Some people happen to come of age during their teenage years. But for others, it might happen smackdab in the middle of adulthood. In each of these books we see heroic and insightful journeys of people coming into their own, no matter their age.

Normal People by Sally Rooney

Connell and Marianne came from the same hometown. Connell was always confident and cool while Marianne kept to herself. Now, they find themselves at the same college where their roles seem to have switched almost instantly. Marianne is finding her groove but Connell is suddenly unsure of himself. No matter the situation they always seem to loop back to one another – even when Marianne sets down a dangerous path and Connell starts to find a life for himself elsewhere.

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The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon

Natasha has no plans on falling in love. She has always been drawn to the scientific facts of life, not the mystical. Especially when her family is close to being deported. Meanwhile, Daniel is a good student and son but has a love for poetry he isn’t quite ready to admit to himself yet. However, when they find each other on the streets of New York, they realize fate may have brought them together, no matter how wild it might seem.

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I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

Jennette McCurdy never wanted to be an actress, but her mother forced her into the business starting at the age of six. Jennette was told to count her calories, weigh herself multiple times a day, and maintain at-home makeovers. After landing a starring role in the Nickelodeon series iCarly, things went from bad to worse. Now she had not only her mother’s, but the public’s eye on her as well, criticizing her every move. Eating disorders, addiction, and unhealthy relationships followed. When her mother passed away from cancer Jennette found she was finally ready to digest the traumas of her childhood.

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The Wedding People by Alison Espach

Phoebe Stone dreamed of going to Newport, Rhode Island with her husband. But now she is without him, and decides to go by herself to commit suicide. Upon arrival, she is surprised to find that she has accidentally become a wedding crasher as the only non-invite in the entire hotel. The bride, although dismayed at her presence, cannot seem to stop revealing her true self to Phoebe – and vice versa.

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Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters

Reese, a transgender woman, seems to have it all. When her partner, Amy, decides to detransition back to man, everything falls apart. Reese’s relationship is over so she begins a pattern of sleeping with married men to ease her own pain. Meanwhile, Ames is trying everything to get her back. However, Ames discovers he has gotten his boss, Katrina pregnant. Now he is trying everything to convince both women the three of them could raise the baby together.

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Nevada by Imogen Binnie

Maria is a transgender woman and defines punk. She loves her lifestyle – that is until her girlfriend, Steph, breaks up with her. Maria, high on pills, steals Steph’s car and sets off on a road trip. She winds up in Nevada where she meets James. Maria can’t help but compare James to a younger version of herself. When James starts to look up to Maria she wonders if she can help him or if she’ll end up leading him down a dangerous road.

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The Idiot by Elif Batuman

In 1995 Selin began her freshman year at Harvard. She soon meets Svetlana, who becomes an instant friend. Selin also starts an email correspondence with Ivan, where she slowly discovers their connection. The group heads to Europe for various programs, and Selin begins teaching English in Hungary. Here Selin navigates the complexities of a first love, new friendships, and her budding interest in writing.

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Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

Alix Chamberlain is all confidence and success. She leads a brand that is designed to teach other women how to follow suit. So when her babysitter, Emira, goes viral after being accused of kidnapping Alix’s child in a grocery store, Alix is determined to help. Emira doesn’t necessarily trust Alix but is too distraught after the incident to confront her. When the viral clip brings someone from Alix’s past to the forefront, both women learn things about each other, and themselves, that challenge what they have always believed.

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Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

Eleanor Oliphant is socially awkward and hopes to keep it that way. She enjoys her life relaxing on the couch. That is, until she and Raymond, the strange IT man in her office, save Sammy, an old man, after he fell on the sidewalk. The three become an unlikely trio. They help one another to avoid a life of loneliness and Raymond shows Eleanor what it’s like to be a truly caring person.

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Good Material by Dolly Alderton

Andy and Jen had a wonderful relationship. But now Jen is gone and Andy can’t figure out where it all went wrong. He realizes everyone around him had gone forth in their lives while he had stood still. So now, while simultaneously waiting for his stand-up career to bring him success, Andy vows to discover why Jen left.

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My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh

This young woman seems to have it all. She graduated from Columbia and now has a great job at an art gallery. She lives on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in an apartment she doesn’t have to pay for. She even has a Wall Street boyfriend. But something is missing and she can’t put her finger on it. Why isn’t she happy? She starts a journey of self-discovery, marked by drugs, to find the answer.

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My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan

Ella has worked all her life to get to Oxford University. So after she is rewarded a Rhodes Scholarship at only 24, her dreams finally come true. When she arrives she meets Jamie, a witty English man who she immediately dislikes. Ella is dismayed to learn he is teaching one of her classes, but when she starts spending more time with him she realizes they may have more of a connection than she realized. Jamie is hiding a secret that could ruin Ella’s career, forcing her to choose between the two. Ella is young at heart but she now has to grow up and realize dreams aren’t always realistic.

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