Best Young Adult Realistic Novels

This is a list for Young Adult novels that are realistic. That means no paranormal, fantasy, sci-fi, or any other genre of the like can be added to this list. Thank you for voting. :)
2497

by
3.75 avg rating — 4 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2497

by
3.96 avg rating — 87,030 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2497

by
3.64 avg rating — 979 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2497

by
3.79 avg rating — 638 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2505

by
3.73 avg rating — 307 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2505

by
3.47 avg rating — 4,844 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2505

by
3.88 avg rating — 468 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2505

by
it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating
Rate this book
Clear rating
2505

by
3.94 avg rating — 42,521 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2505

by
3.98 avg rating — 15,993 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2505

by
3.90 avg rating — 1,365 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2505

by
4.28 avg rating — 35,912 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2513

by
3.67 avg rating — 545 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2513

by
3.68 avg rating — 79,995 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2513

by
4.75 avg rating — 4 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2513

by
4.26 avg rating — 1,546 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2513

by
3.97 avg rating — 11,899 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2513

by
3.85 avg rating — 286 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2513

by
3.64 avg rating — 8,165 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2513

by
4.50 avg rating — 10,256 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2521

by
3.78 avg rating — 363 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2521

by
4.50 avg rating — 4 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2521

by
3.70 avg rating — 120,589 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2521

by
4.23 avg rating — 888 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2521

by
3.69 avg rating — 810 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2521

by
4.06 avg rating — 17,878 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2527

by
3.64 avg rating — 830 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2527

by
3.92 avg rating — 24 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2527

by
3.98 avg rating — 203 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2527

by
3.88 avg rating — 15,781 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2527

by
3.96 avg rating — 4,466 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2532

by
3.71 avg rating — 981 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2532

by
4.67 avg rating — 9 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2532

by
4.03 avg rating — 6,434 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2532

by
3.96 avg rating — 206 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2532

by
3.70 avg rating — 15,742 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2532

by
3.77 avg rating — 78,961 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2538

by
3.26 avg rating — 196 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2538

by
3.53 avg rating — 667 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2538

by
it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating
Rate this book
Clear rating
2538

by
3.94 avg rating — 534 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2538

by
3.55 avg rating — 18,776 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2538

by
3.90 avg rating — 129,204 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2544

by
it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 3 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2544

by
3.98 avg rating — 11,955 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2544

by
3.71 avg rating — 12,253 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2544

by
4.31 avg rating — 79,927 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2548

by
3.50 avg rating — 14,673 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2548

by
3.66 avg rating — 315,854 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2548

by
3.84 avg rating — 21,091 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2548

by
4.35 avg rating — 247,543 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2552

by
4.05 avg rating — 4,103 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2552

by
4.05 avg rating — 8,578 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2552

by
3.85 avg rating — 723 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2552

by
3.80 avg rating — 24,751 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2552

by
4.40 avg rating — 93,611 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2557

by
3.75 avg rating — 769 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2557

by
4.41 avg rating — 247 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2557

by
3.81 avg rating — 20,188 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2557

by
4.37 avg rating — 79,511 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2561

by
3.49 avg rating — 604 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2561

by
3.95 avg rating — 9,987 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2561

by
it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 3 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2561

by
4.34 avg rating — 593,767 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2561

by
4.42 avg rating — 9,108 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2566

by
4.43 avg rating — 7 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2566

by
3.85 avg rating — 45,731 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2568

by
3.50 avg rating — 181 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2568

by
4.01 avg rating — 17,786 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2568

by
4.50 avg rating — 4 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2568

by
4.10 avg rating — 51,602 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2568

by
3.35 avg rating — 8,699 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2573

by
3.88 avg rating — 363 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2573

by
3.69 avg rating — 1,319 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2573

by
4.33 avg rating — 3 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2573

by
3.89 avg rating — 50,242 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2573

by
3.70 avg rating — 6,440 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2578

by
3.79 avg rating — 443 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2578

by
3.95 avg rating — 14,400 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2578

by
3.50 avg rating — 10 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2578

by
3.40 avg rating — 47 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2582

by
3.67 avg rating — 541 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2582

by
3.96 avg rating — 674 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2582

by
4.18 avg rating — 9,459 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2585

by
3.64 avg rating — 1,953 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2585

by
it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 2 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2585

by
3.25 avg rating — 68,315 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2588

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 4 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2588

by
4.40 avg rating — 705,403 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2590

by
3.67 avg rating — 17,396 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2591

by
3.91 avg rating — 3,463 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2591

by
3.81 avg rating — 23,640 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2593

by
4.57 avg rating — 42 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2593

by
3.88 avg rating — 127,285 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2595

by
it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 2 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2595

by
3.85 avg rating — 11,678 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2597

by
3.76 avg rating — 1,382 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2597

by
4.67 avg rating — 36 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2597

by
3.28 avg rating — 3,551 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2600

by
3.52 avg rating — 31 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2,653 books · 12,149 voters · list created January 16th, 2011 by Lora (votes) .
1507 likes · 
Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.


