15+ Best Young Adult Book Series To Read in 2025
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Looking for your next incredible YA book series? These are the ones readers can’t stop talking about.
There’s just something special about YA series. Once I fall into the story, I want to stay there as long as possible, following the characters from book to book, getting tangled in their romances, their heartbreaks, and their impossible adventures. That’s why I love discovering series that deliver not just one great read, but an entire journey.
This list pulls together the best young adult book series to read right now—some you’ll recognize from movie adaptations, others you might be meeting for the very first time. From magical fantasies and pulse-pounding thrillers to tender romances and powerful stories that stay with you long after the ending, these are the books that remind me why I fell in love with YA in the first place.
Happy Reading!
If you’re looking for all the upcoming books, take a look at
Iconic YA Must-Reads
The Hunger Games
by Suzanne Collins
Now a global phenomenon and blockbuster film franchise, Suzanne Collins’s novel begins in the ashes of a fallen America. The Capitol rules with cruelty, forcing each district to sacrifice a boy and a girl to the televised Hunger Games—a brutal fight to the death. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen never intended to be a symbol, but when she volunteers in her sister’s place, she steps into an arena where survival means killing or being killed. With the world watching, Katniss must learn to fight not only for her life, but for the future of her people.
The Hunger Games series continues with: Catching Fire, Mockingjay & The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (prequel)
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
by J.K. Rowling
The first chapter of one of the world’s most famous fantasy novels, and for me, the very first book that made reading feel truly magical—an escape into a world where letters arrive by owl, staircases move on their own, and friendship can be the strongest spell of all. Until his eleventh birthday, Harry knows only neglect in a cupboard under the stairs, but at Hogwarts, he discovers not just magic, but belonging. And yet, even in this enchanted world, shadows linger—reminding us that courage often grows in the unlikeliest places.
The Harry Potter series continues with: Chamber of Secrets, Prisoner of Azkaban, Goblet of Fire, Order of the Phoenix, Half-Blood Prince & Deathly Hallows
The Hate U Give
by Angie Thomas
Now a critically acclaimed film, Angie Thomas’s breakout novel gives voice to a generation demanding justice. Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: her poor neighborhood and the elite prep school she attends. That fragile balance shatters the night she witnesses her best friend Khalil fatally shot by a police officer, while unarmed. As Khalil’s death makes national headlines, Starr becomes the only person who knows the whole truth. Torn between silence and speaking out, she must find the courage to stand up, even when doing so could endanger her family—and her life.
Series continues with: Concrete Rose (prequel)
American Royals
by Katharine McGee
Imagine an America ruled not by presidents, but by kings. Two centuries after George Washington accepted a crown, the House of Washington still reigns. Princess Beatrice, raised to be the first queen regnant, suddenly finds the crown heavier than she imagined. Her sister Samantha rebels against the expectations that confine her, while their brother Jefferson is adored by the nation—and caught between two rivals for his heart. Behind palace walls, love and ambition wage their own battle. And in a monarchy built on duty and desire, every choice comes with a price.
Series continues with: Majesty, Rivals & Reign
YA Romances Readers Adore
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before
by Jenny Han
Now a beloved Netflix film trilogy, Jenny Han’s novel begins with a girl whose secrets refuse to stay hidden. Lara Jean has always kept her crushes locked away in letters never meant to be read. But when those letters are mysteriously mailed, her love life spirals from imaginary to out of control. Fake relationships blur into real feelings, and Lara Jean must face the terrifying possibility that her heart’s confessions could change everything.
Series continues with: P.S. I Still Love You & Always and Forever, Lara Jean
My Life with the Walter Boys
by Ali Novak
Now adapted into a Netflix series, Ali Novak’s Wattpad sensation blends family chaos with slow-burn romance. Jackie Howard had the perfect plan—top grades, top college, a flawless future—until tragedy shatters everything. Sent across the country to live with the Walter family, she finds herself in a house bursting with eleven rowdy brothers who thrive on chaos. Life on the Walters’ ranch is loud, messy, and nothing like the order Jackie craves. But as she collides with the boys who test her patience—and tug at her heart—Jackie begins to wonder if perfection is really the dream she wants after all.
