11 YA Survival Stories Worth Obsessing Over
by Dena McMurdie
YA survival stories show the strength and resilience of the human spirit. Whether it’s a girl battling the elements in the wild or a group of teens fighting for survival in deep space, survival stories always manage to captivate me. These books center on teen characters who rise above their challenges, adapt to their environments, and do whatever it takes to live another day.
Here are ten must-read young adult survival stories worth obsessing over.
-
Wildfire
Available from:Best friends Annie and Pete have had plenty of close calls on harrowing adventures, but while they’re backpacking across the mountains of Washington State, a freak accident puts them in the crosshairs of a raging wildfire. Meanwhile, Annie’s starting to feel more than friendship vibes from (and for) Pete. There’s more than one fire burning in this riveting read.
Also available from: -
Wilder Girls
Available from:A gritty, post-apocalyptic thriller, Wilder Girls is set at the Raxter School for Girls, which has been quarantined since the Tox broke out, first killing off the teachers before spreading to the students. When her best friend disappears, Hetty breaks quarantine to find her and winds up finding more than she’d ever hoped — or feared — to discover.
Also available from: -
People Like Us
Available from:This prep-school survival story circles around Kay Donovan, who thinks she’s got her secrets under wraps and her “it-girl” status solidified. But when a girl’s body is discovered in the campus lake, and Kay is left with a scavenger hunt that turns up more questions than answers, neither she nor the reader will guess what happens next.
Also available from: -
The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein
Available from:In an inventive and disturbing retelling, Kiersten White revisits Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein through the perspective of Elizabeth, Victor Frankenstein’s adopted sister — and, in Shelley’s classic, future wife — though she recasts Elizabeth as a fearless young woman determined to survive Victor’s depravity.
Also available from: -
I Am Still Alive
Available from:After a series of terrible incidents, Jess finds herself injured, stranded, and alone in the Canadian wilderness. In order to get revenge on the person responsible, Jess must survive the winter. Fast-paced and engrossing, this wilderness survival story will keep you glued to the page.
Also available from: -
A Map for Wrecked Girls
When three troubled teens get stranded on a deserted island, they are forced to face their demons. Emotional and gripping, this survival story is about the power of sisterly ties, romance, and betrayal.
-
Neverworld Wake
Available from:Beatrice and her old high school friends get caught in a bizarre time-loop in this dark and moody book. In order to survive and find answers about her boyfriend’s untimely death, Beatrice must make a terrible decision.
Also available from: -
Genuine Fraud
Available from:This is a compelling and sometimes disturbing book about a young woman who will stop at nothing to survive. Proving herself to be highly adaptable and a master of disguise, she ruthlessly eliminates every obstacle she faces.
Also available from: -
The Nyxia Triad
Available from:If science fiction is your thing, then make this deep space survival thriller your next read. A group of teens is recruited by a powerful corporation to mine a valuable substance on a newly discovered planet. They have to survive the trip, the mines, the planet, and each other.
Also available from: -
The Cheerleaders
Available from:Five years after the suspicious deaths of several cheerleaders, Monica starts finding clues that they may all be connected. Dark and gritty, this murder mystery will keep you guessing through every twist and turn.
Also available from: -
The 5th Wave
Available from:Adapted into a film in 2016, The 5th Wave is set in a post-apocalyptic world where survival is a daily struggle. With an invasion of aliens killing everyone in their path, this fast-paced dystopian survival story will keep you reading well past your bedtime.
Also available from:
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2018 and updated in 2021.