Uhm, Ill stop because this is becoming a very long comment but I have more! Honestly, sometimes its way too much. Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window). Start quiz 1. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Fantasy without romance: yay or nay? Yes compiling this list was extremely difficult! I know that theres more to a book than the ships but I cant help it. A well written romance can add to the story and make me love it even more. Thanks for the post! Most of the time I love to ship, just like you! (Which is a struggle for me because I suck at writing romance.). Im sure thatsnormal too. In Stock. Great post Cait! They earn respect points from me. oh but I think this is where our bookish twinness sometimes divides? I totally agree. He's in love with his best friend. Here is how it is with me. *nods*), Great point and list. Which is why I avoid that genre/category like the plague now. Its an unexplainable force of nature. And goes to show that boys and girls can be friends. it can feel a bit loaded with too much messy stuff to add a sub-plot and keep it romantic but also keep it intense and adventurous and what-not. 100 Must-Read YA Books With Little Or No Romance - BOOK RIOT Ill let you know when its up in case youre interested . Really helpful post! Because that is basically my view of life xD AND IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE SOME SOLIDARITY. A focus on romance is something I really dislike, especially in books like fantasy. That just drives me nuts. I absolutely LOVED THAT POST. Even when books aren't specifically about romance, romantic subplots are common. Its true, YAs dont need romance AT ALL to survive. But omg, Emily, I totally forgot about you writing this post and randomly pulled a post out of my drafts about romance in YA. Paperback. Discover the perfect YA book for you. What follows is a riveting and sometimes disturbing portrayal of just how badly systems can fail children, and how the smallest amounts of love and kindness go the greatest distance in the end. For instance, have you noticed that a lot of YA protags have bad relationships with the parents? Not only is Tell the Wolves Im Home required reading for anyone interested in the AIDS crisis, but also required reading for introverts and definitely introverts with anxiety. 85 books *nods*. Thanks for this handy list, and Im pretty sure youre responsible for half my to-read list, so think about what youve done, young lady. Rose Under Fireug. I can only think of Code Name Verity as another book that doesnt have romance in, and that made me cry a lot! Oh my god I swear, youre my saviour! It really shouldnt be as hard as it is, right?!? Open Road Summer by Emery Lord 7. Remember: the next time someone bemoans the state of YA fiction, no matter what it is theyre bemoaning, know theyre probably wrong. In Well Never Be Apart, Emiko Jean crafts a twisty psychological thriller that is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. I hate when romance is shoved down my throat. I like both, but I do like a few non-romantic books in the mix too. Your email address will not be published. A lot of the romances in YA make me roll my eyes because theyre not realistic. (And I agree!! . Can I just thank you so much for this post? Makes me wonder what the heck the authors are actually thinking when they write this stuff. Yet everyone still considers it a love triangle.) OCD, the Dude, and Me is a great YA contemporary without romance that I think gets overlooked. It definitely felt more focused on the action and survival. Maybe I need to have a really torrid love affair so I can write better books. There is such a plethora of romance in YA, that they all seem to be the same or similar. 26 Summer-Themed YA Books To Read This Summer Im going to go out on a limb here and say yes. Id like to check it out if is somewhere online. As an unromantic bean I do ask myself this copiously. , Ive never really been conscious of whether there is romance in a YA book or not. I traded The Knife of Never Letting Go, and lately it has repeatedly come back to haunt me because I keep seeing stellar reviews for it. Your TBR loves me. Instead, its because the pool of those books is already tiny to begin with. If you have a problem with anything featured on this site please, please, PLEASE feel free to contact me! If not, one of them died. Seriously? Now enough of my tantrum. I like some romance, I dont like books oriented on romance. I mean, maybe him and that other girl? . [not]). Young Adult Fiction for Adults - Recommendations: YA without romance Although they sucked at the whole ride into the sunset happily and instead cursed of all mankind. , And I think we YA writers do need to write things thatll get