Just Contemporary: Guest Post with Ginger from G Reads

All month long, Ashley from Books From Bleh to Basically Amazing and Shanyn from Chicks Love Lit are hosting an epic event entitled Just Contemporary.

There are all kinds of goodies, from giveaways to reviews to guest posts and author interviews. Ashley is also doing a round-up of Contemporary reviews and features on other blogs each week, so get in touch with her if you post anything!

A Backwards Story has signed up to swap a guest post with another blogger on the web each week for the next five weeks.Here is the fourth of five guest posts. You can still see posts from the first, second, and third weeks with my guests, as well as my posts on their blogs, Kat Reads, Candace's Book Blog, and Danya's A Tapestry of Words.

Today's guest post features Ginger from G Reads. She can also be found on Twitter.

Now, it's time to introduce her and see why she loves contemporary!

If you want to see my thoughts on the subject, just shoot over to G Reads!

Contemporary YA: Top Ten Contemporary Reads by G Reads

1. WHERE THINGS COME BACK by John Corey Whaley
I started following this author on twitter before I read his book & was told by numerous trustworthy sources that I HAD TO read his debut novel. WTCB is the kind of story that resonates so much deeper than you first expect it to. I've never read something before where an author takes two completely different plots and molds them together so beautifully. I noticed a lot of the author in the main character as well, and to me that made the book more personal.

2. THE PIPER'S SON by Melina Marchetta
It was the Aussie cover that grabbed my attention first, but it was the character of Thomas Mackee that completely won me over. He is the epitome of a beautifully broken boy that I so badly wanted to fix. I wept many tears while reading his story. It's a book I will recommend to anyone who is interested in reading well written novels from a male point of view.


3. THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY by Jenny Han
This series put a new face on my blog. I became known as the blogger who loves Jenny Han! I devoured this series in a matter of days & then went on to tell every one I knew to read it. I bought multiple copies to send to random bloggers across the country. This book has everything you want in a YA contemp: friendship, growth, love, & resolution. It's a book that will always remain close to my heart.

4. THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER by Stephen Chbosky
If there is one book that I can sum up as encompassing every thing a contemporary novel should have, this one would be it. Though this book has been out for more than a decade, I just read it for the first time this year. Saying that I was blown away by it's capacity is an understatement. Never have I read a book that literally moved me to the point of not being able to write a review. I adore this story more than anything else.


5. SLOPPY FIRSTS by Megan McCafferty
Quite possibly the funniest and most REAL YA contemp I've read this year. Jessica Darling is a character that I will forever feel tied to. I loved witnessing her youth through her cynical eyes. But the best part is, the story progressed in to her early adult years too. We don't get to see a lot of this in YA contemps, so I appreciated a finality that this story so deserved.


6. LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR by Stephanie Perkins
It was her sophomore novel that I ended up loving more, which is rare in YA today. The character of Lola was so interesting to me. I loved her quirkiness and uncertainty. But it was the boy next door that sold the deal for me. Every girl dreams of having a Cricket just a stone's throw away. I loved the slow build of their relationship and ADORED the setting in San Francisco.

7. FORGET YOU by Jennifer Echols
This is my favorite of her novels. She writes the BEST sexual tension in YA lit. Echols keeps it tasteful, yet satisfying. I may or may not have a fictional crush on Doug. Ok let's be real, I wish I were 17 again and could spend a night in the back seat of a car with this boy! haha Aside from the sexytimes, I always enjoy Echols character conflicts. They start out broken, yet somehow, they get minded back together.. always by the least likely person.


8. WHERE SHE WENT by Gayle Forman
Though I did enjoy If I Stay, it was the sequel that completely won me over. I'm a sucker for male POVs in books, so reading this story from Adam's point of view intrigued me so much. Gayle Forman has the ability to write from a dude's head that is so believable and spot-on, in my opinion. The pain was just seeping off the pages. The climax on the bridge - one of the best moments I've EVER read, in any book.


9. THE BOYFRIEND LIST by E. Lockhart
This series is a close second runner up to my love of the Jessica Darling series. Ruby Oliver has such an enticing voice. I could not get enough! So much that I devoured this entire series in just a week's time. She had me laughing hysterically at one point, and then clutching the book on the verge of tears the next. I truly appreciate a book that has the ability to take me on such a range of emotions.

10. GRAFFITI MOON by Cath Crowley
The most recent book in YA contemps that I finished and have gushed and gushed about. I loved the poetic tone through out the novel, yet the author had the ability to keep the story in tact and on a path you wanted to keep following. I adore a story told from alternating points of view because it's almost as if you're getting two stories in one. This book sealed the deal on my love for Aussie YA writers. They have yet to disappoint me!

Several other blogs took part in this week's post theme as well; a full list will be available on Ashley's blog!


Also, don't forget to check out MY guest post over at G Reads! It features the top ten contemporary novels coming out that I'm already dying to read!