When I first decided to do this post I thought it would be like any other discussion. But after spending literal HOURS trying that route I think a better plan is to just write it like a letter (thanks Shelly!).
To YA,
I’ve read you almost exclusively for the past 6 years and I hate to say it but…..it’s not me. It’s you. I’ve loved you, coveted you, supported you, promoted you, and quite honestly spent a shit ton of money on you. But over the past 6 months or so I’ve begun to realize my feelings for you have changed. I’m not saying we don’t have fun on occasion. And The Trees Crept In and The Diabolic was AH-MAZING! But; we read those last year! Before the first snow fall even.
So what happened? Honestly honey, it got boring. MC who isn’t special and is often described as “plain”, but is somehow still unbelievably gorgeous, goes on a quest to save/prove/protect her people/family/friend, but only with the help of some hot guy she met two seconds again who just has this “pull” about him, but isn’t sure she can trust….yet. There is nothing wrong with a bit of predictability. Shoot! That’s why I read NA. There’s something comforting about it. Something effortless. But, and please don’t take this the wrong way, that comforting feeling doesn’t have to last 400 pages. I’m not saying that all 400 pages are a snooze fest. That’s ridiculous! We both know I don’t have the attention span for that. It’s more like I make it 100 or so pages in, and then lose all interest. It’s not me. If it were I’d own up to it. To put it simply it’s you.
I’m not giving up on an “us”. I’d be a fool to swear off an entire parent genre *cough except historical cough*. I just think it would be best if we saw other people. Maybe focus on other genres and readers for a bit? I’ll see you around.
I’m always impressed by people who only read YA. Don’t they get bored with the tropes? I love YA, but I don’t think I could limit myself to that genre only. There are so many amazing adult books out there.
I’ve recently been thinking about this too… I just finished up my freshman year in college, and all of a sudden, high school aged characters and settings were no longer as relatable as I needed them to be. While I still love YA, I think I’m going to be checking out some more NA titles in the future, or at least YA titles with older characters. I’d love it if you did a post with recs transitioning from YA to NA, or even just about your go-to NA reads! I have no idea where to begin with NA.
Lol – it’s no me .. it’s YOU! He – I still read YA from time to time, but I could never read just solely YA – and I definitely can barely stomach contemporary YA. But to each his or her own.
I totally understand!! I have to switch genres a lot I couldn’t completely read YA I think I would lose interest in it!
I think what you said up there is the exact reason I don’t read Fantasy. They all sound the same to me and I’m like ZZZzzzZZZ.