This month, I’ll be doing a deeper dive into some of my favorite young adult books. We’ll cover everything from people trapped in playing cards to unexpected romance and combat training! These books all feature strong female characters who can face anything thrown their way. None of them grew up in good home environments but they all managed to succeed in life, despite many challenges and threats to themselves and the ones they love. Paedyn, Katniss, and Scarlett all represent the values of perseverance and determination. Even if their lives feel removed from yours, their grit and hard work will inspire you to keep going even when things get tough.
The first book I'd like to recommend is "Caraval" by Stephanie Garber, which is part of a trilogy. In this first book, the main character, Scarlett and her sister, Tella, have a cruel father and a dead mother. Every year since she was little, Scarlett has written a letter to Legend, the master of Caraval — a deadly game hosted in remote locations in which people compete in mental challenges with certain clues. The winner is granted a wish.
Knowing this may offer an escape, Scarlett holds on to this childish dream of participating in Caraval. That is, until she is set up for an arranged marriage with the powerful Count D’Arcey, who she thinks may offer a real escape. Scarlett writes one last letter to Legend. This time, she finally gets a response with three tickets to Caraval enclosed. She presents them to her sister who is much more enthusiastic about this than Scarlett.
Tella begs Scarlett to enlist the help of a boy named Julian. Scarlett refuses, afraid of what their father will do when he finds out they plan to go. Tella decides she’ll run away with or without her sister's help. When Scarlett realizes this, she tricks Julian into meeting with her and offers him the tickets if he will leave without Tella. Little does she know Tella has already made a deal with Julian. After many twists and turns Scarlett will find herself competing in Caraval to save her sister's life.
"Powerless" by Lauren Roberts is also part of a series, with two books already and a new one coming out in April 2025. "Powerless" switches perspectives from that of Paeydn, a girl who lives on the streets of the slums, to that of Kai, a prince whose brother is destined for the throne. Paedyn is living on the streets because she needs to hide her identity as a non-elite. The elites are people with special abilities as a result of a disease that wiped out much of the population. The king ordered those without special powers, "ordinaries," to be executed, claiming they still carried the plague.
Paedyn, who has been living amongst elites, knows this is not true. In order to survive, she steals from clueless strangers. One day, she steals from one of the most handsome men she’s ever seen. They have a strange interaction, and she walks away with $200. Later, she sees this same man writhing with pain on the ground. She sees he’s being attacked by an elite.
Paedyn doesn’t know why, but she has the urge to save this man, and she does. Little does she know he is a prince, Kai. And little does he know that this mysterious girl has robbed him.
A week later, Kai and Paedyn will meet again in the Purging Trials. The Purging Trials are deadly games that are used to showcase elite abilities. This is a problem for Paedyn, considering she has none and is hiding it. When Kai and Paedyn meet again, there is an instant spark. Who knows where these games will lead?
The next book is "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins, a classic that you've probably heard of, and it is as good as everybody says it is.
It is set in a dystopian world in which the Hunger Games are created by people in power to keep order in the districts. The districts were created so the Capitol would have complete control over the entire population. Enter the main character, Katniss Everdeen, living in District 12. Katniss’s father died in a mining accident when she was a child. Her mother was so grief-stricken she didn’t have the will to get out of bed. This left Katniss to take care of herself, her mother, and her sister, Primrose. She grows up hunting and scavenging in secret trying to make sure they all survive.
Every year in each district, one boy and one girl are chosen to go to the Capitol and participate in the Hunger Games, a fight to the death that is broadcast to every district. When her sister, Primrose, is picked, Katniss knows her sister will never survive and volunteers to go in her place. Along with Katniss, Peeta, the town baker’s son, is chosen.
After saying her last goodbyes to her family, she and Peeta head to the Capitol to try and survive. District 12 is the underdog and Katniss and Peeta’s mentor, Haymitch, is an old drunk who drinks away his bad memories from when he competed in the Hunger Games as a kid. He convinces them they have a better chance of surviving if they go into the arena pretending to be lovers. Once the games start, Katniss is forced to use her survival instincts in hopes of getting through the games, all while pretending to be in love with Peeta.
Something you may have noticed about these books is that they all involve deadly games. This part of the plot makes each of these books riveting. You’ll never want to put them down.
If you have any book recommendations or comments, you can email me at [email protected].