Reading used to be my entire life. Books were my way to escape reality into hundreds of different worlds, but recently I’ve noticed something rather annoying. Books turned into book. I had been reading the same novel, over and over, just with a different cover. Did I miss something? Most popular young adult novels all have practically the same plot.

Seriously, think about it. Straight Caucasian girl, usually around 16 with long hair, pretty but she doesn’t know it yet. She is deemed tough and complex because she doesn’t share her feelings and acts like romance is useless. Usually witty and loveable in an ironic way. Supposedly ‘not like other girls’ and is one of the guys. Probably has a tall charming Caucasian boy as a love interest. Which character does this remind you of? I’m pretty sure I just described at least 75% of female protagonists.

So take this incredibly wooden character and maybe add another love interest creating the dreaded love triangle, and don’t forget some type of life changing situation. Now throw in a dystopian society, hot pagan creatures or some type of mental or physical illness and you’ve got a best seller.

Don’t get me wrong, I love these books as much as the next teenager, but is anyone else kind of tired of it? These authors are raking in the cash by praying on our raging hormones, can’t they at least think of an original story line? Or maybe an actual complex female protagonist that isn’t just a girl with the characteristics of a guy? Or seriously just add more than one person of color to the all-white cast or maybe an LGBT character because -shocker- they do exist. You can’t just take an already popular plot tweak it to your liking, change the names and call it your own.