The young adult genre may once have been geared for the 12 to 18-year-old crowd, but it’s no secret adults well into their 30s and beyond are also massive fans. And there’s a multitude of reasons as to why YA books have a special place in our hearts.
We never forget our first loves, betrayals and losses, or the feeling of being an outsider desperate to fit in, or figure out who we are. Plus, we can all commiserate with a protagonist who just wants a bit of freedom and to blow off physics class, right? This is a universal feeling, whether the teen is constrained by the rules of their elite prep school… or facing monsters and magic in an altogether different universe.
In 2022, the YA genre is an exciting space for writers to be in… which pretty much guarantees it’s a delight for readers of all ages, especially for those looking for stories centred on diverse protagonists. Topics like identity, race, sexuality, illness and death are being explored in new ways, while authors are using all kinds of writing styles, including narrative poetry and verse novels, to bring issues of grief, mental health, neglect, class and more to the surface.
Whether we’re in a dystopian future or the present day, dealing with fantastical creatures or teen bullies, there are certain ingredients that make a YA book resonate. “A great cast of well-fleshed out characters you want to root for, an interesting journey or quest across sun-drenched deserts or dangerous faerie woodlands, a strong voice to carry the reader along and a compelling plot with twists along the way are just a few examples.” Explains YA book blogger Stephanie, from My Book Throne.
“A YA book appeals to adults the same way adult books appeal to me. The main bones of the story are universally the same: the relatable character goes on or undertakes a journey of some kind and the plot is gripping and keeps me hooked. Any book, regardless of genre, can appeal to a wide range of audiences if you are able to connect emotionally with the main character or even secondary characters,” she adds.
For those looking for an intro to YA or a gift for the YA lover in their lives, Paper Orange (£15 per month or £18 one-off, Paperorange.co.uk) is a monthly book subscription box with a new YA pick each month, as well as book-related accessories and author factsheets.
How we tested
We were joined by tween, teen and adult testers to read a selection of YA novels that have been published in the last few years (most are more recent, but there are a couple that have experienced a bit of a resurgence recently so we felt were worth including). Our favourites engaged us with powerful writing, characters and worlds, were representative of a wealth of cultures, identities and experiences and made us want to stop doing everything else other than escape into these books.
We also included books that could work for slightly younger audiences, because so often with kids, it’s discovering YA crime/thrillers/fantasy books that can ignite their love of reading for the first time outside of school. These are the tomes we couldn’t put down.
The best young adult books for 2022 are:
- Best overall young adult book – ‘Heartstopper’ by Alice Oseman: £30 for books 1-4 bundle, Theworks.com
- Best comedic novel young adult book – ‘Gay Club!’ by Simon James Green: £7.99, Waterstones.com
- Best young adult book for contemporary love story – ‘Cuts Both Ways’ by Candice Brathwaite: £7.99, Waterstones.com
- Best fairytale revamp young adult book – ‘Let Down Your Hair’ by Bryony Gordon: £6.99, Waterstones.com
- Best verse novel young adult book – ‘The Silver Chain’ by Jion Sheibani: £12.99, Waterstones.com
- Best fantasy young adult book – ‘Blood to Poison’ by Mary Watson: £7.99, Waterstones.com
- Best young adult addictive series – ‘The Cruel Prince’ (The Folk of the Air series) by Holly Black: £8.99, Waterstones.com
- Best novella young adult book – ‘Empress & Aniya’ by Candice Carty-Williams: £7.99, Roundtablebooks.co.uk
- Best thriller young adult book – ‘Nothing More to Tell’ by Karen McManus: £7.49, Waterstones.com
- Best dark academia young adult book – ‘Ace of Spades’ Special Edition by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé: £8.99, Thefeministbookshop.com
- Best classic edition young adult book – ‘Emma: V&A Collector’s Edition’ by Jane Austen: £12.99, Vam.ac.uk
- Best NA (new adult) book – ‘See You Yesterday’ by Rachel Lynn Solomon: £7.35, Amazon.co.uk
- Best romcom young adult book – ‘Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating’ by Adiba Jaigirdar: £7.99, Waterstones.com
- Best dystopian young adult book – ‘The Stranded’ by Sarah Daniels: £7.99, Waterstones.com
- Best young adult book on sibling relationships – ‘This Place is Still Beautiful’ by XiXi Tian: £7.99, Waterstones.com
- Best young adult book for high school drama – ‘The Yearbook’ by Holly Bourne: £7.99, Waterstones.com