As winter arrives, we all find ourselves getting under the covers with a cup of our favorite hot drink, lighting a candle, and diving into the world of fiction and cheesy romance with our favorite books. It’s the best time to catch up on your reading and try to complete the ‘must read’ list, which we have been putting off all year long.
Don’t miss out on the best reads out there; here are 47 YA books to read for a cozy winter.
1) The Outsiders – S.E. Hinton
The Outsiders was published in 1967 and focuses on two weeks in the life of a 14-year-old boy as he navigates between the world of the supremely rich and the outsiders, who have to fend for themselves. The story is very gripping and explores various themes like society and brotherhood, and it even has a thriller in it.
2) The Princess Diaries – Meg Cabot
The Princess Diaries is a 24-book series that follows the life of Mia Thermopolis, an awkward 14-year-old who becomes an heir to the throne of a European country overnight, and how she navigates her journey through it. It’s a very heart-warming series with lots of humor as well as deeper meanings that can be enjoyed by all ages! It even has two movies based on it that can be enjoyed after the books.
3) Anna And The French Kiss – Stephanie Perkins
This short yet super romantic book very beautifully follows the journey of Anna, the daughter of a very famous writer who uproots her from her hometown in Atlanta to a boarding school in Paris against her will. We see Anna trying to find her place in a new city full of art and culture, as well as her struggles with her friends and in finding love. The book is filled with humor and teenage angst but keeps us hooked to the very end.
4) The Hunger Games – Suzanne Collins
This trilogy is one of the best-written works of this generation. Set in the fictional world of The Capitol, surrounded by 13 districts, it follows the story of Katniss Evergreen and her family as she is forced to participate in a game in which she has to survive in the end to win. The series is political while also keeping it very truthful and non-offensive, and it will have the reader sucked into its world of love, suffering, and horror. It is also made into a binge-watchable movie series.
5) The Fault In Our Stars – John Green
This bestseller by John Green narrates the heartbreaking story of Hazel and August, two cancer patients, as they try to deal with the reality of their lives filled with hospitals, treatments, and trying to survive, as well as navigate their love for each other when there is no guarantee of life. It’s a beautifully written book as well as a movie that will leave the onlooker deeply moved.
6) To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before – Jenny Han
This cute book series follows Lara Jean and how she has written letters to all the boys she has loved in the past. She also keeps these letters safely tucked away from the world. However, one day she finds they are missing, her letters have been released, and everyone she has ever loved now knows, including her older sister’s ex-boyfriend. This story follows Lara Jean’s struggles with her relationship with her sister and her past interests.
7) I’ll Give You The Sun – Jandy Nelson
This is a very compelling one-sit read that revolves around the lives of a pair of twins and shows the magic of love and changes through different perspectives. It’s a complex yet deep and beautifully written story that makes the reader feel happy about life.
8) They Both Die At The End – Adam Silvera
This book is based on the deeply thought-provoking concept of people getting to know the day they will die and how they would like to live their last day in the world. The title of the book already gives away the ending, but it’s the beautiful relationship that is formed between the two protagonists that makes it more bittersweet.
9) The Hate U Give – Angie Thomas
This book focuses on the injustice and discrimination faced by the African-American community through the point of view of the main character, Starr. It’s a very accurate description while also being down to earth and containing very powerful and hard-hitting messages. It may be a YA book, but it should be read by all, including adults.
10) The Book Thief – Markus Zusak
This book is set in the World War I era and takes a unique perspective with ‘Death’ as the narrator, who follows the life and passion of a girl named Liesel. It’s very beautifully written and manages to reach the deepest, darkest parts of any reader’s heart through its observation of human nature in times of tragedy and the role of innocence in it.
11) Six of Crows – Leigh Bardungo
This six-book series is based on a fantasy world and contains everything from crime, thriller, and mystery to romance. Each book tells the story of one character, which reveals different points of view while also being easy to understand. It’s very well written and has many heartbreaking instances.
12) The Sun Is Also a Star – Nicola Yoon
This explores the deeply complex characters of Natasha and Daniel and their love story while also showing the impact of being an immigrant in America and the problems that come along with it. Their story is anything but simple and is written in a way that keeps the reader rooting for them till the end.
13) You Should See Me in a Crown – Leah Johnson
This book follows the journey of Liz, an African-American teen who likes to keep out of the spotlight but is forced to run for prom queen if she wants to win the scholarship that will help her go to her dream college. It explores the themes of friendships, LQBTQ relationships, teenage isolation, and family very beautifully and has a very heart-warming ending.
14) When Dimple Met Rishi – Sandhya Menon
This book, which has now been turned into a very famous Netflix series, is a very light-hearted romance-comedy following the life of Dimple as she tries to achieve her goals, the people she meets along the way, and her romance with Rishi, whose situation is very different than hers. It’s perfect for a light read while also having a meaningful story.
