Favorite Young Adult Reads 2021
It’s that time of year were we as readers and bloggers try to compile a list of our favorite reads of the year! We also like to celebrate our readers who keep us going, so be sure to enter the giveaway at the bottom of this post, and check out additional chances to win on our Instagram!
Kelly’s Favorite Young Adult Reads of 2021
I read about 80 books at the time of compiling this list, and not all were YA, but out of the YA ones I did read, these were the standouts for me! Plus, Christy and I shared some amazing favorite books too!
- Little Thieves by Margaret Owen
- Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
- Defy the Night by Brigid Kemmerer
- The Witch King by H.E. Edgmon
- The Passing Playbook by Isaac Fitzsimons
- Rise to the Sun by Leah Johnson
- Perfect on Paper by Sophie Gonzales
- Cheer Up: Love & Pompoms by Crystal Fraiser and Val Wise
- Lost in the Never Woods by Aiden Thomas
- Hani & Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating by Adiba Jaigirdar
Books on Both of Our Favorites List!
What can we say – we are Gemini partners for a reason!
- Cool for the Summer by Dahlia Adler
- A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee
- The Electric Kingdom by David Arnold
- In the Wild Light by Jeff Zentner
- Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
- She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen
Christy’s Favorite Young Adult Reads of 2021
I feel like I read more textbooks than anything else this year 😭 But I read a lot of AMAZING books and putting together this list was nearly impossible. Please enjoy my pain below 😂
- My Contrary Mary by Jodi Meadows, Cynthia Hand, and Brodi Ashton
- Our Last Echoes by Kate Alice Marshall
- This Will Be Funny Someday by Katie Henry
- The Mary Shelley Club by Goldy Moldavsky
- The Infinity Courts by Akemi Dawn Bowman
- She’s Too Pretty to Burn by Wendy Heard
- Speak for Yourself by Lana Wood Johnson
- That Weekend by Kara Thomas
- Be Dazzled by Ryan La Sala
- Take Me with You When You Go by David Levithan and Jennifer Niven
- The Lost Girls: A Vampire Revenge Story by Sonia Hartl
- Luck of the Titanic by Stacey Lee
- The Project by Courtney Summers
- What I Carry by Jennifer Longo
Series Endings
These deserved their own little section for completely ruining me.
- Payback by Kristen Simmons
- As Good as Dead by Holly Jackson
- Suns Will Rise by Jessica Brody and Joanne Rendell
- Aurora’s End by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Giveaway
Win any book we feature across all of our Favorites lists all season long! Open internationally as long as Blackwells, or Book Depository, or we are able to send you a digital gift card!
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Please support our Bookshop if you are thinking of purchasing some of these amazing reads!
Little Thieves was high on my favorites list. That Weekend and Our Last Echoes didn’t make mine, but I loved both books. There were just so many good ones this year.
Little Thieves was just so good…I feel like I just want to read it again!
I was so surprised by it. I can’t wait for the next book. I’m thrilled we’re getting more.
A vow so bold and deadly and The hawthorne Legacy book is some of the books that the story was good that I read this year so far.
I still need to read both of those! Ahhh so little time!
Firekeeper’s Daughter is in my top 10 for 2021. Bonus–it’s the author’s debut and she lives in my home state!
I own two copies, but the CW had me put it down, as I was not in the mental space to prepare for that when I wanted to read it…hopefully next year!
Oh I so loved Last Night at the Telegraph Club! I actually haven’t read much non-KU this year, but that one was absolutely a top read!
I am extra happy to hear that, since I sent you that one! HAHA XO
no fav book; these look interesting
I just recently looked at my Goodreads wrap up for 2021, and I was so shocked! I swear, there are some books that I read this year that I feel like I read a century ago haha
That definitely sounds like 2021!
One of my favorite reads this year was a middle-grade novel in verse called Red, White and Whole.
I will look that one up, thank you!
One of my faves was When We Make It by Elizabet Velasquez. Talk about voice and fabulous writing!
[…] of this post, and check out additional chances to win on our Instagram! You can check out our Favorite 2021 YA releases and our Favorite Adult Reads […]
Some of my favorties that I read in 2021 were Luck of Titanic, Ace of Spades, A Summer to Remember and Rock Paper Scissors.
One of my fave books I read this year was Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennet – so good! Have you guys read it?
Megan S.