the publishers happy!! An excuse to be wildly melodramatic about things that dont really matter in the long run! Good that. Fictional boys are the best boys. It is super hard to find books without a smidget of romance in them these days, BUT like you said, it is whats HOT and IN in the YA market! Probably the majority of people?! Anything by Frances Hardinge. I personally dont mind when there is romance in a YA novel, but I dont like the whole book to centre around the romance. And most of the books I write actually have romance (even if my definition of romance is just characters mutually eating cake whilst professing love for each other *shrugs* It worksI hope. Thanks for sharing Cait and, as always, fabulous post! Books Without Romance 1. It doesnt sound like the composition of a person. In one of the most powerful and important YA novels of the last decade, T.E. It can include dating, but a lot of teens dont date in their teenage years. Change lives. Im also always looking for a romance to be anything but typical. ! I urge you to share your recs in the comments! I mean, why get all excited and this is the love of my life crazy, when they are still so young, and sometimes struggling with crazy worlds around them?! XD Which is the best way to live, I think. I have, however, encountered YA novels where the story would have been better without romance this is rare, though. I had forgotten how truly terrible the romance in those is. But yessss. I NEVER UNDERSTOOD WHY IT WAS CALLED SHIPPING UNTIL NOW. The Screaming Staircase (Lockwood & Co #1) by Jonathan Stroud, 91. Life certainly isnt dominated by the sole purpose of finding, being in love with, breaking up, or getting over a a significant other. When I was a teenager (back in the dark ages) pretty much the only books written for a YA audience were romance based. In freeing himself from the weight of the worlds expectations, Michael may soon learn how to embrace the power of being completely himself. I definitely will try one of these books out. They dont plan on it, and they are mostly uninterested. I THINK YOUD LOVE IT. Like Ill totally sit here and go Great! IT NEEDS YOU. I hear the all YA has romance so. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson. :) And itd be nice to have more balance between non-romantic books and totally-romantic books, wouldnt it?!? I met my husband when I was 31, and am very glad weve been married for nearly 15 years now, but the first 31 years of my life counted too, dammit. ), This was great! I mean, I personally am not a romantic person IRLbuuuut, in a book? We could get into the big long debate of whether or not young teens are sexual beings but the presence of sexy times in these books isnt the issue, its the absurdly fast progression of romance in the lives of young characters who dont even know themselves yet. That drives me crazy. :) Not fight rudely? And as Imreading, Im so much more likely to care more abouta) Katniss saving Prim instead of whatever-she-feels-for-Peeta, b) for Cinderto rule the moon,c) for Saba to rescue her brother Lugh. AND I CAN READ THEM! Its absolutely amazing. . And I hate it how sometimes books sort of subtly promote this message that you wont be happy without a significant other. Black Dove, White Raven by Elizabeth Wein (shes good at this stuff) Thank you, for this. Emotionally shut out by her father, Lucy watches helplessly as her cousins sanity unravels. I actually really like it, but Ive run into the problem where now romance kind of /has/ to be in the book now or else its not a YA novel. Then Whats-her-name meets a mysterious boy that she cant resist or whatever. I have no problem with romance either but I rather read it in adult books! I think you and I are the same about this hehe. These cookies do not store any personal information. I mean, cmon now. I do love them, but I think it would be refreshing to read something without it for a change. Finally someone did thid. What follows is a tale of healing, mischief, and a celebration of the age-old art of getting by. I can tolerate some mild, or sweet, relationships, but overly dramatic, or grunting and groping makeout scenes really make me cringe. hehe, I AGREE. Do you know how often I write about cake? Its pointless! , SAME!! Its fun!) SO YEAH. I was a big romance reader as a teen, so I confess I was a little surprised to realize there was a high demand for YA books without romance when I worked as a teen librarian. *shrugs* Most of my books have little to no romance. LURVE ME SOME FEELS. hehe, Great post!! BAHAHAH. Id love to read a good story without romance being the main focus! . BUT YEAH. One especially focuses on sibling relationships instead. The one that always comes to mind for me is Orleans by Sherri L. Smith. other