Feminism in YA – Part 2

A few days ago a posted a short post all about 4 feminist YA books that I recommend a lot! You can find part one of this little two-part series here. For now, here is part two of feminist YA books I recommend and like to discuss.

The Nowhere Girls by Amy Reed

“Three misfits come together to avenge the rape of a fellow classmate and in the process trigger a change in the misogynist culture at their high school transforming the lives of everyone around them in this searing and timely story.

Who are the Nowhere Girls?

They’re everygirl. But they start with just three.”

Here is a brief overview of some of important topics that are discussed within this book, feminism, rape, rape culture, sexual assault, sexual harassment, victim blaming, the concept of virginity, consent, biased school administration, misogyny, sexism, racism, immigration and much more. There are so many important topics discussed throughout this book and to top it off they are discussed incredibly well and in a wonderful book. This book is well worth the read.

---

Meat Market by Juno Dawson

“The heroine of the novel, Jana Novak, is a girl from a south London estate. Despite being uncomfortable with her looks she is unexpectedly scouted and catapulted to fashion superstardom. The industry is, however, as grimy as it is glamorous and there are unexpected predators at every turn.”

This book is extraodinary and a book you will not be able to put down. It is all based around modelling and the fashion industry but it discusses so many important topics. These include, sexual assault, rape, empowerment, feminism and so much more. This book is an empowering novel about being you and standing up for yourself. I cannot wait to see more of this book and will be reviewing it in full very soon!

---

We Are Okay by Nina LaCour

“Marin hasn’t spoken to anyone from her old life since the day she left everything behind. No one knows the truth about those final weeks. Not even her best friend, Mabel. But even thousands of miles away from the California coast, at college in New York, Marin still feels the pull of the life and tragedy she’s tried to outrun. Now, months later, alone in an emptied dorm for winter break, Marin waits.”

This is a book about learning that the people you used to love were something beyond what you thought they were. It is also a book about learning to move one. It is about learning to be with yourself and be with your own grief. It is also a book about loneliness. This book is one I have heard so many spectacular things about in the past and have been told to recommend to people. I am actually just about to start this book but I cannot wait to see what I think.

---

My Heart Goes Bang by Keris Stainton

“Ella, Lou, Issey, Liane and Paige are determined to make the most of this second year at uni. They want to have fun, but they want to focus on work. There’s no time for relationships. Except with each other. And even that’s not guaranteed. Gemma and Lou have always been close, but there’s tension between Issey and Liane, and none of them even knows Paige all that well.”

This is a feminist book all about female friendships and finding out who you are. I loved this book a lot and actually wrote full review for it which you can read here. This is such an excellent UKYA that I have recommended to so many people recently. It is the perfect book to read when you are looking for female friendships.

What feminist YA books do you recommend and like to discuss? Let me know in the comments below. Be sure to read part one in this series for even more feminist YA!