Any number of YA books could land on a list of the most influential works of fantasy. But what makes Ash worthy of inclusion is that it was among the first–if not the first–teen books that retold a classic fairy tale from a queer perspective. This gritty, highly-decorated reimagining of Cinderella is as romantic as it is thought-provoking, exploring themes of grief, solitude, and self-transformation. Ash also set the stage for Lo’s impressive writing career; young adult literature–and critical, nuanced discussions of YA literature–are so much richer with her voice and perspective.

– Kelly Jensen

This is one of the century’s great epic YA fantasy novels and I cannot wait for the adaptation because what a movie the Legacy of Orïsha trilogy will make. Following three unforgettable characters–a fierce young woman with powerful magic brewing in her veins, a runaway princess unwilling to remain silent while her father oppresses his people, and an obedient prince on the hunt for the escaped girls–the series has all the trappings of classic hero’s quest tales while offering a fresh setting, impressive world building, and a magical adventure for the ages.

– S. Zainab Williams

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Maas’s sophomore series undoubtedly changes the YA and new adult fantasy romance landscape. The Beauty and the Beast reimagining follows Feyre, a starving human hunting for food on the border of faerie territory. When she kills a faerie in the shape of a wolf, she is taken by the faerie lord, Tamlin, in restitution. Now Feyre must find her new place in a dangerous, magical land where everything is more than it seems. While other fantasy books with romance, fairies, and war were popular before this book, the success of the series launched publisher interest in acquiring other new adult romantasy titles.

– R. Nassor

While Ember initially stands out thanks to its setting—inspired in part by Rome’s imperial colonization of Southwest Asia—it’s the tight writing and plotting that truly set it apart. Tahir doesn’t shy away from introducing a brutal oppressing class, unafraid to commit violence against children in order to advance their goals. Right now, in the 2020s, the revolutionary origins and juxtaposition (and yes, the War School) might seem commonplace, but in 2015 there was something markedly different and special about Laia, Elias, and the sacrifices they are willing to make for the greater good.

– Jessica Pryde

I remember getting an omnibus of His Dark Materials and staying up too late, too many nights, unable to put it down. Here was the epic fantasy I had been waiting for since first becoming obsessed with these stories as a young reader, and here was a character I would follow devotedly to the last page. I hardly have to speak to the impact this book made on the genre and even popular culture, with its numerous adaptations and massive readership. What’s stunning about this book following young Lyra, hell bent on creating a better world, is that it achieved wide appeal with a deeply philosophical story featuring a child.

– S. Zainab Williams

The very first piece I ever wrote for Book Riot was about my personal relationship with Labyrinth Lost. This coming-of-age tale of a reluctant bruja coming to terms with her power, her queerness, and her place in the world was a breath of fresh air, exploring sisterhood, identity, and familial obligation with fantastic scenery, complex magic, and bilingual language. The book (and series) gave a lot of Latines the opportunity to see ourselves in YA fantasy for the first time. That is the book’s true magic, and what beautiful brujería it is.

– Vanessa Diaz

It’s a rare book that brings together readers like Tracy Deonn’s Legendborn series. Working at my neighborhood bookstore, I’ve seen kids and adults alike gush about how much they love the Arthurian-legend-inspired contemporary fantasy world of Bree Matthews, a sixteen-year-old who starts college at UNC Chapel Hill early and stumbles upon a secret society wrapped in prophecies, dangerous monsters, and ancient magic. As Bree learns more about her classmates — descendants from the Knights of the Round Table — she discovers a power of her own hidden in her family’s history. The fourth and final book in the Legendborn Cycle is still forthcoming, and based on the excitement and midnight release parties for the most recent book, I know it’s going to be huge.

– Susie Dumond

The African-inspired world of Raybearer is a marvelous living and breathing thing in which a wholly unique magic system lives. But it’s in this world that Tarisai lives in isolation and longs for a family. She has a mother, known as The Lady, but she is cold and absent. She seems to only be interested in Tarisai when it comes to her competing with other children to be chosen as one of the Crown Prince’s council. Joining the Prince’s council will mean Tarisai finally has a family, but it may be short-lived because the Lady demands one last thing of her: to kill the Crown Prince.

– Erica Ezeifedi

Shadow and Bone introduced the world to the Grishaverse and Alina Starkov, an orphan, mapmaker, and soldier in the war-torn nation of Ravka. When a routine mission into the treacherous Shadow Fold reveals her unique—and presumed mythical—power to summon light, Alina is whisked away to train with the magical Grisha under the mysterious Darkling. Torn between her best friend Mal and an undeniable pull towards the mercurial and charismatic Darkling, Alina must hone her powers to help defeat the darkness and decide where her destiny truly lies. This character-driven YA fantasy was a huge success, opening the doors for the Six of Crows series and other books set in this universe.

