There was an enormous rise in popularity for reading in 2021. In fact, YA (Young Adult) books saw 8 million units sold in 2021, causing the popularity of the genre to rise to 60% overall, according to publishingperspectives.com. 2022 is expected to continue this surge, especially with the support that reading gets from creators on social media platforms. With all the hype surrounding reading this past year, what will be on everyone’s “To Be Read” list in 2022?

Social media is one aspect that has fueled the growth of book popularity. Although they’ve been around for centuries, books gained leeway especially through “BookTok,” a community within TikTok where people share their reactions to books, funny stories, skits, and book recommendations.

Senior Francesca Cumello, the president of Overbooked, Centennial’s book club, also credits Gen-Z’s increased love of books to at-home isolation that has pushed many people to begin reading. “In the past [two] years, a lot more people have gotten into reading because of an abundance of free time. YA as a whole has definitely become more popular, and I think we can expect this to continue,” she said. However, she also expects specific genres to be on the rise, since “there are many book-to-screen adaptations in the making based on sci-fi and fantasy series.” 

Sophomore Yeseo Lim, who has over 200 books on her reading list for the upcoming year, expects that “romance and fantasy books will continue to rise in popularity during 2022 due to their positive reputation on social media platforms.”

Goodreads, a popular book community website, announced their list of the Best Books of 2021, and among the top were Crying in H-Mart by Michelle Zauner, People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry, and Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid. With these lists out there, readers are sure to find a book for the new year to pique their interest. According to Readbrightly.com, the most anticipated YA books of 2022 include The Bone Spindle by Leslie Vedder, which is “described as a retelling of Sleeping Beauty crossed with Indiana Jones. Sounds interesting to me!” stated Cumello. 

Retellings seem like they could be the latest book trend in 2022. Melissa de la Cruz, who wrote the books for the Descendants series, which was Disney Channel’s #1 cable TV movie in 2015, is launching her latest book, Cinder and Glass as well. The novel is set to be a retelling of the classic Cinderella story, but with a few twists, including a love triangle. The murder and thriller genres that became especially popular in 2021 could see more attraction in 2022 as well.  A Night to Die For by Lisa Schroeder is also on the Readbrightly list. The novel is a murder mystery told through the lense of a loner on prom night, and received 4.33 stars on Goodreads. 

With the endless book selection that will soon be available in bookstores and libraries this year, there is sure to be the perfect book for any reader in 2022.

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