Trends in Young Adult Books for 2019

Watching trends in young adult books is one of my favorite things to do. I keep a faithful eye on bestseller lists and industry publications to follow popular trends in YA books throughout the year.

YA book trends have changed so much since I started blogging back in 2012. Back then, everything was dominated by paranormal romance. Now in 2019, a wide variety of genres and trends are making an appearance.

If you’re making a reading, writing, or blogging plan for 2019, this list of YA book trends will come in handy.

From sci-fi to social issues, here are the trends in young adult books to watch for in 2019.

*This blog post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using my link, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you.

Want to save this post for later? Pin this image to your Pinterest board!

Trends in Young Adult Books for 2019

In this post, I’ve included both genre trends in YA books and overall trends in the young adult book market. Give my list a read and let me know of any other trends in YA books that you’ve spotted recently.

Diversity

Diversity in YA is more of a market shift than a trend. Trends are popular for a short time and eventually dwindle away. However, diversity is a movement that I don’t see ever slowing down or stopping.

More and more books are featuring characters of various backgrounds, ethnicity, religious beliefs, gender identity, and sexual orientation.

As the United States becomes more diverse, it only makes sense that our literature will too.

Check out Here to Stay by Sara Farizan, (Don’t) Call Me Crazy: 33 Voices Start the Conversation About Mental Health edited by Kelly Jensen, and In the Neighborhood of True by Susan Kaplan Carlton.

Reboots of Popular Series

One of the big trends in YA books I’ve noticed recently is the reboot of popular series. For example, look at the following:

• Brandon Mull’s Fablehaven reboot, Dragonwatch, has been a big success. The second book in the series, Wrath of the Dragon King, hit #1 on the New York Times bestseller list last year.
• Robin Lafevres is tapping back into her popular His Fair Assassin series with a new duology. The first book, Courting Darkness will be released in February 2019.
• Jennifer L. Armentrout is reviving her Lux universe with the new YA science-fiction romance, The Darkest Star.
• Another big YA reboot is the Inheritance Cycle series by Christopher Paolini. The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm is the first book in a new series set in the same world.

Darker and Grittier Stories

Whether you’re looking at fantasy and science fiction or mysteries and thrillers, there’s no question that YA book trends are shifting to darker and grittier stories. You’ll find f-bombs, graphic violence, spooky plots, and explicit sex in YA books now. With more and more adults reading YA, this trend isn’t really surprising.

Dark and gritty young adult books to read in 2019 include read A Room Away from the Wolves by Nova Ren Suma, How to Make Friends with the Dark by Kathleen Glasgow, Slayer by Kiersten White, and A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer.

YA for Adults

Over the past few years, authors and publishers started pushing boundaries in young adult literature. Now, you’ll find many YA characters aren’t teens, but adults dealing with adult issues in adult ways.

Publisher’s Weekly released this article about the confusion this trend in YA books has caused. With so many YA books aimed at an adult audience, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for parents and librarians to identify teen-appropriate books.

The large number of YA books crossing over into adult territory is causing a gap at the younger end of the category. Over the next few years, I think we’ll see some trends in young adult books shift younger to fill the need for teen-appropriate books.

Horror, Dark Fantasy, and Fairy Tales

Fantasy has always been popular with readers of teen literature. It should be no surprise that it’s one of the YA book trends to watch for in 2019. Recently, we’ve seen fantasy stories like Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi and The Lantern’s Ember by Colleen Houck push traditional boundaries and even cross genres into horror.

The Kingdom on Fire series by Jessica Cluess and The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert are also good examples of dark fantasy and fairy tales that border on horror.

Science Fiction

Science-fiction is one of the biggest trends in young adult books right now. In 2019, we’ll see deep-space thrillers, virtual reality adventures, and new spins on dystopian themes. Personally, I’m excited to dive into everything that the sci-fi genre has to offer this year.

Nyxia Uprising by Scott Reintgen, Girl Gone Viral by Arvin Ahmadi, and The Last Voyage of Poe Blythe by Ally Condie are just a few to watch for.

Brandon Sanderson

Can one author be a trend all by himself? Based on Brandon Sanderson’s insane popularity, it would appear so.

His new releases like Skyward and his backlist titles like the Mistborn series and Steelheart trilogy are favorites of YA readers right now. If you haven’t read anything by this YA author yet, now is the time to do so. The fact that he has such a large body of work to binge on is just icing on top of an already fantastic cake.

Thrillers and Mysteries

This is one of those trends in YA books that started slowly and gained momentum over time. Looking at books slated for publication in 2019, we can look forward to titles like Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M. McManus and Killing November by Adriana Mather.

Wilderness Survival Thrillers

I’ve noticed a stirring in the genre of wilderness survival thrillers for young adult readers. YA books like I Am Still Alive by Kate Alice Marshall, When I Am Through With You by Stephanie Kuehn, and Deadfall by Stephen Wallenfels have a small but dedicated fan base. While most books in this genre haven’t hit the bestseller lists yet, this is a trend in young adult books to pay attention to. I could see this trend gaining in popularity over the next few years.

Villains, Anti-Heroines, and Anti-Heroes

Apparently, I’m not the only one that loves a good villain. Stories told from the villain’s point of view are gaining in popularity. They bring something new to the table and give readers a unique reading experience. Check out popular Disney villains stories such as Mother Knows Best by Serena Valentino or Hocus Pocus and the All-New Sequel by A.W. Jantha.

Other YA books with a villain as the protagonist include Sea Witch by Sarah Henning, Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao, and Genuine Fraud by E. Lockhart.

Related post: Top 10 Best Disney Villains

Activism, Politics, and Social Issues

School shootings, racism, women’s rights, terrorism, and a heated political landscape have spurred the publication of books on these topics. The continued popularity of The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas and its movie adaptation also contributed to the rise in this genre.

Both fiction and nonfiction alike are very popular. So popular, in fact, that Penguin Random House published this interview about why this genre is so relevant for teens.

There’s no denying that political activism and social issues are important and timely trends in young adult books in 2019.

Notable books in this category: Nevertheless We Persisted by Amy Klobuchar (Forward), Glimmer of Hope by The March for Our Lives Founders, Shout by Laurie Halse Anderson, Let’s Go Swimming on Doomsday by Natalie C. Anderson, and Hearts Unbroken by Cynthia Leitich Smith.

What trends in young adult books have you noticed in 2019? Tell me about them in the comments!