I’m looking for some YA recs that deal with heavier topics (whatever that means to you). I want books that are going to make me feel all the things lol
Incredible writing, from a unique perspective. There is some debate about it being YA, but I think the topic it discusses is dark, but not gratuitous. That’s my opinion, but I was reading Goodfellas in the 3rd grade, so maybe my opinion is skewed.
port_okali on
I found the **Raybearer** duology (Jordan Ifueko) quite intense. The first book deals with trauma by child neglect and emotional manipulation by a parent; the sequel has a depiction of/metaphor for anxiety that still haunts me. On the whole, they are not overly grim or depressing books, though! They have lovely depictions of strong friendships and are set in a beautifully imaginative fantasy world.
r--evolve on
Probably not any new recs since I haven’t read recent YA releases, but anyway: I’ll list by topic/feeling.
**Mental health**
* *We Are Okay* by Nina LaCour – Deals with grief and depression.
* *Turtles All the Way Down* by John Green – Deals with OCD.
**Grief**
* *You’ve Reached Sam* by Dustin Thao
* *The Fault in Our Stars* by John Green – Deals with cancer/terminal illness and how it impacts a relationship
* *Looking for Alaska* by John Green
**Social issues**
* *The Hate U Give* by Angie Thomas
**Identity**
* *Felix Ever After* by Kacen Callender – Coming of age story about a trans boy
Past-Wrangler9513 on
Speak by Laurie Anderson
Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow
bookishwayfarer on
I like Gold Mountain by Betty Yee. You could also try the Sycthe series by Neal Shusterman; it’s heavy stuff indeed.
ladyfuckleroy on
Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson!
Neona65 on
Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen deals with mental illness.
peanutpeanutboy on
This is My America by Kim Johnson
What We Saw by Aaron Hartzler
Any book by Tiffany D. Jackson
Thatbookishgirlbethy on
Here are some I found pretty good
– six of crows by Leigh bardugo, TW though because it deals with intense trauma, abuse, sexual assault and sex trafficking, kidnapping etc, but it’s not the main focus.
– Eliza and her monsters, will forever be one of my favourite contemporary books. It shows anxiety perfectly.
– strange the dreamer, deals with anxiety, bullying, feeling like the outsider while also being one of the best books I’ve read.
– throne of glass deals with a lot of trauma later on in the books, as well as disability in tower of dawn.
– Cinder by marrisa Meyers, this series has surprisingly dark themes
– the grace year, basically deals with women’s rights and other things that would be spoilers, amazing, honestly one of the best Sci-Fi books I’ve read
–
anxiousanimosity on
V.C. Andrews wrote some pretty heavy stuff. I loved that stuff as a teenager.
>Lex was taken – trafficked – and now she’s Poppy. Kept in a hotel with other girls, her old life is a distant memory. But when the girls are rescued, she doesn’t quite know how to be Lex again. After she moves in with her aunt and uncle, for the first time in a long time, she knows what it is to feel truly safe. Except, she doesn’t trust it. Doesn’t trust her new home. Doesn’t trust her new friend. Doesn’t trust her new life. Instead she trusts what she shouldn’t because that’s what feels right. She doesn’t deserve good things. But when she is sexually assaulted by her so-called boyfriend and his friends, Lex is forced to reckon with what happened to her and that just because she is used to it, doesn’t mean it is okay. She’s thrust into the limelight and realizes she has the power to help others. But first she’ll have to confront the monsters of her past with the help of her family, friends, and a new love.
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Another vote for The Grace Year and Felix Ever After
13 Comments
The Book Thief
Incredible writing, from a unique perspective. There is some debate about it being YA, but I think the topic it discusses is dark, but not gratuitous. That’s my opinion, but I was reading Goodfellas in the 3rd grade, so maybe my opinion is skewed.
I found the **Raybearer** duology (Jordan Ifueko) quite intense. The first book deals with trauma by child neglect and emotional manipulation by a parent; the sequel has a depiction of/metaphor for anxiety that still haunts me. On the whole, they are not overly grim or depressing books, though! They have lovely depictions of strong friendships and are set in a beautifully imaginative fantasy world.
Probably not any new recs since I haven’t read recent YA releases, but anyway: I’ll list by topic/feeling.
**Mental health**
* *We Are Okay* by Nina LaCour – Deals with grief and depression.
* *Turtles All the Way Down* by John Green – Deals with OCD.
**Grief**
* *You’ve Reached Sam* by Dustin Thao
* *The Fault in Our Stars* by John Green – Deals with cancer/terminal illness and how it impacts a relationship
* *Looking for Alaska* by John Green
**Social issues**
* *The Hate U Give* by Angie Thomas
**Identity**
* *Felix Ever After* by Kacen Callender – Coming of age story about a trans boy
Speak by Laurie Anderson
Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow
I like Gold Mountain by Betty Yee. You could also try the Sycthe series by Neal Shusterman; it’s heavy stuff indeed.
Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson!
Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen deals with mental illness.
This is My America by Kim Johnson
What We Saw by Aaron Hartzler
Any book by Tiffany D. Jackson
Here are some I found pretty good
– six of crows by Leigh bardugo, TW though because it deals with intense trauma, abuse, sexual assault and sex trafficking, kidnapping etc, but it’s not the main focus.
– Eliza and her monsters, will forever be one of my favourite contemporary books. It shows anxiety perfectly.
– strange the dreamer, deals with anxiety, bullying, feeling like the outsider while also being one of the best books I’ve read.
– throne of glass deals with a lot of trauma later on in the books, as well as disability in tower of dawn.
– Cinder by marrisa Meyers, this series has surprisingly dark themes
– the grace year, basically deals with women’s rights and other things that would be spoilers, amazing, honestly one of the best Sci-Fi books I’ve read
–
V.C. Andrews wrote some pretty heavy stuff. I loved that stuff as a teenager.
[*What Unbreakable Looks Like* by Kate McLaughlin](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51056342-what-unbreakable-looks-like)
>Lex was taken – trafficked – and now she’s Poppy. Kept in a hotel with other girls, her old life is a distant memory. But when the girls are rescued, she doesn’t quite know how to be Lex again. After she moves in with her aunt and uncle, for the first time in a long time, she knows what it is to feel truly safe. Except, she doesn’t trust it. Doesn’t trust her new home. Doesn’t trust her new friend. Doesn’t trust her new life. Instead she trusts what she shouldn’t because that’s what feels right. She doesn’t deserve good things. But when she is sexually assaulted by her so-called boyfriend and his friends, Lex is forced to reckon with what happened to her and that just because she is used to it, doesn’t mean it is okay. She’s thrust into the limelight and realizes she has the power to help others. But first she’ll have to confront the monsters of her past with the help of her family, friends, and a new love.
Another vote for The Grace Year and Felix Ever After
Pet by Akwaeke Emezi