10 YA Books to Read This Winter That Are Surprisingly Better Than Netflix
1/12It’s not winter break without curling up on the couch with a good book and a mug of hot cocoa. These awesome reads are perfect for the next time you’re snowed in!
2/12Let it Snow by John Green, Lauren Myracle, and Maureen Johnson
This book reminds us so much of Love, Actually! Here, three short stories by YA heavyweights intertwine in a romantic holiday tapestry set against the backdrop of a town snowed in by a Christmas Eve storm. It’s complete with a fated trip to the local Waffle House, a protest against a miniature Christmas village, and teacup pigs.
3/12Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
Alone in New York City at Christmas, Dash finds Lily’s red notebook on a bookstore shelf. What ensues is a life-changing back-and-forth scavenger hunt between two strangers across the Manhattan.
4/12Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
Grace has always had a strange connection with a yellow-eyed wolf living in the woods behind her house. But when she meets Sam, she can’t help but wonder if he’s “her wolf” in human form (spoiler: yes). Sam turns into a wolf during the winter, and as the seasons change, Grace and Sam must fight to be together.
5/12This holiday collection features short stories by favorite authors like Rainbow Rowell (Fangirl), Holly Black (The Spiderwick Chronicles), and Gayle Forman (If I Stay). While the stories aren’t interwoven like Let It Snow, this mix of realistic and fantastical stories offers a fresh perspective on teen romance by today’s bestselling voices.
6/12Chronicles of Narnia: the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
If you haven’t experienced this classic, it’s time to bump it to the top of your reading list! The Pevensie children are sent to the English countryside to escape the Blitz, and stumble upon a wardrobe that connects our world to Narnia, a magical land frozen in an endless winter. Together, with the lion Aslan, the children embark on a journey to dethrone the White Witch.
7/12Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
Following a chance encounter in New York City, Isla and her longtime crush, Josh, start senior year at their Parisian boarding school thinking about each other. There, they fall in love, but are separated when Josh gets expelled. It’s another winner by Stephanie Perkins, author of Anna and the French Kiss.
8/12Towering by Alex Flinn
In this modern-day retelling of Rapunzel by the author of Beastly, Wyatt is haunted by the death of his best friend, and Rachel is trapped in a snowy prison by a woman named Mama who is not her mother. She’s been dreaming of a green-eyed man whom she thinks will save her. But really, they may end up saving each other and discovering the secret behind an ages-old mystery.
9/12We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
This modern YA suspense novel isn’t set during the winter, but instead will keep you warm on Beechwood, a sunny private island near Martha’s Vineyard owned by the beautiful and political Sinclair family, whose quarreling had always threatened to tear them apart. But this summer is different—Cadence wonders why no one is fighting, why her grandfather’s house has been demolished and rebuilt, and why she’s sick all the time.
10/12How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr
Jill feels totally alone after her father dies, which gets worse when her mother decides to adopt a baby. Mandy’s mother never wanted her, and now that she’s pregnant, she wants to give her baby the life she never had. As Jill’s and Mandy’s paths intersect, author Sara Zarr weaves a story of learning and forgiveness.
11/12Winter Town by Stephen Emond
Childhood best friends Evan and Lucy reconnect each year over winter break, when Lucy visits her dad. But this year, Lucy is a totally different person, so Evan embarks on a mission to bring the “Old Lucy” back in this beautifully-illustrated novel.