Series continues with: My Life with the Walter Boys 2
Tokio Ever After
by Emiko Jean
Izumi Tanaka has always lived between worlds, never quite fitting in as Japanese American in her small California town. Then she learns the truth: her father is the Crown Prince of Japan. Whisked into a life of tiaras, traditions, and tabloid scrutiny, Izumi must find her footing in a palace that sees her as both an outsider and a princess. Cousins’ plot, the press’s scrutiny, and her bodyguard may be more than just obstacles. Caught between cultures and expectations, Izumi must decide if she can claim her heritage—and her own happily ever after.
Series continues with: Tokyo Dreaming
Incredible YA Adventures
What the River Knows
by Isabel Ibañez
Nineteenth-century Buenos Aires sparkles with wealth and whispers of forgotten magic, but Inez Olivera longs only for her absent parents. When word of their deaths shatters her world, she inherits both a fortune and a mysterious guardian linked to Egypt’s ancient past. Determined for answers, Inez journeys to Cairo with nothing but her sketchbook and a golden ring her father entrusted to her. There, the ring awakens a magic that unravels secrets she was never meant to know. With danger closing in—and her guardian’s infuriatingly handsome assistant shadowing her steps—Inez must follow the river of magic and lies to uncover the truth before it consumes her.
Secrets of the Nile duology continues with: Where the Library Hides
Caraval
by Stephanie Garber
Every year, the legendary game of Caraval promises wonder, magic, and escape—but only if you can tell illusion from reality. For Scarlett, trapped under her cruel father’s control, Caraval is the dream she never thought she’d reach. When her sister Tella drags her there with the help of a mysterious sailor, the spectacle turns dark: Tella is kidnapped, and the entire game revolves around her rescue. With only five nights to unravel clues, Scarlett must plunge into a world where nothing is as it seems. To win means saving her sister, but losing could mean losing everything.
Series continues with: Legendary, Finale, and Spectacular (plus spin-off series Once Upon a Broken Heart)
Save for Later
Fable
by Adrienne Young
A Reese’s Book Club Pick, Fable sweeps readers into a world of storms, shipwrecks, and betrayal on the high seas. The sea is ruthless, and so is the father who abandoned her to survive on an island of thieves. For years, Fable has fought to endure, relying only on the lessons her late mother taught her. All she wants is to find her father again and claim her place among his crew, but to do that, she’ll need the help of a guarded trader named West. Together they cross the perilous Narrows, where storms and rivals wait at every turn. Yet Fable soon discovers that her father’s empire is more dangerous than the sea itself—and survival may demand more than she ever imagined.
Series continues with: Namesake
Twisty YA Page-Turners
The Inheritance Games
by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Avery Grambs never expected her life to change with the stroke of a will—but billionaire Tobias Hawthorne leaves her everything. To claim the inheritance, Avery must move into Hawthorne House, a mansion filled with riddles, secret passages, and a family determined to uncover why she was chosen over them. The four Hawthorne grandsons, brilliant and magnetic, are both allies and rivals: one sees her as a fraud, another as a puzzle left by their grandfather. Drawn into a dangerous game of codes and clues, Avery must play by the Hawthornes’ rules—or risk losing more than just the fortune.
The Inheritance Games series continues with: The Hawthorne Legacy, The Final Gambit & The Brothers Hawthorne
One of Us is Lying
by Karen M. McManus
Now a hit series, Karen M. McManus’s breakout thriller begins with a detention gone wrong. Five students walk in, but only four walk out alive. Simon, the creator of Bayview High’s notorious gossip app, is dead before the hour is up, and the ones left behind—Bronwyn, Addy, Nate, and Cooper—are all suspects. Each had secrets Simon was about to expose, and each had a motive to silence him. As whispers turn into headlines, alliances shift and lies spiral out of control. But someone at Bayview is determined to bury the truth, and they’ll stop at nothing—even if it means killing again.
Bayview series continues with: One of Us Is Next & One of Us Is Back
The Knife of Never Letting Go
by Patrick Ness
Now adapted into the film Chaos Walking, Patrick Ness’s story unfolds in a world where every thought can be heard. Todd Hewitt grows up surrounded by the constant Noise—an endless barrage of men’s unfiltered minds. Just weeks before his thirteenth birthday, he stumbles on something that shouldn’t exist: silence. Forced to flee with only his loyal dog, he meets a girl who defies everything he thought he knew. Hunted through a world built on lies, Todd learns that silence can be the most dangerous sound of all.
