Young adult literature, as an industry, had a fantastic year last year. New authors debuted remarkable texts, like Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give, and well-established authors came out with new work, like John Green’s Turtles All the Way Down. I read a lot of fantastic books last year (you can check them out here!), and there are so many books that I’m looking forward to this year as well.
Many authors I follow on social media are working on new books, which has me super excited (Adam Silvera, I’m looking at you). There are lots of books I’m looking forward to reading this year, but here are 5 that you should definitely add to your TBR list.
1. Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman
Release date: January 9
Shusterman’s sequel to Scythe is sure to satiate fans of young adult dystopia. Set in a future where we have cured all diseases and put an end to death, Scythes must work to control the population. Rowan and Citra have taken different sides on the morality of Scythes, so what does this mean for their future? I’ve been anticipating this book ever since I read Scythe last fall, and I can’t wait to get my hands on this one.
2. On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
Release date: May 1
The highly anticipated second novel from Angie Thomas will return readers to Garden Heights, this time following the story of an aspiring rapper. Thomas’s voice as a person of color becomes increasingly important as these stories are actively silenced by the current administration. Her second book is sure to be as good as the first.
3. Time Bomb by Joelle Charbonneau
Release date: March 13
Charbonneau’s most known for the Testing trilogy, a Hunger Games-esque dystopian trilogy focused on critiquing America’s higher education system. This standalone novel follows a group of students trapped in a school being threatened by a bomber–a bomber known to be someone inside the school. They must rely on each other in order to make it out alive.
4. Heart of Iron by Ashley Poston
Release date: February 27
Inspired by the story of Anastasia, seventeen-year-old Ana was found adrift in space as a child in an android called D09. D09, however, is the last of a rare metal, and now that he’s glitching, Ana must find a way to save him. I’ve been seeing this book on a couple of different platforms, and the premise sounds absolutely intriguing. I’ll definitely be looking for this one once it’s released.
5. And the Ocean Was Our Sky by Patrick Ness
Release date: September 4
Ever since seeing him speak last fall, Patrick Ness has skyrocketed to the top of my authors list. When he announced that he’d be releasing a new illustrated text, this immediately went on my to-watch list. A Monster Calls is one of the most beautiful books I’ve read, and this one is sure to not disappoint.
There are obviously many more fantastic books being released this year, these are just books that I’m personally excited about. What about you? What books are you looking forward to reading this year?