You’ve probably read, seen, or at least heard about John Green’s "The Fault in Our Stars." Beyond that, you likely think Young Adult fiction is about silly high school romances and stupid Harry Potter wannabes. But YA is home to countless hidden gems – books about people, about mental illness, about love, about bullying, about complex issues that are often absent from much of literary fiction. Here are eight books to change your mind about YA.

1. "Will Grayson, Will Grayson" by John Green and David Levithan

Written with alternating chapters by each author, this book follows two protagonists, both named Will Grayson. It examines issues of loneliness and belonging as well as acceptance for members of the LGBTQ* community.

2. "Thirteen Reasons Why" by Jay Asher

Asher’s heartbreaking novel follows Clay as he listens to the thirteen tapes Hannah made before she killed herself. This book centers around bullying and its effects.

3. "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky

You might have seen the movie with Logan Lerman, but the book has so many more nuanced subtleties. Written in the form of letters from protagonist Charlie, “Perks” examines human relationships and the fears of belonging that never really go away.

4. "Eleanor and Park" by Rainbow Rowell

Set in 1986, Rowell’s novel follows the title characters as they discover each other and themselves. The appeal of this book lies not only in the heartwarming story but also in that the characters are not skinny, white, perfect little gumdrops.

5. "The Vast Fields of Ordinary" by Nick Burd

Dade has found comfort hiding in the closet, where no one else need know what he thinks about the other boys. Slowly he starts to realize that the man he wants to be doesn’t cower behind closed doors. Burd’s novel captures the feeling of not fitting in, of wondering if you’re the only person who ever feels this sad.

6. "It’s Kind of a Funny Story" by Ned Vizzini

15-year-old Craig experiences extraordinary stress that causes him to consider suicide. After deciding exactly how to kill himself, he calls 1-800-SUICIDE and is admitted into a psychiatric hospital, where he meets Noelle, who helps him confront the demons that lay in the outside world.

7. "Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac" by Gabrielle Zevin

After Naomi wakes up with amnesia, she doesn’t remember anything from the last five years of her life. The clues she finds, like a record of her calorie intake and the rude boyfriend who climbed in her window, make her hate the girl she was. Sometimes forgetting is just what a girl needs to remember who she wanted to be.

8. "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime" by Mark Haddon

Now a Tony-winning Broadway play, “Curious Incident” follows Christopher, an autistic boy, as he investigates who killed his neighbor’s dog. The investigation sends Christopher on the grandest adventure he’s ever had, and along the way, he discovers a huge secret his father had been keeping from him.