books i know of with no romance would be The False Prince (I tried, but i couldnt go another comment without mentioning it) Peter Nimble, I think Everlost, but id have to read it again to be sure, the night gardener, and probably a bunch more that im currently forgetting. Looking for YA books without romance is like looking for Christmas cards on Valentines Day. WHYYYYYYY. How can they sit there thinking about each other NON STOP when the world is like ending and dragons are eating everything? But when a chance encounter with a friendly stranger turns deadly, Ellie is trapped and sentenced to the torture of watching the same crimes happen to others. Ive heard good things about some of these, but the only one Ive actually read is Challenger Deep. Now, if a book is a speculative romance, such as the two protagonists go on a mission and fall in love AND STILL DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO, maybe even the whole love thing got them there, then cool. Omg, goodness, I really dont want to sound like Im putting pressure on you or anything. Enter The Black Flamingo, his fierce drag persona, who is everything the world has taught him not to be. THANKS!! And I am so with you on the smooching away your problems. Life does not work that way, people! hehe. Carters I Stop Somewhere stops at nothing to expose the pervasive rape culture that continues to find ways of incriminating women and exonerating men. Im a YA writer and LOVE romance. I chose to focus on the strong bonds of friendship over romance in my YA fantasy Manifesting Destiny. I was honestly worried people would hate that there wasnt a stronger romantic element, but Ive discovered there is a whole readership that prefers their books to be light on kissy-kissy. Its like both romance and non-romance is GREAT but I think there should be a few more non-romance options?! I loved this Cait! UGHHHH. Will be checking out the rest on your list!! I think theres a lot more variety now. Agree with me, wont you? And I was just talking about these books in particular, not the series per se . I dont know how to fix it. Yayyyy, Im so glad you like my list! But still was? You know youve read too much WII historical fiction when. And omg I kill of the love interests in my WIPs too. But I do see what you mean! There is such a plethora of romance in YA, that they all seem to be the same or similar. Some books may be between audiences (ie Coraline), but can still be included if Adults can enjoy it as well. ;D. I love me a nice romancey YA! By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. I mean, as teenagers, at least we thinked about romance once, and had a crush on someone. I do think itd be nice if more books promoted the fact that youcan be happy without a significant other. With romance youre just teaching people to just sit and wait until a guy comes to rescue them. fine have romance, but if the world is ending, STOP KISSING. The Romance Elephant | Audio Length: 55:17 - Vurbl For the most part, and for obvious reasons, romance plays a large role in novels of the young adult genre. Haha, am I one of those fellow bookworms Cait? Still, this young adult book series is more than worth it for the intrigue, excitement, and thought-provoking ideas about morality and "good vs. evil," especially as these teenage books progress into more sophisticated territory. If anyone says all YA books do [insert cliche/trope here] then I honestly believe they havenot read very many. YA Books Without Romance (Or It's Just Not About That, Really) The Walls Around Us, Nova Ren Suma The Walls Around Us is a book better experienced than explained, but I'll do my best. Author: True love! Other books are pure adventure stories, science fiction romps, constructed entirely in fantasy worlds, or spine-tingling thriller or horror reads. I mean ALL my favourite of most favourite books have a romantic subplot (*hugs the Raven Boys*) but it doesnt over take the story and YUS. YES, MORE NON-ROMANCE BOOKS PLEASE (this was the main reason why I wrote Tea and Scones and Dropbears). If its too fast, or if it seems tacked on for no reason other than the author/publisher thought the book needed a romance, then I probably wont like it much. Gotcha covered. Or maybe you did get it in which case I'm looking very obnoxiously pushy right now. OKAY MAYBE. So romance is okay, good, beautiful in most circumstances, but when it takes over the plot, Im out. OMG I totally get what you mean! And non-romance lovers. Were Marie (she/her) and Nyx (she/her), two sisters screaming about books at each other and now with you, too. All of which are basically spoilers to say. I think the reason it bothers me so much is because that person, most often the woman, is there purely as the love