The Best YA Books To Gift Teens
by Iva-Marie Palmer
Have a teen reader on your list this holiday season? Choosing the just-right read from the many possibilities on store shelves can be daunting. Fortunately, we’ve scoured the shelves and found some standout young adult books that make excellent gifts. Whether you know a reader who craves epic fantasy, tense thrillers, or more grounded emotional reads, there’s a book here for them.
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The Ruta Sepetys Collection
Available from:Give the avid reader in your life the opportunity to time travel. This boxed set contains Ruta Sepetys’s award-winning and gripping historical fiction novels — Between Shades of Gray, Out of the Easy, Salt to the Sea, and The Fountains of Silence. Sepetys writes accessibly but beautifully about the harsh costs of war beyond the battlefield. Though targeted at young adults, her work has amassed fans of all ages, making this set perfect for sharing among book lovers.
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Check & Mate
Available from:Bestselling rom-com author Ali Hazelwood (The Love Hypothesis) brings her formidable and fabulous skills to this young adult romance. Mallory Greenleaf has a full plate with her messed-up family and low-paying job. Adding chess into the mix is the last thing she needs. She begrudgingly agrees to enter a chess tournament and defeats Nolan Sawyer, the world’s reigning champ. Now Mallory sees much-needed money on the horizon and needs Nolan’s help to win it. Fortunately, he can’t stop thinking about the rookie who bested him.
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Guided Tarot for Teens
Available from:Adapted from her bestseller Guided Tarot, Caponi’s guide directed at teens is generous with its insights. It’s more than a reference to understanding the meaning of each card in their tarot deck. Guided Tarot for Teens will help teens interpret their card spreads using their self-knowledge and intuition. After spending time with this book, would-be tarot readers will learn an array of card spreads and how to interpret them. This one is great for any teens who want to get in touch with their inner voice.
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Always Isn't Forever
Available from:Senior year excitement is tragically shattered for Ruby after her best friend and soul mate since childhood drowned in a boating accident. She struggles to carry on knowing he is her forever love. He can't let go either, and miraculous intervention gives him a twisted second chance. He gets to return, not in his body, but in the body of a local bad boy, Jameson. Will he be able to reach Ruby now? Will their connection sustain the change? This swoon-worthy and dazzling romance by bestselling author J.C. Cervantes, is perfect for fans of You've Reached Sam.
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Family of Liars
Available from:Lockhart’s We Were Liars is a BookTok sensation, returning to the New York Times bestseller list years after it came out in 2014. This novel is a prequel, pulling back the curtain on the compelling and secretive Sinclair family. Pair it with the deluxe edition of the first novel to give the reader in your life the gift of twisty, gripping reads. (P.S. Lockhart’s Liars novels are in development as a TV series, meaning teens ahead of the curve will want to read them soon!)
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No Filter and Other Lies
Available from:Being a teen online is hard, and teen readers will relate to all the firsts Kat goes through while navigating what's real and fake on social media. At first just wanting to show off her photography online but lacking any traction, Kat creates a picture-perfect online persona under "Max". But when her real-life crush swoops into Max's dms, Kat has to figure out how far the facade can go.
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Chaos Theory
Available from:Her: A verified genius with a mental disorder. Him: A politician’s son with a drinking problem. Them: Two people who get each other on the deepest level. Nic Stone pens another gripping and can’t-miss teen read. Shelbi and Andy each deal with grief and despair. They have a one-of-a-kind connection, but the forces that bring them together might also cause them to unravel.
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Thieves’ Gambit
Available from:Heist stories are irresistible, and Kayvion Lewis’s high-stakes YA novel is no exception. Ross Quest — a teen girl from a family of thieves specializing in well-timed escapes — gets sucked into a worldwide heist competition called the Thieves’ Gambit. Before time runs out — and before someone else can capture the grand prize Ross is counting on to save her mother — she must outmaneuver her fellow players, even the ones she’d love to trust.
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The Black Queen
Available from:Duchess Simmons is thrilled when her best friend, Nova Albright, is crowned the first Black homecoming queen of Lovett High — not only for Nova but all the Black students in town. But when Nova turns up dead in a slave cemetery, Duchess suspects Tinsley McArthur, a white student everyone thought would win. Duchess’s father is Lovett’s police chief but doesn’t believe Tinsley is a serious suspect. So, Duchess takes matters into her own hands.
