We hope all our subscribers and readers are well, have enough toilet paper, and are in all ways making it through these strange times as safely and comfortably as possible.

While we don’t want to make light of a virus that’s causing both pain and suffering and economic disruption, we do want everyone to take advantage of one of the things this period provides a unique opportunity for:

LOTS OF READING!

Check out our list of books we think would make great reads during the self-quarantine period. Hopefully, you’ll find one you can cuddle up and stay safe with.

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland

Because zombies…always fun! The wild west…also always fun! The zombie apocalypse might be the one thing that can make readers say, “At least things aren’t that bad” when all schools, libraries, and restaurants are closed and sports events are canceled. Check out our review here.

The Loneliest Girl in the Universe by Lauren James

This is a blistering read! The teen daughter of astronauts headed to colonize another planet, Romy has grown up in space. But when her parents die, she’s left completely alone on her ship, headed into the unknown. I (Richelle) won’t spoil the ride, but this is a great one for whiling away some of the quarantine hours because it deals with social isolation and virtual friendship!

The Walls Around Us by Nova Ren Suma

This New York Times bestseller is “a ghostly story of suspense told in two voices – one still living and one dead.” One of my all-time favorite books (Halli), it tells the story of the advantaged and disadvantaged and just how far people will go to get what they want. The characters are written with such depth they come off the page and the story itself is full of twists and turns. This spooky story is good enough to distract even from a pandemic.

Pitch Dark by Courtney Alameda

Okay, the plague is actually out to get you in this book. But it’s in space, so Laura and Tuck have lots of cool sci-fi gadgets for fighting it. Also, the creepy deserted spaceship setting keeps the plague fears from hitting too close to home. Check out our review here.

OUT OF EASY by Ruta Sepetys

I (Richelle) loved the New Orleans setting and the era of history that we don’t often see in YA. Josie was a mix of sweetness, hope, and toughness, and the characters in her world were richly developed. When the world around us seems too fraught with problems, it’s sometimes it’s nice to escape to history and see the difficulties others have endured and overcome.

Heretics Anonymous by Katie Henry

This humorous contemporary throws 5 students together at a strict Catholic high school: an atheist, a feminist and Catholic, a gay and Jewish boy, a pagan, and a kid who wants to wear whatever he chooses. Not only does it tackle the somewhat forbidden issue of religion in young adult novels, it does so in a way that opens your eyes to how similar we are despite our differences. This is great for the current moment because it’s a humorous reminder of normal life.

Girl Out of Water by Laura Silverman

This book sounded a bit quiet for me (Rebecca A). But within pages, I was pulled into surfer-girl Anise’s angst as she was pulled away from her beloved ocean to care for distant relatives on her last summer before her friends jet for college/work. It’s a feel-good story that will remind readers of what normal life is and that we’ll get back there.

They Called Us Enemy by George Takei

My son (Richelle) loved this book about George Takei’s experiences in the Japanese internment camps during World War II. He liked learning about how the kids spent their time and was horrified by the cruelty and intolerance of the policies that put Takei and his family in the camp. It’s great for now because it shows how someone else dealt with a total upending of their daily life.

The Art of Wishing by Lindsay Ribar

If you’re looking for a lighter read, this book is your pick. It has high school students, a girl who plans on getting the lead in the high school play, and a genie. What? What would you do if you had 3 wishes? What would you do if you fell in love with a genie? This book not only entertained me but also made me look at my own dreams and motivations and question how I would use wishes.

Enchantée by Gita Trelease

Escape to pre-revolutionary Paris. When Camille’s parents die from another great plague–smallpox–she turns to domestic magic to keep herself and her sister fed and the rent paid. But when their rent money is stolen, this small magic isn’t enough. Camille must turn to dark magic forbidden by her mother or lose everything she loves. Love. Magic. Revolution. Enchantée has it all, plus a main character strong enough to survive the plague and its devastating aftermath. Read our review here.

So there you have it, 10 of the best books you could spend your quarantine time reading. They’re full of hope, pluck, normalcy and escape. We hope you’ve found one you love!

Thanks to Halli and Richelle for contributing to the list!

Did We Get It Right?

There are soooo many great YA books out there. I’m sure we’ve missed some of the books you’d recommend as great self-quarantine reads. Share your recommendations by leaving them in the comments below and remember to tell us why the stories are great now.

Need more book recommendations? Here are some of our recent round-ups:

10 Great Middle Grade Reads for the Self-Quarantine

10 Young Adult Fantasy, Sci Fi and Thrillers You’ll Want in Your Beach Bag

2019 CYBILS Award Young Adult Finalists

The CYBILS Award Speculative Fiction Short List – A Wrap-Up

Also, you can always check out the book recommendations tab on our home page for more great picture book, middle grade, and young adult book ideas. Under Mirrors and windows, you’ll find our recommendations for novels written by authors of traditionally underrepresented backgrounds.

Keep reading and stay safe!

The Winged Pen