What YA Book Should You Read Next Based on Your Enneagram Type?

Shout out to my fellow Book Rioter for this great post: The Enneagram Types of 99 Fictional Characters.

You Should Read: Winter by Marissa Meyer

All right, this is the fourth book in Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles series, so technically you should read the whole series. It is an amazing dystopian reimagining of well-known fairytales with a sci-fi/fantasy twist. Plus, all of the female protagonists (and even the main antagonist) are complex, lovable, and badass. Winter is Snow White—if Snow White were born on the moon to a race of mind-controlling sorcerers. She’s quirky and sweet, but is willfully descending into madness because she would rather suppress her powers than use them to control others. Reformers will love her self-sacrificing heroism.

Type 2: The Helper

Type 2 enneagrams are here to serve. They are people pleasers with strong interpersonal skills, generous natures, and a possessive streak. Helpers thrive on being needed and loved. They can give off a real The Giving Tree vibe, but at their best they make good and loyal friends. Think of Samwise Gamgee from Lord of the Rings.

You Should Read: Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany Jackson

This book isn’t for the faint of heart, so if you’re looking for a feel-good story, you might want to move on. (TW: child abuse.) Still, this story will resonate with type twos. It follows Claudia, who—despite all obstacles, resistance, and doubt—refuses to give up on finding her missing best friend, Monday. It’s a heartbreaking tale of friendship, love, and loss that won Tiffany Jackson the 2019 Coretta Scott King–John Steptoe Award for New Talent. Once you read it, you will never forget it. (I, personally, get freaked out by buzzing noises now. I won’t explain that further, but you’ll get it after you read the book. Sorry, in advance.)

Type 3: The Achiever

Type 3 enneagrams are driven by ambition. They’re success-oriented and very concerned with appearances. On the positive end, they work hard and strive to meet their goals. However, if this type has a downfall it’s being overly concerned with what others think of them and tying their self-worth to their image. In the fictional universe, Jay Gatsby from The Great Gatsby is the quintessential type 3.

You Should Read: The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton

The Belles series provides great examples of both healthy and unhealthy type threes. In the fantasy world of Orleans, Belles are an elite group that are both revered and subjugated. They control beauty, a precious commodity in a world where everyone except Belles are born gray and cursed. The Belles use their powers to modify the appearances of others. The best Belles are given positions at prominent locations, but the Favorite is given a coveted place at court. The competition throughout the series offers type threes a good look at the dangers of striving for the approval of others.

Type 4: The Individualist

Type 4 enneagrams are characterized by their core belief that they are fundamentally different from other people. This can manifest in both positive and negative ways. They might see themselves as uniquely talented or as especially flawed. They are always looking for something that is missing from themselves and wish to deeply connect with others. Still, they define themselves as individuals and strive to distinguish their identities from others.

Fours are sensitive, emotional, and self-aware. They also can possess a dangerous propensity to feel misunderstood. As a result, they often feel that no one can truly love them. Fours can be withdrawn and self-conscious, but also extremely creative. Many fours are artists, writers, and actors. For my fellow Jane Austen fans, Marianne Dashwood from Sense and Sensibility is a textbook type four.

You Should Read: Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer

It wasn’t easy picking YA books by enneagram type 4 because this type is so complex. I hesitated with this title because of the multitude of problematic elements of the Bella/Edward relationship and Meyer’s casual racism. However, these darn Twilight books have a special place in my heart. (Short story: I was reading them when I met my spouse, who I believe is a vampire.) Anyway, this upcoming release will add a vampire book to this list, which is very on brand for me.

Bella Swan definitely has many of the elements of type fours: she identifies as different from everyone else, flawed, and self-conscious. More interestingly, however, Edward is an even better example of a type 4. Since this new book in the saga is told from his perspective, we’ll get a good look into his psyche. Though talented and creative, Edward has always felt different—from both humans and other vampires. True to the self-awareness and emotional honesty of fours, Edward never bought into the romanticized version of himself. He knew he was dangerous and believed that his unique flaws meant he’d never find love. But he was always looking for something more. If fours can get past the many valid critiques (and valid defenses) of this book, they’ll likely recognize themselves in it.

Type 5: The Investigator

Type 5 enneagrams are intensely cerebral. They are doggedly curious about the world and value knowledge above all. They want to be seen as capable and competent, but sometimes let their insecurities stop them from acting on their vast stores of knowledge. Thus, fives can be isolated, preferring to observe and contemplate rather than engage. Fives are often visionary thinkers who see the world in new and different ways. At their best, fives are innovative and inventive with the ability to overturn conventional thinking and solve complex problems. Often, however, their drive to learn and to think differently results in their being eccentric, nihilistic, and withdrawn. Albus Dumbledore of Harry Potter is an example of a fictional type 5.

