Find your next great read for National Reading Month by exploring my reviews of the best YA book recommendations for all ages and why they’re so great.
One of the most wonderful things about novels is that there’s something for everyone. I don’t read a lot of fantasy or classic literature, but my shelves are full of YA, Stephen King, and memoirs.
More than a decade ago, when I first began reading YA in earnest, market statistics pointed to more than 50% of YA readers are adults like me. This information has led many to speculate on the trend, but I’ve come up with 13 reasons why YA appeals to all ages, year after year.
Here is my list of the best YA book recommendations for all ages (and why).
1. Amazing Story
First and foremost, I want a great story. I’m a plot junkie. I want pages that turn, chapters that beg me to leave the light on for ten more minutes, and twists that I don’t expect. Not every YA book is a suspense thriller, but I don’t want the whole novel to be predictable. Surprise me a few times.
The following YA book recommendations have amazing stories!
The Delinquent Hero by Khristina Chess
“Is it possible that instead of finding her, he’s the person who hurt her?”― Khristina Chess, quote from The Delinquent Hero
Wow! The Delinquent Hero grabbed me from the first page and never stopped!
Everyone is saying Kat fell and hit her head, causing a catastrophic brain bleed. She’s severely malnourished and on life support, and in a few days, the doctors will remove the ventilator.
But when 18-year-old Molly visits her sister’s rental house, it looks more like a crime scene that someone cleaned up. Stories about what happened are inconsistent.
Later at the hospital, when Molly whispers into her sister’s ear about the odd things she discovered, alarms start wailing on Kat’s cardiac monitor. It’s like, even though she’s supposedly brain dead, some part of Kat still hears her. Like maybe something evil happened in that house.
Like maybe someone tried to murder her.
What I love most about The Delinquent Hero is the puzzle that Molly is trying to solve—not just about the how this terrible thing happened, but also about her sister herself. Although pitched as an action-packed murder mystery, this YA is also a raw and unforgettable story about a complicated sisterhood, eating disorders, and loss. It’s hard to put down. The present story line is an investigation of the odd circumstances and events that landed Kat in the hospital on a ventilator, but as the hours and days unfold, the close relationship between these sisters becomes apparent.
If you’re looking for the best YA book recommendations for all ages, you won’t want to miss this action-packed YA book about grief and sisterhood. Fans of If I Stay will enjoy this one.
I Am Still Alive by Kate Alice Marshall
“To survive you need to learn to hold contradictory things in your head at the same time. I am going to die; I am going to live. There is nothing to fear; be wary of everything.” ― Kate Alice Marshall, quote from I Am Still Alive
What an amazing page-turner! From the beginning this book grabbed me and didn't let go. It's the kind of story that had me staying up late to read, sitting outside in the shade to read, read, read, reading to finish because I couldn't put this novel down. It starts with a BANG--literally, when strangers kill Jess's father, leaving her stranded in the wilderness of Canada with his dog, Bo. She's still recovering from a car accident that killed her mother, so she doesn't walk well, and she's a city girl so she's not great at hunting and fishing. How will she handle a Canadian winter alone without shelter or food?
She is alive. And she is tenacious.
I loved this girl's grit, and I wanted to see her survive. I wanted to know the answer to the mystery about who the men killed her father.
And after reading this one, I binged on everything that Kate Alice Marshall has written and added her to my list of Best YA Authors to Binge on Kindle Unlimited because she’s amazing! She’s at the top of my list of the best YA book recommendations and authors of all time.
Missing by Kelly Armstrong
“Reeve’s End is the kind of town every kid can’t wait to escape. Each summer, a dozen kids leave and at least a quarter never come back. I don’t blame them—I’ll do the same in another year. We thought it was just something that happened in towns like ours. We were wrong.”― Kelley Armstrong, quote from Missing
Winter Crane’s sister is missing.
In missing-person cases, police only have so much time to find victims before their chance of returning home safe diminishes, and in this instance, the timeline for how long Winter’s sister has been missing happened to her—and other missing kids—is tied to an invisible clock like a heartbeat. It creates suspense is already unclear. As the mystery quickly unfolds, the urgency to find out what might have and raises the stakes. The tension increases with each turn of the page because we believe the situation is life-or-death. The hero spends a lot of time literally running from one place to another, trying to beat the clock.
