Hi YA Readers!
Me again! Kelly is still out doing fab Kelly things, so I’ll be talking YA stuff with you until she’s back. I’ve got some really interesting books to add to that summer reading TBR of yours, and if you’re interested, make sure to check out a free book resource for teens podcast episode I did with Tirzah that airs Wednesday. There are actually a pretty good number of great resources out there to get that summer TBR whittled down! Some are time-sensitive, though, so don’t wait too long (pro tip: they’re not all just for teens).
Also, before we get to the book recommendations, I realize I made a bit of a mistake with the last new releases newsletter send. Instead of two paperback books, I recommended one paperback and one newly released hardback. I’ll remedy that here with another paperback/new hardcover pairing.
Bookworm Enamel Pin by WhimsyPinsCo
Rep the just one more chapter crew with this pink and flowery pin. It’s on sale for $5 now.
New Releases
Here’s the mega list of new YA books out this week if you want to see books other than the ones I’ve highlighted.
This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron
This brilliant, queer fantasy is in paperback now. It follows Briseis, who has a magical touch when it comes to plants. Her and her mothers decide to leave Brooklyn when her aunt dies leaving her a worn down and dilapidated estate in New York. Though the estate has an inherent darkness— with its odd apothecary and deadly plants— it also allows Bri a chance to strengthen her magic and learn more about her family. Soon, people start showing up for the elixirs Bri’s talent makes, but things get out of hand when a mysterious group appears looking for an immortality elixir. There’s much to love with this one: queer joy, a gothic setting, plant magic, and some Greek mythology.
Bad Things Happen Here by Rebecca Barrow (June 28)
The island of Parris is seen by outsiders as a paradise only granted to the most privileged, but Luca Laine Thomas knows better. She knows it’s cursed. Beneath its idyllic appearance lies a dark history filled with a curse that brings about unsolved deaths of young women. It took her best friend three years ago, and it came back to claim her sister. She decides to investigate things herself and uncover the ugly truth that the rest of the island wants to ignore.
For a more comprehensive list, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
It’s that time! Time for bold summer plans that you will (hopefully) be able to carry out. I always like to think of planning a road trip with friends during the summer, but haven’t actually done one for awhile because of the pandemic… and now these raggedy gas prices (!). In other words, I’m still thinking of hitting the road this summer, but within the pages of a book. Enter YA books with roadtrips.
I will say, though, that the strength of these books, and a lot of what I like about road trips in general, is that they’re not really about the escape. If anything, the long periods of time stuck in a moving vehicle makes you sit with yourself more, ideally allowing for some self-reflection and growth.
Lulu and Milagro’s Search for Clarity by Angela Velez
While Lulu and Milagro are sisters, they couldn’t be any more different. Lulu gets straight A’s and has a 10-year plan that includes an internship at Stanford. Problem is that her Peruvian mom is scared that her going to a school too far away will destroy their relationship. Then there’s Milagro, who is more concerned with spicy spring break plans that with anything college related. But when her initial plans are canceled and a spot opens up on their schools’s cross-country college trip, Milagro decides to join Lulu and the rest of the college-minded on a trip from Baltimore to San Francisco. As both girls unpack family and personal issues, they start to see possibilities they hadn’t noticed before.
Me (Moth) by Amber McBride
This is such an interesting and somewhat unexpected choice for one, especially as it’s in verse. When Moth lost her family in an accident, she became unrooted. Even moving in with her aunt hasn’t made her feel more grounded. But when she meets Sani, who is struggling with depression, she’s immediately drawn to him. The two begin to realize that what they need to feel more rooted is to connect with their ancestors, so they set out on a roadtrip to Navajo territory in New Mexico where Sani’s father is. As they journey, their story— full of Black American hoodoo, ghosts, and Navajo lore— has them reckoning with the long-standing effects of colonialism and how their histories are inherently intertwined.
Thanks for letting me chat with y’all for a minute! Kelly will be back Thursday with some more paperbacks and news.
Until then, happy reading!
-Erica