Conversations is a weekly post that’s goal is to go beyond book reviews, and discuss what’s on the other side of a blogger’s screen.
Today, I turn 25 years old. In the grand scheme of things, I’m still a baby. I have a lot of life ahead of me, I’m just getting started. In the YA community, I’m the elderly grandmother. I’m considered too old and too “mature” for anything in the young adult genre, but in my mind, I can’t think of myself as anything other than a young adult.
Why is this even an issue? Why do people give me weird looks when I recommend a “teen fiction” book at work? Why do people give me looks when I talk about or attend YA book events? I’ve come to feel slightly embarrassed by loving the YA genre because everyone tells me it’s “written for children”. The target demographic is supposedly ages 12 to 18, but most YA books I’ve sold in the past 2 years I’ve worked at a bookstore have been by people around my age or older. What people don’t seem to understand is that YA books have the same themes, the same lessons, the same emotional life experiences as adult fiction. The only difference is the age of the main characters.
YA contemporary books are nostalgic. They bring up emotions and moments in life that I can look back on and reminisce. YA sci-fi/fantasy books take me out of our current world (thankfully) and throw me into a magical world full of intrigue and excitement. These books make me feel the same way that any typical fiction book ever has, and frankly, some are better written. So, I’m ready for this stigma of adults reading teen books to die. I’m tired of being judged for reading and enjoying any form of book. If you’re reading, you’re winning.
I’m 25 years old, I read YA, and I’m damn proud of it.
How do you feel about the age stigma in the YA world? Tell us your thoughts in the comments down below!
Lost in Pages 
I’m 20 and I love reading children’s books. You should be able to read whatever you enjoy reading, no matter age, gender etc.
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I completely agree! Reading is for everyone, and you should read what you enjoy.
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I’m 31 and I read (proudly) YA books. They are many of my favorites. I also read kidlit to my little ones, adult fiction and middle grade 🙂
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I agree with Rebecca. I’m 40 and I read children’s, middle grade, YA, and adult. I read it all. You can read what you want! It’s your life. ❤ 🙂
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Exactly! I’m glad you agree as well. I’m open to any genre, no matter the commercial demographic.
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Yes! I loved this post! I turned 28 last summer and when I tell them I read and blog about young adult fiction, they always look at me funny and ask why I read “teenage garbage” when I’m an adult. Um, what? Even my husband once referred to YA books as that once, but he seems to have gotten more of a respect for them over the years. YA books are amazing – I wish that I would have had these kinds of books when I was a teenager – YA was kind of unheard of for the most part when I was growing up.
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I wish I had these kinds of books growing up as well! Better late than never though!
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I’m 23 years old and once in a while I read YA books. I may have outgrown the genre but it’s always refreshing going back to it. People should respect others’ reading preferrences. All of us have different tastes in books,
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I’m 31 and love YA and middle grade books. Do I get criticized for it? Absolutely but I don’t care. I enjoy it, I get something from the stories, and they make me happy. To heck with what other people have to say about it.
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What a wonderful post! I don’t understand how people think they have the right to shame people for what books they read! If a book or genre makes you happy, why should you stop reading it just because you “don’t fit into the intended age gap”??? That makes no sense to me. You do you, this is your life and you can do what you want with it! 💖
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Thank you!! I completely agree, any kind of media (movies, books, games, etc.) should be enjoyed by all ages.
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