In keeping with the theme of my blog, I decided to start bringing you updates of the newest and greatest bookish addictions in my life so I can share with you some awesomely bookish things or discuss if maybe we share the same bookish loves. It seemed like a great way to get a little discussion going in a very relaxed way.
This Edition’s Bookish Addiction? Male POVs, especially in YA.
It’s undeniable that there is a LOT of YA out there written by female authors and naturally, most of those will have female POVs. Upon completing Robyn Schneider’s THE BEGINNING OF EVERYTHING during my re-read of WHERE SHE WENT by Gayle Forman, I realized that sometimes that male POV is such a nice and refreshing break from the female perspective. It’s nice to be in a different mindset and see things from a different point of view. I immediately knew I had to make it My Latest Bookish Addiction and share with you my favorite YA reads with male POVs!
These authors nailed it. These are some of the most authentic male voices I’ve read in YA that tell an awesome story. I laughed. I cried. I cheered. Funny thing is… Almost all of these authors are female writing a male POV. They’re totally awesome and I totally connected with these guys. Some I want to be best friend with and others instantly became my book boyfriends. (I’m looking at YOU, Adam Wilde.)
In a sea of female voices, I’ve found these books to be so refreshing! There’s something about a male voice that just allows you to see a story in a totally different light. I feel like a lot of times, the male POV is allowed to have a little more humor (Life After Theft). Sometimes they’re allowed to take things to a darker place than their female counterparts (How to Lead a Life of Crime). And other times we get a story that is more a “male’s scene” and just feels more natural with a male MC (Insignia, Ready Player One).
If you’re looking for a great YA male protagonist, I’d recommend starting with any one of the books pictured above! (Each cover will take you to my review.)
Not sure you’re in the mood for a male MC? You can always ease yourself into with with alternating POVs. This seems to be a really popular trend lately and I feel like it’s something that’s either a love it or a hate it thing for me. I have latched on to quite a few books with alternating male and female main character POVs, though, so here are a few of my favorites!
30 thoughts on “My Latest Bookish Addiction [6] – Male POVs”
I love male POVs! Very refreshing, and often, if there is romance, I like to read it from the guy’s perspective. I like to know what he thinks of her, not the other way around. One of the book that I LOVED the MC’s voice in was Finnikin of The Rock. Very mature, and very fitting.
I LOVE MALE POVs TOO!! *hi-fives*
I agree, there is just something refreshing about a male POV. It’s kind of hard to put your finger on it though haha. It’s weird how there are quite a few female authors writing in male POVs but very few male authors who write from a female’s POV (the only one I can think of is The Fault in Our Stars)
I really like the male POVs in Insignia and The Beginning of Everything! So good 😀
Seriously! How good was The Beginning of Everything!?
I think it’s just so DIFFERENT in such a subtle way with the male POV… I can’t really pin my finger on it either haha. It’s just a different mindset!
thanks for commenting!!
IT WAS SO AMAZING! And OMG THAT ENDING! Even though it was kind of disillusioning, I really liked it because it fit rather nicely with the overall message of the book! And Ezra <3
There is just something fascinating about a male POV. One of the books I’ve read this year was ‘Butter’ and ‘When you were here’ Both of them weren’t a success, but that wasn’t because of the POV :p I’m definitely going to write those books down. Some of them were already on my reading list and are now on top of it. Thanks for sharing!
Oh thanks so much for commenting! Hopefully these will work better for you than the other ones. I haven’t heard too much about Butter but I did hear some good things about When You Were Here… Maybe I should sneak a peek and see if they work for me.
Hope one of these titles will be great for you! 🙂
I used to read almost exclusively female POV books. Even when I was really into mysteries and thrillers, I would always pick the ones with a female MC. I just felt like I could relate more to the female POV, but lately I’ve recently read some really good YA books with male MCs.
I totally agree! I almost always read from a female POV (with mysteries too!) because it was just more relatable. I think I just hadn’t found as many good male POVs yet!
Thanks for commenting 🙂
Great post! I love reading from the male perspective! It’s hard to find books from the male perspective so thanks for giving us a list! One that I love that has an alternating POV is Defiance by C.J. Redwine. I loved reading from Logan’s chapters. I haven’t read a lot of these books so will definitely check them out!
