Last week I wrote about a couple of television series that got me through some tough times of adolescence, but before Netflix was popular, I stayed sane by reading books. Books were honestly the s--- when I was a kid. It might be a bit embarrassing to admit, but what could better than read in days at school? The pajamas, having to read the next “Harry Potter” book before the movie came out and the girls swooning over “Twilight;” it truly was a time to be alive. But believe it or not, but “Twilight” and books that were part of high school curriculum (Shakespeare was torture; let’s not act like it wasn’t) aren’t the only books that exist. I’m sure you’ve strolled through the teen section at Barnes & Noble and found yourself surrounded by a plethora of supernatural romance novels. A lot of it is trash, I won’t lie, but here are few books that’ll make entering young adulthood a smoother transition.
10. At least one Sarah Dessen book
These books get pretty repetitive (girl meets boy, they fall in love it and it changes the girl’s life), but they’re sort of classics for teenage girls. They aren’t as corny or intense as some other teen romances. It also says something that I like them, because they are all realistic fiction and I hate realistic fiction most of the time. I mean if I wanted to be in real life, I wouldn’t be spending my time reading, but I liked these nevertheless. I have only read three of her books, like I said before they get a bit repetitive. I read “Just Listen," “Lock & Key” and “Along for the Ride." “Lock & Key” was the most popular among my friends, and it’s easy to see why. It was one of Dessen’s only books with an outgoing protagonist. Most of Dessen’s books were about the shy and quiet girl who always follows the rules and needs to be broken out of her shell, but “Lock & Key” follows Ruby, a girl who is the exact opposite, an absolute pessimist, with a bad attitude who does drugs and is a fan of running away from problems. Besides the romance, Dessen’s novels also come with their fair share of family and friend drama. My personal favorite was “Just Listen” because it handled a deeper topic than most of her other books; although you wouldn’t be able to tell by the summary on the back of the book, there wasn’t that much of an emphasis on the romance, plus it was easy to identify with the impressionable outcast, Annabel.
9. “The Perks of Being A Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky
Yet another exception to my disdain for realistic fiction, this novel might seem like a cliche due to it’s recent popularity given the movie adaptation and the one corny iconic line that everyone knows, “In this moment. I swear we are infinite,” but the cliches aside this book means tears and is a pretty good guide for teenagers who are a bit quiet, naive and sad. Adolescence is a constant battle of trying to make friends and then having to maintain those friendships, which can be hard when you don’t speak as much as you should and social interactions are a difficulty. Charlie is a relatable and sweet character that still manages to remain interesting throughout the novel and, despite not saying much, he does think a lot, and getting to hear these thoughts should be comforting to any teen.
8. “Monument 14" series by Emmy Laybourne
Dystopian societies are abundant in the teen reading section nowadays, but this series takes place during the apocalypse, not after. The thing that really makes the first book unique is the setting. A bunch of kids are stuck in a superstore during massive storms and chemical spills. Imagine the world is ending, and you’re stuck in a giant Walmart-like store with the kids from your school bus and no adult supervision whatsoever. That is what happens in this book, and the results are wild. The characters are distinct and the stakes are high. “Monument 14” is better than the regular run of the mill "Hunger Games" wannabes.
7. “Beautiful Creatures" series by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
If you need an escape from the harsh reality and stress of your teenage years, this fantasy will take you as far away as you need to go. The fantasy world of castors (kind of like witches and warlocks) in the series is so intricately built and well structured it will have you believing it might actually exist. The story follows Ethan Wate, a regular teenage boy who desperately wants to leave his boring southern small town, until he meets a castor named Lena, who shows Ethan that there is a lot more to his small town than he thinks. This series is great for young escapists because it follows a totally normal not at all magical kid being introduced to a very magical world. And who wouldn’t want to live in a world where there is magic right under your nose?
