Top Ten Tuesday: Books That Changed My Mind About a Genre

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. All you have to do is post according to the weekly topic, link up your blog, and add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists!


From the very start of my blog, I professed that contemporary fiction would never work for me. Like, ever. But I was wrong, and through the course of four years of blogging, I've realized that I've actually come to love the genre. There are a lot of books within that genre that still irk me, but that's because I've finally seen the potential that this genre has, which makes the entire contemporary realm worthwhile now. This isn't actually a topic that's been used before, but it's one that's important to me...so, here goes.


Raw Blue epitomizes issue-based books. Powerful, gritty and real, its emotion and heart spills over onto the pages. Twenty Boy Summer might imply something sweet and frivolous, but dealing with loss, pain and grief, it teaches you about growing up and moving on. The Raft seems like a simple survival story, but is actually so much more - tackling inner demons, finding your strength and empowerment. 


Something Real has no hype, and it has a cover that doesn't do it any favours. This book, however, is a powerhouse of emotion, and I found it one of the most poignant reads in over a year. Leaving Paradise captures grief and anger in a nutshell, offering us the ability to heal through our characters. This Song Will Save Your Life gives us hope, shows us that it's okay to be different and transcends social norms.


Dark Song is dark, gritty and incredibly real, offering us a powerhouse novel about abusive relationships, growing into your own person and learning to overcome adversity. Catching Jordan represents the contemporary fiction I thought I'd hate - but done well. Giving us sweet romance, as well as well-defined characters that breathe and feel, this made me smile. Wintergirls is a hard-hitting take on life with eating disorders. Written halting and sparse, it transcends those stereotypes we all think. Some Girls Are is the first book I read on bullying, giving us characters that we don't really like, but we've all met at some time or another - teaching us to grow and move on.

20 comments:

  1. You got some of my favorites listed here, Melissa. I haven't heard of Something Real so I'm going to check it out. This Song Will Save Your Life was one top books of 2013. I hope you will find some great contemporary fiction books this year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I really hope you read SOMETHING REAL, Rummanah! It's an absolutely fantastic book!

      Delete
  2. I like contemporary YA but I don't love it. I still don't flock to it, despite some amazing books (TSWSYL, Wintergirls, Catching Jordan...yes!!). "Irked" is a great word -- it irks me too that there aren't more, that many books seem to waste their potential. (I'm not including the "fluffier" books that are meant to be brain candy, fun and light. Those have their place, and I love them dearly.)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, definitely! I find myself gravitating more to the heavier side of contemporary, and I think there are some real gems there!

      Delete
  3. This is the one genre that I mostly shy away from and I don't know why! I do know that I want to start off with some of John Green, Rainbow Rowell and Melina Marchetta books when venturing in to this area! Thank you for sharing. You helped me learn about some great Contemporary books to look forward to in the future.
    BookHangovers Blabs Books
    xoxox

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Absolutely my pleasure! It's a genre that's still tricky for me, but it has SO much potential!

      Delete
  4. Nice topic choice! Not exactly my genre of choice, but liking some of the covers here at least! ;)


    Here's my Tuesday post

    Have a GREAT day!

    Old Follower :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. These are great recommendations! I've been looking for some good book recommendations so thank you for making the search a bit easier :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Great pick. I absolutely LOVED This Song Will Save Your Life, such a beautiful book. I will definitely have to add some of these to my TBR list. Nice list :) My TTT.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I am surprised that Something Real isn't getting more hype. I agree the cover isn't great - makes it seem like a flippant book.
    Also, I bought Raw Blue in Australia! Also another Kirsty Eagar book. I had to go all over before I found a bookstore that carried her. So excited to read it!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Raw Blue, TSWSYL, and Some Girls Are have totally made me love contemporary fiction. As well as Gayle Forman, Melina Marchetta, and Stephanie Perkin's novels - ADORE those ladies. Fantastic list, Melissa! :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. It seemed like that's all I could find last year was contemporary fiction for YA. And I loved it. You have some great ones there, some I keep saying I will read one day. Some I purchased solely because you always put the book on some type of list. Raw Blue was gifted to me and will always be one of my favorites.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Awesome list. I loved Twenty Boy Summer, Catching Jordan, and Raw Blue. I need to read This Song Will Save Your Life. I love Jenny Han and Gayle Forman…Have you read any of their books? Two of my favorite contemporary authors.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I didn't know you weren't really a fan of contemps, Melissa! I also loved Leaving Paradise and Catching Jordan! Great choices! :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. I didn't realise Some Girls Are was about bullying, I think I'll enjoy that one. This song will save your life was a brilliant contemporary, i totally loved it! Thanks for sharing some of your favourites, Mel.

    Jeann @ Happy Indulgence

    ReplyDelete
  13. I used to think the same as you, but now contemporaries make up probably half of all the books I read. The only one I've read from your list is This Song Will Save Your Life, but I can't wait to get around to some of Courtney Summers and Sarah Ockler's books.

    ReplyDelete
  14. YAY FOR CONTEMPS!! I love that you are reading it and I'm laughing at myself that I haven't read a single one of these! (:

    ReplyDelete
  15. I love how Raw Blue continually makes it to you top ten lists Melissa, people really need to pick this book up, if they haven't already done so. I also absolutely loved Catching Jordan and I can't wait to start my copy of Some Girls Are! Fab top ten as always! :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. TBS was such a surprising story - I remember expecting something light and being startled by the tone of the story (but it really is fantastic). Completely agree with you regarding Wintergirls and Some Girls Are.

    Great top ten!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I've only read one of these: Wintergirls. I actually love contemporary fiction, so these must be fabulous if they changed your mind about the genre!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you so much for taking the time to comment! I always do my very best to return the favour :)

Please note that this blog is an award-free zone!

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
Pin It button on image hover