You Should Read: Love, Hate & Other Filters by Samira Ahmed

On the surface, this book is a sweet coming-of-age story with the typical two love interests for the quirky protagonist. However, it’s definitely among the must-read YA books for enneagram type 5. Maya Aziz is a high school senior who is the only Muslim and only Indian in her small town. She dreams of being a filmmaker, despite the wishes of her more traditional parents. Maya spends much of her time hiding behind her camera, observing the world around her, seeing it in her own unique way. Eventually her dreams, her parents’ wishes, and the aftermath of a nearby terrorist attack force her to face her insecurities and step off of the sidelines of her own life.

Type 6: The Loyalist

Sixes thrive on stability and security. They remind me of Hufflepuffs from Harry Potter in that they are unwaveringly loyal. They hold tightly to their relationships, as well as to their beliefs. This might manifest as strict rule-following or resolute rebellion. They can be anxious and unsure of themselves, which is why security is so important to them. They’re skeptical and often find the negative in the world or any given situation. Thus, they strive to create safe environments and are good at fostering cooperation and troubleshooting potential problems. Winnie the Pooh‘s Piglet is a good example of a type 6.

You Should Read: Tigers, Not Daughters By Samantha Mabry

Four motherless sisters struggle to care for and to escape their needy deadbeat father in this maybe-ghost-story. After their eldest sister Ana tragically dies (accidentally?), the remaining Torres girls have to find a way to stabilize their home and hearts. This story will appeal to sixes, as they see variations of their type in the personalities of the sisters and the ways they deal with their grief. Whether it’s Iridian’s rebellious isolation, Jessica’s angry loyalty, or Rosa’s quiet peacemaking, there’s something in this story for every type 6 reader.

Type: 7 The Enthusiast

Type 7 enneagrams approach life with passion, curiosity, and energy. The Weasley twins from Harry Potter are examples of fictional sevens. This type seeks fulfillment through new experiences and projects. They thrive on adventure and busyness. As such, they can become distracted and overextend themselves. They may also have trouble making choices, since they want to try everything, and aren’t always likely to make the best decisions for themselves. Sevens live life to the fullest, but as with the other enneagram types, this can manifest in healthy or unhealthy ways.

You Should Read: A Blade So Black By L.L. McKinney

While the characters in this story may not necessarily be sevens, the story will definitely appeal to this adventurous enneagram type. It follows Alice who, after the tragic loss of her father, is confronted by a creature from a nightmare universe. Alice is soon living a life of adventure, fighting monsters with her new friend (and crush) Addison Hatta and trying to stop nightmares from crossing into our world. It’s not easy being a normal teenager with a strict mother, while trying to protect the Earth. This urban reimagining of Alice in Wonderland (and the rest of McKinney’s Nightmareverse trilogy) are perfect YA books for enneagram type 7 readers.

Type 8: The Challenger

Type eights are confident, strong-willed and decisive. They know what they want and are willing to fight for it. Eights fear being controlled by others, so they assert their will and can be confrontational. They have a knack for getting people to follow them, but that power can be used for evil or good. Most of all, they seek to control their environment and will ruthlessly protect themselves and their loved ones from harm. They have trouble being vulnerable or being indebted to anyone. Fictional type eights include X-Men’s Magneto and Johanna Mason from The Hunger Games.

You Should Read: On the Come Up by Angie Thomas

Thomas’s second novel follows Bri, a spunky aspiring rapper living in the shadow of her hiphop legend father, who was killed before he gained mainstream success. Bri maintains her own dreams and desires, despite her mother’s struggles to support their family, her brother’s failures, and her beloved aunt’s dangerous behavior. Bri’s rap skills quickly gain her respect and followers, but when one of her performances goes viral, she gets more than she bargained for. Suddenly, others are trying to control her image and her future. Bri will appeal to type eights because they’ll easily identify with her tough exterior and her steady determination.

Type 9: The Peacemaker

Type nines are easygoing, optimistic, and supportive. They’re creatives who enjoy peaceful environments. They can be prone to go along too easily with others, but they have strong instincts (when in touch with them). Nines look on the bright side—which sometimes means they avoid difficult situations, preferring to hide in emotional daydreams.  Pride and Prejudice‘s Jane Bennet and her beau Charles Bingley show characteristics of enneagram type 9.

You Should Read: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

This book-trilogy-turned-Netflix-hits are the perfect next YA books for enneagram type nines. They follow Lara Jean Song Covey, an idealistically romantic teen with a huge heart. Readers will immediately fall in love with Lara Jean and her sisters (the Song girls) as they care for each other and their widower father with humor, compassion, and wit. Lara Jean is the ultimate peacekeeper, but when someone mails her secret stash of love letters to her crushes, she can’t avoid the fallout. This trilogy will keep readers smiling and each book is packed with feel-good moments you’ll want to read again and again.

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