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While the fantasy genre spans all ages in literature, it particularly stands out in YA, for readers who still work their imaginations overtime and dare to dream of fantastical elements coming to life. We’ve rounded up these exciting titles full of both fantasy and romance. Make sure you clear your calendar, because you’ll want to binge read each and every one of these page-turning stories.
Here are the best YA books coming out in 2022>>
The Bone Spindle by Leslie Vedder
Fi would much rather solve a riddle than start a romance. However, prince Briar Rose has been asleep and under a spell for a hundred years, waiting for a magical kiss that will awaken him from his slumber. Curses are nothing new to Fi, and she never gave them much thought—until she pricked her finger on a bone spindle during a treasure hunt. Now, Fi has the spirit of Briar Rose running through her veins, and the thought of falling in love with him shakes her to the core. With black magic and witch hunters in her path, will she be able to save the prince and preserve her heart along the way?
A Court of Honey and Ash by Shannon Mayer & Kelly St. Clare
Alli is not your average twenty-four-year-old. Orphaned at a young age and trained to fight, this half-human is tough and will do anything to save her people. Even though she’s harboring a secret crush on a man who doesn’t return the sentiment, she won’t let that get in her way of feeling like things are finally looking up for her. That is, until Underhill, the ancestral home of the fae, crumbles, and she is the only one who knows the truth behind it. As chaos takes over her community, she faces the dilemma of keeping her secret or letting everything she knows be destroyed right before her eyes.
Legendborn by Tracy Deon
Bree Matthews escapes to a residential program for bright high schoolers at UNC-Chapel Hill after her mother dies in an accident. And her very first night on campus is a magical one, literally. She witnesses what can only be described as a flying demon feeding on human energies, being hunted down by a secret society of students called “Legendborn,” and encounters a mysterious teenage mage who calls himself a “Merlin” and attempts to wipe Bree’s memory of everything she saw. His attempt doesn’t erase her memory of magic, but instead unlocks Bree’s own unique magic and a buried memory with a hidden connection. Now, Bree is going to do whatever it takes to find out the truth even if it means infiltrating the Legendborn as one of their initiates. But when the Legendborn reveal themselves as the descendants of King Arthur’s knights and explain that a magical war is coming, Bree has to decide how far she’ll go for the truth and whether she should use her magic to take the society down—or join the fight.
Dellia by David Scidmore
Jon was always a simple man, looking for a partner to enjoy the little things with. On what would be an otherwise ordinary day, a life-altering accident transports him from his humdrum activity right into a world filled with obstacles. Faced with strange phenomena, frightening creatures, and many other things he can’t understand, he must find a way to navigate through this new world in order to return to his home. However, things get further complicated when the council of this foreign land sends Dellia to investigate Jon’s arrival. When the two start to fall for each other, there may be no way out for Jon.
Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo
Nikolai Lantsov has got his work cut out for him. As the wolves start to circle, this young king knows that he has to muster up as much courage and charm as possible if he has a chance to win this battle. With Fjerda’s giant army about to invade and a dark cloud looming overhead, he knows that this is truly life or death. But he’s not the only one who has something to lose. Zoya has already lived through war and is determined not to go down without a fight, while Nina is on a mission to get revenge. These three must come together for their nation or watch the entire empire fall.
Forest of Souls by Lori M. Lee
She trained for years to become the queen’s next royal spy, but when shamans attack and kill her best friend, Sirscha Ashwyn will do something unexpected: restoring Saengo back to life. Unveiled as the first soulguide in living memory, Sirscha is summoned to the domain of the Spider King. He has influence over the Dark Wood, an ancient forest possessed by souls. Now, with the trees growing wild and untamed, only a soulguide can restrain them. As war looms, Sirscha must master her newly awakened abilities before the trees shatter the brittle peace, or worse, claim Saengo, the friend she would die for.
A Shadow in the Ember by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Sera was born into this world to do the deeds of others. And because of a deal her ancestor made, she has no choice but to trade in her life in exchange for offering herself to the Primal of Death as his spouse. But underneath it all lies another secret, and this one is sinister. Her goal is to make him fall for her, and as soon as he weakens to her powers, she will assassinate him. Sera is on a mission to destroy him, but when she sees another side and begins to enjoy his company, she starts to second guess everything she knows and wonders if she can change the course of this curse.
The North Wind by Alexandria Warwick
Long before Earth became civilized, the Anemoi existed. Also known as the Four Winds, they were banished to the world’s four corners. With no parents or guidance of any kind, all Wren of Englewood has only ever known survival, never experiencing any sort of love. For the last three hundred years, the Gray has been covered in a protective shield of ice called the Shade. But each day, it weakens, leaving room for an inevitable invasion. The only way to stop the fall of the Shade is by a woman being taken to be the Frost King’s bride. But will this be what it takes to finally melt his heart and let true love rule?
Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
When his traditional Latinx family has problems accepting his true gender, Yadriel becomes determined to prove himself a real brujo. With some help from his cousin and best friend Maritza, he performs the ritual himself, and then sets out to find the ghost of his murdered cousin and set it free. However, the ghost he summons turns out to be Julian Diaz, the school’s resident bad boy, and Julian is not about to go quietly into death. He’s determined to find out what happened and tie off loose ends before he leaves. Left with no choice, Yadriel agrees to help Julian, so that they can both get what they want. But the longer Yadriel spends with Julian, the less he wants to let him leave.
Chosen Blood by S. Lawrence
Imagine a world where angels and demons not only exist together, but also alongside mortals. When seven Archangels decide to leave Heaven and create families with humans, all hell breaks loose. When disgruntled angels begin to use their powers to kill innocent people, the demons start getting involved. All Lillian wants is to escape her personal hell, but when her hidden identity is revealed, a war ensues. Although Torryn resides in Hell, she reigns as Lucifer’s Princess. It won’t be long before things come to a head and divide good from evil, angels from demons, and mortal from immortal.
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
Everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, Zélie is left without a mother, and her people without hope. With the help of a rogue princess, it is up to Zélie to bring back magic, strike against the monarch, and protect herself from her growing powers and feelings for the enemy.
The Last Lumenian by S.G. Blaise
Lilla is not your average princess; she doesn’t need to be saved. In fact, Lilla spends her days fighting for the freedom of refugees. Even though her father is the king, he’s failed to rule fairly since her mother passed away. When a powerful Teryn general named Callum comes to town, Lilla finds herself in even more turmoil. Torn between this new guy and her feelings for fellow rebel Arrov, she is completely taken off guard. As the walls start to close in on Lilla, she is unsure which way to turn. Relying on magic and love, even if she doesn’t want to, she must find a way to destroy the Archgod of Chaos for good.
Teaching the King by D.D. Chance
For many years, the Hogan witches were contracted to teach the High King of the Fae magic. But the witches were not happy about this arrangement and were able to escape. But now, there’s a new king on the throne. Not only is he breathtakingly handsome, but he’s irate and seeking revenge on the witches. He’s got a target on Belle Hogan’s back and is trying to force her back into the contract. However, Belle is determined to stand up for her freedom and all that her family fought for, even if she has a soft spot for this devilishly good-looking new king.
The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen
Lara is a warrior princess trained in isolation to believe that King Aren, ruler of the Bridge Kingdom, is her sworn enemy and that she will be the one to destroy him. The Bridge Kingdom is the only way through the storm-ravaged land, including Lara’s home, and the king takes advantage of this real estate. Lara will do anything to take back control and disguises herself as his new bride. However, as she learns more about the ongoing war and the importance of the bridge, she starts to question everything, including her genuine feelings for King Aren.
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