Young adult books to get your teenager reading this summer

BookTok has taken over the internet. If you haven’t heard, people from all over the world are sharing what they’re reading on social media, inspiring others to pick up their favourite books too. It’s a great way to find new titles and get excited about reading. We’ve even curated a BookTok collection - find it on Borrowbox or in our library catalogue.

If you’re looking for YA books to encourage your teenager to read more this summer, then here’s our round-up of some of the most popular books on BookTok right now.

Contemporary 

The Summer I Turned Pretty – Jenny Han

Read the book that inspired the hit series. Every year Isabel spends her summer at the Fisher family's beach house. It has everything a girl could dream of: a swimming pool, sandy beach and two cute boys. This year, the boys seem to notice Isabel in a different light... it's going to be an amazing summer.

Solitaire – Alice Oseman

From the author of Heartstopper comes the story of Charlie Spring’s sister, Tori. She likes to sleep, blog, and last year even had friends. Now there's Solitaire. Follow Tori and classmate Michael Holden as they try to survive A-Levels and unmask the mysterious Solitaire.

Felix Ever After - Kacen Callender

Felix Love has never been in love. Even though he is proud of his identity, Felix secretly fears that he's one marginalisation too many - Black, queer, and transgender - to ever get his own happily-ever-after.

When an anonymous student starts sending him transphobic messages, Felix comes up with a plan for revenge. But as he executes his plan, Felix begins to redefine his most important relationship: how he feels about himself.

Thriller

Five Survive – Holly Jackson

Red and her friends are on a road trip when suddenly their RV breaks down in the middle of nowhere. The friends quickly realise that the wheels have been shot out by a sniper. One of the group has a secret that someone’s willing to kill for - and not everyone will survive the night.

The Inheritance Games - Jennifer Lynn Barnes

When an eccentric billionaire dies leaving Avery almost his entire fortune, no one, least of all Avery, knows why. Now she must move into the mansion she's inherited, filled with secrets and the old man's surviving relatives, who are hell-bent on discovering why Avery got 'their' money. Soon she is caught in a deadly game. But how far will the family go to keep their fortune?

Dystopian 

The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes - Suzanne Collins

In this prequel to The Hunger Games series, 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow is mentoring District 12’s female tribute in the tenth annual Hunger Games. But when Coriolanus starts to develop feelings for his tribute, he must decide between following the rules and surviving. With the film adaptation being released later this year, this is a great chance to read the book before you see the movie.

Scythe - Neal Shusterman

In the future, the only way to die is to be randomly killed ("gleaned") by professional assassins called scythes. Citra and Rowan have been selected to be scythes' apprentices and learn the art of killing. Only one of them will be chosen. Terrifyingly, the winner’s first task will be to glean the loser.

Fantasy

Throne of Glass - Sarah J. Maas

Assassin Celaena Sardothien has been summoned to the castle of the vicious king, but she has not come to kill him. Instead, she intends to defeat twenty-three murderers, thieves, and warriors in a deadly competition. The prize? To be released from prison and become the King’s Champion. But when her competitors mysteriously start dying, it becomes a fight for survival.

Legendborn – Tracy Deonn

After her mother dies in an accident, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews escapes to a residential programme for bright high-schoolers. Then, on her very first night on campus, she sees a magical attack leaving Bree to decide how far she'll go for the truth.

The Atlas Six - Olivie Blake

Each decade, the six most talented magicians are initiated into The Alexandrian Society, a secret society of academicians. To qualify, candidates must spend one year together. But this time, only five will be initiated and survive while one will be eliminated.