6. “The Wolves of Mercy Falls" series by Maggie Stiefvater
Now if you want a supernatural romance, this is the one you should read. This series, made up of the books "Shiver," "Linger," "Forever" and "Sinner," seriously made me cry. The love between Sam and Grace was passionate without ever being vomit inducing (cough cough "Twilight"). The writing in the series was amazingly poetic and beautiful, partly because of the fact that the seasons played such a big part in how events took place. One thing I love about this love story is that it starts with the main characters, Sam and Grace, as children, and I am a sucker for when the narrator is constantly being switched. Throughout the series, the point of views change around from Sam, a werewolf who rather hates being a werewolf, to Grace, a stoic yet sweet girl, to Isabel, a blunt teenager with a hell of an attitude and Cole, a former rockstar/drug addict turned werewolf. These characters will grow on you so fast you won’t even see it coming. You know how every teenage girl’s dream was a sparkly vampire? These books will have you asking for a kind, songwriting werewolf instead.
5. “Paper Towns” by John Green
John Green is seen as overrated at this point, it suffices to say. But I couldn’t help but put this novel on the list because I felt as if it were voicing my exact thoughts. I feel like most teenagers are dreamers like Margo trapped inside practical Quentin’s. First of all, this story automatically grabs you with the flashback to when Margo and Quentin are kids, and they see the dead body in the park. Second, of all the quotes. John Green is the master of metaphors and while I felt that in some of his novels they come off as a bit pretentious, “Paper Towns” just had straight truths. Third, I felt like this perfectly captured the two different perspectives on the future that teenagers have. Quentin wants the quintessential college, job, wife and kids, while Margo seeks out something more than just a mundane mapped out life. The movie really doesn’t do this book justice.
4. “The Catcher In The Rye” by J.D. Salinger
Unlike Shakespeare, "A Separate Peace" and "Lord of the Flies," this was one book I was forced to read in high school that I actually didn’t hate. Most of my classmates didn’t take much liking to the novel, claiming Holden was too whiny and annoying. But that’s exactly what I love about it; I can relate! I’m whiny and annoying too! Most teenagers are! I enjoyed hearing depressed and empty Holden’s thoughts and reading about what he does while trying to figure his own mind out.
3. “The Skinjacker" trilogy by Neal Shusterman
Any description I give this series won’t do justice to these books. They are a completely wild mess of art, from a disgusting shapeshifting monster, to body snatching, to a boy literally turning into chocolate. This strange series starts off like any other normal supernatural story when Nick and Allie both die in a car accident and get stuck in Everlost, a limbo for dead kids, no adults. You know that chaos is afoot whenever there aren’t any adults. This entire series is chaotic as Allie and Nick learn to navigate the weird world they are now apart of. Along the way they meet characters like Mary, the queen and mother to all of the kids who cross her path and the Mcgill, a terrifying monster with a secret, and Allie finds out she is a skinjacker, who can possess living people’s bodies. If you want fantasy this is a fantasy on acid and it’s a lot of fun to read.
2. “Percy Jackson & The Olympians”/ “The Heroes of Olympus”/ “The Kane Chronicles”/ “Magnus Chase & The Gods of Asgard” by Rick Riordan
These books are my childhood, and as long as Rick Riordan continues to write these series my childhood will go on into my 20s. “Percy Jackson & The Olympians” follows Percy as he maneuvers life as a demigod, specifically a child of Poseidon, and goes on several quests from the ages of 12 through 16. Puberty is hard; imagine having to save the world all of the time while going through it. “The Heroes of Olympus” is a spinoff of the Percy Jackson books, introducing a new prophecy and new characters and Roman gods instead of Greek gods like in the original series. “The Kane Chronicles” is Riordan’s Egyptian series featuring main characters Carter and Sadie Kane, the children of a magician. “Magnus Chase & The Gods of Asgard” is also connected to Percy Jackson, but only slightly since the main character, Magnus, happens to be Percy’s girlfriend Annabeth’s cousin, and this series includes Norse mythology. Why must you read all of these series that add up to a grand total of 14 books so far? Because they are fun. They might not teach you a lot of everyday lessons, but it is one hell of an adventure. My favorites include the “The Last Olympian," “The Lost Hero” and “The Mark of Athena."
1. “Before I Fall” by Lauren Oliver