– Vanessa Diaz

When I think of near-perfect fantasy stories, Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows duology is always one of the first to come to mind. She’s given us a high-stakes magical world populated with criminals, ruthless capitalists, and royals. Unlike her previous Grishaverse books, it’s not the good guys who are at the heart of Six of Crows. But the band of thieves, criminals, and assassins we follow on a heist are full of so much heart that there’s no choice but to root for them from start to finish.

– Rachel Brittain

The 2000s young adult paranormal romance boom originated with the success of Twilight. Bella is just a human teen girl in a new town when she meets Edward and his oddly beautiful family. Soon, she discovers he is a vampire, and she is undoubtedly in love with him. The Twilight Saga follows Bella and Edward as they attempt to make their star-crossed love work. While there are discussions to be had about the depictions of Quileute Indian Tribe, the inclusion of the Confederate Army backstory, and the general Mormon undertones, it isn’t hyperbolic to call Meyer’s series a generational-defining piece of media that will continue to have a footprint in the fantasy world at large.

– R. Nassor

Best Books of the Century So Far: Romance, YA Edition

I spent 40 years not understanding how so many people have a book they reread every single year. Then I read Ngozi Ukazu’s utterly delightful graphic novel romance Check, Please! and I deeply understand. Now I reread it every year for the found family, hilarious banter, fantastic characters, vibrant art, and of course, the slowburn romance between two college hockey players, Jack and Bitty. Add in a baking obsession and it deserves all the chef’s kisses. If there is ever an award for “gives the best hug to your soul,” this is the winner—I can’t recommend it enough!

– Jamie Canaves

Lo has made no small mark in the world of young adult literature. Her ability to write across genres and styles is noteworthy, and her portrayal of her characters with vulnerability, flaws, and compassion has also made her works a continuous target of censors. In this highly decorated queer romance, readers meet Lily, Chinese-American, and Kath, white, in 1950s in San Francisco. Told across a few timelines, this story is about immigration after the Chinese Exclusion Act, the Red Scare, and how living up to parental and cultural expectations in a changing world sometimes means keeping your true self in the dark.

– Kelly Jensen

Claire Kann gifted us with one of too few romance novels centering a young, asexual Black woman. This YA debut is one of the books I think about when I think about teens finding themselves on the page and the benefits of having access to diverse books with characters they can relate to, especially when they feel othered or like they don’t belong. Alice has caught feelings hard for new love interest, but after she came out as asexual to her girlfriend, that relationship ended. What are the chances heartthrob library staffer Takumi will understand where she’s coming from? Characters like Alice deserve an HEA.

– S. Zainab Williams

Few YA authors have the kind of recognition as Han, thanks in part to her appeal to both teen and adult readers. Her second YA series, a story of sisterhood, family, Korean heritage, and a box of secret letters, has captured the hearts of romance lovers for over a decade. What happens when all of a 16-year-old’s secret feelings become not-so-secret? How does one girl navigate caring for her little sister and finding the boy who not just sweeps her off her feet but makes her feel like the center of the world? Han’s series also skillfully translated onto the small screen and (soon) to the comic form.

– Kelly Jensen

It was not that long ago when finding LGBTQ+ genre books was nearly impossible. Sharpe’s debut young adult novel was among the first–if not the first–YA mystery to center a queer lead character. Sophie is a disabled, bisexual, and navigating an addiction to prescription pain killers; she’s not exactly the person police or her small town believe when she presents evidence related to her best friend’s murder that contradicts the working theories. This 2014 book is a moving, atmospheric read about a romantic relationship cut too short and the ways an “unlikable” female character must push back against the boxes in which she’s been put.

– Kelly Jensen

Angeline Boulley’s name is one any mystery/thriller reader, as well as any young adult reader, knows. That’s thanks to her debut novel, which set her career on fire. What does it mean to be an Anishinaabe kwe? That’s what Daunis has been wondering as she’s never quite fit in either in her hometown or the nearby Ojibwe reservation. But her dreams of leaving for a fresh start in college are challenged by a family tragedy, and now, Daunis pulls on her knowledge of chemistry and Ojibwe traditional medicine to help uncover corruption in her community. Among this book’s decorations are an Edgar Award, a Printz Award, a Morris Award, and so many more.

– Kelly Jensen

Tiffany D. Jackson is one of thee premier YA writers of mystery, thriller, and even a little horror. Her stories take on contemporary issues and center Black people, specifically Black girls, in stories that real-life news tends to ignore. In Monday’s Not Coming, Monday Charles is missing, and it feels like her best friend Claudia is the only one who’s noticed. With her best friend gone, and the bullies and tests mounting up, Claudia needs her best friend more than ever. But Monday’s mother and sister are no help at all—and it’s been weeks since anyone has seen Monday.

