New Contemporary YA Books | Spring 2025

This is the year of YA contemporary books you need to read. You won’t want to miss these new contemporary YA books of spring 2025. Which new release are you adding to your TBR? Let us know in the comments below!

New Contemporary YA Books in Hardcover | Spring 2025

All the Bright Places Collector's Edition

All the Bright Places Collector's Edition

The #1 New York Times bestselling love story about two teens who find each other while standing on the edge. Exclusive bonus content, a letter from the author and a gorgeous new cover make this special collector’s edition a must-have for fans.

Dear Manny

Dear Manny

From the New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin comes the thrilling final installment of the series, set in college. Jared (white, Justyce’s roommate, woke) is running for Junior class president. With his antiracism platform, he’s a shoo-in. But he’s up against the new girl, Dylan. Will Jared have to choose between his head and his heart?

A Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe

A Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe

In this poignant mixed voice, mixed form collection of interconnected prose, poems and stories, teen characters, their families, and their communities grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic. Amidst fear and loss, these New York City teens prevail with love, resilience and hope. From the award-winning author of Chlorine Sky and Vinyl Moon.

Grief, pain, hope, and love collide in this short story collection.

Every Borrowed Beat

Every Borrowed Beat

A romance that takes an unflinching look at not only the realities of heart failure, but at memory, grief, guilt, and what it means to live—in a “poignant yet funny” (Booklist) read that’s “alternately heart-wrenching and heartwarming” (Kirkus)–from the award-winning author of The Words We Keep

What if the heart that saved your life also held the secrets of another’s?

True Life in Uncanny Valley

True Life in Uncanny Valley

From the acclaimed author of A Heart in a Body in the World comes the gripping story of a girl living a lie in order to find the truth about her family and herself.

New Contemporary YA Books in Paperback | Spring 2025

Plan A

Plan A

A sixteen-year-old girl’s road trip across the country to get an abortion becomes a transformative journey of vulnerability, strength, and above all, choice. From the acclaimed author of A Heart in a Body in the World, this is both an achingly tender love story and a bold, badly needed battle cry about bodily autonomy and the experiences that connect us.

My Father, the Panda Killer

My Father, the Panda Killer

A poignant coming-of-age story told in two alternating voices: a California teenager railing against the Vietnamese culture, juxtaposed with her father as an eleven-year-old boat person on a harrowing and traumatic refugee journey from Vietnam to the United States.

These Bodies Between Us

These Bodies Between Us

A wistful coming-of-age story with a haunting twist about four friends who spend their summer learning to become invisible—but disappearing comes at a cost.

What's Eating Jackie Oh?

What's Eating Jackie Oh?

A Korean American teen tries to balance her dream to become a chef with the cultural expectations of her family when she enters the competitive world of a TV cooking show. A hilarious and heartfelt YA novel from the award-winning author of Imposter Syndrome and Other Confessions of Alejandra Kim and Re Jane.

Bright Red Fruit

Bright Red Fruit

An unflinching, honest novel in verse about a teenager’s journey into the slam poetry scene and the dangerous new relationship that could threaten all her dreams. From the award-winning poet and author of Home Is Not a Country.

Ariel Crashes a Train

Ariel Crashes a Train

Exploring the harsh reality of OCD and violent intrusive thoughts in stunning, lyrical writing, this novel-in-verse conjures a haunting yet hopeful portrait of a girl on the edge.

The Last Boyfriends Rules for Revenge

The Last Boyfriends Rules for Revenge

A queer coming-of-age about three teenage boys in small town Alabama who set out to get revenge on their ex-boyfriends and end up starting a student rebellion. Perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli and Jason June!

The Notes

The Notes

A reserved Chinese American teen at a Southern performing arts boarding school comes into her own under the tutelage of a glamorous new piano teacher. A moving coming-of-age-novel from a debut novelist about first love, adolescent angst, and academic pressures.

Enjoy this contemporary YA books Spring 2025 reading list? Find more reading lists here and get social with us at @getunderlined!

footer bg
Underlined