The Best Young Adult Books Of 2022

Heart-pounding mysteries, lyrical retellings, laugh-out-loud romances, and many more young adult books that captured our hearts this year.

BuzzFeed Books editors and contributors reveal some of the most impactful, thoughtful, and entertaining young adult novels released in 2022. You can find our entire list of selections below.

1. All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir

Razorbill

Tahir packs an absolutely unforgettable punch in her first contemporary YA, which centers on former best friends Noor and Salahuddin, Pakistani Muslim kids doing their best to survive abuse, poverty, and everything else life in the desert town of Juniper, California tries to throw their way. For both of them, a way out seems impossible. Noor's uncle, who saved her from the earthquake that killed the rest of her family and their village when she was six, will never let her go to college when there's still the family liquor store to run. And Salahuddin just wants to help carry on his now-deceased mother's dream of running an inn, even though he absolutely cannot afford it, and has no support from his alcoholic father. As they make their way back to each other, first as friends, and then exploring the relationship they never gave a chance, the strength they find in each other gives them their first taste of hope in forever. But that may not be enough to overcome all the brutal obstacles that stand in their way. This is the kind of book that positively climbs into your bones and steals your breath in the very best way. —Dahlia Adler

2. Bloodmarked by Tracey Deonn

Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers

Deonn captivated readers last year with her New York Times bestseller, Legendborn, about a teenager named Bree who struggles to unearth the truth behind her mother's death while uncovering a secret society that aims to hunt threatening, demonic creatures. In the sequel, Deonn raises the stakes and creates an intriguing, unforgettable thrill ride. Now that's Bree has infiltrated the Legendborn Order and discovered her ancestral power, she must try and save the ones she loves from a looming ancient war and rescue a Legendborn boy who's stolen her heart. —Farrah Penn

3. Hollow Fires by Samira Ahmed

Little, Brown

Mark my words, this is one of the best books of 2022. When aspiring journalist Safiya finds the body of a murdered boy, she sets out to find the truth behind his death. 14-year-old Jawad was arrested, labeled a terrorist, and killed because a teacher mistook his cosplay jetpack for a bomb. With Jawad's voice guiding her, Safiya tries to put together the pieces and make sure that people remember him. Samira Ahmed adds to her extraordinary body of work with this masterful new release. —Rachel Strolle

4. Gallant by V.E. Schwab

Greenwillow Books

This delightfully dark YA gothic may very well be my favorite by this prolific author. Olivia Prior cannot speak, and because no one at the wretched Merilance School for Girls knows sign language, she has no one to communicate with. When she receives a letter from an uncle she never knew she had, inviting her to his home, Gallant, she eagerly accepts his invitation, more than ready to be free of the mundanity and sometimes even cruelty of daily life at Merilance. She carries with her the strange diary her mother gave her when she left Olivia at Merilance, as well as her ability to see ghouls. When she arrives at Gallant, she finds no uncle waiting for her, but rather a raving cousin who wants her gone, two kind housekeepers — one of whom signs and so can communicate with Olivia — and a haunting mystery in the garden. She also sees ghouls of her long-lost family, and they all seem to be warning her away. With nowhere else to go, Olivia sets out to solve the house’s mystery. —Margaret Kingsbury

5. A Scatter of Light by Malinda Lo

Dutton Books for Young Readers

After a humiliating breakup and social scandal that leaves her devastated, Aria’s parents ship her off to Northern California to spend the summer with her grandmother, famous artist Joan West. Throughout one eventful summer, Aria finds herself changing in ways she never anticipated, and figuring out who she is in the world. A Scatter of Light is a tender and heartfelt coming-of-age story that is as much about coming out as it is about the nature of creating art. Relatable, charming, and delightfully queer, fans of Malinda Lo’s National Book Award Winning Last Night at the Telegraph Club will be just as enamored with this follow up. —David Vogel

6. Beating Heart Baby by Lio Min

Flatiron Books

When Santi's guardian moves them to LA and tells him to join the marching band, he doesn't ask questions; he's just had his heart broken and it's not like he has a whole lot of options. He finds friends in the group immediately, with one exception: hot, talented, emo trans boy Suwa. But when they repair their rocky beginning, the chemistry is fast and furious, sparking a close friendship that quickly turns into fervent romance...until the past comes roaring back with the unfolding of a surprising secret that tears them apart and forces them to do the near-impossible work of picking up the pieces. At times incredibly romantic, at times wildly devastating, this debut about identity, belonging, kinship, fandom, and starting over is one of the best books you'll read all year. —Dahlia Adler

