We’ve curated a list of the 12 best books that are highly recommended for tween and teen reads for Summer 2023, including young adult mysteries, thrillers, romance, coming of age novels and more.
what are the best new tween, teen and young adult books for Summer 2023?
Most adults know there’s no better time than summer to kick and relax with a good book. Our kids on the other hand? Not so much.
The best new tween, teen and young adult books for Summer 2023 including mysteries, thrillers, romance, coming of age novels and more.
Instead tweens and teens turn to Tik Tok, gaming and other activities, rebuking our suggestions to read, calling it homework. If only they understood the joys of getting lost in a book. There’s a chance they may, though, if you find the right reading material. That means giving them a wide choice of options including graphic novels, comic books, crime thrillers or even young adult romance novels. Anything that may spark the joy of falling in love with reading.
Mysteries, thrillers, romance, coming of age novels and more young adult reads for summer 2023.
From fantasy epics to enemies-to-lovers romantic reads and relatable coming of age tales, here are 12 of the latest tween and YA books that will rekindle their interest in summer reading.
The 12 best new tween, teen and young adult reads for Summer 2023
1. Doodles From the Boogie Down by Stephanie Rodriguez
Inspired by Stephanie Rodriguez’s tween years, Doodles from Boogie Down ($14) follows eighth-grader Steph who dreams of attending LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts but knows her mother will not agree. She lies to almost everyone around her to make her dream come true. She must decide if causing conflict in all her relationships is worth attending the beloved art school.
BUY NOW – $14.00.
2. Ready or Not! #1 by Megan E. Bryant
Whether Abby’s ready or not, her world is changing. Her best friend moved away, her mom started working full time, she has to do the dreaded after-school running program and don’t get her started on what’s happening in her body. Being stuck between being a little kid and a full-blown teenager is hard. Megan E. Bryant’s Ready or Not ($10) gives a modern Judy Blume vibe.
BUY NOW – $10.00.
3. The Sun and the Star By Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro
Percy Jackson fans, rejoice! Nico and Will have a book of their own – The Sun and the Star ($22) co-authored by Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro. Demigods Nico di Angelo (the son of Hades) and Will Solace (the son of Apollo) must endure the terrors of Tartarus to rescue a reformed Titan from the lowest part of the Underworld in this new fantasy adventure.
BUY NOW – $22.00.
4. Julia and The Shark by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
Beautifully illustrated, Julia and The Shark ($9) follows Julia and her scientist parents as they move to the Shetland islands for the summer for research work. Her mother, in particular, wants to find and study a very rare type of shark only found in those waters. But things start to go wrong, slowly and a shadow as big as the shark, looms over Julia. The story tackles timely themes like mental health, family and the environment.
BUY NOW – $9.00.
5. Hey, Kiddo by Jarret J. Krosoczka
Fans of author Jarrett J. Krosoczka will know him for his “Lunch Lady” and “Jedi Academy” books. Hey, Kiddo ($10) is based on Krosoczka’s real childhood where he grappled with a family facing addiction and discovered art as a way to help him survive.
BUY NOW – $10.00.
6. The Legacies by Jessica Goodman
A bunch of rich kids with dark secrets? Yes, please! After Bernie, Isobel and Skylar receive an invitation to the exclusive Legacy Club, they’re shocked when a scholarship student named Tori also receives one. All four girls harbor life-altering secrets and they’ll do anything to keep them under wraps – ensuring this year’s Legacy Ball will be unforgettable. The Legacies ($19) by Jessica Goodman is set to be released July 25th.
BUY NOW – $19.00.
7. Five Survive by Holly Jackson
New from Holly Jackson, the author of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, is her latest teen true crime, Five Survive ($15). Red Kenny and her five friends are ready for the ultimate spring break road trip when their RV breaks down in the middle of nowhere with no cell service available. Eight hours later, one of them is dead. What follows is a nail-biting thriller for true crime and mystery lovers.
BUY NOW – $15.00.
8. Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert
Bradley, a star football player, and Celine, a content creator, were childhood best friends but now they’re academic rivals competing for a once-in-a-lifetime scholarship that includes an outdoor survival course. Can they work together and become friends again? Or are they too different? Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute ($12) by Talia Hibbert is a quirky enemies-to-lovers story that teens will breeze through.
BUY NOW – $12.00.
9. Imposter Syndrome and Other Confessions of Alejandra Kim by Patricia Park
In Imposter Syndrome and Other Confessions of Alejandra Kim ($15) by Patricia Park, Alejandra Kim is unsure of where she belongs. She’s ‘not Latinx’ enough for her Queens neighborhood and not white enough for her elite Manhattan prep school. Her strategy? Spend senior year lying low before heading off to college. That is, until an unexpected event thrusts her into the spotlight – a place she never wanted to be in.
BUY NOW – $15.00.
10. She’s Gone by David Bell
When 17-year-old Hunter Gifford wakes in the hospital on the night of homecoming, he’s shocked to learn he and his girlfriend, Chloe Summers, have been in a terrible car accident. Hunter has no memory of the crash, and his shock turns to horror when he is told Chloe’s blood has been found in the car and that she has disappeared. Was he responsible? Her family and classmates think so. In She’s Gone ($8) by David Bell, Hunter must piece together the events of the evening to prove his innocence.
BUY NOW – $8.00.
11. Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli
While visiting her college-age best friend Lili, high school senior Imogen Scott – the self-described “token straight, world’s best ally” – discovers that Lili claimed she and Imogen used to date. The admittance prompts confusing feelings in Imogen, especially when she starts having feelings for Lili’s friend Tessa. Has she ever really been straight at all? Imogen, Obviously ($13) by Becky Albetalli expertly explores the nuances of sexuality, identity and friendship.
BUY NOW – $13.00.
12. I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys
It’s 1989, and Cristian Florescu lives in Romania which is ruled by the tyrant Nicolae Ceaușescu. When Cristian becomes an informer for the government against his will, he joins an underground spy network and shows the world the oppression in his country. I Must Betray You ($12) by Ruta Sepetys sheds light on a little known story of the thrilling resilience of the Romanian people.
BUY NOW – $12.00.
The 12 best recommended tween and teen reads for Summer 2023
That’s our roundup of the best new tween, teen and young adult reads for Summer 2023, including romance, mysteries, thrillers and more. Turns out summer reading can be fun – if you have the right books.
