Dani Hoots150+ YA Sci-Fi & Fantasy Books Set in the United States
YA SFF blog is putting together massive lists of books with settings all around the world! To start off, we put together 150+ books set in the United States (the territories will be included in upcoming Americas post). Check them out below, and if you don't see your favorites, feel free to comment!
Alabama
Hoodoo by Ronald L. Smith
Set amid the swamps, red soil, and sweltering heat of small town Alabama in the 1930s, Hoodoo is infused with a big dose of creepiness leavened with gentle humor.
The Splendor Falls by Rosemary Clement-Moore
Can love last beyond the grave? Find out in this YA Fantasy that is full of romance, tension, and mystery.
Alaska
The Wild Lands by Paul Greci
The Wild Lands is a pulse-pounding YA thriller full of shocking plot twists. It’s the ultimate survival tale of humanity’s fight against society’s collapse.
Hostile Territory by Paul Greci
In Paul Greci’s Hostile Territory, a catastrophic earthquake strands four teens in the Alaskan wilderness—and leaves them without a civilization to return to.
Our Last Echoes by Kate Alice Marshall
Melissa Albert meets Twin Peaks in this supernatural thriller about one girl's hunt for the truth about her mother's disappearance.
Crave by Tracy Wolff
A YA Fantasy full of romance, vampires, and fun. Reviewers rave that it is the next Twilight.
Arizona
Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland
Aristotle & Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe meets Roswell by way of Laurie Halse Anderson in this astonishing, genre-bending novel about a Mexican American teen who discovers profound connections between immigration, folklore, and alien life.
Dragon Magic by Ashley McLeo & Kelly N. Jane
Dragon Magic is an upper YA/NA dragon shifter contemporary fantasy adventure novel. If you like loads of action, a slow-burn romance, and characters who will steal your heart, you’ll love Dragon Magic.
Eat Your Heart Out by Kelly deVos
Shaun of the Dead meets Dumplin' in this bitingly funny YA thriller about a kickass group of teens battling a ravenous group of zombies.
Wicked As You Wish by Rin Chupeco
Gripping, fantastical, and delightfully funny, Wicked As You Wish is perfect for readers looking for:
• young adult magic, mythology, and folklore
• LGBTQ representation
• diverse characters
• creative new takes on classic stories
• fresh and dazzling world building
Arkansas
Eventide by Sarah Goodman
Eventide is an evocative YA historical fantasy thriller by debut author Sarah Goodman, for fans of Jennifer Donnelly and Libba Bray.
Unleashed by Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguié
Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie, the New York Times bestselling authors of the Wicked series, have created an entirely new trilogy with the passion of Twilight and the grandeur of Fallen. The Wolf Springs Chronicles introduces readers to a town of secrets and the new girl who's about to start believing in werewolves.
California
Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
A trans boy determined to prove he's a brujo to his Latinx family summons a ghost who refuses to leave in Aiden Thomas's paranormal YA debut.
The Reluctant Witch by Kristen S. Walker
A young witch who just wants to be invisible. A beautiful mermaid who doesn’t belong. A secret relationship that threatens the entire academy.
The Lost Coast by A.R. Capetta
The spellbinding tale of six queer witches forging their own paths, shrouded in the mist, magic, and secrets of the ancient California redwoods.
Future Shock by Elizabeth Briggs
Don't miss this unforgettable trilogy combining time travel, mystery, and romance with a tough heroine who will do whatever it takes to save the ones she loves.
The future is inevitable...or is it?
Colorado
Haven Fall by Sara Holland
A safe haven between four realms. The girl sworn to protect it--at any cost. New York Times bestselling author Sara Holland crafts a breathtaking new contemporary fantasy perfect for fans of Melissa Albert and Holly Black.
Girls with Sharp Sticks by Suzanne Young
From New York Times bestselling author Suzanne Young comes the start of a thrilling, subversive new series about a girls-only boarding school with a terrifying secret and the friends who will stop at nothing to protect each other.
Elleson by Misha McCorkle
Daisy's father raised her to think differently, to think beyond life in their small town. Maybe that’s why she never fit in, why people keep her at arm’s length. Or maybe it's her scarred face and broken body.
Spartan Heart by Jennifer Estep
At Mythos Academy, everyone knows exactly who I am: Rory Forseti, Spartan girl and the daughter of Reapers.
New school year, same old problems...
Connecticut
Sear by Nina Malkin
A promise broken. A bond betrayed. What do you do when an oath of devotion threatens to destroy the one you love? “The drama is high” (Booklist) in this paranormal sequel to Swoon.
Specter by Katie Jane Gallagher
Stranger Things with a ghostly twist! This gripping, genre-bending debut is a book not to miss.
The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
Elizabeth George Speare won the 1959 Newbery Medal for this portrayal of a heroine whom readers will admire for her unwavering sense of truth as well as her infinite capacity to love.
Reverie by Ryan La Sala
A "joyously, riotously queer" (Kirkus) young adult fantasy from debut author Ryan La Sala, Reverie is a wildly imaginative story about dreams becoming reality, perfect for fans of Adam Silvera and Laini Taylor.
Delaware
I couldn't find any Delaware books that were YA sci-fi or fantasy. If you find/or know of a YA sci-fi or fantasy set in Delaware, please comment below and I will add it!
