Last year was a whirlwind of trends and movies, music, news and politics. With so much claiming our attention, it’s difficult to keep up with the books being released – and there are some you might be sorry to miss.

Here is a list of books (mostly YA) published this past year which you should definitely check out if you haven’t already:

Becoming by Michelle Obama

This book made a huge splash so I’d be surprised if you didn’t know about its release, but this memoir by the former first lady is relevant, interesting, personal, and totally worth reading.

A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi

This novel is definitely not a light and easy read; it centers around a young Muslim girl living in America in the wake of 9/11. It’s not all about the hurt though; we are given a good romance story as a way to better understand what it would be like to be mistrusted for something we didn’t do.

Leah on The Offbeat by Becky Albertelli

For any fans of the book Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda, this is pretty great. She wrote a sequel! This one’s about Simon’s friend, Leah, and her getting through high school with all the expected drama.

Firefly by Henry Porter

Not only a gripping thriller but an easy, entertaining way to understand the fall-out from the Syrian War and the refugee crisis in Europe. The book has a brilliant teen hero – and a truly horrible villain.

I’ll Be There For You: The One About Friends by Kelsey Miller

Who doesn’t like Friends?! It’s been massively popular ever since it was released, and this book gives us loads of details about the cast and what was going on, and it basically satisfies any craving you might have for more after watching every episode of the show.

Bridge of Clay by Markus Zusak

He’s back! Thirteen years later, the writer of The Book Thief has written another book. This time it’s narrated by a living boy rather than the grim reaper, but there’s still a fair share of death and sadness. It’s pretty long (600 pages) but the story is moving and makes it worth braving the length.

Children of Blood and Bone by by Tomi Adeyemi

This novel is definitely more fantastical than the rest of the books on this list, but it also has a grounding in reality in its black-lives-matter-inspired characters and plot. Magic people with darker skin than their peers are oppressed and our heroine must break this pattern with her newfound powers (I promise it’s more complicated and interesting than I’m making it sound). Also, if you end up liking the book you’re in luck, as the author has planned a trilogy.

Sadie by Courtney Summers

Sadie is a girl who was born into a dysfunctional “family”. She ends up taking care of her little sister alone, and when the latter is murdered, Sadie embarks on a mission to find the killer. Sometimes we switch from Sadie’s POV to the transcript of a podcast tracing the story as it unfolds and see a new perspective.