Lora 1171 books
141 friends
Alexa 2433 books
430 friends
Janina 1650 books
136 friends
~Tina~ 2938 books
1438 friends
Morgan 1419 books
1070 friends
Miss Bookiverse 4984 books
91 friends
SpunkyGirls 1934 books
160 friends
Nic 1576 books
386 friends

More voters…


Comments Showing 1-50 of 65 (65 new)


message 1: by [deleted user] (new)

Looking for Alaska appears to be listed twice, once on page 1 and again about page 2 at number 103. I nearly voted for it again.


message 2: by Juna (new)

Juna Nolem this is such a great list. I just started with anna and the french kiss, finished it and it was absolutely great. I am now reading before I fall, and I guess I'll have to follow through this list. Great! <3


message 3: by Liliana (new)

Liliana Saquicela Isn't 'The Host' sci-fi? And 'The Hunger Games' dystopian?....these shouldn't be on this book list since its only YA realistic novels....just sayin :/


message 4: by Lora (new)

Lora Liliana wrote: "Isn't 'The Host' sci-fi? And 'The Hunger Games' dystopian?....these shouldn't be on this book list since its only YA realistic novels....just sayin :/"

Liliana, thank you for pointing those out. I deleted them from the list.

For some reason, people seem to vote for their favorite books on whatever list they run into first here on GR. Whether it's the correct genre for the list they're voting on or not.


message 5: by Jazmin (new)

Jazmin this is really a great list. i've read many of these books and loved them!


message 6: by Shacoria (new)

Shacoria This is why I hate these listopia things on goodreads. There are always books that clearly don't belong on the list. I know everyone loves hunger games(I love hunger games), but it's not realistic. There are no hunger games in the real world. Stop trying to put books on lists just because you like them. Only add them if they fit the description.


message 7: by Jo (new)

Jo this really is a great list


message 8: by ked (new)

ked siraj this deffinatly great list


message 9: by Avery (new)

Avery I don't know if before I Fall belongs on the list. Yes, it takes place in our world and I would call it realistic fiction, except for the fact that most of the plot is about a girl reliving her death day over and over again, which is science fiction.


message 10: by Brittnie (new)

Brittnie I was also going yo ask about the" Fifty Shades Of Grey" series being on here. They clearly aren't YA and if they were, they wouldn't be considered realistic by most.


message 11: by Ceecee (new)

Ceecee Not sure if historical books can be included? The Book Thief isn't set in the present time but it is realistic and awesome so I'll vote for it anyway. :D


message 12: by Jeanie (new)

Jeanie Weber Liliana wrote: "Isn't 'The Host' sci-fi? And 'The Hunger Games' dystopian?....these shouldn't be on this book list since its only YA realistic novels....just sayin :/"

They mean the voice and struggles of the teen protagonist is realistic.


Debbie is on Storygraph Took off the following paranormals/SF/fantasy:

Evermore
Fracture
Deadly Little Secret
Loch
Vampire Academy
Winter Rose
Shiver
The Twilight Saga
Linger
Forever
The Last Prophet
The Amityville Horror
Breaking Dawn
Betrayed
Twilight

Took off the following not YA books:
Gabriel's Rapture (erotica)
Fifty Shades Freed
Fifty Shades Darker
Fifty Shades of Grey
Fifty Shades Trilogy Bundle


message 14: by Loveliest Evaris (new)

Loveliest Evaris I LOVE Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. I'm not a real YA fan because to me the whole "teen relationship" thing is a hard sell form me, since I think "oh they'll break up. They don't really know what love is." And I stand by that idea, because I myself don't love anyone. It's fleeting and superficial, like most teens' love is. They confuse comfort and safety with true love, it's really just "philia".


message 15: by Lora (last edited Jan 30, 2013 11:57AM) (new)

Lora Debbie wrote: "Took off the following paranormals/SF/fantasy:

Evermore
Fracture
Deadly Little Secret
Loch
Vampire Academy
Winter Rose
Shiver
The Twilight Saga
Linger
Forever
The Last Prophet
The Amityville Horro..."


