In high school, I strictly read YA dystopian novels because after "The Hunger Games" movies came out, I felt like a whole new person. It's safe to say Sci-Fi novels, in general, have had a great impact on my teenage years, so I've decided to share with you the novels I think are worth anyone's time, even for a Nicholas Sparks lover.

1. "The 5th Wave" by Rick Yancey

This trilogy I regard as some of the best books I've read in my (short) lifetime. Rick Yancey has a talent for giving so much depth to characters that force the reader to connect with each one. In turn, he rips your heart open in many ways. The novels prominently follow a teenage girl named Cassie as she finds the strength to survive in a world ravaged by alien invaders. At first, this sounds like some YA bs, but believe me, the novels are so well written I often wonder if they should change the rating.

2. "Legend" by Marie Lu

Marie Lu has an art for creating worlds so diverse and realistic, you wonder if that type of future is imminent. Lu is one of the few authors that makes it clear her main characters are POC and mostly women. The story follows teenagers Day, the most-wanted criminal in the country, and June, a prodigy, as they uncover the sinister world of the Republic. Warning: you're in for some tear-jerkers in the last book.

3. "Ready Player One" by Ernest Cline

If you haven't read the novel and were just waiting for the movie to come out, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?? As much as I am excited about the movie, I will give into the trope, "The book is way better." Teenager Wade Watts has an affinity for 80s culture, even though it's 2044. Reality is an ugly, scary place, and the only escape is through the OASIS, a virtual utopia. When the creator of OASIS passes away, Wade is determined to find the hidden Easter egg of the game and inherit the creator's millions, but so is the rest of the world. If you're looking for a novel that is highly realistic, the world described in "Ready Player One" seems hauntingly familiar, if you get what I mean.

4. "They Both Die At The End" by Adam Silvera

This book is for the Nicholas Sparks and "Black Mirror" lover in your life, although you may have already guessed the ending. This heart-wrenching story follows two teenagers on their "End Day," and desperate to make a friend before they die, they turn to an app called "Last Friend." The two are about to live a lifetime together in a single day. Did you keep the tissues from "Legend?" Good, because you'll need them again.

5. Anything by H.P. Lovecraft