My 5 Fave YA Books of 2022 + Book Giveaway!

It’s that time of year again–I’m going to tell you about the top five favorite young adult books that I read in 2022! And as is my new tradition, I’ll also be giving away one of those books to a lucky reader! Honestly, I look forward to writing this post all year long. Why? I guess I just love sharing about good books. 🙂

This year, I read some amazing stories which included three beta reads of unpublished books written by friends, my #roguementor mentee’s book (Hi, Carly!), several adult (as in non-YA) books, and of course plenty of YA. My reads included some very well known books such as The Maid by Nita Prose and Midnight Library by Matthew Haig, as well as some lesser known books, some of which blew my socks off! Genres read included romance, memoir, contemporary, suspense, mystery, thriller, sci-fi, and even a literary historical southern gothic (which you may have heard me talking about recently!).

In all, I read 28 books and DNF’d probably about 10 books. I’m currently reading Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover which I may very well finish before the year is out. So far, I must say that it’s living up to the hype.

However, the purpose of this post is to shout about my FIVE FAVORITE YA BOOKS of the year, so let’s get to it! I’ll be listing them in the order in which I read them. And of course, don’t forget about the BOOK GIVEAWAY at the end!

1.) That Weekend by Kara Thomas

2022 started off with a banger of a book for me. That Weekend is a fast-paced thriller that hooked me from the very first chapter. Tightly-written, intricately-plotted, and filled with twists I never saw coming, this is a near-perfect example of what a thriller should be. In fact, I read it in a matter of days. Here’s the blurb:

THREE BEST FRIENDS, A LAKE HOUSE, A SECRET TRIP — WHAT COULD GO WRONG?

It was supposed to be the perfect prom weekend getaway. But it’s clear something terrible happened when Claire wakes up alone and bloodied on a hiking trail with no memory of the past forty-eight hours.

Now everyone wants answers–most of all, Claire. She remembers Friday night, but after that . . . nothing. And now Kat and Jesse–her best friends–are missing.

What happened on the mountain? And where are Kat and Jesse? Claire knows the answers are buried somewhere in her memory. But as she’s learning, everyone has secrets–even her best friends. And she’s pretty sure she’s not going to like what she remembers.

2.) For All Time by Shanna Miles

Have you ever read a book that made you just stop and savor certain lines? For All Time is one of those books. In fact, because of this book, I began jotting down beautiful book lines in a new notebook that was gifted to me by a writing friend last Christmas. Alternating between two characters living in multiple time periods, this is truly a love story for the ages. It’s also one of the most unique books I’ve ever read. Here’s the blurb:

Tamar is a musician, a warrior, a survivor. Fayard? He’s a pioneer, a hustler, a hopeless romantic.

Together, Tamar and Fayard have lived a thousand lives, seen the world build itself up from nothing only to tear itself down again in civil war. They’ve even watched humanity take to the stars. But in each life one  thing remains the same: their love and their fight to be together. One love story after another. Their only concern is they never get to see how their story ends. Until now.

When they finally discover what it will take to break the cycle, will they be able to make the sacrifice?

3.) The Forgetting by Sharon Cameron

I chose this audiobook on a whim while making a 7-hour road trip this past summer. The Forgetting is a dystopian novel (remember those?!) from a few years back and it has such a unique premise. I often have trouble paying attention to audiobooks, but this was one that held me captive. The imagery and world building were just so interesting. Plus, there’s a nice little romance, and you guys know I’m a sucker for romance! It’s then first part of a duology, and I wouldn’t mind reading the next book either. Here’s the blurb:

What isn’t written, isn’t remembered. Even your crimes. Nadia lives in the city of Canaan, where life is safe and structured, hemmed in by white stone walls and no memory of what came before. But every twelve years the city descends into the bloody chaos of the Forgetting, a day of no remorse, when each person’s memories — of parents, children, love, life, and self — are lost. Unless they have been written. In Canaan, your book is your truth and your identity, and Nadia knows exactly who hasn’t written the truth. Because Nadia is the only person in Canaan who has never forgotten. But when Nadia begins to use her memories to solve the mysteries of Canaan, she discovers truths about herself and Gray, the handsome glassblower, that will change her world forever. As the anarchy of the Forgetting approaches, Nadia and Gray must stop an unseen enemy that threatens both their city and their own existence — before the people can forget the truth. And before Gray can forget her.

4.) Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter

Ever since this book came out in 2021, I’ve heard nothing but good things about it. And please take a good look at the cover of Better Than the Movies. It’s absolutely adorable! So when I saw it at B&N a few months back, I snatched it right up. It definitely did not disappoint. The banter between main character, Liz, and her love interest, Wes, is so fun, and I just love how the romance played out. Here’s the blurb: