Many readers do not like reading about grief in fiction, but in this season of my life after recently losing a loved one, books that portray grief realistically have become some of my favorites of the year. Because I’ve found that young adult books often portray grief in more raw and real ways than adult fiction, this week I’m sharing my picks for YA reads centered around death, loss, and navigating life after tragedy.

Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer

I read this novel shortly after my uncle passed away earlier this year, and I could not have read it at a better time. Juliet, who has lost her mom, and Declan, who grieves the consequences of family issues, begin written correspondence after Declan finds a letter Juliet wrote and left on her mother’s grave and chooses to write back to her. Basically, Letters to the Lost is a mix between two of my favorite movies, You’ve Got Mail and A Cinderella Story, and the end result GUTTED me, y’all. Not only is the storytelling and character development phenomenal but through the way Kemmerer describes grief and moving forward from two different perspectives, I felt so seen. It will definitely be on my favorites list of 2025, and I cannot recommend it enough! Though the book is secular, there was only sparse language and a couple crude insults throughout.

Under the Magnolias by T.I. Lowe

It’s been a few years since I read this, but my reading notes describe it as being gritty, haunting, and real. Under the Magnolias is a historical Christian standalone novel that takes place in 1980s South Carolina. Austin Foster’s mother passed away while delivering twins, leaving Austin to tend to her six younger siblings and keep the family going in the midst of her father’s debilitating grief and mental health struggles. This book explores some grievers’ tendencies to bottle up their emotions and power through to make sure everyone else is okay, and if you are someone who grieves in this way, I highly recommend giving this one a try.

Once and For All by Sarah Dessen

A secular standalone by the queen of YA Romance, Sarah Dessen, Once and For All follows Louna as she navigates the grief of suddenly losing her first love in a horrific tragedy and learning to open her heart to love again. This is one of my favorite books by Dessen, and I loved the wedding industry aspect of it as well. Content-wise, I would rate this book as being PG-13 for language and some of the elements that are discussed.

The Ballad of Emery Brooks trilogy by Allyson Kennedy

If there’s one thing my own Christian YA romance trilogy covers in all three books, it’s grief. In The Crush, The Fall, and The Dream, Emery navigates grief throughout different stages of her life, from her early teen years into adulthood and learns how to rely on God to take care of her when it seems as if all she will ever experience is loss after loss.

Life Just Got Real by Sadie Robertson Huff

While this is a more upbeat read, Life Just Got Real describes grief from the perspective of A.J., a girl who has recently lost her father and has moved to a new school. This book tackles what it’s like to simultaneously grieve a parent and process their living parent venturing back into dating and marriage again. This is a Christian YA novel told from dual POVs, so while grief is discussed in A.J.’s POV, it is not the main focus of the novel.

On the Fence by Kasie West

Similar to Life Just Got Real, this book follows Charlie as she and her three brothers are being raised by their single dad after the death of their mother. While this book is primarily a contemporary young adult romance, coming to terms with grief is a theme explored in the book. This is a sweet, clean contemporary YA romance and one that made me tear up while reading. On the Fence is also one of my favorites by West, so if you’re new to her books, I recommend trying this one out.

Meet Me at the Summit by Mandi Lynn Bell

Last but not least, Authortuber Mandi Lynn Bell’s first book in her Road Trip Snapshot series follows nineteen-year-old Marly, who has recently lost both of her parents, as her surviving family challenges her to drive her mom’s restored VW bus from Washington to New Hampshire. Along the trip, Marly faces her grief and the guilt she’s taken on from her parents’ deaths. If you’re a fan of hiking, camping, and all things van life, you’ll fall head over heels for this story.

Talk to Me, Arrowheads!

Do you have any other recommendations for young adult books that tackle grief in a realistic and relatable way? Drop your recommendations in the comments!

Aim high, stay strong, and always hit your mark.

-Allyson 😀