What once used to be a small, niche section of the bookstore has become one of the most visited aisles, and the choice in stories now is so rich that even older adults are finding things to love about young adult fiction. To help you make the best possible choices, here is a list of the eight best young adult authors from the last decade. They are absolutely the best and the brightest that the genre has to offer.
1. John Green – The King of Young Adult Authors
Once upon a time, John Green was more well known for being a fun and educational YouTuber, but the last decade or so has seen his popularity rise to superstardom in the YA world. With smash hit novels like The Fault in Our Stars, Looking for Alaska, and Paper Towns to his name, Green has really tapped into an emotional, poignant side of young adult fiction that has captured the hearts of millions of fans around the world. The most popular of his works have gone on to be adapted into successful Hollywood movies featuring stars like Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, Laura Dern, and Cara Delevingne. He is without a doubt one of the most popular authors of teenage books.
2. Angie Thomas – Emotional Takes on Current Events
The best authors for young adults are able to use current events and trends to speak to the emotions of their readers, and Angie Thomas has certainly managed that. Her novel The Hate U Give debuted at number one on the New York Times Best Seller list, a staggering achievement. The book tells the story of a young black teen caught up in the harsh reality of a police brutality incident. The book brought to life the struggles and importance of the Black Lives Matter movement and opened up the discussion to young readers of all backgrounds to make them more aware. It was also recently made into a successful film.
3. Terry Pratchett – An All-Time Favorite
He may not have emerged in the last decade, but there is no doubting that the popularity and impact of Terry Pratchett still loom large within the YA genre. You only need to browse through these audiobooks to see how much of an impact he has made on literature for young people. When it comes to popular authors for teenage books, Pratchett’s name will always be considered among the best. His Discworld series alone is something that many young people regard as a milestone moment in their reading lives. Pratchett passed away in 2015 but his books will live on forever.
4. Suzanne Collins – The Queen of Dystopian Drama
If you were a young teen or young adult in the not so distant past, then it is almost certain that you devoured the Hunger Games trilogy. Suzanne Collins is the author responsible for this YA phenomenon, and the impact of the dystopian future series is still being felt to this day. Collins achieves what all teen book authors seek to do when they start out; she brought a story to the world that captured the hearts and minds of all who read it. Of course, the series inspired a set of wildly popular films that helped to launch the career of Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence.
5. Veronica Roth – A Contender for Collins’ Crown
Frequently mentioned as one of the best teen authors of the last decade, Veronica Roth is responsible for the popular Divergent series. Another dystopian future tale that can be compared to the likes of The Hunger Games, this series follows a fearless female protagonist fighting against a dystopian regime that places teens in a certain faction and dictates their lives. Roth is brilliant at bringing high concepts to the table but making them feel completely relatable to everyday life.
6. Bethany Rutter – A New Bright Voice
A new face on the YA scene this year, Bethany Rutter is giving a voice to the types of girls who have rarely been spotlighted in the genre until now. Her debut novel No Big Deal is a wonderful, light, charming story with a plus-size teenage girl as its protagonist. The book is a wonderful bastion of body positivity, something that a lot of young adult readers are in need of under this current era of social media pressure and beauty standards.
7. Laura Eve – Beautiful Witchy Prose
If witchcraft and complicated female friendships are something that you are interested in, then look no further than Laura Eve. Her novel The Graces is growing in popularity by the second. It’s a wonderful small-town mystery that is much more than meets the eye. A perfect writer for YA readers who like a bit more grit and melancholy in their books.
8. Sarah Pinborough – Perfect Mystery Writing
It can be really tough to achieve the correct tone for a young adult murder mystery, but Sarah Pinborough effortlessly succeeds with her novel 13 Minutes. The story centers on the possible attempted murder of one of the most popular girls in school, found one cold morning on the banks of a frozen river.
A Wide Range to Choose From
As you can see, the depth of talent of young adult authors has never been stronger. No matter what kind of themes, characters, and stories you like, there is always going to be something to pick up at a local bookstore or download to an e-reader or smartphone. It’s fun to keep on trend with YA fiction as well as everything else in modern life, and one way to do this is to keep up to date with all of the happenings and articles right here on our site. You should regard it as your hub for everything relevant and exciting in today’s culture!
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