10 Best Nostalgic Young Adult Books in Retro Style
Here's your throwback ticket to the good ol' days of storytelling with our curated list of the top 10 best nostalgic young adult books in retro style. Remember the rush of excitement and the thrill of adventure that coursed through you as you turned through the pages of your favorite book as a teenager? Well, lucky for you, it's time to relive those memories again.
These books, all wrapped up in the cozy quilt of nostalgia, will take you on a jaunt down memory lane, while making you relive the roller coaster ride of adolescence. Each one offering a unique blend of retro charm and timeless truths about growing up, love, loss, friendship and unlocking the mysteries of life.
This compilation doesn't just preserve the essence of retro-style writing, but also portrays the earnestness and haste of young adulthood. The tales told through these enchanting narratives aren't just for teens, they're for anyone who longs for simpler times and a generous dose of heartfelt sentiments.
Dive right in for a healthy dose of nostalgia, and you might just find yourself reminiscing your sweet sixteen, grinning to yourself, and reinstating your faith in the magic of young adult novels. So, brace yourself for an extraordinary journey back in time with these classic retro reads.
『All the Bright Places』
NOW A NETFLIX FILM, STARRING ELLE FANNING AND JUSTICE SMITH! The New York Times bestselling love story about two teens who find each other while standing on the edge. And don’t miss Take Me with You When You Go, Jennifer Niven’s highly anticipated new book with bestselling author David Levithan! Theodore Finch is fascinated by death. Every day he thinks of ways he might kill himself, but every day he also searches for—and manages to find—something to keep him here, and alive, and awake. Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her small Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death. When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school—six stories above the ground— it’s unclear who saves whom. Soon it’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink. . . . “A do-not-miss for fans of Eleanor & Park and The Fault in Our Stars, and basically anyone who can breathe.” —Justine Magazine “At the heart—a big one—of All the Bright Places lies a charming love story about this unlikely and endearing pair of broken teenagers.” —The New York Times Book Review “A heart-rending, stylish love story.” —The Wall Street Journal “A complex love story that will bring all the feels.” —Seventeen Magazine “Impressively layered, lived-in, and real.” —Buzzfeed
Author | Jennifer Niven |
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Price | unknown |
Publisher | Ember |
Release Date | Sep 13, 2016 |
Source | Google Books |
『Paper Towns』
Quentin Jacobson has spent a lifetime loving Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs into his life - dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge - he follows. After their all-nighter ends, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo has disappeared.
Author | John Green |
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Price | unknown |
Publisher | A&C Black |
Release Date | Jan 01, 2013 |
Source | Google Books |
『Eleanor & Park』
A stunning debut young adult novel about two misfits falling in love for the first time
Author | Rainbow Rowell |
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Price | unknown |
Publisher | Macmillan |
Release Date | Feb 26, 2013 |
Source | Google Books |
『Mosquitoland』
"First published in the United States of America by Viking, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA) LLC, 2015"--Title page verso.
Author | David Arnold |
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Price | unknown |
Publisher | Speak |
Release Date | Mar 01, 2016 |
Source | Google Books |
『Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging』
Angus: My mixed-breed cat, half domestic tabby, half Scottish wildcat. The size of a small Labrador, only mad. Thongs: Stupid underwear. What's the point of them, anyway? They just go up your bum, as far as I can tell. Full-Frontal Snogging: Kissing with all the trimmings, lip to lip, open mouth, tongues ... everything. Her dad's got the mentality of a Teletubby (only not so developed). Her cat, Angus, is trying to eat the poodle next door. And her best friend thinks she looks like an alien -- just because she accidentally shaved off her eyebrows. Ergghhhlack. Still, add a little boy-stalking, teacher-baiting, and full-frontal snogging with a Sex God, and Georgia's year just might turn out to be the most fabbitty fab fab ever!
Author | Louise Rennison |
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Price | $10.99 |
Publisher | Harper Collins |
Release Date | Aug 13, 2013 |
Source | Google Books |
『The Perks of Being a Wallflower YA edition』
A modern cult classic, a major motion picture and a timeless bestseller, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a deeply affecting coming-of-age story. Charlie is not the biggest geek in high school, but he's by no means popular. Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his years, caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it, Charlie is attempting to navigate through the uncharted territory of high school. The world of first dates and mixed tapes, family dramas and new friends. The world of sex, drugs, and music - when all one requires to feel infinite is that perfect song on that perfect drive. Standing on the fringes of life Charlie has a unique perspective of the world around him, but there comes a time to stop being a wallflower and see what it looks like from the dance floor. This haunting novel about the dilemma of passivity vs. passion has become a modern classic. Charlie's letters are singular and unique, hilarious and devastating and through Charlie, Stephen Chbosky has created a deeply affecting story that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller coaster days known as growing up. 'Chobsky captures adolescent angst, confusion and joy... Compelling.' Booklist 'This wistful, sensitive novel perfectly captures the uncertainty and excitement of adolescence, and has become a deserving modern classic.' Scottish Book Trust 'A coming-of-age tale in the tradition of THE CATCHER IN THE RYE and A SEPARATE PEACE... [Chbosky's] poignant reflections on life, love and friendship are often inspirational and always beautifully written.' USA Today
Author | Stephen Chbosky |
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Price | unknown |
Publisher | Simon and Schuster |
Release Date | Jan 03, 2013 |
Source | Google Books |
『Ready Player One (Movie Tie-In)』
Nominated as one of America's best-loved novels by PBS's The Great American Read The worldwide bestseller--now a major motion picture directed by Steven Spielberg. In the year 2045, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he's jacked into the virtual utopia known as the OASIS. Wade's devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world's digital confines--puzzles that are based on their creator's obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them. But when Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade's going to survive, he'll have to win--and confront the real world he's always been so desperate to escape.
