12 YA Books We Can't Wait to Read This Year

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Teens in the mortal and magical realms will have plenty of exciting, touching, and humorous stories to choose. As there is no shortage of outstanding YA titles.

There are new releases from well-known authors like Traci Chee and Casey McQuiston and debuts from Jeff Bishop and others like Emily X.R. Pan.

Here are 12 of the most anticipated YA books of 2022.

Nnedi Okorafor, better known as Akata Woman (January 18)

Nnedi Okorafor delivers another captivating story about African magic rooted in Nigerian folklore in Akata Woman, which follows Akata Witch and Akata Warrior.

Sunny Nwazue is back, and she’s doing her best to keep her mystical powers under control as she searches for a magical artifact that could be the key to her quest.

Sunny struggles to balance her dual identities as a U.S. citizen and a Nigerian native.

Acknowledgment of Guilt (February 15)

Akwaeke Emezi has written a stirring tale of art and protest that deserves to be read by everyone. The novel follows Bitter, who grew up in foster care, as she attends Eucalyptus—a particular school that fosters creative talent.

At this point, she is torn between wanting to be a part of her peers’ bold calls for change and focusing solely on her artistic pursuits.

Emezi’s 2019 novel Pet, a National Book Award finalist, has a companion in the form of Bitter.

Traci Chee, A Thousand Steps Into Night (March 1)

An innkeeper’s daughter named Miuko is cursed and on the verge of becoming a demon in this fantastical world created by National Book Award finalist Traci Chee.

As Miuko embarks on a journey to change her destiny, she will have to negotiate a land populated by gods, spirits, and monsters.

Assisted by the trickster spirit Geiki, Miuko sets out on a journey of self-discovery that forces her to confront what it means to be a woman of strength and influence in a patriarchal society.

Lakelore, Anna-Marie McLemore (March 8)

Award-winning author Anna-Marie McLemore brings a magical underwater world to life in Lakelore.

Bastián and Lore, two non-binary, neurodivergent teenagers, discover the underwater world in the novel, and their lives are forever altered by their discovery.

The lines between the two worlds—above and below the surface—sometimes blur, and the duo needs to work together to keep things in order.

Adib Khorram’s “Kiss and Tell” (March 22)

William C. Morris Debut Award-winner Adib Khorram delivers fun and dramatic novel about what it means to be queer in the public eye. Kiss & Tell follows Hunter Drake—a boy band megastar—as his group embarks on its first major North American tour.

The problem? He has to deal with the public scrutiny of a painful breakup because his ex-boyfriend leaked their explicit texts.

He also feels pressured by his label to fit into a queer role model image that doesn’t feel authentic to him. A recent Iranian-American in the opening band of the tour enters into a romantic relationship with Hunter, further complicating the plot.

Translated by Takami Nieda, The Color of the Sky Is Shaped Like a Heart, Chesil (April 5)

The translated version of Chesil’s debut novel, originally published in Japanese, draws from her childhood. Pak “Ginny” Jinhee, a Zainichi Korean adolescent who moves from Japan to Hawaii and then to Oregon with an American host mother, is at the story’s center.

Set in 2003, the novel unpacks the complexities around nationalism, prejudice, and identity.

An Arrow to the Moon, Emily X.R. Pan (April 12)

X.R. Pan, the bestselling author of The Astonishing Color of After, spins a tale of forbidden love steeped in Chinese mythology in this new novel.

In An Arrow to the Moon, Hunter Yee arrives at Fairbridge High School after being expelled from prep school and is drawn to another teenager, Luna Chang. The duo shares a birthday, and both have immigrant parents who expect perfection.

It follows Hunter and Luna as they try to unravel the mysteries of their family’s past while dealing with strange occurrences such as earth cracks and an unexpected influx of fireflies in An Arrow to the Moon.

J. C. Cervantes, “Flirting with Fate” (April 19)

Flirting With Fate, J.C. Cervantes’ debut novel for young adults, is a touching tale of family ties and the search for true love. Ava Grandados can’t believe she was late to her nana’s deathbed, a delay that happened because of a flash flood and minor car accident with a mysterious boy.

It turns out that the boy may have received a magical blessing from Ava’s nana—the one that Ava was supposed to receive. Ava befriends the boy to right the wrongs and gets a share of her family’s magic.

I Kissed Shara Wheeler, Casey McQuiston (May 3)

Casey McQuiston—author of Red, White & Royal Blue—makes her YA debut with I Kissed Shara Wheeler.

The story revolves around 18-year-old Chloe, who is hellbent on being the valedictorian of her high school. It’s a kiss from prom queen Shara, who then goes missing, that tangles things up for her, though. Shara kissed not only Chloe but also two other classmates before she vanished, as it turns out.

To find out what happened to Shara, the three of them work together, breaking the rules and falling in love along the way.

Kings of B’More, R. Eric Thomas (May 31) (May 31)

In his YA debut, R. Eric Thomas—author of the essay collection Here for It—crafts a beautiful story about joy and friendship. Kings of B’More follows two Black, queer best friends on the precipice of saying goodbye to one another.

After Linus tells Harrison that he’s moving to a different state at the end of the week, Harrison plans a grand-send that’s packed with adventure. The two go on a road trip, attend their first Pride festival, and dance the night away on a rooftop as they grow closer as a couple.

Tokyo Dreaming, Emiko Jean (May 31) (May 31)

Tokyo Dreaming, Emiko Jean’s sequel to Tokyo Ever After, is a heartwarming and thrilling story about royal love. The novel follows Izumi, a Japanese-American girl, as she learns that her long-absent father is the Crown Prince of Japan and begins adjusting to her new life as a princess.

Izumi is forced to balance her responsibilities and duties as a princess with her happiness. With the help of her bodyguard-turned-boyfriend and their rekindled romance despite Izumi’s mother’s lower social status, Izumi tries to reconcile her relationship with her parents.

Allison Tandy and Jeff Bishop in Excessive Doses (July 12)

Jeff Bishop delivers a funny and charming story about a teen’s delirious adventures with an ex-girlfriend. Cam’s senior year has come to an end, and he would have been out with his friends having a good time if not for two unfortunate events: a car accident in which his ex-girlfriend Allison was killed and a basketball accident in which he tore his ACL.

Stuck on the couch, Cam can’t stop worrying about Allison—and after taking pain medication, he starts having visions of her and can talk with her. That’s when things get interesting.