15 YA Novels To Read Once You've Finished Watching "The Sky Is Everywhere"
When critically acclaimed author Jandy Nelson optioned The Sky Is Everywhere film rights to Apple TV, fans didn't know what to expect. Would the movie live up to the beauty of her writing? Well, as it turns out, yes, it did.
For those just joining, The Sky Is Everywhere is a 2010 young adult novel by Jandy Nelson. It follows 17-year-old Lennie Walker as she navigates the intense, all-encompassing loss of her older sister. The riveting read includes hints of romance, thrilling lyrical descriptions, and plenty of beautiful, hilarious adventures.
If you've watched The Sky Is Everywhere and are looking for a new read post-viewing party, maybe opt for the following picks. These are the old and new novels I'm reaching for after watching the heartwrenching, beautiful film adaption.
1.I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
What it's about: If you loved the lyrical, all-encompassing nature of The Sky Is Everywhere, Nelson's second novel falls equally (if not more so) in that lane. The breathtaking novel centers around twins Noah and Jude and includes themes of love, loss, and self-acceptance, and it explores the bonds between siblings in a similar, beautiful way.
Get it from Bookshop or your local indie vie Indiebound here.
2.We Are Not Like Them by Christine Pride and Jo Piazza
What it's about: Similar to The Sky Is Everywhere, this novel delves into the bond between friends Jen and Riley, who are as close as family. When they're shattered by a tragic event, everything between them becomes uncertain. It covers a more serious theme, deeply and evocatively exploring race in America with a close, personal lens.
Get it from Bookshop or your local indie vie Indiebound here.
3.If I Stay by Gayle Forman
What it's about: If you loved exploring the choices Lennie had to make in The Sky Is Everywhere, If I Stay presents an even more intense choice, dealing with grief, potential recovery, and ultimately, what it means to choose yourself. If you're into the book-to-movie adaptations, make sure to watch the film after reading this one.
Get it from Bookshop or your local indie vie Indiebound here.
4.Have We Met? by Camille Baker
What it's about: Love, loss, and grief are all pivotal themes in this magical YA novel. When a mysterious dating app appears on Corinne's phone, is this her chance to find the one? Similar to the superstitious/cosmic themes explored in The Sky Is Everywhere, Have We Met? takes a modern-day approach to fate.
Get it from Bookshop or your local indie vie Indiebound here.
5.Yolk by Mary H. K. Choi
What it's about: Strap in for an emotional ride with this one. If you appreciated the intense bond between the sisters in TSIE, what would it mean if once-close sisters grew distant? Enter Jayne and June Baek, two polar-opposite women trying to figure it all out. Yolk is a surprising, entertaining, heartbreaking, and poignant read you won't soon forget.
Get it from Bookshop or your local indie vie Indiebound here.
6.Behind the Bliss and Me by Lizzy Mason
What it's about: If you enjoyed the introspective journey Lennie went on, you're in for an even more emotional adventure filled with hard decisions, personal growth, and more. Between the Bliss and Me is a contemporary YA novel following a young woman as she reconnects with her absentee father and comes to understand her family history. I can see Lizzy Mason and Jandy Nelson collaborating one day as their voices feel equally as authentic and genuine.
Get it from Bookshop or your local indie vie Indiebound here.
7.This Will Be Funny Someday by Katie Henry
What it's about: What if Lennie did stand-up comedy? Enter Izzy, a sheltered 16-year-old who unintentionally finds herself in a lie as she navigates a new crowd of friends and a growing interest in the stand-up scene. This novel has a sharper, funnier feel than TSIE but falls in line with the deeper themes of family ties, exploration of self, and a need for growth. Katie Henry has created an engaging, captivating read that's meant to stand amongst the greats.
Get it from Bookshop or your local indie vie Indiebound here.
