7 Life-Changing Novels You Must Read Before You ‘Adult’

Are you in the latter part of your teenage years and don’t know how to “adult?” Do you even have the slightest idea of how the adult world looks like? Seems hard to answer, but maybe novels can help you prepare for your next big step. Huh? Novels? Why yes! But don’t get me wrong, my friend, these books are not just ordinary novels—they’re Young Adult (YA) Novels. The beauty here is the stories being told are mostly applicable and relatable to teens. No need to look for symbolisms here, they’re just simple stories with great impact. Who knows, there’s a story that’s perfect for you.

1. Wonder by RJ Palacio

“Courage. Kindness. Friendship. Character. These are the qualities that define us as human beings, and propel us, on occasion, to greatness.” 

If you think that you’re a waste of space, an outcast, or not valuable; my friend, this book is perfect for you. You may be dealing with mean, stereotypical people, but this novel reminds you that you don’t always have to blend—you just need to show your genuine self and stand out. Being different doesn’t necessarily mean you do not belong, it just means you’re a person. And being a person also means you’re capable of doing something extraordinary.

2. Aristotle And Dante Discover The Secret Of The Universe by Benjamin Saenz

“Another secret of the universe: Sometimes pain was like a storm that came out of nowhere. The clearest summer could end in a downpour. It could end in lightning and thunder.”

Are you always angry and can’t figure out why? You always want to be alone? Maybe you could discover the secrets of Aristotle and Dante! This novel will inspire you how to make big choices and audaciously show them to the world. It’s a novel where you will learn how to love yourself and the process of discovering one’s identity.

3. Eleanor And Park by Rainbow Rowell

“Eleanor was right. She never looked nice. She looked like art, and art wasn’t supposed to look nice; it was supposed to make you feel something.”

Everyone, of course, has experienced love, whether this is a romantic or familial love, it only has one thing in common—love always hurts. This novel teaches you the concept of love. It will slap you with the reality that love is not meant to be always full of hearts and romances—it could be full of sorrows and thunders. The beauty and despair of love will make you contemplate if this love is still worth the fight, or heck, love did not even exist in the first place.

4. Better Than Perfect by Melissa Kantor

“And then I thought that it wasn’t fair that at seventeen you could make choices that you might regret for the rest of your life because you really had no idea what you were doing and the stakes were just too high.”

You may have everything: money, intelligence, a student from a prestigious university. But would you say that you’re happiest person in the world? Well, my friend, this novel inspires you that having it all doesn’t mean you are be better than perfect; that being the best sometimes can mean being the least. Many people would die just to be in your position, but you still feel incomplete as a person. Maybe this novel could answer your questions.

5. Maybe One Day by Melissa Kantor

“Time does not care how precious it is, how hard you are working not to squander it. Time passes.”

We all have that one friend whom we always tell our secrets. This novel reminds you the joy of having a friend, and the agony of losing one. Will you do what your heart desires, but in return, will hurt your friend tremendously? Will you risk your friendship? Or will you value it instead? The choice is yours, my friend, or are you even a friend?

6. The Perks Of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

“So, this is my life. And I want you to know that I am both happy and sad and I’m still trying to figure out how that could be.”

Now this novel basically covers everything an ordinary teenager could experience. It talks about love, addiction, sex, pregnancy, bullying, and drama—so teenager, right? But how do you overcome these things? What if you always make mistakes and don’t overcome everything at all, is it still okay? Read this book and see how the characters experience every crucial sensation of being a teenager.

7. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery

“All grown-ups were once children… but only few of them remember it.”

While teaching you how to be prepared when adulthood suddenly barges in, this novel will teach you not to forget the inner child within you as you mature. You do not have to be always the “grown-up” who’s always too caught up to the monotonous lives of world. You can just play around and be like a child for a day, or think like a child for the rest of your life. In that way, you could always find happiness in simple things; you do not limit you imagination; you’re always glad to explore the world through your own eyes and not someone else’s; and you will always have with you the heart of a child.

Undeniably, it is challenging to undergo to this exhausting transition of being a teenager to being an adult. Suggesting these novels, however, may not make you completely prepared to face the adult life. But at least these novels tell you about true experiences that are pertinent to teenagers who are struggling to be an adult. And one last thing, it is not going to be an easy transition, so be prepared for circumstances that could make you question life. But don’t worry, you’re going to make it, my friend!