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I have a love-hate relationship with YA books. I love them because they remind me of a time when we all thought love could conquer all, we were learning about ourselves, magic still glittered in the corner of our minds, friends were the threads that kept us sewn together, and it seemed like we all smiled a little easier. I don’t mind teenage angst(for the most part). I don’t mind books about mental illness(I actually read quite a lot of books on the subject). I don’t mind fantasy(love it, in fact). That being said, I would love to find YA books that capture my attention from start to finish - books that transport me into their pages.

I love Ready Player One, Harry Potter, 98% of Ellen Hopkins books, books dealing with addictions, and I’m up for anything once. I feel like I’m running out of good options and need some recommendations.

I am currently reading Chronicles of Nick by Sherrilyn Kenyon (vampires, demons, darkhunters). Easy to read, could probably finish each one in one or two sittings.
More complex YA books are A Court of Thorns and Roses series and Throne of Glass series both by Sarah J. Maas. Absolutely wonderful.
I like more advanced YA books. Things with lots of character development a bit more mature (Chronicles of Nick is not that but the other two are).
You might also like Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom.
If you haven't read the Hunger Games I thought they were really good too.

Paranormal Fantasy - The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (growing up in a graveyard is interesting when your adoptive parents are ghosts)

Science Fiction- Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
(genetically engineered, Ender, trains to fight the “Buggers”)

Steampunk - Leviathan, Goliath, and Behemoth (Trilogy) by Scott Westerfeld
(epic battles, huge steam-powered machines, need I say more?)

Kwame Alexander has some great books in the style of Ellen Hopkins, but more focused on the sporting life: Booked (soccer) and The Crossover (basketball)

Realistic Fiction - Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews (quite a bit of cursing, somewhat sad, but hilarious!)

More Realistic Fiction - ANYTHING by Rainbow Rowell: Fangirl, Eleanor & Park

Even more realistic fiction - ANYTHING John Green: especially An Abundance of Katherines, Paper Towns, and Looking for Alaska

Definitely anything by Ellen Hopkins ranks high on my list!

You have to read Colleen Hoover books! She’s to die for. Without Merit is one of her books that deals with mental illness.