The YA Authors Writing Adult Books You'll Obsess Over

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If you loved YA but drifted away — or if you're a YA fan wondering where to start in adult fiction — this episode is your permission slip to do both. School librarian and book lover Kelly Mayfield joins Laura to talk about the YA authors crossing over into adult fiction, and why the YA genre has been ahead of the curve on diversity, representation, and storytelling for years.

From Rainbow Rowell's slow-burn adult romances to Jesse Q. Sutanto's cozy mysteries with unforgettable ensemble casts, Kelly shares four authors you'll want on your radar — whether you're coming from YA or discovering them fresh. It's also National Library Week, so we're talking about why school libraries matter more than ever and the real-world impact they have on literacy and access.

📚 BOOKS MENTIONED

Rainbow Rowell

• Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell — Buy on Amazon | Contemporary YA / Romance | Audio ✅
• Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell — Buy on Amazon | Contemporary YA | Audio ✅
• Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell — Buy on Amazon | Adult Contemporary Romance | Audio ✅
• Cherry Baby by Rainbow Rowell — Buy on Amazon | Adult Contemporary Romance | Audio ✅ (new release)

Jesse Q. Sutanto

• The Obsession by Jesse Q. Sutanto — Buy on Amazon | YA Thriller | Audio ✅
• You Will Never Be Me by Jesse Q. Sutanto — Buy on Amazon | Adult Thriller | Audio ✅
• Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto — Buy on Amazon | Cozy Mystery | Audio ✅
• Mrs. Mabel Goes Back to the Chopping Block by Jesse Q. Sutanto — Buy on Amazon | Cozy Mystery | Audio ✅ (check KU availability)

T. Kingfisher (also writes as Ursula Vernon)

• A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher — Buy on Amazon | Fantasy / Fairy Tale Retelling | Audio ✅
• Snake Eater by T. Kingfisher — Buy on Amazon | Fantasy / Suspense | Audio ✅
• Wolfworm by T. Kingfisher — Buy on Amazon | Fantasy | Audio ✅ (newest release)

Melissa de la Cruz

• The Five Stages of Courting Dalisay Ramos by Melissa de la Cruz — Buy on Amazon | Adult Contemporary Romance | Audio ✅
• Blue Bloods series by Melissa de la Cruz — Buy on Amazon | YA Paranormal / Vampire | Audio ✅

Also Referenced (briefly mentioned):

• The Secret History by Donna Tartt
• Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS

• [00:00] Welcome & guest intro — Kelly Mayfield, school librarian and book lover
• [00:01] National Library Week: why school libraries matter
• [02:00] Book banning, funding gaps & the 40% of schools without a trained librarian
• [03:00] Laura's reading history: growing up in Puerto Rico without public libraries
• [05:00] What makes YA different — happy endings, diverse representation, and being ahead of the curve
• [07:00] Novels in verse and other formats YA pioneered before adult fiction
• [10:00] Book Rec #1: Rainbow Rowell — Eleanor & Park, Fangirl, Slow Dance, Cherry Baby
• [12:30] Book Rec #2: Jesse Q. Sutanto — The Obsession, You Will Never Be Me, Vera Wong series, Mrs. Mabel
• [16:00] Book Rec #3: T. Kingfisher — A Sorceress Comes to Call, Snake Eater, Wolfworm; horror light vs. true horror
• [18:30] Book Rec #4: Melissa de la Cruz — Blue Bloods, The Five Stages of Courting Dalisay Ramos
• [21:00] Bonus mentions: Ashley Poston, Amy Spalding, and other YA-to-adult crossover authors
• [23:00] Kelly's Substack + the joy of backlist reading and breakout hits

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https://kellymayfield.substack.com/

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