Debbie, thank you so much. Since creating this list two years ago, I have made several changes and tried to keep it up, but is hard when people keep adding books that shouldn't be on here, and I simply can't check it every day of my life. So thanks again for helping. :)

Rahmat wrote: "Thanks so much this is the first list I've started on GR. I will also like to thank everyone for adding books to this list."

Rahmat, if you're taking credit for creating this list, you better redact that. I, Lora, clearly created this list back in January of 2011, as is listed above the people who've voted on this list.


message 16: by Rahmat (new)

Rahmat Lora wrote: "Debbie wrote: "Took off the following paranormals/SF/fantasy:

Evermore
Fracture
Deadly Little Secret
Loch
Vampire Academy
Winter Rose
Shiver
The Twilight Saga
Linger
Forever
The Last Prophet
The A..."


Sorry for that I was talking of another list.


message 17: by Lynne (last edited Mar 21, 2013 05:45PM) (new)

Lynne Lowe This is a really great list, but I'm surprised not to find The Diary of Anne Frank. That's definitely a classic.


Debbie is on Storygraph Lynne wrote: "This is a really great list, but I'm surprised not to find The Diary of Anne Frank. That's definitely a classic."

Probably because that's not a novel.


Debbie is on Storygraph Jazzy, list out numbers and titles and I'll clean up the list tonight.


message 20: by Kinley (new)

Kinley Gates If anything beautiful distaster is my favorite book lol and after that taking chances will put you to tears I was drowning in em!'


message 21: by Elizabeth (new)

Elizabeth Cisewski I am really interested in this list, it looks great!!!!


message 22: by K.A. (new)

K.A. Coleman I am so incredibly honored that people voted my book on this list, and I'm also incredibly excited to read some of the other books. Realistic YA is one of my favorite genres.


message 23: by Gabby (new)

Gabby Vampire Academy and The Host are not realistic.


Debbie is on Storygraph Gone.

Also removed the following:
Queen of Babble and sequels (Not YA)
The Notebook (not YA)
Journey to the River Sea (historical fantasy)
The Lovely Bones (not realistic)
Graceling (fantasy)
Shatter Me (SF)
The Godfather (not YA)


message 25: by I3books (new)

I3books I totally LOVE this list, especially glad I discovered Simone Elkeles because of it.


message 26: by Lora (new)

Lora Did some cleaning up.

Deleted:
Less Than Zero (adult)
The Help (with some teen characters, but still adult)
On Dublin Street (adult - bordering on erotica)
Night Star (YA paranormal)
Room (told from a five-year-old's POV, but definitely adult)
The Lovely Bones (not really realistic and not really YA)
Infinite Days (YA paranormal)
A Time to Kill (adult mystery)

As the creator of this list, I want to thank all GR users who've helped clean up this list; it is much appreciated, since I cannot keep tabs on it 24/7.

There are still several books from Jodi Picoult and Nicholas Sparks that are technically adult and therefore shouldn't be on this list, but they seem to be popular books to add, so I won't delete them at present. However, if someone else feels they should be deleted and wishs to take the liberty, be my guest.

As far as the "new adult" genre that everyone is going on about, I am not yet sure whether it should be on this list or not. They are books aimed at 17+ (I think?), but there content really isn't all that appropriate for younger readers IMO. There are several New Adult titles on this list now, however, so for now I'll not be deleting them, either. If anyone else deems them unfit for the list, please feel free to delete them yourself. Thank you.

- Lora


message 27: by Gabby (last edited Jul 08, 2013 06:45AM) (new)

Gabby Lora wrote: "Did some cleaning up.

Deleted:
Less Than Zero (adult)
The Help (with some teen characters, but still adult)
On Dublin Street (adult - bordering on erotica)
Night Star (YA paranormal)
Room (told fr..."


I think everyone is turning a "once YA book" Into a New adult book anyway. So it's hard to keep track. I say leave them unless there are a LOT of adult themes in them.


message 28: by Khristian (new)

Khristian Nicole ferb I know what we're gonna do today


message 29: by Caitlin (new)

Caitlin I'm fairly sure Starters is more sci fi than realistic YA fiction.


