The best YA fiction for the autumn break
These novels transport readers to Cyprus, Joshua Tree National Park and even the Underworld, writes Maggie Still
In The List by Keith Gray (Barrington Stoke, £7.99), the summer holidays are coming to an end and so is the lifelong friendship between best friends Denny and Jake. Before Denny moves away, he comes up with a list of things he must do before he leaves. The list will test the boy’s friendship, loyalty and bravery while revealing some difficult truths that are hard to forgive. This book keeps you guessing from the start as the pair work through the challenges. Gray’s pacing never slows as the boys get up to all sorts of shenanigans and discover the true meaning of friendship.
My Teeth in Your Heart by Joanna Nadin (Uclan Publishing, £8.99) is an intriguing and compelling dual narrative book for older YA readers, in which the two main characters – Anna and Billy – are separated by time but connected by love. In Cyprus in 1974, Anna is focused on her A-levels and her future plans when love catches her off-guard and war puts an end to her dreams. In England in 2024, meanwhile, Billy is freaking out about her A-levels and wrecks her relationship with her best friend Cass. When the death of Billy’s Grandma sends the family to Cyprus, a diary connects the girls on their quests of self-discovery. You can’t help investing in the stories of both girls as they navigate the assault course of being a teenager.
The strange world conjured up in Find Me After by A Connors (Scholastic £8.99) is the perfect place to explore as the nights draw in. After suffering an epileptic fit, Kyle finds himself in the familiar but strange world called the Stillness, a place inhabited by lost souls stuck between life and death. When he meets his real-world crush, Farah, normal rules don’t apply. Their relationship grows as they try to make sense of their situation, but they are not the only souls trapped. Their journey is fraught with danger and daring escapes, and there’s always the fear that they might not remember their love if they make it home. An engaging tale that will keep older readers wanting more.
Sisters of the Moon by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick (Faber, £8.99) is an absorbing story of female friendship, coming of age and magic. Suzy Button is trying her best to navigate her way through teenage life when Rhiannon crashes into her world. The two become best friends, but unexplained things start to happen whenever Rhiannon is around. Suzy suddenly has whatever she wants, and life seems to be changing for the better, but how is this happening? You can’t turn the pages fast enough as you follow their friendship, and watch as Suzy discovers a determination she never knew she had.
Desert Echoes by Abdi Nazemian (Little Tiger, £8.99) takes you on a journey of friendship, first love, loss and discovery. Fifteen-year-old Kam falls in love with an older boy, Ash, but his Iranian parents and best friend Bodie don’t approve. Kam and Ash go on a trip to Joshua Tree National Park, but only Kam comes back, with no memory of how Ash disappeared. When Ash is listed as missing by the police, Kam becomes overwhelmed by a wave of grief. As Bodie tries to pull Kam free of his despair, their relationship faces bigger challenges than they could have imagined. A beautiful story that follows Kam as he discovers the darkest and brightest moments in life.
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