I just got back into reading and liked YA a lot. I read “A good girls guide to murder“, ”the inheritance games”, “Heartstopper” and liked them a lot. I now tried to get into more adult fiction because I’m in my mid twenties so not YA anymore. While I liked rom-coms like Emily Henry books, I just finished “before the coffee get’s cold” and really couldn’t get into it. Any tips to enjoy more mature books better? Also book recommendations you think may fit. Nothing too long or to difficult to read please. Basically YA that’s not YA.
by RecordingLow890
5 Comments
You don’t have to read adult books if you’re not enjoying them.
Genre fiction tends to be easier to read because they are formulaic by design. All romance books have a happily ever after. Lots of sci-fi/speculative fiction are set in space. Lots of fantasy have dragons and politics. But that’s not always the case. There are definitely ‘if you liked this YA book you might like this adult book’ lists out there.
What’s something you liked about the YA books?
You could look into what is now being called ‘new adult’ which tends to have leads that are 18-25/college age leads.
The Awakening by Kate Chopin might be a good one for you. It’s a classic work of feminist literature, but under 200 pages and not too dense.
I read it once in a high school English class, then revisited it as an adult in my late 20s and it really was much more relatable and enjoyable the second time as the lead character is in her late 20s as well. It’s one of my favorites!
Another good one is The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah if you don’t mind darker themes. It’s about two sisters enduring Nazi-occupied France during WWII.
Use the library so there’s no cost involved. Try audiobooks. Abandon books you don’t like. Read books that were adapted into movies you enjoy.
If you like mysteries, you might like Agatha Christie (*…And Then There Were None* is great). You might like Gillian Flynn (*Gone Girl*) and Megan Abbott (*Dare Me*)
I’m 32 and still mostly read YA. I find nothing wrong with that if you truly like the books.
first thing is that there really isn’t anything wrong with reading YA. i find that there are still a lot of themes that are still fit for adults and “easier to read” doesn’t make it less meaningful or literary. more than half of YA readers are adults, you’re not in the minority!
second, what specifically do you like about YA? is it the simpler prose, lighter content, or seeing the world through a more youthful lens? there isn’t really a singular approach to “enjoy mature books,” it’s just about finding books you like! reading shouldn’t be forced.
if you like romcoms, check out books by kevin kwan and the crazy rich asians series. for a less intense thriller and straightforward prose, i’d recommend the lost apothecary. for a short story compilation with relatable life lessons, what you are looking for is in the library. it’s translated japanese fiction like btcgc but less fantastical.