In the Country I Love by Alaa Al-Barkawi (Peachtree Teen)
Zoie Konneker at Peachtree Teen has bought In the Country I Love by debut author Alaa Al-Barkawi, a multi-POV contemporary YA novel that explores the complexities of friendship, grief, and family through the story of two Iraqi American best friends—a teen single father whose Shia Muslim faith has lapsed and the community's devout golden boy—before, during, and after a crime that will alter their lives and unearth dark truths their families have worked to keep hidden. Publication is set for summer 2026; Jenissa Graham at BookEnds Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Victoria Dare and the Blood of Kings by Josh Roberts (Owl Hollow Press)
Hannah Smith at Owl Hollow Press has acquired world English rights to Victoria Dare and the Blood of Kings, a historical YA fantasy pitched as Indiana Jones meets The Diviners, by Josh Roberts (The Witches of Willow Cove). In 1939, when the world is on the brink of war, 16-year-old Victoria Dare accompanies her father on an excavation to uncover a lost Egyptian tomb, where she is drawn into a plot involving Nazi occultists, Bolshevik assassins, and a mysterious figure her psychic friend calls "The Shrouded Man." Publication is set for spring 2026; Becky LeJeune at Bond Literary Agency brokered the two-book deal.
The Game of Oaths by S.C. Bandreddi (Candlewick)
S.C. Bandreddi's debut THE GAME OF OATHS, set in a Belle Epoque Paris magical circus led by a ruthless enchanteur, where each year, 12 members must participate in a brutal tournament watched by the city's elite; following a young trapeze artist whose sister died in the previous year's games, and this year, she is out for revenge, to Lindsay Warren at Candlewick, and to Emily McDonnell at Walker UK, for publication in May 2026, by Catherine Cho at Paper Literary (world).
Queer and How We Got Here by Hazel Newlevant (Little, Brown) - YA graphic non-fiction, moved from 2024, new release year announced on author instagram.
Andrea Colvin at Little, Brown has bought, in an exclusive submission, world rights to YA graphic nonfiction book Queer and How We Got Here by Hazel Newlevant, in which the author blends their personal story of coming out with explorations of important moments from queer history to draw a parallel between the growth of a community and the growth of the author's personal identity. Publication is planned for early 2024; Tanya McKinnon at McKinnon Literary handled the deal.
May 1st
Stars, Stripes and Summer Nights by Celeste Dador (Delacorte)
Wendy Loggia at Delacorte Romance has bought Stars, Stripes, and Summer Nights by Celeste Dador, pitched as Aaron Sorkin meets Gilmore Girls, about a headstrong Filipino American First Daughter who desires a normal teen life away from her mother's Presidency, and a small-town boy, who prefers to be behind the camera not in front of it, who find fireworks when they work to revive a Fourth of July festival to redeem her image and save his family's business. Publication is slated for summer 2026; Ann Rose at the Tobias Agency sold world rights.
May 5th
Change of Plans by Sarah Dessen (Simon and Schuster)
Finley has always felt most comfortable in someone else’s shadow. Fortunately, she’s got Colin, her magnetic boyfriend, who sweeps her along for activities, friendships, and future plans. Then she goes on a last-minute trip with her distant mom to a family vacation house that Finley didn’t know existed and is now about to be sold.
Her mom was estranged from her own parents and siblings since leaving home for college, and it’s a novelty for Finley to see her aunts and cousins, and to meet the handful of teens who work at the Egg, her aunt’s diner, and make up a found family of their own—including undeniably handsome guitarist Ben.
Then her relationship with Colin goes into freefall, and Finley’s roadmap for life after high school is gone. She has no choice but to live, for the first time, without plans. The longer Finley stays, the closer she gets to the truth about why her mother stayed away—and why she’s brought Finley here now.
And the closer she grows to new friends at the Egg, the more she starts to fall for charmingly awkward, soulful Ben and to realize how much of herself she’s been missing. By the end of the summer, nothing will be the same—for this community or for Finley herself.
Body Count by Codie Crowley (Disney Hyperion) - moved from June 2026, full description not yet added to Goodreads.
From the virally popular author of Here Lies a Vengeful Bitch, a queer feminist YA horror/slasher novel perfect for fans of You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight.
Seven years ago, Sundae Valentine made a deal with a monster she met at the bottom of a motel pool. She didn’t know the wishes he offered had a price—or that the third wish, the one she still hasn’t made, will cost her life.
Back then, she barely escaped Wildwood alive. Now, the cheerleaders and football players are headed to the Jersey Shore for prom weekend—leaving Sundae no choice but to return to the scene of her sun-bleached nightmares.
