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Best YA Books of 2018 That You (Probably) Haven’t Read Yet

We’ve already given you the Best YA Books of 2018, but did you know that we have another list of awesome books that we love? 

This year has delivered us some really amazing books, including the ones listed on our Best YA Books of 2018, which many, if not all, were listed as New York Times bestsellers. But that doesn’t mean that other YA books were not good reads. In fact, we felt that these books deserved mentioning even if they weren’t labeled a bestseller, so here’s our list of Best YA Books of 2018 that you (probably) haven’t read yet. Give one or all of them a chance to be part of your “read” list in the coming year.

Listed in alphabetical order.

Lara recommends ALL WE CAN DO IS WAIT by Richard Lawson

It’s not every day one finds a book that handles tragedy with such grace. There are a handful of main characters in Lawson’s novel, but each one is fully rounded and someone the reader wants to be okay, even when considering all of their mistakes and flaws. The narration changes from character to character with each chapter, giving the reader a broad view. Lawson’s words will elicit a smile and a clench of the heart.

Order it on Indiebound or Amazon.

Molly recommends MEM by Bethany C. Morrow

Mem is a very hard novel to explain. It is centred around 1920s Montreal, though in this version of history, a scientist discovers a way to have memories extracted from one’s mind. These memories look like clones of the person, though they are always stuck at the same age, forever trapped in their memory until they eventually expire. However, there is one mem, Dolores Extract #1, who becomes sentient, aware of herself as something separate from her source. The novel follows her as she tries to figure out her life as both a person and an object. Morrow writes in harrowing, thought-provoking prose that will have you thinking about this book for months after you finish.

Order it on Indiebound or Amazon.

Carolina recommends MY SO-CALLED BOLLYWOOD LIFE by Nisha Sharma

Nisha Sharma’s debut novel stole my heart. Quite literally, to be honest! It is such a cute and swoony contemporary featuring three Indian-American teens stuck in the middle of a love triangle and a family prophecy that makes everything go bananas. It is full of clichés and tropes, but they are so well done, you won’t even notice they’re there! It is light-hearted and a perfect book to devour by the beach next summer.

Order it on Indiebound or Amazon.

Nat recommends NEANDERTHAL OPENS THE DOOR TO THE UNIVERSE by Preston Norton

There have so far been two books that have stuck in my mind in a surprising and thought-provoking way, and Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe is one of them. This contemporary novel of a young man trying to just get through life after the death of his older brother hits us in a very real way, even for ones who haven’t had to deal with such trauma, because author Preston Norton writes his characters very realistically. Not only that, but he brings a good amount of humor into the story, which gives some balance to the dark and troubling issues that are brought up, including bullying, abuse, and suicide. The door to the universe has been opened, and you should read about it.

Order it on Indiebound or Amazon.

Carolina recommends THE SUMMER OF JORDI PEREZ (AND THE BEST BURGER IN LOS ANGELES) by Amy Spalding

The Summer of Jordi Perez, although not one of my absolute favorite books ever, stands out for its stunning diversity and fun, summery atmosphere. Not only does this magnificent book star a fat fashion blogger as the protagonist of this love story, she’s also gay! This book is full of drool-worthy burgers and it is the utter definition of a rainbow. Such a great read indeed!

Order it on Indiebound or Amazon.

Kait recommends TESS OF THE ROAD by Rachel Hartman

I went into Tess of the Road not expecting much of anything– I hadn’t read Hartman’s earlier works and I didn’t know much other that the fact that is was a fantasy adventure. What I found was an emotional, compassionate tale of an imperfect young woman facing her haunting past through stark realism while on a fantastical journey. It’s not action-packed, but it kept me up at night thinking about Tess and society’s standards for women. It’s long and moves slowly at times, but if you want a story with an unshakeable heart, feminist roots, and the realest lead ever, look no further.

Order it on Indiebound or Amazon.

Kait recommends TO KILL A KINGDOM by Alexandra Christo

Mermaids and retellings of The Little Mermaid have been very trendy this year, but To Kill A Kingdom was the book that really hit the nail on the head. Princess Lira is a vicious sirens who specifically targets princes, until the day she’s punished for a crime of necessity by being turned into a human. In the midst of her transformation, Lira the human finds herself among a team of siren hunters, including the heir to a mighty throne, Prince Elian. Part dark fairy tale, part fantastical adventure, this story moves at lightning speed and has a great cast of characters.

Order it on Indiebound or Amazon.

By Nat, the Geek Girl

Southern California native who likes movies, books (Shadowhunter Chronicles, NA, YA fantasy, Red Rising series), TV shows (The Sandman), and San Diego Comic-Con. I also like to write, but don't get to do much of that aside from on here. I fell into the BTS rabbit hole, and I refuse to leave.