New year, new books! 2025 is shaping up to be an exciting year for young adult readers. Spine-tingling thrillers, inspiring political commentaries, and swoon-worthy romance novels are coming to bookstores this year. Your TBR (to-be-read) list is about to get longer! So, if you\u2019re dying from the anticipation, keep reading to see the must-have YA books of 2025. These are the buzzy books everyone will be talking about this year!<\/p>\n
no no 9780593692714 Ex Marks the Spot <\/i> by Gloria Chao <\/p>\n
This delightfully readable YA novel combines romance, family secrets, and a treasure hunt. When Gemma learns that she has family and a possible inheritance in Taiwan, she enlists the help of her ex-boyfriend, Xander, to help her find both. As they solve puzzles and follow clues, Gemma and Xander also find their way back to each other.<\/p>\n
9780593899205 Dating and Dragons <\/i> by Kristy Boyce <\/p>\n
From the author of Dungeons and Drama<\/a><\/i> comes another adorkable romance centered around gaming. To make friends at her new school, Quinn joins a D&D game and agrees to the group\u2019s strict rule of not dating other members. But as the campaign continues, Quinn finds it impossible to ignore her crush on Logan, another team member. Sooner or later, the two teens must face their growing feelings for each other.<\/p>\n 9780593695326 The Secret Year<\/i> by Jennifer Hubbard <\/p>\n Despite their differences, Colt and Julia spent the last year in a secret relationship. What started as a friendship blossomed into a love they kept hidden. When Julia dies and Colt receives her diary, he gets the chance to find out how Julia felt about him and what happened the night she died.<\/p>\n 9780593899489 The Last Bookstore on Earth <\/i> by Lily Braun-Arnold <\/p>\n After the world ends, Liz converts an abandoned bookstore into her home. When another teenage girl, Maeve, breaks in, the girls form an unlikely alliance to survive. Secrets, romance, and impending doom make this post-apocalyptic YA novel a must-read in 2025.<\/p>\n 9780823458363 This is The Year<\/i> by Gloria Mu\u00f1oz <\/p>\n In this captivating YA cli-fi, 17-year-old Goth Julieta is overwhelmed by grief and climate chaos in Florida. Recruited by a space program, she sees a fresh start. But as she trains, new friendships, love, and small acts of environmentalism spark hope. Will the program inspire her to stay and fight or will she leave it all behind?<\/p>\n 9780593643297 Better Than Revenge <\/i> by Kasie West <\/p>\n Calling all YA romance lovers! You can\u2019t go wrong with a Kasie West novel when you need some feel-good vibes. When Finley\u2019s ex-boyfriend uses her idea to steal her spot on a podcast show, she decides to get revenge by taking his spot as a kicker on the football team. But she\u2019ll need some help from her ex\u2019s cute and oh-so-datable nemesis to pull off her plan. This book belongs on every romance lover\u2019s reading list!<\/p>\n 9780593531051 Lies on the Serpent’s Tongue <\/i> by Kate Pearsall <\/p>\n Return to Cabal Hallow with this companion novel to Bittersweet in the Hollow<\/a><\/i>. Rowan can smell lies, which means she distrusts everyone. When Hadrian appears on her doorstep, covered in blood and spewing lies, she naturally dismisses everything he says. But strange things are happening all over town, and everyone\u2019s talking about a new monster in the Hollow. Rowan must work with Hadrian to get to the bottom of the mystery, even though she knows he can\u2019t be trusted.<\/p>\n 9780593698716 The Meadowbrook Murders <\/i> by Jessica Goodman <\/p>\n If you loved Jessica Goodman\u2019s previous novels, They Wish They Were Us<\/a><\/i> and The Counselors<\/a><\/i>, add her new YA thriller to your reading list. When her best friends get murdered in their boarding school dorm room, all fingers point to Amy. Meanwhile, school newspaper reporter Liz digs into the case, unearthing secrets and piecing together clues. With a killer on the loose and a college scholarship at stake, Liz will do anything to find the truth. <\/p>\n 9780593616918 I Am the Cage <\/i> by Allison Sweet Grant <\/p>\n In this heart-wrenching novel, a snowstorm in picturesque Wisconsin forces 19-year-old Elisabeth to face her demons. Writing poetry and learning to trust and love again helps Elisabeth heal from the mental and physical pain she is running from. If you love reading books with all the feels, this one is for you!