7. The Girl Who Fell Beneath The Sea by Axie Oh

Feiwel & Friends

Oh's latest fantasy is a magnetic, captivating feminist retelling of the Korean folktale, The Tale of Shim Cheong. Mina's homeland has been ravaged by storms for generations. Her people believe that the Sea God has cursed them, so each year a beautiful maiden is sacrificed into the sea to serve as the Sea God's bride. They hope one day their suffering will end when the "true bride" is chosen. When her brother's beloved is chosen, Mina sacrifices herself to save them both and is then pulled into the Spirit Realm. There she finds the Sea God is caught in an enchanted sleep, so she seeks help from a mysterious young man named Shin, along with his motley crew, to wake the Sea God and put an end to the devastating storms for good. Oh's combination of gorgeous storytelling and extraordinary writing make this one memorable tale. —Farrah Penn

8. The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson

Katherine Tegen Books

One of YA's greatest writers heads to prom with this Carrie-esque story! Springville High is hosting the school's first integrated prom (a Band-Aid fix post a viral bullying video that revealed their racist roots). Maddy, who attends Springville, has always been an outcast at her school but is worried about becoming more of a target when it's revealed that she is biracial and has been passing as white to please her fanatical white father. Though it seems she's getting more of a normal life, even being asked to prom by the Black superstar quarterback (thanks to the convincing of his significant other, the white class president), the other secret that Maddy has been hiding is about to be unmasked at the dance. —Rachel Strolle

9. The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen by Isaac Blum

Philomel Books

It's always nerve-wracking to read a book that's supposed to represent you and your community, especially the aspects most people never see, but in my not-all-that-humble opinion, Blum absolutely nails it in his sharp, witty, insightful, and resonant fiction debut, in which nobody's thrilled with Orthodox Jewish teen Hoodie Rosen. He's fallen for the non-Jewish mayor's daughter (a negative on two counts), and that mayor and her town aren't exactly happy about the recent influx of Jewish residents, either. As antisemitic activity rises in response to the town's growing Jewish population, Hoodie has to figure out where he stands: with his heart or with his people. Being on the insider track for this one, I'll admit it's at times a deeply uncomfortable read, but only in the way the very best books are. —Dahlia Adler

10. The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas

Feiwel & Friends

Teo (a Jade semidiós, the trans son of Quetzal, goddess of birds) isn't worried about the Sunbearer Trials, where 10 semidióses are selected by Sol to compete to find a winner who carries light and life to the temples of Reino del Sol. After all, Teo's strong best friend Niya (daughter of Tierra, god of earth), and the powerful Aurelio are much more likely choices. Alas, when the time comes, Sol chooses Xio (child of Mala Suerte, god of bad luck) and Teo, leading to five mysterious trials they have to put their all into surviving. Because losing means being sacrificed to Sol. —Rachel Strolle

11. See You Yesterday by Rachel Lynn Solomon

Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers

Some of my favorite books are ones that immediately grab my attention with their high-stakes plot, laugh-out-loud banter, and lovably flawed characters, and Solomon strikes all of these chords with her spectacular time loop YA rom-com. Set set on the first day of college and sprinkled with speculative fiction, Barrett Bloom quickly realizes that she’s living her horrendous first day over and over again. But she soon discovers she’s not the only one reliving September 21. Miles, a boy in her physics 101 class, has been trapped for months, and the two polar opposites must team up if they want to have a chance at resetting the balance of the universe. Written with both humor and heart, Solomon does a phenomenal job of exploring identity, second first impressions, what it means to live with no consequences, and the complex uncertainty of the future. —Farrah Penn

12. Everyone Hates Kelsie Miller by Meredith Ireland

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

If you're in search of the perfect YA romcom with immaculate vibes and true joy and heart, consider this your "drop everything else on your TBR and make this book your entire personality" notice. Kelsie doesn't really understand why she's been ghosted by her best friend. Sure, Briana moved across the country, but that shouldn't mean they no longer even talk, right? Eric Mulvaney Ortiz has a similar problem. I mean, he doesn't seem like he has a lot of problems, as the homecoming king and captain of the football team and everything, but truthfully, his girlfriend Jessica is ghosting him. Determined to figure out the truth behind their lack of communication, despite the fact that Kelsie holds a special place of uber hatred in her heart for Eric, the two road trip to the University of Pennsylvania together since Briana and Jessica will both be there during the same week. —Rachel Strolle