Sundae tries to forget, throwing herself into the rides on the pier, the tequila-fueled dance parties, and the guitar-strumming girl she can’t quite look away from. She hopes the beast has forgotten, too.
But there are eyes like silver coins watching from the shadows, and teeth like a rusty saw glinting in the light of the boardwalk. Because Sundae still owes a debt. And whatever it takes, whoever he has to kill, this time the monster's determined to collect.
You're Dead to Me, Reed Walker by Gwenyth Reitz (Roaring Brook Press) - description not yet updated on Goodreads.
They'd kill each other...if they weren't already dead.
Tessa Sinclair is a winner. Winner of spelling bees, science fairs, and scholarships. So when she finds herself unexpectedly dead at an abandoned mansion graduation party, she's none too pleased. What's worse, her Harvard-bound, Mr. Perfect academic rival Reed Walker seems to be stuck in afterlife limbo with her.
Being a ghost is hard enough, but it's a thousand times worse being forced to haunt the same house with your archenemy. But as Tessa and Reed try to R.I.P. in their respective corners of the mansion, a mystery begins to unfurl about the exact cause of their deaths.
Though they'd rather die (again) than work together, they'll need to find a way to overcome their differences to hunt down a murderer on the loose. And should they happen to fall for each other along the way... Who ever said you can't find love after death?
Boys become friends.
Boys fall in love.
The bestselling LGBTQ+ graphic novel about life, love, and everything that happens in this is the sixth and final volume of the much-loved Heartstopper series, featuring gorgeous two-color artwork.
The long-awaited conclusion to Nick and Charlie's unforgettable love story.
By Alice Oseman, winner of the YA Book Prize, Heartstopper encompasses all the small moments of Nick and Charlie's lives that together make up something larger, which speaks to all of us.
Contains discussions around mental health and eating disorders, and sexual references.
Goldenborn by Ama Ofosua Lieb (Scholastic) - moved from April 2026.
Embark on a thrilling journey with Goldenborn, where a teen girl must navigate a hidden realm of Ghanaian gods and supernatural crimes in San Francisco's AfricaTown to save her father and uncover her true power.
Ever since an unexplained orb of blazing light left her father in a coma, seventeen-year-old Akoma Addo's secret job investigating supernatural crimes in San Francisco's AfricaTown has served as a distraction from her grief. But when a dead body is discovered in a pool of molten gold and ash, Akoma is drawn into a hidden world of Ghanaian gods and mages led by the trickster, storytelling god himself, Anansi. Soon, Anansi reels Akoma in with a proposition-one that promises to revive her father and snare the serial killer she's been hunting-as long as she agrees to lie to everyone she loves and awaken her ancestral magic... becoming the very type of supernatural being she's dedicated herself to fighting.
All of which complicates things with Xander, the new boy in town who's seriously gorgeous and vying for her attention. Lying has never come easily to Akoma. But in a world of assassins and double agents, she'll learn to spin her own stories-and discover whether she can trust a god famous for his duplicity.
Piper at the Gates of Dusk by Patrick Ness (Walker US) - moved from March 2026.
Two-time Carnegie Medalist Patrick Ness makes a thrilling return to the world of Chaos Walking with this launch of the extraordinary New World trilogy.
Some twenty years have elapsed since the denouement of Monsters of Men, and our young narrator feels a sense of foreboding. The fragile sense of security established by a previous generation in New World—led by his parents, Todd and Viola—feels much at risk, with a hostile force encroaching from the reaches of space. In this first of a highly anticipated new trilogy, Patrick Ness once again taps into the zeitgeist, drawing on themes of war and loyalty and wrestling with questions of forgiveness and moral ambiguity: Who are the good guys, and who are the bad guys? What happens when it’s not possible to reduce everyone to an enemy or a friend? And how do you live with those who once oppressed you?
Piper at the Gates of Dusk is poised to captivate both fervent fans of the Chaos Walking series and readers discovering its world for the first time.
Like We Were in Paris by Stephan Lee (Scholastic) - moved from June 2025, then from July 2025, March 2026 and June 2026.
Heartstopper meets Before Sunrise in this irresistible, swoony YA rom-com about two boys unexpectedly falling in love over the course of one night in Paris.
Ben Lim is so excited for his French Club's trip to the most romantic city in the Paris. Ben's even made a to-do list of all the things he wants to accomplish, like see the Mona Lisa IRL and read a book in a sophisticated cafe. Also, Ben's parents honeymooned in Paris, and being there will help Ben connect more to the memory of his late dad.