Thanks so much! I know, I feel like good male POVs are just harder to find in YA! Hope you find a good one in there! 🙂
I love male POVs in young adult books and there are never enough. How to Lead a Life of Crime is one of my favorites hands down.
Anna Dressed in Blood was another one I enjoyed with a male POV and I really like Where She Went a lot, too. I loved seeing Adam’s side after what happened. I also really enjoy the alternating POVs.
Great topic! I actually just wrote in my Waiting on Wednesday post for tomorrow, which is a book with a male POV, that whenever I read books with male POVs I end up really liking them! I think it’s because it’s not something I’m usually drawn to so I’m super picky and I go for the cream of the crop. I’d recommend Winger as a great male POV book.
Ever since I really started getting back in YA books, I have noticed that so many more books are told from a female perspective. And that’s fine for the most part. I’m a female myself so in many ways I can relate better to female protagonists. And also, there’s nothing worse than a male POV that doesn’t sound…male. Where the author (usually a female) just isn’t able to nail the male perspective. But there are a few male POV books that have been good stories and had a convincing voice, and I agree that reading those is like a breath of fresh air after reading so many female-centric YA books. I enjoyed Finnikin of the Rock, The Subtle Knife, and, of course, Harry Potter, for their convincing male POVs. I’ve been meaning to read some of those you listed, especially Ready Player One!
Exactly!! I get along GREAT with female perspectives, but I just love the different feeling from reading a male POV sometimes 🙂 Thanks for the suggestions! I’ll definitely have to check those out! (and of course, love Harry!)
Great post! I think a lot of YA especially has female POV because the authors themselves are female…makes it easier for them to write a relatable character, most likely. So I’m always especially impressed when a female author writes a good male POV (or vice versa). I’ve had Ready Player One on my TBR for ages and I can’t wait to read it!
Thanks, Kelly! I agree — So many female authors = so many female POVs. I don’t think I could personally write a genuine male POV so I get it! I’m impressed as well when they totally nail it!
Simone Elkeles Perfect Chemistry series. I know there are so many more.
Agree on The Raven Boys & Scorpio Races. You’ve pointed out I have. Lot more to read.
I do have book one… Is that an alternating POV?
I love male POVs. They’re such a breath of fresh air! There are SO many girl POVs that it gets a bit dull to read them after a while. But I haven’t read many with them – will get to that soon!
Haha, I agree. Sometimes the female voices tend to blend together reading so many… That helps the male POVs stand out!
Thanks so much for commenting 😀
AGREED! I’m a girl, and for some reason that I should probably know about but actually don’t, I am intrigued by books written from male POVs. Its most likely because its SO refreshing to get to see things in a way I wouldn’t normally do so, and I love how many of the male characters who narrate are very likeable, and easily swoon-worthy (Adam Wilde. Yes. Oh YES). I also do think that a lot of the books from male POVs are more humorous, and a little darker, but that’s honestly the way I like it. I loved Where She Went, and The Raven Boys, but I completely devoured The 5th Wave and The Scorpio Races too! Great post Brittany 🙂
I think it’s so refreshing because it’s so different from what we usually read… Just because there ARE so many female POVs out there! I love the humor we get from the guys! 🙂
Ready Player One was fantastic. I really don’t have any issue with an alternating POV — I’d say most books I read fall into this category — although it drives me crazy when one POV is 1st person and everyone else is 3rd.
Oooooh yeah, that is really hard! It’s confusing to switch back and forth between tenses.
I think alternating male/female POVs is like a love it/hate it thing for me. Either it works or it doesn’t. I guess it just depends on the author!
Thanks for commenting!!
I’ve only read one of the books you mentioned (Ready Player One, and I loved it!), but a few are on my to-read list. I’m hoping to read The 5th Wave soon, so I’m happy to see that it’s a dual POV book! I love those. Anyway, you should definitely check out Winger by Andrew Smith, which is my favorite male POV book ever – seriously amazing. Also, Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick, Stupid Fast by Geoff Herbach, and Ashfall by Mike Mullin (who is so nice and funny ~ I was lucky enough to meet him and have him sign my books!) are all very good male POVs as well! Great post. 🙂 A good male POV is always refreshing.
Oooooh thank you for the suggestions! I will DEFINITELY check those out. I wanted to read Ashfall for a long time and just haven’t gotten my hands on it yet!