63 Inspiring Young Adult Quotes

In the dynamic and transformative world of young adulthood, words have the power to inspire, comfort, and ignite change. Amid the hustle of growing up, it's often the insights from others that guide and motivate young individuals as they navigate new challenges and forge their unique paths. Whether it's through the pages of a beloved novel or the wisdom of an admired author, quotes have a remarkable ability to resonate deeply and provide clarity in moments of uncertainty. In this compilation, we've gathered 63 of the most inspiring quotes from the world of young adult literature—each one a beacon of encouragement and a reminder of the resilience and potential that lies within. As you explore these thought-provoking quotes, may they offer you a spark of inspiration and a sense of connection on your journey.

1. “It’s not about the destination. It’s getting there that’s the good part.- Leonard” - Morgan Matson

2. “You can't doubt so much, Psyche” - Francesca Lia Block

3. “I wants us to be real. I want to be just you and me. - Ryan” - Elizabeth Scott

4. “(D)reams are like that: they go in and out of memories and scenes, but they're never real. They're never real, and I hate them because they aren't.” - Beth Revis

5. “Gordon Edgley's sudden death came as a shock to everyone - not least himself. One moment he was in his study, seven words into the twenty-fifth sentence of the final chapter of his new book, And the Darkness Rained upon Them, and the next he was dead. A tragic loss, his mind echoed numbly as he slipped away.” - Derek Landy

6. “She decided that if Lucas was gay then she was going to have to get a sex change operation. He would be so worth it.” - Josephine Angelini

7. “Responsibility sucked rocks. Until a few months ago, I hadn’t been responsible for anything more than color-coordinating my wardrobe. But foil one vampire vixen bent on world domination and suddenly people expect all kinds of things. Some days it just didn’t pay to wake up dead. (teaser from ReVamped, coming September 1st)” - Lucienne Diver

8. “A fit, healthy body—that is the best fashion statement” - Jess C. Scott

9. “I feel ill," [Howl] announced. "I'm going to bed, where I may die.” - Diana Wynne Jones

10. “The funny thing about mundies," Jace said, to nobody in particular, "is how obsessed with magic they are for a bunch of people who don't even know what the word means."I know what it means," Clary snapped.No, you don't, you just think you do. Magic is a dark elemental force, not just a lot of sparkly wands and crystal balls and talking goldfish."I never said it was a lot of talking goldfish, you-"Jace waved a hand, cutting her off. "Just because you call an electric eel a rubber duck doesn't make it a rubber duck, does it? And God help the poor bastard who decides they want to take a bath with the duckie.” - Cassandra Clare

11. “Hugo attacked me." Clary tried not to wince as the astringent liquid stung her wounds.Hugo?" Luke blinked.Hodge's bird. I think it was his bird, anyway. Maybe it was Valentine's."Hugin," Luke said softly. "Hugin and Munin were Valentine's pet birds. Their names mean 'Thought' and 'Memory.'"Well they should mean 'Attack' and 'Kill,'" said Clary. "Hugo almost tore my eyes out.” - Cassandra Clare

12. “Em didn't truly understand about my panic attacks - no one did. But she'd never pushed me to explain, never tried to ditch me when things got weird, and never once looked at me like I was a freak.” - Rachel Vincent

13. “...I would want to spend it with you. Even if we had thousands of nights, I would want to spend every single one of them with you.” - Daniele Lanzarotta - Nephilim (Academy of the Fallen)

14. “We're close. I can smell their faint scent," Blake whispered.Kieran snorted. "That makes one of us. All I smell is dog shit.” - Jayde Scott

15. “Armani froze to the spot, unable to move. Her breath tightened in her lungs, shivers of awareness ran down her spine, the sudden energy zipping through her body announcing the shimmer of recognition.” - Suzan Battah

16. “Are you still upset I murdered our parents? - Tommy to Danny” - Patricia Lynne

