Y A Books set with teens attending college?

[Beckie]

I can't think of a single current book that is set at a colllege campus? Why is there such a dearth of books in this type setting. As A YA author I would think tons of high school kids would like to read a book about life in college. I have just been watching the FELICITY series on DVD while at the gym on my persional DVD (pathetic I know but one goes to what means one must to get oneself to exercise) and I really have enjoyed this series and I have a book idea that I have been playing with for more than a year now that is set in college. Any ideas? Feedback, or suggestions of books that are set in a contemporary college campus? That aren't just chick lit. Not that there's anything wrong with that.....

[Laura]

That's not pathetic at all -- I wouldn't even post the stuff I used to watch at the gym.

The only things I can think of are The Secret History by Donna Tartt, but of course that's not YA, and that Kaavya Viswanathan book that turned out to be plagiarized -- I think that one might have been set at a college but I'm not even sure.

[Trina]

It's not a contemporary setting, but Pamela Dean's Tam Lin has a young woman going to college in the 1970s. (It's based on the ballad, so it has the Queen of Faerie and Tom the Rhymer as well.)

[Lisa]

Try M. Apostolina's HAZING MERI SUGARMAN -- the first in a YA series set in college. The first book came out a year or two ago. I believe there are three in the series, though there may be more...

[Melissa]

Not to plug myself, but the third book in my debut series (which includes VIOLET ON THE RUNWAY, VIOLET BY DESIGN and VIOLET IN PRIVATE), involves the heroine attending college and dealing with lots of those freshman-year trials. It's out in August.

My impression is that the categories of "YA" and "Adult" are kind of divided along that college line, and that age is hard for publishers to categorize and market... or at least they THINK it's hard.

[elissa]

A well-done YA novel set in college is BETTER THAN RUNNING AT NIGHT by Hillary Frank. I don't love the main character, but she's fairly memorable. The last TRAVELING PANTS book is set the summer after the 4 girls' first year of college. And there's Cynthia Voigt's novel (definitely not new, but not ancient) TELL ME IF THE LOVERS ARE LOSERS, depending on whether you consider the early 60's "contemporary" or not. :)

[Faith]

There's also Secret Society Girl by Diana Peterfreund. It's the first in a mystery-ish series. I've only read part of the first novel but so far so good. It boarders on the chick lit side, but like i said i've only read the first half of the first book.

[Beckie]

thank you all. I am noting all the books you mentioned and planning to read them. And thank you and best of luck Melissa, I would love to talk to you more once I have read your novel. I've got two novel ideas in my head that are set in college, so I want to explore those settings. This group is a very helpful resource. Thank you all! And Happy New Year!

Beckie Weinheimer Author Converting Kate Viking Books 2007.

[J-Lynn Van Pelt]

THE RULE OF FOUR by Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason is a great YA book set at an Ivy League college. It has a Davinci Code vibe with a historical code and mystery to uncover. We read it as part of our high school book club and eveyone loved it.