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According to Goodreads users, these are the new YA releases to look out for — from bestselling authors like Casey McQuiston, Namina Forna, and Emiko Jean.
Amazon, Insider
YA books may star teenage characters but they aren't just for teenage readers.
These upcoming releases are popular on preorder lists and are receiving rave reviews.
I used to think "young adult" books were only to be enjoyed by teenagers, but I'm far from the only adult reader who still fills their shelves with YA stories. Young adult novels usually take place in high school settings with teenage characters but offer serious, moving, or timely subjects in an easily digestible form.
These upcoming young adult books are topping preorder lists, being added to readers' "Want to Read" shelves on Goodreads, and already receiving rave reviews from advanced reviewers. We've sorted them by their fast-approaching release dates and you can preorder every title on this list now so it's delivered as soon as it's published.
Whether you're looking for an exciting new fantasy read or the latest release of your favorite series, here are 20 of the most anticipated YA books of spring 2022.
When the legendary Hotel Magnifique comes to town, Jani and her sister Zosa set out to work at the mysterious hotel that somehow appears in a different place each morning. As Jani begins to lift the curtain of the hotel's glamour, she must unravel its dark secrets to rescue her sister and the staff in this fantasy read full of whimsical and enchanting magic.
Publication date: April 5, 2022
"She Gets the Girl" by Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick
When Alex meets Molly the night before classes start on their new college campus, she offers to help Molly get her dream girl so she can prove to her ex that she isn't a selfish flirt. As Alex and Molly set out on their five-step plans to woo their respective love interests, the chemistry between them begins to grow in this young adult romantic comedy.
In this dark thriller, Calliope is starting at a new elite boarding school her mother once attended, though she died six years prior in an inexplicably tragic car accident that nearly claimed her and her sisters' lives as well. When Calliope joins a social justice-seeking secret society, she discovers a possible link between the group and her mother's death.
"An Arrow to the Moon" is a "Romeo and Juliet" retelling mixed with fantastical elements of Chinese mythology as Luna Chang's stifling present and looming future is overturned by a new boy in class, Hunter Yee. When strange occurrences force Hunter and Luna together, they're left to unearth their families' secrets before their fate proves inescapable.
On their one-year anniversary, Blaine's boyfriend, Joey, breaks up with him to pursue more "serious" guys. Hurt but determined to prove Joey wrong, Blaine decides to run for student council president against Joey's new boyfriend in this feel-good upcoming romance.
Publication date: April 12, 2022
"My Sister's Big Fat Indian Wedding" by Sajni Patel
Zurika Damani's dream is to play hip-hop violin, but when she's rejected by Juilliard, her last hope remains with a contest judged by college scouts. As her sister's wedding week draws near, Zurika must find a way to compete without her parents finding out and without ruining her sister's celebration.
One year after Najwa Bakri's best friend Trina passed away, her formerly inactive Instagram account begins posting cryptic messages that suggest her death wasn't as straightforward as anyone thought. As Najwa begins digging into who is behind the posts, she unearths terrible secrets in this Scrabble-laced mystery.
Casey McQuiston has already established themselves as an unparalleled queer romance writer with "Red, White & Royal Blue" and "One Last Stop", and their new upcoming release is sure to impress just the same. A month before graduation, Chloe Green's high school rival, Shara Wheeler, kisses her along with two other students, leaves a strange trail of clues, and mysteriously disappears. We interviewed McQuiston about their newest book, which you can check out here.
"We Were Liars" took readers by storm with its fast-moving story and mind-blowing plot twist. Now, "Family of Liars" offers the story of an earlier Sinclair generation, equally shocking secrets, and another summer read of betrayal and lies.
Tracy Wolff's "Crave" series has taken off since the first vampirical novel was published in 2020. "Charm" is the fifth book in the series, which will answer readers' questions about what happened during the four months Grace found herself trapped with Hudson after transforming into a Gargoyle to protect Jaxon.
Featuring the beloved Princess Merida from "Brave," this upcoming YA book is set several years after the movie. As Merida searches for a new adventure, she finds an unexpected challenge when a supernatural being appears on Christmas Eve and threatens to demolish the realm. Merida has only a year to evoke change in her family and takes three epic voyages to inspire their revolution and save the realm.
Mina needs to win the Golden Ivy student film competition when indie film star Emmitt Ramos enrolls in her school under a fake name to research his next role. When she solicits his help, Emmitt makes a counteroffer — he'll be in her film if she helps him with a photography contest. As they tour New York City together for his project, Mina begins to see her home in a new light and questions the dreams she's held dear for so long.
Publication date: May 10, 2022
"The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School" by Sonora Reyes
After being outed as a lesbian at her last school, Yamilet Flores is determined to fly under the radar and make her mom proud at her new Catholic school. When Yamilet meets the only openly queer girl at school, she finds her nearly impossible to resist, but fears rejection from her mother in this young adult story about sharing your true self with the people you love.
"Rivals" is the third regal installation of the "American Royals" series where Beatrice is finally queen, Sam is in love with Lord Marshall David, and Nina and Daphne find a shared enemy. As relationships, new friendships, and old rivalries are tested, this young adult read offers drama, romance, and royalty to readers who can't wait for its release.
Everything seems to be going perfectly for Japanese American princess Izumi Tanaka. until her boyfriend makes a shocking decision and The Imperial Household Council refuses to approve of her parent's engagement. In this heartwarming "Tokyo Ever After" sequel, Izumi will do anything to help her parents reach their "happily ever after," even if it means she won't get her own.
In "The Gilded Ones", readers met Deka, whose gold blood marked her an alaki — a near-immortal with a rare gift. Now, six months later, Deka must free the rest of the goddesses but finds a strange and unnatural symbol that seems to repel her powers with a dark force. She and her army must stop the powerful and sinister forces behind the symbol in this fantastical and adventurous read.
During their 500th-anniversary show, Zarela's famous Dragonador father is injured and she must take his place as the next Dragonador to protect her family's arena from the greedy hands of the Dragon Guild. Zarela solicits the help of Arturo Díaz de Montserrat, a dragon hunter, who may be her only chance to protect her ancestral home from those who seem determined to ruin her family.
Benji is on the run from the fundamentalist cult that decimated the world's population and infected him with a bioweapon when he's rescued by a group of teens from the Acheson LGBTQ+ Center (ALC). Though the bioweapon is slowly mutating Benji into a terrible monster, the ALC welcomes him in as long as he uses the monster to defend them — until their mysterious leader's secrets come to light and reveal a hidden agenda.
When the quarterback of Amber's high school football team is killed in a car accident and replaced by a girl named Jack, the whole school is outraged and the cheerleaders hatch a plan to take her down. However, the growing romance between cheerleader and quarterback changes everything when Amber can't seem to find a way to stay on the squad and stand up for Jack at the same time.
In this sequel to "This Poison Heart," Briseis is on a mission to find the last fragment of the Absyrtus Heart before her enemies can in her final chance to save her mother. Following a nail-biter ending in the last book, this fantasy conclusion shines with elements of Greek mythology, family secrets, and alluring magic.
