Happy Pi Day! Here Are the Best Books with Nerdy Characters

Can you recite the full numerical value of pi by heart?

That’s okay, neither can we. (Well, no one really can because it’s an irrational number, which means it technically never ends or repeats. So you couldn’t ever actually recite the whole thing.) But we still love a reason to celebrate, and Pi Day!

You could spend the whole day committing pi’s value to memory (short version: 3.14; longer version: 3.141592653589793238 . . .). Or you could chow down on some delicious pie. Heck, you could bake a pie (or multiple pies—oh, wait, how about 3.14 pies?!) and invite some friends or family to feast on your yummy creations. Of course, you could devote the day to the study of mathematics, whether you’re pursuing some extra credit to boost that GPA, catching up on math homework, or studying for the SATs. (This might be the most responsible option, just sayin’.)

But our absolute favorite way to celebrate Pi Day involves reading (obviously).

Why not spend March 14 cuddled up with a good book that features at least one character who would totally revel in the nerdiness of a holiday devoted to a mathematical figure such as pi? That’s right, we’re talking about books starring smarty-pants characters!

Need some inspo for your 3.14 reading selection? Check out our round-up of the best YA books for Pi Day starring super-smart, maybe-a-little-bit-nerdy characters below!

YA Books for Pi Day

Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute

By Talia Hibbert

From the bestselling author of the Brown Sisters trilogy, comes a laugh-out-loud story about a quirky content creator and a clean-cut athlete testing their abilities to survive the great outdoors—and each other. These days, there’s nothing between these two ex-best friends other than petty insults and academic rivalry. But when they both sign up for a survival course in the woods, they’ll have to trudge through not just mud and dirt but their messy past. As this adventure brings them closer together, will they find that too much time has passed . . . or just enough to spark a whole new kind of relationship?

Chaos Theory

By Nic Stone

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin delivers a gripping romance about two teens: a certified genius living with a diagnosed mental disorder and a politician’s son who is running from his own addiction and grief. Don’t miss this gut punch of a novel about mental health, loss, and discovering you are worthy of love.

One of Us Is Lying

By Karen M. McManus

“Pretty Little Liars meets The Breakfast Club” (Entertainment Weekly) in this addictive mystery about what happens when five strangers walk into detention and only four walk out alive.

Pay close attention and you might solve this.
On Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention.

Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule.
Addy, the beauty, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess.
Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing.
Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher.
And Simon, the outcast, is the creator of Bayview High’s notorious gossip app.

Only, Simon never makes it out of that classroom. Before the end of detention Simon’s dead.

Dungeons and Drama

By Kristy Boyce

When it comes to romance, sometimes it doesn’t hurt to play games. A fun YA romcom full of fake dating hijinks!

The Society for Soulless Girls

By Laura Steven

A sapphic enemies-to-lovers retelling of Jekyll & Hyde, this dark academia thriller follows two roommates who must solve an infamous cold case of serial murders on their campus after an arcane ritual gone wrong prompts another death.

You Bet Your Heart

By Danielle Parker

A riveting, swoon-worthy teen romance centered on two high achievers fighting for the title of high school valedictorian and falling in love along the way, from debut author Danielle Parker.