New technologies brought people together while still social distancing and authors had time to finish young adult books (known as the “YA novel”).
While most people tend to focus on the negatives associated with the global pandemic that shut the world down during 2020, there are a few silver linings.
As 2021 hit and people are still social distancing and staying home, it might be nice to settle down with a nice YA novel. Of course, with so many amazing YA novels hitting the shelves, it might be tough to know which ones to pick up. Whether you’re getting ready to make an Amazon order or you are thinking about making a stop at the library, here are some of the best YA novels so far in 2021.
The Girls I’ve Been by Tess Sharpe
If you enjoy a good bank heist or mystery novel, The Girls I’ve Been is the page-turner you’ve been waiting for. The story features the daughter of a con artist, Nora. It starts with Nora catching her ex-boyfriend kissing another woman. All three end up as hostages when they accidentally walk in on a bank robbery.
Yolk by H.K. Choi
Grab a box of tissues and a notebook to write down your reactions when you pick up a copy of Yolk. It won’t take but a few pages to understand why this novel quickly made it to the top of the best YA Novel list on Amazon. Yolk follows the story of two sisters who move from South Korea to San Antonio. On top of a complete culture change, one of the sisters is diagnosed with cancer. Curveballs like that change everything, which is just the beginning of this epic tale.
Perfect on Paper by Sophie Gonzales
You might already know Gonzales from her previous novels Great and Only Mostly Devasted. This year, she’s taking high-school romance to a new level. The story focuses on Darcy. Darcy is a bisexual female who pens an advice column. Of course, the entire column is done from secret until a classmate discovers that Darcy is behind the advice. He then tries to blackmail her into helping him win back his ex. You can already see where this is going.
When You Look Like Us by Pamela N. Harris
When a black teenage girl in Virginia goes missing, no one seems to take notice. Her brother fears that people don’t really care about people with dark skin who live in public housing. He attempts to track down his sister through public indifference. This mysterious YA novel is appropriate for modern times.
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