Which YA Book Should You Read Next Based on Your Myers-Briggs Type?
As quarantine rolls on, we all have to find things to occupy our time. I love to learn new, weird things, so given as excess of time, I will most assuredly develop a few new obsessions. One such new obsession is MBTI, or the Myers Briggs Type Indicator. The Myers Briggs test is a personality test that assigns you one of two letters for four different categories, making it possible to have sixteen unique “types.” The letter options are as follows: Extroverted vs Introverted, iNtuition vs Sensing, Thinking vs Feeling, and Judging vs Perceiving. Your type, or combination of these letters, is determined based on your answers to a number of questions that ask for your level of agreement/disagreement with various statements. Since MBTI is the most accurate personality test I’ve ever taken (and I’ve taken a lot), I thought it would be a useful tool for personalizing some book recommendations!
I am certainly not the first have this idea, but I wanted to make MBTI-based recommendations specifically for the Young Adult lit community. If you already read YA, then maybe this will help you find your next read or reaffirm your love of a book you already relate to. Or maybe this is your first foray into YA and you want to start with something that is more tailored to you. Like my Hogwarts house recommendations, my rationale for each choice was based on the general vibes of the book, the themes it explores, or characters that embody characteristics of the type. The summaries of each type I include in this post are based on the descriptions from the 16 Personalities website. I would recommend heading over there to read more in depth about the types, and take their personality test if you don’t already know your type so you can get the best recommendations from this post.
The 16 types are divided into “Roles” which are four groups of four that share overarching qualities based on similarities in their types. The first Role is the Analysts, which are all iNtutive Thinkers, or NTs, whose lives are driven by their constant quest for knowledge through strategic and imaginative means.
INTJs are strategic thinkers who dislike rules and restrictions. Just based on that, I feel I can solidly recommend anyone of this type to read Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo. If you’re the person who has a backup plan for the backup plan, then you might appreciate the subtleties of Kaz Brekker, master of misdirection and chief strategist for the most ruthless gang in Ketterdam. If you feel chafed in teams or group projects, then maybe you’ll better relate to a dysfunctional squad of criminals where each member understands that they need the others but would never tell them that to their faces. With healthy doses of action, funny dialogue, and romantic subplots, Six of Crows is perfect for the willful innovator with a plan for everything.
INTPs are often what you’d consider the “absent professor” archetype. They are inventive, intelligent, and creative. INTPs may find themselves leaning more toward science fiction than fantasy or romance, making Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff a perfect pick. INTPs are good problem solvers and they excel at picking apart patterns and putting the puzzle pieces back together. This sci-fi space adventure is a mystery at its core, and the INTP will enjoy sifting through the mountains of files, chat logs, and diagrams that make up the story. The fast pace may appeal to a mind that is constantly buzzing with theories and ideas. The logician may find more solace in the relationship between a teenage hacker and a rogue AI than they would a normal teen rom com, so give Illuminae a try (if you can put down your latest experiment, that is).
The Commander – ENTJ
ENTJs are decisive, confident people born to lead. If you’re looking for a fast-paced novel unburdened by hesitation and whose writing will challenge your mental faculties, look no further than The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater. The ENTJ will find camaraderie with Gansey, the charismatic and singularly focused leader of a group of washed up private school students and the daughter of a psychic. If you can get behind his quest for uncovering the final resting place of a dead Welsh king, Gansey might introduce you, along with our feisty narrator Blue Sargent, to the rest of his squad: relentless Adam who works harder than everyone with a third of the privilege, fierce Ronan who is as unforgiving as he is secretly kind, and quiet but watchful Noah. If I’m right and some of those words speak to you, Henrietta, Virginia and the raven boys are waiting for you.
The Debater – ENTP
As their name suggests, ENTPs are the ultimate devil’s advocate. They’ll argue for something tirelessly, not for some higher purpose, but just because it’s fun, making them the perfect candidate to appreciate a good antihero. Vicious by V.E. Schwab pits college roommates-turned-mortal enemies with x-men-like powers against each other as one eliminates every other super-powered person he comes across while the other seeks revenge against him. It is unclear for most of the book who is the real protagonist, and this is purposeful. ENTPs are the first to question prevailing ideas, and they’ll find that Vicious asks readers to really contemplate how we think of good and evil.
The second Role of types is known as the Diplomats. Their shared traits of iNtuition and Feeling lead them to value empathy and human perspectives, driving them towards a desire for mutual understanding.
The Advocate – INFJ
INFJs are passionate idealists with both the vision and the practical skills to realize their dreams. Due to their innate sense of morality and a decent dose of idealism, I believe the INFJ will find company with the characters of Cassandra Clare’s Clockwork Angel. Tessa Gray, though a woman in Victorian England thrown into a world she didn’t know existed, is deeply opinionated and fights tirelessly for what she believes in. She is decisive and strong-willed, but rarely for her own personal gain. Like the INFJ, Tessa and her newfound friends, Will and Jem, find solace in words and stories. If your idea of loving someone is doing everything you can for their happiness, then get ready to read about three people who love each other so much they nearly destroy themselves.