13. Sense & Second-Degree Murder by Tirzah Price

HarperCollins

The Dashwood sisters are a bit unconventional for their time. Elinor aspires to become a chemist, Marianne plans to take over her father’s detective business one day, and young Margaret wants to be a writer. When their father dies and they discover poison in his teacup, the three team up to solve his murder. Elinor sets out to discover exactly what kind of poison had been slipped into his tea while Marianne interviews former clients for clues, and Margaret listens and writes down her ideas. Their top suspect is their brother John’s wife, Fanny. John inherited the house after their father died, and Fanny wasted no time kicking the Dashwood sisters and their mother out of the house and into a tiny rental in Cheapside. Clearly, she’d been longing for their father’s house. However, as the sisters investigate, more possible suspects arise, and both Elinor and Marianne find themselves falling in love with two of the suspects. Compelling, funny, and feminist, Price’s Jane Austen YA mystery retellings are just an absolute blast to read. I enjoyed this one just as much as the first book in the series, Pride and Premeditation. —Margaret Kingsbury

14. Some Mistakes Were Made by Kristin Dwyer

HarperTeen

Dwyer’s debut novel is one of those mesmerizing stories that sinks into your bones, impossible to put down until you’ve finished. Come for the angst; stay for the yearning. Told in both past and present timelines, we’re introduced to Ellis, who has just graduated high school halfway across the country, far from the familiarities of her old life, including her childhood friend Easton. The two haven't spoken in over a year. When Ellis receives an invitation to return to the life she was forced to leave behind, she takes it even though she’ll have to confront her messy past with Easton, the boy who once captured her heart. Through her captivating prose and achingly lyrical writing, Dwyer tells a story of found family, of privilege and opportunity, of what it means when the people who are supposed to show up for you leave. It’s a gorgeous reminder that we are deserving of love despite our messy, complex mishandling of it at times. —Farrah Penn

15. The Summer of Bitter and Sweet by Jen Ferguson

Heartdrum

Rare is the author who can navigate from sweet romance to anti-Indigenous bigotry and back with the seamless talent of debut author Ferguson, whose lovely, powerful, and carefully crafted story of a half-Metis, half-white girl named Lou is one of the most achingly resonant books you'll read all year. Lou deeply regrets the move that drove off her best friend, King, years earlier. So when he returns just as Loui's grappling with both her father's release from prison and her own struggle to understand her lack of sexual feelings toward the boyfriend who's pressuring her, she's desperate to bring him back into her fold. But as both Lou's father's demands and Lou's feelings toward King mess with her head and her heart, it'll take a lot of digging for Lou to figure out how to forge a safe and happy path forward. —Dahlia Adler

16. How to Excavate a Heart by Jake Maia Arlow

HarperTeen

Described as a “sapphic Jewish twist on the classic Christmas enemies-to-lovers rom-com,” How to Excavate a Heart more than delivers on this promise. While Shani’s mom is dropping her off in D.C. for her winter paleoicthyology internship, she almost hits a pedestrian. Shani meets May, the pedestrian her mom almost injured, days later while walking dogs to make some extra cash. Sparks fly, romance blossoms, and Shani finds herself asking if a fling is worth jeopardizing everything she’s worked so hard for in college. Delightful from start to finish, this is a perfect cozy holiday romance if you’re looking for a book to cuddle up with by the fire. —David Vogel

17. Self-Made Boys by Anna-Marie McLemore

Feiwel Friends

The inimitable McLemore remixes The Great Gatsby as you've never seen it before, with the role of Nick now occupied by 17-year-old trans boy Nicolás Caraveo, a Wisconsin transplant who rents a house in West Egg from his cousin, Daisy. Nick's immediately thrown to realize that Daisy has whitewashed herself beyond recognition, branding herself as Daisy Fay and happily playing the part of society girl on her boyfriend Tom's arm. But he's even more stunned by her neighbor, a fellow trans boy named Jay Gatsby, whose ostentatious parties seem entirely designed to lure Daisy out of Tom's arms and into his. It's brutal for Nick to witness on so many levels, not least because he wants his neighbor for himself. Intriguing, clever, aching, and thoughtful, Self-Made Boys has plenty love for both fans of the original and those new to the story. —Dahlia Adler