I thoroughly enjoyed the plucky heroine and her determination to get to the bottom of the mystery of the missing teens, even at increasingly dangerous personal cost to herself. The West Virginia setting seemed vibrant and real without being cliched or overdone. The killer was gruesome, creepy, and sinister.
Fans of books like Sadie are sure to love this action-packed story about missing teens and the search for what has happened to them.
2. Real, Sweet Love
I could keep listing all my other favorite YA books with amazing plots, but there’s another key reason why so many people turn to this genre for great reads: love.
I definitely enjoy a sweet love story, like Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon or To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han. When the emotional stuff is done well, not love at first sight or some other contrived device, but the excited fever that comes with new, young love—that’s the best! It’s complicated, clean, and messy all at the same time.
Five Feet Apart by Rachel Lippincott
“I don't want to leave you, but I love you too much to stay.” ― Rachael Lippincott, quote from Five Feet Apart
Stella and Will are two kids with cystic fibrosis who literally have to stay away from one another to survive. Infections are bad, possibly deadly, and Will is like kryptonite to Stella, who doesn’t want to lose her place on the transplant list.
But the heart wants what the heart wants—even when the lungs are failing.
Stella and Will disobey all kinds of orders in their love pursuits and put their lives at risk. They have so much positive energy that you want them to beat the odds. Tragedy won’t touch them.
Don’t miss this popular YA book about star-crossed lovers. You will love Stella and Will’s story. The movie was pretty amazing, too! That’s why it makes the list of best YA book recommendations for all ages.
Hollow Beauty by Khristina Chess
“I wondered what it would feel like if he rolled over and kissed me. Would I feel that panicked need to escape that I always felt when Brody kissed me? When I thought about kissing Ross, I felt nothing but excitement.” ― Khristina Chess, quote from Hollow Beauty
Who doesn’t love a romantic triangle? This one brings all the feels!
When tall, gorgeous Brody asks Olivia to the prom, she's ecstatic--until he suggests that she use the two months before the dance to lose some weight.
But how thin is thin enough?
Body's comment sends Olivia on a spiral of dangerously rapid weight loss that borders on anorexia. As her pounds vanish, her friendship deepens with Ross, the new prep cook at the diner where she works. Despite his mysterious limp, he doesn't suffer crippling low self-esteem issues like she does; she can't even look at herself in the mirror anymore. The only time she doesn't feel ugly or fat is when she goes riding dirt bikes and cave-hunting with Ross. But with Brody, instead of finding romance and true love, she feels like a terrified rabbit he's going to devour.
She's almost thin enough to be beautiful for the prom when the unthinkable happens.
What makes Hollow Beauty special is the realistic portrayal of how Olivia falls into the self-esteem trap of trying to change herself for someone else. I worried about her. I loved seeing her journey and choices as the events escalated toward the story’s climax. It’s a great positive message. This is the kind of authentic novel that really shows how someone with even a little insecurity can be manipulated and hurt.
If you’re a fan of romance, you want to add this one to your list of best YA book recommendations for all ages. In fact, Khristina Chess has written several awesome YA books. She’s on my list of Best YA Authors to Binge on Kindle Unlimited because she has so many titles to choose from!
3. Delightful Writing
Some of the best YA books have witty and beautiful language. David Arnold’s Mosquitoland is particularly lyrical: “So I float in silence, watching the final touches of this perfect moonrise, and in a moment of heavenly revelation, it occurs to me that detours are not without purpose. They provide safe passage to a destination, avoiding pitfalls in the process.”
The Absolute Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
“We all have to find our own ways to say good-bye.” ― Sherman Alexie, quote from The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Junior Spirit is a courageous boy who dares to leave the reservation, his school, and his best friend to seek a different life. His story is funny, heartbreaking, inspiring, and brave. I loved his quirky voice, his cartoons, and I cheered so hard for him in his basketball game.