But things go wrong the first night when Ben misses curfew and finds himself locked out of the youth hostel...until morning.
Also locked out? Tyler Travers, the most popular and handsome boy in school. Who, oh yeah, happens to be Ben's former friend and current nemesis.
Ben cannot deal with Tyler's entitled-jock attitude. But now that they're thrown together, the two of them end up roaming around Paris and stumbling upon some cool sights--like the glittering Eiffel Tower, a drag show in the Marais, and even a chance to "borrow" a moped.
As their misadventures take them all across the city, Ben fights his growing attraction to Tyler, which was NEVER part of the plan. The two of them couldn't be more different. Besides, Tyler doesn't even remember that they were once friends. Right?
Acclaimed author Stephan Lee (K-Pop Confidential) brings the City of Light to dazzling life in this enchanting, funny, and adorable rom-com about croissants, crushes, and kisses that's perfect for fans of Alice Oseman and Jenny Han.
As I Dream of You by Jennifer Lee and LeUyen Pham (First Second) - YA graphic novel, description not yet updated on Goodreads.
Franny and Sam are each other’s entire world. So what do you do when your world ends? Frozen’s Jennifer Lee and Lunar New Year Love Story’s LeUyen Pham deliver a tour de force young adult romance with a supernatural twist.
Falling in love is supposed to hurt. That’s what Franny and Sam, two cynical teenagers raised on tales of heartbreak and loss, have come to understand. Yet when they fall for each other, they find the reality of love is something else entirely: it’s electrifying, all-encompassing, and easy. Theirs is a love that can conquer anything…perhaps even death.
But Franny and Sam’s quest to stay together—no matter the cost—soon blurs the line between reality and fantasy, and their shared dream threatens to turn into a nightmare.
The Cove by Claire Rose (Wednesday Books) - description not yet added to Goodreads.
Midsommar meets Fear Street in this modern, sea-soaked folk horror debut about fighting to survive, and fighting to be yourself.
Seventeen-year-old Lindsay Weinberg has just gotten kicked out of another prep school, and has consequently found herself shipped to her Uncle Levi's farm in the cold, isolated town of Marbury, Maine.
When Lindsay arrives at a big, old farmhouse miles from civilization, she is greeted by her uncle’s new wife, a goy with a little too much Jesus decor for Lindsay’s taste—with Uncle Levi mysteriously away on a business trip. Not only that, but Lindsay isn’t the only teen staying there. In fact, there is a small group of teens going through some kind of reform program. Up at dawn. Manual labor all day. No phones, computers or tablets.
Things start to feel hopeless until Lindsay meets the twins, Phin and Cass. They live on an island off the Peninsula’s coast—and they have internet. Lindsay convinces the others at Haven House to sneak out for a party on the island, and the night is incredible. At least…what they can remember of it. All of them wake up in their beds with sea-shell mementos, no memory of how they got home, and wicked hangovers. All of them except one. And as the disappearances and mysteries pile up, Lindsay and the others realize that they have become involved in a terrifying fight to survive, before the Cove claims them all.
Lying, Stealing, and Other Ways to Save the Planet by Curtis Campbell (Annick Press) - description not yet updated on Goodreads.
A hilarious YA novel about coming of age in the shadow of climate change, overcoming cynicism, and the power of collaboration from the award-winning author of Dragging Mason County.
Ever since the best story of his career became the worst humiliation of his life, teen reporter John O’Neil has gone rogue. He has turned his nose for news toward blackmailing those responsible, namely Lance McPhee, diabolical heir to the local country club. When John learns that the club plans to expand into a bird conservation area founded by his late grandfather, he begrudgingly joins forces with the school birdwatching club to expose the scandal. And if John ruins Lance’s life along the way? He’s only killing two birds with one stone.
John races against the clock in a desperate bid at environmental espionage involving forgeries, a car chase, and a high-stakes heist. But it’s a race John won’t win without former best friend/co-reporter Rachel Miller, who just so happens to want him dead. Can this motley crew flock together long enough for their mission to take flight?
Rebel Dawn by Ann Sei Lin (Tundra Books) - previously published in the UK.
The third and final book in Ann Sei Lin’s fantasy YA series Rebel Skies, set in a world of flying ships, sky cities and rebel uprisings. For fans of Elizabeth Lim, Kalynn Bayron and the films of Studio Ghibli.
The world is a different place from what it was before.
