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Home > Best Book Lists > Page-Turners Alert: The 10 Most Addictive Young Adult Book Series

Page-Turners Alert: The 10 Most Addictive Young Adult Book Series

Claire Vandal by Claire Vandal
August 14, 2024
in Best Book Lists
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Table of Contents Toggle
  • 10. The Lying Game by Sara Shepard
  • 9. The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken
  • 8. The Initial Insult by Mindy McGinnis
  • 7. The Illuminae Files by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
  • 6. The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
  • 5. Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard
  • 4. The Naturals by Jennifer Barnes
  • 3. A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder by Holly Jackson
  • 2. One Of Us Is Lying by Karen McManus
  • 1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

There’s a special perk in being a fan of young adult thrillers: the abundance of series. Many classics of the genre are part of longer series of books, which means that it’s easy to get totally immersed in a world of mystery, crime, and deceit.

Because it’s summertime, we’re hoping you have a bit more time to read. So why not dive into a longer series? Here we’ve compiled a list of ten of our favorite young adult thriller series with plot twists and unexpected turns.

10. The Lying Game by Sara Shepard

The Lying Game by Sara Shepard

The Lying Game

by Sara Shepard

The Lying Game

Young Adult
by Sara Shepard
Published 12/07/2010
Pages 307
Publisher HarperTeen
ISBN: 9780061869709
Details & Buy Options

This classic series of the young adult thriller genre tells the story of Emma Paxton and her deceased identical twin sister, Sutton. As Emma tries to unveil the truth about what happened to her sister, she is drawn into a complex tapestry of lies, deception, and danger.

Books in this series include:

  • The First Lie
  • The Lying Game
  • Never Have I Ever
  • Two Truths and a Lie
  • Hide and Seek
  • Cross My Heart, Hope to Die
  • True Lies
  • Seven Minutes in Heaven

Why I recommend it: I liked how this series treated complicated themes like grief and identity.

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Blurb

Shortly before her seventeenth birthday, Emma discovers she has a long-lost twin named Sutton Mercer. She contacts Sutton, who agrees to a rendezvous but never shows up.

Curious at first, Emma slips into Sutton’s ultra-glamorous life, assuming her identity. When it becomes clear that Sutton is not coming back, that someone made sure she never could, Emma plunges in to investigate who could have wanted her sister gone (a fairly long list, she discovers).

Unfortunately, taking over Sutton’s life means innocent little Emma has inherited all that bad blood—and then some.

9. The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

The Darkest Minds

by Alexandra Bracken

The Darkest Minds

Young Adult
by Alexandra Bracken
Published 12/18/2012
Pages 488
Publisher Disney Hyperion
ISBN: 9781423157373
Details & Buy Options

Alexandra Bracken’s young adult thriller series follows Ruby, a young teenager who manages to escape a government camp for young people with special powers. As she attempts to evade recapture, she uncovers various conspiracies and unexpected alliances.

Books in this series include:

  • The Darkest Minds
  • Never Fade
  • In The Afterlight
  • The Darkest Legacy

Why I recommend it: I thought this book was surprisingly profound and interesting, especially in its exploration of grief and institutional memory.

Blurb

When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that got her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.” She might have survived the mysterious disease that killed most of America’s children, but she and the others emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control.

Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones. But when the truth about Ruby’s abilities–the truth she’s hidden from everyone, even the camp authorities–comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. On the run, she joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp: Zu, a young girl haunted by her past; Chubs, a standoffish brainiac; and Liam, their fearless leader, who is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close.

Not after what happened to her parents. While they journey to find the one safe haven left for kids like them – East River – they must evade their determined pursuers, including an organization that will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government.

But as they get closer to grasping the things they’ve dreamed of, Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living.

8. The Initial Insult by Mindy McGinnis

The Initial Insult by Mindy McGinnis

The Initial Insult

by Mindy McGinnis

The Initial Insult

Young Adult
by Mindy McGinnis
Published 02/23/2021
Pages 372
Publisher Katherine Tegen Books
ISBN: 9780062982421
Details & Buy Options

This absolutely juicy young adult thriller series had me hooked. Teen Tress Montor is desperate to enact revenge on her former best friend, Felicity. Against the backdrop of a bleak small town, this retelling of Edgar Allan Poe’s classic short story “The Cask of Amontillado” will have you wanting more. We only wish there were more than two books in the series!

Books in this series include:

  • The Initial Insult
  • The Last Laugh

Why I recommend it: I loved the setting in this novel and the way it treated ideas of family.

Blurb

Tress Montor’s family used to mean something – until she didn’t have a family anymore. When her parents disappeared seven years ago while driving her best friend home, Tress lost everything. The entire town shuns her now that she lives with her drunken, one-eyed grandfather at what locals refer to as the “White Trash Zoo.”