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Invisible Son
Available from:Heady and real with a suspenseful storyline, Johnson’s follow-up to her excellent debut This Is My America should not be missed. In Invisible Son, Andre Jackson leaves juvie eager to regain his old life, but the pandemic shuts down his school, and his old neighborhood doesn’t look like it did before. His friends treat him with suspicion despite his wrongful arrest. But when his crush’s brother Eric goes missing, Andre thinks there’s a connection between the disappearance and his own arrest. But getting answers when no one wants to talk may be impossible.
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You Would Be Home Now
Available from:Glasgow, the bestselling author of Girl in Pieces, illuminates the broad reach of the opioid epidemic through the lens of Emory Ward and her hometown of Mill Haven. Emory comes from a highly privileged family, but for her, it’s a trap. When she and her stoner brother, Joey, get into a car wreck that kills a popular girl, she realizes the extent of her brother’s drug habit. Emory begins her junior year just as her brother comes out of rehab, and she knows that everything, including herself, has to change.
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American Royals
Available from:Katherine McGee’s American Royals reimagines the past as one where General George Washington was offered a crown after winning the Revolutionary War. In present day, his heirs to the throne are teen sisters Beatrice and Samantha, neither of whom is enamored with the role she has to play. Full of intrigue and romance, it’s a highly addictive read. Don't forget to check out the rest of the series: Majesty, Rivals, and Reign.
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How to Survive Your Murder
Available from:If the reader in your life has watched every Scream movie and needs a new horror obsession, look no further than this standalone slasher novel. Alice Lawrence is the only witness in her sister’s murder trial, and on the first day, a Sydney Prescott (Scream’s main character) lookalike attacks her and knocks her unconscious in the court restroom. She awakens on the previous Halloween, allowing Alice to prevent her sister’s death. Need more reasons to read it? The king of teen horror novels, R.L. Stine, highly recommends this one.
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All My Rage
Available from:This bestselling and award-winning (National Book Award and the Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature, among others) novel from Tahir is a gripping and heartfelt consideration of the American Dream. Switching timelines and points of view between Pakistan in the past and present-day California, the story revolves around Salahudin and his parents, Misrah and Toufiq. Sal fights to keep their small hotel going amid a family tragedy and an argument with Noor, the person he cares most about.
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House of Marionne
Available from:Ahead-of-the-trend teen readers will want to be in on this series opener from J. Elle. An instant bestseller, House of Marionne kicks off a romantic fantasy saga featuring Quell, a magic-possessing fugitive who joins an exclusive magical society as a debutante. Induction would allow her to hide her magic and avoid her would-be assassins. She finds her gambit complicated by Jordan, the moody tutor and assassin-in-training who serves as her mentor. This dark academic fantasy has enough footing in the real world to intrigue fans of more realistic contemporary romance.
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The Haunting
Available from:Penny is forbidden to speak with her ex, Nash, under any circumstances. It’s not because of something he did, but because his father was accused of killing four teens last Halloween. While she tries to put memories of last year behind her, Penny faces a new Halloween killer — and she knows who it is. This thriller might be set at Halloween but proves that spooky season can be whenever we need a good scare.
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The Legacies
Available from:Goodman is one of the best young adult writers to tackle social class in her gripping thrillers, and her latest book is no exception. Membership in the exclusive Legacy Club guarantees a rich and powerful life. When induction season rolls around, the nomination of three Excelsior Prep students is expected. But the scholarship candidate from Queens doesn’t seem to belong, and everyone wants to know how she got into the club. Gossip, secrets, and murder combine in this heart-pounding thriller!
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Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute
Available from:Bradley Graeme and Celine Bangura have nothing in common. He’s a popular jock, and she’s a UFO conspiracy theorist. They were best friends until Bradley ditched Celine for his more conventional friends. So, both teens are surprised to see the other at a survival course in the woods — and are forced to confront their falling-out while trying not to be bested by Mother Nature. This rom-com will appeal to teens seeking a fun bit of escapism.
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The Davenports
Available from:Inspired by the true story of the Patterson family, The Davenports explores a period of Black history that often goes unknown. Krystal Marquis’s historical romance is alive with its four lead characters. Olivia and Helen, the two Davenport daughters, struggle to meet their family’s expectations. Olivia has fallen for a civil rights leader instead of the man her family wants her to marry. Helen would rather work on cars than uphold the expectations of wealthy Black society in 1910. The family’s maid, Amy-Rose, longs for John, the Davenport she can never have. Meanwhile, Ruby, Olivia’s best friend, also schemes to win him over. With a sequel set to publish in May 2024, fans of compelling romance will want to read this one soon.