interest, (more often in films than books, Ill admit. . *nods*. I wont deal with those insta-loves anymore. Eeep, Im glad it was helpful!! *eats cake with zero regrets* I like romances that are developed and tight and focus on the relationship building, not just the physical smooching and attraction. Most of the time I cant really get excited about the romance between characters because I dont really feel it. Stupid triangle too. When a noblewomans murder shakes the city, Seols curiosity is piqued and she begins asking her own questions. I used to go, ew, at it when I was a pre-teen and younger teenager, but now Im perfectly happy with it (if the romance is done well, that is heck no to insta-love). . I mean, theyre not YA obviously but theyre detectives and have no romance! , Every book needs dragons. *facepalm* Epic fail on my part for Kind of A Funny Story Then. I hope you like it. It was a clever book. I CANT HELP IT. Does that make sense? And I agree! Thank you for signing up! *watches calmly as Vloras TBR crashes on her head due to me*, Im a romantic at heart, but I dont always like it when the romance is the main focus. And yes, I think a lot of books have unnecessary romance, or just rushed romance? (!!!!!! Also, sometimes you just want a break from reading about a really great YA love interest and being reminded that UGH, real human boys will never meet my expectations. Thanks for the list. I am an old racoon.). There were too many love triangles and too many stories where love was more important than anything else in the book. I think it feels like the writer couldnt be bothered to develop the relationship so they rushed right in? The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner (though this trilogy does have a romance that deepens in the trilogy it is done with such wonderful subtlety and never compromises the epic-ness of the story), Hope that broadens your much-appreciated list! I know right?! Is that plagiarising the Bible? And I think she threw things at me. No crushing on bad boys or love triangles (nothing wrong with that, just looking for something different). I adoooore romance. This list was created and voted on by Goodreads members. okay bye love you. At least one of them does a lot. When Montgomery Sole bought a powerful crystal amulet called the Eye of Know on the Internet for $5.99, she didnt expect it to come with instructions: In sight not see, black light not be. Once she starts wearing the Eye of Know, Monty begins to notice that strange things have begun to happen, all to people she despises. . Its a bit of a priority issue right?!? I want MY life to be like that, so I want to read about it! I've heard it's spectacular. ALSO I think romantic love is just really idealised in our culture, much more so than friendship/family etc. Told between two POV, this is the story of Violet, a promising ballerina, Amber, locked up in a detention center and Orianna, standing between the two. But I can read a book without romance, too. I really dont think anyone should buuuuut. *commences quiet dance party*. The fact that other, equally important and rich relationships arent explored can get on my nerves. Perhaps I am a wee bit too harsh concerning romance, but I have a tendency to make faces like a 9-year-old boy when I read something sappy. WHAT ARE THEY FROM? As a fairly unromantic person myself, I think it would be pretty refreshing to read a YA book that isnt all about the romance, so Ill definitely be checking some of these out! Plus fictional boys (or girls) are just somehowBETTER. I mean, really? Notify me via e-mail if anyone answers my comment. It does seem far fetched right?!? All I want to read is a protagonist (female? I think the only YA title I read this year that had no romance was Erin Bows Plain Kate. Its so ridiculous, because a lot of YA also features all kinds of catastrophes and complex situations, and are basically the worst possible settings to kiss someone or even think about a crush. I have read a couple of those types of books, and most of them are really really good. Im not a teenager, but Im still a hopeless romantic and I live for romance in my books. Also did you say dragons? Theres murder mysteries to solve! x). Tolkien is usually not very romantic at all. I never knew x), Bahaha, well good for you though!! All Votes Add Books To This List. But they all sort of accidentally hated each other by the end??? *nods* I agree with this! I just finished the Maze Runner. This even happens in films. , I like romance . Glad you enjoyed the post! HHehehe. A new favorite. I need to finish that Chaos Walking series!! Hey Emily! XD) I feel like itd be nice to see more balancemake it easier to find books without romance? I think romance is fine in YA! Doesnt make romance bad at alljustI do wonder why theres so so many and its hard to find non-romantic books sometimes. Great post! *sighs* . Its ridiculous! I loved this article and it really helped me. I had to think about Maze Runner for a sec, but youre right. And your hypotheses are very good ones, btw. I totally get what you mean! The Throne of Glass triangle was grandalmost not a triangle? But of course I love a slow burn romance rather than insta-love where the characters fall in love after 2 days of meeting each other! my protag. Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson. Hehe, Im 21 but I FEEL OLD. I also recommend the Every Breath series by Ellie Marney! *shudders*. Reading can be a sort of escapismand thats not a BAD thing. It normally doesnt bother me either. Jeffrey Davies is a professional introvert and writer with imposter syndrome whose work spans the worlds of pop culture, books, music, feminism, and mental health. *sobs for 9 years*. I am not a romance liker at all. I like a main genre with romance sprinkled in. . Theyre on my endless TBR. Its 1987, and the only friend that 14-year-old June has in the world is her Uncle Finn, a renowned painter. GAH. Does My Head Look Big In This? Were sugar and spice and everything nice, but that sounds like a cookie recipe. But when Lens trauma-induced OCD gets worse and Sage makes some risky choices, their new friendship is put to the test. That said, romance and even love triangles are a way to express the tension of growing up and discovering who you are, which I like. Quality Dark M/M and Gen Fiction: Kidnapping, Serial Killers, Torture and More. He is also the co-host of a Gilmore Girls podcast, Coffee With a Shot of Cynicism. Im not a super romance reader as well and I have done my fair share of complaining about all the romance-centered YA books out there.. but you are right; they do exist. You can see it here. TOTALLY agree. Reason #1 why I havent read Elizabeth Weins latest book. And the everything-must-have-romance thing does bug me, but I dont think it would as much if there were more purely platonic relationships in YA. It's not always bad, but I get tired of it easily. YES EXACTLY!! The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau Banks by E. Lockhart, 80. Isnt that kind ofyoung? And away we go! :'( That book is really special though and, gah, I want to hug it. He was so stressed out!! The 29 best young adult romance books to read in 2022. If an alien doesnt eat them first. Romance can get annoying quickly, its often so cliche / predictable. Aww, Im just so glad you liked it! Em @ BookCon 2019 | Books for Breakfast, Panels, Signings, and Show Floor Fun! I do. Yes! You know, my memory isnt the BEST, but I honestly cannot remember a single shred of romance in The Girl From the Well. That said, there will be a wee bit of romance in the sequel. *ahem*, I guess YA is also about those first feelings of growing up? I really NEED to read The Knife of Never Letting Go, and Im glad to hear there isnt a romance in it, because they have their priorities in order. is the norm in real life. Blackmoore by Julianne Donaldson. Romances are great! ;D. Thank you for this!! Thats when she learns that the victim had connections to a fugitive Catholic priest wanted by the authorities, and that this mystery is much biggerand much more personalthan she could have anticipated. And I like it now. hehe And I agree that its nice to see romances work out and stuff. Plain Kate by Erin Bow (beautiful and gripping!) It actually makes me MAD. Ahem. But yesromance in YA can get pretty predictable, which is frustrating. (More than we already have, that is). I definitely agree that we need more friendship-focused YA! Do you have more suggestions? Do you know how often I write about cake? I want to read about people who end up in a (sort of) happily ever afterIt makes me happy. But before I let you go, I (with a little help from my friends) compiled a list of YA titles without romances. House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones qualifies (and the romances in the previous two arent the standard romance-types) so thats another reason to love Mrs. Jones. Although I really havent read many? I always miss it when you dont blog!! Romance Young Adult (YA) Books. SQUEE. And I think one should learn how to be happy alone so their happiness doesnt depend on others. so maddening. EXACTLY. Thanks! *nods*. IDEK. 7. . It needs to happen. For every30 YA books I read, maybe 1 will have no romance. But I do have plans!). I totally dont have anything against romance, but YEAH ITD BE GOOD FOR BALANCE. A. lot. *hyperventilates* DUDE. No spice and it discusses colonization, fatphobia, xenophobia, the morality of magic it's such a fantastic series. But I really