Felicity Turnado has it all: looks, money, and a secret. One misstep could send her tumbling from the top of the social ladder, and she’s worked hard to make everyone forget that she was with the Montors the night they disappeared. Felicity has buried what she knows so deeply that she can’t even remember what it is… only that she can’t look at Tress without feeling shame and guilt.

But Tress has a plan. A Halloween costume party at an abandoned house provides the ideal situation for Tress to pry the truth from Felicity—brick by brick—as she slowly seals her former best friend into a coal chute. Tress will have her answers—or settle for revenge.

Related10 Addictive YA Thrillers That Mix Heart-Pounding Suspense With Swoon-Worthy Romance

7. The Illuminae Files by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

The Illuminae Files by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Illuminae

by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Illuminae

Young Adult
by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Published 10/20/2015
Pages 608
Publisher Knopf Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 9780553499117
Details & Buy Options

The Illuminae Files is a perfect series for fans of young adult thrillers and speculative fiction. It follows a group of teenagers who are slowly fighting to expose large-scale conspiracies and maintain their own survival in space.

Books in this series include:

  • Memento
  • Illuminae
  • Gemina
  • Obsidio

Why I recommend it: I loved how this story was told through letters, documents, and other papers.

Blurb

Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the worst thing she’d ever been through. That was before her planet was invaded. Now, with enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra are forced to fight their way onto one of the evacuating craft, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

But the warship could be the least of their problems. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet’s AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their biggest threat; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady plunges into a web of data hacking to get to the truth, it’s clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: Ezra.

Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents – including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more – Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.

6. The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

The Body Finder

by Kimberly Derting

The Body Finder

Young Adult
by Kimberly Derting
Published 03/16/2010
Pages 327
Publisher Harper
ISBN: 9780061779817
Details & Buy Options

Kimberly Derting’s supernatural young adult thriller series is a delightful mix of mystery and romance. It tells the story of Violet Ambrose, a teenager whose unique ability to locate dead bodies leads her to become involved in various murder investigations.

Books in the series include:

  • The Body Finder
  • Desires of the Dead
  • Skin Contact
  • The Last Echo
  • Dead Silence

Why I recommend it: I loved the relationships in this novel. It’s a great choice for fans of romance!

Blurb

Sixteen-year-old Violet is hiding two secrets. The first is her confusing new feelings for her childhood best friend Jay. The second is her unusual ability to sense the dead… and the people who killed them. Violet has never considered her morbid ability to be a gift, but when a serial killer begins terrorizing her small town, Violet realizes she may be the only person who can stop him.

Ever protective of her, Jay agrees to help Violet, and as they search, Violet realizes she isn’t the only one whose emotions have changed. But as they fall in love, Violet is also getting closer and closer to discovering the killer… and becoming his prey herself.

RelatedHow Nancy Drew & The Hardy Boys Opened The Door For Young Adult Thrillers

5. Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard

pretty little liars by sara shepard

Pretty Little Liars

by Sara Shepard

Pretty Little Liars

Young Adult
by Sara Shepard
Published 10/03/2006
Pages 286
Publisher HarperTeen
ISBN: 9780060887308
Details & Buy Options

Sara Shepard is a well-known figure in the world of young adult thrillers, and Pretty Little Liars is a big reason why. Following a group of girls who receive taunting threats after the death of their friend, it’s the perfect mix of teen gossip and crime.

Fans of the series adaptation, there might be hope for a reunion: Shay Mitchell recently even said as much! Fingers crossed.

Books in this series include:

  • Pretty Little Liars
  • Flawless
  • Perfect
  • Unbelievable
  • Wicked
  • Killer
  • Heartless
  • Wanted
  • Twisted
  • Ruthless
  • Stunning
  • Burned
  • Crushed
  • Deadly
  • Toxic
  • Vicious

Why I recommend it: This series is absolutely addictive, and I love that there are numerous books to fall into.

Blurb

Spencer covets her sister’s boyfriend. Aria’s fantasizes about her English teacher. Emily’s crushing on the new girl at school. Hanna uses some ugly tricks to stay beautiful. But they’ve all kept an even bigger secret since their friend Alison vanished.

How do I know? Because I know everything about the bad girls they were, the naughty girls they are, and the dirty secrets they’ve kept. And guess what? I’m telling.

4. The Naturals by Jennifer Barnes

The Naturals by Jennifer Barnes

The Naturals

by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The Naturals

Young Adult
by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Published 11/05/2013
Pages 308
Publisher Disney Hyperion
ISBN: 9781423168232
Details & Buy Options

This fun young adult thriller series features five total books. It focuses on a group of teens with a seemingly innate ability to profile criminals. As they begin to solve cold cases, they’re thrust into a world of shocking discoveries.

Books in this series include:

  • The Naturals
  • Killer Instinct
  • All In
  • Bad Blood
  • Twelve

Why I recommend it: As a professed true crime fan, I had so much fun reading this series.

