Pop-Culturalist.com

2016 was a great year for young adult books (especially ones that got our pulses racing and our hearts swooning). It was a crowded field, to be sure, but these stood out from the pack and lingered on in our minds long after we read them. Full disclaimer: I work at Penguin Random House but the opinions below are my own (and I wouldn’t put it on here if I didn’t truly love it). Here are Pop Culturalist’s favorites from last year (in no particular order):

The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon

Nicola Yoon’s second young adult novel focuses on Natasha, a Jamaican immigrant, and Daniel, a Korean-American wannabe poet. The reader follows the two of them on Natasha’s last legal day in America as she runs around trying to get clearance to stay in the States and Daniel has a college admissions interview for Yale. The two keep meeting all over New York City until the pull they feel towards one another proves too strong to resist.

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

Ruta Sepetys is a master of writing historical fiction that is both gripping and relatable. SALT TO THE SEA is a fast-paced retelling of a little-known tragedy during World War II. Sepetys switches between her main characters’ viewpoints and keeps the tension ratcheting up as they run for their lives in hopes of getting aboard a ship that is carrying refugees from East Prussia to safety.

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

Crooked Kingdom is the sequel to Six of Crows–and what a sequel it is. Bardugo weaves the tale of her gang of thieves, murderers, and criminal masterminds against a richly detailed world. The fantastical plot is full of as many twists and turns as the narrow streets of Ketterdam, where the story takes place. Can Kaz Brekker and his gang pull off the biggest heist of their lives? You’ll have to read on to find out.

The Winner’s Kiss by Marie Rutkoski

This is the last book in The Winner’s Trilogy and what a book it is. Perfect for fans of Megan Whalen Turner’s exquisite Attolia books, this historical fantasy series centers on Kestrel, a general’s daughter, and Arin, a slave. Their roles shift throughout the story, but one thing is clear: Kestrel is extremely clever and you’ll enjoy following along as she outwits and outmaneuvers the enemy.

Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum

Jessie’s the new girl at a fancy prep school in Los Angeles (where she couldn’t feel more out of place if she were wearing a big sign saying NOT FROM HERE)–all she knows is that she has to make the best of it. When an anonymous email arrives offering help, Jessie’s suspicious at first, but soon she’s exchanging messages all the time with her mysterious benefactor. Who is it and what do they want? Find out in this heart-warming, funny contemporary young adult romance.

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

Yes, this is another sequel (what can I do, this is how the books come out) but it’s somehow even better than the first book, A Court of Thorns and Roses. This fantasy page-turner keeps the action moving while also taking the time to explore Feyre’s very real reactions to the darkness that she had to endure in the first book. Plus, there is sizzling romance. What more can you ask for from a book? Oh, and there are faeries. And magic.

A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir

ANOTHER SEQUEL! is probably what you’re thinking. CHRISTINE, NO MORE SEQUELS! I promise, no more. This is also the last book in the list so… I’m keeping that promise! You’re welcome. This is the sequel to An Ember in the Ashes. The action picks up right where the first book ends, with Laia and Elias on the run. Again (are you seeing a pattern here?), this is a fantasy set in essentially an alternate version of Rome, where there is the Empire, and those who serve the Empire.

I’d love to read your comments–do you agree or disagree with the list above? What would you add or take off?

Photo Credit: Barrington Books