Book Recommendations: Books to Read After the Yellowjackets Finale

So the Yellowjackets finale left you reeling. Same. Whether you were drawn in by the survival horror, the unflinching look at girlhood, or the slow burn of secrets unraveling over time, the show delivered a gut punch that’s not easy to walk away from. The question now is, what book can possibly fill that buzzing, eerie void?

We have six YA reads that capture the same fierce energy, emotional intensity, and dark mystery of Yellowjackets for you. These stories are about survival, identity, and the dangerous beauty of connection. Just like the show, they stick with you.

A Thousand Fires

by Shannon Price
Published by: Tor Teen
on November 5, 2019
Genres: Contemporary, Fantasy, Thriller, Young Adult
Bookshop
Goodreads

Shannon Price's A Thousand Fires is a breakout contemporary debut―think The Outsiders meets The Iliad―that's perfect for fans of Courtney Summers and Veronica Roth.
10 Years. 3 Gangs. 1 Girl’s Epic Quest…
Valerie Simons knows the city's gang wars are dangerous—her own brother was killed by the Boars two years ago. But nothing will sway her from joining the elite and beautiful Herons to avenge his death—a death she feels responsible for.
But when Valerie is recruited by the mysterious Stags, their charismatic and volatile leader Jax promises to help her get revenge. Torn between old love and new loyalty, Valerie fights to stay alive as she races across the streets of San Francisco to finish the mission that got her into the gangs.
---
"Modern, unflinching and filled with haunting, lingering imagery, A Thousand Fires gives the story of the Iliad the bare-knuckled update it deserves." --Colleen Oakes, author of The Black Coats
"A Thousand Fires pulls you in close and shows you the essence of what it means to keep fighting. Shannon Price is one to watch." --Gwenda Bond, New York Times bestselling author of Stranger Things: Suspicious Minds
"Brutal and beautiful, A THOUSAND FIRES broke my heart. A fast-paced tragedy of love, betrayal, and vengeance." --Heidi Heilig, author of FOR A MUSE OF FIRE
"Fast-paced... Vivid descriptions and intricate details bring San Francisco to life ... A promising debut." --Kirkus

Books to Read After the Yellowjackets Finale

A Thousand Fires by Shannon Price

A modern retelling of The Iliad set in a San Francisco where rival gangs rule the streets. A Thousand Fires is full of vengeance, heartbreak, and high-stakes choices that echo the fractured friendships and moral complexity we loved in Yellowjackets.

I Am Still Alive by Kate Alice Marshall

If you were glued to every survival moment in Yellowjackets, I am Still Alive is for you. A teen girl stranded in the wilderness must survive on her own while plotting revenge. It’s quiet and brutal, with just the right level of raw vulnerability.

The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis

Dark, unflinching, and unforgettable. The Female of the Species explores rage and justice in small-town America through the eyes of a girl who has already lost too much. It’s intense and deeply honest about the violent undercurrents of growing up.

The Project by Courtney Summers

Obsessed with the cult storyline in Yellowjackets? The Project is a chilling story of two sisters and the secretive organization that comes between them. Courtney always delivers complicated girls and emotional punches, and this one is no exception.

Reader, I Murdered Him by Betsy Cornwell

A gothic remix of Jane Eyre with a sapphic lead, deadly intentions, and a big heart. Reader, I Murdered Him is for fans of girls who rewrite the rules, escape the systems that try to break them, and choose their own version of justice.

Wilder Girls by Rory Power

Often described as Lord of the Flies meets body horror, Wilder Girls is the closest tonal match to Yellowjackets. A mysterious illness quarantines a group of girls on an island, but the real story is about how they break and bend to survive.

Whether you’re craving stories about found family in the most desperate of places, or just want more fierce, flawed girls navigating impossible situations, these picks will keep the Yellowjackets spirit alive on your bookshelf.

Which one are you picking up first?