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Her Radiant Curse
Available from:One sister, a beauty, and one, a monster. But as unlikely of siblings as they are, Channi, the monster, and Vanna, the beauty, have an unbreakable bond. So, when Vanna gets betrothed to a wretched partner, Channi uses her monstrous ways to defend her sister and starts a battle like no other. Asian folklore and the Helen of Troy myth influence this tale, which appeals to readers of epic YA fantasy like Ember in the Ashes.
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Silver in the Bone
Available from:Author of the bestselling Lore, Bracken’s newest story is set in Boston’s magical underground. Tamsin Lark has no magical powers, but she has her parents’ ability to find enchanted artifacts. She’d love to give it up, but she and her brother Cabell rely on it to survive. Tamsin learns of a ring that could lift a curse on Cabell, but many people are after it. Tamsin must team up with her dreaded rival Emrys to find the ring before someone else does. This wildly compelling fantasy ends on a cliffhanger that will leave readers eager for the next book.
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Ace’s Wild
Available from:As the son of a Las Vegas casino developer, Jack Shannon runs a secret blackjack club at school. When his mom gets arrested for ties to organized crime, Jack thinks his mom’s vengeful ex set her up. He needs a crew to help him prove it, and the people he trusts most are the members of his online asexual support group. Fans of Casey McQuiston (Red, White, and Royal Blue) and Alice Oseman (Heartstopper) will love the ace representation in this fast-paced, high-stakes read.
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The Only Girl in Town
Available from:Condie, author of the bestselling Matched trilogy, is back with this novel that packs heavy emotions and a grabby storyline. July Fielding is literally the only girl left in her small town of Lithia. Her family, friends, and Sam, the boy she loved, have all vanished. July longs to solve the mystery of everyone’s disappearance, and a series of objects provide her with clues. Condie’s latest is the all-encompassing read teens (and adults) crave.
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Eight Dates and Nights
Available from:A perfect Hanukkah gift for your favorite reader, Aldredge’s opposites-attract holiday romance is a delight. When a blizzard traps Hannah in her grandma’s small Texas town, she can’t wait to return to New York. She’s not a holiday person, and she’s no country girl. But at the lone deli in town, she meets Noah, the only other Jewish teen for miles, and he’s her opposite — way too into the holidays. But a mutual desire to rescue a struggling business might be enough common ground to bring them together.
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I Loved You in Another Life
Available from:Arnold, known for lyrical prose and stories that give teens all the feels, pens a speculative, cinematic love story that poses essential questions. Evan Taft and Shosh Bell are both processing grief when they hear a soft, mysterious voice. And somewhere beyond their individual lives and timelines is a bird that unites strangers across land, space, and time. This book is an excellent pick for fans of Nina LaCour and Jeff Zentner.
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Murtagh
Available from:Christopher Paolini holds a Guinness World Record for being the youngest author of a bestselling series. Eragon, which he wrote at 15, hit the New York Times bestseller list when he was only 19. Murtagh is a highly anticipated return to the Eragon world, starring one of the series’ most popular characters, Dragon Rider Murtagh, and his dragon Thorn — misfits in the kingdom for their work under an evil ruler. Readers need not be familiar with the rest of the series to dive into this book, but Eragon lovers will certainly relish the chance to return to the beloved fantasy world.
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Five Survive
Available from:Jackson, author of the multimillion-bestselling series A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, delivers a new thriller about a group of friends on a spring break road trip. When their RV breaks down in the dark, they know that someone is behind it — someone who wants one of them dead. All the teens have dark secrets, but which one is deadly? Perfect for fans of true crime, Jackson’s latest is one your giftee will start reading as soon as they unwrap it.
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The Warcross Box Set
Available from:This taut and thrilling duology is a must-read for teen fans of The Matrix and its ilk. Emika Chen lives in a future world where millions of people are hooked on a game called Warcross — some like to play, and some like to bet on its outcomes. Emika is a hacker and bounty hunter who tracks those gamblers. But when she unintentionally hacks her way into a massive tournament, she attracts worldwide attention, and her ascent into the world of Warcross uncovers a more sinister plot.
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Melt with You
Available from:Jennifer Dugan’s latest queer YA romance follows Fallon and Chloe, best
friends who fell out after they hooked up, briefly, before Chloe leaves for college. Circumstances — and a gourmet ice cream truck — force them back together.Also available from:
