Stuck at Home? Travel the World Through YA Books

Hey everyone!

I hope you all are doing well. It may seem tough right now, but remember that good times are on the way.

With events cancelled and many of us staying home, we need something to satisfy our adventure-seeking hearts. I may not be able to get your travel plans back, but I hope these reading recs ease some of your wanderlust.

UK/Europe

London – Ruby Red
Is London on your bucket list? How about time travel? Ruby Red is the first book in a trilogy, which follows Gwen as she navigates her new life amongst a mysterious secret society. After discovering she has inherited her ancestors’ time-traveling gene, Gwen is partnered with the handsome – and obnoxious – Gideon for missions. Originally in German, I read the English translated version of the series. I really liked the idea of a historical, time-traveling society, and it was definitely a fun read.

Paris – Anna and the French Kiss
I had to include a romance book for Paris. After all, it is the City of Love. When Anna’s dad sends her to boarding school in Paris for her senior year, all Anna can think about is the things she left behind. She did not expect to enjoy exploring her new surroundings. She did not expect to make new friends. And she definitely did not expect Étienne St. Clair. This is one of my favorite contemporary romance books, so I highly recommend it for those of you who like the genre.

Grand Tour of Europe – The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue
Taking you on a trip to the past and across Europe, this historical fiction read has adventure, humor, and romance. The story follows Henry “Monty” Montague as he sets off on his Grand Tour of Europe. His father, however, turns the trip into a schedule more appropriate for a gentleman. Aside from battling his father’s expectations, Monty also battles with his feelings for his best friend, Percy. Monty is such a funny main character, and I couldn’t help but smile at his flirting. His sister, Felicity, is also such a strong and amazing female character, who takes the lead in The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy.

U.S.A.

Alaskan wilderness – Not If I Save You First
Strong female lead, check! Action, check! Hate-to-love romance, check! Maddie is best friends with Logan, the president’s son, until an incident in her childhood causes Maddie and her father to move to the Alaskan wilderness. Six years later, she is reunited with Logan – except now she wants to kill him. When Logan is taken and Maddie is knocked off a cliff, there is nobody to call for help. Despite hating her ex-best friend, Maddie knows she is the only one who can save him.

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New York City – City of Bones
If you dream about walking the streets of New York and fighting demons, this urban-fantasy read is perfect for you. Clary Fray is sucked into the world of Shadowhunters and demons when she witnesses a murder. Or, at least that’s what she thinks she saw. City of Bones is the first book in The Mortal Instruments series, which kicked off Cassandra Clare’s Shadowhunter universe. Although I haven’t read all the Shadowhunter books yet, I like how this one introduced me to the Shadowhunter world because you learn more as Clary learns.

San Francisco – Lola and the Boy Next Door
Time for a trip to The Golden City! Lola Nolan’s life seems perfect until the Bell twins move back into the house next door. Now, Lola has to deal with her returning feelings for the boy who crushed her heart. Although this contemporary romance takes place after the events in Anna and the French Kiss, it can easily be read as a standalone. If you decide to read it in order, however, you might pick up on appearances from some familiar characters.

Conventions, Carnivals, and Festivals

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Geekerella/The Princess and the Fangirl
Geekerella is a Cinderella retelling with a nerd culture twist. Elle Wittimer grew up with Starfield, the sci-fi fantasy classic she enjoyed watching with her late father. It’s a connection she continues to have with him – along with ExcelsiCon. For as long as she can remember, Elle has attended ExcelsiCon, but this year is different. Meanwhile, Darien Freeman struggles with his “dumb heartthrob” image as he takes the role of Federation Prince Carmindor in the new Starfield reboot. As a Starfield fan, he should be excited, but the pressure can be overwhelming.

The Princess and the Fangirl is a retelling of The Prince and the Pauper with (you guessed it!) nerdy/geeky magic. Imogen is working to save her favorite Starfield character, Princess Amara, from being killed off. Jessica Stone, who plays Princess Amara in the Starfield reboot, is ready to leave the franchise and work on her career. After a rocky first meeting, the two must call a truce when the script for the Starfield sequel is leaked.

Caraval
“But before you fully enter into our world, you must remember it’s all a game.” – Stephanie Garber, Caraval

Scarlett Dragna has one goal – protect her sister, Tella. That means accepting an arranged marriage and ending her dreams of seeing Caraval, a magical show that invites participants to take part in an elaborate performance. When Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind, however, Scarlett is forced to team up with a mysterious sailor to navigate Caraval’s games.

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To prevent this from becoming monstrously long, I only touched on a handful of places. There are so many great books out there, and each one has their own amazing adventure waiting for you.

Feel free to share your favorites in the comments! I love talking about books (hence the blog), so don’t worry about going on an epic tangent that describes your love for a piece of literature. I do it all the time.

Until next time, happy reading! ♡