Kurara has discovered the key to releasing the shikigami from the bonds, but the knowledge has come at a terrifying, violent price. The sky cities have declared war on the empire. And the fallout from both the battle against Suzaku and the imperial fight has spread chaos, fear and death across Mikoshima. Kurara and her friends have run out of time to unlock the secrets of the falling star and of her and Haru’s past. As they are threatened from all sides, a sacrifice will be required. One that may be too much for Kurara to give up.
In the relentless and bittersweet final book in the Rebel Skies trilogy, readers will return to the soaring heights, incredible twists and dark depths of a totally unique fantasy world.
Shards of Silence by Brian Lee Young (Heartdrum) - description not yet added to Goodreads.
In his first YA novel, award-winning author Brian Lee Young (Diné) bridges the generational divide between a Navajo teen at an elite prep school and his great-grandmother’s experience at a federal boarding school for Indigenous students. The book is an eye-opening call for community healing and a profound coming-of-age story.
Even if it hurts to leave behind his friends and family in Navajo, New Mexico—especially his great-grandmother, Mildred—Derrick knows his scholarship to an elite East Coast boarding school is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Sagefield Academy is totally different from life on the rez: His new classmates vacation in Europe and take study drugs. Derrick wants to stick to caffeine, but handling sports, school, and a twenty-page term paper, all while dodging comments about his hair and heritage, feels straight-up impossible.
Back home, Másání Mildred’s health is fading quickly. On the phone, she begs Derrick to leave Sagefield. When he realizes her fear comes from her time in federal Native boarding schools, he knows he’s finally found the term paper theme he believes in: carrying her voice into the future.
Derrick will need to shatter a steadfast generational silence to untangle his great-grandmother’s memories--though her story might change him, and his family, forever.
Coming Out Perfect by Richard Mercado (Scholastic/Graphix) - YA graphic novel, moved from 2025, description not yet updated on Goodreads.
From Ignatz-nominated cartoonist Richard Mercado comes a refreshingly honest and moving YA graphic novel perfect for fans of queer coming-of-age stories like Heartstopper.
When Kevin's parents ignore his attempts to come out of the closet, he devises a plan to become more like Raymond, the popular gay kid at his high school. After all, if Kevin can do everything perfectly too, then people will have to pay attention to him.
But life under Raymond's wing isn’t easy: a dress code, new things Kevin can and can't do, and even abandoning his old "uncool" friends. Perfection comes at a cost, and Kevin must decide whether it's worth the sacrifice.
She Knows All the Names by Michelle Jabès Corpora (Sourcebooks Fire)
The sequel to the INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER, His Face is the Sun.
Magic, adventure, romance, and horror collide in this lush, epic, Ancient Egyptian inspired trilogy perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo, Tahereh Mafi, and Sabaa Tahir.
The Summer of Second Chances by K.L. Walther (Sourcebooks Fire)
Annie Berger at Sourcebooks Fire has bought The Summer of Second Chances and a second untitled book by K.L. Walther (The Summer of Broken Rules). When Olivia decided to follow in her grandmother's footsteps and spend a transformative summer on Martha's Vineyard, she didn't expect to reconnect with a boy from summers past and fall in love. The first book is set for summer 2026; Eva Scalzo at Speilburg Literary Agency did the deal for world rights.
Stormbreaker by Nisha J. Tuli (Mayhem Books)
"Nisha J. Tuli's STORMBREAKER, pitched as DIVERGENT meets LEGENDBORN, with the storm-drenched aesthetic of THE 100 and the bite of Gossip Girl, in which a defiant heiress at an elite academy in post-eco- apocalyptic Manhattan must survive brutal society trials, conceal a dangerous power, and resist her forbidden connection to a mysterious outsider from a feared rogue faction-or risk bringing the entire system down, to Liz Pelletier at Mayhem Books, in a good deal, in an exclusive submission, in a two-book deal, for publication in spring 2026, by Lauren Spieller at Folio Jr. (world)."
All Power to the People: Poems to Address the Past, Present, and Future of Policing by Various YA Authors (Zest Books) - previously titled "Witness", some editions dated August 2026.
Shaina Olmanson while at Lerner/Zest acquired world rights to Witness: Poems to Address the Past, Present, and Future of Policing, a YA poetry anthology compiled by McKnight fellow Ty Chapman (l.) and Pura Belpré Award-winning author Ari Tison (c.), illustrated by Damon Davis (r.). The book presents more than 30 voices including Ada Limón, Mariama Lockington, Erin Entrada Kelly, Tae Keller, Kekla Magoon, Junauda Petrus, Bao Phi, Aida Salazar, Danez Smith, Jason Reynolds, and Laura Ruby. Carol Hinz will edit; publication is set for fall 2026. Savannah Brooks at KT Literary represented Chapman, Sara Crowe at Sara Crowe Literary represented Tison, and sophie lipman represented Davis; Chapman is now represented by Sara Crowe.
