Please note that these are adult titles and may contain adult (language, violence, and/or sexual) material. As a parent/guardian, you know what your child can handle best.
As publishing evolves, the lines between age ranges becomes blurred. Young Adult fiction has steadily grown to become a hot commodity. It’s constantly smashing best seller lists. There are many Adult Fiction titles being published that straddle the Adult/Young Adult fiction line. These ADULT titles might appeal to young and old YA readers.
Here are some suggestions to add to your TBR:
For more titles, check out the Alex Awards by the American Library Association.
The Magicians (series) by Lev Grossman
Personally, I hated this book but it’s become popular in recent years thanks to the TV series.
It’s a very weird mishmash of Harry Potter, Narnia, & mature themes.
Red Rising (series) by Pierce Brown
Yes, Darrow is 16. He’s 16 in his world though. Definitely not a YA book but YA fans may enjoy it.
The Queen of the Tearling (series) by Erika Johansen
A lot of the themes in The Queen of the Tearling have a very young adult feeling. Kelsea is a bit older and there are some more adult elements.
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (series) by Alan Bradley
The Flavia de Luce mysteries are pretty mild (ignoring the murders) so they’re great mysteries for young readers who are over Nancy Drew but not quite ready for the intensity of many adult mysteries.
Ready Play One by Ernest Cline
If you love sci-fi and/or gaming, this is a great pick. If you’re digging the 80’s vibes from Stranger Things, you’re sure to have fun with this. Bonus! Movie night after you read the book.
The City of Brass (series) by S. A. Chakraborty
Diverse fantasy; Great characters; Rich magic system. All of that make for a fun read. YA readers may find the pacing a bit slow but the pay off is worth it.
What are your crossover recommendations?
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Alison In Bookland 
I second City of Brass!
I would suggest An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green, especially for the older YA crowd. His MC is just out of college, and the writing style and themes are SUPER applicable to YA. I also read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time in high school and loved it then.
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Good call on Hank Green, I’d imagine he’s a good read a like for his brother. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time is another good rec.
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Actually no, Hank and John’s books are NOTHING alike. Hank’s is very plot-driven and moves super quickly. Also, sci-fi. The closest comp I can think of would be Ready Player One, but way better. He’s so young at heart, which is part of why I think teens would like the book.
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Oooh interesting. That’s not what I would have thought at all!
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I’ve actually read Red Rising and didn’t really enjoy it. 😂 I can see why people love it though!
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I wasn’t super into either. Listening to it helped me stick with it.
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[…] I recommended some Adult books that YA fans might enjoy. […]
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great post!! I am very curious about the Queen of the Tearling.
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The series starts out strong but gets a bit weird as it goes on. 🤣
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Oh my 😂😂😂
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I guess it’s a recommendation as much as it is a warning, haha.
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I didn’t realize that The City of Brass was an adult book! I’m currently reading it, and I can see how it could appeal to an older YA audience. Lovely post!
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It’s one of those books that can go either way. It’s a great way for younger readers to work their way into adult books & adult readers who feel like they’re ‘too old’ for YA can discover how fun younger reading books can be.
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