There are some great 2021 young adult books to look forward to, and this list has some of the best books scheduled to be released in the summer! These books are a combination of highly anticipated titles, books with promising early reviews, and books from authors you’re already familiar with. These 2021 young adult books are only a dent in the amazing lineup — so if you have any suggestions of titles to add, feel free to drop them in the comments below!
RELATED:
- Get our latest Summer Reading Guide here!
- Looking for a handful of books to read? Get The 2021 Summer Reading Minimalist List.
- If you’re interested in picking up a classic novel, check out our list of classic novels to read in the summer.
Most Anticipated Summer 2021 Young Adult Books
Counting Down with You by Tashie Bhuiyan
In this sparkling and romantic YA debut, a reserved Bangladeshi teenager has twenty-eight days to make the biggest decision of her life after agreeing to fake date her school’s resident bad boy.
Blade of Secrets by Tricia Levenseller
In Blade of Secrets, the first book in Tricia Levenseller’s exciting new YA fantasy duology, a teenage blacksmith with social anxiety is forced to go on the run to protect the world from the most powerful magical sword she’s ever made.
Hurricane Summer by Asha Bromfield
In this sweeping debut, Asha Bromfield takes readers to the heart of Jamaica, and into the soul of a girl coming to terms with her family, and herself, set against the backdrop of a hurricane.
Indivisible by Daniel Aleman
This timely, moving debut novel follows a teen’s efforts to keep his family together as his parents face deportation.
When You Get the Chance by Tom Ryan, Robin Stevenson
Follow cousins on a road trip to Pride as they dive into family secrets and friendships.
Luck of the Titanic by Stacey Lee
From the critically-acclaimed author of The Downstairs Girl comes the richly imagined story of Valora and Jamie Luck, twin British-Chinese acrobats traveling aboard the Titanic on its ill-fated maiden voyage.
The Other Side of Perfect by Mariko Turk
For fans of Sarah Dessen and Mary H.K. Choi, this lyrical and emotionally driven novel follows Alina, a young aspiring dancer who suffers a devastating injury and must face a world without ballet–as well as the darker side of her former dream.
From Little Tokyo, With Love by Sarah Kuhn
Sarah Kuhn reinvents the modern fairy tale in this intensely personal yet hilarious novel of a girl whose search for a storybook ending takes her to unexpected places in both her beloved LA neighborhood and her own guarded heart.
Switch by A.S. King
A surreal and timely novel about the effects of isolation and what it means to be connected to the world from the Printz Award-winning author of Dig.
Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean
The Princess Diaries meets Crazy Rich Asians in Emiko Jean’s Tokyo Ever After, a story of an ordinary Japanese-American girl who discovers that her father is the Crown Prince of Japan.
Perfectly Parvin by Olivia Abtahi
Fourteen-year-old Iranian-American Parvin Mohammadi sets out to win the ultimate date to homecoming in this heartfelt and outright hilarious debut.
Some Girls Do by Jennifer Dugan
In this YA contemporary queer romance from the author of Hot Dog Girl, an openly gay track star falls for a closeted, bisexual teen beauty queen with a penchant for fixing up old cars.
Shipped by Meredith Tate
Stella Greene and Wesley Clarke are Gene Connolly Memorial High School’s biggest rivals. While the two have been battling it out for top student, it’s a race to the bottom when it comes to snide comments and pulling the dirtiest prank. For years, Stella and Wes have been the villain in each other’s story, and now it’s all-out war.
Spells Trouble by P. C. Cast, Kristin Cast
Hunter and Mercy Goode are twin witches, direct descendants of the founder of their town of Goodeville. As their ancestors have done before them, it is now time for the twins to learn what it means to be Gatekeepers-the protectors of the Gates to different underworlds, ancient portals between their world and realms where mythology rules and nightmares come to life.
The Hollow Inside by Brooke Lauren Davis
Sadie meets The Glass Castle in a smart, gripping, and twisty YA debut about a girl seeking to reveal the truth about her mother-and herself.
Aetherbound by E.K. Johnston
Set on a family-run interstellar freighter called the Harland and a mysterious remote space station, E. K. Johnston’s latest is story of survival and self-determination.
Better Together by Christine Riccio
Freaky Friday meets The Parent Trap in New York Times bestselling author Christine Riccio’s Better Together, a sparkling and heartfelt story about sisters, second chances, finding romance, and finding yourself.
Trouble Girls by Julia Lynn Rubin
When Trixie picks up her best friend Lux for their weekend getaway, they’re looking to forget the despair of being trapped in their dead-end rustbelt town. The girls are packing light: a supply of Diet Coke and an ’89 Canon to help Lux frame the world in a sunnier light; half a pack of cigarettes that Trixie doesn’t really smoke, and a knife she’s hanging on to for a friend that she’s never used before.
A Chorus Rises by Bethany C. Morrow
Meet Naema Bradshaw: a beautiful Eloko, once Portland-famous, now infamous, as she navigates a personal and public reckoning where confronting the limits of her privilege will show Naema what her magic really is, and who it makes her.
