HOT!
A handful of book blogger friends and I just had an epic conversation on twitter about “sexy scenes” in YA. It started after someone mentioned the upcoming release Mephisto Covenant by Trinity Faegen– a book that’s become slightly notorious for being toned down from its original pre-edit incarnation.
Most of us said we actually appreciate “sexier” scenes in YA, and wish there were more! To clarify “sexy” scenes don’t have to mean sex. While I personally feel there are many books where that seems to be the natural next step, but the author shies away from it, it’s by no means a requirement for me to read a book. However, if there is romance in a book, I do expect at least a certain amount of tension.
There are dozens of great books where the sexual tension is so intense, it nearly lights up the pages. Sometimes little gestures like accidental touches, or covert looks at the love interest say more than taking things further could. I’ve even read books where– because the author knows what they are doing– simple hand holding is sexy! As a natural part of life, sex and sexual tension are of course quite common subjets in books, especially books about teens (whether parents like it or not).
On that note: what are your favorite “sexy” YA books?
Here are a few of mine:
* The Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead
* The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
* Firelight by Sophie Jordan
* Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter
* Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
* Nightshade and Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer
* Shade and Shift by Jeri Smith-Ready
* The Duff by Kody Keplinger
* The Blue Bloods series by Melissa de la Cruz
* The Diary of a Crush series by Sarra Manning
* Falling Under by Gwen Hayes
* Nevermore by Kelly Creagh
Note: With the exception of The Duff, most of the above books do not rank high on the actual sex scale. If you aren’t sure about what you’re about to read, or want to know more before your teenager reads one of the above books, I suggest paying a visit to Reading Teen, for their very detailed parental book reviews and ratings.
Bookshelf Lust 
Personal Demons and Original Sin by Lisa Desrochers are two of my favorites in addition to those you already have listed.
Nice picks! I own both, but haven’t read them yet. I really need to read faster! ; )
Yes!!!!!! I loved PD. I cannot wait to read Original Sin! 🙂
Love the post!! Some more books with a sexy scene that I like are…
– Siren by: Tricia Rayburn
– Desires Of The Dead: Kimberly Derting
– You Against Me: Jenny Downham
– Forbidden: Tabitha Suzuma (favorite book)
– Identical: Ellen Hopkins (isn’t really love it’s more sex lol)
– Gone: Lisa McMann
– Shiver: Maggie Stiefvater
– Hollowland: Amanda Hocking (another favorite)
And of course there’s other series where I’m just waiting for the characters to have some doing it 😉
I have only read two of these! Awesome suggestions!
I wasn’t that into Shiver, but I did almost include Forbidden on this list. But I thought the whole incest aspect might weird some people out too much.
i LIVE for accidental touches!!! *swoons*! this post just makes me feel all giddy inside! LOL! A few of my favorite sexy scenes are from:
Die For Me by Amy Plum! Omg any scene with Vincent in it, was sexy. The boy is just TOO fine for his own good! & there is this scene where Kate totally pushes him against a shelf… *fans-self* it was def a “sexy time”
OH, oh, oh! And Angel Burn by L.A. Weatherly is basically filled to the max with sexual tension. You are dying the whole time for something! ANYTHING!
& & & Vanish by Sophie Jordan! *dies* the woman knows how to write a hot scene or two…or three 😉
I’m more of a fan of the angst instead of the actual deed! I mean who doesn’t love when a hot fictional boy whispers in our favorite MC’s ear! Am i right or am i right!? lol GREAT POST! 😀
TOTES AGREE with all three of those!!!! Sexy sexy scenes 🙂
I forgot Die For Me! I have Angel Burn, but haven’t read it yet. Need to asap! And o.m.g I have been waiting forever for Vanish. I’m so jealous you have already read it.
i personally thought Angel Burn was awesome! Some peeps didn’t like it though (aka the crazies! jk! lol) & OMG! i flipped a tit when Miss Jena let me borrow Vanish! it was AMAZEBALLS X10 MILLON! dude i am jealous you read Mara! IM DYING OVER HEEERRRRE!!!
oh yeah, what Sophie Jordan with eye contact alone in Firelight…good stuff.
But, for me, nothing beats the chemistry in the Vampire Academy series.
I totally agree with the “it doesn’t have to be sex” thing, although many of the ones that come to mind *are* sex scenes. Sigh.
The Mephisto Covenant (hehe)
Shut Out by Kody Keplinger. (Loved some scenes in The DUFF as well.)
Perfect Chemistry and Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles (they’re cliche I know, but I can’t help but smile over the chemistry she creates.)
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Vanish by Sophie Jordan (Casian FTW, haha)
Playing Hurt by Holly Schindler
I need to read Personal Demons and Original Sin, I keep hearing that those are great!
WOW, um I think your list covered my list lol I am sure I forgot one or two, but right now I can’t think lol.
I love steamy hot scenes in YA, as long as the characters are 17 and over to be honest. It sort of freaks me out when they are 14, 15, and 16. Maybe because I have a little sister who started having sex around that time lol.
I will make sure all these books end up on my TBR list if they aren’t already there. I would like to add that there is a very sexy scene in Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout!! Fantastic. That’s my recommendation. And has anyone mentioned Twilight? It’s a little eh but Breaking Dawn had a sexy scene in it for sure. 🙂
Thanks.. this is a great blog post!
Great post! I’ve written down a few books from the list. I love sexy scenes as well and totally agree that they don’t have to be the actual deed, but it’s okay if they are, as long as it fits. Thanks for adding to my to be bought list! LOL
I love the sexy scenes as well! 🙂 More recently I enjoyed Playing Hurt by Holly Schindler…great stuff in that book! 🙂
I am ALL FOR sexytimes in the books I read, especially YA. I thought Vampire Academy was smoldering.
Also NIghtshade by Andrea Cremer, the bathroom scene with Ren, ooo la la, I say that even though I am ardently Team Shay.
OH OH and AND anytime Marcus Flutie and Jessica Darling interact is full of sexual tension in the Jessica Darling series by Megan McCafferty.
YES YES YES to Vampire Academy and Anna and the French Kiss! 🙂
Sexytimes? Yes! Especially in YA, because that’s the age when you even figure out what flirting and tension and crushes are all about. Just read Mara Dyer, Shut Out, and Abandon.
My sexytimes list will always include Simone Elkeles’ and Jennifer Echols’ books.
Oh, ASH AND MEGHAN!
Ohh, good choices! I love the scenes in Shade and Shift. I mean, Logan is a ghost and he can make “sexy scenes,” and Zachary is sexy in whatever scene he is in lol Nightshade-yes, and Wolfsbane is killing me right now! Where is my Ren??
Vampire Academy is by far my favorite example, but I also really like Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick for this reason and Nightshade by Andrea Cremer. sososo much sexual tension in those series.
Agree with MARA DYER – hot! I also loved the swoon hotness in DELIRIUM and THE BODY FINDER.
Fun post! One of my fav sexy scenes is in Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare. It involves holy water and a kiss 🙂