Trends In Literature I'd (and We'd) Like to See MORE Of!
{ | } As a reverse to my last discussion post, this week I'm going to talk about - and ask for input from you guys, my amazing followers - trends or plot devices I would like to see more of in literature, specifically YA literature, since in YA, it seems to be one sweeping trend after another, but as we've already talked about, sometimes those fads get old and worn out, and need revamping, or sometimes, totally done away with.
So like always, I'll tell y'all what I think and am wanting to see, then it's YOUR turn in the comments. And remember - I reply to each and every comment, so check back here to keep the discussion going. : )
{ ++ } Stand-alones, or companion novels (less series.) Sometimes a good stand-alone novel can be as, or more, powerful and meaningful than the best, most amazing series. Examples of great stand-alones I've recently loved are The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab (creepy and awesome), Saving June by Hannah Harrington (emotional and poignant), Blue Sky Days by Marie Landry (just...there are no words. READ. IT.) My Sweet Audrina by V. C. Andrews (I read it back in the day but OMG it was and is still squee-worthy), The Catastrophic History of You & Me by Jess Rothenberg, and as recently as last night, Welcome Caller, This is Chloe by Shelley Coriel! In my experience, you can still get attached to the characters over the course of a good stand-alone and an author can still tell a satisfying story enclosed in one novel, instead of ten. That said, I am also enjoying the more recent companion novels, which still give you more time with the characters you met in book one, but don't linger on and on past the their prime. 
{ ++ } Romances where the two parties have shared history. It doesn't have to be the childhood-best-friend-turned-love-interest plot, though I am sort of a sucker for that. I just don't always want to see the two characters meet and fall in love. Sometimes it's nice - fascinating, even - to see two characters with history, be it good OR bad who end up coming together and falling in love. Those are the sweetest romances for me sometimes, because the couple MADE it - they beat the odds - and sometimes, every once in awhile, I love those romances more than I love watching someone fall in love. Some authors struggle to SHOW that instead of just telling us; some authors get it absolutely right, but the couples with a past tend to pull at my heart in the most wonderful way. One of my favorite review books from 2011 was Take This Regret, about a couple who came back together after years of regret. It was beautiful in so many ways!
{ ++ }Taboo subjects. One of the reasons I like Jodi Picoult so much is that she's absolutely unafraid to write about subjects she wants to shed light on, and I feel like YA needs more of that. (Note: Jodi Picoult writes...women's fiction, I guess you would say.) All too often subjects like substance abuse, physical abuse, mental issues, etc - any hot button topic - are glazed over in YA fiction, or the surface is only scratched. I think there are some amazing authors out there who are completely capable of really delving into these sort of subjects, and who knows - doing so might reach someone who has needed help! I really adored Hushed by Kelley York because it was just so fierce and bold. Kelley absolutely just didn't hold back and yes, Hushed was somewhat disturbing but it was also brilliant. I really adored that it featured a male/male romance that was just so heart-achingly beautiful. I hate to call LGBT books a "taboo" subject but I'm afraid they still might be, but I have seen how well it CAN be done. I want more!
{ ++ } Gothic novels. Now this one is probably just me but I LOVED the older, Gothic style novels from authors like Barbara Michaels, V.C. Andrews, etc. I think this could be an awesome thing for YA - the spooky, family house, dark secrets, forbidden romances, etc. For some reason, I kinda sometimes crave that sort of read. It's probably why I loved The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell so much!
{ ++ } Time travel! Now don't get me wrong - I don't want to see the time-y wime-y wibbly wobbly vibe in EVERY YA novel. But I so adored books like Hourglass by Myra McEntire and Tempest by Julie Cross. To me, the time travel element in those books was done just so well, so effortlessly amazing, and I just know if they have that ability, other authors do as well. I really liked both of those because those ladies dared to do something different with time travel, a subject that fascinates me.{ ++ } Books that involve music! I LOVE music. I'm rarely without my iPod. If I'm cleaning, I'm also singing. When I write, I turn on the playlist for the character of the day. Music is a HUGE HUGE part of my life - I flail over new singles by favorite artists. I'm going to a Lady Antebellum concert this week and it's just sinking in that I'll BE THERE. EEE. That said, I love books who incorporate music into them, and not necessarily just when a character is a musician, but when music is an underlying theme throughout the novel. Music has the power to heal, and to make me feel things and I adore it when authors choose to play on that - because if music effects me that way, I know it does others, too.
{ ++ }Older protagonists. I know that a great deal of main characters in YA are sixteen to hit that target demographic, and I have no problem with that, but I think it would be nice to see a few more YA novels with girls in their late teens - 19 or 20, even. I've seen many authors do an awesome job at getting a 16 year old's "voice" spot on, but other authors seem to have trouble doing so, or their teenage protagonist turns out to be either way immature or super super mature, and that makes the whole book kinda wonky. I think there are a lot more teens out there who aren't given credit for being incredibly mature and who COULD enjoy books with a bit older protagonist, just like there are readers in their late twenties and early thirties who can and so still enjoy the books with younger protagonists. I hope that mouthful made sense and didn't offend anyone. : ){ ++ } Book that change me. (Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver, The Catastrophic History of You & Me by Jess Rothenberg, etc.) That may sound melodramatic but it's possible. Usually these are books that I strongly emotionally connect with, and books that make me think, make me feel, make me consider my life - is it what I want? Is it all it can be? Am - I - all I can be? These are the books that linger with me forever, that I've read years ago and STILL think about. They're the ones that have something to teach me. And there can never be enough of those.
{ ++ } I have this feeling that there are SO SO many more trends/types of books I'd like to see but right now, this is all I can really think of. LOL. So that's it for me - I've had my say. Now it's y'all's turn! Reply, reply, reply and LET'S DISCUSS! I want to hear what you guys have to say about this subject! And in two weeks, the next discussion post will be up and I'm looking for ideas on what YOU'd like to discuss!
