Reading has quickly become one of my biggest hobbies lately. I’ve always been a reader but lately, it has become a big part of my life. Between audiobooks and books on my Kindle…I typically have 2 books going at all times.
I am a big fan of YA books. Some may think they are cheesy but I love them. I’ve recently found a few series that you absolutely have to read! These are mostly YA thrillers or mysteries, with one fantasy series sprinkled in this list. I won’t be giving a detailed description/review of each book in the series but if you’d like a more in-depth review on one of them…just let me know!
Also, follow me on GoodReads to see my short reviews on each of the books in the series!
5 YA Series You Have to Read
The Naturals Series by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Criminal minds meet young adults. This series by Jennifer Lynn Barnes is 4 books: The Naturals, Killer Instinct, All In, and Bad Blood. These books follow a team of gifted teens that are working for the FBI to solve cold cases. They all have some kind of natural ability to help solve crimes such as being a human lie detector, behaviorist, someone who reads people’s emotions, and a wiz with numbers and facts, etc. These teens work together to hone their skills while learning how to use them to solve cold cases…and some not-so-cold ones.
If you like Criminal Minds, I highly recommend reading this series! They’re a quick read and pretty engaging. I loved the characters and learning more about them and their skills as they do. I would say the third one had me a little confused at times but it was still great. I rated all of these either 4 or 5 stars.
Stevie Bell Mysteries by Maureen Johnson
The Stevie Bell Mysteries series includes the Truly Devious trio (Truly Devious, The Vanishing Star, The Hand on the Wall, ) as well as Box in the Woods and Nine Liars. I absolutely loved these. I read them just as fast as I could. I actually loved the later ones (Box in the Woods and Nine Liars) probably the best but the Truly Devious trio is still great. They’re all about this girl named Stevie Bell who goes to Ellingham Academy which is a school for gifted students. Her specialty is crime and investigating. She sets out to solve the famous murders that have to do with the school and the books are about that case as well as others.
These are great boarding schools, dark academia style murder mysteries. Stevie’s sleuthing keeps you on the edge of your seat as she tries to solve both cold and current cases throughout the books. I really enjoyed this series and am a big fan of Maureen Johnson’s writing. I also rated all of these books 4 or 5 stars.
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
The AGGGTM series consists of three books: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, Good Girl, Bad Blood, and As Good as Dead. I am in a tiny group of people who actually didn’t like the last book…but the first two are too good not to share with you guys! The first two books are amazing. I was sur[rised by some of the language as it is a YA novel, but the romance aspects are on par for YA audiences. I devoured AGGGTM and Good Girl, Bad Blood…they were both amazing. Many would say a masterpiece. The whole series follows Pip who starts looking into a murder in her town for her senior HS capstone project. She eventually starts a podcast and continues to investigate other cases.
If you can get past the slightly unbelievable aspect of a teenager solving murders that the police can’t seem to do correctly…then this is a great series. I am unlike the masses and actually strongly disliked the last book. I felt like the whole point of it was completely out of Pip’s character and I had to force myself to finish it. However, please don’t let that discourage you from reading them! Many people love all of them, even the last one! I rated these 4 stars (except for the last one).
Caraval Trio by Stephanie Garber
The Caraval series includes three books: Caraval, Legendary, and Finale. This was my first dip into the fantasy genre and I must say…it was magical! The first two books especially were so fantastical and magical. The worlds that Stephanie Garber both creates and brilliantly explains are impressive. The way she weaves descriptions together with dialogue and backstory is so well done. Garber is a brilliant writer who weaves together such a vivid picture of the world in her books that you can’t help but envision it as you read. There is romance and mystery as well as showmanship and sleight of hand. The whole series centers around 2 sisters and this magical game called Caraval.
The first book is entirely in Scarlet’s POV. The second book is in her sister’s Donatella’s (Tella) POV. The third book is parts of both. If you enjoy audiobooks, these are really well-done audiobooks so be sure to check out the audio version if you would like. These are a great step into the world of fantasy. They are pretty clean and good for YA audiences. While it is fantasy, it isn’t too in-depth like some fantasy series are so it is a good beginner series for that genre. I rated these 4 and 5 stars.
The Similars Duo by Rebecca Hanover
I am not sure how I even found this awesome duo from Rebecca Hanover but I am so glad I did. This duo includes the books The Similars and The Pretenders. Talk about some plot twists. These books mix mystery, science fiction, and dark academia all together for a great YA read. 5 DNA duplicates join this prestigious boarding school that their DNA matches just happen to go to as well. I know, it might sound weird but I absolutely loved these books. I rated them 4 and 5 stars and honestly, I could have done them both 5 but I’m stingy with my 5-star reviews.
The book follows Emma who is coping with the death of her best friend from suicide when she returns to the boarding school only to show up and realize he had a DNA duplicate and she must now see her dead best friend’s face all the time. Chaos ensues obviously and you definitely have to pay attention because you can get lost if you don’t.
What YA series do you recommend? I could do a part 2 if you’re interested! Have you read any of these books yet? What did you think? Let me know in the comments!
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