Book Recommendations
Here you will find a collection of recommendations organized by genre. These are my personal favourite books from each genre and the books that I would recommend the most to other readers. Hopefully you can find something you love here! Enjoy reading!
Nonfiction:
Dear Bully Edited by: Megan Kelley Hall and Carrie Jones
Student Voice By: Katherine Schulten & Many Teen Authors
- About very influential and important topics.
- Includes advice, personal stories and a wide variety of topics.
- Gives people a voice to share their thoughts and experiences.
Poetry:
Light filters in By: Caroline Kaufman
- I liked it and saved a lot of the poetry.
If I Tell You the Truth By: Jasmin Kaur
- Covers very important topics.
- Especially for Canadian and American readers.
Short Stories:
A People’s Future of the United States Edited By: Victor LaValle and John Joseph Adams
- A collection of speculative fiction about the United States.
- Interesting variety between the different stories.
You Too? Edited By: Janet Gurtler
- Important topic and content.
- Made specifically for young adults.
Romance:
How to Break a Boy By: Laurie Devore
- Gave a lot more depth to the stereotypical mean girl while including a rocky love story.
LGBTQ+ Characters/Relationships:
- A cute love story surrounding two best friends who might be just a little bit in love.
The Dangerous Art Of Blending In By: Angelo Surmelis
- Focuses on other topics as well.
- Shows both highs and lows.
- Will make you cry but in a good way.
Real Life:
How to Disappear By: Sharon Huss Roat
- Very cute and simple while being a very effective story about someone with social anxiety.
Where I Live By: Brenda Rufener
- Explores the topic of the housing crisis through a young character secretly living at her school.
- Very meaningful messages while staying original.
Starfish By: Akemi Dawn Bowman
No Published Review
Trigger Warning: Child abuse, mental illness, self-harm and sexual assault.
- I love the message and imagery within the story,
- I can relate to the main character’s struggle with her identity being mixed race but feeling out of touch with both cultures.
- This was one of my favourite books when I was younger.
Review coming soon!
Science Fiction:
The Last Girl on Earth By: Alexandra Blogier
- Has a very interesting plot.
We Are The Ants By: Shaun David Hutchinson
- Main character is frequently abducted by aliens and he’s given the choice to either save Earth or let the world end.
The Odds of Lightning by: Jocelyn Davies
- A personal classic.
- This follows a group of friends who are struck by lightning, which helps them embrace their insecurities and accept themselves.
Fantasy:
Mask of Shadows By: Linsey Miller (Mask of Shadows #1)
- I absolutely love the story and characters.
- Follows an interesting and compelling main character, Sal on their journey.
The Glass Spare By: Lauren Destefano (The Glass Spare #1)
- Not all Princesses are damsels in distress, Wil doesn’t need a man to save her.
The Art of Starving By: Sam J. Miller
- The main character’s powers are very unique and interesting.
- It’s a very meaningful story.
Series:
The Paladin Prophecy By: Mark Frost (The Paladin Prophecy #1)
- First book in one of my favourite series.
Horror/Thriller:
#MurderTrending By: Gretchen McNeil (MurderTrending #1)
- My favourite horror/thriller series.
- Very well written, intense and scary.
- Has just the perfect amount of violence.
Dear Killer By: Katherine Ewell
- The main character is a serial killer but she starts putting herself at risk until she’s forced to make a live changing choice.
Mystery:
(I was Dead for) 13 Minutes By: Sarah Pinborough
- It’s full of twists, turns and characterization following the circumstances of someone’s near death.
- Unique and stands out amongst other books.
Lost Girls By: Merrie Destefano
- Follows a girl who lost her memory trying to solve the mystery of her own disappearance.
Dystopia:
All These Things I’ve Done By: Gabrielle Zevin (Birthright trilogy #1)
Wither By: Lauren Destefano (Chemical Garden Trilogy #1)
- These are both the first books in trilogies that center around trying to survive in dystopian futures.
Comedic:
A Tale Dark and Grimm By: Adam Gidwitz (A Tale of Dark and Grimm #1
- This series is unbelievably funny and takes some well known tropes and subverts our expectations in hilarious ways.
- The funniest books I’ve ever read.
Young Readers:
- Has a really good storyline.
- I really loved it.
- It’s very nostaglic and fun to reread.
- It got me into reading and I really liked it when I was younger.
- It has great messages about family, relationships and sacrifice.
- A really good introduction to horror or thrillers for younger readers.
Sky Raiders By: Brandon Mull (Five Kingdoms #1)
- First book in a series I loved as a kid, it has magic, compelling characters and new adventures in each installment.
The Tale of Emily Windsnap By: Liz Kessler (Emily Windsnap #1)
No Published Review
- This was the first book I fell in love with and the first book I ever reviewed.
- Great for kids who like mythical creatures like mermaids.
Review coming soon!
Rules for Stealing Stars By: Corey Ann Haydu
No Published Review
- It starts to introduce important topics into stories that young readers can still understand.
- Covers unhealthy parenting and abuse.
Review coming soon!