Sometimes there’s nothing quite like a high school drama-filled story. Here are 11 of the best young adult books about high school drama that you should read this year!
Anna and the French Kiss – Stephanie Perkins
Anna is looking forward to her senior year in high school. She has great friends, a great job, and a crush on a cute boy that’s close to becoming more. And then her parents force her to move to Paris to attend boarding school.
Soon after she arrives, she meets the charming and handsome Etienne, but soon realises he has a girlfriend.
BUY THE BOOK: bookshop.org | amazon
Gossip Girl – Cecily von Ziegesar
Serena van der Woodsen has just returned to New York City’s Upper East Side after spending a year in boarding school. But why did she leave? And why is she back? Gossip Girl, an anonymous blogger out to ruin the lives of the city’s teenage elite, is ready to find out.
BUY THE BOOK: bookshop.org | amazon
Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry – Joya Goffney
Quinn keeps lists of everything in her journal, including a list of her biggest fears. By writing everything down, she feels like she never has to face them in real life. Until her journal goes missing and an anonymous account begins posting her lists for everyone to see. She must face 7 of her greatest fears or her entire journal will go public to her entire high school.
Teaming up with Carter, the last person she knows who had her journal, she’s in a race against time to track down the blackmailer.
BUY THE BOOK: bookshop.org | amazon
The Upside of Falling – Alex Light
17-year-old Becca Hart doesn’t believe in love, but when her former best friend teases her for not having a boyfriend, Becca impulsively makes up a boyfriend.
Brett Wells is the captain of the football team and is one of the most popular guys at school, but even he is feeling pressure from his friends to get a girlfriend.
So, when he overhears Becca’s lie, he decides to step in and be the mystery guy.
However, pretending to be the perfect couple isn’t as easy as it seems, especially when they begin to fall for each other.
BUY THE BOOK: bookshop.org | amazon
I Kissed Shara Wheeler – Casey McQuiston
Chloe Green lives in a small town where the only thing keeping her going is winning valedictorian. Her only rival is Shara Wheeler. But a month before graduation, Shara kisses Chloe and then disappears.
Chloe soon discovers Shara kissed 2 other people before leaving and has left behind clues for them to find her. Chloe ends up working with Shara’s neighbour and her boyfriend as they attempt to figure out what has happened to her.
BUY THE BOOK: bookshop.org | amazon
The DUFF – Kody Keplinger
17-year-old Bianca Piper knows that her friends are prettier than her, but she’s shocked when the popular and extremely hot, Wesley Rush, tells her that she is the ‘duff’ of her friendship group.
‘Duff’ stands for ‘Designated Ugly Fat Friend.’
Biance hates Wesley, but when things aren’t going very well at home, she ends up kissing him and they quickly find themselves in a weird and secret enemies-with-benefits relationship that they must keep a secret from the rest of the students at their high school.
And it’s not long before she begins to realise that she might be falling for Wes… and that is absolutely horrifying to her.
BUY THE BOOK: amazon
What Kind of Girl – Alyssa Sheinmel
A girl walks into the principal’s office and accuses her popular boyfriend, Mike, of hitting her. She has a bruise on her face to prove it.
But the students quickly choose sides. Some call for Mike’s immediate expulsion and some question what really happened. Why did she go to the principal instead of the police? And, why did she stay with Mike if he was hurting her?
BUY THE BOOK: bookshop.org | amazon
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before – Jenny Han
Lara Jean writes love letters to her secret crushes and hides them under her bed. But one day they’re accidentally sent out and every person she’s ever had a crush on finds out. And, when Lara Jean’s sister’s boyfriend receives a letter, she ends up fake dating a popular jock to prove that she’s completely over her sister’s boyfriend.
BUY THE BOOK: bookshop.org | amazon
The Princess Diaries – Meg Cabot
Mia Thermopolis is 14-years-old and living in New York City with her single mother who has just started dating her algebra teacher when she finds out that her dad is the prince of a small European principality. She must deal with everyone finding out that she’s actually a princess alongside falling for her best friend’s older brother.
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How We Fall Apart – Katie Zhao
Popular ‘It Girl’ at Sinclair Prep, Jamie Ruan, has disappeared and is soon found dead. Soon after she’s found, rumours that her 4 ex-best friends are involved. Someone naming themselves ‘The Proctor’ knows all of their secrets and is incriminating them on social media and they soon find themselves the prime suspects.
BUY THE BOOK: bookshop.org | amazon
Perfect Chemistry – Simone Elkeles
Brittany Ellis has always been the perfect daughter and the perfect student and she has the perfect boyfriend. Until she walks into chemistry class in senior year and she’s forced to be partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town.
As she slowly becomes closer to Alex, their relationship threatens everything she’s ever worked for: her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect.
BUY THE BOOK: amazon