Fear of Falling by Suzanne Samin and Amalas Rosa (G.P. Putnam and Sons) - YA graphic novel.
Ruta Rimas at Putnam has bought, in a six-figure auction, Fear of Falling, a co-created YA graphic novel with text by Suzanne Samin and art by Amalas Rosa. The book follows two former best friends from the Bronx: Aran, a Syrian American teen grappling with his mother's death, and Tao, a college basketball star with ADHD. When Tao moves back home after getting injured, both must confront the love they thought they'd left behind. Publication is slated for summer 2026; Jennifer Azantian at Azantian Literary Agency did the deal for North American rights.
Two for Joy by Susan Dennard (Quill Tree Books)
Fatally Yours by Jessica Lacy (Sourcebooks Fire)
Holloway by Elana K. Arnold (Clarion Books) - moved from February 2026.
May 12th
The Hanging Bones by Elle Tesch (Feiwel and Friends) - description not yet updated on Goodreads.
Some monsters are born. Some are made. All can be killed.
Once every few years, the Scavenge Moon rises. From beyond its pale glow steps the Breimar Stag, an otherworldly creature with eyes of burning gold. Any reckless adventurer who chooses to join the hunt for the stag only has until the Scavenge Moon sets to claim their prize—if they catch it, they are granted the death of any person of their choice. And if no one catches it, the stag will claim one of the hunters' souls instead.
Katrin has lived on the border of the forest her whole life, raised on tales of the Folk that dwell within. As a gamekeeper for the baron who rules over the region, she is saddled with the onerous task of escorting the entitled nobles who descend upon her home for the Breimar Hunt. None of them respect the forest or its legends, and Katrin is only too happy to let them risk their foolish necks for what they see as a cheap thrill.
When her beloved cousin becomes the latest target of the baron's lecherous appetites, Katrin knows only his death will keep her family safe, and the only way she can claim his life is to win the hunt herself. But something hungry has begun to stir in the woods, something even older and more powerful than the stag. As the horrifying, mutilated bodies pile up, Katrin begins to question where the true danger lies.
In Between Days by Camryn Garrett (Disney Hyperion) - description not yet updated on Goodreads.
When her mother refuses entry to a stranger named Richard at her father’s funeral, 17-year-old Mira Howard doesn’t understand why. But snooping through her father’s things reveals that Richard was her father’s boyfriend—a boyfriend she never knew about. In fact, Mira never even knew for sure that her dad was gay. Hoping to feel more connected to her late father, Mira reaches out to Richard without telling her mom, who is still angry from the divorce. As Mira and Richard become closer, Mira gains more and more insight into the side of her father that she never got to see.
Grieving that she never got to connect with her dad about their shared queerness, Mira asks that Richard teach her “how to be queer” while she navigates a new crush on her co-worker, which brings her out of her diary and into the real world.
But as Mira grows more confident in herself, she finds it hard to keep her relationship with Richard a secret, questioning why her family never talked about her father’s sexuality in the first place. Soon Mira has to decide if she wants to keep the peace or honor her father’s memory by being her truest self.
An epistolary novel told through diary entries, text messages, and book reviews, IN BETWEEN DAYS is a story about queerness, grief, and families—both ones we are born into and ones we create.
Smash or Pass by Birdie Schae (Knopf)
Seconds to Spare by Rachel Reiss (Wednesday Books) - description not yet updated on Goodreads.
Buckle up for a wild ride with this airborne locked-door thriller. Previously a Wattpad WEBTOON Watty Award winning story.
Eighteen-year-old Evelyn Werth is trapped in what feels like a never-ending nightmare. She's the only person onboard Aloha Airways Flight 1333 who’s stuck in a 28-minute time loop, one that repeats over and over again. During each loop, four things always happen:
1. The Internet goes out and the pilot warns of upcoming turbulence.
2. There are five minutes of moderate shaking.
3. A woman in the very last row collapses.
4. The plane tilts forward and begins to nosedive.
When Orion James –the cute boy who's been asleep the entirety of each cycle– wakes, it triggers an alarming change in the events Evelyn has come to count on. As the two grow closer and learn to trust each other, they discover there’s more to the loop than they initially realized. They must discover the hidden clues, piece together the moving puzzle, and save everyone onboard –before it’s too late.
