Hey YA Readers!
I’m not jinxing it this time around. In fact, how about no fancy intro to this week’s newsletter at all. Let’s hop straight into this week’s new releases and take a peek at some YA books, befitting a cozy little genre trend.
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Bookish Goods
Open Book Necklace by BookishHeaux
If you wear your heart on your sleeve, why not wear your book around your neck? Mixed, weird metaphors or not, this book necklace is pretty and minimalistic. $22.
New Releases
Two very different books to highlight in this week’s new releases. We’re heading into the Big Publishing Period, so there will be a lot more books to check out in the coming weeks and months. You can, as always, grab the entire list of this season’s new YA releases here.
Into the Sunken City by Dinesh Thiru
Coconino, Arizona, is sinking, and the rain isn’t stopping. Ever since her dad died in a diving accident, Jin has been unable to bring in enough money to support her and her little sister, Thara.
When a drifter named Bhlil offers Jin and her sister the opportunity to change their fortunes, she’s tentative, even though she’s also desperate for the help. All they need to do is dive beneath the sunken city of Las Vegas for the sunken treasure.
Jin doesn’t want to. It brings up too many memories of losing her father. But when her sister is dead set on the challenge, Jin joins her. Together, they assemble a crew to find the treasure and save their lives.
This is a twist on Treasure Island.
Not Dead Enough by Tyffany D. Neiheiser
Charlotte is a car crash survivor. Her boyfriend Jerry didn’t make it, though. She wants so badly to get back to whatever semblance of normal is possible as she deals with the trauma of the accident and the grief over losing someone she cared so much about.
It looks like she’s on the right track, but then she begins getting messages from someone claiming to be Jerry. The messages are clearly not from Jerry, but they contain information only Jerry would know.
Charlotte knows there aren’t such things as ghosts…right?
This thriller is an exploration of trauma, grief, and loss.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
If you’ve been around these parts for any amount of time, you’ll know my weakness in YA is fantasy. It’s a genre that’s tough for me to connect to, even though I know the range of stories within it are diverse, wide-ranging, and unique. Fantasy has been such a mega staple in YA in the last decade+, especially.
I might not read it as much as others do, but I do pay attention. One of the biggest trends in fantasy is the cozy fantasy. That’s for fantasy broadly, as well as for fantasy written for young adults. It is kind of the perfect subgenre for people who, like me, may be a little intimidated by or unable to keep up with world-building, as cozy fantasy focuses more on the communities and characters within a world rather than on the big adventures within it. The stakes are low in these books and are meant to make you feel good.
Cozy YA fantasy has always been around, even if the label itself has been applied more recently. Let’s take a look at some titles that are perfect for checking out the subgenre.
Flowerheart by Catherine Bakewell
Clara’s got magic. It’s never been dangerous, though. Then, one day, she touches her father’s chest, and from it blooms poisonous flowers. She knows the only way to help him is to cast a spell. It’s the kind of spell that requires precision and perfection, and it’s the kind of spell that will require her to seek help from Xavier. Xavier is her childhood friend, and he’s asking a heavy price for his help. Clara accepts, even though she’s nervous to do so.
But what Clara discovers about Xavier is the truth of why he’s changed so much between childhood and now. Clara may be the only one with the power to heal him.
Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker and Wendy Xu
This graphic novel is about a teen witch who helps out at her grandmother’s bookshop, where she often hands out spell books and assists in looking into supernatural occurrences in her small town. During one of those investigations, she stumbles upon her childhood crush and wants to not only rekindle feelings, but also to help him reclaim his power. It’s about family, about the ways history can tie a family and romantic relationship together, and for readers who don’t usually like “horror,” it’s not especially gory. It’s about super-magical powers and spirits.
Xu’s art is perfectly suited to the story, with a wide color palette.
Something Close to Magic by Emma Mills
It might sound like a dream gig, but for 17-year-old Aurelie, Basil’s Bakery is tough work. She keeps to herself, even though she’s overworked as an apprentice. Then a stranger walks in and gives her a set of Seeking stones. Seeking, an old-fashioned way of magic, is a skill Aurelie has, even though most people in her world do not.
The stranger is a bounty hunter and has a request of Aurelie: help rescue Prince Hapless from the Underwood. She agrees and quickly finds herself drawn into Hapless’s world full of portals, trolls, and more.
Soon, she finds herself falling hard for Hapless and his wild world. Should she stay or return to her dependable, if boring, life at the bakery?
This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron
Bri has a gift where she can grow plants from nothing into something with a single touch. When her aunt dies and leaves her estate in the hands of Bri and her family, they decide to spend the summer there. She’s hoping to learn to contain her gift but, soon learns through the estate’s old apothecary and walled garden packed with deadly botanicals that her family’s magic is what can help solve the dark secrets of the land. Oh, and there’s a nefarious group coming after Bri, as they discover she has a pretty magical hand for creating elixirs, including one for immortality…
This one is a spin on The Secret Garden and Greek mythology, and it’s also a queer, gothic delight.
A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher
Mona is 14, and while everyone around her seems to have an amazing magic, hers is…not. Her familiar is a sourdough starter, and that’s the only thing her magic seems to work on.
It’s a quiet life, but Mona keeps herself busy enough in her aunt’s bake shop. That is, until she finds a dead body on the floor. There is a killer on the loose, and all signs point to Mona being the next possible victim.
Who can she turn to for help? It might just be her own form of magic.
Thanks for hanging out. We’ll see you on Thursday with your YA news and paperback releases.
Until then, happy reading!
–Kelly Jensen