There's something about October—whether it’s the crisp breeze or the scent of Autumn in the air—that invokes a craving for all things spooky and supernatural. Aside from thrillers and mystery novels, the Young Adult genre is perfect for light-hearted, mystical reads. With strong heroines, magical worlds and quintessential love triangles, these 5 YA books will be sure to spike your supernatural intrigue!
1. The Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
Divided by the color of blood running through their veins, the poverty-stricken Reds are ruled by the Silvers, elite warriors with superhuman abilities. Mare Barrow is a 17 year-old Red on a mission to provide for her family in any way she can. After finding herself working at the Silver Palace, Mare quickly discovers that despite her Red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own—power that threatens Silver control and creates a blurred line between Red and Silver.
2. Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake
In every generation, a set of triplets is born into the royal lineage. Three queens are all equal heirs to the crown, each possessing different and coveted magic. Mirabella is an elemental, with the ability to spark burning flames or vicious storms with the wave of a hand. Katharine is a poisoner, one who can ingest the deadliest poisons without any signs of sickness. Arsinoe is a naturalist and can control Mother Earth’s creations from flowers to animals. However, becoming the Queen Crowned isn’t solely a matter of royal birth. Each sister has to fight for it in a game of life or death. On the night of the sisters’ sixteenth birthday, the battle will begin and the last sister standing gets the crown.
3. Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare
In a world where Shadowhunters patrol the streets fighting demons and other underworldly creatures, Emma Carstairs is the best of her generation. Fighting alongside her lifelong warrior partner, Julian Blackthorn, she patrols the streets of Los Angeles, where vampires and warlocks party on the Sunset Strip. When fairies and humans alike turn up murdered, Emma takes on mysterious cases that bear many similarities to the slaying of her own parents. As she searches to uncover the truth alongside Julian, Emma travels to mystical sea caves, battles dark magic and meets mythical mermaids—but will she be able to solve these crimes before the murderers catch onto her?
4. Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch
Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens were enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Their only hope for freedom are the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild their kingdom. Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee alongside other survivors including her best friend, Mather. When an ancient artifact from their home is discovered that could help restore magic back to Winter, Meira ventures out on her own. However, she soon learns that her destiny has never been hers alone and there is a secret in her past that she must uncover.
5. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
This YA cult-favorite series follows Celaena Sardothien, an imprisoned assassin serving her time in the salt mines of Endovier. When the crown prince, Dorian, offers her the chance to win her freedom, Celaena jumps at the offer. The catch is, she must compete as the prince’s champion to become the next Royal Assassin and serve the kingdom for four years should she win. Having confidence in her skills, Celaena knows that she can win. However, a mysterious force begins picking off the champions one-by-one as the competition progresses, and Celaena must find out who is behind the attacks if she is to survive.
