Teenagers worldwide have replaced the habit of reading with mobile phones. Maybe this is because choosing the right book to read can sometimes feel overwhelming, taking up a lot of time and energy before actually getting started. With so many options available, getting stuck in indecision is easy.

That’s why I’ve put together a curated list of books that I have enjoyed. I can assure you that they are definitely worth your time—whether you’re looking for something thought-provoking, adventurous, or simply entertaining. Hopefully, this list will help you find your next great read with ease!

1. Giovanni's Room - James Baldwin

Genre: Gay literature, Psychological fiction

I finally picked up Giovanni’s Room after many of my friends' suggestions expecting a love story, but what I found was something far more haunting—a tale of longing, identity, and the crushing weight of desire and shame. From the very first page, David’s journey pulled me in and made me realize how deeply fear can shape the choices we make, even at the cost of love itself.

Set in 1950s Paris, the novel follows David, an American grappling with his sexuality, torn between the expectations of society and the undeniable pull he feels toward Giovanni, a young Italian bartender. As David wrestles with his own identity, he makes choices that lead to heartbreak, regret, and the realization that some things, once lost, can never be recovered.

Photo by RDNE Stock project from Pexels

James Baldwin’s writing is raw, lyrical, and deeply introspective, painting a picture of love and loss that is as beautiful as it is devastating.

“If you cannot love me, I will die. Before you came I wanted to die, I have told you many times. It is cruel to have made me want to live only to make my death more bloody.”

Take the Quiz: Which Popular YA Novel Series Should I Read Next?

Find out your next great read after this quiz!

2. Five Survive - Holly Jackson

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Road fiction

Five Survive is the kind of book that, once you pick it up, you won’t be able to put it down. I picked up this book while in a reading slump and devoured it in just two days. As an avid reader of thriller/crime fiction, I can confidently say this book is worth your time.

When it comes to Holly Jackson, this book is no different from her A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series in terms of gripping storytelling. Although those previous novels contain some progressively dark themes, Five Survive takes a different turn. There’s no room for humor here—just tension, fear, and pure, unrelenting terror.

Photo by David Brown from Pexels

Six friends on a road trip. A broken-down RV in the middle of nowhere. And a sniper lurking in the darkness, watching their every move.

With each passing hour, the stakes rise. The clock is ticking, and out of six only five survive.

Holly Jackson crafts a thriller so intense, so claustrophobic, that you’ll feel trapped inside the RV with them—heart pounding, breath held, waiting for the next shot to be fired.

“What if I said you were the right people, in the right place at exactly the right time.”

3. Beneath a Scarlet Sky - Mark T. Sullivan

Genre: Historical fiction, War story, Biographical fiction

I started reading Beneath a Scarlet Sky expecting a war novel, but what I found was something far more powerful—a story of love, loss, and the resilience of the human spirit. From the very first page, Pino Lella’s journey pulled me in and made me realize that there are still many unsung heroes who sacrificed their lives to save millions of innocent people.

Set in Nazi-occupied Italy, this novel follows Pino, a young Italian boy who, at just seventeen, is thrust into a war he never asked for. What begins as an attempt to survive soon turns into something far greater—helping Jews escape through the Alps, becoming a spy within the German ranks, and witnessing firsthand the horrors of war.

Photo by Christian Salwa from Pexels

But beneath all the chaos and destruction, Pino’s story is also one of love—one that flickers like a flame even in the darkest times.

“By opening our hearts, revealing our scars, we are made human and flawed and whole.”

4. They Both Die at the End - Adam Silvera

Genre: Young adult, drama, LGBT

They Both Die at the End is a grief-stricken story where both the protagonists, in fact, die at the end. I know this book is going to be good when it starts with: "Death-Cast is calling with the warning of a lifetime, I'm gonna die today."

Mateo Torrez is scared of living. Rufus Emeterio is running from his past. Two strangers, one call, and just 24 hours to make it count.

They meet on the Last Friend app, because dying alone isn’t an option, not today. So they set out—roaming the city, breaking rules, chasing moments that should’ve lasted a lifetime.

Photo by cottonbro studio from Pexels

They laugh. They run. They live. And then as promised, they both die at the end.

Overall, this story isn’t just about grief and the mental turmoil of facing your final hours—it’s also about discovering yourself and finding love, even in the midst of chaos.

“I kiss the guy who brought me to life on the day we’re going to die.”

5. The Three Body Problem - Cixin Liu

Genre: Science fiction, Speculative fiction

With its own Netflix show, The Three Body Problem is perfect for people who are readers of science fiction and historical politics. This books is an exploration of humanity, science and how would humans react when they first get in contact with other life.

Set against the backdrop of China’s Cultural Revolution, the novel follows Ye Wenjie, a physicist whose actions unknowingly set in motion events that will change the course of human history. As the story unfolds, a mysterious alien civilization, the Trisolarans, is discovered, and their impending invasion creates a tension that drives the narrative to its breaking point.

Photo by Adam Krypel from Pexels

But what makes this book stand out is not just its mind-blowing scientific concepts but the deep, existential questions it raises about human nature, technology, and the unknown. Liu Cixin’s storytelling is nothing short of hard science fiction, philosophical musings, and political intrigue to create a novel that is as intellectually stimulating as it is thrilling.