17. “I don't think that science and the paranormal have to be at war; in fact, it's crucial that they work together. It seems naïve to believe that the world is exactly as it seems.” - Chelsie Shakespeare

18. “This is what people were looking at all day? How embarrassing! I looked like Quasimodo! My guests were exceptional actors.” - Cameo Renae

19. “Question: You’re 21-years-old, a young adult writing mature adult literary fiction. Imaj: Yes, I feel creativity is an ageless thing.” - Imaj

20. “Sister Maria Martinez whom I believe I've mentioned before has been giving me cooking classes. Today I learned how to bake mean banana bread. The secret apparently is half a cup of dark rum.” - Adele Griffin

21. “I wanted to apologize but what could I say? I’m sorry but I’m afraid my fangs might freak you out. Oh and by the way my eyes sort of glow in the dark when I get excited. I hope you’re cool with that.” - Heather Jensen

22. “Hate looks like everybody else until it smiles” - Tahereh Mafi

23. “My heart battered against my ribs, my breath stalled and I gazed up into his laughing, smiling eyes...eyes that suddently glowed crimson and cruel.” - Terri Clark

24. “Your voice sounds like a midnight fire. All warm and worn in and golden. I could listen to you talk forever." "I could never do that". She laughed at him. He brought his lips to her ear. "Your scent is like violets early in spring," he whispered. Then he laughed at himself because though it was true, he sounded like the worst kind of fool.” - Veronica Rossi

25. “That’s when I notice Cheryl and Mickey cuddled up on the couch. She’s leaning on his shoulder, his arm around her, her leg across his lap. Cheryl throws glances at Kerry that say, “Look at me!” while Kerry shoots a “You go, girl!” smirk right back. I think of CK, how he and I often sat like that. Not because we were seconds from making out or wanted to look like a couple, but just out of a deep, platonic connection. My heart hits a higher notch on the ache-o-meter, my teeth sear into my bottom lip, and then something inside me snaps as cleanly as a crayon.” - Kea Alwang

26. “My mom believed that you make your own luck. Over the stove she had hung these old, maroon painted letters that spell out, “MANIFEST.” The idea being if you thought and dreamed about the way you wanted your life to be -- if you just envisioned it long enough, it would come into being.But as hard as I had manifested Astrid Heyman with her hand in mine, her blue eyes gazing into mine, her lips whispering something wild and funny and outrageous in my ear, she had remained totally unaware of my existence. Truly, to even dream of dreaming about Astrid, for a guy like me, in my relatively low position on the social ladder of Cheyenne Mountain High, was idiotic. And with her a senior and me a junior? Forget it. Astrid was just lit up with beauty: shining blonde ringlets, June sky blue eyes, slightly furrowed brow, always biting back a smile, champion diver on the swim team. Olympic level. Hell, Astrid was Olympic level in every possible way.” - Emmy Laybourne

27. “We’re more than common rock,” he murmured. “We’re pretty nigh indestructible when we’re in our stone forms.”I thought this over. “Then why didn’t they pick you up and throw you into the sea?”He sent me a dark look. “You’re a bloodthirsty lass, aren’t you?” - Taylor Longford

28. “For the way loneliness is worse when you return to it after a reprieve—like the soul’s version of putting on a wet bathing suit, clammy and miserable.” - Laini Taylor

29. “Well, can you tell her that?"He looked down at his feet. "I will. I will."Guy-speak for, "I plan to keep avoiding her until she gives up.” - Priya Ardis

30. “I don't lie to you," Alan said. "I lie WITH you."Sin stopped looking up at him from under her eyelashes and burst out laughing.Alan went red. "So I've just realized how that come out. Uh.” - Sarah Rees Brennan