Florida
The Kindred by Alechia Dow
To save a galactic kingdom from revolution, Kindred mind-pairings were created to ensure each and every person would be seen and heard, no matter how rich or poor…
Breathe and Count Back from Ten by Natalia Sylvester
In this gorgeously written and authentic novel, Verónica, a Peruvian-American teen with hip dysplasia, auditions to become a mermaid at a Central Florida theme park in the summer before her senior year, all while figuring out her first real boyfriend and how to feel safe in her own body.
Howl by Shaun David Hutchinson
From critically acclaimed Shaun David Hutchinson comes a gritty and raw portrayal of the oftentimes traumatic experience of growing up.
Lobizona by Romina Garber
"Garber’s gorgeous novel combines the wonder of a Hogwarts-style magic school with the Twilight-esque dynamics of a hidden magical species that has strict rules about interacting with the human world." - BOOKLIST (Starred Review)
Georgia
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue never sees them--until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks to her.
Fallen by Lauren Kate
Read FALLEN, the worldwide sensation that's both dangerously exciting and darkly romantic.
Seven Crowns by E.V. Everest
Travel to a glittering, dangerous world with political alliances and ballgowns, perfect for fans of The Hunger Games and Cinder.
One Foot in the Grave: An Almost Zombie Tale by Shanti Krishnamurty
It's the summer after graduation, and all Isis wants to do is hang out and party with her friends. Unfortunately, her boyfriend has other plans. When a fun trip to Savannah leaves her with a bite mark on her neck and a strange craving for raw brains, her journey of self-discovery begins in the weirdest place imaginable: a rundown church full of misfits, all struggling to fit in.
Hawaii
Rise of the Mano by Leialoha Humpherys
The alchemist, the messenger, and the true king must join together and destroy soran, the island’s ancient pools of long life and immunity. Will the three heroes put aside their differences to unify, or will they fall apart, along with the rest of the island?
Lehua by Leialoha Humpherys
Lehua is inspired by the story of Rapunzel, as well as Hawaiian mythology, folklore, and culture. Fans of clean romance and happily ever afters will be moved by Lehua, the first book in The Enchanted Hawai‘i Collection, a fairy tale and folklore retelling series set in ancient Hawaii.
The Girl From Everywhere by Heidi Heilig
The Girl from Everywhere, the first of two books, blends fantasy, history, and a modern sensibility. Its sparkling wit, breathless adventure, multicultural cast, and enchanting romance will dazzle readers of Sabaa Tahir and Leigh Bardugo.
The Islands at the End of the World by Austin Aslan
In this fast-paced survival story set in Hawaii, electronics fail worldwide, the islands become completely isolated, and a strange starscape fills the sky. Leilani and her father embark on a nightmare odyssey from Oahu to their home on the Big Island. Leilani's epilepsy holds a clue to the disaster, if only they can survive as the islands revert to earlier ways.
Idaho
Dead America - Idaho Pt. 1 by Derek Slaton
After depleting an alarming amount of resources securing Seattle from the undead menace, Captain Kersey and his elite team of soldiers embark on a mission to Boise, Idaho in search of a reliable source of ammunition.
Nemesis by Brandan Reichs
Orphan Black meets Lord of the Flies in this riveting new thriller from the co-author of the Virals series.
Illinois
Divergent by Veronica Roth
This first book in Veronica Roth's #1 New York Times bestselling Divergent series of books is the novel the inspired the major motion picture starring Shailene Woodley, Theo James, and Kate Winslet. This dystopian series set in a futuristic Chicago has captured the hearts of millions of teen and adult readers.
Runebinder by Alex R. Kahler
“Runebinder is wall-to-wall elemental magic and mayhem. Alex R. Kahler knows how to rock some socks.” —Kendare Blake, New York Times bestselling author of Three Dark Crowns
The Guardian of the Palace by Steven Morris
Everyone knows magic isn’t real.
Alien invaders? Ha!
But something destroyed an entire skyscraper in a never-before-seen implosion. One skeptical security guard stands between monsters and magic that threaten the world.
Rise of Midnight by Sara A. Freites
Helping vampires send a demon back to hell wasn't how Autumn thought she'd spend spring break.
Indiana
Stranger Things: Rebel Robin by A. R. Capetta
High school is a monster, and it's eating everyone Robin knows. Discover the backstory of the new Stranger Things fan favorite character, Robin, played by Maya Hawke!
Iowa
Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith
In the small town of Ealing, Iowa, Austin and his best friend, Robby, have accidentally unleashed an unstoppable army. An army of horny, hungry, six-foot-tall praying mantises that only want to do two things.
Kansas
Lock Down by Aella Black
Lock Down is the first book in a young adult urban fantasy trilogy that's full of interesting characters and more than a few villains.
Definitely Not Kansas by Tom Monteleone & F. Paul Wilson
Definitely Not Kansas is the first volume of the Nocturnia Cycle, a series for both adults and young readers, middle grades and up.
Blood and Salt by Kim Liggett
The last words Ash hears her mother say are, “When you fall in love, you will carve out your heart and throw it into the deepest ocean. You will be all in—blood and salt.”
Dorothy Must Die
The New York Times bestselling first book in a dark series that reimagines the Oz saga, from debut author Danielle Paige. Start at the beginning and discover your new series to binge!
Kentucky
Where Echoes Lie by Shannon Schuren
In this eerie thriller of a ghost story, a teenage girl must solve the mystery of the ghost bride that has haunted her community in rural Kentucky for more than a century.
The Love that Split the World by Emily Henry
Emily Henry's stunning debut novel is Friday Night Lights meets The Time Traveler's Wife and perfectly captures those bittersweet months after high school, when we dream not only of the future, but of all the roads and paths we've left untaken.