It’s that time again: Spring Break. And what better way to enjoy the week than by cozying up to a new book? Here are 10 YA books that are sure to please, so grab your (virgin) Pina Colada and read up!
1) Fallen by Lauren Kate (Delacorte, $17.99*) – After Luce’s boyfriend dies in a mysterious fire, she is forced to spend her senior year at a reform school. That’s where she meets Daniel, a fellow student aching to keep Luce at a distance. But there’s something familiar about him that Luce is desperate to figure out. What is he trying to hide? Readers will be captivated by this dangerously exciting read intertwined with the ultimate love story.
2) 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher (Penguin, $13.99) – Clay Jenson is surprised when he receives a cassette tape from his dead classmate, Hannah—one of thirteen she has sent. Following her voice and arriving at the destinations she specifies, Clay learns the injurious implications of even small actions. This is a powerful novel, emphasizing the influence of our day-to-day interactions.
3) Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver (HarperCollins, $17.99) – If it was your last day to live, what would you do? Samantha Kingston is your typical popular teenager, with a perfect boyfriend and three wonderful best friends. But on February 12, Samantha dies. Then, she gets seven chances to relive that last day. Desperately, Samantha tries to unravel the truth about her death before it’s too late, while the reader crosses their fingers.
4) Graceling by Kristin Cashore (Harcourt Children’s Books, $17.00) – In Kristin Cashore’s debut fantasy novel, she explores the mind of a teenage warrior girl, Katsa, who has the power to kill with her bare hands. With this power, Katsa has been recruited to aid a manipulative king. Feeling guilty, she channels her power and establishes a secret counsel whose main objective is to promote justice. A fierce female protagonist and a stirring plotline make Graceling a must read.
5) Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater (Scholastic Press/Scholastic, $17.99) – As a child, Grace was saved from a wolf pack by a yellow-eyed wolf. Years later, the temporarily-human Sam meets Grace again and the two fall for one another. With winter approaching, Sam will turn into a wolf again—perhaps permanently. Can their love survive? Readers, especially Twilight fans, will flock to this classic Romeo and Juliet plot with a paranormal twist.
6) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (Scholastic, $17.99) – After a solid 77 weeks on the NYT bestsellers list, it’s easy to see why this compelling story about a girl fighting for survival on live TV would be appealing to both teens and adults. The first in a series, Collins proves that dystopia may just be the next big trend. (Also see Catching Fire, the second book in the series that has topped the charts 26 times.)
7) Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen (Viking Juvenile, $19.99) – Auden spends the summer before college in the company of her novelist father, his wife, and their baby daughter. While tackling new projects and dealing with the emotional baggage from her parent’s divorce, she falls for Eli, an insomniac bicyclist who has his own painful memories. Playing off Dessen’s usual plotline—girl meets boy, girls falls for boy, boy disappoints girl, boy proves his love—Lock and Key is a fun read that fans will enjoy.
8) Marked by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast (St. Martin’s, $17.99) – In 16-year-old Zoey Redbird’s world, vampyres live among us. When a human is “marked” by these creatures, they enter The House of Night school where they either become vampyres themselves, or die. But as Zoey’s ability becomes strong, she quickly realizes that the problems she thought she left behind in the human world have only followed her. Expertly weaving the emotional rollercoaster of teen years with a compelling characters, the House of Night series brings paranormal YA to its peak.
9) Wake by Lisa McMann (Simon Pulse, $15.99) – When 17-year-old Janie finds herself a participant in someone else’s twisted dream, her uncontrollable gift becomes a frightening nightmare. This gripping page-turner will keep you on the edge of your seat. (Also check out Fade and Gone, the equally thrilling second and third books in the Wake series.)
10) Incarceron by Catherine Fisher (Dial/Penguin, $17.99) – Incarceron is not just any prison—it’s a sealed-off city where the inmates are convinced there is no outside world. According to legend, only one man has ever escaped. But that gives Finn, a 17-year-old inmate, enough reason to believe he can escape too. When Finn finds a crystal key, and through it a girl name Claudia who claims to live outside Incarceron, the duo team up to plan his escape. But, there’s more to Incarceron than meets the eye.
*All prices indicated are for the hardcover editions.
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