New, Best Young Adult Fiction « Imagination Soup | Fun Learning and Play Activities for Kids

Posted by Melissa Taylor on 23 Oct 2011
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Yay! It’s time for my favorite books – the best in young adult fiction! You know how much I love young adult fiction, right? Of course, if you have teenagers, this list is for them as well. But, if you haven’t read any YA books yourself, give one a try. They’re great entertainment and you can read them in one or two sittings. (Plus, you know all the words and it’s better, MUCH better, than T.V.)

This fall, there are many new and great YA books to recommend for you and your teenager.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
When I first looked at the description of this book, I wasn’t sure I wanted to read it – a book about the devil? But, I read too many raving reviews not to give it a chance . . . I’m so glad I did, for many reasons – the writing, the concept, the plot, the characters totally blew my mind. Taylor created a totally original, completely compelling mythical world; it’s a world split into two sides, the Chimera and the Angels. Our heroine, art student raised by a sorrcer named Brimstone, Karou, knows about the monsters, at least she thinks she does. Adding to the mystery and adventure is a forbidden romance between Karou and a beautiful angel named Akiva. I’ll admit, I couldn’t put this down but after I finished, I had some seriously freaky dreams! (Giving you fair warning.)

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
What if a plane carrying beauty queens crashed on a desert island? And someone wrote the book about it? Well, it would be a hilarious satire with meaningful life lessons.

Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry
I didn’t even know what a zombie really was until I read this book. I wanted to give the zombie fiction a try. Surprisingly, I liked it. The author skillfully made the zombies somewhat sympathetic – a difficult task to be sure.

Fever Crumb by Philip Reeve
A totally original story of an orphan, Fever, who is raised by a scientist in the order of Engineers. She begins having strange memories and wants to know the mystery of who she is – if she’s a non-human Scrivener and where she came from.

Enclave by Ann Aguirre
I totally enjoyed this adventurous story of Deuce, who at fifteen becomes a huntress who will hunt for food outside her tribe’s underground enclave. When Deuce is assigned a partner named, Fade, who came from the outside, she begins to wonder about everything she’s accepted as truth.

Red Glove by Holly Black
A delicious reading treat of magic and the mob and book #2 in the Curse Workers series. Cassel’s family members are workers, meaning they have magic abilities in different areas but Cassel doesn’t know what his specialty is, or so he thinks. And, when his brother is murdered, both the mob and the Feds want Cassel’s help.

Wither by Lauren DeStephano
Another good dystopian book. (I know, I love them!) In this world, humans die at 25 years of age so young girls are kidnapped, married, and mated to rich young men. Young bride, Rhine, wants to escape but becomes attached to her pregnant sister bride and one of the servants.

Jane by April Lindner
This modern Jayne Eyre shows us a Jane who is forced to drop out of college and accepts a nanny job for a rock star, Nico Rathburn. It’s an easy read that would entice most girls to read the real Jayne Eyre upon completion.

A World Without Heroes by Brandon Mull
An entertaining new series about two kids from our world, Jason and Rachel, suddenly transport into a new world where evil reigns and rebels are too few to overcome it. By the same author of the Fablehaven series.

Divergent by Veronica Roth
Another awesome dystopian book – one is one of the best! Tris must pick her faction from the five choices. She picks a different faction than the one from which she’s been raised and she discovers the world is not as it seems. Nor is she.

Variant by Robison Wells
This might be one of my top 10 books of the year! It’s a wild ride that kept me guessing. Variant defies the stereotypes of typical dystopian novels. Benson feels lucky to attend Maxfield Academy on scholarship only once he gets inside, he’s locked in with the other kids without adults.

Where She Went by Gayle Forman
The sequel to If I Stay, where Mia’s family was killed, now Mia is at Juillard and broken-up with Adam. We follow Mia as she meets a different, rock-star, Adam after all these years. I loved the tension and how Forman wraps up the story.

If you have a teenager, consider reading the books together or encouraging him or her to start a book club. For more recommendations, see my 20 YA Books for Parents on Babble.com.