Chaos Walking trilogy continues with: The Ask and the Answer & Monsters of Men
Lush YA Fantasy World
The Gilded Ones
by Namina Forna
In Otera, blood decides your fate—and Deka’s runs gold. On the day of her blood ceremony, she hopes for acceptance, but instead she is branded impure, her golden blood marking her as something otherworldly. Offered execution or conscription into an elite army of girls like her, Deka chooses to fight. But as she harnesses her strange powers, she uncovers the empire’s deepest lies. Loyalty and betrayal blur, and Deka must face a chilling truth: the greatest threat may not come from the monsters she’s been taught to fear, but from within herself.
The Deathless series continues with: The Merciless Ones & The Eternal Ones
Divine Rivals
by Rebecca Ross
In a world shaken by gods at war, love blooms in the unlikeliest place. Iris Winnow, desperate to keep her family together, pours her heart into letters slipped beneath her wardrobe door. Across town, her rival Roman Kitt discovers them—letters that somehow find their way into his hands. What begins as anonymous correspondence sparks an intimate bond, even as battle lines draw closer. But when war pulls them both to the front, Iris and Roman must decide if love can endure when gods themselves conspire to tear them apart.
Letters of Enchantment series continues with: Ruthless Vows
Save for Later
The Stolen Heir
by Holly Black
Holly Black is known for creating dark, addictive faerie tales, and The Stolen Heir is no exception. Eight years after the Battle of the Serpent, the north is once again stirring with monsters and vengeance. Lady Nore has reclaimed the Ice Needle Citadel, wielding an ancient relic to create creatures of stick and snow. Suren, the forgotten child queen of the Court of Teeth, hides feral in the human world, scarred by past torments and determined to stay unseen. But when Prince Oak—once her betrothed, now charming and dangerously manipulative—seeks her help, she is forced back into a realm of treachery and enchantment. To survive the journey north, Suren must guard her heart against the prince she cannot trust and the horrors she thought she had escaped.
The Stolen Heir duology continues with: The Prisoner’s Throne
Historical YA Vibes
Anatomy
by Dana Schwartz
In 1817 Edinburgh, Hazel Sinnett refuses to accept the life society has planned for her. She dreams of becoming a surgeon, even though women are barred from medical training. Her only chance is to pass the surgeon’s exam without training, a gamble that could cost her everything. As her path crosses with Jack Currer, a resurrection man who digs up bodies for a living, together they uncover a chilling conspiracy lurking in the city’s shadows. Surrounded by disease, disappearance, and death, Hazel must decide how much she’s willing to risk for knowledge—and if she can survive what lies hidden in the dark.
Series continues with: Immortality: A Love Story
The Davenports
by Krystal Marquis
Inspired by the real-life Patterson family, Krystal Marquis delivers a gripping story of Black success, ambition, and love in 1910 Chicago. The Davenport family, heirs to a carriage empire, live in luxury at the dawn of a new century. Olivia feels duty-bound to marry well—until she meets a fiery activist. Her sister Helen dreams of fixing engines, not hearts, though love tempts her anyway. Their maid Amy-Rose longs for her own business and for John Davenport, who belongs to another world. And Ruby, Olivia’s best friend, schemes for John’s attention even as her heart pulls elsewhere.
Series continues with: The Davenports: More Than This
These Violent Delights
by Chloe Gong
Set in 1920s Shanghai, These Violent Delights blends history, romance, and danger with a Shakespearean twist. Juliette Cai, heir to the Scarlet Gang, returns home to find her city torn apart by blood feuds and whispers of a deadly contagion. Across the battle lines stands Roma Montagov, her former love and her greatest betrayal, heir to the rival White Flowers. When madness spreads through both gangs, leaving bodies clawed and broken, Juliette and Roma must unite against the shadows—or lose the city they’re sworn to protect.
The duology continues with: Our Violent Ends (plus spin-off duology Foul Lady Fortune)
That’s my roundup of the best young adult book series to read. Which one will you pick up first? Share your favorites in the comments—I can’t wait to read your thoughts.
