Here are the top ten (in no particular order) most popular young adult books in 2022:
All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir
All My Rage is a fiction book about two best friends, Salahudin and Noor, who want more than their small town of Juniper, California offers. As they both struggle to find a way out, each faces their family members’ hopes, dreams, and even their problems. All My Rage is a love story with characters that both face harsh obstacles.
See You Yesterday by Rachel Lynn Solomon
This book by Rachel Lynn Solomon is about a college student, Barrett Bloom, looking for a fresh start after a messy highschool experience. She becomes humiliated in her physics class and messes up her college interview in the same day. Later that night, she goes to a frat party in an attempt to distract herself when she ends up setting the fraternity on fire. She panics and flees into her friend’s dorm, where she falls asleep. When she wakes up the next day, she starts reliving the same previous day. Barrett is faced with the challenge to get out of the repetitive cycle.
She Gets the Girl by Rachael Lippincott
This book is a romance novel about a girl named Molly who has been crushing on another girl named Cora Myers since high school. She is awkward and doesn’t have much control in her life, unlike character Alex, who is confident and knows how to get the girl. Alex ends up breaking up with her girlfriend, and Molly is in desperate need to get with Cora. Both cross paths on campus and decide to help each other. That is until they end up slowly falling in love with each other.
Queen of the Tiles by Hanna Alkaf
Queen of the Tiles is a thriller book about a teen girl named Najwa Bakri who is forced to investigate the mysterious death of her best friend. As her investigation progresses, clues and cryptic posts on her friend’s Instagram account start to show up. How will she find all the clues in time to resolve her best friend’s case? Will she ever figure out who killed her?
Bitter by Akwaeke Emezi
Bitter is a book about character Bitter who is thrilled to attend a special school called Eucalyptus after being released from foster care. She can now focus on her creative side along other creative teens. But in the city of Lucille, injustices run deep, and the town is plagued with protests. Bitter wants to stay away from all of the protests, but her friends want to stand strong. She is torn between protecting her safety and standing up for what is right.
A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lin
A Magic Steeped in Poision is a novel centered around main character Ning, the daughter of the master of the magical art of tea-making. Ning is seeking an antidote for her sister because of a tea that killed her mother. Ning travels in order to find a cure for her sister. This story is emotional and describes the wonderful art of tea-making while following a family story that tugs on the reader’s heartstrings.
You Truly Assumed by Laila Sabreen
You Truly Assumed is a book that follows the lives of three black teens in the aftermath of a terrorist attack against Muslims. The three teens create an online community for young Muslims. The main character, Sabriya, struggles to cope with the aftermath of the attack, and as a means of coping, she makes a public blog. When her digital entry goes viral, the blog “You Truly Assumed” is born. Each friend works on the blog and forms online friendships, bringing the community together. This book has an important message that is not shown in media often.
The Red Palace by June Hur
The Red Palace is a mystery novel about a young nurse that investigates murders in 18th century Korea. The main character, Hyeon, has worked very hard to keep her place as a palace nurse. One night, four murders occur in the palace and are pinned on the Crown Prince. Desperate to prove that the Prince is innocent, Hyeon begins to track the real killer. This book is a well thought out mystery that leaves you guessing until the end. It has a touch of romance with a satisfying ending to bring all the events together.
These Deadly Games by Diana Urban
This story is an intense mystery with a suspenseful twist about a young girl, Crystal Donavan, who receives an anonymous message on a mysterious app with a video of her little sister, beaten and tortured. Panicked, Crystal agrees to complete the kidnappers’ odd tasks: steal a test, bake brownies, make a prank call, etc. Another perfect mysterious novel that leaves you guessing until the very end.
Love, Decoded by Jennifer Yen
Love, Decoded by Jennifer Yen is a rom-com about a teen, Gigi Wong, who is faced with many life challenges. As a high school junior, she faces high expectations from her parents and worries about her future. To stand out, she develops an app that goes viral. With the fame, a scandal breaks out, and it becomes pinned to her. She faces unexpected consequences, meanwhile worrying about how to navigate her personal life. Luckily, her best friend Kyle is always there to cheer her up. Gigi must learn how to balance her life and not lose the importance of her relationships.