This novel highlights the contrast between extreme poverty and wealth, as well as racial differences. These themes are handled with humor and sensitivity. This YA book recommendation is another winner that does not disappoint.
4. Tough Topics
Many of the breakout novels and films in YA have been in the category of issue-driven fiction. Some critics argue that authors are too cavalier with their treatment of topics like relationship violence, sexual assault, drug and alcohol abuse, self-harm, depression and suicide, eating disorders, teen runaways, and other issues. But others applaud authors of such books for taking on the challenging stories and handling them with honesty, humor, and a bit of hope.
I’m clapping my hands about these great books.
All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
“You are all the colors in one, at full brightness.” ― Jennifer Niven, quote from All the Bright Places
Theodore Finch has more than a touch of the blues.
Violet Markey wants to escape the grief that lives in her hometown where her sister recently died.
Violet and Theodore are an unlikely couple, paired together on a school project to explore the natural wonders of their state. At first, Theodore seems to be the one helping Violet with her sadness, but Violet doesn’t have any understanding about the depth of Theodore’s despair. Along their journey, they make several unexpected discoveries about one another.
After re-reading this book a second time, I enjoyed it every bit as much as the the first. I liked the writing, the dual character viewpoints, the story, the language, and the symbolism.
Blue is a primary color.
This lovely YA book is about grief and loss, and Niven handles these difficult topics with honesty and resonance. All the Bright Places is one of my all-time favorites. In fact, Jennifer Niven is such a great author that she’s on my list of Best YA Authors to Binge on Kindle Unlimited because she’s all-around amazing! Be sure to add All the Bright Places and her other titles to your list of best YA book recommendations to your must-read pile immediately.
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
“Grief does not change you, Hazel. It reveals you.” ― John Green, quote from The Fault in Our Stars
The Fault in Our Stars is the ultimate YA book about star-crossed lovers. Augustus Waters and Hazel Grace are two teens with cancer, and they fall in love during a sweet time of remission. They talk about literature and philosophy, and they go on a wonderful journey to meet the author of Hazel’s favorite novel. This person is not at all what she expected—a huge disappointment, as a matter of fact—but then, life happens that way.
When the inevitable plot turn comes and twists the knife in your heart, it doesn’t matter that you’re expecting it. Augustus and Hazel are supposed to be together, so every bittersweet moment of their parting is a gasp. Every breath counts. Every syllable.
If you’re looking for the sweetest and most heart-wrenching star-crossed love story, pick up this classic. If you read it a long time ago, it’s just as good the second time around. Trust me. I have no doubt that this one is on hundreds of lists of the best YA book recommendations for all ages. It’s that wonderful.
5. Memorable Characters
Many YA books have characters with strong, memorable voices, and the best ones stay with me long after I’ve closed the book. The following two authors are my best YA book recommendations for all ages and why they’re so great. Don’t be intimidated by the titles or tough topics either.
Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott
Three life lessons:
1. No one will see you.
2. No one will say anything.
3. No one will save you. ― Elizabeth Scott, quote from Living Dead Girl
Fifteen-year-old Alice is the kidnapping victim of a pedophile named Ray who took her at age ten. This haunting, horrifying, graphic, disturbing, and tragic book is about so much more than child rape, although that certainly happens. This novel shows how a person—a child—can lose their self-worth and believe their captor’s lies.
How someone can lose their own humanity.
This thin novel was a fast read, but Alice and her story have stayed with me long after I finished. It’s her voice. In her unflinching viewpoint, Alice shows us what happens to children who are taken and never found. She challenges us to look more closely at the people around us. To notice.
Monsters prey on the mute. So pay attention. Speak.
By The Time You Read This, I’ll Be Dead by Julie Anne Peters
I want to tell them, "Chip, Kim, there is no way to suicide-proof a person.” ― Julie Anne Peters, quote from By the Time You Read This I’ll Be Dead
Daelyn is going to kill herself in 23 days.
Daelyn is a bullied girl who failed her first suicide attempt but intends to get it right the next time. A website named Through the Light provides support to wanna-be suicide “completers” like Daelyn, and she spends a lot of free time there. Counting down the days.
