens of a time.'
Sinjing glanced at Petra's impassive expression. 'Indeed, indeed. Finally, at fifteen, I couldn't take it any longer. I ran away. Lived on the streets with m' pal, Jack D-'
'Dawkins?'
'D'you know him?'
'Our mutual friend? Purely coincidental. Go on.'
Sinjin's grin spread. 'I had great expectations about how my life would go and then...'
'...Nicholas Nickleby! You fell on hard times and were living in a real bleak house.'
'Absolutely. I was totally scrooged.'"

 

"Sinjin looked her in the eyes. There was not a trace of smirk in his expression. ''I hope that real love and truth are stronger in the end than any evil or misfortune in the world.''
'David Copperfield,' Petra whispered, position her lips close to his.
'Why are you bringing magicians into it?' Sinjin said and kissed her tenderly. It was a kiss small in its ministrations but epic in its feeling."

Review: Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

I should really know by now not to judge books by their covers.

Take Beauty Queens. Never having read anything by Libba Bray before, I took one glance at this cover and dismissed it as not my thing. Something about the headless girl in a bikini just put me off. Without even reading the blurb, I assumed the book would be nothing more than cheesy, rudimentary fluff. Then I saw Audrey's raving review on Holes in my Brain and thought twice about my judgement. Last week I finally read Beauty Queens and discovered just how wrong I was.

Telling the story of a group of teen pageant girls who get stranded on an island after their plane crashes, Beauty Queens is most definitely not cheesy, or even very fluffy for that matter. What it is, is sharp, witty, intelligent, fun, and bloody hilarious. Bray satirises everything from beauty pageants and reality TV to commercialism and sex education - but it's never preachy and always spot-on. She has such a clever way with words that the whole book is totally quotable.

But while the language is awesome and the plot is interesting, it's the characters that really make the book a standout. Initially I was worried about being able to keep track of all the different girls, but each is so well developed that it wasn't a problem at all. They were all strong, distinct, realistic and, suprisingly, even likable - yep, I liked every single beauty queen. And I loved the way they all came together to survive, and used their skills to thrive. They were such great company that I took more time than I needed to read Beauty Queens, because I didn't want to part with them. Now I'm going to hunt down as much Libba Bray as I can get my hands on!

Rating: 5/5

Spoilery Talking Points

• The only problem I had with the book - and it was very minor - was the fact that Petra was so freaked out about her medication at the beginning that she risked her life, but later on the fact that she'd only had a week's worth is totally dropped. Wouldn't her male hormones start emerging after she stopped taking the medication? 
• I looooooved the relationship between Petra and Sinjin. They flirted with word play, quoting Dickens. Dickens! To a Dickens nerd like me, it was just about the sexiest exchange ever.
• I was so upset about what happened with the Casanova wannabe pirate and Adina. What a jerk! But then, it was kinda good and definitely more realistic that all the pairings weren't soulmate material. Plus I really liked Adina's personal journey, as well as Mary Lou's - though my absolute fave would have to be Tiara's!

Eye Candy
Everyone is pretty in this book, natch. Here are some of the girls (and guys) I pictured...

Candice Accola as Tiara

Blake Lively as Taylor

Ed Westwick as Sinjin

Kat Dennings as Adina

Lauren Conrad as Petra

Lucy Hale as Mary Lou

Lincoln Lewis as Tane

Fine Print
Genre: Young Adult
Published: 2011
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Get It: Book Depository


Related
Speaking of beauty queens, Ashley Tisdale recently did a parody of Toddlers and Tiaras (a show I enjoy way more than I'd care to admit) that could possibly be the best work she's ever done. Hilar!