Rehabilitating YA: 20 Trope-Free Standalones/Series to Read if You've Given Up on It (Pt.4)

Hello sweeties!

I've been wanting to write a post like this for a while. Every now and then, I hear someone say they've given up on YA (or are reading much less of it lately) because they got fed up with the tropes that come with the "genre". Now, while of course it's not mandatory to read YA at any age, and while I'm not denying the existence of such tropes (though really, any literary genre/age range has got its share of them...), I made it my reader's life mission to discover YA books that stand out for any reason and employ as little of those overused plot devices as it's humanly possible (hence, of course, my blog's name). So I thought I'd put together a list of YA novels blissfully devoid of tropes (or employing them in minimal doses), hoping to prove those reluctant/jaded readers that there's so much more to YA than meets the eye. And I ultimately decided to make this post into a series, because my list was too long for a single one. Here goes Part 4 (broken down by genres/my blog's Reading Rooms)...

(Note: these are not necessarily my favourite books - though some of them are. I only choose them for their lack/minimal amount of tropes. Also, there are a few mature YA/NA/adult friendly books in this list).

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UNWALLED (BOOKS THAT REFUSE TO BE LABELED)

Mayhem Wave series by Edward Aubry - in progress (5 books)

(see my review of Book 1 | Book 2 | Book 3 | Book 4)

• This series is a blend of post-apocalypse, technology and magic, which makes it quite unique in itself (as far as I know). It also spans a few years, so we can follow the collapse of our world and the building of a new one, and see the protagonists growing older (and in one case, going from teen to adult). Also, every installment is self-contained - none of those annoying cliffhangers here!
• Both the magic and the technology are creative (and since they clash with each other, they often make for interesting or even hilarious circumstances). There are also creatures from parallel universes, and even if you aren't a huge fan of pixies and dragons, the ones here are refreshing and a big ball of fun. (Pixies are smart-mouthed and badass, in case you're wondering).
• Speaking of which, there are a lot of female characters in this series (especially in the latter books), and you gotta love how these women can kick ass and have soft spots/vulnerable angles at the same time, because it's real.

Dark Passages duology by Ilsa J. Bick

(see my series review)

• Spectacular, complex, enthralling multiverse/metafiction series that reads like an outrageous kick in the butt of "regular" fiction, and at the same time, like a love letter to it. OK, so I did use the word "complex". This is not for everyone, I'll admit it. But if you aren't afraid of engaging with a nonlinear, multilayered story and multiple versions of the same characters, you'll be blown away (...yep, I happen to love this duology a great deal 😍).
• It plays with the idea of what makes characters real, and what happens in the space between chapters (or even words), and asks - as the author puts it - "How do YOU know you're not a character in someone else's narrative?". It's ambitious as hell, and it makes your head spin, but it delivers all the way through. While the series does break the fourth wall, it never feels self-complacent or smarty-pants. And the characters (each and every version of them) tug at your heartstrings. Speaking of which - Bick also plays with the instalove trope in an exquisite way...
• The horror/gore is heavy, but masterfully done as well. There's also a lot of psychological horror - and Bick plays (again. She seems to play a lot 😂) with classic genre tropes and creates new ones.

Riven series by B.C. Johnson - in progress (? books)

(see my review of Book 1)

• While similar in premise to the Mayhem Wave series (which Riven pre-dates anyway), this post-apocalyptic-meets-magic-meets-sci-fi story is entirely its own thing. And magic is not a solution, but a problem. Anyway, "heroic" here is more a quality of the heart than a product of magic or superpowers. As for the villains, there are all kind of monsters in this book, and they are quite unique. Plus -  like with MW - there's no cliffhanger! (Side note: the author has temporarily abandoned this project, but this doesn't mean the series has been called off. And as I said, you can read this single installment and still get some closure).
• It's not a love story in the sense of a romance, but it's a strong friendship story between a girl and a boy, and you won't miss the romance here even if you like your ships, because these two are WONDERFUL together (I mean, they happen to have little time in which they're actually "together", but you know what I mean. And they're ready to go to hell and back for each other. Which they even might have to do at some point).
• As usual with Johnson, the prose is pretty unique - it sprinkles the gore with a poetic flavour and peppers it with humour.

The Walls Around Us by Nova Ren Suma

(see my review)

• This is the story of two girls and a third one who somehow connects both. It's not a romance, and it's not a fantasy quest, and it's not your usual contemporary - though the girls' stories are front and center all the time. The magical realism aspect is top-notch, though you might find the ending too bold (I personally ADORE it).
• Though one of the girls is, apparently, your typical competitive ballet dancer, Suma does something completely different (and ultimately terrifying) with her. Even more - the author flips our perspective about both main leads on its head, and gives us a story that reads like a social commentary about justice, privilege, guilt and remorse (or lack thereof). Even if you (like me) hate to read about mean girls, you won't be able to hate this book, because there's nothing like your usual mean girl in here. You'll be left with the realisation that sometimes there's guilt in innocence, and innocence in guilt, and there's always pain in being human, whichever side you're on.
• This is one of those YA books that royally transcend the age range. The teens in it ARE teens, but the story as a whole is dark, intense and mature. The writing, as it's always the case with Suma, is both lyrical and raw and always poignant, and yet never purple, and it will steal your breath away.

The Outs by E.S. Wesley

(see my review)

• In this book, a sci-fi premise blends with a paranormal scenario, and throws in a comic/superhero theme for good measure. Don't worry, it's not too much stuff for a single book. Coupled with the right characters, and in the hands of a writer who knows what he's doing, it makes for an entertaining, yet moving masterpiece.
• It has many brands of diversity, including a lovely neurodivergent heroine who suffers from accident-induced aphasia and synesthesia. Both main characters are much more than the sum of their quirks or issues though. They're delightfully tridimensional and flawed and brave and to root for.
• It's a full-packed adventure, but even more than that, a story of friendship and loyalty. There are romantic undertones between the two main leads (a girl and a boy), but there's NO instalove and NO romance in the classic sense.

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This was the last installment in my "Rehabilitating YA" series (at least for now!). I hope I managed to make you see the other side of YA - the one that doesn't live off tropes, or employs them in minimal amount/for the right reasons. Now it's YOUR turn! Any trope-free book I missed?