18. I'm The Girl by Courtney Summers

Wednesday Books

A tense and timely thriller, I’m the Girl follows the story of Georgia, who stumbles upon the dead body of town “bad girl” Ashley James, setting off a chain of events that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Georgia teams up with Ashley’s older sister, Nora, to solve the mystery of what happened that night, and the truth ends up being more twisted than anyone could have imagined. Courtney Summers is a master of suspense, keeping the plot moving along quickly, while deftly commenting on the trauma young girls face in a world that treats them as objects and ignores their cries for help. (Trigger warning: Sexual assault, violence, murder.) —David Vogel

19. We Deserve Monuments by Jas Hammonds

Roaring Brook Press

Senior year brings unexpected changes for Avery, namely in the form of a move from DC to the Georgia home of her terminally ill grandmother, Mama Letty. As tensions rise in their living situation — past drama between mom and Mama Letty that neither will talk about — Avery grows closer to Simone, the next door neighbor, and Jade, the daughter of the most prominent family in town. With so many truths hidden beneath the surface — what happened between the women in Avery's life, Jade's mothers unsolved murder, the racist history of the town — she'll need to decide if she wants to dissolve the delicate relationships she has begun to build to unbury the past. An absolute must read. —Rachel Strolle

20. Nine Liars by Maureen Johnson

Katherine Tegen Books

Fans of Johnson's Truly Devious series are in for a serious treat with the fifth installment, which is unquestionably my favorite one since the killer series opener. It brings Stevie and the gang to London, where her boyfriend, David, has managed to secure them all a place to stay at his school for a week. Of course, Stevie's promptly dropped into a cold case, this one brought ot her by David's far-too-close-for-Stevie's-comfort friend Izzy. As the book alternates between Stevie in the now and the group of nine friends who attempted to spend a wonderful break together in 1995 only for two to end up brutally murdered, it's clear one of the "friends" wasn't so friendly once upon a time, and if Stevie can't figure it out, the killer may strike again. Johnson once again combines an edge-of-your-seat mystery with a cast you'll love to hang out with, and while I won't talk about that ending, I will warn you that you'll be clamoring for Stevie's return ASAP. —Dahlia Adler

21. Nothing Burns as Bright as You by Ashley Woodfolk

Versify

Mark my words, this is one of the best books of 2022. It begins with a fire. In the hours that follow, the history of the friendship of two girls and the precariousness of feelings and reciprocation between them unspool in stunning verse that will leave you breathless. —Rachel Strolle

22. She Gets the Girl by Alyson Derrick and Rachael Lippincott

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

If this is how it reads when a couple in love writes a couple in love, then bring on all the author couples writing romance. The pair's first cowriting venture is a sweet and hilarious college-set rom-com about an unlikely pair of girls who make a pact to help each other land their girls. Alex is hot, a player, and no stranger to seeking an escape, but she isn't trying to escape Natalie, even if she can't say those three little words back. Molly is shy, anxious, and has no idea how to make friends, especially since her mom is her BFF. But Alex is convinced that if she can hook Molly up with her crush, then Natalie will have to see that Alex is way more good-hearted than she's given credit for, and everybody wins. But when Alex and Molly end up closer than either of them has ever been with anyone before, they'll have to acknowledge that both of them have more to give, if only they can each admit who the right person is. —Dahlia Adler

23. One for All by Lillie Lainoff

Farrar, Straus and Giroux

I could not be more excited about this novel, the first traditionally published book with a main character that has the same disability I do, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). The author also has POTS. Inspired by The Three Musketeers, the novel follows a group of girls who become the king's undercover musketeers in 17th century France. When Tania de Batz's father, a former musketeer, dies under mysterious circumstances, her mother sends her to what she believes is a women's finishing school in Paris. Having trained in sword fighting with her father for most of her life, she's very disappointed that she’s been sent to a women's school to learn manners. However, when she arrives at L'Académie des Mariées, she finds not a finishing school but a secret operation where girls like Tania are trained to become musketeers. At first, her only goal is to discover who murdered her father and bring him to justice. However, as she learns more about the other three girls training to be musketeers, she begins to find the support and encouragement she's always longed for and deserved. Her fellow musketeers become more than just a backdrop to revenge; they become her family. This YA novel is an action-packed, enthralling adventure with both disability and lesbian representation. The audiobook is narrated by actor Mara Wilson, who also has POTS. —Margaret Kingsbury

