As someone who is never without a book, I am always looking for new ones to read.

I’ll basically read anything. My current pile includes two fiction novels, a biography, a classic, and well-loved reread. Since I was little, I always tried to be ahead of the curve and skip the age-appropriate content. I was the kid trying to read My Sister’s Keeper and James Patterson novels while my classmates worked through A Series of Unfortunate Events. However, now that I’m past the prime age of YA novels, I’ve discovered there are some great ones out there. They are the perfect escape from real life pressure and stress.

They have great advice and life lessons while still being relatively easy and quick reads. Here is my list of the YA novels that people of every age should read.

1. "Perks Of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky

The heartbreaker of a novel is a YA classic. Written in 1999 and made into a movie (a pretty great one, at that) in 2012, the book has us read Charlie's, the main character, letters to an unknown friend. We watch as the socially awkward and introverted Charlie navigating freshman year of high school while coping with the trauma of his best friend committing suicide and his aunt passing away. As Charlie's life unfolds, we watch him struggle and unravel with some triumphs and successes along the way. Both the movie and book are devastating in the best way. This one is for anyone who has ever felt like a misfit, struggled with mental health or just couldn't figure out who they were (Which is probably all of us).

2. "Girls, Drums, and Dangerous Pie" by Jordan Sonnenblick

I read this book for the first time in 5th grade and I've reread enough that the pages are falling out. The book follows Steven Alper, an 8th-grade band geek, whose 5-year-old brother is diagnosed with leukemia. We watch as the family grieves in different ways and attempts to cope with crisis after crisis. The book gives a heartbreaking but endearing look into the life of someone on the sidelines of disease while still trying to live a normal life. While the book is a bit young for the YA target group, it is still a great read. If you want something that will make you smile and laugh while breaking your heart into pieces, this is the book for you.

3. "Before I Fall" by Lauren Oliver

A tale of second chances and how to be the best version of you, Lauren Oliver's debut novel hits right in the heart and makes you rethink everything. Samantha Kingston has everything a high school girl could ever want. But after a party on February 12th, Samantha dies in an accident (Not a spoiler!). But then she wakes up and its February 12th all over again. Samantha keeps reliving this day in order to find a way to survive and change how she lives. This rollercoaster takes you through a love/hate relationship with Samantha and the events happening to her. This is a book you won't want to put down because you'll need to know the ending.

4. "We Were Liars" by E. Lockhart

If you're looking for a plot twist, this is the book for you. The story follows Cadence Sinclair Eastman, a member of the distinguished and seemingly perfect Sinclair clan, as she spends the summer on their private island with her extended family and the gang of "liars". That's all I can say without giving something away. This book is filled with love, heartbreak, plot twists, and devastation. E. Lockhart's writing style is a personal favorite of mine. The twist at the end will break your heart and leave you stunned for days. I'm never one to care about spoilers but We Were Liars is the exception.

5. "The Hunger Games" series by Suzanne Collins

A staple on the YA lists of today, the Hunger Games is great series for fans of the dystopian universe and a hero's tale. Chances are you know the plot from the movie or from your friends arguing over the Peeta vs. Gale debate. Katniss Everdeen is from a poor family in District 12. She is selected for the Hunger Games, an annual competition where participants from each district fight to the death. The series follows Katniss's journey through the Games and the subsequent rebellion. The books are great hero's tale that everyone can appreciate.

6. "The Harry Potter" series by J.K. Rowling

I really don't think I need to write a description for this but for continuity's sake, here we go. Harry Potter's parents are killed when he is a baby and he goes to live with the Dursley's, his horribly mean and boring aunt, uncle and cousin. Everything is terrible until Harry finds out he is the most famous kid in the wizarding world. He begins school at Hogwarts and for 7 books, insanity, magic, and heartbreak ensues. It's the most classic of YA books and beloved by its fervent fanbase. It's J.K Rowling's world and us Potterheads are just living in it.

7. "Looking For Alaska" by John Green

John Green is considered a YA god these days. If you were a teenage girl in the early 2010s, chances are you've read one of his books. I'm not the biggest John Green fan but that's a story for another time. I have read all of his books, except the newest, and my favorite is Looking for Alaska. The story follows Miles AKA Pudge as he searches for adventure and his "Greats Perhaps" at his new boarding school. Enter Alaska Young, the beautiful, dangerous and damaged girl down the hall. The book weaves together their shenanigans, heartbreak, and teenage musings while finishing off with a punch in the gut. It's a book you'll love or hate. Whether you give it 1 star or 5, it's worth the read.

8. "The Graveyard Book" by Neil Gaiman

I could rave about The Graveyard Book for days. It sparked my obsession with Neil Gaiman's writing and will forever be one of my favorites. The story follows Nobody Owens, a boy who was raised in a graveyard by the ghouls, ghosts, and creatures who live there. We follow Bod as he grows from a baby to adolescent and learns about how family's past, how he ended up in the graveyard and what is destined to do. The way Gaiman seamlessly weaves reality and fantasy together is why I love his writing so much. He walks the fine line between supernatural and earthly effortlessly. I could write about this book for days so I'll stop here and just say its a must read.

9. "Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children" by Ransom Riggs

This one is for the Sci-Fi/Fantasy person who is sick of wizards and vampires. The story follows Jacob Portman who has been traumatized by the unusual death of his grandfather, Abraham. Jacob believes that the stories told by his grandfather, ones of man-eating monsters and peculiar children, are true and goes to Wales to find out. Time loops, freakshow-like traits, and insanity is punctuated by creepy photographs found by the author at flea markets. Things get a little wild in book two and three but I really enjoyed the series. If you love fantasy and history, this is a great set of books for you.

10. "TTYL" series by Lauren Myracle

Written completely in IM conversations (Like texting but through the internet, for the late 2000s babies), this series follows the friendship of three very different girls, Angela, Zoey, and Madigan, as they navigate high school, boyfriends, and mean girls. The series is funny and honest while dealing with issues that aren't commonly touched upon in YA books. There are 4 books in the series, with the first 3 chronicling high school and the 4th discussing college. I read these in middle school and they probably weren't the most age appropriate. Rereading them now brings back a lot of 2000s nostalgia, which anyone can appreciate and enjoy.

11. "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" series by Ann Brashares

This book series chronicles the intertwined lives of four different girls who have been best friends since birth. Lena, Tibby, Bridget, and Carmen have been inseparable. The first book tells the story of their first summer apart, keeping in touch by sending a pair of "magical" pants that mysteriously fit them all through the mail. The four books in the original series document all of the usual struggles of teenage life and growing up with some extra heavy stuff thrown in along the way. The fifth book, Sisterhood Everlasting, takes places years in the future as the girls attempt to reunite and close old wounds and take back their lives. The books are great coming of age stories that spawned two movies and launched the career then newcomer of Blake Lively. (We can all be grateful for that).

12. "The Opposite of Loneliness" by Marina Keegan

Marina Keegan was killed in a car accident 5 days after she graduated Magna Cum Laude from Yale University. The Opposite of Loneliness is a collection of her essays and fictional short stories that were published after her passing. While the tragic backstory gave the book some publicity, the writing speaks for itself. The titular piece was her commencement speech and captures the college experience and what we all want out of life. The raw and relatable writing is full of inspiration and different perspectives. I'm not sure if this is actually considered a YA book but I think it fits the bill.

If you're more of a movie person, numbers 1, 3, 5, 6, 9 and 11 are all out on DVD, Netflix, Hulu or Amazon. (But trust me, the books are always better!)