Standout Characters in YA Novels: Lauren’s Picks

We spend a lot of time talking about deep topics on this blog (which is amazing, btw), but once in a while, it’s nice to take a break from the tough stuff and touch on something lighter.

Like, for example, our favorite standout characters in YA novels.

Who are your favorite fictional characters? What draws you to them and why? Is it because you relate well to them, or do you admire them for being so opposite you? 

Here are a few of mine. If you’re acquainted with my blog and my writing, you know my eye is always trained for great Christian YA fiction and clean mainstream fiction that avoids questionable moral content. The books mentioned below adhere to these standards, offering worry-free enjoyment for conscientious readers.

7 Standout Characters in YA Novels

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To be honest, I can’t relate very well to Charlie—and that’s what I love about her. I was raised with one sister, she was raised with four brothers. She’s tough, excels at sports, and knows how to interact with boys. But there’s a unique coming-into-herself that happens when she finally embraces her feminine side, making her even more endearing. And she doesn’t even have a mother to help her figure it out.

Let’s just get this out there: When it comes to favorite Hunger Games characters, Peeta usually tops the list. I find Peeta admirable enough, but talking about him feels cliche so I’d like to focus the spotlight on a lesser, noble-in-his-own-way character—Finnick Odair.

At first, Finnick comes off as a player, a little too swarthy and alluring for his own good. But as events unfold, we glimpse his depth in the way he fights, in his choice of actions during the Games, and in who he loves. He’s darn good with the trident, too.

Who doesn’t wish they could handle one of those? 

I enjoyed every book of The Homelanders Series right to very last page (see my review in YA Christian Fiction Thrillers, Suspense & Horror: 8 Books to Keep You On Edge), thanks to the hero himself. Charlie is an openly practicing Christian teen who challenges the notion that guys aren’t serious about faith. His faith shows in his integrity despite all that’s happened to him. He still has all the normal questions you would expect of a young fellow in his situation (like what if everything I’ve ever believed is a lie? and God, where are you?). But his authenticity makes you wish he were your friend.

Oh, and he’s got some pretty wicked karate skills.

Connor has a really cool “Ability” in this paranormal YA novel, but that’s not the only thing that makes him likable. It’s how he uses it. He’s the classic bad-boy-with-a-good-heart, and a worthy counterbalance to the book’s headstrong female protagonist. I liked his character right away, but his final act during the last pages of Split Second was the cherry on top of this two-book series.

If you read my review of Something I Am Not, you probably already figured out that Billy is among my favoritest of favorite characters. He’s so real, both in his struggles and in his heart. When you consider the circumstances under which he operates, you’ll be touched by his honor and loyalty, especially when a little brother is added to the mix. But he’s not a wimp either. He stands up and fights, sometimes to his own detriment. If I’d had a brother, I would have liked him to be like Billy.

Psst! If you like Billy, you’ll also like Justin, from Regent—another Cher Gatto book.

Tessa is handed the ultimate trial for a teenage girl: her parents are getting a divorce. I’ve never been through this ordeal myself, but her emotions felt so real to me, I became angry alongside her. If you’ve ever wished you could lay into someone who hurt you and let them know how you really felt about their actions, you’ll relate to Tessa—and be rooting for her when she finally does just that.

(This is the third Charlie on this list. Coincidence?)

You gotta admit, the deck was stacked against Charlie when Bella permanently moved in with him. Dads have a hard time “getting” teenage girls, and his struggle to relate to her is both endearing and funny. And realistic. I liked him so much, I hurt for him when I read Life and Death, Meyer’s reimagining of the classic Twilight story—which has a terribly different ending from the original (but is a great read nonetheless).

Charlie Swan is the one character I appreciated just as much in the movie as I did in the book.

Tell me yours!

Who are your favorite fictional characters? Drop me a note. (They don’t have to be from YA fiction.) Who knows, maybe you’ll convince me to read something I haven’t read yet! And be sure to subscribe to my newsletter to receive monthly Christian fiction and clean ya fiction recommendations.