Blurb

Seventeen-year-old Cassie is a natural at reading people. Piecing together the tiniest details, she can tell you who you are and what you want. But, it’s not a skill that she’s ever taken seriously. That is, until the FBI comes knocking: they’ve begun a classified program that uses exceptional teenagers to crack infamous cold cases, and they need Cassie.

What Cassie doesn’t realize is that there’s more at risk than a few unsolved homicides-especially when she’s sent to live with a group of teens whose gifts are as unusual as her own. Soon, it becomes clear that no one in the Naturals program is what they seem. And when a new killer strikes, danger looms close. Caught in a lethal game of cat and mouse with a killer, the Naturals are going to have to use all of their gifts just to survive.

Think The Mentalist meets Pretty Little Liars – Jennifer Lynn Barnes’s The Naturals is a gripping psychological thriller with killer appeal, a to-die-for romance and the bones of a gritty and compelling new series.

3. A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder by Holly Jackson

a good girls guide to murder by holly jackson

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder

by Holly Jackson

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder

Young Adult
by Holly Jackson
Published 02/04/2020
Pages 400
Publisher Random House
ISBN: 9781984896384
Details & Buy Options

Holly Jackson’s stunning debut was the first novel in this hit young adult thriller series. High schooler Pip begins investigating a cold murder investigation, but her gut instincts might not be as right as she thought.

We are on the edge of our seats waiting for the Netflix release of the hit adaptation series!

Books in this series include:

  • Kill Joy
  • A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder
  • Good Girl, Bad Blood
  • As Good As Dead

Why I recommend it: This series reminded me of the podcast Serial. I loved the characters and the plot twists.

Blurb

Pretty and popular high school senior Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend, Sal Singh, who then killed himself. It was all anyone could talk about. And five years later, Pip sees how the tragedy still haunts her town.

But she can’t shake the feeling that there was more to what happened that day. She knew Sal when she was a child, and he was always so kind to her. How could he possibly have been a killer?

Now a senior herself, Pip decides to reexamine the closed case for her final project, at first just to cast doubt on the original investigation. But soon she discovers a trail of dark secrets that might actually prove Sal innocent… and the line between past and present begins to blur. Someone in Fairview doesn’t want Pip digging around for answers, and now her own life might be in danger.

RelatedThrills and Chills: How Young Adult Thrillers Have Evolved Over Time

2. One Of Us Is Lying by Karen McManus

One of Us is Lying book cover

One of Us Is Lying

by Karen M. McManus

One of Us Is Lying

Young Adult
by Karen M. McManus
Published 05/30/2017
Pages 417
Publisher Delacorte Press
ISBN: 9780593565377
Details & Buy Options

This series, which sadly only has two books as of yet, is one of our favorites in the young adult thriller genre. (Amazingly, it was also a debut!) Five teens go into detention, but only four of them survive, leading to a frenzied and murky investigation into the identity of the killer.

Though we loved the series adaptation, it’s sadly been canceled after a compelling second season.

Books in this series include:

  • One Of Us Is Lying
  • One Of Us Is Next
  • One Of Us Is Back

Why I recommend it: I loved how this series treated teenage relationships and social dynamics.

Blurb

Only, Simon never makes it out of that classroom. Before the end of detention Simon’s dead. And according to investigators, his death wasn’t an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he’d planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who’s still on the loose?

Everyone has secrets, right? What really matters is how far you would go to protect them.

1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Hunger Games

The Hunger Games

by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games

Young Adult
by Suzanne Collins
Published 09/14/2008
Pages 374
Publisher Perfection Learning
Book Series
Catching Fire Mockingjay
ISBN: 1606865811
Details & Buy Options

An absolute cultural moment, The Hunger Games is arguably the most famous young adult thriller series. Focused on Katniss Everdeen, the books tell the story of a dystopian future where teenagers are sent to fight to the death and forge alliances in order to survive.

Books in this series include:

  • The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
  • Sunrise on the Reaping (2025)
  • The Hunger Games
  • Catching Fire
  • Mockingjay

Why I recommend it: This series has everything: romance, suspense, betrayal, and so many plot twists. I would recommend it to anyone, and most of the millennials I know have read it and loved it.

Blurb

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister’s place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before – and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

So whether you’re a fan of more traditional young adult thrillers, or perhaps you’re looking for something more multi-genre, this list of our favorite plot twisty series is sure to have an addition to your reading list.

Happy reading!

Genre: Young Adult
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Claire Vandal

Claire Vandal

Expert Contributor

Claire is a reader, a runner, and a nap aficionado. She loves podcasts, The Real Housewives, and going to the cinema. Her current projects include learning French and reading through the ever-growing pile of books in her living room. She one day hopes to keep bees, and her favorite root vegetable is the sweet potato.

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