4 Young Adult Fiction Books You Need to Read

I know, I know. There are a hundred million thousand billion posts like this...but I can't help it. I want to tell you what to read. And then I want you to tell me how much you loved every book on the list and thank me for changing your life forever. Is that too much to ask? The list isn't comprehensive of all YA books since, well, I haven't read all the books. These books aren't in any order, nor are they necessarily my top four favorite YA of all time. For instance, you won't find Harry Potter on here even though I consider it a prerequisite to being my friend. I guess you will find it on here since I just mentioned it. Anywho... read Harry Potter.

 

1. Vampire Academy & Bloodlines by Richelle Mead
Richelle Mead gets a twofer since these series are very closely related (just a switch of POV as the story progresses). What does this book have to offer?  Unique vampires, the school scene we all fell in love with in HP, romance, danger, strong female characters, and secret societies. If you saw the movie and weren't in to it, give it a second chance. The movie tried way too hard to be modern, sexy, and cool.

2. An Abundance of Katherines by John Greene
John Greene has mastered the art of capturing the angst, drama, and recklessness of teens in their love and refusal to live life to anything but the fullest. His first to achieve fame was The Fault in Our Stars, another unique and beautiful story about life, love, and loss, but I relate more with the heartbreak, moments of loneliness, and existential crises depicted in An Abundance of Katherines.

3. Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Recent series such as The Hunger Games and Divergent depict a dystopian future where teens and young adults are the center of a world-changing resistance. Though Lord of the Flies is not dystopian, it is an incredible illustration of what the world might be like if run by children. Though it is a relatively simple book, it is mature, rich in philosophy, and leaves one questioning the inherent nature of humanity. Plus there's a fat kid main character with asthma named Piggy. What's not to like?

4. The Lying Game by Sara Shepard
Sara Shepard has a gift for keeping you on the edge of your seat, tearing through pages, and staying up past your bedtime. Her better known series Pretty Little Liars absolutely took over ABC Family and has Twitter ablaze during each episode. The Lying Game is no less addicting and has the same teen drama as its counterpart. It's a modern day "whodunit" but with many more iPhones.

Four books don't cover all the brilliant must-reads out there, what do you like to read?