Teen Romance

Looking for good teen romances. I recently read Dairy Queen and love it. I'd like some written in the last 3-5 years. I want to compare them with some of the older teen romances in my collection.
Thanks in Advance

I feel somewhat oligated to say the Twilight saga.

Other than that, I found My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger to be a sweet story. There were a lot of sub plots going on but much of it was about T.C. trying to win the affections of Ale.

Yes, I know what you mean about Twilight and I have read it. Not my favorite if I dare to admit it. I really want to read romances between people - not vampires or the like. Something a little more true to life is more to my liking. Thanks for the suggestion!

I really enjoyed reading How they met: and other stories by David Levithan. It's a short stories book that includes romances from the perspectives of various ages, genders and sexual orientations.

Oh, and If I Stay by Gayle Forman has a very sweet romantic aspect to it that accounts for a significant part of the plot.

A couple I've really enjoyed are Falling for Romeo by Jennifer Laurens and Getting Lost with Boys by Hailey Abbott.

You probably already know this, but there is a sequel to Dairy Queen called The Off Season, which wasn't really romantic, but was an excellent story.

I've tried reading the Twilight series but I have to agree with sdbookhound and say it definitely wasn't my favorite. I also read Getting Lost With Boys and it was a really good book. Hailey Abbott is a great author.

I really enjoyed The Juliet Club by Suzanne Harper.

There's also a thrid book in the Dairy Queen series due to be released in October. It's called Front and Center. From reading the description of it, it looks like it might feature more about DJ's love life than the Off Season did.

Sdbookhound, looking at your library, I'm not sure if you'd consider these romance (or at least they aren't in the same vein as the romance books in your library) but... I found the following books to have some sweet romance elements to them.

Boy Proof
The Uglies Series (probably more so the second book in the series)
M or F?
Let it Snow: Three Holiday Romances
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List

As I said above, I wouldn't call these straight romance. Nor would I have called Dairy Queen so, but they all have romantic subplots and entanglements.

Hope this helps.

Yes, my library is full of 1980's romance books right now. I've been reading through my collection. I also have a collection of 1950's teen romances, many of which I have read but not posted here. Like I stated in my original post, I'm interested to see how the romances from different time periods compare.

I have read the second book in the Dairy Queen series and am looking forward to the third. Thanks for making sure I've heard of them.

Love all the suggestions. I've put some of them on my Amazon wish list and will let you know what I think when I get to read them. Not many are in my public library.

Graceling is amazing, excellent romance. Also Tamir trilogy by Lyn Flewelling.

The secret countess/the countess below stairs by Eva Ibbotson (there are 2 different titles for the exact same book)
The Vampire Academy series

I just finishe Front and Center and I loved it! The whole Dairy Queen series was wonderful in my opinion. I also read Shiver and Perfect Chemistry. I have a few more on my list to read, but I am enjoying most of these books and will be continuing to compare romances written in different eras. Any more suggestions would be wonderful! Thank you.
I'm still working on my 80's romances and will add more to my library in the meantime.

Maybe Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist if you haven't read it? One of my favorites of the last few years. The movie is cute, too.

Just finished Falling for Romeo recommended above. Thanks! I loved it. Aside from the typos if was a great romance.

You're welcome, I'm glad you enjoyed it! I can't remember if I noticed the typos or not when I read it. I should read it again as it was a couple years ago.

>15 sdbookhound: & 16
typos, great :(
I own Falling for Romeo but not have read it yet, but I'm happy about the good reviews. I read Magic Hands by the same author. It was good and original.

I really liked Libba Bray's trilogy starting with A Great and Terrible Beauty. Maureen Johnson's The Bermudez Triangle was an off-beat romance. I'm reading The Luxe series right now, and there's some romance in them, too.

>18 jenreidreads:
let me know what you think of The Luxe once your done. I've had the series on my tbr list for a long time now. Too many books, so little time.

I tried reading the Luxe series from the library but couldn't get going in them. I may try again though when I'm more in the mood for that time period.

Yes, read Falling for Romeo and try to over look the typos I think you will like it. I want to read more by that author.

Ok, any opinions on any other Jennifer Laurens books? I'm considering ordering one or two and want to know the favorites other than Falling for Romeo.

I loved The Luxe series. They were such fun, fluffy, guilty pleasures! Kinda like the tv show Gossip Girl, only better, imho. I'm looking forward to the 4th (and final, I think) coming out at the end of the month.

>21 sdbookhound:
I read Magic Hands. It was definitely original but I did not like the end as much.

what other books has she written?

you may also like Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

Yes, I read Perfect Chemistry. Thanks for the recommendation. I did like the book. The other two by Laurens are Heavenly and Nailed. I read the description of Heavenly and of the 4 books it is probably my last pick unless someone gives me a great recommendation for it. I'm leaning toward Nailed.

