We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we love. Promise.
Get to know Nimona, a young girl who has the ability to shapeshift. As she goes on her biggest adventure yet, her powers and her past soon catch up to her and she is forced to figure out what it means to be a hero.
2 Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book One: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
2 Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book One: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Now 25% Off
Riordan gave Greek mythology a new life with his inspiring and amazing young adult series that follows a half-blood named Percy Jackson after he suddenly finds out his father is none other than Poseidon. Now linked to some of the greatest gods of all time, he must figure out what path he wants to go on while also figuring out more about his family’s lineage and future.
3 Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber
3 Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber
In one of the most enchanting and surprising romances, a young woman prays to Jack of Hearts in the hope of bringing back her one true love. But love is messy and a deal with an immortal being can be deadly.
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
4 Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
4 Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Now 42% Off
In the biggest mix of video game references and a super high-tech near future, a young kid tries to be the first to win a Willy Wonka-style of competition to win a rich fortune and change his life.
5 Frizzy Written by Claribel A. Ortega, Art by Rose Bousamra
5 Frizzy Written by Claribel A. Ortega, Art by Rose Bousamra
Now 15% Off
No matter where you are on your natural hair journey, you’ll appreciate this comic. Follow Marlene’s experience in accepting everything about her, especially her hair, in this award-winning graphic novel.
6 The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
6 The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
Credit: Bookshop
The Poet X tells the story of a young Afro-Latina woman who—embarrassed by her new curves and feeling defenseless in her Harlem neighborhood—discovers the world of slam poetry, through which she can express her frustration with her words instead of her fists.
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
7 Like a Love Story by Abdi Nazemian
7 Like a Love Story by Abdi Nazemian
Credit: Bookshop
Like a Love Story takes place in 1989 New York City, following three teens—a closeted Iranian immigrant, an aspiring fashion designer, and an openly gay photographer—who find themselves in a love triangle that threatens all of their bonds.
8 A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi
8 A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi
Credit: Bookshop
Set in 2002 following the events of 9/11, A Very Large Expanse of Sea follows sixteen-year-old Shirin, a Muslim girl who finds herself experiencing prejudice and hate at every turn…and when she finally does meet someone who wants to get to know her, she’s not sure whether she can let him in.
9 It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini
9 It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini
Credit: Bookshop
When an ambitious teen’s suicide attempt lands him in a psychiatric hospital, he finally gets a chance to confront the sources of his anxiety and depression away from the pressures of his elite Manhattan high school (and it’s a lot funnier than it sounds, promise).
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
10 I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez
10 I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez
Credit: Bookshop
When Julia’s perfect older sister Olga is killed in a tragic accident, Julia is forced to sweep in and keep her family from falling apart…but they only seem interested in reminding Julia of all the ways she failed them. Gut-wrenching is an understatement with this one.
11 Darius the Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram
11 Darius the Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram
Credit: Bookshop
In this surprisingly hilarious debut, a half-Persian teen with clinical depression who doesn’t seem to fit in anywhere takes his first trip to Iran, where he meets Sohrab, the boy next door who finally makes him feel seen and understood.
12 Beasts of Prey by Ayana Gray
12 Beasts of Prey by Ayana Gray
Credit: Bookshop
Beasts of Prey is the first installment in a trilogy, following two Black teens who must make a tenuous alliance to hunt down the vicious monster that has plagued their city of Lkossa for nearly a century.
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
13 Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor
13 Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor
Credit: Bookshop
The first book in an epic trilogy, Daughter of Smoke & Bone revolves around a blue-haired art student living in Prague whose encounter with a gorgeous stranger in a Marrakesh alley finally gives her some answers about who she really is…and things only get more complex from there.
14 We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson
14 We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson
Credit: Bookshop
What happens when aliens inform a teenager that the world will end in 144 days, and he’s the only one who can save it? Henry must decide whether the world is actually worth saving—or whether a clean slate is exactly what he and the world need.
15 Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews
15 Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews
Credit: Bookshop
Though Greg hopes to keep a low profile throughout his senior year alongside his kind-of-friend Earl, that all changes after his mom forces him to befriend a girl with cancer…which consequently changes everything for him.
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
16 Sadie by Courtney Summers
16 Sadie by Courtney Summers
Credit: Bookshop
In Sadie, a 19-year-old runaway from small town Colorado attempts to avenge the brutal murder of her little sister—and unbeknownst to Sadie, her journey is being closely followed by a popular radio personality, who’s desperate to find her based on the clues she’s left behind.
17 Home Is Not a Country by Safia Elhillo
17 Home Is Not a Country by Safia Elhillo
Credit: Bookshop
Written in verse, this spare, gorgeous novel centers on a Muslim teen who lives alone with her widowed mom and faces bullying at school due to rising Islamophobia in their community. The only way she can escape her pain: to dream up an alternate life for herself.
18 Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
18 Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
Credit: Bookshop
Set in 1954 Chinatown, Last Night at the Telegraph Club follows queer teen Lily as she discovers a lesbian bar where anything seem possible…even while Red-Scare paranoia threatens her family and everything she holds dear.
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
19 When the Moon Was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore
19 When the Moon Was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore
Credit: Bookshop
Infused with magic realism, this dreamy novel follows two inseparable besties who find their secrets (and Miel’s magical abilities) threatened by the Bonner girls, four gorgeous and dangerous sisters rumored to be witches.
20 An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
20 An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
Credit: Bookshop
This epic fantasy novel takes place in a world inspired by ancient Rome, following an impoverished young woman who agrees to take on a dangerous mission as a spy in a military academy after her brother is arrested for treason.
Editor Corinne Sullivan is an Editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers a variety of beats, including lifestyle, entertainment, relationships, shopping, and more. She can tell you everything you need to know about the love lives of A-listers, the coziest bedsheets, and the sex toys actually worth your $$$. She is also the author of the 2018 novel Indecent. Follow her on Instagram for cute pics of her pup and bébé. Hunter Levitan is a freelance journalist specializing in fashion, style, culture, sex, and wellness stories, as well as a writer/poet, photographer, and mixed media brand consultant. Her work has appeared in Who What Wear, Cosmopolitan, Women’s Health Magazine, and The Improper Bostonian, among others. She is a graduate of New York University and lives in New York City. Adrianna Freedman writes all things TV and film for Cosmo. When not binge-watching the latest series on Netflix, she is busy singing along to her favorite artists/showtunes, consuming too many coffees a day and dreaming about penning her next big story.
Watch Next play iconThe triangle icon that indicates to play Advertisement – Continue Reading Below Advertisement – Continue Reading Below