“In the face of madness, rationality was powerless.”

6. Everything I Never Told You - Celeste Ng

Genre: Fiction, Suspense

I came across Everything I Never Told You expecting a family drama, but what I found was something far more poignant—a deeply moving exploration of love, loss, and the quiet tragedies that unfold in the spaces between words left unspoken.

Set in 1970s Ohio, the novel follows the Lee family—a Chinese-American household struggling to fit into a world that doesn’t quite see them. When Lydia, the favored daughter, is found dead in a nearby lake, her family is devastated each of them saddened by their own grief and guilt. As the story picks up pace, it becomes clear that Lydia’s death is not just a mystery to be solved but also gives the family a chance to reflect on their years of silent struggles, parental pressures, and the fragile nature of identity and belonging.

Photo by Daria Obymaha from Pexels

Celeste Ng’s writing is delicate yet powerful, capturing the quiet moments that define a family—the misunderstandings, the unspoken words, the love that sometimes suffocates rather than soothes. I realized that this story isn't just about loss, it’s about the things we carry in our hearts, the heartbreaking realization that sometimes, we understand each other too late.

“The things that go unsaid are often the things that eat at you.”

7. Fourth Wing (The Empyrean #1) - Rebecca Yarros

Genre: Fantasy, Romantic fantasy

I picked up Fourth Wing expecting just another fantasy novel, but what I got was pure adrenaline—dragons, danger, and a romance that had me hooked from the start.

Violet Sorrengail was meant to be a scribe, but her ruthless general of a mother forces her into the deadly Riders Quadrant, where survival means bonding with a dragon—or die trying. She’s smaller and weaker than her competitors, but she’s smarter. And then there’s Xaden Riorson—powerful, brooding, and definitely not her ally.

Photo by Sylvia Muñiz from Pexels

If you love fast-paced fantasy with high stakes and a romance that keeps you on edge, this one is a must-read!

“Oh, gods.”

“Which one are you calling out for? Because it’s just you and me in this room, Vi, and I don’t share.”

8. 1984 - George Orwell

Genre: Dystopian fiction, Political fiction, Science fiction

I went into 1984 expecting a classic dystopian novel, but what I found was something far more unsettling—a chilling vision of surveillance, control, and a world where even your thoughts aren’t your own.

Winston Smith lives under the constant eye of Big Brother, in a society where history is rewritten, truth is whatever the Party says it is, and independent thought is the ultimate crime. He dreams of rebellion, of love, of breaking free—but in a world where the government controls everything, even the past, is freedom ever really possible?

Photo by Scott Webb from Pexels

Dark, thought-provoking, and eerily relevant, 1984 isn’t just a novel—it’s a warning. A book that lingers long after you turn the last page, making you question just how much control the world around you really has.

“If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face—for ever.”

9. Normal People - Sally Rooney

Genre: Psychological fiction

Normal People is the kind of book that will make you realize how real-life relationships work. I was totally astonished by the writing. It is a closer look at an intimate, painfully real look at love, miscommunication, and how people can both heal and hurt each other.

Connell and Marianne come from the same small town but live in completely different worlds—he’s popular but unsure of himself, she’s lonely but fiercely independent. Sounds like your normal romcom right? But this book isn't the usual kind. Despite their differences, they share a connection that pulls them together again and again, through high school, university, and all the messy in-betweens.

Photo by cottonbro studio from Pexels

But love isn’t always enough, and their inability to say what they truly feel threatens to keep them apart. Sally Rooney’s writing is quiet yet powerful, capturing the unspoken moments that define relationships.

“Marianne, he said, I'm not a religious person but I do sometimes think God made you for me.”

10. On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous - Ocean Vuong

Genre: Coming-of-age story, LGBT literature

I didn’t just read On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous—I felt every word sink into me, leaving thoughts long after I turned the last page. It’s not just a story; it’s a letter, a confession, a wound laid bare in the most beautiful way possible. This book is an aching, poetic exploration of identity, love, and the weight of inherited pain.

Written as a letter from a son to his illiterate mother, the novel follows Little Dog as he reflects on his childhood, his family’s struggles as Vietnamese immigrants in America, and his first experiences with love and loss. Through fragmented memories and raw, lyrical prose, he navigates the complexities of race, masculinity, and queerness, all while trying to understand his place in a world that often feels unwelcoming.

Photo by Alex P from Pexels

Ocean Vuong’s writing isn’t just storytelling—it’s pure poetry. Every sentence feels intentional, every word is carefully chosen to capture the beauty and pain of life. Long after you've completed reading this book, the feeling and emotions lingers capturing you.

“Because the sunset, like survival, exists only on the verge of its own disappearing. To be gorgeous, you must first be seen, but to be seen allows you to be hunted.”

At the end of the day, books have a way of finding us at the right moments—whether it’s a gripping fantasy that keeps us up all night, a heartbreaking love story that lingers in our thoughts, or a quiet, introspective novel that changes the way we see the world. Each of these stories offers something different—thrill, comfort, heartbreak, or hope—but they all have one thing in common: they stay with us long after we’ve turned the last page.

So whether you're in a reading slump, searching for your next obsession, or just looking for a story that makes you feel something, these books are waiting for you. Pick one up, get cozy, and let yourself get lost—because sometimes, the best stories are the ones that find you when you least expect them.