– Erica Ezeifedi

It’s rare for a book to find a comfortable audience across ages and demographics, but this unique, ambitious story about the power of literature in the darkest moments of history has left its mark with both teen and adult readers. Narrated by Death—who balances his inherent scariness with an element of care—this modern classic follows Liesel, a young girl living through the rise of Nazi Germany. Liesel, whose life is unsettled and full of unimaginable tragedy, finds meaning and solace through books—those she steals and those she shares along the way. The Book Thief is a reminder of how words can and do truly change us as humans.

– Kelly Jensen

Gene Luen Yang, author of the award-winning graphic novel American Born Chinese, wrote this emotional historical graphic novel, Boxers, and its companion, Saints, which received the honor of National Book Award Finalist for Young People’s Literature. Yang does an exceptional job of covering the Boxer Rebellion in 1898 China. While Boxers follows the perspective of a boy who fights for the rebellion, Saints stars a Chinese Christian girl on the other side of the conflict. Both stories include elements of fabulism as Chinese gods, as well as the spirit of Joan of Arc, come to life within the tales. Gene Luen Yang and inker Lark Pien have created a beautifully illustrated and incredibly informative historical account of this important piece of Chinese history.

– Megan Mabee

This is one of the first historical fiction books I remember falling head over heels in love with as a teen. Wein carefully crafts a tale of suspense and betrayal before flipping the whole narrative on its head. Code Name Verity is a WWII novel and a spy story, but mostly it’s a story of friendship. This is one book where the less you know going in, the better.

– Rachel Brittain

For years, June Hur has written one amazing award-nominated YA novel after another, all set in Korea’s Joseon period and rich with drama, history, political machinations, and mystery. The Forest of Stolen Girls, Hur’s superb second novel, is riveting. In 1426, Hwani and her sister were found unconscious in the forest near a crime scene, with no idea what happened. Years later, when their detective father learns many more girls have gone missing in that same area, he investigates—only to vanish himself. Hwani thinks the answer lies in her locked memories of that day in 1426 and is determined to find him. You’ll be stunned by the solution.

– Liberty Hardy

We already named this one of the best romance books of the century so far, but in addition to the memorable love story, Telegraph Club shines in how firmly it is rooted in time and place; it could not take place anywhere other than San Francisco in the 1950s. Teen Lily Yu struggles to reconcile her budding romance with a female classmate with her role as the “good Chinese girl” at home. She faces racism at the local lesbian bar, and homophobia in Chinatown. Meanwhile, her father faces deportation for being swept up in the Red Scare, and her aunt develops technology for the space race. This is a beautifully written story that will transport you.

– Danika Ellis

There was a rare, lightning-in-a-bottle moment when Ngozi Ukazu created a romance that gives that ultimate swoon/obsession so many romance readers are forever chasing. Check, Please started as a webcomic that broke a Kickstarter record in 2021 for being the most funded. From the vibrant artwork to the incredibly adorable Bitty, a baking enthusiast and college hockey player, this graphic novel duology will make you laugh while also filling you with pure delight as you root for love (and friendships). It’s also impossible to only read it once, so plan for at least a yearly reread.

– Jamie Canaves

When manga exploded onto the U.S. scene, Fruits Basket was among the most popular and widely read–and it gained a devoted following. The story follows young Tohru Honda, who, after a family tragedy, decides to move into a tent and camp. She doesn’t realize she is living on land owned by popular classmate Yuki Sohma’s family and they soon discover her secret. But the Shomas have secrets, too: each is possessed by spirits of the Chinese zodiac and transform into their zodiac animal at inopportune moments. The series balances heaviness with humor and art that’s detailed and emotive. The shoujo manga remains among the best-selling of all time.

– Kelly Jensen

This manga, and its subsequent anime adaptation, feature some of the best-paced and nuanced storytelling ever seen in shounen. Two alchemist brothers risk it all to engage in the ultimate taboo of bringing back their mother from the dead, and they nearly lose everything else—one brother sacrifices two limbs, while the other’s soul becomes bound to a suit of armor. They journey to recover what they’ve lost, and the result is a steampunky world where ethics and the cost of war are fully examined.

– Erica Ezeifedi

Giant Days began as a webcomic before being traditionally published, and really showed how successful and celebrated slice-of-life comics could be. Susan, Esther, and Daisy start university in the UK, and are primed to figure out who they really are as adults. There are heartwarming queer experiences and all manner of university-level hijinks, as the girls’ friendship deepens.