The Mediator – INFP
INFPs are open-minded caring, and imaginative individuals. Their taste for fantasy worlds and poetry leads me to believe they would enjoy a book rife with magic, metaphor, and a healthy dose of romance—a book like Colleen Houck’s Tiger’s Curse. If anyone embodies the INFP idea of finding good in everyone and everything, it is our narrator, Kelsey Hayes. She is reserved but has an inner passion that is incredibly powerful and guides her in her actions. If you would be willing to put your life on hold to escort a circus tiger back to India (and maybe break a few curses along the way) purely because you believed in your heart that it was the right thing to do, chances are you’re an INFP. The mediator, more than most, will appreciate a story that transcends cultures and centuries.
The Protagonist – ENFJ
As their name suggests, Protagonists are leaders. They are passionate and charismatic with a great desire to do good in the world. I believe the Protagonist would take to a good ol’ fashioned revolutionary story, but their warmth and joy might lead them to something more whimsical. With Cinder by Marissa Meyer, they can have the best of both worlds in a dystopian future where cyborgs walk amongst humans and people live on the moon. Protagonists are forthright in their idea and values, and they are unafraid to speak up when something needs to be said. What better company could they find than a half-cyborg Cinderella forced to lead a revolution (with a fairy tale-inspired crew behind her)? It is said that ENFPs can “reach almost every mind through whatever means.” Readers may find that sentiment has taken a much more literal turn in this book…
The Campaigner – ENFP
ENFPs are vibrant, energetic spirits that spread goodwill and hope to others. If you describe yourself as compassionate, fiercely independent, or “the life of the party”, then I think you will find a friend in Bryce Quinlan of Sarah J. Maas’s House of Earth and Blood. At its core, the book is about Bryce’s past and present relationships with her friends and family as she grieves the loss of someone close to her while simultaneously trying to solve their murder. I think the ENFP will find Crescent City a wonderfully innovative setting and want to know each of its citizens for themselves. ENFPs often look for deeper meanings in the patterns they see, so if you can commit to the 800 pages, the fantastical mystery Maas weaves will be one you won’t soon forget.
The third Role is the Sentinels. All sentinels share the Sensing and Judging trait. They tend to be practicable and responsible. They value stability, hard work, and cooperation.
The Logistician – ISTJ
ISTJs are practical, reliable people that take pride in what they do. They think through their actions carefully and have the dedication to carry them out. If you tire of “visionaries” who fail to make their ideas reality, and prefer people willing to put in the grunt work, then it is time for you to seek out Renegades by Marissa Meyer. In a city attempting to rebuild after a war between prodigies—X-men-like people with superpowers—two ideologies vie for power over society. The Renegades currently hold the power, and with it they are attempting to institute their version of stability and security at the cost of some prodigies’ freedoms. The Anarchists prefer autonomy and self-sufficiency over the reliance citizens have placed on the Renegades. An ISTJ is fit to be able to see both sides of this argument, as our main characters are forced to in this undercover operation that questions the true purpose of superheroes. Bonus, the first chapter introduces you to a character whose alias is “The Sentinel” and if that is not a sign, I don’t know what is (though I imagine an ISTJ would be loath to believe in such nonsense).
The Defender – ISFJ
ISFJs are the ultimate believers in the power of friendship (among other things). They tend to have very well-developed interpersonal skills and take their responsibilities seriously. For the intrepid defender of their friends and family, I would recommend Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare. An ISFJ will fully appreciate the robust social relationships, including many complicated romantic entanglements, present within the group of young Shadowhunters at the core of the story. If you sometimes find yourself being taken advantage of for your kindness and capabilities, you will find company in these characters who believe in their friends so much they can achieve extraordinary things, sometimes at the cost of their own happiness. Defenders are said to “combine the best parts of tradition” while still being receptive to change. What better than a story set at the turn of the century in Edwardian England, where the youth are challenging as many traditions as they uphold? Please note: this is a spin off series set after Clare’s other series The Infernal Devices, of which a working knowledge is helpful but not required.
The Executive – ESTJ
ESTJs are leaders that value law and order but have a fundamental understanding of right and wrong that ultimately guides them. I believe the ESTJ would respect the themes of dignity, hard work, and the fundamental rights a person deserves explored in Pierce Brown’s Red Rising. As a Red, the lowest caste in this interplanetary society of the future, Darrow works himself ragged to earn the luxury of keeping his family alive. When his life takes a Sophocles-esque turn, he masquerades as a member of the ruling class of Golds as part of a revolutionary plot to destabilize the caste system. Along the way, Darrow grows from a cog in the larger machine to an essential commander that brings together the skills of people from every caste and expects his team to work as tirelessly as him. Red Rising appeals to the ESTJ’s innate belief that authority and the rule of law must be earned, and that to lead by example is the best way to inspire others.