24. Man O' War by Cory McCarthy

Dutton Books for Young Readers

River is on the annual field trip to Sea Planet, the nearly out-of-business marine life theme park in their small Ohio town. A chance encounter with a happy, healthy queer person leads River toward a discovery: while they might know who they've been told to be, they aren't sure who they really are. As they fall into a new understanding of themself, and also fall in love, everything is going to change. —Dahlia Adler

25. This Rebel Heart by Katherine Locke

Knopf Books for Young Readers

Locke's path of lyrical and magical devastation continues through mid-20th-century Europe with their newest YA novel, which follows a Hungarian Jewish girl named Csilla in the aftermath of the post-WWII Soviet takeover of her country and murder of her parents. Csilla and her aunt, the lone survivors of their family, have plans to escape, but Csilla can't leave the only home she's ever known without giving it one last chance to embrace her. Inspired by a successful protest in Poland, she and her new friends (who happen to include an angel of death named Azriel) use her position at the newspaper to make their voices heard, spurring a movement that promises to create change in Hungary forever. But is it truly enough to give Csilla and her people a home? Or is she only delaying the inevitable? Diaspora readers in particular will undoubtedly relate to this gorgeously poetic and heartbreaking tale of living in a place that may not love you back. —Dahlia Adler

26. The Ghosts of Rose Hill by R.M. Romero

Peachtree Teen

This lovely YA novel-in-verse is full of magic and Slavik fairy tales. Ilana Lopez, a Jewish biracial Latina, just wants to play violin, but her parents want her to concentrate on school and choose a practical profession. To help her concentrate on her schoolwork over the summer, Ilana’s father sends her to her aunt’s home in Prague without her violin. In Prague, Ilana discovers an abandoned Jewish cemetery and decides to clean it. There she meets Benjamin, a ghost that haunts the cemetery, and a man with a violin no one else but the ghosts see. When the man gifts Ilana the violin, she plays better than ever before, but she senses something isn’t quite right, especially when she notices the ghost of a young girl slowly withering away. —Margaret Kingsbury

27. Home Field Advantage by Dahlia Adler

Wednesday Books

Adler's sapphic YA romance is an absolute delight. It's a heartfelt story layered with the thoughtful complexity of embracing your sexual identity and will have you rooting for both of these ambitious teens. Set in the small town of Atherton, Florida, Amber McCloud dreams of making cheer captain next year. Jack (short for Jaclyn) is new to Atherton and is set on being the best quarterback she can be, but her misogynistic classmates and teammates don't make things easy for her — especially since she's replaced Robbie, the QB who was tragically killed in a car accident. But as we get inside the heads of these two characters from dual POVs, we slowly find them falling for each other. —Farrah Penn

28. If You Could See the Sun by Ann Liang

Inkyard Press

This jaw-dropping debut might be about invisibility, but I hope to see it everywhere because it is just so deliciously thrilling. It's one thing to feel invisible at your boarding school...it's another to actually become invisible. Alice is not just content to fade away, however, deciding instead to use her newfound ability to her advantage. To earn enough money for her tuition, since her parents can no longer afford it, she decides to become an information gatherer, discovering scandals and secrets her fellow students might want to keep hidden, for a price. —Rachel Strolle

29. The Drowned Woods by Emily Lloyd-Jones

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

This queer-normative fantasy heist novel based on the Welsh myth of Cantre'r Gwaelod is an absolute blast, the kind of book perfect for long plane rides or rainy weekends because you're going to want to read it in one go. 18-year-old Mer is the last living water diviner. Purchased as a child by a tyrannical king, she's taught how to be a spy and an assassin by the king's spymaster, who becomes her surrogate father. When the king uses Mer to enact a horrific, genocidal scheme, she flees the castle. The king's spymaster tracks her down working as a barmaid in a remote village, but instead of taking her back to the king, he offers her a job: help him destroy the king's source of power — a magical pool created by the Tylwyth Teg. Unfortunately, the pool is protected by flooded wells and magical traps. To succeed, the two gather a group intent on either destroying the king or making some cash: a man cursed by the Tylwyth Teg who cannot be defeated in battle, his delightful magic-sniffing corgi, the head spymaster's daughter and Mer's former lover, a magic historian, and a man with more reason to hate the king than anyone. While this novel is set in the same world as The Bone Houses, it's a stand-alone. Narrated by Moira Quirk, the audiobook is fantastic. —Margaret Kingsbury

