YA books about cults are having a moment right now, and they’re going to continue their growth over the next year or two in the category. Perhaps because of the ways they connect neatly with fans of true crime as well as fans of thrillers, YA cult books are a natural fit for those readers. YA cult books go further than that, though, as they represent the adolescent experience more broadly. Feeling stuck, sheltered, controlled: these are all common teen experiences that push against the innate desire to grow and bloom into a unique and independent person. What constitutes a cult book, though? For all intents and purposes—and for this list specifically—a cult is a group defined by its devotion to religious, spiritual, or philosophical practices that fall outside of the “norm.” Defining “norm,” of course, is in and of itself challenging, and therein lies what it is that makes cult books so fascinating. Where is the line between a normal religious or spiritual practice and one that becomes obsessive and dangerous? These books are also scathing critiques of the patriarchy. It’s hard not to notice nearly every book features a female main character seeking freedom. Many times, it comes through the form of a boy who isn’t what he seems to be, further deepening the critique of systems created, cultivated, and thriving from masculine power. For YA books about cults, it’s vital to acknowledge the serious lack of authors of color, as well as characters of color, in the catalog of titles. There certainly are some, as will be seen here, but it’s a very white array of books. People of color, who’ve been systemically oppressed, don’t have the same kind of freedoms to write these stories, as what constitutes “cult” experience in their lives doesn’t necessarily fall under religious social groups. Rather, their mere existence is oppressed and tamped down under sociopolical systems themselves. This does not mean that there aren’t cults—real or imagined—with people of color. But it does mean they’ve not yet seen their time in YA books. Let’s hope they get to share those stories, too.
Compelling and Engaging YA Books About Cults
Because this list is limited to 20 titles (okay, 21!), of course it doesn’t include every YA book about cults. But if you’re craving more, a few additional titles for your ever-growing TBR include Girl in a Bad Place by Kaitlin Ward, Karma for Beginners by Jessica Blank, The Liar’s Daughter by Megan Cooley Peterson, The Patron Saint of Butterflies by Cecelia Galante, Shallow Graves by Kali Wallace, The Sisterhood by AJ Grainger, The Right and the Real by Joelle Anthony, The Special Ones by Em Bailey, Starbird Murphy and The World Outside by Karen Finneyfrock, and The Virtue of Sin by Shannon Schuren.
Agnes always liked her quiet home life in Red Creek, where she looks after her siblings. But a chance encounter with a boy from the Outside leaves her questioning whether or not she really does like it or she’s been led to believe it. Medicine is outlawed in Red Creek, and Agnes’s brother Ezekiel needs insulin to survive. When she escapes with him, leaving the rest of her family behind, she’s confronted with a pandemic and discovers a link between herself and the virus.
Greer begins to question Joshua, what his motives are, and how he came into her life, and as she digs deeper, she discovers a new world of danger.
It’s no surprise when a boy captivates her attention and begs her to look deeper at the history of Quinvara…and no surprise when the boy himself might not be all he seems. This is a cult book with serious horror flavor to it for those who liked their stories especially dark and wicked. It’s the first in a duology.
When her father announces the family will soon be departing for heaven, Castella knows she needs to act now to save her life and the lives of her siblings.
But the longer Mae stays with them, the weirder she becomes and more the Jules becomes uncomfortable around her. When she discovers a pentagram carved in Mae’s back, Jules pieces together that Mae is a survivor of an embedded cult not far from her home…a cult that’s eager to get Mae back.
But when Rachel meets a former community member and learns about life outside this system of belief—a girl who has moved back to their small Texas town after escaping and is able to stake her own claim in life—she begins to see there is more out there and she’s eager to see it.
When she meets outsiders during her work selling jewelry, Eva begins to wonder if life on the Righteous Path is the right one or if she and her family are pawns in a dangerous game at the compound.
At least, that’s the story 17-year-old Jacob has been told again and again. When he meets Lynna, a girl from outside, his world is rattled by the idea that things inside Nodd might not be all that they seem to be.
This discovery at first brings about small shifts on Earth, but soon the shifts grow bigger and bigger, including the shift wherein her mother’s obsessive news watching turns into connecting with a cult.
This book explores cult-like fanaticism, digging into the extremes of social beliefs and practices.
A complex, dark, and compelling look at what it is that helps people connect with themselves, as well as what it is that makes someone a leader.
This is a bloody, dark, and twisted thriller for readers who want a gory, gruesome cult read.
Itching for more great reads? You’ll want to dig into these hard-hitting YA novels.