The Consul – ESFJ
ESFJs are outgoing and supportive people that thrive on being part of a community. If this sounds like you and you’re looking for a new group of friends with whom to spend your quarantine, let me introduce you to The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. Now that title might seem like a mouthful, but trust me, this bite-sized book will have you yearning to pick wildflowers atop a moor and stare out across the churning sea of the English Channel in no time. Consuls feel their best when they can organize social gatherings and keep people happy. Think this would have been nigh impossible on the German-occupied island of Guernsey during World War II? Think again! The good-natured gossip in you will enjoy learning about each of the society’s members and unraveling the mystery of their missing founder, Miss Elizabeth McKenna. The relationships formed by shared trauma and a book club are realized in such a visceral fashion that you’ll surely feels as if you, too, are pontificating about the least-known Bronte sister with a slice of potato peel pie by your side.
The final Role is the Explorers, which share the Sensing and Prospecting traits. Explorers are in tune with their surroundings, and are often more spontaneous and quick-witted than those around them.
The Virtuoso – ISTP
ISTPs are curious individualists with a knack for working with their hands. For the person that likes to learn as they go, exploring the world in a more physical sense, I would recommend The Iron Trial by Cassandra Clare and Holly Black. In this Percy-Jackson-meets-Harry-Potter-meets-Avatar-TLAB story, virtuosos will enjoy learning to control the elements alongside our main characters at a school for mages called the Magisterium. The ISTP, with their willingness to bend the rules, may find themselves more partial to our (anti)hero, Callum Hunt, than other types. If I’m right about you and you enjoy a little unpredictability in your life, get ready to have everything you think you know about the “magic school” trope turned on its head. Call’s trial and error experience at the Magisterium is so tangible, it will feel like your own (or maybe that’s the soul-jumping idea talking).
The Adventurer – ISFP
The ISFP’s name really speaks for itself. They are spontaneous and unpredictable and cannot resist a good quest, no matter the scale. As I was reading about this type, a quote from Nashville author V.E. Schwab came to me. As Lila Bard—pickpocket, part-time pirate, and general menace to society—once said, “I would rather die on an adventure than live standing still.” For this reason, I am recommending Schwab’s A Darker Shade of Magic, the first of a dimensional fantasy trilogy set in three alternate Londons with varying amounts of magic. Lila and Kell push the boundaries of beauty and behavioral convention even in a fantastical society, a quality many an ISFP has found in themselves. ISFPs prefer to stay in the moment, and reading this book, you won’t have time for anything else. It’s fast-paced, dangerous, and exhilarating—everything an adventure should be.
The Entrepreneur – ESTP
ESTPs are action-oriented and full of energy. They find drama and passion to be stimulating, while sometimes making a lifestyle of risky behavior. Knowing that, if the title of my recommendation doesn’t intrigue you, I don’t know what will. For the entrepreneur, I am recommending Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalo. Equal parts murder mystery and partners-in-crime romance, this book will cater to both the ESTP’s passion for drama and their rational mind. If you have a particular skill at noticing small changes but no clue as to when to keep these observations to yourself (and maybe you also enjoy being the center of attention), then get ready to meet your book soulmate, Thomas Cresswell. ESTPs also tend to operate on the idea that rules were made to be broken, which can earn them a reputation. This is something our main character Audrey Rose is familiar with, because as it turns out, 19th century western society does not take kindly to girls who make a living out of cutting up dead people and chasing their murderers.
The Entertainer – ESFP
Like the campaigner, ESFPs are the life of the party, but in a much more chaotic sense. Their generosity with their energy and their ability to make the simplest activity into a grand time make them irresistible (with a little help from their stunning good looks, of course). For this reason, I am recommending to the entertainers of the world The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzie Lee. The poor planner in you may relate to a main character whose whole itinerary for a tour of Europe was to drink, smoke, make out with attractive people of any gender, and not remember it the next day. Like the ESFP, Monty often finds himself caught up in the excitement of the moment…with mixed results. Whether you appreciate a quippy hedonist of a main character disastrously in love with his best friend or the inherent elegance of a finely tailored waistcoat, the entertainer will quickly find something to fall in love with in this book.
Before I send you off on your Myers-Briggs inspired reading journey, I must include a few small disclaimers. First, I am in no way an expert on MBTI; most of my knowledge comes from tumblr and Frank James videos. Second, I can’t guarantee that you will like the book associated with your type. There is a lot of diversity within types and just because a book has your ~vibes~ doesn’t mean it’s necessarily for you. Fantasy is my forte, so if that’s not really your cup of tea, my recommendations may not speak to you as well, but there are some dystopian, sci-fi, and contemporary recommendations sprinkled in here. If book descriptions are your thing, I’d recommending reading up more on your personalized rec to maximize potential enjoyment. Or if you prefer to go in blind, then just trust me like the little book lemming you are and dive right in! With that in mind, I wish you the best on your YA foray and hope you’ll come back soon!
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