From January to March, 2017 has been the year of young adult (YA) sequels and strong female protagonists.

Topping the Goodreads and New York Times Bestseller charts are YA titles like The Hate U Give, Carve the Mark, Caraval, and Frostblood.

The Hate U Give explores the influence of the racial movement Black Lives Matter in the life of one young girl. From Harper Collins, “Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.” Angie Thomas received a barrage of praise for her moving story. The Hate U Give is definitely a hardcover worth picking up!

As sequels stream straight off the press in the coming months, check out these notable series. Shelf favorites A Court of Thorns and Roses, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, Throne of Glass, and Shades of Magic should definitely be added to your to-read list this March!

A personal favorite of mine for its quirky romance and strong female characters, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before follows high schooler Lara Jean as she navigates her relationships after her younger sister, Kitty, mails a handful of unsent love letters never meant to be seen by anyone. I absolutely adore the dynamic of the Song-Covey family and Lara Jean’s romantic and joyful perspective of life, and I cannot wait till the fourth and final book comes out this year. From me to you, pick up a copy today!

As another statement novel, Lucky Boy by Shanthi Sekaran documents two lives: one, a young undocumented mother searching for a place in America, and another, a middle-aged chef at UC Berkeley longing to add to her family. Sekaran interweaves the lives of Soli Valdez and Kavya Reddy in a beautiful narrative about family and the heart of the American dream. People Magazine praised, “With a generous understanding of how modern issues—from illegal immigration to income inequality—play out in people’s lives, Sekaran has written a page-turner that’s touching and all too real.”

Picking up a book is a great way to destress and relax for days when school gets a bit too much. Often, the best thing to do when you feel overwhelmed is just to sit quietly. This month, sit quietly wrapped up in a good book. This March, get reading!