There are a lot of misconceptions when it comes to the Young Adult (YA) genre. A lot of people believe that the stories are “lighter” or go as far as to believe that they are only fantasy books with a main hero and lots of saucy relationships. The truth is, it might be all of that or nothing at all. Young Adult -technically- means that the character in the book is usually between 15 and 19 years old.
The subject can be different, and the secondary genre can be anything from fantasy to dystopian, from chick lit to contemporary, etc. YA books have been hugely popular in the past couple of years, with a lot of writers getting amazing deals to turn their novels into movies and TV shows, whether they are newly published or from older books of theirs.
6 Shadow And Bone
When Leigh Bardugo wrote the first installment in the Grishaverse series back in 2012, she couldn’t possibly imagine the huge success her books were going to have, and that they will become a Netflix sensation. The Shadow And Bone series have characters from the first trilogy that she wrote, but also from the second duology, so her fans were doubly excited to see their beloved heroes (and antiheroes – hello Darkling!) come to life on their screen.
Alina Starkov is an orphan and an excellent cartographer in the army. When she discovers that she is not only that but also a Grisha (a person who can use “magic), her life is going to change. Suddenly, she has as many enemies as she has opportunities to use her newfound power – but the lines between good and evil are as blurred as the lines between love and hate.
5 Shadowhunters
Shadowhunters is based on The Mortal Instruments, a series of six YA books written by Cassandra Clarke, with the first being published in 2007 and the last one in 2014. As books, they continue to gain fame and new readers every year, and they are already one of the series that YA fans suggest as a “must” to newcomers to the genre.
Clary Fay learns something on her eighteenth birthday that’s going to not only change her life but her views up until then. She is a Shadowhunter, and she must take responsibility of that title, as she is a half-angel with a mission to hunt demons. Like all good love stories, this one also has a -very- forbidden love in it that will keep viewers glued to the screen.
4 The Vampire Diaries
If fans of the YA and vampire genre want some books to cozy up with, that they are not going to finish fast, then The Vampire Diaries might be just what they need. The first book was written in 1991 and the last one in 2014, making it a 13-book series that later continued as fan fiction by the author herself, L.J. Smith. But for those who prefer the series to read the books, there is also a nice surprise, since there are 171 episodes of The Vampire Diaries, ready to please anyone who longs to binge-watch. It ran from 2009 until 2017, and it has gained a very devoted fandom.
Age is only a number for Elena Gilbert, who falls in love with a 162-year-old vampire. In her defense, she thought he was a normal human, and she had just lost both of her parents in a terrible car crash. And Stefan, the vampire, is a very charming, to say the least, man. Damon, Stefan’s brother, also comes to Mystic Falls, the town where everything takes place, and he also falls in love with Elena. What follows? A lot. Like, a lot, lot.
3 One Of Us Is Lying
Another debut novel that went really well is One Of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus. The novel was published in 2017 and immediately became a favorite both of young adult readers, but also of mystery readers who loved the intricacy and suspense of the story.
Five high school students get into detention. One of them, who had a very popular online gossip group, dies suddenly of what is suspected to be an allergic reaction. Soon, the rest of the four students are suspects of his murder, as each of them had their own secret, thus a very good reason to want the diseased, and his popular group, gone.
2 Looking For Alaska
John Green has already made history with his super successful young adult books, especially with The Fault In Our Stars, which is one of the best-selling books of all time and became a super successful movie as well. Looking for Alaska was Green’s debut novel in 2005 and started his desire to create what he called “meaningful” young adult fiction.
Miles Halter has something in his mind that he can’t get out: he is seeking “the Great Perhaps”, which is inspired by the last words of the poet Francois Rabelais. He goes to an Academy in Alabama, hoping that maybe he will find that there. What he finds instead is Alaska Young, Takumi Hikorito, and Chip Martin. The four of them will create a strong bond that will drive them on many unexpected paths.
1 Gossip Girl
The show was so popular that many people might not know that it is based on a young adult book series, written by Cecily von Ziegesar and published from 2002 until 2011, although books 9, 10, 11, and 13 were written by a ghostwriter. Every year there were two new novels published until the final one in 2007, which ended the characters’ time in high school. The books continued though, due to their massive popularity and the popularity of the show. The TV show also went on for a long time, with 6 seasons, the first in 2007 and the last one in 2012.
The series is narrated by the ever-popular (and ever-secret) Gossip Girl. In Manhattan’s Upper East Side, some very privileged teens go through adolescence making all the mistakes they can afford. The mysterious Gossip Girl is always watching their lives, which are constantly messed up by their relationships and constant betrayals of each other.