Is There a Book That Shaped You as A YA?

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cosmic_juno
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Is There a Book That Shaped You as A YA?

Post by cosmic_juno »

Is there one YA book in particular, perhaps one about coming of age or something along those lines, that really shaped you as a young adult or even a young teen? Something that was so thought provoking that it might’ve changed your views on the world or helped you through a rough time? Mine is absolutely The Catcher in The Rye by J.D Salinger. I know a lot of readers are divided about that novel, but as a depressed teenager struggling through high school and a bad home life it really spoke to me and touched my heart and soul. I promise I wasn’t as snarky as Holdon back then, although I might be now :lol2:
So, what about you? What book really shaped you as a young adult or helped you through a tough time?
Kikijanika
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Post by Kikijanika »

Probably The Hunger Games because it was the first ya series I read and loved.
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INSHA9
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Post by INSHA9 »

Walking through depression reading helped me a lot,,not the content wise but general reading and yes I think there's something good to learn at the end of each book.. I loved reading a series by Catherine doyle . The book is vendetta from series blood for blood.
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Nisha Ward
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Post by Nisha Ward »

This going to sound really cliched but the Harry Potter books helped to develop my sense of justice. Oh and Tamora Pierce's work was very much a foundational part of my formative years.
"...while a book has got to be worthwhile from the point of view of the reader it's got to be worthwhile from the point of view of the writer as well." - Terry Pratchett on The Last Continent and his writing.
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MRose200293
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Post by MRose200293 »

I think I’d have to say Turtles All the Way Down by John Green. It was the first book that made me feel such strong emotions and it put me in a strange place for a while. I still think back to it every once in a while and remember reading it for the first time.
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Nym182
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Post by Nym182 »

Yes, but maybe not in the way you mean.

In elementary school I started the Harry Potter series and after the 4th book I realized they weren’t really for me. That’s when I fell in love with Stephen King!
Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming “Wow! What a Ride!” HST
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Post by vermontelf »

There were so many books that shaped me as a young adult. I read voraciously and probably took a little piece from every book, but especially: My Side of the Mountain, Kathleen, there was a book about a young woman who found herself on her mom's property after mom died raising rabbits, The Great Gilly Hopkins, ... I also loved teh sarcasm, humor, and intelligence of the characters in David Eddings novels, as well as the possibilities of Koontz and King.
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Post by HarryPotterLibrary22 »

Nisha Ward wrote: 02 Sep 2019, 04:10 This going to sound really cliched but the Harry Potter books helped to develop my sense of justice. Oh and Tamora Pierce's work was very much a foundational part of my formative years.
Agree - it's cliche but Harry Potter really shaped me growing up. I still think of Hermione as a role model
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Alwaysash13
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Post by Alwaysash13 »

Harry Potter series... It shaped my entire perspective on life in general and taught the values of love, friendship, etc...
The fault in our stars by John Green is another life altering book. It simply states things that literally moves our way of thinking.
"That's the thing about pain . It demands to be felt" - the fault in our stars
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[Danielle]
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Post by [Danielle] »

I can say with confidence that the Harry Potter series shaped who I am as a person today. I still love to read and watch them! I often attribute Hermione as being someone who made me the person I am today- not afraid to be smart and independent, among other things.
"Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light." - Albus Dumbledore
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WalnutGirl03
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Post by WalnutGirl03 »

I read Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of The Universe in 2017 and it genuinely changed my life. I identified so much with Aristotle and Benjamin Alire Sáenz's writing style is just so beautiful. Ari and Dante made me start writing poetry and just constantly inspired me to be creative for years! I reread it at least 6 times that year. I've always been very nostalgic and I tend to spend far too much time thinking about stuff from when I was younger but I would always feel guilty? almost for doing it and this book really helped me to kind of be able to think about things without feeling bad about it or feeling like I was being too dramatic. Basically, it's amazing and I firmly believe that everyone should read it at least once and then maybe binge all his other writing as well!)
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sheyenne_m
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Post by sheyenne_m »

A well known YA novel that shaped me as a young adult was The Fault in Our Stars by none other than John Green. The story and development of characters played well into teaching me to fight and enjoy my life even when things feel impossible. It taught me that love can be found even in the darkest of times, and it can change you for the better. There is hurt and circumstances that may cause us to feel hopeless, but we should allow ourselves to live and love to the fullest.

I recommend The Fault in Our Stars to anyone who is searching for a book to inspire them and/or give them a good cry. Is there anyone else who was changed as a person after reading this book? :D
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AshaCorbin1
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Post by AshaCorbin1 »

The series of Harry Potter shaped me as a reader in general. While this isn’t what got me into reading, having been into reading before reading this series, it is the first series that I have truly fell in love with. Every book was full of so much intricate detail that was able to allow me to fully picture the scenes that were presented to me.

Of course, before this, I had never read a series that focused on a young orphan boy who finds out that he is a wizard, destined to defeat the evil warlock responsible for the death of his parents. The concept was so new and exciting to me that it was not hard for me to fall in love with the plot as well as the characters.

Surprisingly, these books present side characters with interesting backgrounds so detailed, which makes me happy because not all offers present side characters this way. While the stories may seem different, they are all connected and together they create the greatest story I have ever read.
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S_hreya
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Post by S_hreya »

For me it's 'Perks of being a Wallflower' by Stephen Chbosky. It gave me great strength to survive High School and it taught me great values. :)
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Post by clarygilbert20 »

For me, it would be the Harry Potter series. It's cliché, but I think it helped shape the person I am. Hermione is still my role model. And I will also mention Looking For Alaska, Turtles All The Way Down, and The Fault In Our Stars. But I think that the first YA book I ever read, Tricia Levenseller's The Shadows Between Us is what got me hooked on young adult books.
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