12 Hopeful YA Books to Brighten Your Days

A Darkly Beating Heart, by Lindsay Smith
I can’t praise Smith’s latest enough. This time travel adventure with a glorious amount of bisexual representation follows Reiko, a depressed, angry girl sent to spend a summer in Japan with her family after a failed suicide attempt. When Reiko visits a historic village preserved as it stood in the Edo period, she discovers an object that allows her to slip into the life and era of nineteenth-century girl Miyu. Reiko discovers Miyu is as vengeful as herself, if not more so, and must decide if ultimate vengeance is the path for her—or if there’s a way to be happy again.

A World Without You, by Beth Revis
A genre-bending story of time travel, mental illness, and family, A World Without You explores the deepest depths of the mind and heart. Protagonist Bo has delusions that he can time travel, causing his parents to send him to a unique school for troubled youth. Bo believes his school is actually for kids who, like him, have superpowers. While there, he falls for schoolmate Sofia, but when she commits suicide, he doesn’t believe she’s dead. Instead, he’s sure she’s stuck somewhere in time, and believes it is his job to save her…even if that puts him in danger.

A Time to Dance, by Padma Venkatraman
In this story set in India, Veda adores dancing. She could practice all day and still not have enough of it. But after a sudden accident leaves her a below-knee amputee, the goals she had for her life are crushed. Adjusting to walking with a prosthetic leg is no easy task, let alone dancing with one. But Veda decides giving up is not an option, and she relearns dance, connecting with it on a level she hadn’t before. Venkatraman presents a beautiful story of art, healing, and hope.

Forget Tomorrow, by Pintip Dunn
Though the number of dystopian fiction releases has been on the decline, Pintip Dunn’s Forget Tomorrow reminds readers why we fell in love with the genre in the first place. Callie’s world crashes around her on her 17th birthday, when she receives her vision: in her future world, visions are memories sent back in time to guide a person into their future. But her vision shows her something terrible—she sees herself killing her sister. Callie is jailed to keep her from committing this future crime, and the only person who seems to want to help her is her childhood crush and fellow prisoner, Logan. Together, they break free and go on the run in order to protect those they love, but running from the government, and perhaps fate itself, is more dangerous than they imagined.

The Memory of Light, by Francisco X. Stork
After a failed suicide attempt, Vicky Cruz wakes up in a ward for people with mental disorders. At first she doesn’t know what to do with herself, but as she gets to know others at Lakeview, she finds herself pushed to reconsider her circumstances. But her new state is shaky, and when the group at Lakeview is split up, she must once again face the problems that made her want to end her life in the first place. Stork explores what comes after a suicide attempt and the fragile road of recovery.

Letters to Nowhere, by Julie Cross
If you’re still missing the Olympics, Julie Cross’s contemporary novel about a young, talented gymnast is exactly what you need. After her parents die, Karen doesn’t know what to do with herself. Her coach invites her to live with him…and his gorgeous son, Jordan. As she navigates grief, a new and uncertain romance, and gymnastics, she must search for reasons to keep going and find her way back to herself.

Girl Against the Universe, by Paula Stokes
Paula Stokes perfectly articulates the low point of life’s battles in the title of her latest: Girl Against the Universe. Much like protagonist Maguire, anyone experiencing anxiety, PTSD, or other mental illness can feel like the universe is waging a war on them. The beauty of this contemporary YA is that Maguire learns what it means to work within her own universe, without having to control everything around her.

When Reason Breaks, by Cindy L. Rodriguez
Creating nuanced portrayals of depression is crucial, as every person experiences it differently. Maintaining a sense of hope while authentically expressing the low depths of depression is a two-part feat, and Cindy L. Rodriguez nails it in her contemporary story of two girls, Elizabeth Davis and Emily Delgado, who both have depression but experience it in unique ways. While working together on an English project about Emily Dickinson, they find out they have much more in common than previously thought, and must manage the demons that haunt them.

The Reader, by Traci Chee
If you haven’t read this knockout YA fantasy yet, stop reading this immediately and go to your nearest bookstore. Seriously, go. I’ll wait.
Okay, now that you have this glorious book in your hands, prepare for an unforgettable journey. Chee’s strong protagonist, Sefia, has been on the run for years, since the murder of her father by forces she doesn’t understand, forces that have been tracking her ever since. Once her aunt—her only companion and last living relative—is taken, she must survive on her own and protect the mysterious object her father left behind: a book. In a world where reading is unheard of, Sefia learns to master the words on the page, and as she does, uncovers long hidden secrets about her family.

The Secret Diary of Lydia Bennet, by Natasha Farrant
While Elizabeth Bennet is usually the go-to favorite Bennet sister, beloved for her reading habits and general sass, Natasha Farrant reminds us that Lydia Bennet isn’t about to be ignored. While reading may not be her favorite activity, she yearns for adventure, freedom, romance, and, much like Lizzie, not to be defined by her society. With Wickham’s arrival, excitement sweeps through her life, and she wonders what her future holds. After navigating secrets, betrayal, and a system that dislikes individualistic women like herself, Lydia will have to go after what she truly wants, no matter what others may think of her.

This is Not a Test, by Courtney Summers
From the dark cover to the dark setting—the zombie apocalypse—this book might not seem like a natural fit on a list of hopeful YAs. But don’t underestimate the mystical powers of Courtney Summers, who can make a tale of sorrow, death, and depression a stunning examination of human connection and growth. Sloane Price is one of six students seeking shelter at the local high school after zombies attack. Though she’s surprised, Sloane doesn’t anticipate the attack will change her general state of mind much. Her world fell apart months ago, and this new change only gives her a better opportunity to give up. However, as anger, death, desperation, and surprising friendships collide, what happens inside the school will alter their lives more than the threat waiting outside.

Pushing the Limits, by Katie McGarry
All of Katie McGarry’s books will take you through the emotional wringer, but her debut novel, Pushing the Limits, has a special place on my shelf. We follow Echo Emerson, one-time popular girl and current outsider, who can’t remember the events of one horrible night. When she meets Noah, loner and fellow outsider, their worlds collide. The attraction between them is intense, but opening up isn’t easy. They may only be able to push themselves so far before they break.