Molly’s YA Book Recommendations
1. The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton
The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender is one of my all time favorite books. This book is a both haunting and melancholy generational saga, chronicling the human experience of love. Leslye Walton weaves a bittersweet tale of love, loss and passion that is both painfully real, and unforgettably whimsical. The imagery of rainy days spent at Emelie’s bakery, and the extraordinary history of the house on Pinnacle lane will follow you long after you finish this book.
2. The Last True Poets of the Sea by Julia Drake
The Last True Poets of the Sea is an unforgettable story of love, loss, family, and finding yourself in the most unexpected places. When Violet Larkin’s brother Sam tries to kill himself, she suddenly finds herself staying with her Uncle Toby in the small town of Lyric Maine. Far from the wild parties of New York City that she had grown accustomed to, Violet takes this summer as an opportunity to reinvent herself. With a freshly shaven head, and a newfound interest in the town that her great grandmother founded, thanks to local ametuer historian Liv Stone, Violet sets off on a new adventure: recovering the wreck of the Lyric.
3. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
The Song of Achilles is an achingly beautiful reimagining of the story of Achilles by historian Madeline Miller. Though this book is technically not YA, I had to include it on this list because it is a magnificently written and heartbreaking story beloved by YA readers and fans of Greek Mythology everywhere. Miller’s prose brings to life the story of Achilles in poignant detail, with a strong focus on the historically overlooked relationship between Achilles and Patrocolus.
4. The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis
The Female of the Species is an insightful look at the prevalence of sexual abuse that women face today. Last year Alex Craft’s sister Anna’s body was found in the woods: raped, and murdered. The police never found the killer, but Alex did, and she got her revenge. McGinnis’s book follows Alex, Peekay, the preacher’s kid, and Jack, the star athlete, as they all navigate their senior year of high school. Peekay and Alex might be becoming friends, and Alex and Jack might be becoming something more, but Alex knows she can’t be trusted around people, and this year, she might just prove it.
5. My Heart and Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga
My Heart and Other Black Holes is the first book that ever made me cry. Sixteen-year-old physics nerd Aysel is plotting to kill herself, but she can’t do it alone. Her own mother can barely look at her, her classmates whisper behind her back, everyone knows what her father did, and they think she just might be like him. So Aysel signs up online to find herself a suicide partner, and she finds one in Roman, a boy haunted by family tragedy who is ready to end it all. But despite their differences, when Aysel and Roman meet, they grow unexpectedly closer, and Aysel begins to question her commitment to their suicide pact. The question is, can she convince Roman before it’s too late?
6. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is a book about friendship, love, family, and discovering who you are. Aristotle is an angry teen, who doesn’t want to end up in prison like his brother. Dante is a know-it-all with peculiar world views. When they meet at the pool one summer, they don’t understand each other, they seemingly have nothing in common. However curiosity and summertime boredom leads them to spend time together, and their seemingly doomed friendship blossoms. Through their friendship, Aristotle learns how to look at the beautiful things in life from a new angle, and Dante learns how to stay strong in the face of hardship, and eventually, they both learn the most important truths about themselves and who they want to be.