Also, Barthe DeClements, who managed to take the same set of kids from Nothing's Fair in Fifth Grade and Sixth Grade Can Really Kill You and grow them up, believably. How Do You Lose Those Ninth Grade Blues and Seventeen and Inbetween did a lot to let me know I'd survive, even when I was at my most awkward (until now).

I read Owen Meany in high school too, and I remember crying on the school bus and trying hard to hide it, during the last chapter. It's definitely still in my top 5 books and I own multiple copies of it, from buying it on vacations and such.

I read Owen Meany in high school too, and I remember crying on the school bus and trying hard to hide it, during the last chapter. It's definitely still in my top 5 books and I own multiple copies of it, from buying it on vacations and such.

I read My Antonia for the first time a couple of months ago- I feel like I've been missing out. Great book.

I read My Antonia for the first time a couple of months ago- I feel like I've been missing out. Great book.

I was hoping someone would mention her, and I was totally going to if no one did. The Tillerman Cycle is still one of my favorite series, and Come a Stranger is a book I'm saving for my nieces. I still own a lot of her books.

I was hoping someone would mention her, and I was totally going to if no one did. The Tillerman Cycle is still one of my favorite series, and Come a Stranger is a book I'm saving for my nieces. I still own a lot of her books.

I read Smekday because a friend of mine recommended it, and said explicitly "It's a kid's book, I don't care and you won't either". He was right.

I read Smekday because a friend of mine recommended it, and said explicitly "It's a kid's book, I don't care and you won't either". He was right.

I totally got my Jackie Collins books confiscated. The parents didn't know about Judith Krantz or anything of her contemporaries, but everyone knew about Hollywood Wives. My dad happened to catch the phrase 'blow job' on a page and it was all over.

I totally got my Jackie Collins books confiscated. The parents didn't know about Judith Krantz or anything of her contemporaries, but everyone knew about Hollywood Wives. My dad happened to catch the phrase 'blow job' on a page and it was all over.

A Swiftly Turning Planet. I squeed when I opened the book and found of that Meg and Calvin had married! I was a 'shipper back then, I guess. I just liked the way that the people all had distinct stories and issues.

A Swiftly Turning Planet. I squeed when I opened the book and found of that Meg and Calvin had married! I was a 'shipper back then, I guess. I just liked the way that the people all had distinct stories and issues.

I was very much a lazy student in school, despite being able to do the work, but it irked me that we had to read Maniac McGee in our sucky reading group while the smart kids got to read Cynthia Voight's Homecoming. The teacher, suprisingly, let me borrow a copy of Homecoming because I was just that much of a reader,…

I was very much a lazy student in school, despite being able to do the work, but it irked me that we had to read Maniac McGee in our sucky reading group while the smart kids got to read Cynthia Voight's Homecoming. The teacher, suprisingly, let me borrow a copy of Homecoming because I was just that much of a reader,…

This was one of the books we had to read for class that I loved. The one called something like "Don't Hurt Laurie"? Suck it, teacher.

This was one of the books we had to read for class that I loved. The one called something like "Don't Hurt Laurie"? Suck it, teacher.

We started with If There Be Thorns in my 7th grade orchestra. Oh, good times. I told my parents right when I was smack into them "Thank goodness you guys don't act like the VC Andrews parents!" which clued them in to my 'exotic' reading tastes.

We started with If There Be Thorns in my 7th grade orchestra. Oh, good times. I told my parents right when I was smack into them "Thank goodness you guys don't act like the VC Andrews parents!" which clued them in to my 'exotic' reading tastes.

I've pretty much given up on classifying what I like to read, especially with YA and the like. Like @TashaRobinson:disqus , I was reading adult fiction along with the trashy teenage novels of our day (SVH for the win!) but not so much what would have been age appropriate.