I have been consuming and re-reading many times books for young adults about teens and young adults. To be specific, I have a fascination for memoirs that I can relate to, about struggles and addictions and depression and other things young adults and teens go through often. My favorite authors are Michelle Tea, Elizabeth Wurtzel, Rachel Cohn, Francesca Lia Block (new discovery)... Many books I have read over and over are: Wasted by Marya Hornbacher, BoyProof by Cecil Castellucci, Sweet-Blood by Pete Hautman, More Now Again by Elizabeth Wurtzel, Girl Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen, She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb, Food and Loathing: A Life Measured In Calories by Betsy Lerner, The Girl Who Owned A City by O.T. Nelson, The Burn Journals by Brent Runyon, and The Chelsea Whistle by Michelle Tea...

Non-biographical fiction for young adults can also be very well-worth the read! Some you shouldn't pass up are: The Maximum Ride series by James Patterson, the Uglies, Pretties, Specials, and Extras series by  and books by Scott Westerfeld, Julie Anne Peters (especially 'Define Normal') and the novels by Rachel Cohn...

I also deeply enjoy stories about cats, as I am a big 'cat person' myself. Some of my favorite animal books include: 'Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul', 'Cat People' by Michael & Margaret Korda, 'A Snowflake In My Hand' by Samantha Mooney, and many others.

Also, I don't know how many of you like Rosie O'Donnell, but one of her books is worth checking out: 'Find Me'. It's a deeply engrossing memoir of parts of her life that many could identify with.

My point to this endless list of recommendations is, if any of you can recommend some books I might enjoy that are along these genres, PLEASE feel free to tell me! Better yet, let me know if you have any you could let me swap from you! I am an avid book collector, and when I run out of new ones, I always find one I can re-read again.

Thanks!

Have you read Libba Bray's books (start with A Great and Terrible Beauty)?  They are wonderful. 

Norma Fox Mazer had some great ones when I was growing up - one that I still go back to 20 years later is "Taking Terri Mueller" (sp?) Francesca Lia Block is a huge favorite. Sarah Dessen is worth a shot, as is Nancy Garden, and the "Ella Enchanted" Books - more than a fairytale, it's about empowerment. If i think of more off hand, I'll let you know.

Try the Stephanie Meyers series Twilight, New Moon etc, they are great and remind me of the style of Uglies Pretties etc (which is a series I LOVE).

Also a funny one is a series that has a title called " Then he ate my boy enhancers"- I forget the author and only remember there is a cat called Angus in it. It is a funny british girl and her adventures with her friends.  It just came to me Lousie Rennison is the author.

I also love reading YA books since they are easy to read and not full of all the um sex that adult books are cluttered with.

OH and one I have just read is Thirteen reasons why by Jay Asher.. it is soooo very sad and worth it if you were one of those girls who had a major crush on a guy who did not know you lived!

Maybe the TOMORROW WHEN THE WAR BEGAN series, set in Australia?  I enjoyed many of the books you've listed and I liked those too.  Also check out THE PERKS OF BEING A WALL FLOWER, MY PET VIRUS, the classic THE BELL JAR.  I also enjoyed LIFE SIZE.

oh, yes, I second "Perks..." and also, there's a great book by Jonathan Marsden called Letters (or Notes?) from the inside.

Such a Pretty Girl by Laura Wiess comes to mind.

My Cat Stole My Heart is on my keep shelf...I'll have to find who the author is and get back to you.

Thanks for all the suggestions! I actually have read 'Letters From The Inside' and have already passed it on. I have begun 'Perks of Being A Wallflower' but it's a little slow for me. I can't believe I havent read The Bell Jar yet but as soon as I get a chance to get a copy I will! :)

Well I know you have to have heard of 'Go Ask Alice' that one has been around for a long time.  I absolutely love that book.

Another one I would suggest is 'Cut' by Patricia McCormick  'Callie cuts herself, never too deep, never enough to die.  But enough to feel the pain.  Enough to feel the scream inside.  Now she's at Sea Pines, a 'residental treatment facility; filled with girls stuggling with problems of their own.  Callie doesn't want to have anything to do with them.  She doesn't want to have anything to do with anyone.  She won't even speak.  But Callie can only stay silent for so long..'   Thought I'd give you a description on that one.  I found that book to be really good.  Of course it is fiction, but good in all.  I have read my copy sooo many times pages are falling out everywhere in the book lol.

Another good book is 'Crank' by Ellen Hopkins.  Fiction, about a girl stuggling with a meth addiction.  There are also 2 other books that she has written connected to the book(like a series)  I can't remember the names at this time for I haven't read them yet I can't seem to find them anywhere. 

Hope that helps.

Some older ones I loved are 'Dinky Hocker Shoots Smack',  'Your Eyes in Stars' or anything by M.E. Kerr, 'The Pigman', 'Lisa, Bright and Dark', 'Summer of My German Soldier'.   I love YA also - I'm always collecting the older ones I loved and re-reading them, and discovering new ones.  I just finished 'Extras" , the next one after Pretties/Uglies/Specials trilogy.  Great!

:)

Lisa P.

My favorite older one is "After the Dancing Days", about a girl's friendship with a wounded WWI Vet.

OMG!!!!

I just read this post and then went back to my reading and 2 pages later, there it is.  The Bell Jar, on page 95 of Selevision by augusten burroughs.

strange, very strange.  should I look for lottery numbers now?