The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare.

The Heir Trilogy by Cinda Williams Chima

The Time Traveler's Wife Audrey Niffenegger

I agree with The Mortal Instruments

And anything and everything by Sarah Dessen

>24 sdbookhound:
I read the description for both Heavenly and Nailed, and I think I agree in saying that Nailed sounds better.
I really like Simone Elkeles's writing style. Though I find Perfect Chemistry better, you may enjoy Leaving Paradise. The book is very original and unpredictable. The only thing for me was that I did not like the ending too much.

>26 ibetonalice2:
I have Along for the ride by Sarah Dessen on my tbr list. The book seems interesting. I've never read any of her book before. Since you seem to know her works, what is your favorite Sarah Dessen book?

I haven't read any Sarah Dessen books either. Let us now how you like the book.

Well at the moment I'm reading Splendor by Anna Godbersen it's the fourth book in the Luxe series. I absolutely love the books, but you have to be into the whole 19th/20th century Gossip Girly kind of thing. It's worth giving a try :) I also loved The Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare. Finally, I love the Twilight series, I know that whether or not the series is really good is always debated, but I very much enjoyed it :) it created a sort of escape from reality on the worst of days :)

Happy Readings :)

>29 MagBog:
Sorry but I seems as though I'm one of the people who read the entire series and found it boring. The first was the best, but the rest was only so-so. If you like vampire stories, i would strongly recommend Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead.

No.30

I loved Vampire Academy too :) Completely forgot to recommend it :)

What about something by John Green? Particularly An Abundance of Katherines.
Or maybe Son of the Mob by Korman? Both semi-realistic, fiction.. both written by men.

I just finished The carbon diaries 2015 very, very good :)

I just finished reading Academy 7 by Anne Osterlund. I was pretty good and the setting was very different then my typical teen reads.

back of book:
With a past too terrible to speak of, and a bleak, lonely future ahead of her, Aerin Renning is shocked to find she has earned a place at the most exclusive school in the universe. Aerin excels at Academy 7 in all but debate, where Dane Madousin-son of one of the most powerful men in the Alliance- consistently outtalks her. Fortunately Aerin consistently outwits him at sparring. They are at the top of their class until Dane jeopardizes everything and Aerin is unintentionally dragged down with him. When the pair is given a joint punishment, an unexpected friendship-and romance-begins to form. But Dane and Aerin both harbor dangerous secrets, and the two are linked in ways neither of them could ever have imagined... .

34

That sounds interesting. I may have to see if the library has it.

nick and norah's infinite playlist is great. I also like a lot of Rachel Cohn's other books. Gingerbread, Shrimp, and Cupcake were all good too.

>36 HRawrgers:
have you seen nick and norah's infinite playlist the movie? If yes, is it any good?

Along for the Ride is excellent! I listened to it on audio book and it is a great romance but also deals with other issues well. I've also read Just Listen but wasn't too intrigued.

>38 goatqueen9:
what is your favorite Sarah Dessen book?

I have only read those two. I liked Along for the Ride a lot but didn't care for Just Listen.

I'm late to this thread but here are some current reads that others may find interesting. The list is all over the map - from some very young (Flipped) to more mature (Write Naked). Very light (Weird Stuff) to dark (If You Come Softly). Some aren't "romances" in the classic sense at all (Pedro & Me, Honey, Baby, Sweetheart) but contain amazing love stories. . . .

Empress of the World – Sarah Ryan
Honey, Baby, Sweetheart or Wild Roses – Deb Caletti
Flipped – Wendelin Van Draanen
Hard Love – Ellen Wittlinger
If You Come Softly – Jacqueline Woodson
A Map of the Known Universe – Lisa Sandell
Scrambled Eggs at Midnight – Brad Barkley
Vast Fields of Ordinary – Nick Burd
Pedro and Me – Judd Winick
Write Naked – Peter Gould
Weird Stuff – Richard Tulloch
Anything But Ordinary – Valerie Hobbs
Keturah and Lord Death – Martine Leavitt
Bloody Jack series – LA Meyer
Blood-Red Horse – KM Grant

I wholeheartedly recommend the following as well although others have already mentioned them.

My Most Excellent Year – Steve Kluger
Son of the Mob – Gordon Korman
Shiver - Maggie Stiefvater

Thanks for your list - I'm going to check them out.

You know, most of what has been proposed above are "standalone" romances. There is a whole bunch of series books being written for teens these days. Gossip Girls, "Clique", the "It Girls" . . . I haven't read any of them . . . I've gotten the impression they are pretty mean-spirited - girls with nothing better to do than to slam people less fortunate or popular than they are - and/or they are quite sexually explicit. But if you are truly comparing to previous *series* (like Sweet Valley High - have I got that name right?) you might want to check them out.

