The Most Romantic Books To Buy The Teen (And Grownup) YA Fans In Your Life – B&N

From Barnes & Noble Book Blog, 11/2014

Teen romance is one of the hottest categories on the shelves—and has been, arguably, since the days of “Romeo and Juliet.” We’ve picked a few of our favorites here—from realistic standalone thrillers to elaborately woven paranormal series—that all convey that special spark and crushing yearning of young love.

Black Ice, by Becca Fitzpatrick 
After twisting our minds and hearts with her bad-boy angels in the Hush, Hush series, Fitzpatrick focuses on human teens in this realistic thriller. Britt thinks her spring break backpacking trip is doomed when she finds out her ex-boyfriend will be tagging along, but he’s the least of her worries when she’s caught in a blizzard and held hostage by two (handsome!) fugitives who might also be murderers. Shivers all around.

Eternal (Shadow Falls: After Dark Series #2), by C.C. Hunter 
Paranormal love stories are popular for a reason—they’re symbolic, time-tested, and plain old fun. Fans of Hunter’s Shadow Falls series are thrilled she keeps returning to the academy for a special kind of gifted teen. Sarcastic vampire Della had no choice about being reborn (a second time) in order to survive a deadly virus. And she has no choice about being bonded to Chase, the vampire who shared his blood to save her—which complicates her relationship with shapeshifter Steve. Della is also grappling with revelations about her father’s past that might force her to redefine her own identity.

If I Stay collection, by Gayle Foreman
On one level, this is the story of a quiet cello player who falls in love with the singer of a rock band in high school, and a sequel about how they meet up again years later. But that’s just one aspect of this two-book series. If I Stay is told from the perspective of 17-year-old Mia, who is having an out-of-body experience after a devastating car crash kills her parents and brother and leaves her in a coma. In flashbacks, we learn about her unconventional family and her romance with Adam as he fights to be allowed to see her in the hospital. Where She Went is told from Adam’s perspective on the day he coincidentally runs into Mia, years after she disappeared from his life. If you give this gift, you might want to include a box of tissues, too.

Redeemed (B&N Exclusive Edition), by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
Though they thrive at night and drink some human blood, the vampyres of the House of Night series have more to do with pagan and Native American religions than Dracula and his kind. The books maintain a relatable, Tulsa-flavored teen voice while getting into heavy battles of dark and light, as fledgling vampyre-turned-high priestess Zoey Redbird uses her sexuality, magical powers, and strong connection to her friends to save her school and town, time and time again. In the 12th and final House of Night Book, Zoey faces one more battle with her former teacher, Neferet, now a Dark Goddess taking over Tulsa. A poster, Q&A, and note from the authors are included in this B&N Exclusive Edition.

Silver Shadows (Bloodlines Series #5), by Richelle Mead
In the Vampire Academy spinoff series, straitlaced Alchemist Sydney Sage has been leading a triple life: She’s part of a secret order of humans tasked with keeping the vampire world a secret from the rest of mankind; assigned to live undercover as a high school student in Palm Springs to protect a vampire princess; and betraying her Alchemist upbringing by falling in love with vampire Adrian and becoming a witch. But after the events of book four, The Fiery Heart, the jig is up: The Alchemists have sent Sydney to reeducation camp. Without her, Adrian is having a tough time battling his Spirit-induced depression. They face the biggest fight of their lives to get back to each other.

Sinner, by Maggie Stiefvater
After mysteriously disappearing from the spotlight and letting everyone think he was dead, rock star Cole St. Clair has returned to Los Angeles in a big way: he’s signed on to have his life taped for an online reality show as he records a new album. His real goal, however, is to reunite with beautiful ice queen Isabel Culpeper, who wants nothing to do with the cameras. Complicating matters: that little issue of Cole being a werewolf with suicidal tendencies. This standalone spinoff of Stiefvater’s Shiver trilogy is the most emotionally realistic, marginally paranormal novel about damaged beautiful people you’ll read this year.

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, by Jenny Han
This sounds like our worst nightmare: Lara Jean Song writes love letters to her crushes, as a form of catharsis, and hides them away in a box. But somehow, those letters get mailed to the objects of her affection, turning her life upside down. Han, author of The Summer I Turned Pretty, gets into the heads of real girls in a way that makes her characters impossible not to relate to, and root for. This is the first in a series that’s bound to be on many a girl’s favorite list for years.

Waterfall (Teardrop Series #2), by Lauren Kate
In Teardrop, Eureka learned that she’s a descendant of an Atlantean princess, and that her tears have the power to raise the lost continent of Atlantis. Unfortunately, what they’ve done so far is begun to flood the rest of the world, particularly her Louisiana home. Now she, along with love interest Ander and BFF Cat, has to search for a Seedbearer to find out how to stop the rise of evil Atlas, the ruler of Atlantis, who also happens to be possessing her friend Brooks.