These 10 Books Are Breaking the Mold With Their Unique Formats

Epistolary books are becoming a hot new trend in YA. WTF is an epistolary book?

It’s a book that uses letters, diary entries, documents, texts, emails, or other forms of communication to tell some or all of a story.

Epistolary books offer a whole new reading experience that you don’t get from traditional novels, and these ten YA books make reading just plain fun:

Illuminae

By Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

This sci-fi trilogy is told through documents, emails, medical reports, and interviews. The result is a fast-paced thrill ride that will keep you on the edge of your seat until you read the very last page. The first two books are available now, and the last book in the series, Obsidio, will be published in 2018.

By Nicola Yoon

Maddy is allergic to the world, which makes falling in love with her next-door neighbor a problem. This tearjerker is told through diary entries, illustrations, lists, and vignettes. P.S. Go see the movie too!

YOLO Juliet

By William Shakespeare and Brett Wright

A hilarious and cheeky retelling of the story of Romeo and Juliet—with cell phones. Told through text messages, status updates, and plenty of emojis, this classic tragedy just got a makeover.

Tell Me Three Things

By Julie Buxbaum

When Jessie’s dad remarries and she has to start over in California, she thinks her life is over—until she gets an anonymous email from someone claiming to have her best interests in mind. Jessie gets to know her mysterious friend through emails, IMs, and texts in this sweet and funny story.