Did you know that in addition to fast-paced thrillers and charming rom-coms, Reese’s Book Club has also highlighted a number of YA novels over the years? Yep, since summer 2020, Witherspoon and her team have been shining a spotlight on young adult picks each season, so naturally, I went through all of them to come up with this list of the three best YA novels Reese’s Book Club has ever recommended, from a powerful novel about courage in Nazi-occupied Poland to a sweet story about an unlikely candidate for prom queen.
The 3 Best YA Novels Reese's Book Club Has Ever Chosen
They’re not just for tweens
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Published Nov 6, 2024
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1. You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson
Reese’s Book Club’s first ever YA pick, this summer 2020 novel has also been named A Stonewall Honor Book and a TIME Magazine Best YA Book of All Time. The novel centers around Liz, a teenager who’s always believed she's too Black, too poor and too awkward to shine in her small midwestern town. Luckily, she’s got a plan that will get her out of Indiana forever and attending the elite, fictional Pennington College. But when the financial aid she was counting on unexpectedly falls through, Liz's plans come crashing down—until she remembers her school's scholarship for prom king and queen. She’s terrified of the spotlight, but she's willing to do whatever it takes to get to Pennington. Oh, and there’s one other thing: The new girl in school is smart, funny and an outsider too…but also in the running for queen. Will falling for the competition keep Liz from her dreams, or help them come true?
2. The Light in Hidden Places by Sharon Cameron
It’s 1943 and 16-year-old Stefania has been working for the Diamant family in their grocery store in Przemysl, Poland, for years. She’s even secretly betrothed—secretly because she’s Catholic and the Diamants are Jewish—to one of their sons, Izio. But everything changes when the German army invades and the Diamants are forced into the ghetto, leaving Stefania alone in an occupied city, taking care of her six-year-old sister. When Izio's brother, who has escaped from a train headed to a death camp, shows up at their door, Stefania and Helena make the extraordinary decision to hide him and 12 others. Based on a true story, The Light in Hidden Places is a powerful tale of courage and humanity.
3. You Have a Match by Emma Lord
In real life, discovering a secret relative through a DNA service like 23andMe is dramatic and potentially traumatic. In Emma Lord’s 2021 novel, it’s the start of a heartfelt journey of sisterhood. When Abby signs up for a DNA service, it’s mainly to give her friend and secret love interest a nudge. But then, the test reveals Abby herself has a secret older sister, Savannah, an Instagram star that Abby can’t believe is from the same planet, never mind the same parents. So Abby hatches a plan: meet up at summer camp and figure out why her parents gave Savvy up for adoption. Unsurprisingly, there are complications, including her parents having another secret that threatens to unravel everything. Funny and feel-good, You Have a Match is self-discovery—and all the awkward moments that come with it.
