The best young adult books that illustrate the ripple effect of one bad decision

Teen protagonist, Liv, narrates this heartfelt tale in verse, revealing how her world is impacted after her older brother, Jonah, accidentally shoots himself with his best friend Clay's father’s gun. Clay lives just across the street from Liv and Jonah. When their mom sues Clay’s parents, tensions escalate, and my heart broke for Liv, who is caught in the middle. 

It’s tempting to read this story in one sitting because Liv’s voice draws you right in, but the characters and world are so well-built, you want to linger with them longer. This story feels like a conversation with a friend whose life has been turned upside down because of one devastating action. As Liv refuses to give up on her brother or ignore Clay, readers get a lesson in compassion and forgiveness.

The Outsiders was one of the first novels I read that made me want to be a writer. While this may seem like a classic “wrong side of the tracks,” story, it’s so much more. Brimming with heart, the novel follows teen Ponyboy Curtis, “an outsider,” who struggles with right and wrong—especially after his friend Johnny kills a “soc” (short for socials). While there’d been a long history of fighting between the greasers and the socs, the murder sparks a series of events that changes Ponyboy’s life forever. 

As soon as my children were old enough to appreciate it, I had them read it. Ponyboy’s vulnerability and honesty stay with you long after you finish this slim novel that touches on love, loss, and friendship.

This is a story I read in one evening. I needed to know how it ended. After fifteen-year-old Will’s brother, Shawn, is murdered, Will believes he’s supposed to follow “the rules,” which dictate that he must seek revenge. But, with a gun tucked in his waistband, Will encounters some interesting souls on his elevator ride down to the street. These unexpected yet insightful voices encourage him to reconsider what he knows and what he’s about to do. This tale is also told in verse and uses language in a spare and beautiful way. It’s the kind of story you’ll want to go back and read it again—it’s that unique and important.

This novel’s ending is everything! But it wouldn’t be as powerful without Lockhart’s lyrical build-up. It’s best to go into this one without knowing too much. But, without spoiling anything, the novel involves privileged teens who take matters into their own hands to stop their mothers from fighting over the family assets. Unfortunately, the consequences of their plan are devastating and far-reaching.

The Secret History is my go-to recommendation for friends who are experiencing a reading slump and looking for a book they won’t be able to put down. I’ve loaned my copy to a dozen people and they’ve universally loved this novel, which opens with a murder and then unfolds in reverse. Tartt immediately draws readers into the privileged world of students at a Vermont college and explores how the desire to fit in with the “cool crowd” can have terrible, even deadly, repercussions.