Young adult literature has been extremely popular in recent years, but not just with its intended audience. People of all ages are enjoying these coming-of-age stories, and with good reason. YA literature comprises some of the most honest and empowering stories out there, especially in the contemporary genre. Here are some of the best of them—timeless stories that are meaningful at any age.

1. “Dumplin’” by Julie Murphy

What it’s about: Self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickinson (dubbed “Dumplin’” by her mother) has always felt at home in her own skin. She never let her weight define her. However, when things start changing in her life, she starts to doubt herself. In an effort to take back her confidence, she does the most horrifying, crazy thing she can think of: she enters the Miss Clover City pageant to show that she deserves to be there just as much as any thin girl.

“With starry Texas nights, red candy suckers, Dolly Parton songs, and a wildly unforgettable heroine—Dumplin’ is guaranteed to steal your heart.” (Full synopsis here)

Why you should read it: “Dumplin’” is hilarious, genuine, and empowering. It’s filled with silly Texas pageant traditions and maybe too many Dolly Parton references, but you’ll enjoy every bit of it. Willowdean, a.k.a. Will, is one of the most honest protagonists I’ve read, so her journey to find confidence is relatable no matter what you look like. Her story will you inspire you to take back your own confidence and make you laugh out loud along the way.

Also, this book is groundbreaking in that it’s a young adult novel with a female protagonist who isn’t thin. This is so important for a lot of reasons, mainly for expanding inclusion and diversity in YA literature. With so many novels about thin girls, it can seem like that’s the standard, and their stories are the only ones that matter. “Dumplin’” proves that stories about “self-proclaimed fat girls” are just as funny, beautiful, and important as other stories.

2. “An Abundance of Katherines” by John Green

What it’s about: Colin Singleton has dated 19 girls—all of whom were named Katherine and all of whom dumped him.

“On a road trip miles from home, this anagram-happy, washed-up child prodigy has ten thousand dollars in his pocket, a bloodthirsty feral hog on his trail, and an overweight, Judge Judy-loving best friend riding shotgun--but no Katherines. Colin is on a mission to prove The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability, which he hopes will predict the future of any relationship, avenge Dumpees everywhere, and finally win him the girl. Love, friendship, and a dead Austro-Hungarian archduke add up to surprising and heart-changing conclusions in this ingeniously layered comic novel about reinventing oneself.” (Full synopsis here)

Why you should read it: All of John Green’s books are great—you’ve probably already read “The Fault in Our Stars” and “Paper Towns” or seen the movies, and “Looking for Alaska” is supposedly getting a film, as well—but “An Abundance of Katherines” is really underrated, so I decided to give it the spot on the list. Like all of his books, “Katherines” explores the idea of “finding yourself” and the realities and problems that come up along the way, but the difference is that instead of tragedy, this book thrives on humor. Every aspect of Colin’s and his best friend’s road trip will make you laugh out loud, from their destination of the grave of an Austro-Hungarian archduke to the detailed, horribly nerdy graphs in the footnotes. This book is hilarious and, like all of John Green’s books, so enjoyable.

3. “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” and “P.S. I Still Love You” by Jenny Han

What it’s about: “’To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before’ is the story of Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed. But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters: her first kiss, the boy from summer camp, even her sister's ex-boyfriend, Josh. As she learns to deal with her past loves face to face, Lara Jean discovers that something good may come out of these letters after all.” (Source)

(“P.S. I Still Love You” synopsis here)

Why you should read it: This duology is so important. Not only is the plot super interesting, but it’s done in a realistic, fresh, and fun way. While so many young adult books include romance, many of them portray it in an unrealistic, idealistic way, but these books are truer to real life in their portrayal of high school romance. All the characters feel like real people; they take actions real teenagers would, and they make mistakes and mess things up. Not only that, but they’re all so interesting to read about. (I could go on for pages about how amazing this duology is, but I will refrain.) You’ll fall in love with everything about these books.

4. “The Truth About Forever” by Sarah Dessen

What it’s about: “A long, hot summer... That's what Macy has to look forward to while her boyfriend, Jason, is away at Brain Camp. Days will be spent at a boring job in the library, evenings will be filled with vocabulary drills for the SATs, and spare time will be passed with her mother, the two of them sharing a silent grief at the traumatic loss of Macy's father. But sometimes, unexpected things can happen—things such as the catering job at Wish, with its fun-loving, chaotic crew… As Macy ventures out of her shell, she begins to question her sheltered life. Is it really always better to be safe than sorry?” (Source)

Why you should read it: All of Sarah Dessen’s books are worth reading. They’re perfect beach reads in that they’ve got simple yet interesting plots and sweet romances, but they’ve also got meaningful themes, as well. All of her books feature a female protagonist who, over the course of the novel, learns something meaningful about herself. And though she may fall in love, her confidence and self-discovery are not dependent on a boy, but only on herself, which is so, so important for literature. In this particular novel, the protagonist, Macy, faces grief for her father and her own insecurities and learns how to deal with them and live confidently, anyway. Her story is so sweet and real, you won’t be able to put it down.

5. “We Were Liars” by E. Lockhart

What it’s about: “A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.

"We Were Liars" is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel from National Book Award finalist and Printz Award honoree E. Lockhart.

Read it.
And if anyone asks you how it ends, just lie.(Source)

Why you should read it: If that synopsis hasn’t already convinced you, I don’t know what will, but I will try my best without giving anything away. This is one of the most interesting books I’ve ever read. As someone who reads a lot, I can usually see the general direction a story is going in, but reading this book, I never had any idea what was going to happen next. The writing is beautiful, the story is unbelievably suspenseful, and you will not be able to put it down.

6. “If I Stay” by Gayle Forman

What it’s about: “Choices. Seventeen-year-old Mia is faced with some tough ones: Stay true to her first love—music—even if it means losing her boyfriend and leaving her family and friends behind? Then one February morning Mia goes for a drive with her family, and in an instant, everything changes. Suddenly, all the choices are gone, except one. And it's the only one that matters.”

Why you should read it: In a word, this book is powerful. It deals with loss in an interesting, unique way. The story is told in a now-and-then structure that creates a perfect balance between the sad and happy moments. Through flashbacks, we get to experience Mia’s life—her childhood memories, falling in love, her relationships with her friends, her love for her family, her love for music—and in the present, we are with her as she tries to figure out if, after losing everything, her life is still worth living. This book juggles heavy emotions and warm, happy memories, and it does it well. It’s well worth the read.