New adult is a trend in fiction that has caught fire in the past year or so. The first new adult romance I read was J.A. Redmerski’s book, The Edge of Never. I absolutely loved the story of Camryn and Andrew and am eagerly awaiting the release of The Edge of Always which will be told primarily from Andrew’s point of view.
But, what is new adult? Even many writers are still asking this question. Many have said it’s simple YA with sex. Not true. New adult fiction targets college-age readers and has a heroine about the same age, while the hero is sometimes a little older. The books deal with very adult themes and the sensuality level gets pretty hot. In fact, many could be categorized as erotic romance. The genre also doesn’t hold to the more rigid restrictions of romance. Many opt for a happy-for-now (HFN) ending, rather than a happily ever after (HEA) one. Also, since many of these top new adult authors published their books as indies, they aren’t bound by many of the rules that publishers and editors often impose on writers. Many writers–and obviously readers–find this refreshing.
Below is a video from Nightline in which Juju Chang talks to new adult fiction fans, and three new adult indie authors who’ve made a huge splash in publishing, including Colleen Hoover, the author of Slammed.
Have you read new adult? What do you think of the trend? Is it here to stay? Who are your favorite new adult authors?
I won a book in some online contest and passed it along to my 17-year-old to read. She really liked it and said, yes, it had a bit more sex than the usual YA book she’s read before. She’s old enough I’m not too worried about it, but it is a caution for younger readers.
I’m glad that the difference in the NA title didn’t pose a problem for you or your daughter. But I agree, it’s important that parents buying books for their children understand that the two genres are completely different animals.
Great post. As a new adult writer thanks for helping get the word out about this genre.
Welcome, and thanks for the comment, Victoria! I’m excited about this genre and I have a story I wrote a few years back that didn’t follow the rules of romance. I plan to rework it and publish it. So many talented NA writers out there.
I have to admit when I first heard about New Adult I also equated it as YA + sex.
Glad to know I was not the only one, but more glad to know I was wrong!
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Tim Brannan
The Other Side and The Witch
Red Sonja: She-Devil with a Sword
The Freedom of Nonbelief
Welcome Tim! I actually stumbled on it accidentally when I read The Edge of Never. Wonderful, well-written story. It wasn’t until after I’d read the book, and then another, that I realized they were both part of this new genre. It’s understandable why so many think NA is YA + sex. It is for a relatively young audience and the sensuality level is off the charts, in many cases. However, having now read the genre quite a bit, and in light of the mature topics discussed, I steer clear from equating YA and NA in any way.
I’ve read a couple of books that were described as YA when I bought them but in hindsight, I’d definitely put them in the New Adult section. Its nice to be able to put these slightly more older books into their own category.
Suzy Turner, YA Author
Thanks for sharing your insight on this as a YA author, Suzy! Making a clear delineation between YA and NA is helpful to parents, and to readers, but it is also important for authors. As an consumer I tend to be disappointed when a movie, for instance, isn’t “as advertised.” Sometimes I’ve gone back and watched that movie again later–now knowing what to expect–and found that my false expectations had colored my experience. The same thing can easily happen with novels. So it’s better for everyone if readers know what to expect going in.