15) Everything, Everything – Nicola Yoon
Everything, Everything is a deeply emotional book about the life of Maddie, a girl who has a disease that prevents her from leaving her house; otherwise, she would die. The pain of the characters is felt simply through the words, and the plot has many twists and turns that keep the readers on their toes. It’s the perfect holiday read with life lessons.
16) Anne of Green Gables – L. M. Montgomery
This beautiful coming-of-age story follows the life of an orphan, Anne Shirley, as she navigates her life in Avonlea, where she is adopted by a brother and sister family. The fierce and contagious personality of the girl shines through, and one cannot help but find her endearing. This book is also adapted into an award-winning series on Netflix and is worth a read.
17) A Tree Grows in Brooklyn – Betty Smith
This book is full of life, people, and events, a blend of compassion and cruelty, laughter and heartbreak. It’s a poignant and moving story. The youthful, sensitive, and idealistic Francie Nolan and her bittersweet founding story in the slums of Williamsburg have captivated and inspired millions of readers for more than 60 years.
18) The Catcher in the Rye – J.D. Salinger
This all-time classic by Salinger was probably assigned to almost every English class in high schools and captures the vulnerability of the teenage years beautifully through its story and way of writing; it is a true classic just for that reason.
19) The Poet X – Elizabeth Acevedo
Through the story of the main character Xiomara, the book explores several themes, including teenage confusion, the expression of feelings through art, and trying to navigate the meaning of life in this confusing generation.
It’s raw and powerful, which makes it a must-read.
20) Like a Love Story – Abdi Nazemian
This book follows the story of Reza as he tries to understand his sexuality and form meaningful and authentic friendships and relationships. The relatability of the experiences makes it a very comforting and heart-warming read.
21) It’s Kind of a Funny Story – Ned Vizzini
This book very uniquely captures the different ways mental health and illness can look while also using humor as an essential tool to relay that story.
22) I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter – Erika L. Sánchez
An angsty and rebellious teenage story that very accurately captures the emotion of a young adult, along with cultural differences, this tale is well written and makes for a very interesting read.
23) Darius the Great Is Not Okay – Adib Khorram
This book follows the story of Darius as he makes a major shift in his life and goes to Iran, where he faces his cultural heritage and learns how he fits into it. It’s a very inspiring tale of finding different versions of oneself, forming true friendships, and gaining confidence.
24) Beasts of Prey – Ayana Gray
A fictional story about the main character, Koffi, as she navigates her supernatural powers and tries to save her family from a deadly enemy; along the way, she meets an ally, Ekon, and they help each other navigate their roles in their universe.
25) Daughter of Smoke & Bone – Laini Taylor
A fantasy novel containing demons, angels, and a love story between them, the book captures darkness and lightness brilliantly through the story of the main character, a girl named Karou, as she faces the supernatural. It’s a very interesting read that leaves you in a trance.
26) We Are the Ants – Shaun David Hutchinson
Henry is facing anxiety, sadness, and grief from all directions: his mother, grandmother, brother, and dead ex-boyfriend. He has the option to end the world just by pushing one button, but he isn’t sure what he should do. This story follows his journey as he figures out the meaning of people and life and if they are worth it in the end.
27) Me and Earl and the Dying Girl – Jesse Andrews
This story is powerful, deep, and hilarious at the same time and hits the reader with a wave of emotions as they dwell deeper into the lives and emotions of the characters. It is about a deep friendship between two boys, Greg and Earl, as they try to create a film for their dying friend Rachel as she fights leukemia.
28) Sadie – Courtney Summers
This crime thriller deals with hard topics such as sexual abuse and drug use and follows the story of Sadie as she tries to find her sister’s killer. Sadie has no one else in the world left to love and care for her, and this fuels her actions and emotions in the search, and the way she writes accentuates the emotions of the readers, keeping them on their toes.
29) Home Is Not a Country – Safia Elhillo
This book focuses on the main character’s struggle to try to discover herself and connect with her inner roots, with a hint of magical realism. It’s a heartbreaking and beautifully written story.
30) Last Night at the Telegraph Club – Malinda Lo
This story is about two young adults who fall in love at a lesbian bar in their city in 1954. They face different struggles in society, citizenship, and their sense of duty to let their love prevail. The book provides a very interesting perspective on LGBTQ couples in that time period.
31) When the Moon Was Ours – Anna-Marie McLemore
The story of Miel and Samir is a hymn to the healing power of living your own truth and the indiscriminate power of love. A story that is familiar to many of us. Anna-Marie McLemore’s book is a vulnerable, hauntingly beautiful patchwork quilt of thoughts and feelings that capture your heart, transcend beauty and tenderness, and strip away all emotions except love.