– Erica Ezeifedi

Superhero comics have an unfortunate habit of endlessly focusing on the same couple of dozen white guys from the 1930s-’60s to the exclusion of all else. So the fact that one of the breakout characters of the century is a Muslim, Pakistani American teenage girl from Jersey City is saying something. Kamala Khan burst into the comics scene like a firework, as funny and dorky and heroic and utterly relatable as Peter Parker was half a century before her. Her original run—and the 2015 run that follows immediately after—absolutely sparkles, issue after issue. Small wonder Ms. Marvel made it to the big and small screens within a decade of her debut.

– Jessica Plummer

In the 2010s, N.D. Stevenson posted doodles on Tumblr of a story he wasn’t sure what to do with, one about a shapeshifter with a penchant for villainy and a villain with a vendetta for a sidekick. Little did he know that those doodles would become a widely acclaimed webcomic, an Eisner Award and a Cybils Award-winning graphic novel, and an Academy Award-nominated film, all with a loyal and passionate fan base. Nimona is embraced as a classic of queer comics despite not being canonically queer, as Editor Danika Ellis explored last year. And if you needed any more reasons to be impressed by N.D. Stevenson, here’s your reminder that he would go on to be part of the team that gave us Lumberjanes.

– Vanessa Diaz

Walden is one of our generation’s biggest talents, and in this science-fiction epic drawn in gorgeous blacks, reds, and blues, she gives us a story of queer longing in the midst of the space age. Two young girls have their romance cut short; many years later, Mia decides she deserves to find her lost love again and sets out with her found family to track her down. Originally crafted as a webcomic, this novel takes bold chances with its storytelling, depicting real character backstory and growth and complex relationships alongside gorgeous shots of space, as well as with its art, doing a wordless chapter, or using color to differentiate timelines.

– Leah Rachel von Essen

When I think of books and comics for foodies, Relish is always near the top of my list. Each chapter of this very funny and very tasty memoir opens with a recipe, followed by drawings and descriptions of the dishes and how they tie in to formative memories. With a chef and a gourmet as parents, Knisley comes by her culinary appreciation honestly, and her reflections on everything from tamales in Mexico to McDonald’s fries really capture the pleasures of a perfect bite and how food connects us to each other. It’s a celebration of food from beginning to end, and a treat for anyone who, as the comic itself says, ever felt more passion for a sandwich than is strictly speaking proper.

– Vanessa Diaz

Graphic memoir has made way for more diverse stories, by which I mean more stories about people navigating an array of real-world problems outside of the spotlight and from diverse backgrounds and cultures. Thi Bui worked in education before she became an award-winning author and illustrator through this personal and profound exploration of her family’s escape from South Vietnam in the ’70s. Reckoning with how survival and trauma shaped her parents, the decisions and sacrifices they made for their family, Bui beautifully, painstakingly, and unforgettably renders the layered impacts of displacement and life as a refugee.

– S. Zainab Williams

In this YA graphic novel, Tien struggles to come out to his mother as gay, made more difficult by the language barrier: how can he finds the words in Vietnamese? They find connection by sharing fairy tales with each other. The embedded fairy tale stories all have their own visual style, including the fashion, that reflects something about the storyteller. I loved that this wasn’t just about Tien trying to come out to his mother, but also about his mother’s experiences as an immigrant from Vietnam. This is such a work of art, and it breaks my heart that it’s been targeted for book bans so frequently in recent years.

– Danika Ellis

This Eisner- and Harvey Award-winning YA graphic novel is a charming fairy tale about Prince Sebastian, who secretly moonlights as the fashionista Lady Crystallia, helped by his dressmaker best friend, Frances. It has a timeless, classic fairy tale feel, and the gender-nonconforming main character is what makes it stand out—unfortunately, that means it has also been targeted for book bans. This gentle, comforting story for all ages is a perfect example of the kind of books getting targeted in the current book banning wave, despite their literary quality and age appropriateness.

– Danika Ellis

The various shades of blue in This One Summer perfectly mirror its beach setting. But the true brilliance is the tone it sets for what this young adult graphic novel explores: summer friendship; the massive difference a year or two in age can make between teenagers; how what parents are privately going through can be missed by their children; and how parents can miss what their children do notice and absorb. I was so moved by this book that I have since read everything the Tamaki cousins have put out, jointly and individually.

– Jamie Canaves

E.M. Carroll is one of the best comic artists working today, in my humble opinion, and it was almost impossible to choose just one of their books to highlight. While I love their creepy, atmospheric, queer graphic novels When I Arrived at the Castle and A Guest in the House, this 2014 YA horror comic is what put them on the map. The illustrations perfectly capture the dark fairy tale tone of its stories, and the creative range of page layouts show the possibilities of the medium. I loved using these pages as examples while teaching high school English, because students were immediately drawn by the eye-catching artwork and haunting narrative.

– Danika Ellis