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If you’re looking for your next five-star book recommendation, you don’t even need to get up from the couch; just open TikTok. When I first started reading my way through #BookTok’s favorite picks, I skipped over many of the “young adult” titles, thinking I was too old to enjoy them. I’m here to tell you now: that was a mistake. The world of YA books is deeply engaging, no matter your age.
Young-adult books are generally geared toward kids ages 12-18, but a Publisher’s Weekly survey in 2012 revealed that over half of YA readers are adults — and for good reason! YA books often center on “coming of age” plots, and they’re intense. Reading about teenagers navigating their way through the world and facing new challenges — whether it’s their first kiss or overthrowing a dystopian government — is fun and engrossing. Ahead, you’ll find 16 young-adult picks that TikTokers can’t get enough of, myself included.