10 YA Novels that Celebrate the Power of Internet Connection

#famous, by Jilly Gagnon
Rachel didn’t mean to make Kyle a celebrity when she posted his picture online, but that’s exactly what happened. Now her quiet little crush is shared by thousands of other girls, and unassuming Kyle has become a viral dreamboat. But while he’s enjoying his newfound fame, Rachel is miserable at the way she’s being treated by the same strangers who are drooling over Kyle. Can they overcome the internet exposure that’s tearing them apart before they even begin?

Symptoms of Being Human, by Jeff Garvin
Riley is genderfluid, a fact that doesn’t fit in so well with having a conservative congressman father. The only place Riley can truly reach out to others and explore what it means to have a nonbinary identity is on the internet, specifically on an anonymous blog that goes viral. But when that anonymity is threatened, Riley must make a choice between coming out and maintaining a necessary lifeline, or giving it all up for good, no matter the cost.

Queens of Geek, by Jen Wilde
Charlie is ready to have the best SupaCon experience ever with her two best friends in tow, and being able to show the world she’s doing just fine after a breakup with her costar is just the icing on the cake. But things get even better than she dared dream when she meets popular fellow vlogger Alyssa, and learns her crush is mutual. For Taylor, SupaCon is a much more under-the-radar experience, which is just fine by her…though it doesn’t mean she lacks for pleasant surprises. Instead, she’s thrilled by the inspiration she feels when she meets other autistic artists, and as she pushes herself further and further out of her comfort zone, she may land a better reward for her bravery than she ever imagined.

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, by Becky Albertalli
Simon’s got a e-crush, and he can only guess who’s on the other end of the emails he and his potential paramour are exchanging; honesty is tough when you’re still fighting your way out of the closet. But when an email gets into the wrong hands and finds Simon on the receiving end of a blackmailer, he has to decide how courageous he’s able to and wants to be in order to save his budding relationship with the mystery guy.

Eliza and Her Monsters, by Francesca Zappia
Offline life is not really Eliza’s forte, but online, she’s a freaking queen as the anonymous creator of a hugely popular webcomic. Perfectly satisfied with keeping her two lives apart, Eliza’s thrown when one of her biggest fans transfers to her school, and suddenly, IRL relationships aren’t looking so bad. But what would it mean for Eliza if the secret of her internet identity got out? When she has no choice but learn the answer, it may spell the end of her happiness both online and off.

Life by Committee, by Corey Ann Haydu
Tabitha’s growing up, and her friends don’t seem to like the way she’s doing it. Sorry, her former friends; Tabitha’s flying pretty solo these days. Which makes having the delicious secret of her flirtation with Joe an utterly painful thing to endure, especially with Joe’s girlfriend in the way. Needing to discuss her romantic drama with someone, Tab turns to Life By Committee, an internet forum that lets you share your secrets with strangers and receive advice in return—advice you’re expected to take whether you like it or not. As she falls down the black hole of letting LBC run her life, Tabitha has to assess which is braver: taking the bold advice of strangers or trusting your own gut.

Radio Silence, by Alice Oseman
Almost no one touches Frances when it comes to academic excellence, but when it comes to connecting on an interpersonal level, she’s been falling short in a big way. The thing that gives her the greatest joy is her favorite podcast, so when she learns she actually knows the brain behind the voice, the friendship she forms with him is fast, furious, and like nothing she’s ever known. There’s just one thing about Aled Last…he’s the brother of Carys, the girl Frances drove to run away. Between keeping that secret and keeping the one of Aled’s identity, something’s gotta give, and when it does, Frances may lose the most important person she’s ever had in her life. Worse, she may have to watch him lose himself.

Internet Famous, by Danika Stone
Internet star Madison has got a ton of on her plate, but she’s also got a whole lot of fans who are more than happy to help her out with her complicated life. But as things start to heat up for Madi in the romance department, life gets a little trickier than she can handle, and letting her fans into her life might turn into her biggest regret. Can she keep her online and offline lives from crashing into each other and burning, thanks to a threatening troll? Or is she about to learn that internet fame’s price is way higher than she ever wanted to pay?

Gena/Finn, by Hannah Moskowitz and Kat Helgeson
Gena and Finn may be in different places in life, but there’s one place you can count on finding them both: in the Up Below fandom. Gena and Finn can talk about their favorite show for hours, and when they meet online, it turns out they can talk about literally everything for hours…or days…or months. The connection between them is undeniable, but when the lines between friendship and more get blurred, it throws everyone into confusion, seeing as Finn is decidedly not single. Everyone has choices to make, but what happens when two girls who meet on the same site can’t get on the same page?

Tash Hearts Tolstoy, by Kathryn Ormsbee
Leo Tolstoy is Tash’s idol, and the original brains behind her passion project, a web series called Unhappy Families. But he’s not the only guy who inspires Tash—not as long as adorable Thom Causer is sharing her blogosphere. When Unhappy Families blows up and Tash gets an opportunity to meet Thom in person, she knows she can’t pass it up, even if most of the rest of the cast and her best friends can’t make the trip. The only problem is that Tash doesn’t quite know how to navigate the dating pool yet; how and when do you tell a guy you like that you’re a romantic asexual, and that no matter how cute you find him, sex is off the table? 

How to Repair a Mechanical Heart, by J.C. Lillis
Abel and Brandon have two things in common: they’re both gay, and they both love Castaway Planet. The latter is enough to make them a successful vlogging pair despite not being terribly tight, but Brandon’s still struggling with the former, which makes the fact that they’re on the road trip of their dreams to the traveling CP convention a little awkward. No, wait, awkward is finding out just how many fangirls are actually shipping them together, having no idea that Brandon feels incapable of a relationship right now, while Abel’s occupied by a new guy. But say Brandon and Abel did play along, just for fun, just for a little bit. What harm could it possibly do? And, more importantly, what good?

They Both Die at the End, by Adam Silvera
Mateo hasn’t exactly made the most of his years on earth, but when he gets the phone call that he’s a decker—a person facing down his death—he decides that for his final day on the planet, he’s going to actually enjoy it. The only problem is he doesn’t quite know how to do that; he can barely make himself leave the house to visit his dad in the hospital. Thankfully, the internet provides the perfect service: a website that matches deckers up with companions to spend their final day with. But Mateo has no idea what he’s getting himself into when he finds Rufus, another teen boy decker who’s on his own for entirely different reasons, and how much the last day of his life will feel like the first he’s ever truly lived.