Books aimed at young adults have only really come into play over the last century or so. Still, despite their recent roots, the YA readership is flourishing.

Its growth can partly be attributed to the popularity of book-centered communities on sites like TikTok and YouTube. Social media is overflowing with book recommendations; you have some people who swear by Sarah J Maas's ‘Throne of Glass’ series and detest Leigh Bardugo's ‘Six of Crows’ duology, and others who would defend 'Six of Crows' with their life and not touch 'Throne of Glass' with a yard pole.

There are so many books and clashes of opinions out there that it can be hard to know where to start. However, worry not! I've read so many YA books in my lifetime that I consider myself a YA veteran. I've therefore compiled a recommendation for a YA book in every genre, each tried and tested by myself.

Happy reading!

Fantasy Recommendation: We Hunt the Flame

Image Credit: Areesha Ahmed

What is fantasy fiction?

Fantasy books are free from the constraints of reality. They can occur in worlds other than ours and often include elements like magic and mythical creatures.

Brief synopsis:

Zafira is known as the Hunter. Forced to disguise as a man, her mission is to provide for and protect her people. As their situation becomes increasingly dire, she finds herself forced to embark on a quest to retrieve a magical object and restore magic to the land. However, Nasir, the notorious Prince of Death, has been sent on a quest to retrieve the same object—and kill the Hunter.

Their paths soon align. Will the two join forces? Or are they doomed to remain mortal enemies forever?

"Be as victorious as the name I have given you, and bring the desert to its knees." - Hafsah Faiza, We Hunt the Flame.

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

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Literary Fiction Recommendation: Everyone Dies Famous in a Small Town

Image Credit: Areesha Ahmed

What is literary fiction?

Set in the modern-day, literary fiction typically prizes character over plot. The genre is recommended for those looking for a more low-key read rather than being overloaded with action and adventure.

Brief synopsis:

The novel follows teenagers living in small towns across the rural American West. It contains a series of short stories. Events like a missing child, a shady traveling priest, and a spreading wildfire weave together to form one mesmerizing narrative.

"In a small town, you are forever defined by the worst thing that ever happened to you." - Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock, Everyone Dies Famous in a Small Town.

Mystery Recommendation: The Inheritance Games

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What is mystery?

Mystery books center around (you guessed it!) a mysterious event. Typically, the narrator seeks to solve the mystery, leading to a tense and action-packed plot.

Brief synopsis:

Avery Kylie Grambs is an ordinary girl. She goes to an ordinary high school and lives an ordinary life—until she's told that Tobias Hawthorne, a billionaire, has left her all his money. Avery moves into his house, which is filled with mystery, riddles, and the Hawthorne family.

With the help of Tobias' charming grandsons, Avery is determined to survive the new world of money and power she has been thrust into and figure out why the elusive billionaire left a girl he never met his entire fortune.

"As awful as it sounds, money is power, and power is magnetic." ― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Inheritance Games.

Magical Realism Recommendation: The Raven Boys

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What is magical realism?

Magical realism books are similar to fantasy in that they include elements of magic. However, unlike fantasy, magical realism is set in a realistic world that correlates with our own.

Brief synopsis:

Being the only non-psychic in a family jam-packed with them has left Blue Sargent longing for the magical. However, it's only upon meeting a group of boys from the notoriously rich Aglionby Academy that she finds the adventure she has been searching for. Blue becomes swept up on a quest to find Glendower, an ancient Welsh King buried in Virginia. She is ensnared in the magic, friendship, and adventure she never fully believed existed.

"She wasn't interested in telling other people's futures. She was interested in going out and finding her own." ― Maggie Stiefvater, The Raven Boys.

Classic Recommendation: Little Women

Image Credit: Louisa May Alcott from Wikimedia

What is a classic?

Classics are books deemed by the public to be of high quality and able to withstand the test of time.

Brief synopsis:

Little Woman is a heartwarming novel about the four March sisters: Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy. Readers follow their transition from girlhood into womanhood and all the laughter, tears, and trouble that accompanies their journey.

"I think she is growing up, and so begins to dream dreams, and have hopes and fears and fidgets, without knowing why or being able to explain them." ― Louisa May Alcott, Little Women.

Dystopian Recommendation: The Hunger Games

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What is dystopian fiction?

Dystopian fiction is set in a future, worsened world. It is often thought-provoking and, in some cases, prophetic for the direction society is headed.

Brief synopsis:

When sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen volunteers to participate in the deadly Hunger Games in place of her sister, she is certain she is walking to her death.

However, she makes her sister a promise that she will survive. And so, Katniss allows herself to become ensnared in a deadly game of treachery, alliances, and—against all odds—love.

"Destroying things is much easier than making them." ― Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games.

Romance Recommendation: Soulmates

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What is romance?

Romance books typically center around the love story of two individuals. While books in many different genres often include romantic plot points, romance books require the relationship to be the book's central focus.

Brief synopsis:

A love story with a paranormal edge. Poppy Lawson has no interest in boys her age—until Noah steps foot into the picture. The two quickly enter into an electrifying relationship. They seem almost made for each other.

But what if finding your soulmate isn't such a good thing?

What if it could end the world?

"Happy endings are reserved strictly for the fiction shelves of bookstores" ― Holly Bourne, Soulmates.

Historical Recommendation: The Book Thief

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What is historical fiction?

Historical fiction takes place in the past. The plot may be entirely fictional or based on real events. Historical fiction can be an engaging way to learn about and visualize past events.

Brief synopsis:

Narrated by none other than Death, The Book Thief follows the life of Liesel Meminger, a nine-year-old girl living in Germany. The novel explores love, books, friendship, and the struggle to live with war looming over you.

"Together, they would watch everything that was so carefully planned collapse, and they would smile at the beauty of destruction." ― Markus Zusak, The Book Thief.

Sci-Fi Recommendation: The 100

Image Credit: Areesha Ahmed

What is sci-fi?

Science fiction considers the influence of real or imagined scientific concepts and ideas on humanity. It can range from realistic to verging on fantastical.

Brief synopsis:

The novel is set in the future when Earth is radioactive and humans are forced to live on spaceships. However, the resources on the spaceships are dwindling, and it's clear that humans won't be able to stay in space for much longer. Times are desperate enough that a group of one hundred young offenders is selected for a terrifying mission: to re-colonize Earth.

"Any spot on this planet was going to be infinitely better than the world they'd left behind. For the first time in his life, he was free." ― Kass Morgan, The 100.

Paranormal Recommendation: The Whispering Dark

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What is paranormal fiction?

Paranormal fiction involves a plot centered around strange happenings that lack logical explanation. Often, paranormal fiction is based on folklore and includes supernatural creatures like ghosts, vampires, and werewolves.

Brief synopsis:

Delaney Meyers-Petrov is thrilled when she's accepted into an elite program at Godbole University, where she can learn how to travel to parallel worlds. All her life, she's been treated as breakable simply because she's deaf; now, at last, she has the chance to show the world what she's made of.

However, she soon runs into difficulty; classes are tricky, shadows haunt her, and Colton Price, a stuck-up teacher's aide, is a constant thorn in her side. So why can't they seem to stay away from each other?

"She wanted to be defined. Not by the silence between her ears or her fear of the dark, but by the sum of her achievements. Not by what she couldn't do, but by what she could." ― Kelly Andrew, The Whispering Dark.

I thoroughly enjoyed every one of these books and hope you will, too.

Here's to great YA fiction!