30. From Dust, A Flame by Rebecca Podos

Balzer + Bray

Hannah and her older brother Gabe have spent their entire childhoods moving from place to place, their mother constantly uprooting them with little explanation. They’ve grown used to the moves, but 17-year-old Hannah is fed up with them. She wants to stay in one school and work on acquiring the references and grades she needs to be accepted into a prestigious college. Instead, on the day after her 17th birthday, her eyes turn into wolfish slits. Another day she wakes with horns, and another wings sprout from her back. This is, most decidedly, not normal. Her mother abandons Hannah and Gabe with cryptic words about needing to find a specialist to fix Hannah, but when months pass without her return, and after they receive a letter telling them of the death of a grandmother they never knew, they decide to leave their apartment hideout and investigate this unknown family for answers into Hannah’s strange transformations. They find a world full of Jewish folklore and stories derived from ancestral trauma and familial love. Riveting and magical, this novel beautifully explores family, identity, queerness, storytelling, and so much more. The audiobook narrated by Hope Newhouse is lovely. —Margaret Kingsbury

31. Lakelore by Anna-Marie McLemore

Feiwel Friends

This lovely YA contemporary fantasy centers two neurodiverse trans nonbinary Mexican American teens. Bastián, who has ADHD, creates alebrijes (Mexican animal sculptures) to help calm their spinning thoughts and relieve their anxiety. However, their alebrijes come to populate Lakelore, the town’s lake, and form a magical landscape there. Lore, who has dyslexia, has just moved back to the town. After an incident with a bully when they were a child, they experienced the lake’s magic. Lore’s family has moved after a violent incident that haunts Lore and causes them PTSD. When the lake’s magic explodes and begins to haunt Bastián and Lore’s steps, the two must find a way to come to terms with their past traumas and embrace their unique ways of looking at the world. McLemore also describes their own dyslexia and ADHD in the book's back matter. —Margaret Kingsbury

32. M is for Monster by Talia Dutton

Harry N. Abrams

Half a year after the death of Frances' younger sister Maura, a creature called M rises from a slab. Though Frances had sworn to bring her sister back, M has none of Maura's memories and is trying to instead navigate her own future...if Frances can let go of Maura's past. This Frankenstein-y graphic novel investigates grief and self-determination through beautiful imagery. —Rachel Strolle

33. TJ Powar Has Something to Prove by Jesmeen Kaur Deo

Viking Books for Young Readers

TJ Powar and her cousin, Simran, were recently the subject of a meme. TJ, a pretty and popular debater, gets listed as the "expectation of dating an Indian girl," and Simran, who is Sikh and does not remove her body hair, listed as the "reality." So TJ decides to ditch her razors and waxing appointments and prove the point that she is still beautiful when being her hairy self. But with doubt setting in about her quest, even with a rival debater falling for her, the person she most needs to prove things to is herself. —Rachel Strolle

34. Squire by Sara Alfageeh and Nadia Shammas

Quill Tree Books

Dynamite art, dynamic storytelling, and a driven heroine await you in this graphic novel. Bayt-Sajji is on the brink of war. Aiza has always dreamt of becoming a knight, and now she's finally able to enlist in the training program to become a Squire. But to do so, she'll have to hide the fact that she is a member of the Ornu people, who are considered second-class citizens. As she makes her way through training, she realizes that there is a difference between the reasons they are told they fight and the actual motives of the people at the top, and the greater good might not be as good as they claim. —Rachel Strolle

35. Valiant Ladies by Melissa Grey

Feiwel Friends

Eustaquia “Kiki” de Sonza and Ana Lezama de Urinza are absolutely 100% proper young ladies in the 17th century. At least, by day. By night, they pass their time fighting with swords and muskets in the streets of Potosí, in the Spanish Empire's Viceroyalty of Peru, and, naturally, falling in love with each other. When Kiki's engagement to the Viceroy's son is announced, it's quickly overshadowed by her brother's murder, which she and Ana immediately set out to investigate. Grey is a master of character, and Kiki and Ana are two immediate favorites. —Rachel Strolle

The year is almost over, and we're looking back on 2022. Check out more from the year here!