Then she meets a boy. She tries to ignore him, but he’s pushy. Persistent. Charming, even.
But is he charming enough to keep her from going through the light when the countdown ends?
This short, brutal novel is a fast read. It’s not easy, happy, or hopeful, but it’s a raw and real look at suicide. Be sure to add this one to your TBR pile of best YA book recommendations for all ages. You won’t be disappointed.
6. Breadth of Genre
Among YA books, there’s so much variety. In addition to contemporary literary novels, I’ve discovered books that are historical, like The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. The dystopian future storyline is popular in YA and adult alike. My whole introduction to YA started back with a teen vampire named Edward in Twilight and a friend who said, “You have to read this! You won’t believe how good it is.”
Oh boy, she was right about that!
Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
I have read several of Laurie Halse Anderson's books, and I found this one to be ambitious, compelling, and heartfelt. I learned things about slavery during the American revolutionary war that were new since most literature I've consumed has been during the later period of the civil war. The author’s research into the book made it rich and come alive.
You will want to add this amazing historical YA book about class difference, race, and slavery in early American history to your reading list. In fact, Laurie Halse Anderson is such a great author that she’s on my list of Best YA Authors to Binge on Kindle Unlimited because she’s all-around amazing!
7. Unpretentious
Because YA novels focus on story and have a reduced page length from mainstream literary fiction, most authors don’t waste time on fluff. Descriptions are not overly complex and drawn-out, and characters are developed without so much backstory that you know their kin’s next-of-kin. The language is meant to be readable at the high school level. This is not War and Peace or Waiting for Godot.
Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews
“We used to be pretty good friends, but fourteen-year-old girls are psychotic.” ― Jesse Andrews, quote from Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
How can a book about a teenage girl dying from leukemia be so funny?
Greg and Earl are weird, unlikely friends and amateur filmmakers who manage to fly below the radar at school and enjoy their private world. Then Greg’s mom makes him reach out to Rachel, a childhood friend who has been diagnosed with leukemia and needs a friend.
Earl turns out to be the more compassionate of the pair, and the two of them set out to make a movie about Rachel. Their brilliant idea fails in execution and is the Worst Film Ever Made.
This fun, funny, and all-around wonderful YA book about grief, loss, and friendship is full of crude humor, heart, honesty, and surprises as Greg learns things about his long-time friend Earl, as well as himself, through this journey with the dying girl, Rachel. I can’t say enough good about it. Buy it. Read it. Laugh.
It definitely earns a place on the list of the best YA book recommendations for all ages.
8. Universal Experience
Most YA books have some coming of age aspect to them, and all readers relate to this, young and not-so-young. The journey of change is one that most of us continue into our twenties, thirties, and beyond as life events and stages continue. Leaving high school to go to college and having your kids graduate high school are similar moments, evoking common feelings and memories.
The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson
I have to include this one in my recommendations for the best YA book recommendations for all ages (and why). As a YA romance and a universal experience. The Unexpected Everything was a light, sweet, happy, and satisfying read. The characters and story were perfect for each other. At first I didn't like them, but they totally won me over. They fit their world, and they grew as a result of the summer events. I will definitely read more of this author.
9. Diversity
YA books seem to make a more concerted effort to include diverse characters in them, as well as to publish books by diverse authors, like the amazing Angie Thomas, author of The Hate U Give and On the Come Up. This opens the genre to more inclusive voices and stories.
The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan
“Believing is a type of magic. It can make something true.” ― Emily X.R. Pan, quote from The Astonishing Color of After
A young girl, Leigh Chen Sanders, is grieving the death of her mother, who committed suicide. Leigh believes that she turned into a bird, and she goes on a journey to visit her grandparents in Taiwan in search of her mother, the bird, and other family secrets.
The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan is one of my top favorite YA reads. I discovered the novel after reading a Goodreads review so intriguing that I went hunting for the title during my next Barnes & Noble trip. The Astonishing Color of After was shelved under Teen Fantasy, a category where I never shop, so without seeing the great reviewer comments I might never have discovered this touching book about grief, culture, and family secrets.
