15 Best Young Adult Books You Need to Read

Here are the best young adult books you will want to add to your must-read list.

As young people graduate from graphic novels and picture books to longer tales that explore more intricate themes, the young adult fiction genre awaits. The best young adult books often feature teenagers that learn valuable lessons as they come of age, and the emotion and humanity of these stories make them appealing.

Interestingly, some authors seem to gravitate toward writing young adult books and make their career out of this particular type of fiction. With so many YA books on Amazon, how can you find the best?

This list highlights 15 of the best young adult books and audiobooks you want to add to your bookshelf. As you consider the best books to add to your reading list, these will be great additions. You might also be interested in our list of the best books for twenty somethings.

The Best Young Adult Books for Today’s Readers

Whether you like young adult books for yourself or are looking for YA books for a person in your life, there are many in this genre that stand out, including fantasy books, coming-of-age tales, dystopian novels and historical fiction. These are the 15 best YA books that are a must-read if you are a fan of this genre.

1. Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling

A list of the best YA novels would always be incomplete without a discussion of the Harry Potter series. This book series watches as an 11-year-old boy wizard grows into a young man, and readers can grow right alongside Harry and his best friends Ron and Hermione as they fight dark forces and discover their true selves.

While the first few Harry Potter books may appeal to a younger audience, the final books in the series are definitely aimed at young adults. They are appealing to any reader because of Rowling’s expert storytelling abilities. 

“There are some things you can’t share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them.”

J. K. Rowling

2. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games trilogy follows a young Katniss Everdeen as she takes on the establishment in the barbaric Hunger Games, a fight to the death among teenagers. Through the course of these young adult novels, Katniss fights for her own survival and the survival of her community.

This book has an intricately complex society, which is part of the genius of Collins as an author. It also has a love story written is as many young adult books do.

“Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor.”

Suzanne Collins

3. Divergent by Veronica Roth

Divergent is a trilogy of books set in a dystopian world of what was once Chicago. This world divides humanity into five factions, making all 16-year-olds choose a faction, which sometimes means leaving family behind. 

The main character, Tris, has a secret. It is that secret that makes her Divergent and could potentially save the world around her. 

“Becoming fearless isn’t the point. That’s impossible. It’s learning how to control your fear, and how to be free from it.”

Veronica Roth

4. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

In this book, 16-year-old Starr Carter from a poor neighborhood gets the chance to attend a suburban prep school. After witnessing a murder at the hands of a police officer, she must decide where she will stand.

The Hate U Give takes on some of the challenging topics that fuel the Black Lives Matter movement. It talks about one young girl’s fight for justice in a world that is seemingly against her from the start.

“What’s the point of having a voice if you’re gonna be silent in those moments you shouldn’t be?”

Angie Thomas

5. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Six of Crows follows criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker as he decides how to pull of the heist of a lifetime. He brings together a team of thieves who just might be more dangerous than the heist itself.

Six of Crows was a number one New York Times bestseller and a USA Today bestseller. It was named to the Teens’ Top Ten list in 2016. Its appeal lies in how it follows a group of outcasts on an adventure, only to find that they are actually helping to save the world from destruction.

“I’m a business man,” he’d told her. “No more, no less.”

“You’re a thief, Kaz.”

“Isn’t that what I just said?”

Leigh Bardugo

6. The Giver by Lois Lowry

The Giver won the Newberry Medal in 1994. This famous book tells the story of 12-year-old Jonas who lives in an idyllic world. When he learns he has a gift, he takes on an important role as the Receiver of Memory.

As he receives memory from The Giver, Jonas learns the truth behind his seemingly perfect society. This book explores how a perfect society can actually be dystopian when you look closely.

“The worst part of holding the memories is not the pain. It’s the loneliness of it. Memories need to be shared.”

Lois Lowry

7. The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon

The Sun Is Also a Star tells the story of two teenagers who are drawn to one another, only to find that the universe is trying to pull them apart. This National Book Award finalist explores not only the truth of young love but also the plight of immigrants in New York City.

Yoon masterfully depicts her characters and keeps the story light while putting a deeper meaning in it. The book tells the story from multiple perspectives, which makes it an interesting read.

“Maybe part of falling in love with someone else is also falling in love with yourself.”

