The best YA books for any age reader

Caroline B. Cooney instantly drew me in with her book's gripping premise: Janie Johnson, your typical high school girl, spots her three-year-old self on a missing child alert on a milk carton during lunch. Suddenly, she's swept into a deep, psychological journey filled with doubt and fear about her own family. Could the parents she loves actually have kidnapped her? I was hooked by the exploration of identity and belonging, as Janie's turmoil—her fear, confusion, and anger—felt really real and relatable.

I found it impossible to put down because you're desperate to uncover the truth alongside Janie. Each revelation about her past tests her relationships and challenges her understanding of love and family. This novel is so unforgettable for me because it blends intense personal drama with the thrill of a mystery. It's not just a story about a potential kidnapping; it's a journey into what defines a family and how love shapes us. And it absolutely keeps you hooked until the last page. 

Lois Duncan's book really struck a chord with me, primarily because it takes such a dark turn from what starts as a seemingly typical high school prank (glad I hadn’t read this before writing my book!

The story revolves around a group of students who plan to kidnap their strict English teacher, Mr. Griffin, to scare him into being less harsh with his grading. But when the prank goes horribly wrong, leading to Mr. Griffin's accidental death, the real drama starts.

Duncan does a great job showing the panic and moral dilemmas faced by the students as they decide whether to come clean or cover up their deeds. What I really liked the most was how the book explored peer pressure and how easily authority can be undermined by youthful recklessness. Each character is drawn into this web of deceit, showing how quickly things can spiral out of control when bad decisions are made in the heat of the moment.

Duncan doesn't just tell a story about a crime; she delves into the psychological impacts on each character involved, making it a gripping and thought-provoking read. The way the story unfolds, revealing the layers of each character's involvement and personal struggles, kept me hooked. This book is a haunting look at the consequences of actions driven by fear and peer pressure and is a great read.

This book by Barry Lyga absolutely captivated me with its intense, dark narrative.

The story centers around Jasper "Jazz" Dent, who grew up as the son of the country’s most notorious serial killer. (Talk about a family tree!) Having been exposed to gruesome lessons in murder from a very young age, Jazz is haunted by the fear that he might follow in his father’s footsteps.

It helps explore the terrifying notion of nature versus nurture. Jazz’s battle with his own potential for evil is chilling, and it makes the read not just a thriller but a deep dive into his fight for a normal life. As bodies start appearing in Jazz's small town, he recognizes patterns that match his father’s killings, and so he starts to help the police. The pacing is superb, intertwining Jazz’s personal demons with a gripping murder investigation.

What really makes this novel stand out for me is Jazz himself—he really straddles the line between victim and potential villain. This psychological conflict, paired with a fast-paced, cleverly constructed plot, makes this book a thrilling and thought-provoking read that explores the darkest corners of inheritance and identity.

E. Lockhart's book is a really stunning blend of tragedy and mystery, set against the backdrop of a seemingly perfect, affluent family.

The story revolves around Cadence Sinclair, a young woman who spends her summers on her family's private island. After suffering a traumatic head injury, she struggles with amnesia and is desperate to piece together what happened during the summer of her accident.

The narrative is both haunting and beautifully poetic. It makes the shocking truths that slowly unravel feel even more impactful. What I love most about this book is its deep dive into themes of family, privilege, and the lies we tell ourselves and each other to uphold appearances. The Sinclairs are a family that seems to have it all, but beneath the surface lies greed, selfishness, and manipulation.

The story is told in a series of choppy, fragmented recollections that mirror Cadence's own disjointed memories, creating a sense of suspense and disorientation that gripped me all the way to the explosive ending. It is a brilliant exploration of the power of family bonds and the lengths we go to protect family secrets. 

I love everything Sara Shepard does.

The story kicks off with Emma, a kind-hearted foster kid, discovering she has an identical twin sister named Sutton, who was adopted by a wealthy family. When Emma agrees to meet Sutton, she's shocked to learn that Sutton has mysteriously disappeared, and she's expected to step into Sutton’s life until she returns. What starts as a simple case of mistaken identity quickly spirals into a compelling mystery as Emma immerses herself in Sutton’s world, uncovering secrets and lies at every turn.

What really draws me to this book is its layered storytelling. As Emma digs deeper into the life of her sister, she encounters the dangerous game that Sutton and her friends played—a game all about deceit and cruel pranks. Shepard masterfully intertwines the suspense of the investigation with the drama of high school life, making each character’s motives murky and adding to the overall mystery. The tension builds as Emma starts receiving threatening messages from an anonymous source, indicating that what happened to Sutton could happen to her, too.

This series blends the thrill of a whodunit with the exploration of identity and the dark side of sibling relationships, making it a gripping read from start to finish.