miss the just platonic relationships. I LOVE this post! The problem with having a plot focused on the relationship between two characters is that well, it gets boring or clich. When y tv-film fiction books , I have written a few but nothing is online at this point. I often hear fellow bookworms raise their voices in the agony of despair over how YA books focus on romance so much. ILL NEVER KNOW. Ooh! Many of these books do just that. I do wish there were more options of books without it though. HA! But anyway, thanks for this. I dont really hate romance either but its annoying that its everywhere all the time. flag. But Jade knows she doesnt need the support being offered and is about to learn that just because her mentor is also Black does not mean they come from the same backgrounds or share the same worldviews. I know you didnt like ACOTAR, but Lucien and Feyres relationship was too funny, am I right? So you see my problem is I am a very picky picky reader when it comes to romance there are just so many things that go into it! I feel like the first Skulduggerys are MG? Im still basically like that. Also, brah, this line tho- Although they sucked at the whole ride into the sunset happily and instead cursed of all mankind. YA & MG Books WITHOUT Romance Looking for good YA or Middle-school reads without romance. I kinda wish I didnt feel this way, because books without romance deserve my attention just as much as those with it. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. It is about a graphic novel and the book actually has comic panels in it which, was awesome. And I love Mindy McGinnis so this is now reason #9853953 why I should read it. Not everyone is leading a rebellion and defying goverment at the age of 17 so (Even though sometimes the romance take over the main plot and become annoying), YES DEMON ROAD IS BASICALLY THE YA BOOKISH FORM OF SUPERNATURAL. list created March 8th, 2013 I see that you enjoyed that and thats cool, if it floats you boat but I also agree with what youve said about removing romance altogether. One of the most sensual and evocative novels you'll come across in any genre, with heroines and prose worthy of acclaim. Reader's Digest Releases Best 100 Books of All Time List, Neck-cessary Reading: 20 of the Best Vampire Books of All Time, Keep Cool While You Read These 8 Hot Horror Novels, 15 of the Most Underrated Books on Goodreads. Or maybe not brilliant romance because nobody likes the books I like, but romance that clicks with me. so it burnt in mind until I posted about it. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Yes, Tolkien absolutely failed in the romance department. Sometimes it feels natural and I do like to have that shipping feeling. December 2015 Wrap-Up! Sometimes I receive ARCs for free from publishers or authors in exchange for an honest review. If the book lays down the foundation for romance, but romance never actually occurs, it can be added, so long as the romance is not a focus. LGBTQ+ YA Books to Read All Year Long | Epic Reads XD, I like to have a little bit of romance in my YA books. Im glad you liked it!! And it does seem like it follows a strict pattern a lot. And I admit it, I really like romance in books. The amount of problems teens have every single day (were a dramatic lot) wed need a lot of people suddenly moving next door or something. They just met two days ago. (the steamier the better) But thats just me. I think romance in YA is good, I like reading about it and dying over whether my OTP are going to make it or not, but I agree: there really needs to be more non-romantic YA. Be nice to mom and dad. Some of you may not know that beyond a reader, Im also a graphic design student! Thank you! YES! Please feel free to share your thoughts with me Id love to hear them! I think YA has so much romance because it makes the characters more realistic? But maybe a lot of authors equate being young with being in love? Im guessing that there will be more in the next book, though. WE GOTTA DO WHAT WE GOTTA DO. I usually like the books to have a separate plot that keeps them going, but I like there to also be romance. I own Rose Under Fire but Im terrified of it because Code Name Verity ripped my heart out and then proceeded to stomp on it and tear it to shreds.) I have a problem with Romance in YA when the plot is more interesting and yet continues to be shunted to the side for no reason. IT IS NICE. I notice this more with Adult fiction books (even the overly romantic ones). And if the plot isnt epic enough to fill in the gaps where there isnt romance or tension, I often find it dull. Piecing Me Together shines a light on the persecution women of color often face and the ways in which our societies and cultures still need to improve.