Nicola Yoon

8. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

The Perks of Being a Wallflower reads like a collection of letters from the main character, Charlie, as he watches high school life unfold before him. This coming-of-age story taps into the rich emotions of adolescents as they watch the world around them.

Charlie is a self-proclaimed wallflower, but through the novel, he learns the benefits of sharing his passion. The book’s appeal is in the way it perfectly captures the emotional roller coaster of adolescents. Chbosky is one of the newest YA authors, but with this novel, he proves he has what it takes to write to this genre.

“So, this is my life. And I want you to know that I am both happy and sad and I’m still trying to figure out how that could be.”

Stephen Chbosky

9. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

This historical fiction novel takes place in 1939 in Nazi Germany. Liesel, a young German girl, falls in love with books. However, books are hard to come by, and she turns to thievery, even from book-burning events, to get them. 

Yet the book stealing is just a cover for the real story that unfolds in The Book Thief, as Liesel discovers her family hides a Jew in their basement. She learns the truth about Nazi Germany, as Zusak masterfully shows what life was like from a German child’s perspective.

“I have hated words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right.”

Markus Zusak

10. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

The first time she lays eyes on Augustus Waters, Hazel knows her life is about to change. In The Fault in Our Stars, John Green explores what happens when a girl with a terminal cancer diagnosis falls in love. 

This poignant story is a novel about love and life, even though the ending is somewhat tragic. It is definitely one to read with tissues in hand, but Hazel and Augustus’s story is worth knowing. 

“As he read, I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once.”

John Green

11. One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus

What happens when someone in detention dies? When all four of the other students in suspension are suspects, how can investigators find the truth?

In One of Us Is Lying, McManus takes the “Who Done It” mystery story and puts it in the middle of high school. This novel keeps readers guessing to the very end.

“I guess we’re almost friends now, or as friendly as you can get when you’re not one hundred percent sure the other person isn’t framing you for murder.”

Karen M. McManus

12. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

In We Were Liars, the main character Cadence Sinclair Easton tells the story of herself and her three good friends, the four “liars.” The group spends summers together on a private island, only this year Cadence suffers a mysterious accident that leaves her with amnesia.

The story tells about family drama, romance and a bit of mystery as readers must unravel what happened to Cadence. The ending is a surprise, which is something young adult readers enjoy.

“Do not accept an evil you can change.”

E. Lockhart

13. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

To Kill a Mockingbird is not a new novel, as it was published in 1960, but it remains popular with young adults. It won the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 and has also been made into a movie. The book has some darker themes, including rape and racial inequality.

Told from an innocent child’s perspective, the story unfolds as the main character’s father, Atticus, decides to defend a black man who was falsely accused of a crime against a white woman. In the end, the reader is challenged to see life from the perspective of another person. 

“Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing.”  

Harper Lee

14. The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton

The Outsiders covers two weeks in the life of one teenage boy as he struggles to figure out how to fit into society as an outsider. When he views a murder at the hands of a gang, He realizes that life may not be as simple as he once thought. 

With The Outsiders, S. E. Hinton showed young adult books could break free from high school crushes and explore darker themes while watching characters come of age. This book was the winner of the Massachusetts Children’s Book Award.

“I lie to myself all the time. But I never believe me.”

S. E. Hinton

15. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

When Celaena Sardothien is brought before the Crown Prince after spending time in the salt mines of Endovier for criminal behavior, she gets the chance to earn her freedom, but only by fighting others in an attempt to become the next royal assassin. When the champions start coming up dead before their battles, a mystery unfolds. 

In the midst of the battles and magic of this mythical kingdom, Throne of Glass also explores romance. It is an action-packed fantasy novel that is well-received among young readers. You might also be interested in our list of authors like Samantha Young.

“Libraries were full of ideas—perhaps the most dangerous and powerful of all weapons.”

Sarah J. Maas

A Final Word on the Best Young Adult Books

The young adult genre appeals to teenagers and adults. That may explain why so many young adult books become hit films! Watching a character learn life lessons while growing into adulthood is compelling, no matter your age. The best young adult books span many different styles of writing. You can find mystery books, romances, dystopian fantasies, and much more if you like this type of book. You might also enjoy our post about the romance authors best sellers 

FAQs About the Best Young Adult Books