My Wonderful Disgrace by Angourie Rice and Kate Rice (Candlewick) - previously titled Operation: School Ball and My Best Worst Night Ever, moved from May 6th.
Expect the unexpected in this funny, edgy, and highly anticipated second novel from best-selling authors Angourie and Kate Rice.
Amy Middleton has all her plans in place for the school ball - the perfect dress, the perfect date, the perfect night.
But
fate, it seems, has other plans, as the night unravels in a perfect
storm of misunderstandings, manipulations, over-exposure, and the
utterly unexpected.
A funny, edgy, multi-layered dark comedy of errors from best-selling authors Angourie and Kate Rice.
Under a Carnivore Sky by Brianna Jett (Page Street) - YA novel in verse, moved from February 2026 and March 2026, description not yet updated on Goodreads.
Sixteen-year-old
Lili is a hunter, which means she has one goal: Find the monster
lurking in the carnivorous, labyrinthian swamp that borders their
hometown—and slay it.
Her father failed to kill the beast, and
like all townsfolk over eighteen, bits of his flesh and bone are being
stolen away by its curse. With all roads out of town leading back in,
they’re trapped with the curse unless Lili stops it; yet the ease with
which she wanders the swamp leaves her more feared than favored.
When
a boy, Caleb, offers to map the swamp in exchange for her help in
finding a way through it, Lili agrees, hoping to track down the monster.
But the more they explore, the more she resents the town and questions
the curse itself. Confronted with the truth, Lili must decide if duty or
her own freedom is a worthier pursuit.
Royal Summer by Kass Morgan (HarperCollins)
"Finds Hannah working at a castle gift shop in Scotland for the summer—and falling hard for the Prince of England."
Sparks Fly by Hazel Henry (Avon)
Winners and Liars by Aleema Omontoni (HarperCollins)
Exchanged by Dan Perucco (Roaring Brook Press)
May 19th
I'm Gonna Get You Back by Eva Des Lauriers (Henry Holt) - description not yet updated on Goodreads.
Reid Rousseau was always a winner. Now, he's a former state champion runner with an injury no one can know about and a college scholarship on the line. When he’s invited as the guest of honor for Legacy Weekend, a competitive tradition that welcomes high school alumni back to his small mountain town, Reid would rather run away than face his crumbling future—and the girl who broke his heart.
Clara Suarez’s legacy can’t be failure. A year out of high school and aimless, she has one last shot at getting into her dream film school: shooting a Legacy Weekend video interviewing her former classmates—including her ex, Reid—about their explosive senior year and the scandal that capped it off. But any time people return to the mountain, drama follows... especially when an anonymous social media account starts airing everyone's dirty laundry.
Reid isn’t the only one hiding something, and Clara isn’t the only one with regrets. Their spark is still strong enough to set off a wildfire, but their secrets might just tear them apart for good.
Behind Five Willows by June Hur (Feiwel and Friends) - previously titled Adoration, description not yet updated on Goodreads, UK cover released but not US.
From the New York Times-bestselling author of A Crane Among Wolves comes a warm and romantic homage to Jane Austen set in historical Korea, about a reader and a writer who secretly fight against government book banning and find themselves irresistibly drawn together.
As the dutiful second-eldest daughter of a poor family, society would have Haewon believe that her only hope of a decent life is to marry well. But during a time of rampant government censorship and book banning, she instead works as an illegal book transcriber in order to make a little extra money for her family. It’s dangerous work, but she loves it—especially when she gets to transcribe the work of her favorite romance author, known as Black Lotus.
When her older sister becomes smitten with a wealthy young gentleman, Haewon is roped into chaperoning them during their courtship. Which wouldn’t be so terrible... if it weren’t for the young man’s uptight and annoying best friend who also accompanies them.
As the only son of a noble, Seojun has a lot expected of him. Wealth. Status. Respectability. Certainly not frivolous and often illicit activities such as reading fiction. But Seojun loves to do something even more scandalous: writing. He’s kept his work secret from his father and friends, but with each passing day, the pressure of being his father’s son and the dispiriting actions of the government make Seojun question the purpose of it all. The only thing keeping him going are the lovely, encouraging letters he receives from his transcriber, known only as Magpie.
When his best friend falls hard for a peasant girl, Seojun finds himself forced to act as chaperone to the infatuated couple—along with the girl's younger sister, who is as irritating as she is judgmental. But as Haewon and Seojun spend more time together, they begin to suspect they may have judged each other too quickly.
