Sorry-apparently I cannot tell the Italics button from the bolding one.
Stupid.
But it lets me say this in addition: I think these books(the ones in question) are more in the vein of Austen–her heroines are usually a bit distant from the other characters, and certainly more sardonic or biting about those characters. Lizzy Bennett springs to mind, as does Eleanor from Sense and Sensibility.
Well after reading the OP my first (and so far only) reaction was “Sounds like Holden Caufield with a vagina. This isn’t a new genre; it’s an old genre with femle protagonists.”
–Cliffy
I love it! But it’s a bit vulgar for discussion purposes… 
Could be. My recollection is that there’s something different about it. Wasn’t part of Holden Caufield’s problem the fact that he was at some rich boarding school?
Actually, I remember finding Catcher in the Rye to be very underwhelming. I don’t know why it’s supposed to be so great.
Anyway, what would you call the genre?
I’d call it coming of age. It sounds to me very similar to what you’ve described. Such differences as exist are, it sounds to me, not really things that make a new genre, but are just the relics of the fact that not every book in a genre is the same book.
–Cliffy