Reading Recommendations: Coming of Age Stories
A new month means another batch of reading recommendations! This month’s theme is Coming of Age stories. I love to read books about characters going on journeys of self-discovery or trying to find their path in life. Here are some stories I think you’ll enjoy!
Kinky-haired blerd Juniper Bray used to believe in magic, until she lost her best friend: her grandmother.
Now this 15-year-old shy girl is going on her dad’s research trip to a farm hundreds of miles away to stay with a family she barely knows and the opposite of a best friend, her new arch nemesis, Bree McKinney. Little does she know the next few months Juniper will discover magical powers she never knew she had, stumble into her first crush and well, quite frankly, save the world.
Juniper and her cousin Bree are led on an adventure of lush fantasy. Through their first visit to Canatis the two discover a world where fairies, unicorns, and even Loch Ness monster exists. They find out they have special gifts that allow them to travel beyond the earth’s realm and communicate with all sorts of creatures. It’s hard for them to wrap their heads around it, but it’s their duty to save the earth I enjoyed Juniper’s journey of self-discovery. She went through some tricky obstacles in order to become more comfortable with who she was and her sexuality. (Review)
Kiko Himura has always had a hard time saying exactly what she’s thinking. With a mother who makes her feel unremarkable and a half-Japanese heritage she doesn’t quite understand, Kiko prefers to keep her head down, certain that once she makes it into her dream art school, Prism, her real life will begin.
But then Kiko doesn’t get into Prism, at the same time her abusive uncle moves back in with her family. So when she receives an invitation from her childhood friend to leave her small town and tour art schools on the west coast, Kiko jumps at the opportunity in spite of the anxieties and fears that attempt to hold her back. And now that she is finally free to be her own person outside the constricting walls of her home life, Kiko learns life-changing truths about herself, her past, and how to be brave.
Kiko strives to find where she truly belongs. Kiko’s journey is one of self-discovery to find out who she is and what she wants to convey in her artwork. It’s also a story of transition since Kiko is going from high school to college. She is presented with many challenges in order to get closer to her dream of going to Prism, a prestigious art school. During her summer of self-discovery, she learns about her heritage and becomes more connected to it. (Review)
Jude and her twin brother, Noah, are incredibly close. At thirteen, isolated Noah draws constantly and is falling in love with the charismatic boy next door, while daredevil Jude cliff-dives and wears red-red lipstick and does the talking for both of them. But three years later, Jude and Noah are barely speaking. Something has happened to wreck the twins in different and dramatic ways . . . until Jude meets a cocky, broken, beautiful boy, as well as someone else—an even more unpredictable new force in her life. The early years are Noah’s story to tell. The later years are Jude’s. What the twins don’t realize is that they each have only half the story, and if they could just find their way back to one another, they’d have a chance to remake their world.
I felt this was a very relatable contemporary novel, as our main protagonists Jude and Noah deal with real-life situations and problems. We as readers, get to see the parallel between the twins at ages 13 and at 16, and how a “catalyst of change” causes them to grow apart and eventually brings them back together. Overall I enjoyed the character development and growth in this novel, seeing as not all YA contemporary novel chapters “learn their lessons” or “grow from their experiences”. (Review)
This is the curious instruction that comes with the Eye of Know, the possibly powerful crystal amulet that Montgomery Sole buys online for $5.99. It’s also the next topic of discussion at Mystery Club (members: Monty and her two best friends, Thomas and Naoki), dedicated to the exploration of the strange and unexplained.
When Monty wears the Eye of Know, strange things happen, all targeted at people she despises. Maybe it will help Monty take down her newest enemy, a preacher who has come to save her town from so-called sinners—sinners like Monty’s moms. Or will its mysterious powers mean the end of the friendships Monty cherishes most?
Monty is a little “out there” and unique, but that’s what I liked about her character the most. I appreciated that Tamaki showcases a variety of people in the story and also makes it relatable to a wide audience. It tackles a lot of topics such as high school, coming of age, family, finding yourself, among other things that are discussed in the book. I loved the way her moms are written and how their personalities are showcased as well as their support of Monty and her sister Tesla. (Review)
Third-year high school student Yukari Hayasaka has no time for frivolous things. One day, while Yukari is walking down the street, a guy with multiple piercings and bleached hair flags her down. Suspicious of the stranger, she tries to get away from him but fails and ultimately ends up meeting his friends: a group of third-year fashion design students at a prestigious art school. They want her to be their model for their final project, but Yukari thinks it will only get in the way of her studies. But the more she gets to know them, the more she grows to admire the way they go after their dreams. Will modeling for this eccentric group of would-be fashion designers give Yukari a much-needed push to strive for her own goals?
Paradise Kiss is one of the few fashion manga that I’ve ever read and that’s why it’s stand to be such a top favorite among fans. It’s a fish out of water story as Yukari pulled into a fashion world reminiscent of project runway and away from the stress of making college decisions (at least for a little while). At first, she’s not too sure about being a model, but once she sees how fun it is, she loves it. I loved the fashions and behind-the-scenes look at runaway shows in this manga. Yukari goes on a self-discovery journey also while falling in love.
Nic Chen refuses to spend her senior year branded as the girl who cheated on her charismatic and lovable boyfriend. To redefine her reputation among her Ivy League–obsessed classmates, Nic begins writing their college admissions essays.
But the more essays Nic writes for other people, the less sure she becomes of herself, the kind of person she is, and whether her moral compass even points north anymore.
Provocative, brilliant, and achingly honest, 500 Words or Less explores the heartbreak and hope that marks the search for your truest self.
500 Words or Less is a novel that focuses on the college application essay that is required to apply to school. Often it takes many brainstorming sessions and some self-reflection (speaking from my own experience). While this book focuses on that aspect of moving on to college, it’s also a powerful and emotional tale about self-discovery. This book teaches us that everyone is going through their own struggle no matter what their life looks like on the outside. It also shares the message that self-reflection is healing. I loved the writing style and being that the novel was in verse made it that much more powerful. (Review)
That concludes my reading recommendations for coming of age stories! What books do you recommend or what are your favorites? Comment below!
