In the past year, I wrote a graduate thesis and planned a wedding. Reading, though always my dearest love, was not top of my priority list during this time. With the help of a couple co-workers, though, I was able to curate a list of phenomenal Young Adult titles released in 2015.
Nimona by Noelle Stevenson
Probably my favorite YA title of 2015, I started reading Noelle Stevenson’s graphic novel back when she was posting it by page online, but stopped once I heard it’d been picked up for publication.
Lord Ballister Blackheart, the not-so-bad bad guy, hires a sidekick and shapeshifter named Nimona to help him fight the power of the kingdom and Sir Goldenloin. However, Nimona’s unpredictability and mysterious past begin to make Blackheart question his decision to hire such an unreadable companion. It will definitely make you laugh, probably make you cry, and stay with you long after you’ve finished.
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
This is a spin-off series from Bardugo’s Grisha trilogy, but you don’t have to have read them to understand and enjoy this new series. A fantasy heist, a group of teenagers are hired to find and save a scientist being forced to produce an addictive grisha-killing substance. There are lots of characters and flips between perspectives, but it’s done well with interesting backstories and smooth transitioning. There is all of the shipping with satisfying pair-offs, but the focus is on the action and plot. There’s a bit of a cliff-hanger, but one that leaves you wanting more, not frustrated. There’s diversity in many forms as well, without being heavy-handed. The only shortcoming is that the characters’ stated ages do not seem appropriate to their skills or attitude – they should be aged up at least five years.
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
This book. Have you read this book? You should read this book right now. I read this book in two days while waiting in line for panels at Katsucon. I was hooked from the first page, and it was everything I could’ve hoped for and more. Simon is cynical, hilarious, and still in the closet. The whole book is about two boys adorably falling in love and helping each other come to terms with themselves, told in a totally relatable way. If you’re looking for a light, well-written, happy romance, regardless of sexuality, this is the one to grab.
Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
A space opera with zombies created by an evil corporation, an insane artificial intelligence, and a pair of star-crossed teenage lovers. Every genre cliche, yet this book is absorbing, a work of art with adrenaline-pumping action. The way documents are used to craft the narrative never feels like a gimmick, and the authors worked well together to create two sides that mesh seamlessly. Buy the physical book for formatting and art– it is well worth it.
Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson
Just like Oregon Trail but with a lot less dysentery! This was a really unique take on the Gold Rush time period, and a great survival story.
Lee has a very special ability – she can sense gold. When her uncle murders her parents to take advantage of Lee’s gift, she must disguise herself as a boy and run away across the country to California, seeking out her best friend as she races between dangerous situations. This sweeping new trilogy has readers nostalgic for Laura Ingalls Wilder books while still caught up in Lee’s journey to escape her uncle and keep her ability a secret from the other gold-rushers.
All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
Two troubled teens meet on the ledge of the school’s bell tower. Instead of jumping to their death, they leap into an unlikely romance. Popular Violet feels guilty about surviving the car accident that killed her sister. Finch struggles with bipolar disorder and his outcast status at school. The setup sounds gimmicky, but this book explores depression with brutal honesty as well as humor. The perspective switches between Violet and Finch, and it is an incredibly important portrayal of mental illness with an approach of understanding and compassion, not stigma.
Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy
I love books that have characters that feel real in their emotions and actions, and Dumplin’ delivers in this aspect for sure. It’s about Willowdean, a fat girl who knows she’s fat and is perfectly fine with it. She becomes so frustrated with her small Texas town’s (and mother’s) obsession with the local beauty pageant that she decides to compete, to shake things up and show the world that she can be just as impressive as any skinny girl. Throw in drag queens, Dolly Parton songs, and an adorable love interest, and you’ve got one excellent, hilarious, and important YA novel.
—
What were some of your favorite YA books of 2015? Let us know in the comments!
