📖 Overview
Amy Spalding is a young adult fiction author known for contemporary novels that explore themes of romance, identity, and coming-of-age experiences. Her work frequently features LGBTQ+ characters and narratives centered around creative teens navigating relationships and self-discovery.
Spalding's debut novel, The Reece Malcolm List (2013), established her style of combining humor with emotional depth. Her subsequent books, including Kissing Ted Callahan (and Other Guys) and The Summer of Jordi Perez (and the Best Burger in Los Angeles), have earned recognition for their authentic teen voices and inclusive storytelling.
Spalding's novel We Used to Be Friends (2020) garnered particular attention for its dual-timeline structure and exploration of friendship dissolution. Her work demonstrates consistent engagement with modern teenage experiences, incorporating elements of social media, changing family dynamics, and evolving cultural norms.
Beyond her writing career, Spalding works in digital marketing and lives in Los Angeles, where many of her stories are set. She has contributed to various anthologies and continues to produce works that reflect contemporary young adult experiences.
👀 Reviews
Readers connect with Spalding's authentic teen voices and realistic portrayal of modern high school experiences. Book reviews highlight her humor and ability to balance light moments with serious themes.
What readers liked:
- Natural dialogue that captures how teens actually talk
- LGBTQ+ representation that feels organic rather than forced
- Los Angeles settings with specific local details
- Complex family dynamics and friendships
What readers disliked:
- Some find the pacing too slow in early chapters
- Multiple reviewers note predictable plot resolutions
- Several mention wanting deeper character development
Ratings across platforms:
- Goodreads: Most books average 3.7-4.0 stars
- Amazon: Typically 4.2-4.5 stars
- The Summer of Jordi Perez rates highest (4.4 Goodreads)
- We Used to Be Friends shows widest rating spread (3.6-4.3)
One reader wrote: "She gets the messiness of teen relationships without making them melodramatic." Another noted: "The characters feel like real people I went to high school with."
📚 Books by Amy Spalding
The Summer of Jordi Perez (And the Best Burger in Los Angeles) - A teen girl navigates her summer internship at a boutique while falling for her fellow intern.
The New Guy (And Other Senior Year Distractions) - A high school senior faces competition with a new student while managing her school's news website.
We Used to Be Friends - Two former best friends' stories are told in dual timelines moving in opposite directions throughout their senior year.
For Her Consideration - A woman working in Hollywood as a scriptwriter's assistant reconnects with an actress who once broke her heart.
Ink & Ashes - A teen girl discovers her deceased father had ties to the yakuza while navigating family secrets and new relationships.
The Good Room - A Los Angeles transplant tries to rebuild her life and career after a breakup while dealing with complicated roommate dynamics.
Kissing Ted Callahan (And Other Guys) - Two bandmates create a journal to document their romantic pursuits during their junior year of high school.
The Reece Malcolm List - A teen moves to Los Angeles to live with the mother she's never met while pursuing her passion for musical theater.
The New Guy (And Other Senior Year Distractions) - A high school senior faces competition with a new student while managing her school's news website.
We Used to Be Friends - Two former best friends' stories are told in dual timelines moving in opposite directions throughout their senior year.
For Her Consideration - A woman working in Hollywood as a scriptwriter's assistant reconnects with an actress who once broke her heart.
Ink & Ashes - A teen girl discovers her deceased father had ties to the yakuza while navigating family secrets and new relationships.
The Good Room - A Los Angeles transplant tries to rebuild her life and career after a breakup while dealing with complicated roommate dynamics.
Kissing Ted Callahan (And Other Guys) - Two bandmates create a journal to document their romantic pursuits during their junior year of high school.
The Reece Malcolm List - A teen moves to Los Angeles to live with the mother she's never met while pursuing her passion for musical theater.
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Becky Albertalli creates YA stories about teens navigating identity, first love, and coming out. Her work centers LGBTQ+ characters dealing with high school relationships and family expectations.
Siobhan Vivian focuses on female friendship dynamics and social hierarchies in teen spaces. Her books examine group dynamics and power structures among high school students.
Jenny Han writes coming-of-age stories about sisters, first loves, and Asian-American family experiences. Her work balances romance with family relationships and cultural identity.
Emma Mills crafts contemporary YA novels about relationships, family bonds, and finding oneself in high school. Her books feature witty dialogue and exploration of complex friendships alongside romance.