17 Young Adult Books You Won’t Be Able to Put Down in 2023

In Priyanka Taslim’s “The Love Match,” Zahra Khan has a meddling mother, determined to find her perfect Bangladeshi partner. Zahra’s focus is elsewhere, with a dream of becoming a writer and helping her family become financially secure by working at a local tea shop. When her mother introduces her to Harun Emo, sparks don’t exactly fly, but that could be a good thing. Rather than rebuff each other, the pair fake date to appease both their parents and allow themselves to pursue their real crushes. For Zahra, that’s Nayim, the sweet new dishwater recently hired at the tea shop who makes her feel seen outside of the expectations of her family. But with her feelings for Nayim growing and her fake relationship with Harum starting to feel less and less fake the more time they spend together, Zahra discovers finding a love match is anything but easy.

Release date: Jan. 3

“Song of Silver, Flame Like Night” is the latest high-octane fantasy from the author of the Blood Heir series, Amélie Wen Zhao. Lan spent her whole life trying to decipher the mysterious scar her mother left on her arm before she was brutally murdered during the invasion by Elantian colonizers. Lan, now 18, tries to keep her outlawed magic and her hunt to decipher the code on her arm under the radar from the Elantians by working as a singer at a teahouse. When a deadly encounter at the teahouse ends with a dead Elantian official, Lan is saved by Zen, another wielder of magic avoiding Elantian discovery. Together the pair must escape before Elantian officials blame them for the night in question. On the run and trying to gain answers about their powers and full capabilities, Lan and Zen may hold the answers to secrets their kingdom never wanted to be revealed.

Release date: Jan. 3

#BookTok sensation Holly Black’s “The Stolen Heir” returns readers to the Elfhame universe with a riveting new tale of war, secrets, and betrayal. Suren has disappeared. Or at least that’s what the child queen of the Court of Teeth wants everyone to believe. After fleeing from her merciless mother and hiding in the human world, Suren uses her powerful magic to help humans and stay away from the political warfare of her past. When an old foe finds her and attempts to kill her, it is Oak, the man she was once promised to, who saves her. Despite his help, Suren is wary of Oak’s intentions. He needs Suren to defeat Lady Nore of Court Teeth, but returning home is the most dangerous task Oak can ask of her. Is Suren ready to return to the home she left behind, and is she prepared to face off against her mother?

Release date: Jan. 3

Best friends navigate struggles of choice and bodily autonomy in Thomas’s timely debut “16 & Pregnant,” inspired by the MTV reality show of the same name. Erykah and Kelly have big plans for their futures: Erykah wants to start her own hair salon business, and Kelly dreams of becoming a college basketball star. When Erykah discovers she’s pregnant, she enlists Kelly as her sole ally in her process, fearful of what the truth could do to her family and future. Making tough decisions that could alter her life, Erykah and Kelly find their friendship fracturing as they clash on opinions of choice and see their paths diverge. Thomas’s authentic depiction of young motherhood and unbreakable friendship makes her debut a must-read for young readers.

Release date: Jan. 3

Fans of Leigh Bardugo will enjoy Kaylie Smith’s electrifying fantasy “A Ruinous Fate.” It only takes six rolls of six on the Roll of Fate to make a witch a Blood Warrior, ordered to battle against the Fates. When Calliope rolls her fourth six, bringing her closer to fulfilling a prophecy that she’ll rise as the final Blood Warrior, she is willing to do anything to rewrite her destiny. A witch offering her just that opportunity makes Calliope an offer but will require her to venture into the Neverending Forest with her best friends and a traitorous ex as her only allies. Fighting to pave her own path, Calliope threatens to upset the destiny the Fates have chosen for her, and messing with the Fates comes with brutal consequences.

Release date: Jan. 3

“Heartstopper” fans get a closer look into the endearing love story of Nick and Charlie, stars of Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper series, in a new closeup novella “Nick and Charlie.” A blissful high school romance will soon end for Nick and Charlie as Nick prepares to head off to college, leaving Nick behind to finish his final year of high school without him. Despite their poignant relationship, the pressure of separation soon plants seeds of doubt in Charlie’s mind that he’s holding Nick back. Meanwhile, Nick is determined their relationship will hold firm, but Charlie won’t tell him how he feels, and it’s making him question if their relationship is as solid as he thought. Oseman’s fan favorites tackle their biggest relationship trial yet in this endearing novella for fans of the series.

Release date: Jan. 3

Describing an ex as the devil turns literal in Ann Dávila Cardinal’s paranormal romance “Breakup from Hell.” Mica Angeles has always played by the rules her strict Abuela put in place for her, making her an excellent student and steady church attendee. But meeting the illusive Sam on a trip to church awakens something new in Mica — a desire to seek out new challenges. As Mica gets sucked into Sam’s intoxicating way of living on the edge, spooky happenings around her friends and family no longer feel like a coincidence. Digging into her family history, Mica discovers that her devilishly handsome crush is more like an angel in disguise, and breaking up might be the end of the world — literally.

Release date: Jan. 3

Appreciation of the nuances of nerd culture and Black fandom take center stage in “Cool. Awkward. Black,” a YA anthology edited by Karen Strong. With stories from 18 authors of books for young readers, including Kalynn Bayron, Elise Bryant, Tracy Deonn, Julian Winters, and more, “Cool. Awkward. Black” expands across genres to share the joys of Blackness and everything “geek.” Readers will find everything from aliens to werewolves in this collection that confronts the realities of racism and homophobia while highlighting the safe corners of a world filled with magic.

