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YA That’s Pretty In Pink

Hey YA Readers!

It’s Valentine’s Day and while many people hold a very strong opinion about it, good or bad, one of the things I personally love about it is how much red and pink abounds. Both of those colors are warm, inviting, and remind me that spring isn’t too far away (even if it might still be a over a month away). To celebrate today but do so in a way that’s not love-focused — some are! — let’s take a look at a handful of recent and upcoming YA books which feature pink covers. These range in genre and style, but one thing they have in common is their pinkness. I’m not including cover designers on this list only because it doesn’t focus on design elements but instead, just the color.

Make sure to get your own Read Harder Book Journal from Book Riot to track your reading for the year!

beating heart baby book cover

Beating Heart Baby by Lio Min (July 26)

When Santi accidentally leaked Memo’s song and it became an overnight hit, Memo — Santi’s best friend and romantic interest who he only knows from the internet — disappears. Santi’s heart is broken.

Three years and a new high school later, it’s possible Santi has found Memo, but in a way he never anticipated nor dreamed.

This one’s for fans of enemies-to-lovers stories and features a significant trans character.

boys of the beast book cover

Boys of the Beast by Monica Zepeda (March 29)

Over the last few years, we’ve finally seen more YA road trip books by and starring people of color. Add this one to that growing list!

Cousins Matt, Ethan, and Oscar are taking their grandfather’s 1988 Ford Thunderbird on a road trip from Portland, Oregon, to Albuquerque, New Mexico, in order to better understand one another and themselves.

confessions of an alleged good girl book cover

Confessions of an Alleged Good Girl by Joya Goffney (May 3)

When Monique discovers she physically cannot have sex, it’s a little hard for her to find someone to talk to or get help from. She’s the daughter of a preacher in a religion where premarital sex isn’t permitted.

Monique’s boyfriend of two years breaks up with her because of this condition and she’s determined to win him back and find an answer. She has to turn to two other “church kids” to help her out.

the feeling of falling in love book cover

The Feeling of Falling in Love by Mason Deaver (August 2)

I did not think the perfect book cover existed and then this one came along.

This is a queer grumpy-sunshine romance, wherein a date drafted for a wedding on the other side of a country ends up falling apart before it begins, and when Neil drafts a new date last-minute, it may be more than simply a date to the wedding. It might be something much more fiery (heh).

flip the script book cover

Flip the Script by Lyla Lee (May 31)

For fans of K-dramas and YA books set outside the US, this one is sure to be a winner. It follows K-drama lover Hana, who lands a role in a forthcoming show. She knows what she has to do in the job, and despite having a cute on-screen boyfriend, she knows better than to fall in love.

But then a new girl arrives on the show to challenge Hana for the boy and . . . maybe neither of them want the boy.

my sisters big fat indian wedding book cover

My Sister’s Big Fat Indian Wedding by Sajni Patel (April 19)

Rom-com + music competition + giant, exuberant Indian wedding? This sounds like an utter delight of a book.

The cover feels like it gives a lot of the finer points of the plot, including a horse??

a night to die for book cover

A Night to Die For by Lisa Schroeder (March 1)

Mario’s been a loner throughout high school and on prom night, he takes a girl with him as a favor to his mom. But the night goes weird, quick: he’s crowned Prom King, despite being unpopular, and then, when driving his date home, he finds the Prom Queen dead in a ditch. He’s being called the murderer, even though this night has been nothing but a wormy nightmare for him.

so this is ever after book cover

So This Is Ever After by FT Lukens (March 29)

This one is pitched as Carry On meets Arthurian legend and features Arek, who has completed the prophecy and saved the Kingdom of Ere from an evil ruler. Now he has no idea what to do as the person in charge, and with his 18th birthday coming, he’s starting to look for a spouse. The search begins with his companions in overthrowing the prophecy but those dates go horribly wrong. Perhaps the one he’s meant to be with is the one who is so painfully obvious to everyone…except Arek.

when you get the chance book cover

When You Get The Chance by Emma Lord

This morning before writing this newsletter, I got an email that a LiveJournal friend of mine just earned a gift for being on the site for 20 years. If you’re thinking what does that have to do with this book at all, the answer is that this book follows Millie on her search to find her mom which begins with her finding her father’s embarrassingly emotional LiveJournal from 2003 [insert a ton of uncomfortable emoji faces here].

when you get the chance book cover

When You Get The Chance by Robin Stevenson and Tom Ryan

This is not Groundhog Day. It’s the same book title as above, but different authors and a different story.

If you’ve ever wanted a queer road trip book set in Canada about two cousins who want to go to Toronto’s Pride festival, look no further.

Don’t forget you can get three free audiobooks at Audiobooks.com with a free trial!


I hope you found some great titles for your TBR. I know that I did!

Until Thursday, happy reading.

— Kelly Jensen, @heykellyjensen on Instagram.