10/08/2026
Our GMPL 3 pm Book Club met October 7 to discuss various Young Adult books.
The Young Adult genre has seen a lot of change. YA used to feature 12-15 year olds. A lot of the older YA books, published early 2000s, were about teen pregnancy, hanging with friends, probably smoking ci******es and “borrowing” alcohol from parents' cupboards. There were also books about young love, without the spice level we see today. Next came the period of dystopian, paranormal books, and fantasy type books.
Many YA books have transitioned again to embrace today's more diverse cultures. There has been a shift toward using older protagonists and more mature story content. Apparently, more adults are reading YA books. Interesting that 3 years ago, YA books had more checkouts. It seems the young adults are graduating to adult fiction.
Here are our thoughts on the books we individually chose.
*Lies Between Us by Jessica Goodman is a young adult murder-mystery/thriller suggested ages 14 and up.
*The Fault in Our Stars by John Green is generally recommended for ages 13 to 14 and older due to mature content.Terminal illness, cancer, dying children, grief, loss, and philosophy.
*Looking for Alaska by John Green recommended for Ages 14 and up, due to mature themes, underage drinking, smoking, grief, and a brief sexual scene.
*The Library of Shadows by Rachel Moore is recommended for ages 13 and up. Themes include parental death, panic attacks, arson, ghostly violence, and missing students.
*Summer of the Loon by Deanna Lynn Sletten is best suited for older teens (ages 14 and up) grief, family estrangement, and a mother's death resulting from a substance/alcohol overdose. However, the romance in the story is “wholesome” and hopeful.
*Medicine Wheels by Byron Graves is recommended for ages 13 and up. The novel explores Ojibwe culture and has mature themes such as cancer, losing a parent, substance abuse, domestic abuse. However, the reader expressed that the book is encouraging, the protagonist should not be defined by their situation. There is hope, we decide how we will handle life.
*Sisters in the Wind by Angeline Boulley is suggested for ages 14-18. One of the reviews said this covers a lot of messy ground. It is about Lucy, an 18 year old who survived 5 years in the Michigan foster care system. When she is “released” she finds out she is Ojibwe, has surviving family members (including a grandmother and siblings), and was kept from them due to the failure of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA). Wow!
Our group generally agreed with the age ranges, however, as we know, young adults do not all mature at the same pace. Have you ever thought of picking up a YA book?
Are your young adults reading more YA books or Adult fiction? Reading trends are kinda fascinating for a Librarian :) and important to follow closely.
Drop your YA book suggestions in the comments please.
November fun planned! We are combining both book clubs and meeting at 4 Daughters Winery Wednesday November 18 at 3 pm. Stay tuned for more information and the book title.
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