Our Most Anticipated New YA Book Releases of May 2022

This unputdownable prequel to We Were Liars brings readers back to Beechwood Island a generation before the Liars, to another summer full of shocking Sinclair family secrets that will linger with you long after the last page. 

Set against the backdrop of a wealthy oceanside town, The Agathas follows two teenage girls — rich and popular Alice Ogilvie and her less popular, less rich tutor, Iris Adams — as they work together to solve the murder of Alice’s ex-best friend. With all signs pointing to one person, the girls consult the complete works of the master herself, Agatha Christie, to help uncover the truth once and for all. 

Swoon-worthy rom-coms and Casey McQuiston have become synonymous in our minds, and McQuiston’s YA debut I Kissed Shara Wheeler is no exception. From the bestselling author of Red, White & Royal Blue and One Last Stop comes another fresh and funny romance about first love and finding yourself, complete with a lively and loveable cast of characters. 

What happens when girl who hates all things romance catches the eye of a self-professed love expert? They fall in love, of course. Fans of Nicola Yoon will swoon over this charming debut about what happens when you let first love take hold. 

Twisting back and forth through time and various perspectives, this edge-of-your-seat thriller about a group of friends spending one last summer at the lake culminates in a shocking ending that will leave readers reeling. 

Swoony and bingeworthy, A Show for Two is a YA romance that will have you crinkling your nose and smiling like a dork the entire time. With a celebrity attending high school under a secret identity and an aspiring screenwriter luring him into her film competition, this must-read is sure to be your new favorite romance!

The third book in the American Royals trilogy, Rivals will keep you on the edge of your seat as the intricacies of the lives of the American Royal family are further explored in its newest novels. With alternating points of view, complicated relationships, and lots of drama, get ready to be sucked into the lives of royals! 

A retelling of Brave, this book tells Merida’s story and her longing for adventure and more, but when her desire for change leads to a supernatural being whose job it is to destroy stagnation coming to the kingdom, Merida must work to convince her family and herself to change to save their kingdom from ruin. Full of heart and adventure, Bravely is a must-read for anyone who loves fairy-tale twists!

This YA debut is perfect for fans of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and will keep readers captivated as they read Harrison and Linus’s story of saying goodbye to someone you love and packing in as much as they can before Linus moves out of state. Right at the peak of the changes that come with preparing for college, this book of two Black queer best friends will linger in your mind long after you finish reading!