New Adult Fiction Overview: 5 Notable New Adult Books

New adult (NA) fiction refers to books written for an audience between the ages of eighteen and thirty. It falls between the categories of young adult fiction (books for readers between twelve and eighteen) and adult fiction (novels geared toward readers in their late twenties and older). Common topics of new adult fiction include moving away from home for the first time, exploring gender identity and sexuality, navigating mental health challenges, attending college or other forms of higher education, entering the workforce, and making long-term relationship decisions.

Publishers attribute the term “new adult” to St. Martin’s Press, a New York book publisher that put out a call in 2009 for fiction manuscripts between young adult and adult literature. In the early 2010s, many indie writers began self-publishing what they called new adult books or “books for twentysomethings” until major publishers began offering book deals for new adult titles and bookstores and booksellers began to recognize the category.

New adult (NA) and young adult (YA) books differ in their targeted age ranges; new adult readers are eighteen to thirty, while young adult readers are younger, typically between twelve and eighteen. Due to this age difference, NA books focus on more mature themes and topics, like leaving home, becoming a college student, or navigating sexuality. In contrast, YA books cover topics important to younger audiences, like making friends, coming-of-age, attending high school, and navigating an unfamiliar world. Some book series begin as YA novels but progress to NA novels as the main characters age and face new life challenges. Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series is an example of this progression.

Though an up-and-coming category, new adult fiction continues to grow in popularity, with new releases joining the ranks of best seller lists. Here are a few new adult fiction books to add to your reading list:

1. 1. A Court of Thorns by Sarah J. Maas: This high fantasy book, published in 2015, is the first in a series from new adult writer Sarah J. Maas.
2. 2. Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire: This contemporary romance book is the first in a series. The protagonist, Abby Abernathy, attends college with her best friend and finds herself drawn into an unexpected romance.
3. 3. Losing It by Cora Carmack: In this book, Carmack, a new adult author of fantasy and romance novels, explores a college student’s exploits as she tries to lose her virginity.
4. 4. Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston: The debut novel from Casey McQuiston focuses on queer romance and love stories.
5. 5. Slammed by Colleen Hoover: Hoover—a new adult writer whose work covers topics like homeschooling, music, and romance—explores a young couple’s relationship in her debut novel, Slammed.

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