Release date: Jan. 10

Camryn Garrett’s delightful rom-com “Friday in Love” kicks off with 16-year-old bisexual Mahalia planning the biggest and best coming-out party ever. Since she couldn’t have a Sweet 16 party, this coming-out celebration has to be perfect. But as preparations are underway, Mahalia finds herself struggling to communicate about financial disparities with her best friend, dealing with her mother’s surgery, and feeling uneasy about her crush, Siobhan, hanging out with a problematic classmate. Will Mahalia be able to have the coming out celebration she’s worked so hard for, or will the party of her dreams remain just that — a dream?

Release date: Jan. 10

Julian Winters refreshes “The Breakfast Club” with dynamic and refreshing characters in queer romance “As You Walk on By.” There is no greater high school dream than having the perfect prom, which queer track star Theo Wright hopes to achieve. Theo sets out to ask his crush to prom on a seemingly kind-hearted dare from his best friend at a party, but when the promposal blows up in his face, Theo withdraws from the festivities and finds himself commiserating with fellow party-renouncers and building an unexpected “Breakfast Club”-esque friend group. The fallout from the promposal poses a detriment to both of Theo’s friend groups, forcing him to confront the longheld resentments he’s faced with his longtime bros and navigate rebuilding with his new friends.

Release date: Jan. 17

Accepting the pain and beauty of starting over is the focus of Emma Lord’s coming-of-age novel “Begin Again.” Being prepared is Andie Rose’s specialty, and with her transfer to Blue Ridge State College, she already has a list of plans. Life quickly makes it clear that it has other plans, however. Right as Andie arrives, her boyfriend transfers, she doesn’t know how to help her best friend for the first time, and all of Andie’s notions about life are being uprooted by her frustratingly handsome RA. The only part of her plan that stays in place is her spot on the radio show her mother once worked at, but a blowup puts her most important goal — reconnecting with her mother’s memory — at risk. If Andie wants to find her place in this new world, she’ll have to face letting her old plans go.

Release date: Jan. 24

“6 Times We Almost Kissed (And One Time We Did)” is the latest from Tess Sharpe, author of the novel-turned-Netflix film “The Girls I’ve Been” featuring Millie Bobby Brown. Avoiding the girl you keep almost kissing is nearly impossible when she’s your roommate. Penny and Tate’s mothers are BFFs, and when Penny’s mother donates her liver to Tate’s mother, the two families move in together to help each other through the recovery process. Coming together to navigate mounting bills and academic struggles, ignoring the undeniable attraction between them becomes more and more difficult for Penny and Tate. At some point, they will have to confront the connection they’ve always felt and ran away from. Sharpe’s friends-to-lovers story is a compelling sapphic romance, sure to stir readers’ hearts.

Release date: Jan. 24

“Spice Road” is a page-turner fantasy from Maiya Ibrahim that pits sibling against sibling. Despite her high reputation as the youngest ever Shield — a protector of the secret city Qalia against monsters — 17-year-old Imani can’t forget the betrayal of her older brother. Atheer vanished without a trace, taking Qalia spices containing potent magic with him, marking him as a traitor and destroying Imani and her family’s name. Suspecting Atheer is alive, Imani promises to bring him back to face the consequences of his actions. Taking her closest Shield allies and a monsterseer rival with their own suspicions about Imani and her brother, Imani ventures into dangerous territory to get justice.

Release date: Jan. 24

Elise Bryant solidifies her status as a standout in contemporary YA romance with “Reggie and Delilah’s Year of Falling in Love.” Delilah always keeps her cards close to her chest when it comes to her feelings. Meanwhile, Reggie loves D&D and all things certified nerd, but can’t bring himself to put his name on his gaming blog. When the two meet by chance on New Year’s Eve as the best versions of themselves, sparks fly, and fate continues to bring the two together every holiday. Each time, they grow closer to one another, until Reggie and Delilah have to face the people they pretend to be and if they’re falling for their true selves.

Release date: Jan. 31

Krystal Marquis’s remarkable historical romance debut and series opener “The Davenports” shines a light on an oft-overlooked and important part of history while creating a deeply glamorous love story. In 1910 Chicago, Olivia, John, and Helen – the children of formerly enslaved William Davenport – live a life of luxury while searching for love under the intense spotlight of the community. Despite being betrothed, eldest sister Olivia is interested in a civil rights activist, John finds himself at the center of a love triangle between family friends, and Helen confronts the gender role imposed on her by society by exploring her interest in vehicles rather than marriage. As the Davenports navigate increasingly messy love lives and coming of age, they face the ripple effects of racism and slavery within their family lineage.

Release date: Jan. 31

Jumata Emill brings unpredictable twists and turns in “The Black Queen,” a YA thriller about the murder of a Mississippi high school’s first Black homecoming queen. Everyone at Lovett High School is shocked when recently-crowned homecoming queen Nova Albright turns up dead, but everyone has a suspect. Tinsley MacArthur, a homecoming queen legacy, was heard threatening Nova just hours before her death. Duchess, Nova’s best friend and daughter of a police officer, is determined Tinsley is responsible for the death of her best friend and will do anything to prove it, including infiltrating Tinsley’s pristine friend group to gather intel. Told in dual-POV, Emill’s revelation of a town’s beloved queen is a surprising twisty ride.

Release date: Jan. 31

“Chain of Thorns” wraps up Cassandra Clare’s Last Hours series with a jaw-dropping conclusion. After the devastating loss of her father and the fracturing of her relationship with her best friend, Cordelia Carstairs flees to Paris to recover. But even her charming life in Paris with Matthew is not enough to distract her from the news that her former adversary Blackthorn has escaped prison, and Belail, Prince of Hell, has selected London as his new target. Under threat, Cordelia returns to the Shadowhunters of London, and despite their mistrust, they’ll all need to work together to end a hellish new foe.

Release date: Jan. 31