32) Red Queen – Victoria Aveyard
In a fictional story set in a world of royals with silver blood and supernatural powers and the lower society with red blood, the royals dominate until a girl born into the red family helps try to bring down the system with her wit and her own unique strength. This world draws its readers in and keeps them on the edge of their seats.
33) The Girls I’ve Been – Tess Sharpe
The daughter of a con artist trapped in a bank robbery The book is notable for the quality of its writing, character development, and suspense, but its most well-known feature is the speed with which information is conveyed throughout it. Tess Sharpe excels at giving us just enough to hold our breath on each page, but we still need more.
34) We Are Not Free – Traci Chee
We Are Not Free is the story of a close-knit group of second-generation Japanese-American Nisei youth whose lives were irreversibly altered by the United States’ mass incarceration during World War II. This story is a powerful way to learn more about the history of this particular race and their experience in such a horrifying and heartbreaking time.
35) Pet – Akwaeke Emezi
A thought-provoking, haunting novel about a creature who escapes an artist’s canvas and is gifted at chasing monsters in a world they claim no longer exists. Great for fans of Akata Witch and Shadowshaper. In her charming and timely young adult debut, acclaimed novelist Akwaeke Emezi raises difficult questions about the choices one can make when the society around her denies them.
36) Long Way Down – Jason Reynolds
A book written in verse form, the story is powerful and hard-hitting about the cycle of violence. A truly effective coming-of-age story about how violence and toxic masculinity affect so many young black teenagers.
37) Please Ignore Vera Dietz – A. S. King
Vera’s best friend Charlie, who she was also in love with, dies after screwing her over. Throughout the book, through flashbacks, their story is revealed in heartbreaking and deep-hitting ways as she tries to deal with her grief and anger while also dealing with her relationship with her dad. This book is written in a way that makes you connect with the characters deeply and feel every emotion they are going through.
38) I Wish You All the Best – Mason Deaver
Heartbreaking yet joyous, I Wish You All the Best is a celebration of life, friendship, and love and a beautiful example of hope in the face of adversity. It’s a jarring and much-needed representation of a non-binary main character who deserves love and support just like any other.
39) The Downstairs Girl – Stacey Lee
From the founding members of We Need Diverse Books comes a dynamic novel about betrayal, identity, and the importance of family. A historical story about Asian Americans in America in which the protagonist navigates Atlanta as a Chinese, depicting black solidarity and white feminism.
40) Legend – Marie Lu
Marie Lou has created a book with powerful voices, compelling stories, and explosive plots until the end. Her characters in this book are people you can feel for even as the whole world is against them.
41) If I Was Your Girl – Meredith Russo
This is a universal tale about different emotions told through a love story that will make you root for them. It’s a balanced yet sweet story. It is a beautiful reading experience that, in one moment, would leave you smiling from dizziness, but the next moment would leave you heartbroken and hopefully in tears. A truly inspiring book!
42) Wilder Girls – Rory Power
A group of girls is trapped in a boarding school on an island, where their bodies mutate and transform. This is one of the scariest books that you’ll ever read. (If you don’t like body horror, probably don’t read this. I’m serious.) The writing style is excellent; the odd style of sliding between long sentences and short beats adds nicely to the atmosphere, and the scary one-tone is great.
43) Grown – Tiffany D. Jackson
Writer Tiffany D. Jackson uncovers another headline-escaping mystery, uncovers the dark secrets behind the limelight, and gets the power of a young woman’s voice. An intense, gripping, heartbreaking, thought-provoking, depressing, real, tough, yet honest story.
44) Words in Deep Blue – Cath Crowley
Childhood romance, secret notes and letters, a swoon-worthy crush, and one happy main character? It’s all there. This is a true bibliophile’s paradise with all the references to other well-known books and antiquarian surroundings. It perfectly expresses the character’s feelings.
45) We Are Okay – Nina LaCour
Nina Lacour rejected the notion that a novel had to be entirely plot-driven: a book about emotions in relationships trapped inside the main character Marin’s mind. Nina Lacourt immersed herself in a story, something delicate and powerful, a message she wanted to share with the world. It’s about learning to be with yourself and your grief while also moving on.
46) They Wish They Were Us – Jessica Goodman
High school melodrama, intrigue, or mystery? This book is for you. The book revolves around a group of students at an elite New England school who call themselves “Players.” They are the most respected, the smartest, and the most privileged.
47) Red, White & Royal Blue – Casey McQuiston
A heart-warming gay romance between two people on opposite sides of the globe. This is a sweet, wholesome, and uplifting tale that’s perfect for getting out of a reading slump. The author captured the character in his early twenties really faithfully when it is difficult for writers to be precise.
These books are the best, and most read in their genre, and they add a lot of value to the lives of their readers. So, pick up the cup of deliciously warm hot chocolate with your blanket and get started!
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