Reading is one of my favorite hobbies. It's a way to just escape when you need a break from the real world. Grab a snack, open a book, and get so involved in the story that you become oblivious to everything that is happening around you. If you need some suggestions on what to read, here are some books that will always make my top 10.

1. It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini

Where to start? This is one of the books that actually made me enjoy reading. Vizzini is one of my favorite authors because he makes his stories so relatable. In It's Kind of a Funny Story, Craig is a teen battling depression; he checks himself into a nearby hospital where he works toward a healthy mentality and makes new friends along the way. Dealing with serious topics such as depression and other mental illnesses, Vizzini also adds humor to his books in an attempt to end the stigma around mental illnesses and show that help is available.

2. The Cellar by Natasha Preston

Along with Vizzini, Preston is definitely one of my go-to authors. Her books tend to deal with teens living normal lives until one day something happens to completely alter their fate. In The Cellar, Preston tells the story from multiple perspectives, one being Summer or Lilly, as her kidnapper, Clover, refers to her. Besides Summer, Clover holds several other girls captive in his basement, and gives them new names to live by. Throughout the story Summer's boyfriend and family spend months trying to find the girl who had been stolen from their lives.

3. Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone

Every Last Word is another book that sheds some light on the topic of mental illnesses. Samantha McAllister is a junior in high school with tons of friends, but she has a secret she has yet to tell anyone besides her family; she has OCD. As the story progresses, she finds a place where she thinks she might fit in a little bit better. Upon discovering Poet's Corner, Sam begins to meet new people, and also her true self. Reading this book from the perspective of a girl dealing with OCD was extremely eye-opening; it showed me how people hide their true feelings because of the way others will see them. This book teaches the important lesson to live your life for you and no one else.

4. Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Simon Spier is a 16 year old boy in high school. He is involved with musicals, and he has one tiny secret; he's gay. Simon wants to keep his secret a secret, but while he is anonymously emailing a new friend, someone begins to catch on. Simon attempts to uncover the true identity of his friend without revealing his own, which proves to be quite challenging. As the story progresses, Simon begins to feel more comfortable with himself and the possibility of a new relationship. Albertalli's work is actually being made into a movie, and from the looks of the cast list, the movie should be doing the book some justice. Anyone who needs a little reminder of how important it is to be yourself should read this book. You won't regret it!

5. Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Chbosky writes Perks of Being a Wallflower from the perspective of Charlie writing in his journal. As a freshman in high school, Charlie is starting a difficult time in his life, being the introvert that he is. Other than a few bumps in the road, Charlie does find his way and begin to make some friends. Sam and Brad are seniors that help Charlie through his first year of high school, and also help him to be a bit more outgoing. This book does a great job of showing the difficulties faced by teens in high school. If you are in need of a relatable novel, Perks of Being a Wallflower is the way to go. It is a completely open and honest book that is worth the read.

6. Looking for Alaska by John Green

Miles "Pudge" Halter has lived at home his whole life, but decides to go off to boarding school and live life a bit more rebelliously. He meets Alaska who lives down the hall from him and she frequently pushes him out of his comfort zone. By the middle of the story, Pudge and Alaska are getting closer and closer every day until something no one would expect happens. Pudge's life is turned upside down after this. His goal to live a more adventurous life is most definitely accomplished. I have always been a fan of John Green and this book did not disappoint. I highly recommend it to anyone who reads young adult!

7. The List by Siobhan Vivian

The List is a prime example of how cruel high school can truly be. Each year an anonymous person makes a list of the prettiest and ugliest girls in each grade, from freshman to seniors. The book tells the story from the eight separate perspectives of girls on the list. It shows how much our perception of ourselves can be changed by what others say and think. Precautions are taken by the school, but the list is still intact every year. Many people deal with bullying, but this is a totally different kind. The "ugliest" girls are not the only ones affected by the list, the "prettiest" girls have to suffer from the harassment, as well. The victims have no idea who is behind it all, so they just deal with it until someone decides to step up and be the reason for change. Some people truly don't understand the effects one simple sentence can have on someone's life. The List really shows how far something meant to be a simple joke can end up going.

8. Suicide Notes by Michael Thomas Ford

Jeff doesn't see anything wrong with his thoughts or actions. He wakes up in the psychiatric wing of a hospital one day. Ford truly captures the mentality of someone who doesn't believe they have a problem when they obviously do. The story is told through Jeff's daily journal of his forty-five day experience, and shows how the right kind of persistent help can change one's mindset. Ford makes Jeff's mental illness a reality by not only showing the negative effects it has on his life, but by also adding a tinge of humor to the story to give a passage into Jeff's mind. This book was a quick read for me because I found it to be very entertaining, and I highly recommend it. Instead of romanticizing serious things the way some books do, this book showed the cold, hard truth of the situation.

9. Silence by Natasha Preston

To start off, this is another book by one of my favorite authors, Natasha Preston. She really captures the reader's attention and this book was no different. Oakley is fifteen years old and hasn't spoken for eleven years. No one knows why but by the end of the story the truth is revealed. Because of this, her best friend, Cole, must deal with the harsh reality which will soon affect everyone in Oakley's life. Once again, a book written by Preston kept me on the edge of my seat, and totally lost in the story.

10. One of us is Lying by Karen M. McManus

One of us is Lying tells the story of five students who had gotten detention, yet only four students walked out alive that day. The school, as well as the police officers, try to solve the case of which of the four students may have killed Simon because they all had motives. While reading this book, I found myself guessing who the true killer was the entire time! It was particularly interesting as more and more evidence was found, all of which pointed to different people, causing major confusion. I strongly suggest this book to anyone who likes to be kept waiting and guessing. It is hard to read the whole thing and not just skip to the end to find out what happens, but trust me, it's worth it!