Introvert Booklover I love this list! I've read some of them.


message 31: by Mel (new)

Mel If I Stay (Gayle Forman) isn't totally realistic.


message 32: by Kevin (new)

Kevin Bourrillion Ditto on please remove "Before I Fall" and "If I Stay." I think they're great books, but not for this list.


message 33: by Kevin (new)

Kevin Bourrillion (I think we can take the supernatural element of "The Book Thief" as just literary device, though...)


message 34: by Franziska (last edited Mar 27, 2014 11:00AM) (new)

Franziska I have deleted some books:


City of Glass by Cassandra Clare
Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James
City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare
Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare
Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick
The Selection by Kiera Cass
Fallen by Lauren Kate

But I don't think I have found all Fantasy, SF and erotica.


message 35: by Inna (new)

Inna Divergent (#113) definitely should be out of this list - there's nothing realistic about it. Same goes about Flowers in the Attic (#130) Whoever has a power to delete those - please do! :-)


message 36: by Henryetta (last edited Jul 20, 2014 11:57AM) (new)

Henryetta I noticed several books that should be deleted. Fallen #244, Short 2nd Life of Bree Tanner #771, Divergent #459, Grapes of Wrath (not YA)#703. It is unbelievable so many people do not read instructions or just don't care.


message 37: by Joshua (new)

Joshua I love Anna and the French Kiss, but "Realistic"? hardly.


message 38: by Richard (new)

Richard LOTR and The Hobbit are realistic fiction?


message 39: by Vriddhi (new)

Vriddhi  Vinay The Fault in our Stars isn't realistic.


message 40: by Jason (last edited Jul 07, 2014 09:32AM) (new)

Jason I've read 25 of the T27.

Highlights: Tier 1 - Just Listen, Along for the Ride, The Truth About Forever
Tier 2 - Before I Fall, Speak, Will Grayson


message 41: by Donna (new)

Donna Davis I completely understand the need to create a list not dominated by paranormal romance, vampire fiction, Fifty
Shades, etc. Unfortunately, by creating the "realistic" limitation, all of Vonnegut, anything by Orson Scott Card or Tolkien, Watership Down, Flowers for Algernon and a number of other really strong YA books are also excluded. This is a shame, because there is a type of kid out there--usually brainy and male, but not always--who won't read anything else. They're tearing the classroom apart till you put Douglas Adams in their hands and say, "Just read this," and suddenly they're happy.


message 42: by Nicole (new)

Nicole Almost died of laughter that TFIOS is on this list. I love the book, but seriously.


message 43: by Henryetta (last edited Jul 20, 2014 11:56AM) (new)

Henryetta TFIOS = The Fault in Our Stars. Took me a minute to figure this out. This book may not be completely realistic, but it comes closer than dystopian books and vampire fiction. I believe it follows the description of the books for this list. see below

"This is a list for Young Adult novels that are realistic. That means no paranormal, fantasy, sci-fi, or any other genre of the like can be added to this list. Thank you for voting. :)"


message 44: by Moe (last edited Jul 24, 2014 12:59AM) (new)

Moe Thi good list anybody knows where is a list like this for comtemporary books?


message 45: by Mel (new)

Mel What Really Happened in Peru (Clare, C.)
The Scorch Trials (Dashner, J.)
The Kill Order (Dashner, J.)
The Lost Hero (Riordan, R.)
The Son of Neptune (Riordan, R.)
The House of Hades (Riordan, R.)
Hush, Hush (Fitzpatrick, B.)
Killer (Shephard, S.) Or all the Pretty Little Liars series aren't realistic.
The One (Cass, K.)

aren't realistic :-)


message 46: by Midniteillusion (new)

Midniteillusion Kevin wrote: "(I think we can take the supernatural element of "The Book Thief" as just literary device, though...)"

Jeanie wrote: "Liliana wrote: "Isn't 'The Host' sci-fi? And 'The Hunger Games' dystopian?....these shouldn't be on this book list since its only YA realistic novels....just sayin :/"

They mean the voice and stru..."


You've still got Bared To You (#299) erotica listed on this YA listopia.


message 47: by Michelle (new)

Michelle I'm curious as to why If I Stay and Before I Fall are on here. I'm not sure if I would say these novels are "realistic." I think they should be removed from the list too.


message 48: by NurFasha (new)

NurFasha Which part in The Fault in Our Stars is realistic? Do people talk like that in real life? That's very tiring..Didn't like the book at all and I had high expectation since the movie is quite good..


message 49: by Drew (last edited Jan 03, 2015 06:04PM) (new)

Drew Easy is NOT young adult. (Neither are Beautiful Disaster or Hopeless, for that matter.)


message 50: by Danielle (last edited Feb 02, 2015 10:09AM) (new)

Danielle Zapata If I Stay by Gayle Forman
I really loved this book!!!! Especially towards the ending was really interesting! But keep reading it gets better and better!! Read the book first and then see the movie!! Its totally worth it trust me!!!! I recommend this book!! I just cant wait til i get the second book!It should be more interesting!! I Guarantee you that this book is one of the best!! The movie was also good!!!


« previous 1
back to top



Related News

Freedom looks a lot like slavery to Coleman and his sister, June.   Though the Civil War has ended, the brother and sister are still living...

Anyone can add books to this list.