Force of Nature by Melissa Clark (FSG)
This fresh, smart, and funny young adult debut with a speculative twist asks the question: What if Mother Nature was a teenage girl?
Who is Chloe Lovejoy, really? A straight-C student, a girl with a crush on the cutie from chorus, an all-powerful being responsible for taking care of the planet... or perhaps all three. That’s what Chloe finds out on her sixteenth birthday, when she unexpectedly inherits the role of Mother Nature from her grandmother. Chloe is overwhelmed, to say the least. Then, when the unthinkable happens, and Grandma is no longer around to guide her, Chloe is left to oversee the natural laws of the world all by herself.
Between managing earthquakes and hurricanes, rivals at school, and her not-very-helpful mother, Chloe tries to maintain balance and harmony on Earth and in her everyday life. But someone in the community has an eye toward harnessing her powers for nefarious purposes, which means Chloe needs to dig deep and get her act together before her secret is found out. After all, the universe is depending on her.
Force of Nature by Melissa Clark is an utterly unique coming of age story about a teen girl rising to the occasion, even when she feels completely in over her head.
Calling Me Home by Laurin Becker Macios (Holiday House) - YA novel in verse.
A
beautifully crafted YA novel in verse that follows a 17-year-old girl's
backpacking trip across Europe—filled with awe, danger, friendships,
and something like love.
High school graduate Jenny Campbell's
nomadic life has led her to be a planner—combating constant change by
being her own reliable constant. During a solo summer backpacking trip
that takes her from the smooth steps of Westminster Abbey to the curving
streets of Santorini, she begins to embrace chance. Maybe even romance.
But
when she returns home, on the cusp of fulfilling her ultimate
plan—moving to New York City—she learns she's pregnant. Choosing to end
her pregnancy, she steps onward into her hallowed plans—but finds she
may no longer be the girl who's meant to live them.
Based on
author-poet Laurin Becker Macios's own experiences, Calling Me Home is
part classic travel bildungsroman (you can almost taste the ouzo in
Greece and feel the wind of Ireland) and part meditation on how abortion
is just one piece of a person's ever-changing identity and future.
Stops Along the Way by Anna Sortino (G. P. Putnam and Sons)
A cross-country road trip may lead to love in this sunny YA romance from the author of Give Me a Sign.
Iris doesn’t trust the odds. Not when she has 1 in 4 odds of developing the same eye condition as her sister, Amelia, which would add vision loss to her pre-existing hearing loss.
When Iris enlists to help Amelia make the drive home from college, the last person she expects to run into on campus is exactly who she Declan, her board game club rival, who is also driving his brother home from school. The odds of that happening are…stacked against Iris, it seems.
To make matters worse, Amelia suggests the four of them caravan together on their ride back home, pulling Iris into a six-state road trip with the boy she battles it out on the board. Except…Declan might be funnier and more charming than Iris had thought. And the more time Iris spends with him, the more his unrelenting optimism catches on.
The odds of falling in love on the road seem low. Can Iris look past probability and embrace the unexpected?
The Lustrous Dark by Loretta Chefchaouni (Peachtree Teen) - moved from May 1st, release date not yet updated on Goodreads.
For fans of and Sabaa Tahir and Guillermo del Toro comes The Lustrous Dark, a sweeping YA fantasy inspired by a Moroccan folktale, in which a young midwife’s apprentice rises up to take back the power that’s been stolen from women.
Orphaned as a baby, Shay has spent her life training as the midwife’s apprentice. Her role grants her stability, yet Shay has always yearned for more. Namely, motherly affection and answers regarding her mysterious birth—neither of which the midwife deems practical to provide.
After Shay discovers her birth mother, Hind, is still alive and addicted to a magical drug called Snow, she determines to get the woman clean. But when Hind betrays Shay to get her hands on more Snow, Shay’s abandoned within a deadly forest and forced to rely on band of monstrous ghouls for safety.
Shay’s realm has long stood on the brink of war between the men who control magic and the revolutionaries who want to eliminate it. But in the forest, Shay hears the pleading call of ancient spirits who claim that not only has magic been stolen, she has the power to return it. With the help of a spit-fire revolutionary and boy capable of winning her heart, Shay discovers the horrific truth of who produces Snow and will have to decide for herself whether to heed the spirits’ charge or fade into obscurity.
This emotionally raw and gorgeously rendered fairytale combines the lush worldbuilding of This Woven Kingdom with the mother trauma of Snow White and a dash of Tim Burton. Steeped in mysticism and mythology, The Lustrous Dark confronts injustices against women with a righteous scream that’ll inspire readers to rally against the patriarchy and oppressive regimes worldwide.
