This post contains affiliate links. Book Riot can earn a commission when you buy through these links.
This post was originally published in our YA newsletter “What’s Up in YA”. Sign up here to receive news, reviews, offers and more from YA!
Hey YA reader!
It’s time for one of my favorite newsletters of the year: YOUR picks for the best YA books of the year and the books more people want to read or talk about during the year.
What’s going on in YA? Newsletter
Sign up for What’s going on in YA? all things to preserve young adult literature.
Thanks for registering! Keep an eye on your inbox.
With your registration you agree to our terms of use
Over the past few weeks you’ve had the opportunity to delete the titles of your favorites, and I’ve compiled and tabulated the results. Books that are not YA or that were published in 2020 were pulled from the data – there weren’t many! – and I ranked them based on the number of times they appeared on the list. That’s all.
Under your reading list, find the best YA for your TBR from the Year in Books.
For a year that was far from ordinary, I have to say that these lists are an incredible writing and reading too. You read across so many genres and authors as well as a great mix of debut novels and books by veteran YA writers.
Book Riot YA Reader Favorites of 2020
You have chosen these top ten titles as the best! The titles are in alphabetical order. This is a cool list of genres and styles.
Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
Fable by Adrienne Young
The hand on the wall by Maureen Johnson
Jennifer Lynn Barnes’ Inheritance Games
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam
The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller
Today Tonight Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon
You should see me in a Leah Johnson crown
2020 YA books that deserve more attention
As in the list above, I’ve sorted and ranked the titles that appeared on this list. Below are the ten who got the most votes and didn’t land on a price list or bestseller list. These are in alphabetical order and like the best on the list, it’s a cool selection of titles. I think I’ve read seven or eight of them and can vouch for everyone.
Agnes at World’s End by Kelly McWilliams – I’m adding a note here from one of the readers who said this was one of the best type I diabetes depictions they’ve seen.
Don’t be far from me from Mindy McGinnis
Black Girl Unlimited by Echo Brown
Don’t read Eric Smith’s comments
The Extraordinary by TJ Klune
Goddess in the Machine by Lora Beth Johnson
My eyes are up here by Laura Zimmermann – I agree to say yes! I wrote a book about it on Book Riot because that book really landed on me.
Not so plain and simple by Lamar Giles
Brandy Colbert’s voting booth
What I’m wearing from Jennifer Longo
Thanks to everyone who took a title or two on the poll because this is a fabulous list for anyone who loves or wants to immerse themselves in YA books. Hope you find some new read here that you can fall in love with.
Stay healthy and read on.
