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Young adult fiction gets a bad rap sometimes. People assume YA books are full of over the top teen angst and ludicrous plots. And I can understand a bit. I’ve read my fair share of disappointing melodramas. A few years ago, I decided to dig back into the YA world, and I was shocked by the fantastic stories I discovered. Engaging plots, with well-rounded characters and fun creative twists, these books reminded me why reading is so much fun. It is a natural escape from our everyday lives. The world of YA can seem a bit muddy, so I created a list of books that you will enjoy based off of some of your favorite “adult” novels.
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If you want a story that seems like something Stephen King would write…
The Women in the Walls
by Amy Lukavics
by Amy Lukavics
After the death of her mother at age three, Lucy has grown up with her father in a Victorian mansion in the woods. When her aunt Penelope dies, Lucy and her cousin Margaret are left devastated. When Margaret begins to hear voices that she swears belong to her dearly departed mother, Lucy is left to discover if her cousin is losing her sanity, or if more nefarious forces are at work.
If, like me, you love Stephen King’s mix of supernatural terror and human emotions, Lucy’s journey will surely resonate with you.
If you are a fan of classic mystery like Sherlock Holmes…
A Study in Charlotte
by Brittany Cavallaro
by Brittany Cavallaro
Easily the most familiar detective in all of literature, the stories of Sherlock Holmes have been retold in countless ways. In Brittany Cavallaro’s modern take on the classic mysteries, the descendants of Holmes and Watson end up students at the same New England boarding school. (It sounds weird, but I swear it works). Picking up where their infamous ancestors leave off, Jamie Watson finds himself both the investigative sidekick and caretaker of the enigmatic Charlotte Holmes.
A worthy plot mixed with a decent amount of teens in high school antics, the Charlotte Holmes series will satisfy any fan of a classic whodunit.
If you love stories about serial killers like Silence of the Lambs…
I Hunt Killers 
by Barry Lyga
by Barry Lyga
For Jasper “Jazz” Dent, take your son to work day was a nightmare. When your father is one of the countries most infamous serial killers, you learn far more about the criminal mind than any Quantico recruit. With his father behind bars, Jazz tries his best to live a normal teenage life. But when bodies start to pile up in his hometown, people can’t help but wonder if murder runs in the Dent family.
If you have ever thought that YA books couldn’t possibly stand up to adult horror or thrillers, I Hunt Killers will cure you of that notion. The first book in a trilogy, Jazz’s story is hard to put down.
If you love twisty mysteries like Woman in the Window…
One of Us Is Lying
by Karen M. McManus
by Karen M. McManus
Breakfast Club meets Agatha Christie is how this book was pitched to me. A group of teens from different cliques find themselves in afterschool detention. Before their sentence is up, one of them will be dead. On the surface, these characters fit all the standard clichés. The brain, the beauty, the criminal, the athlete and the outcast. All the major high school archetypes are there. But as secrets are revealed and motivations are questioned, you are left questioning if any of the students are who they say they are.
If you love a mystery that keeps you guessing, this story is for you.
If you want a coming of age story with a southern setting…
The Serpent King
by Jeff Zentner
by Jeff Zentner
Dillard Early Jr. is a target. When a public scandal sent his fanatic preacher father to prison, Dill and his mother were left behind to deal with the repercussions. As he begins his senior year with friends Lydia and Travis, Dill starts to feel the pressures of post-high school life. With his father’s crimes constantly hanging over his head, and the fear of losing the only two people who truly understand him, Dill’s senior year becomes an emotional roller coaster, one that comes with a devastating blow.
This book will bring you back to the turmoil and uncertainty that plagued your senior year, but without having to face your terrible MySpace photos.
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