Author | Ernest Cline |
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Price | unknown |
Publisher | Ballantine Books |
Release Date | Jan 29, 2018 |
Source | Google Books |
『Everything Leads to You』
The award-winning author of We Are Okay and Hold Still returns with another beautifully crafted coming-of-age journey about embracing your past, and finding love when you least expect it; set within the Los Angeles film world. (Cover may vary) Just out of high school, Emi Price is a talented young set designer already beginning to thrive in the L.A. film scene. But her artistic eye has failed her in one key area: helping her to design a love life that’s more than make-believe. Then she finds a mysterious letter at an estate sale, and it sends her chasing down the loose ends of a movie icon’s hidden life. And along the way, she finds Ava, and at long last, Emi’s own hidden life begins to bloom.
Author | Nina LaCour |
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Price | unknown |
Publisher | Penguin |
Release Date | May 05, 2015 |
Source | Google Books |
『Rayne & Delilah's Midnite Matinee』
"Anyone can break your heart--Jeff Zentner can also make you laugh out loud!" --RAINBOW ROWELL, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Carry On and Eleanor & Park From the award winning author of The Serpent King comes a contemporary novel about two best friends who must make tough decisions about their futures--and the TV show they host--in their senior year of high school. And don't miss the author's highly anticipated new book, In the Wild Light! Every Friday night, best friends Delia and Josie become Rayne Ravenscroft and Delilah Darkwood, hosts of the campy creature feature show Midnite Matinee on the local cable station TV Six. But with the end of senior year quickly approaching, the girls face tough decisions about their futures. Josie has been dreading graduation, as she tries to decide whether to leave for a big university and chase her dream career in mainstream TV. And Lawson, one of the show's guest performers, a talented MMA fighter with weaknesses for pancakes, fantasy novels, and Josie, is making her tough decision even harder. Scary movies are the last connection Delia has to her dad, who abandoned the family years ago. If Midnite Matinee becomes a hit, maybe he'll see it and want to be a part of her life again. And maybe Josie will stay with the show instead of leaving her behind, too. As the tug-of-war between growing up and growing apart tests the bonds of their friendship, Josie and Delia start to realize that an uncertain future can be both monstrous...and momentous. "I laughed, cried, and fell over-the-moon in love with Rayne & Delilah's Midnite Matinee." --JENNIFER NIVEN, New York Times bestselling author of All the Bright Places and Holding Up the Universe
Author | Jeff Zentner |
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Price | $5.99 |
Publisher | Crown Books for Young Readers |
Release Date | Feb 26, 2019 |
Source | Google Books |
『Don't Date Rosa Santos』
For fans of GILMORE GIRLS and TO ALL THE BOYS I'VE LOVED BEFORE, this effervescent love story from debut author Nina Moreno will sweep you away. Rosa Santos is cursed by the sea-at least, that's what they say. Dating her is bad news, especially if you're a boy with a boat. But Rosa feels more caught than cursed. Caught between cultures and choices. Between her abuela, a beloved healer and pillar of their community, and her mother, an artist who crashes in and out of her life like a hurricane. Between Port Coral, the quirky South Florida town they call home, and Cuba, the island her abuela refuses to talk about. As her college decision looms, Rosa collides-literally-with Alex Aquino, the mysterious boy with tattoos of the ocean whose family owns the marina. With her heart, her family, and her future on the line, can Rosa break a curse and find her place beyond the horizon?
Author | Nina Moreno |
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Price | $9.99 |
Publisher | Little, Brown Books for Young Readers |
Release Date | May 04, 2019 |
Source | Google Books |
In wrapping things up, buckle up folks, because this ride down memory lane is definitely worth it. These ten young adult books, all dripping with retro charm, transport you back to simpler, yet riveting times. They conjure up images of bygone eras, the nostalgia seeping in from the pages making it oh-so-relatable and incredibly engaging. The good ol’ days come alive, not just through the definitely-vintage cover designs that first make you swoon, but through stories that perfectly capture the atmosphere of those age-old times. These are stories where friendship mattered more than Wi-Fi, where holding the hand of your first love sent jitters down your spine, and where stepping out of the comfort zone didn't come with a survival guide. It's fascinating, endearing and thought-provoking, all at the same time. These books are pure gems, wrapped in retro charm. Not simply for the nostalgic bite, but for the timeless messages of love, adventure, courage and growing up that they impart. So what are you waiting for? Get these books, curl up in your favorite nook, and get ready to journey back in time. To the good ol' days. To the days that were simpler, but the feelings were deeper. Your heart will thank you for it.
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