Top 5: Coming of Age Books

Hey Ya'll!

 

I think it is time for another Top 5 book list. These are my Top 5 favorite "Coming of Age" books or series.

 

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares:

I read this series back in early high school and I loved it. It is a great story of four friends who are all incredibly different but their differences help one another. The story spans over 4 summers, starting when they are high school sophomores and ending in college. I have seen that there is a 5th novel in the series that picks up with them years later as adults. I haven't read the 5th but I certainly want to. This series is one that will make you cry but is also incredibly heartwarming as you watch the girls grow up together.

 

Sarah Dessen Novels:

So I couldn't just pick one. Sarah Dessen has many novels that are all coming of age stories and I love them all. Her stories typically are about a young high school age girl who is dealing with a tough situation. All of those situations vary but are each very interesting. Many of the stories involve dating, family dynamics, friendship, abuse, and growing up. Two of my favorites are Lock and Key and Just Listen, both of these stories handle very tough situations that the characters grow through when dealing with. Two other stories that aren't as heavy (but just as good) are Keeping the Moon and Along for the Ride.

 

Percy Jackson Series by Rick Riordan:

Pearcy Jackson uses Greek Mythology to tell a new and exciting story. When the first book starts Percy is only 12 and by the last story he is 16. The whole story is a fun and exciting read, but it is a great coming of age story because you are able to watch as Percy is forced to make choices that not only affect his life, but the lives of all of his friends, family and even mankind.

 

Looking for Alaska by John Green:

I almost wanted to put all of John Green's books on this list, but I decided to just go with this one. This story starts with a young boy who goes to a boarding school where he learns so much about friends, bullies, girls and life. His relationships that he builds at boarding school change him and force him to grow. But just as a warning - it is a bit of a heart breaking story.

 

 Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky:

I know, I've already mentioned this book on my Top 5 Young Adult book list, but I can't help it! It really is the perfect coming of age story. It follows a freshman in high school named Charlie. He is a bit of a shy kid. Well, a little more than a bit. I think all of the shy/quiet kids can relate to him and his high school experience. He comes in nervous and trying to fit in. He finds a group of friends that are seniors that help him to come out of his shell. Through his experiences as a freshman, he is able to deal with some harboring emotions and feelings that he has kept bottled up. By the end of the novel he is able to grow and come to terms with some tough events in his life. This story has lovable characters but if definitely for a more mature audience.

 Those are my favorite coming of age stories, what are yours?

 

xo

bre

Top 5: (Young Adult) Books

Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling:

(These covers are awesome, right?)

Ya'll knew this was coming right? Of course Harry Potter is on my top 5 list of favorite young adult books (honestly its my number one on any list). If you haven't read Harry Potter (I actually have a friend that hasn't!!) then you are seriously missing out. Harry Potter is was my childhood. I anticipated every book (and movie), sobbed uncontrollably when my friends characters died, and felt broken hearted after the last movie because I knew it was all over. I love Harry Potter for so many reasons - the characters and their friendships, the rivalry between good and evil, and of course the magic. Although I don't have time to keep up with it much,  I have even joined J.K. Rowling's interactive Harry Potter website and I have been sorted into Slytherin.  I am still waiting for an owl to deliver my letter...

 

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger:

I read this novel my freshman year of college in my first English Literature course. I instantly loved it. Although I loved the hate the main character, Holden Caulfield. He is whiny, mean, and annoying in so many ways. But during the novel you get to see spots of softness that make him a little lovable. Since the book was written in the 1950's, it is a different world than what I grew up in and I felt that I could barely relate to Holden. But Holden is supposed to represent what many teenagers and young adults were feeling and going through during that time. It is a great coming of age story.

 

The Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins:

The Hunger Games Series is awesome. It is set in a post-apocalyptic nation of Panem in North America. Although many people think it is mainly a love-triangle story, I honestly believe it is so much more than that. When I first read the story, the love-triangle fell to the back burner for me since I focused more on the horrible situations that these character were faced with and what they did to change it. I cry every single time I read any of the three books because I love the characters so much. Katniss is a wonderful female character that teen girls should look up to and it many ways I wanted to be like her; to have her strength, courage and power. Mockingjay did not end the way I had hoped, but I also think that the ending is what makes this series truly post-apocalyptic. (by the way - I'm team Gale, if you were wondering)

 

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green:

John Green is a great writer who has a wonderful ability to make you cry and laugh. I adore all of his books, but my favorite is this one. It is a classic story of a boy and girl falling in love with one exception - they both have cancer. Hazel Grace is another great female character and I am so glad I have had the chance to meet her read about her. Her guilty pleasure is watching America's Next Top Model and she is incredibly passionate about her favorite book. What's not to love about her? Warning: when you read it, you will fall in love with Augustus Waters and there is nothing you can do about it

 

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky:

This is a perfect coming of age story. When you read it, you will instantly connect with Charlie and understand him. If you were a bit of an outcast in high school like me, you will relate to him and love him. The friends he makes in school are all great in their own ways. They are perfectly imperfect and you will love each and everyone of them.

 

 

This was very hard to narrow down since I have so many favorite young adult novels, but I believe that theses are my absolute favorites. Have you read them? What are your favorite books?

 

 

xo

bre