8.Late to the Party by Kelly Quindlen
What it's about: We watched Lennie Walker fall in love. Now it's time for 17-year-old Codi Teller to find herself too. She decides to crash a party with her friends and stumbles upon a secret, one that she's hiding. This leads to an unexpected friendship between Codi and uber-popular Ricky, and a deal that gives Codi a chance to find new adventures. There are larger themes that include exploration of self, finding acceptance, and what it means to fully live in a way that mirrors themes of TSIE, but still stands on its own feet narratively.
Get it from Bookshop or your local indie vie Indiebound here.
9.How It Feels to Float by Helena Fox
What it's about: Helen Fox has crafted an incredibly moving portrayal of mental illness, grief, and family bonds in How It Feels to Float. To me, Biz feels as emotionally fraught and drained as Lennie does in TSIE, though How to Float takes a much deeper look into what it means to live with mental illness. The narrative voice Fox creates for the main character Biz feels so immediate in a different way than Nelson's writing, as her character navigates her mental state.
Get it from Bookshop or your local indie vie Indiebound here.
10.The Way I Used to Be by Amber Smith
What it's about: Quick TW: mentions of sexual assault. Darker and more intense than the world Nelson creates in her books, Amber Smith's How I Used to Be offers readers a truly moving and proactive look at the lasting impact of sexual assault on a young woman. Told in four stunning and at times difficult parts, Eden doesn't know how to be or who to be after she's raped, and yet readers root for her to find herself again, to be OK, and to unburden herself from her demons, just as we did with Lennie.
Get it from Bookshop or your local indie vie Indiebound here.
11.Meet Cute by a collection of authors
What it's about: If you need a bit of a break from grief and loss, I've got the perfect book for you. Meet Cute is a surprisingly fun and touching anthology of stories by a slew of talented writers. Focusing on fate, luck, and love (sometimes at first sight!), every story here explores what happens when two people meet for the first time. Nina LaCour's take on two girls meeting through a customer service tweet is a particular favorite of mine! Lennie and her love interest would fit right in with this crew.
Get it from Bookshop or your local indie vie Indiebound here.
12.Love and Other Perishable Items by Laura Buzo
What it's about: If the romance in TSIE appealed to your sensibilities, come along with Amelia as she falls head over heels for Chris. Told with equal parts humor and heart, Laura Buzo creates a lovable, authentic, and endearing protagonist who's not afraid to mess up and try again. There's also the added conflict of what it means to have a crush on someone much older, just like how Lennie becomes entangled with her sister's boyfriend, though Love and Other Perishable Items explores a more lighthearted take.
Get it from Bookshop or your local indie vie Indiebound here.
13.Call It What You Want by Brigid Kemmerer
What it's about: What can you do when your family is in trouble? That's the question Rob and Maegan are grappling with in Call It What You Want. Both are notoriously good teens, but similar to how Lennie grapples with changes impacting her entire family in TSIE, Kemmerer explores the same idea through a different lens. She creates an incredibly moving page-turner of a book that explores what it means when you're trying your best to fix things, and grow up at the same time, but it seems that the odds are stacked against you.
Get it from Bookshop or your local indie vie Indiebound here.
14.Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven
What it's about: Complex, introspective, and personal, Holding Up the Universe is Jennifer Niven at her best. This enticing, heartfelt novel follows two teens, Libby Strout and Jack Masselin, as they deal with their individual heartbreak, a growing list of issues, and constantly shifting landscapes. This YA novel is equally as immersive as The Sky Is Everywhere in that it instantly sweeps you up and keeps you captivated. Jennifer also wrote All the Bright Places, which you can read here, and be sure to watch the movie version starring Elle Fanning right here.
Get it from Bookshop or your local indie vie Indiebound here.
15.Healing Is a Gift: Poems for Those Who Need to Grow by Alexandra Vasiliu
What it's about: Yes, this is technically a poetry book, but I feel like Lennie would totally read it. Dealing with topics also explored in The Sky Is Everywhere, this incredible book of poetry covers themes that center around letting go, self-acceptance, and eventual healing. Alexandra Vasiliu has created a riveting collection of poems that allows readers to find hope in moving forward in order to truly revive the soul.
Get it from Bookshop.
