Wow, August is almost over, and September’s lurking right around the corner. Goodbye warm temperatures and long summer days. Hello pumpkin spice and fall colors! With the weather scheduled to drop us into another long period of snow-ins and darkness, I’m already planning to curl up in front of my electric fireplace with a cup of hot chocolate and a good book. And – speaking of books (although aren't we always?) – here’s ten upcoming YA titles I’m super pumped for. From nerd summer campers to gender fluid thieves, from modern romances to future dystopias, from sports to feminist zines, there is literally something on this list for everyone. Or just, ya know, read them all. Like I will. I've organized them by release date (not due to any particular favoritism) so you can schedule your lives accordingly. Because we all schedule our lives around books. Right, team? Right? Guys?
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All Rights Reserved by Gregory Scott Katsoulis In a world where every word and gesture is copyrighted, patented, and trademarked, the moment you turn fifteen you must pay for every word you speak and every gesture you make. The very act of communicating brings crippling debt. And, when Speth’s best friend commits suicide rather than work as an indentured servant, Speth can’t express her horror without sending her family into financial ruin. So – rather than say anything at all – Speth vows to never speak again. This brave act of defiance threatens to destroy her, her family, and the world around her.
Release Date: August 29th, 2017 |
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Backfield Boys: A Football Mystery in Black and White by John Feinstein When freshman footballers Jason and Tom have the opportunity to attend an elite, sports-focused boarding school on full-ride scholarships, the best friends are thrilled for themselves and each other. But then, on their first day of practice, the coach makes Tom a receiver and Jason a quarterback. The problem? Tom is the quarterback while Jason is the wide-receiver. That’s how their partnership works. Why did this happen? You see, Tom is black. And Jason is white. Confronted with mounting evidence of racism and bias, the boys speak out. But will standing up for what’s right cost them their scholarships and the chance to play game they love? Release Date: August 29th, 2017 |
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Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller Featuring a gender fluid main character and a deadly contest, Mask of Shadows focuses on Sallot Leon, a thief. But this thief is auditioning for the position of the Left Hand – the Queen’s personal assassin. This audition is a chance for Sal to escape the drudgery of their life; however, it’s also a fight to the death. And surviving the audition brings Sal one step closer to the nobles who destroyed Sal's home and their real reason for auditioning: revenge. House of Cards meets Hunger Games in this thrilling tale of murderous court intrigue!
Release Date: August 29th, 2018 |
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The Border by Steve Schafer Pato, Marcos, Arbo, and Gladys are four Mexican teens celebrating a cousin's quinceanera with their friends and families. Until the shooting begins. Now, having seen the gunman, they are on the run from the deadly cartel that murdered everyone they care about. Staying in Mexico means certain death, so the four run for the U.S. border. Crossing the border might just be the end of them – if the desert doesn’t kill them first. Release Date: September 5th, 2017 |
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Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu Any teen who hates the public's fixation with school sports (*cough* football *cough* *cough*) will immediately emphasize with Vivian Charter. Viv is fed up with her school. Fed up with its obsession with football – an obsession that gives the male athletes a free pass to harass, bully, and just be wicked gross. So what does Viv, the daughter of a tough, punk-rock Riot Grrrl, do? Starts her own feminist zine! Distributed anonymously to combat the school’s sexist policies, Viv’s zine quickly starts a school wide revolution.
Release Date: September 19, 2017 |
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We Can’t Be Friends by Cyndy Etler Sequel to The Dead Inside. If you haven’t read Etler’s real-life, personal narrative of her time in Straight, Inc. – a horrifically abusive cult disguised as a drug rehab clinic for runaway teens – then go read it now! Where The Dead Inside ends, We Can’t Be Friends begins. Released from her abusers, Cyndy finds herself back at her old high school. But how do you adjust to normal life after you’ve experienced the things Cyndy experienced? An honest tale of strength, recovery, and trauma, We Can’t Be Friends is the story of how Cyndy survived. Release Date: October 3rd, 2017 |
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Rosemarked by Livia Blackburne A plague. A war. A nurse and a soldier. After Zivah falls prey to the deadly rose plague, she is sent to live out the remainder of her days in isolation. There, her path intertwines with Dineas, a broken solider with a thirst for revenge. Together, they embark on a high stakes mission to take down the cruel Amparan Empire and find themselves grappling with a mutual attraction that could ruin everything. Perfect for fans of the Divergent series!
Release Date: November 7th, 2017 |
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Not Now, Not Ever by Lily Anderson Elliot Gabaroche isn’t going to spend this summer on an Air Force base, and she certainly isn’t going to sit through her stepmother’s community theater play production. She is going to summer camp! Specifically a cut-throat academic-decathlon competition-like summer camp for a chance to win a full scholarship to Rayevich College (the only college with a Science Fiction Literature program). And Elliot is willing to fight other genius nerds to the death for a shot at her dreams! Even if her family considers them a complete waste of time.
Release Date: November 21st, 2017 |
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This Heart of Mine by C.C. Hunter Matt refuses to believe his twin brother killed himself, no matter what everyone whispers behind his back. He’s determined to solve the mystery of his brother’s death by himself… until he meets Leah MacKenzie. A girl, who until recently, was heartless – an artificial heart in a backpack keeping her alive. Until a donor became available, Matt's brother. And ever since Leah recieved her new heart transplant she’s been having strange dreams… Dreams that could lead to the truth Matt so desperately seeks.
Release Date: February 27th, 2018 |
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Children of Blood and Bone: The Orïsha Legacy by Tomi Adeyemi At 23 years old, Harvard University graduate and Nigerian-American writer Tomi Adeyemi landed one of the biggest YA publishing deals every with her upcoming trilogy Children of Blood and Bone. Set in the West African kingdom of Orïsha, an cruel monarchy targets and kills all maji – leaving Zélie Adebola's civilization in ruins and her people without hope. Now, Zélie has one chance to bring magic back to her people and destroy the ruthless king that killed her mother and her culture. With a movie already in development, Children of Blood and Bone is set to become one of the most popular YA fantasy releases of 2018!
Release Date: March 6th, 2018 |
Why am I recommending books released yesterday and all the way until 2018? Well, Game of Thrones isn't back until 2019 and Teen Wolf is over, so what else do you have to look forward to? Mark your calenders, place your holds, and be the first to borrow one of these bad boys from your local library. Don't forget to let us know what you think in the comments below!
Happy reading, readers!
- Rachael
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