Sponsored by Heiress Apparently by Diana Ma
Gemma Huang’s family has one rule: Never set foot in Beijing. But when Gemma, an aspiring actress, gets the lead in a movie filming in the Chinese capital city, she can’t say no. It’s too important for her career, and maybe she’ll discover why the city is forbidden in the first place. Her questions only grow when she’s mobbed by paparazzi at the airport and discovers she bears a striking resemblance to notorious socialite Alyssa Chu. Her quest for answers begins a season of revelations and romance—and uncovers a legacy her parents have spent their lives protecting her from.
Hey YA Readers!
We’re (finally) in the last month of the year. I don’t know about you, but even though I know 2021 might not look much different, something about being able to turn the page on this calendar year feels like a triumph.
Last week there was no YA newsletter on Thursday due to Thanksgiving, so there’s a little more news this week than usual at this time of year. I’ve also included last week’s new YA books here so they don’t get missed.
YA Book News
- Netflix will be taking the adaptation of Walter Dean Myers’s Monster. I’m so excited about this one.
- Did you know Graceling was getting a comic adaptation? This looks outstanding.
- In reverse news, Kody Keplinger is penning a YA novel about the comic star Poison Ivy. (Is “penning” the right word when most writing is now done on screen?)
- School Library Journal released their 108 best children’s and YA books of 2020 — I know one of those books well! But dang, what a collection.
- Are you an Aussie reader in Melbourne? You can see the stage adaptation of Alice Pung’s Laurinda. That’s Lucy and Linh for readers outside Australia.
- The Wilds isn’t based on a YA book, though it reminds me of a number of them, but this Netflix YA show looks awesome.
New YA Books
Admission by Julie Buxbaum
The Ballad of Ami Miles by Kristy Dallas Alley
The Bitterwine Oath by Hannah West
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The Black Friend by Frederick Joseph
Blood Heir by Amélie Wen Zhao (paperback, series)
Bright Shining World by Josh Swiller
The Cousins by Karen M. McManus
Dear Haiti, Love Alaine by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite
Eight Will Fall by Sarah Harian (paperback)
Essentially Charli by Charli D’Amelio
Fall Into Me by Mila Gray
Finding My Voice by Marie Myung-Ok Lee (reissue)
Finding a Way Home by Larry Dane Brimner
The Frozen Prince by Maxym M. Martineau (series)
Full Disclosure by Camryn Garrett (paperback)
Girls of Storm and Shadow by Natasha Ngan (paperback, series)
Good Devils by Chris Lynch (series)
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The Good Girls by Claire Eliza Bartlett
Heiress Apparently by Diana Ma (series)
Infinity Son by Adam Silvera (paperback, series)
It Only Happens In The Movies by Holly Bourne
The Love Curse of Melody McIntyre by Robin Talley
New Year’s Kiss by Lee Matthews (paperback)
The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black (series, paperback)
Ruinsong by Julia Ember
A Sky Beyond The Storm by Sabaa Tahir (series)
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Tears of Frost by Bree Barton (paperback, series)
We Hunt The Flame by Hafsah Faizal (paperback, series)
What She Found in the Woods by Josephine Angelini (paperback)
Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibañez (paperback)
YA Book Talk at Book Riot
- So many great YA books set in bookstores.
- Where to begin reading John Green books.
- YA books about finding love abroad.
- This handy guide will show you where to start reading Marie Lu books.
- Morally ambiguous YA books about monster hunting.
- Middle grade and YA books by Indian writers.
- Last, but not least, where to begin reading the work of Ally Condie.
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I’m obsessed with this feminist shirt reading “read books and smash the patriarchy.” $23. If this is up your alley, may I suggest a stroll through this guide to all things feminist gifts for book lovers?
As always, thanks for hanging out. We’ll see you again on Monday!
— Kelly Jensen, @heykellyjensen on Instagram and editor of Body Talk, (Don’t) Call Me Crazy, and Here We Are.