My reading tastes have changed a lot over the past few years, especially since I started blogging, but I still have a big place in my heart for contemporary romance and realistic fiction in my heart! I’ve been picking up a lot more light & fluffy contemporary stories lately, more so than the serious realistic fiction, but this compilation of Contemporary Queens includes a little of both!
This isn’t a comprehensive list of all of my favorites but it includes many of my favorite authors who currently have multiple books out, and I left a few off the list who I loved but I hadn’t read the majority of their current contemporary releases (like Elizabeth Eulberg and Robin Benway)! It also doesn’t include books of different genres from the authors listed below (like Kasie West’s paranormal duology and Rainbow Rowell’s dip into fantasy) to keep the list strictly contemporary!
The guide is mainly geared toward young adult authors and novels but also includes any “crossover” books by the same authors including Rainbow Rowell’s adult novels and Liz Czukas’s novels as Ellie Cahill for her new adult releases! Lastly, it also only includes full-length novels so any novellas or extras have not been included here (but you should totally check those out too)!
BOOKS MENTIONED
- Sisters In Sanity by Gayle Forman | Amazon // Goodreads
- If I Stay by Gayle Forman | Amazon // Goodreads
- Where She Went by Gayle Forman | Amazon // Goodreads
- Just One Day by Gayle Forman | Amazon // Goodreads
- Just One Year by Gayle Forman | Amazon // Goodreads
- I Was Here by Gayle Forman | Amazon // Goodreads
- Leave Me by Gayle Forman | Amazon // Goodreads
- The Distance Between Us by Kasie West | Amazon // Goodreads
- On The Fence by Kasie West | Amazon // Goodreads
- The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West | Amazon // Goodreads
- P.S. I Like You by Kasie West | Amazon // Goodreads
- By Your Side by Kasie West | Amazon // Goodreads
- Lucky In Love by Kasie West | Amazon // Goodreads
- Attachments by Rainbow Rowell | Amazon // Goodreads
- Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell | Amazon // Goodreads
- Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell | Amazon // Goodreads
- Landline by Rainbow Rowell | Amazon // Goodreads
- Open Road Summer by Emery Lord | Amazon // Goodreads
- The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord | Amazon // Goodreads
- When We Collided by Emery Lord | Amazon // Goodreads
- The Names They Gave Us by Emery Lord | Amazon // Goodreads
- Ask Again Later by Liz Czukas | Amazon // Goodreads
- Top Ten Clues You’re Clueless by Liz Czukas | Amazon // Goodreads
- Throwing My Life Away by Liz Czukas | Amazon // Goodreads
- When Joss Met Matt by Ellie Cahill | Amazon // Goodreads
- Call Me Maybe by Ellie Cahill | Amazon // Goodreads
- Just A Girl by Ellie Cahill | Amazon // Goodreads
- Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins | Amazon // Goodreads
- Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins | Amazon // Goodreads
- Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins | Amazon // Goodreads
- My True Love Gave to Me curated by Stephanie Perkins | Amazon // Goodreads
- Summer Days and Summer Nights curated by Stephanie Perkins | Amazon // Goodreads
- Sean Griswold’s Head by Lindsey Leavitt | Amazon // Goodreads
- Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt | Amazon // Goodreads
- The Chapel Wars by Lindsey Leavitt | Amazon // Goodreads
- Nantucket Blue by Leila Howland | Amazon // Goodreads
- Nantucket Red by Leila Howland | Amazon // Goodreads
- Hello, Sunshine by Leila Howland | Amazon // Goodreads
Who are your queens of contemporary? I also love Elizabeth Eulberg, Robin Benway, and Lauren Morrill but I need to catch up on some of their earlier books or latest releases!
Looking for more reading recommendations?
Here are some more posts to check out!
- The Book Addict’s “GUIDE” to Contemporary: It was my very first “guide” and I shared my favorite contemporary and realistic fiction novels!
- The Book Addict’s “GUIDE” to “Crossover” Books: Know adult readers who want to get into YA? Or YA readers who want to pick up new adult reads? Check out this guide to “crossover” books!
- The Book Addict’s “GUIDE” to Male POVs: Sometimes I’m just craving a good male POV or want to diversify my reading away from the females. Check out some of my favorite books from a guy’s perspective (mostly YA, some adult, some alternating male/female POV)!
- If You Liked… If I Stay: For fans of IF I STAY, here are a few hand-picked selections of books you should read next!
- If You Liked… The Fault In Our Stars: For fans of John Green’s hit book, now a movie!