Despite the advancement of technology, some students love to spend their free time reading. On the other hand, some students find reading a struggle rather than an activity. The top YA books of this month are definitely intriguing for both the book fanatics and the less literary inclined.

One of the most popular books of this month is Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven. Niven is also the author of the best-selling book and soon-to-be movie All the Bright Places. Holding Up the Universe follows Jack, a boy with face blindness, and Libby, a girl who has not gone to school since the fifth grade, as they experience their junior year of high school and fall in love. The story is told in alternating perspectives, which allows readers to see situations from both Jack and Libby’s point of view. This story is perfect for the reader who loves a romance mixed with a little bit of drama and tragedy.

“I am excited for Holding Up the Universe because I love Jennifer Niven’s characters and the personality that she puts into her writing. She makes her stories so real and her characters are so easy to relate to that you can’t help but love her books,” says Megan Kick, a WHHS sophomore and avid book reader.

Sci-fi fans are running to the bookstore to get a copy of Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff. Gemina is the sequel to Illuminae. The novel focuses on Hanna and Nik, who must save the world after aliens attack their space station. The story is told through e-mails and IMs, and classified files, making it interesting and enjoyable to read.

A perfect book in light of recent presidential controversies is Something In Between by Melissa de la Cruz. She is best known for her novel The Isle of the Lost, which became the Disney movie Descendants. This novel will make readers truly rethink election policies as they read about Jasmine de los Santos, a hard working girl with a full college scholarship. Her life is going perfectly until she finds out that her parent’s visas expired many years ago, meaning that they might have to return to the Philippines. Jessica realizes that this is the last chance she might get to be a “normal” teenager, so she decides to try showing her dangerous side. In the midst of everything else, she falls in love with Royce Blakely, the son of a congressman in favor of immigrant rights. With action, romance, and a little bit of history, this book truly has something for everyone.

The new books of the season are a completely new experience for the reader who feels like they have read every book imaginable. For people who aren’t so fond of reading, these new books are interesting and fun. Even in a world where learning and leisure is becoming so digitally based, books still provide classic lessons that can be applied to everyday life.