YA novels have exploded in popularity within the last few years. From Hunger Games to The Fault in Our Stars, they cover a range of topics and offer a new look at the teenage years. Though they’re written with a teenage audience in mind, that doesn’t mean adult readers don’t enjoy them as well. Here are a few of our favorite YA novels that adults should check out.
Realistic:
The Hate U Give – One of the most anticipated books of the year, it’s a powerful Black Lives Matter story where a teen witnesses her unarmed friend’s murder in the hands of a police officer. If you saw Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely talk about All American Boys while they visited OCLS, this is your next must-read book.
We Were Liars –The less you know about this book, the better. Great for those who like unreliable narrators, and enjoyed The Girl on the Train.
Everything, Everything – A beautiful story about a girl allergic to everything, and how far she goes to see the world. Read it before the movie releases this summer!
City of Saints & Thieves – A thriller compared to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, where a Congo refugee seeks to avenge her mother’s murder.
Unbecoming – A multigenerational tale about a teenage girl, her mom, and her grandmother, and the three secrets they’ve kept that slowly unravel.
American Girls – For those who enjoyed the bestseller The Girls, this is about a young, vulnerable girl new to LA and the threads that connect her to the young, vulnerable Mason girls.
Fantasy:
Caraval – Part magic, part artistic, part game for your life, Caraval is perfect for fans of The Night Circus.
An Ember in the Ashes – For fans of Game of Thrones, this dystopian series is just as dark and twisty.
The Wrath and the Dawn – A loose A Thousand and One Nights retelling where a king murders his new wife every night, that is, until one girl dares to try to stop him.
Historical:
Salt to the Sea – Covering the real 1945 shipwreck of the Wilhelm Gustloff where 9,400 people died, this powerful novel brings a less discussed, but just as tragic, story to life.
Loving vs. Virginia: A Documentary Novel of the Landmark Civil Rights Case – A novel in verse, about the historical case regarding interracial marriage.
Alex and Eliza: A Love Story – Who isn’t obsessed with the musical Hamilton? Here’s the new YA historical romance about the courtship of Alexander Hamilton and Elizabeth Schuyler.