44

Yes, I have seen those series. Our library doesn't have very many or they are checked out so I have not read any as of yet. Thanks for the suggestion.

I recently read and enjoyed Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols, which sounds like it's about abstinence, but it's about a punkish rebel who falls in love with a young police officer.

I also really like Evolution, Me and Other Freaks of Nature by Robin Brande, about a teen girl raised as an Evangelical Christian, who is starting to question her religion and fall for a nerdy science geek boy.

If you like graphic novels, there's Hopeless Savages: Ground Zero by Jen Van Meter, which is about a punky teenage girl raised by punk rock parents who finds out that this geeky boy has a crush on her. Very sweet.

I guess I like these "opposite attracts"-type books. :)

Lock and Key and The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen

I second Perfect Chemistry . I also liked Top Ten Uses for an Unworn Prom Dress and The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han. Also Into the Wild Nerd Yonder by Julie Halpern.

I aswell second Perfect Chemistry!
And I think someone mentioned Graceling as well - great romance in there as well!

And the following books:
Need by Carrie Ryan
Poison Study by Maria V Snyder - AMAZING!
The Host by Stephenie Meyer
The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting (very sweet first love!)
Wake by Lisa McMann

I have reviewed all these books (and more) on my blog, feel free to have a look:

http://readingaftertwilight.wordpress.com/

Happy Reading!

As I'll pretty much read anything as long as it has a bit of romance in it, any YA book I've read would probably qualify. But it occurred to me that, if you liked Dairy Queen you might be looking for contemporary books rather than fantasy or historical. If that's true, you might like Girl at Sea or 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson. The other YA author I've read and enjoyed recently is Elizabeth Scott. Bloom and Perfect You both have romance in them. My third suggestion would be Deb Caletti. You could try Honey, Baby, Sweetheart. If you like Sarah Dessen's stuff, you'll probably like hers, as both authors tend to explore darker themes. The Boyfriend List and its sequels, along with pretty much every other E. Lockhart book, have a tinge of romance in them--though you shouldn't expect a perfectly happy ending each time. Good Girls by Laura Ruby was another teen book with romance and a compelling story. I also recommend Girl, 15, Charming but Insane and its sequels by Sue Limb. They are hi-larious.

I LOVED Graceling and its sequel Fire, both excellent
I recently read 13 Little Blue Envelopes and adored it. It was such a sweet modern day movie book but with plenty of twists and turns. The Vampire Academy Series is fantastic From Sarah Dessen i liked Dreamland but i havent gotten into all of hers. If you haven't read them The Hunger Games and its sequels. Not filled with romance but there is a romantic twist and they are absolutely amazing! Hope you find this helpful :)

>51 anniegrace720:
I found out on Amazon last week--and then confirmed it by going to Maureen Johnson's website--that there's going to be a sequel to 13 Little Blue Envelopes. It's going to be called The Last Little Blue Envelope and it will be published in April/May 2011.

I enjoyed this YA book in spite of the traumatic aspect of the story because the family was so normal and their communication seemed so real. Often teen characters in books come from dysfunctional families which is of course sometimes the case in real life. This was just such a departure and so very refreshing.

Wicked Lovely, North of Beautiful, and An Angel for Emily(not really a YA book, but I found it just as good ^.^) are all really sweet romance books. Of course there are a ton of others, but I can't ramble on forever. :)

Gail Carson Levine writes some great romances, and Saving Juliet by Suzanne Selfors is hilarious. If you like Christian books, Robin Jones Gunn has some great teen romance series.

If you are looking for just a good old teen romance sans vampires, pixies, werewolves, and the end of the world then I recommend Anna and the French Kiss. :)

Good to know. I've often been stopped by Graceling's beautiful book cover. I'll have to check it out soon.

I've been looking for YA romances that have more literary language to them as well as more in-depth plots/themes. I grew up reading the classics--Tess, Scarlet Letter, etc.--and I miss those books that would be so memorable I'd think about them for days afterward.

I know what you mean about books being memorable, but I can't really think of any teen memorable romances that are 'classic-y.' My most memorable books are A Family Forever by Brend Coulter, Once Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris, The Prophecy of the Stones by Flavia Bujor*, and several of Robin Jones Gunn's and Melody Carlson's works.

*This one would be my best bet for you.

What about Nancy Werlin's Impossible? Or a more fairytale story like Princess Ben or The Book of a Thousand Days or Beastly? They all have a romantic story, with a bit of magic thrown in and a whimsical, old-school feel to them.