Hidden Gems of YA – Part One

Hello all, I hope you are all doing well. I was talking to a customer in the library the other day and they asked me for a YA book that not many people had heard about and it really got me thinking. I thought I’d do a two part post all about books that are hidden gems in YA. So, here is part one of hidden gems of YA!

Run Rebel by Manjeet Mann

“When Amber runs, it’s the only time she feels completely free – far away from her claustrophobic home life. Her father wants her to be a dutiful daughter, waiting for an arranged marriage like her sister Ruby.

Running is a quiet rebellion. But Amber wants so much more – and she’s ready to fight for it.

It’s time for a revolution.”

This book really doesn’t get the love that it deserves. I read this one earlier in the year and I have been recommending it ever since. It covers so many incredibly important topics that I feel should be explored more in YA fiction. I highly recommend this hidden gem and bonus it is written in verse and it is an incredibly quick read.

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The Pieces of Ourselves by Maggie Harcourt

“Flora doesn’t do people”, not since the Incident that led to her leaving school midway through her GCSEs. The Incident that led to her being diagnosed with bipolar II. The Incident that left her in pieces. Until Hal arrives. He’s researching a story about a missing World War I soldier, and he wants Flora’s help. Flora used to love history before the Incident, but spending so much time with Hal is her worst nightmare. Yet as they begin to piece together the life of the missing soldier, a life of lost love, secrets and lies, Flora finds a piece of herself falling for Hal.”

Another book I read earlier this year and absolutely adored it. Maggie Harcourt has a way of writing books that capture me and then don’t let me go. This book and Maggie Harcourt’s other books deserve all the love in the world, so, if you are a fan of mysteries, romance and friendship, then this book is for you.

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Eliza and her Monsters by Francesca Zappia

“In the real world, Eliza Mirk is shy, weird, and friendless. Online, she’s LadyConstellation, the anonymous creator of the wildly popular webcomic Monstrous Sea. Eliza can’t imagine enjoying the real world as much as she loves the online one, and she has no desire to try.

Then Wallace Warland, Monstrous Sea’s biggest fanfiction writer, transfers to her school. Wallace thinks Eliza is just another fan, and as he draws her out of her shell, she begins to wonder if a life offline might be worthwhile.

But when Eliza’s secret is accidentally shared with the world, everything she’s built—her story, her relationship with Wallace, and even her sanity—begins to fall apart.”

Why it took me so long to read this book I will never know. If you are a fan of fandoms, art and online communities then this is the book for you. I want to give this book all the love that it deserves. I hardly see anyone talking about this book online, so give this one a go you won’t regret it. Just be warned it did make me cry.

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Every Little Piece of My Heart by Non Pratt

“When Sophie receives a parcel from her best friend, Freya, she expects it to contain the reason why Freya left town so suddenly, without goodbyes and without explanation. Instead, she finds a letter addressed to Win, a girl Freya barely knew – or did she? As more letters arrive for more people on the periphery of Freya’s life, Sophie and Win begin to piece together who Freya was and why she left. Sometimes it’s not about who’s gone, but about who they leave behind”

Non Pratt is a star and their books are always beyond incredible. This book is no different. I flew right the way through it and I was so invested in the characters and their different stories and have they weaved together. Non has a way of weaving storylines together and keeping you intrigued in just how they do. This one is such a hidden gem and with its amazing LGBTQ+ and disability representation, it really needs more love.

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Girls on the Verge by Sharon Biggs Waller

“Camille couldn’t be having a better summer. But on the very night she learns she got into a prestigious theatre program, she also finds out she’s pregnant. She definitely can’t tell her parents. And her best friend, Bea, doesn’t agree with the decision Camille has made.

Camille is forced to try to solve her problem alone . . . and the system is very much working against her. At her most vulnerable, Camille reaches out to Annabelle Ponsonby, a girl she only barely knows from the theatre. Happily, Annabelle agrees to drive her wherever she needs to go. And in a last-minute change of heart, Bea decides to come with.”

I have not seen many people talk about this book and I actually only found out about it earlier on this year thanks to a friend. It covers such important topics that are discussed incredibly throughout the book. It is an eye-opening, heart-breaking and heart-warming novel that I cannot recommend enough.

There you have it, part one of the little two part series all about hidden gems of YA. I am going to be posting part two very soon so keep an eye out for that. What YA books would you recommend as a hidden gem? Let me know in the comments below!