<\/p>\n 9780593404546 The Otherwhere Post <\/i> by Emily J. Taylor <\/p>\n If you loved Emily J. Taylor\u2019s bestselling novel, Hotel Magnifique<\/a><\/i>, you need to add her new title to your 2025 reading plan. Magic, mystery, and romance collide in this breathtaking fantasy about a girl searching for answers. Maeve learns to enchant letters and travel to other worlds, but someone will do anything to stop her from finding the answers she seeks.<\/p>\n 9780744092196 Make Good Trouble <\/i> by Jamia Wilson, illustrated by Devon Blow and Ashley Lukashevsky <\/p>\n Inspire your teen to make a difference with this collection of nonfiction stories about pivotal moments of global activism. This book collects 70 stories about people from various backgrounds who had the courage to challenge injustice. It\u2019s a must-read for any passionate young person wanting to shape the future.<\/p>\n 9780593692745 Say A Little Prayer <\/i> by Jenna Voris <\/p>\n Get ready for a repentance-free and fun-filled summer romp! After getting in trouble at school, ex-churchgoer Riley gets sentenced to spending her summer at church camp. But Riley has never been submissive and decides to show the girls at camp just how fun sinning can be. <\/p>\n 9780593813843 The Scorpion and the Night Blossom <\/i> by Am\u00e9lie Wen Zhao <\/p>\n Clear your calendar because you won\u2019t want to stop reading once you pick up this highly anticipated romantasy. Am\u00e9lie Wen Zhao, the New York Times<\/i> bestselling author of Song of Silver, Flame Like Night<\/a><\/i>, delivers a pulse-pounding and nail-biting story for crossover YA readers. It\u2019s about a girl named \u00c0n\u2019y\u012bng who enters a deadly magical competition, hoping to win eternal life for her dying mother. Romance, monsters, magic, and mystery make this book the must-have fantasy novel of the season.<\/p>\n 9780593813959 While We’re Young <\/i> by K. L. Walther <\/p>\n If you love Ferris Bueller\u2019s Day Off<\/i>, you won\u2019t want to miss this humorous and heartfelt retelling! Grace, Isa, and Everett execute the ultimate senior ditch day in Philadelphia, visiting famous landmarks and eating delicious food. Meanwhile, Grace\u2019s suspicious brother does everything he can to catch the friends and put an end to their day of fun.<\/p>\n 9780593308011 Dear Manny <\/i> by Nic Stone <\/p>\n Get a box of tissues ready because you\u2019re going to need them when you read Nic Stone\u2019s newest novel about Justyce\u2019s roommate, Jared. As he runs his campaign for class president and deals with his growing feelings for his rival, Jared feels out of his depth. He turns to writing letters to an old friend to help organize his heart and mind.<\/p>\n 9780593855614 Huda F Wants to Know?<\/i> by Huda Fahmy <\/p>\n In the hilarious and touching sequel to National Book Award Finalist Huda F Cares?<\/i> Huda’s junior year takes a shocking turn when her parents announce their divorce. With her world turned upside down, can Huda find her way back to normal?<\/p>\n 9780593625484 When the Bones Sing <\/i> by Ginny Myers Sain <\/p>\n There\u2019s nothing like a hair-raising read to start your reading year on the right foot. This chilling mystery from the New York Times<\/i> bestselling author of Dark and Shallow Lies<\/a><\/i> is just the ticket. Dovie\u2019s ability to hear dead people\u2019s bones singing helps find dozens of missing hikers. When her best friend, Lo, reveals a dark secret of his own, the teens realize the only way to stop more hikers from getting murdered is to find the killer \u2014 somewhere in the Ozark mountains. <\/p>\n 9780593705063 Lady Knight <\/i> by Amalie Howard <\/p>\n