This book wrecked me. The writing is so beautiful. Whether it’s the love story, the voice, the mystery, or the family culture aspect, there’s plenty of reasons why fans connect with this YA classic. I truly can’t say enough wonderful things about this amazing novel.
If you haven’t discovered it yet, you definitely want to make it one of the YA books on your list of best YA book recommendations for all ages. And if you have already read it, here’s my list of other great books for fans of The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan.
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
“And isn't that what a poem is? A lantern glowing in the dark.” ― Elizabeth Acevedo, quote from The Poet X
What a surprising and lyrical story!
I wasn’t sure I’d like this book, which is told entirely in verse, but I couldn’t put it down. Xiaomara is a young girl whose traditional Catholic mother prohibits her from doing anything. Xiomara is a good and dutiful daughter. But she wants to participate in the poetry group.
The mother-daughter relationship was well-developed, and there was a powerful moment when the mother did something truly awful. Moments like those between mothers and daughters are the ones that can define the relationship forever. I liked the choices Xiaomara made in response to that. In fact, all of the primary and secondary characters played important roles in her journey. I loved her father, the teacher, the priest; it was refreshing to see so many supportive adults in a young person’s life in a YA novel.
This award-winning YA book definitely deserves all the accolades, hype, and great reviews it has received and belongs on the list of the best YA book recommendations for all ages.
10. Creative Techniques
Many YA books employ creative storytelling techniques. They can be more visual, a step away from picture books, as if still in transition from their middle-grade and elementary levels. This format gives the novels a fresh appeal that reminds the reader that the characters are still students.
The Wicker King by K. Ancrum
"Perception is relative. So is sanity, if you think about it. It's totally a Minority vs. Majority thing. If you fall on one side of the line, take a ticket and proceed. If you fall on the other, shit gets real." ― K. Ancrum, quote from The Wicker King
This novel is a fast-paced read with super-compelling characters in a relationship that evolves into a more dangerous thing with each passing page. I had a paperback copy and enjoyed the layout and visual design of the experience of the book. You can physically see the descent into darkness on the side of the pages. The creativity in this technique makes this book special.
There are moments between these two boys that are truly chilling, when Jack's dominance over August goes too far:
"We have to drown you," Jack continued bluntly. "Or just nearly enough that you pass through the gates, but not so much that you can't come back from there."
I won't give any more away. The psychological dynamic between these two characters will draw you in and keep the pages turning!
I recommend splurging on the paperback for this one so you can enjoy the visuals.
11. Movies
Sometimes the movie tie-in is the hook that brings adult readers to YA books. YA novels have been made into movies and television series more than ever: The Maze Runner, Divergent, The Hunger Games, Thirteen Reasons Why, If I Stay, Pretty Little Liars, The Fault of Our Stars, Five Feet Apart, and so on. Sometimes the movie is the hook that brings adult readers into the world of YA fiction.
12. Cost
A lot of YA fiction is cheaper than adult books because of its shorter page count. You can pick up many YA kindle books for $0.99 or free on Kindle Unlimited.
13. Positive Escapism
For those who read for respite from lives that are full of stress and worries, YA fiction offers positive escapism. Even in those “tough topics” books, the themes are overwhelmingly full of hope and good messages. The novels portray strong young women and men who are learning about life and finding their voices. The characters explore friendship, love, loss, and the other range of experiences that it means to be human.
Other YA Book Recommendations
If you are looking for some other great YA book recommendations for any age, check out the Best Young Adult Books and Young Adult Book Lists on Goodreads. You will find dozens of great choices. You might also be interested in my post, Other Good Reads, which has a comprehensive list of reviews of YA books by type of tough topic, including eating disorders, substance abuse, mental illness, and others.
And that’s it. These are my 13 reasons why YA appeals so broadly. They’re some of the reasons why YA has become my go-to genre, slowly displacing the literary fiction on some of my bookshelves at home. What about you? What’s on your list of the best YA book recommendations for all ages (and why)?
Khristina Chess is the award-winning author of several YA novels about troubled teens turning corners. You can find her on Amazon, Goodreads, and Twitter as an active daily contributor in the #5amwritersclub.