Books aimed at young adults have only really come into play in the last century or so. And yet, despite their recent roots, the YA readership is thriving.

Its rapid growth is partly thanks to the rise of book-centred communities on social platforms such as TikTok and YouTube. Social media is overflowing with book recommendations, with some readers swearing by Sarah J Maas's Throne of Glass series and detesting Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows duology, while others would defend Six of Crows with their lives and not touch Throne of Glass with a yard pole.

With so many books and opinions, it can be hard to know where to start. Luckily, I've read enough YA books that I consider myself something of a YA veteran. I've put together a recommendation for a YA book from every major genre, each one tried, tested and loved by myself.

Fantasy Recommendation: We Hunt the Flame

Image Credit: Areesha Ahmed

What is fantasy fiction?

Fantasy books break free from the constraints of reality. They often take place in worlds other than ours and feature magic, mythical creatures and supernatural forces.

Brief synopsis:

Zafira is known as the Hunter. Forced to disguise as a man, her mission is to provide for and protect her people. When their situation becomes desperate, she embarks on a quest to retrieve a magical object that could restore magic to the land. However, Nasir, the notorious Prince of Death, has been sent on a quest to retrieve the same object—and to kill the Hunter.

When their paths collide, they must decide whether to remain enemies or—perhaps more dangerously—join forces.

"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 Harry Potter Character Are You?

Find out which character matches your personality!

Literary Fiction Recommendation: Everyone Dies Famous in a Small Town

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What is literary fiction?

Literary fiction tends to prioritise character and theme over plot. It's ideal for those looking for a more low-key, frequently relatable 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 interconnects a series of short stories. Events like a missing child, a shady traveling priest, and a spreading wildfire weave together to form an overarching, poignant narrative which tackles the weight of secrets and small-town life.

"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 centre around a puzzling event or secret. Typically, the narrator works to uncover a hidden truth, creating 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 mirrors 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 wealthy 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, getting ensared in the sort of 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. They are often influential and well-known amongst readers and non-readers alike.

Brief synopsis:

Little Women 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 imagines a future world that has taken a turn for the worse. It is often thought-provoking and, in some cases, reflective of 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.

All the same, she makes her sister a promise that she will survive. And so, Katniss finds herself entangled 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

Image Credit: Areesha Ahmed

What is romance?

Romance books typically follow a love story. While other genres may include romantic subplots, romance books place the relationship at the narrative's centre.

Brief synopsis:

A love story with a paranormal edge. Poppy Lawson has no interest in boys her age—until Noah steps 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

Image Credit: Book Hut from Pexels

What is historical fiction?

Historical fiction takes place in the past and may drawn on real events or be entirely imagined. It offers a vivid and engaging way of learning about historical periods and events through storytelling.

Brief synopsis:

Narrated by none other than Death, The Book Thief follows Liesel Meminger, a nine-year-old girl living in Nazi 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 fantastical.

Brief synopsis:

A radioactive Earth means humanity's forced to live on spaceships. However, resources are dwindling, and it's clear that humans won't be able to stay in space for much longer. In a desperate attempt to see if Earth is habitable again, a group of one hundred young offenders are selected for a terrifying mission: 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 focuses on strange events that lack logical explanation. It's often based on folklore and contains supernatural creatures like ghosts, vampires, and werewolves.

Brief synopsis:

Delaney Meyers-Petrov is thrilled to be accepted into an elite program at Godbole University, where students can learn how to travel between 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!