My Contemporary YA TBR

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I'm not usually much of a contemporary-genre reader, but I've been meaning to read more and more books that fall into that category.

I more than partially blame the bookish community online (you know I love you guys!) because their enthusiasm is uber-infectious.

I guess it's proof that reading is a communicable disease - and one that we need to get out there and spread ;)




This, then, is my contemporary YA TBR (To-Be Read list.)

A lot of people have slightly different definitions of what the contemporary genre actually is.

I basically went with a modern-ish setting and no magic, sci-fi, paranormal, or horror elements.

The rules can probably be bent six ways from Tuesday, but this is my list.

It's pretty damned long, so just be glad that I didn't decide to post my full TBR - we'd be here all day ;)





Unfortunately, there's only so fast a girl can read.

So it's going to take me an epically long time to get through this. Not least because I can't afford this many books.

And most of them aren't available from my library system (trust me, I checked.)

Still, I'll make my way through a fair few I'm sure.




Obviously, since I haven't read these books, I don't know how good (or not,) they are.

Hopefully they'll be worth the read!

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Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

This is about beauty contestants stranded on an island in the middle of nowhere.

And with a premise like that, I just had to add it to my list.



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She Is Not Invisible by Marcus Sedgwick

I added this to my list because I read Blood Red, Snow White by Marcus Sedgwick yonks ago, and loved it.

This one is about a blind girl, Laureth, who is trying to find her missing father.



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The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

This book has won a butt-load of awards, and people talk about it a lot, so I figured it was one to give a chance.

It's about the experiences of a Native American boy at the local (white-populated) high-school.

UPDATE 2026: In 2018 Sherman Alexie (Spokane) was accused by several women of sexual harrassment

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 Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X Stork

Marcelo is autistic and has always been protected from 'the real world.'

But one summer, his father decides it's time to introduce him to life as neurotypicals know it, and gets him a job at his law firm.

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 Read Me Like a Book by Liz Kessler

An LGBTQ+ book that's about a girl who has a crush on her female English teacher.

It looks fairly interesting, so on the list it went!



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 Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

A huge amount of you lot out there in bookish internet-land are massive Sarah Dessen fans, and this one sounds interesting - it's about a girl whose brother is in prison.

I added this to my list because the lovely Tina @ As Told By Tina had it on her list of top ten contemporary novels.

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Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta 

Another recommendation from the lovely Tina, this is about a girl who's stuck at a boys' school with only three other female students.



Shade Me by Jennifer Brown 

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This might count more as crime than contemporary - but it can be contemporary crime, right?

It looks pretty damned interesting - it's about a girl named Nikki who sees emotions as colours due to synaesthesia, and ends up trying to solve a crime.



• Simon vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

A bunch of you have read and loved this. And there's been a lot of general buzz/hype about it since it was published last year.

Another LGBTQ+ title, this is about a teenage boy who's very firmly in the closet, and some flirtatious e-mails ending up in the wrong hands.



• Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

Everyone seems to like this book - and I read Ann Elise Monte's review which convinced me to finally bite the bullet and add it to my groaning TBR.

Again, an LGBTQ+ title, this also has a butt-load of awards, and was on Tina's list - so lots of ringing endorsements here, there, and everywhere.



• All American Boys by Jason Reynolds & Brendan Kiely

This might've been a Goodreads recommendation - I honestly can't remember.

This is about a black kid who ends up in hospital after a police officer beats him, and the white kid who witnessed the whole thing.

It seems pretty topical, and, if done right, could be pretty amazing.



• Panther by David Owen

I actually really want to read this - it's about a boy whose sister has depression, and its effect on both her and the family.

As you probably know if you've read this blog before, I have depression. And I'm really interested to see how it's dealt with in this book.

 

• Starring Kitty by Keris Stainton

Another LGBTQ+ title, this is about Kitty, who falls for another girl, Dylan, but doesn't want anyone to know. Dylan though, doesn't want to be kept a secret.

 

• The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Loads of people love this book - probably at least partially due to the movie.

My BFF says it's good, and she's usually a fairly good judge of taste. So on the list it went!

 

• One by Sarah Crossan

I read a review of this one by the lovely Emily @ The Paperback Princess. And I guess she got it stuck in my head.

Also, it's a novel in verse, and I've never read a novel in verse before.

 

• The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Williamson

This is a book about a transgender girl, and deals with trans issues.

There's been a lot of general buzz/hype-ish-ness around it, and mostly good things. So I figure I'll get round to it at some point.

 

• Remix by Non Pratt

This was a Goodreads rec. which I'm none-too-sure about. I figure I'll give it a try anyhow.

It seems to be about a music festival... or something.




• The Manifesto on How to be Interesting by Holly Bourne

This is a book about a girl who loves to write. It also deals with mental health issues.

So, obviously, I had to add it to my TBR. Immediately.



 

• Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan

I've heard good things about David Levithan.

And this seems cute, so I might give it a shot.

 

• Beautiful Music for Ugly Children by Kirstin Cronn-Mills

Another title that I don't know much about, this is another LGBTQ+ title that focuses on trans people/issues.

• How to Build a Girl by Caitlin Moran

I absolutely adore Caitlin Moran - she rocks.

All of her books are on my main TBR (and I will get around to all of them - eventurally!) but as this is a YA contemporary novel, this is where it goes.

This is basically all about being a teenage girl in 1990 (shh, it counts as contemporary now!)



• All of the Above by Juno Dawson

Juno Dawson is like my star sign - because she's just a star.

 

I read Hollow Pike by Juno Dawson years ago - and absolutely loved it. She tends to write books with a paranormal edge - which is why this is the only one on my 'contemporary' TBR.

There are definitely other books of hers that I want to read!

Like This Post? Try These:

• Books On My 'To-Buy' List

• Books Everyone Else Seems to Have Read (But I Haven't)

Last updated: 31st March 2026