31. “It is a fool of a shepherd who culls his dogs.” - Jefferson Smith

32. “YA stories feature a young adult protagonist or protagonists and usually focus on that character’s journey toward maturity (the tradition of the Bildungsroman.). Learning about love / relationships is an important part of that stage in our lives, so it’s not surprising so many writers are building strong romantic elements into their YA stories. I don’t remember quite such an emphasis on romance in the books my children read as young adults, so I do think the approach has changed. Within my genre of fantasy, there’s been an upsurge of paranormal romance, partly generated by the Twilight books, but also reflecting the popularity of this sub-genre with adult readers. There are far more female fantasy writers (and female fantasy readers) than there were, say, twenty years ago, and perhaps female writers are more confident about including a good love story in a fantasy novel.(2012 Interview by Helen Lowe: The Supernatural Underground: An Interview with Juliet Marillier Discussing "Shadowfell".)” - Juliet Marillier

33. “Love, really? We're vampires, not teenagers. Lust is for the weak.” - Ashley Madau

34. “The dominoes of fate are falling down as we are speaking, and Ferriar knows what will happen when the last one crashes down.” - Evan Meekins

35. “Even though we don't admit it, every single one of us aspires to be like somebody, whether they live in the world today, within the bard's lyrics, or on the pages in the Library” - Evan Meekins

36. “A true leader is not meant to be greeted with unanimous praise by his people. A leader is meant to be questioned, to be suspect, to be hated. If he is not, then one can easily assume that either he has not challenged his abilities as a leader by making a decision that creates a split between the people, or he is forcing his subjects to bow before him.” - Evan Meekins

37. “Boat.Toby.1pm.Shit!” - C.J. Duggan

38. “Ramon looked closely at the little guy as he ate. "Maybe he's Jewish. I mean, if Sammy Davis Jr. could convert to Judaism, why not a chupacabra? We should name him Harry Mendelbaum."I held up my arms in protest. "You're all racist. Now shut up. We'll call him Taco von Precious of Svenenstein. There, everybody happy?""Isn't von the same thing as of?" Frank asked. "Wouldn't that be kind of redundant?""You're redundant," I said.” - Lish McBride

39. “We can't change the world by shouting, but our words can have meaning if we give them enough respect.” - Evan Meekins

40. “I like you, Tess.” - C.J. Duggan

41. “Why are you in my room?”“Because I can be.”“You shouldn’t be.”“Save it, Rochester. You broke my nose.”“Does it hurt?”He lifted a hand toward his face and dropped it. “You could say that.”“Good.”He nudged a tray on the floor with his boot. It had oatmeal, toast, and orange juice on it. “Hungry?”Honor’s stomach growled. “No.”Ryder’s lips turned up in a fleeting sadistic smile. He kicked the tray across the room. It hit the wall and overturned. “Good.” - Lindy Zart

42. “I need you. Right now. Let me love you right here, please.” - Abbi Glines

43. “A lot of the names in Talon reference other people or events. For example Amelia, the giant Eagle, was a “tip of my hat” to the extraordinary aviator Amelia Earhart. Both love(d) to fly!” - Christopher Gérard

44. “Saw a show on Discovery Channel that talked about how energy and matter can't be destroyed. It can only change and that got me thinking that maybe there is something more than just this life. Dying might just be a transformation of energy.” - Joshua Jones

45. “So as near as I could tell the end of the world began roughly about the time that Billy Carver’s butt rang about halfway through the War of 1812.” - Steve Vernon

46. “Evangeline," he sighed. "It ain't ever goan to be easy with you, is it?” - Kresley Cole

47. “We sat in silence for a while. I gazed through the window at the night sky, wondering idly at all that space, all that blackness, all that nothing, and as I sat there looking up at the emptiness I began thinking about the creek, the hills, the woods, the water... how everything goes around and around and never really changes. How life recycles everything it uses. How the end product of one process becomes the starting point of another, how each generation of living things depends on the chemicals released by the generations that have proceeded it... I don't know why I was thinking about it. It just seemed to occur to me.” - Kevin Brooks