Perfect for readers who love Political Revolutions, Fighting the Patriarchy, Toxic Mothers, Reawakening the Gods, Ancient Magic, Bone-Chilling Monsters, Haunted Forests, Female Friendships, Fairytale Retellings, North African Folklore, and Cinnamon Roll Love Interests.
Rani Deshpande Takes the Wheel by Arushi Avachat (Wednesday Books) - moved from 2024, description not yet updated on Goodreads.
Rani's summer checklist didn't include falling in love in this sparkling romance for fans of The Summer of Broken Rules and Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute.
Nineteen-year-old Rani Deshpande is on a mission to reinvent herself the summer before transferring to her new university. After a challenging freshman year, Rani can’t help but feel like she’s playing catch up. To that end, she’s crafted a packed summer to get back on track: a dream internship, adventures with her hometown best friend, and regular driving lessons so that she can finally lose her passenger princess reputation - even if it means learning from her aggravating family friend (and childhood crush), Kush Khanna.
Kush and Rani grew up together, but they couldn’t be less alike. Within their close-knit Desi community - a Jane Austen style cast of ridiculous, meddlesome families - Kush is the beloved model son; Rani is more the black sheep. Kush is pre-med; Rani plans to teach elementary school. Kush is cool and collected, bordering on reticent; Rani couldn’t keep her mouth shut if her life depended on it. So when their mothers first force the pair to drive together, the arrangement feels like a recipe for disaster. As the lessons progress, however, Rani discovers there’s more to the boy she’s known her whole life than meets the eye.
In Arushi Avachat's Rani Deshpande Takes the Wheel, Rani must learn to course-correct, no matter how bumpy or windy the road – and even if it includes a detour right into love.
Shapes of Love by LV Peñalba (Wednesday Books)
Loveless meets This Time It’s Real in this aroace story about challenging the idea that romance is the ultimate life goal and finding where you fit in when you don’t follow society’s script.
When nineteen-year-old Sasha’s first album throws her into stardom, her fans become obsessed with discovering who inspired her love songs. Except, Sasha is aroace-spec (aromantic, asexual), and she’s not interested in romance (unless it comes in the shape of a slowburn enemies-to-lovers book or a star-crossed-lovers manga). Her music is all about her favorite love stories, not her own.
After running into Kai, her estranged best friend who she hasn’t seen in two years, pictures of them together leak, and everyone assumes he’s Sasha’s muse, the “boyfriend” who broke her heart. Pressured by her label and fearing fan backlash, Sasha agrees to a PR relationship with Kai for six months - but her sense of self is put to the ultimate test. Where does she fit in a society that equates happiness with romantic love? One where even her closest friends prioritize their partners over her?
Under the guise of their faux romance, Sasha and Kai get a chance to rebuild their platonic bond and heal the wounds of their past. But when actor Asher Grish enters the scene, threatening to shake the foundation of Sasha’s PR relationship, she finds herself at a crossroads. Either she loses herself, or her career.
L.V. Peñalba’s Shapes of Love is an unforgettable story of finding the people that feel like home - even if that home isn’t what the rest of the world expects. It's not a romance, but it's most definitely a love story.
This Could All Go Bad by Spencer Hall (Bloomsbury)
Alex
Borbolla at Bloomsbury has bought This Could All Go Bad, a lower YA
novel by Spencer Hall, pitched as Superbad 's younger sibling. The book
follows a group of boys who sneak out on the eve of their eighth-grade
graduation, determined to face all their fears in one epic night before
high school starts. But as things start to spiral out of control and
secrets are revealed, they have to face the fact that even if they
survive the night, their friendship may not. Publication is set for
winter 2026; Claire Friedman at InkWell Management did the deal for
world rights.
An Expanse of Blue by Kaua Māhoe Adams (Heartdrum) - novel in verse, release date on retails websites but not yet updated on Goodreads.
Rosemary
Brosnan and Cynthia Leitich Smith at HarperCollins/Heartdrum have
acquired, in a preempt, An Expanse of Blue, a debut YA novel in verse by
Kaua Māhoe Adams, about a diasporic Native Hawaiian teenager and her
struggle to find herself in the wake of a heartbreaking discovery about
her family and first love. Publication is slated for summer 2026; Sara
Crowe at Sara Crowe Literary sold world English rights.
Wayfarers by Jeff Zentner and Brittany Cavallaro (HarperCollins)
May 26th
We Could Be Anyone by Anna-Marie McLemore (Feiwel and Friends)
No comments:
Post a Comment