100 of the Most Popular YA Books of the Past Five Years

Posted by Sharon on August 16, 2022


While it’s hard to truly quantify what catches on in the realm of pop culture, it’s often fun to try. Looking forward is basically impossible—if book publishers knew how to do that, they’d be gazillionaires. But looking back in time? That’s generally fascinating.
 
We’ve collected below the 100 most popular YA books on Goodreads over the past five years, as determined by overall shelvings—books that Goodreads members have already read or Want to Read. We’ve also selected for enthusiasm: We’ve culled anything that scored under a 3.5 in average star ratings. Finally, we’ve collapsed popular series into a single representative book. If multiple titles from a series made the list, we included only the first book from the time period in question.
 
You’ll find several familiar names on the list and an eclectic mix of genres, themes, and styles—from existential romance to classic sci-fi, from labyrinthine mystery to insightful contemporary fiction. Also: enchanted cranes and snow leoponaires.
 
Scroll over the book covers below for more details about each title. If you see any interesting books conspicuously absent from your own shelves, don’t forget about your Want to Read list.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 



How many of these popular YA books have you read? Let us know in the comments below!
   

Comments Showing 1-50 of 316 (316 new)


message 1: by Bookdragon (new)

Bookdragon 22


message 2: by Sandy (new)

Sandy K 7


message 3: by Fabi (new)

Fabi Only 7. I have some catching up to do. I'm going to bookmark this page.


message 4: by Sol (new)

Sol 19


message 5: by Patricia (new)

Patricia Powell 13


message 6: by Emma (new)

Emma Reid 38 for me!


message 7: by Courtenay (new)

Courtenay Aack, only 4. Guess I'm drawn more to MG than YA!


message 8: by Ann (new)

Ann I still have five to read out of the ones listed but did not like a single one of the 39 I've read/tried. I think YA is no longer something I enjoy


message 9: by Sara (last edited Aug 16, 2022 06:55AM) (new)

Sara B 22. Some of these are favorites, some were pretty bad. It’s a mixed bag.


message 10: by Heather (new)

Heather Pearson 24


message 11: by Kaya (new)

Kaya 50


message 12: by Brooke (new)

Brooke Miron Only 9


message 13: by Xtabay (new)

Xtabay 39


message 14: by LA (new)

LA 7 wonderful books


message 15: by Imani (new)

Imani i read 15 of them. :D


message 16: by Evelin (last edited Aug 22, 2022 11:27PM) (new)

Evelin 35


message 17: by Stacey (new)

Stacey Maisch I thought you said you'd roll all series titles under the first book in the series? Tower of Dawn? One of Us is Next? Two Can Keep a Secret? Daughter of the Siren Queen? Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World? A Reaper at the Gates? Queen of Air and Darkness? War Storm? I can understand more why Midnight Sun and Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes get their own listing, but the others are a little misleading being listed as multiple additional titles when they're from other series.


message 18: by Krista (new)

Krista 17!


message 19: by Luella (new)

Luella Knight 68


message 20: by Ava (new)

Ava Seryn 18!


message 21: by casualty (new)

casualty 11. Most were good, though a few are merely fine. One of the books is one of my favorite punching bags even though I still semi-like the book.


message 22: by Lady Willpower (new)

Lady Willpower 14 or 15. Most were good, a few were great, and one broke my heart.


message 23: by Isabelle (new)

Isabelle 26 not counting ones I started and didn’t finish!


message 24: by Marybeth (new)

Marybeth 13


message 25: by Ckline (new)

Ckline 29


message 26: by Diane (new)

Diane Billas 14


message 27: by Elise (new)

Elise Udy only 7. damn I've got work to do XD


message 28: by Allison (new)

Allison Bush 28. Of those, here’s my middle school teacher’s humble opinion ... Best sci-fi series: Arc if the Scythe by Shusterman. Best fantasy series: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black. Mysteries: The Good Girl’s Guide to Murder & the Truly Devious series. Favorite single titles: With the Fire on High, Long Way Down, Concrete Rose, Aristotle & Dante & Secrets of the Universe (book 1). Titles I did not enjoy: Cinderella Is Dead, The Hazel Wood, Lore.


message 29: by Sara (new)

Sara Keely 19


message 30: by Inane Reader (new)

Inane Reader Just 6 :(


message 31: by Becky (new)

Becky Only 6. Better get reading!


message 32: by Sarini (new)

Sarini only 9 :/ Need to keep reading seeing as YA is my fav!


message 33: by Stella (new)

Stella 9 for me ugh


message 34: by Tracy (new)

Tracy I've read 30.


message 35: by Cindee (new)

Cindee I have read 48 of them.


message 36: by Julia (new)

Julia Trinh 27


message 37: by Anjali (new)

Anjali Flagg 17 but like all on TBR


message 38: by Emilia (new)

Emilia Moon 7! Some of them are my favourite books, and I am def going to read a lot of recommended here!


message 39: by Brynn (new)

Brynn 40!


message 40: by M Reads (new)

M Reads 51 and everything else is on my tbr!


message 41: by Priscilla (new)

Priscilla King Zero. This is pathetic. Most of The Nephews really are nephews not nieces, and they like action movies and cartoon videos but what they read is mostly nonfiction and Serious Literature. And the novels about teenagers I've seen lately make me glad this is the case.


Grace (kanej & evajacks' version) I've read 22 and really enjoyed most of the ones I've read!! So glad to see some of my favs on here 💕


message 43: by Rochi (new)

Rochi 17 read and 37 on my tbr list! Not bad but not that good either XD


message 44: by Rochi (new)

Rochi 18 read and 37 on my tbr list! Not bad but not that good either XD


message 45: by Kate (new)

Kate 5 read, many many more tbr


message 46: by Janell (new)

Janell I've read three on the list, currently reading one :)


message 47: by bhavya (new)

bhavya 19


message 48: by Patricia (new)

Patricia 18. I absolutely loved The Skyward series, The Firekeeper's Daughter, and The Grace Year. The rest weren't that great.


message 49: by Eliza (new)

Eliza I've read 45 and am working on the 46th (Realm Breaker).


message 50: by Colin (new)

Colin 32


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