48. “Spread your wings. Fly as far to know who you are.” - Frederic M. Perrin

49. “I wish for all who look for Gold,Shall find one letter less,A world where trying always wins,And leaves the loser blessed.” - Frederic M. Perrin

50. “Coming into your powers can be a very confusing time. Perhaps there is a book on the subject. If you like, we can go see Marian."Yeah, right. Choices and Changes. A Modern Girl's Guide to Casting. My Mom Wants to Kill Me: A Self-Help Book For Teens.” - Kami Garcia

51. “Sometimes letting go is the only way to find out who you're meant to hold on to.” - J. Sterling

52. “Remy shot to her feet, eyes blazing. Her hands were fisted at her sides. “Don’t be stupid, Creed.”“What did you say?” I asked slowly.“Don’t. Be. Stupid.”I opened my mouth, closed it. “Why do you even care?” I finally asked.Remy’s eyes shifted away from mine. She was hiding something. “You’re giving up.”“No.” I shook my head. “Giving up would be giving in to the darkness completely. I haven’t quite taken that step yet.”“What’s stopping you?”“What?”“If you don’t care and you want it to be over, what’s stopping you from letting the evil inside of you destroy you?”You.“You need to leave,” I told her.“I can’t.”A low rumble sounded deep in my chest.“Are you growling at me?”“Are you scared?”“No.”“You should be,” I stated, moving for her.” - Lindy Zart

53. “His eyes were twin flakes of ember floating into the night from a roaring inferno. “I won’t let anything happen to you. No matter what I have to do, I will keep you safe.” - Airicka Phoenix

54. “Yes, his ear. I was attracted to his ear. While I was in church. I'm pretty sure that solidifies my position as the weirdest person on the planet.” - Amanda Hamm

55. “I was so tired of this ceaseless, day-to-day tug-of-war between my hormones and my head, my vanity and my virtue. I felt very much as though I were caught in the middle of some dreadful battle in which taking a side of my own would mean certain misery in either case.” - Emily Tomko

56. “He gave a hard smile and the oxygen in my lungs evaporated. “Weboth know I’m not a gentleman.”“Yeah. Okay, let me out. I’m tired.”“There’s something else,” he said, and I groaned.“What now?”“This.” He stepped closer to me, so close that the containers weresandwiched between us. His eyeslooked down into mine, intent and golden, like a lion.“Oh, no, you don’t!” I hissed, dropping everything. I pushed hardagainst his chest; it was like shovinga tree.“Yes,” he said very softly, leaning down. “Yes, I do.” - Cate Tiernan

57. “What’s your name?” I ask again. “Chris,” he says. “Chris Young.” I exhale dramatically, blowing my bangs out of my eyes. “I can take you,” I reply. “But if you try anything, I’ll shoot you right between the eyes. Seriously.” He almost smiles. “Yes, ma’am.” - Summer Lane

58. “I don’t want to kill you, but I must. For the good of the country.” - Kyra Dune

59. “You act like you're invincible, but I know deep down you want someone to hold your hand and buy you flowers and look you in the eye and tell you you're his soul mate. You want someone who will love every piece of you, even the pieces you can't love yourself.” - Amy Reed

60. “I'd love to wrap myself inside your sadness and pretend it is mine” - Amy Reed

61. “A thick, intense fog was rolling in from the ocean, which created long, strange shadows to form like creatures of their own kind.” - Keira D. Skye

62. “In life, if a door closes, all you need to do is move to the window; as long as your whiskers can clear the space you will move through effortlessly. quote by T.G. the "Feline Goddess of Everything and Everyone” - R. Rose

63. “And he leans in, so carefully. Breathing and not breathing and hearts beating between us and he's so close, he's so close and I can't feel my legs anymore. I can't feel my fingers or the cold or the emptiness of this room because all I feel is him, everywhere, filling everything and he whispers"Please."He says, "Please don't shoot me for this.” - Tahereh Mafi