It’s week two of the Just Contemporary month that’s being hosted by Basically Amazing Books and Chick Loves Lit.
This week, we’re discussing The Tough Stuff.
These contemporary stories are the ones that get you right in the heart. The stories that are hard to take at times and the ones that make you sit up and think about your life. It’s one of my favorite things about the Contemporary YA genre, it tackles everything that we go through in our everyday lives. There’s a story out there for every mood you’re in and stories that deal with things that you can personally relate to.
On the other hand, books about the tough issues in life also let you step into the lives of characters who are going through stuff you’ve never been through but helps you understand where they’re coming from and what they’re going through.
I’ve never been addicted to drugs or in love with my brother, or lost my entire family in a car accident but I could feel the emotions that went through each of the characters involved in Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma, Clean by Amy Reed and If I Stay by Gayle Forman. Through these authors words, they took me on an emotional roller coaster that put me right there with each of the characters going through these different situations and that’s what the tough issues stories are great for, putting you right in midst of things you’d never go through in your life.
Stories like Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher made me take a look back to the teenager I was back in high school. It made me wonder if my actions would ever have driven someone to commit suicide. I don’t think I was a mean person in high school but there were a few people that I didn’t like and didn’t really go out of my way to be nice too.
I loved reading this book, being a part of this story was heartbreaking at the same time that it was captivating. Seeing how the actions of others drove a young girl to commit suicide made me want my daughter to read this and be aware of her actions at school. This young girl was bullied enough that she thought life wasn’t worth living.
Stories that tackle tough issues are worth reading because you walk away from each story with a different lesson learned. Whether it’s to be aware of the way you treat others around you or that drugs are addictive and can land you in rehab, or that incest does exist. These things happen in real life and for a few hours, you’re introduced into different worlds and walk the footsteps of people/characters who are going through these things and you learn, you understand and I truly believe that teens that are of age should be reading and learning these things.
There are a million reasons why I enjoy reading books about the tough issues. Incest, drug abuse, abusive relationships, eating disorders, are all things that I’ve never had any personal experience with but reading about them through the lives of the characters in books have made me understand that they’re real issues with real consequences and I’ve learned so much while reading these books. If it’s done right, the issues will speak to me and will put me right there in the thick of everything. These books tackle real issues and real life, I can appreciate the lessons I learn while reading these books.
..and that’s your scoop!
2 of my favortie books this year were the Gayle Forman books and Forbidden. I do not consider myself a Contemp reader but can not imagine not reading these books. Forbidden was absolutely gripping. I was almost scared to turn the pages..afraid what would happen next.The ending..you just knew it wasnt going to turn out well..but..I wasnt prepared for it. I set for hours just staring at the book after I closed it. I think everyone should read this!
Thought stuff in deed. While I don’t enjoy issue books, I won’t shy away from a dark topic either. It just has to be treated like a story being told, no more no less.
I loved reading If I Stay and Where She Went even though they kind of broke my heart first and later put it together.
Speak did something similar too.
You gotta take the sad with the happy, I guess.
@Tee: I so know what you mean, Forbidden kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire story. My heart went out to both Lochan and his sister and the end just crushed me. Broke my heart, but still it was such a gripping story.
The same with Gayle Forman’s books. Both of the books broke my heart but Forman did a wonderful job of putting it back together again. I loved reading Where She Went from Adam’s POV, getting to know Adam and hear what he was thinking was just the absolute best for me.
@Alex: I can see what you mean, tough issue books aren’t something that I’d want to read every single day of my life but on ocassion, I find myself anxious to read something that tackles the hard stuff in life that nobody likes to think about.
I have Speak on my shelf at home but I haven’t read it yet. I’m going to have to find time to get that book read, I’ve heard nothing but good stuff about it.