The Love Song of Ivy K. Harlowe by Hannah Moskowitz
Ivy K. Harlowe is a lot of things.
She’s my best friend.
She’s the center of attention.
She is, without fail, the hottest girl in the room. Anytime. Anyplace.
She has freckles and dimples and bright green eyes, and with someone else’s energy she’d be adorable. But there is nothing cute about Ivy. She is ice and hot metal and electricity.
We Are Inevitable by Gayle Forman
Aaron Stein used to think books were miracles. But not anymore. Even though he spends his days working in his family’s secondhand bookstore, the only book Aaron can bear to read is one about the demise of the dinosaurs. It’s a predicament he understands all too well, now that his brother and mom are gone and his friends have deserted him, leaving Aaron and his shambolic father alone in a moldering bookstore in a crusty mountain town where no one seems to read anymore.
The Passing Playbook by Isaac Fitzsimons
Love, Simon meets Bend It Like Beckham in this feel-good contemporary romance about a trans athlete who must decide between fighting for his right to play and staying stealth.
14 Ways To Die by Vincent Ralph
A page-turning thriller for the social media age, perfect for fans of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder and One of Us Is Lying.
Ten years ago Jess lost her mother to the Magpie Man, an infamous serial killer who is still at large and planning to kill again. She’s going to use her new platform as the star of a YouTube reality series to catch him. That is, if he doesn’t catch her first.
Sunny Song Will Never Be Famous by Suzanne Park
A social media influencer is shipped off to a digital detox summer camp in this funny coming-of-age story, perfect for fans of Jenny Han’s The Summer I Turned Pretty and Love and Gelato.
The Sea Is Salt and So Am I by Cassandra Hartt
I’ll Give You the Sun meets Normal People in Cassandra Hartt’s The Sea Is Salt and So Am I, a stunning YA contemporary debut that asks if the secrets we keep and the people we love can change who we are.
Girls at the Edge of the World by Laura Brooke Robson
Set in a world on the edge of an apocalyptic flood, this heart-stoppingly romantic fantasy debut is perfect for fans of Rachel Hartman and Rae Carson.
Heartbreakers and Fakers by Cameron Lund
From the author of The Best Laid Plans comes another fresh voiced, hilarious rom-com perfect for fans of Tweet Cute and The Rest of the Story.
As one of the most popular girls in school, she’s used to being invited to every party, is dating the Jordan Parker, and can’t wait to rule senior year with her best friend, Olivia. But when Penny wakes up on Jordan’s lawn the morning after his first-day-of-summer bash, she knows something went terribly wrong the night before.
The Cruelest Mercy by Natalie Mae
In this sequel to The Kinder Poison–which People magazine proclaimed a delicious high-stakes adventure–the magical kingdom of Orkena is on the brink of war, and the only person who can save it is Zahru, the girl they once doomed for death.
The Summer of Lost Letters by Hannah Reynolds
Perfect for fans of Morgan Matson and Ruta Sepetys, this sweet, summery romance set in Nantucket follows seventeen-year-old Abby Schoenberg as she uncovers a secret about her grandmother’s life during WWII.
The Tragedy of Dane Riley by Kat Spear
A teen confronts his feelings about his father’s death, his new family, and the girl next door in this emotional young adult novel from critically-acclaimed author Kat Spears.
Eat Your Heart Out by Kelly deVos
Shaun of the Dead meets Dumplin’ in this bitingly funny YA thriller about a kickass group of teens battling a ravenous group of zombies.
Where It All Lands by Jennie Wexler
A Sliding Doors-esque novel that reveals how our choices define us and how no matter the road, love can find its way.
What We Devour by Linsey Miller
From the author of Mask of Shadows comes a dark and intricate story of a girl who must tether herself to a violent ruler to save her crumbling world.
The Girl in the Headlines by Hannah Jayne
From the author of Mask of Shadows comes a dark and intricate story of a girl who must tether herself to a violent ruler to save her crumbling world.
They’ll Never Catch Us by Jessica Goodman
From rising star Jessica Goodman, author of They Wish They Were Us, comes a new fast-paced thriller about two sisters vying for the top spot on their cross-country team–the only way out of their stifling small town. But their dreams are suddenly thrown into peril when a new girl threatens to take away everything they’ve worked for… until she disappears.
The Dead and the Dark by Courtney Gould
Courtney Gould’s thrilling YA debut The Dead and the Dark is about the things that lurk in dark corners, the parts of you that can’t remain hidden, and about finding home in places–and people–you didn’t expect.
Sugar Town Queens by Malla Nunn
From Los Angeles Times Book Prize Award winner and Edgar Award nominee Malla Nunn comes a stunning portrait of a family divided and a powerful story of how friendship saves and heals.
Both Sides Now by Peyton Thomas
A witty and warm-hearted novel about a trans teen finding his place in the world perfect for fans of Red, White and Royal Blue.
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