10 Magical Realism YA Books to Read Right Now

Blanca & Roja, by Anna-Marie McLemore
Honestly, this could be just a list of Anna-Marie McLemore titles. Each of her novels have peered at reality through a unique magical lens, and her latest is another spellbinding example. A Latinx retelling of Swan Lake, Blanca & Roja centers on the Del Cisne girls, prisoners of their own destiny. Sisters turned rivals, a curse looms that will bind one of them in the form of a swan forever.

American Street, by Ibi Zoboi
An incredibly timely coming of age story, American Street follows Fabiola Toussaint, a Haitian immigrant navigating a new life in Detroit with her American cousins after her mother is detained by ICE. Her struggle with this strange new reality is infused by elements of vodou, mixing Fabiola’s Haitian faith with her struggle to capture the “American dream.”

A Monster Calls, by Patrick Ness
We often think of magical realism’s dreamlike qualities, but Ness’s story, taken from a concept by the late Siobhan Dowd, is nightmarish. Conor’s mother is dying of cancer, and now a monster waits outside his window. The lines between “reality” and the monster’s world blur as Conor attempts to navigate increasingly volatile emotions during the day and find meaning in the monster’s parables at night.

Hole in the Middle, by Kendra Fortmeyer
There is no stranger time in life than adolescence. It makes sense then that coming of age stories are suited so perfectly to magical realist interpretations. With that in mind, meet Morgan Stone, born with a literal hole in the center of her stomach. When she reveals her secret, she finds uncomfortable viral fame—and a boy with an equally peculiar condition.

The Secret of a Heart Note, by Stacey Lee
Mimosa and her mother have a unique skill set: their noses can detect heart notes, the keys to people’s moods or romantic compatibility. They use this ability to make love potions. But sparking love in others leads to a lonely life for Mim—that is, until one of her elixirs falls into the wrong hands, and correcting the mistake forces Mim into close contact with soccer star Court.

Bone Gap, by Laura Ruby
The people of Bone Gap, Illinois, are used to disappearances. That’s what happens when your town sits on gaps, ones between this reality and that of other worlds. So nobody takes Finn O’Sullivan seriously when he raises the alarm that Roza was kidnapped. Alternating between Finn and Roza’s POVs, this magic mystery unfolds with melancholic beauty.

The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender, by Leslye Walton
There’s something extra seductive about a family curse story, about a history that spans generations. The women of Ava Lavender’s family bear a shared legacy of doomed love. Ava, meanwhile, has another peculiarity: she was born with wings. An object of admiration for some and repulsion for others, Ava traces her troubled family history, and in the process, learns more about herself.

The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind, by Meg Medina
The village of Tres Montes knows Sonia Ocampos is special. Born during a fierce storm, Sonia is an angel, believed by all to be the town’s protector—the answer to their prayers. Fleeing the weight of expectations, Sonia finds work (and a certain kind of freedom) in the capital city, though she finds herself unable to fully escape the village and her legacy.

The Astonishing Color of After, by Emily X.R. Pan
After her mother dies by suicide, Leigh Chen Sanders travels to Taiwan to meet her maternal grandparents for the first time. Compelled by grief, she is also on a quest—to find her mother. Leigh is convinced her mother has been reincarnated as a bird. In searching for the bird and some sense of understanding, she uncovers more about her family and her mother than she ever knew.

Summer of Salt, by Katrina Leno
Magic runs through the veins of every woman in Georgina Fernweh’s family, but it has yet to make its appearance in her. Set on the strange, scenic island of By-the-Sea, this story has it all: family secrets, LGBTQ+ romance, and a murder mystery all unfold during the summer of Georgina’s eighteenth birthday.