3 of the Most Exciting YA Books to Read in 2017

November 20, 2017

3 of the Most Exciting YA Books to Read in 2017

Introducing a piece on some of the best young adult books coming out in 2017 is a delightful challenge: There’s no overarching trend, no genre eclipsing all other genres, no theme so prevalent as to even call it a theme — and that’s a good thing. There is truly something for everyone this year, whether that reader enjoys things quirky and magical, extra-real real, wild, or world-building. The books, they keep on coming, and these 17 are just the beginning of what promises to make 2017 an exciting year for YA lovers.


1. Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth

Divergent author Veronica Roth is back with a new series, this time set in another galaxy, instead of a dystopic Chicago. Roth’s talent for world-building is on display as ever; in Carve the Mark, every being develops a “currentgift,” a unique power to help them shape the future. But some gifts, like those belonging to Akos and Cyra, make their owners vulnerable to others’ control. With her talent for action-packed plots and powerful characters, Roth’s latest is sure to be much talked-about all of 2017.
(On Sale: 1/17/17)

2. City of Saints & Thieves by Natalie C. Anderson

Gone Girl meets The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo? Say no more and let’s just predict this will be the YA release that crosses over to adult fans. This murder mystery set in Kenya follows Tina, a girl who fled the Congo only to now suspect the wealthy and powerful Kenyan family that employed her mother as a maid may have also been responsible for her death. Living on the streets with revenge on her mind, Tina makes her way back into the world of the esteemed and criminal Greyhills that, needless to say, is both dangerous and gripping.
(On Sale: 1/24/17)

3. We Are Okay by Nina LaCour

LaCour’s novels The Disenchantments and Hold Still should be obligatory reads for anyone struggling with the teen years. She hits all the right notes again in We Are Okay, about Marin, who fled her old life in California for college in New York without a single word to anyone who knew her… including her best friend Mabel. This quiet novel about grief and loss and escaping sadness is perfect for readers who prefer big feels to big action.
(On Sale: 2/14/17)