Engaging and Challenging YA (35 books)

Crowdsourced from my friends, who were once youth.

flag

1	Below the Root by Zilpha Keatley Snyder 4.12 avg rating — 1,070 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
2	Three Parts Dead (Craft Sequence, #1) by Max Gladstone (Goodreads Author) 3.97 avg rating — 15,452 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
3	Uprooted by Naomi Novik (Goodreads Author) 4.02 avg rating — 262,828 ratings score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	Seraphina (Seraphina, #1) by Rachel Hartman (Goodreads Author) 3.94 avg rating — 89,269 ratings score: 97, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
5	Shadow Scale (Seraphina, #2) by Rachel Hartman (Goodreads Author) 3.75 avg rating — 22,046 ratings score: 96, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
6	The Lies of Locke Lamora (Gentleman Bastard, #1) by Scott Lynch (Goodreads Author) 4.30 avg rating — 339,503 ratings score: 95, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
7	Annihilation (Southern Reach, #1) by Jeff Vandermeer (Goodreads Author) 3.80 avg rating — 300,664 ratings score: 94, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
8	Another Fine Myth (Myth Adventures, #1) by Robert Lynn Asprin 4.04 avg rating — 24,712 ratings score: 93, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
9	Westmark (Westmark, #1) by Lloyd Alexander 3.93 avg rating — 4,866 ratings score: 92, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
10	The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald 4.03 avg rating — 41,199 ratings score: 91, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
11	The Dark Is Rising (The Dark is Rising, #2) by Susan Cooper (Goodreads Author) 4.04 avg rating — 60,706 ratings score: 90, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
12	The Word for World Is Forest by Ursula K. Le Guin 4.07 avg rating — 43,305 ratings score: 89, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
13	Peeps (Peeps, #1) by Scott Westerfeld (Goodreads Author) 3.78 avg rating — 25,553 ratings score: 88, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
14	The Curse of Chalion (World of the Five Gods, #1) by Lois McMaster Bujold (Goodreads Author) 4.18 avg rating — 42,709 ratings score: 87, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
15	Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (Dirk Gently, #1) by Douglas Adams 3.97 avg rating — 148,332 ratings score: 86, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
16	The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials, #1) by Philip Pullman 4.03 avg rating — 1,614,688 ratings score: 85, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
17	Nine Stories by J.D. Salinger 4.18 avg rating — 154,577 ratings score: 84, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
18	The Silver Metal Lover (Silver Metal Lover, #1) by Tanith Lee 4.04 avg rating — 4,224 ratings score: 83, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
19	A Wizard of Earthsea (Earthsea Cycle, #1) by Ursula K. Le Guin 4.01 avg rating — 359,527 ratings score: 82, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
20	The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins 4.01 avg rating — 165,769 ratings score: 81, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
21	The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins 3.91 avg rating — 98,652 ratings score: 80, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
22	Sabriel (Abhorsen, #1) by Garth Nix (Goodreads Author) 4.16 avg rating — 218,130 ratings score: 79, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
23	Alanna: The First Adventure (Song of the Lioness, #1) by Tamora Pierce (Goodreads Author) 4.27 avg rating — 136,646 ratings score: 78, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
24	The Crystal Cave (Arthurian Saga, #1) by Mary Stewart 4.13 avg rating — 48,390 ratings score: 77, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
25	A Spy in the House (The Agency #1) by Y.S. Lee (Goodreads Author) 3.79 avg rating — 18,223 ratings score: 76, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
26	Dealing with Dragons (Enchanted Forest Chronicles, #1) by Patricia C. Wrede (Goodreads Author) 4.16 avg rating — 94,251 ratings score: 75, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
27	The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde 4.13 avg rating — 1,866,359 ratings score: 74, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
28	Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë 4.16 avg rating — 2,314,899 ratings score: 73, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
29	Dracula by Bram Stoker 4.02 avg rating — 1,469,912 ratings score: 72, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	Graceling (Graceling Realm, #1) by Kristin Cashore 4.06 avg rating — 479,948 ratings score: 71, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
31	A Great and Terrible Beauty (Gemma Doyle, #1) by Libba Bray (Goodreads Author) 3.80 avg rating — 225,521 ratings score: 70, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
32	Ratha's Creature (The Named, #1) by Clare Bell (Goodreads Author) 4.04 avg rating — 2,210 ratings score: 69, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
33	Half a King (Shattered Sea, #1) by Joe Abercrombie 3.97 avg rating — 74,130 ratings score: 68, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
34	Pegasus (Pegasus, #1) by Robin McKinley 3.62 avg rating — 9,354 ratings score: 67, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
35	I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith 3.99 avg rating — 115,125 ratings score: 66, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars