Destination Unknown
Young adultages 13–17grades 8–12850L2022
A grounded, character-driven road trip that handles trans identity with nuance and avoids melodrama.
Read this next
All picks after this →
Starchaser
by R.M. Gray
Young adult · ages 14–18 · 850L · 2025
A solid space-adventure debut with genuine emotional stakes—not as polished as established YA sci-fi, but the protagonist's journey from self-doubt to agency feels earned.
The Woman Who Rides Like a Man
by Tamora Pierce
Young adult · ages 12–16 · 820L · 1998
A smart, muscular fantasy about a girl remaking herself in a culture that doesn't want her — funny and genuinely tense, though it assumes you've read the first two Immortals books.
Us Dark Few
by Alexis Patton
Young adult · ages 14–18 · 850L
Solid YA with genuine stakes around identity and belonging; identity-exploration arc resonates, though the pacing lags in the middle.