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What's Up in YA

A Gag Gift Gone Not-So-Gag and More YA Book Talk and News: February 15, 2024

Hey, YA Readers!

I hope you enjoyed your Valentine’s Day, whether that meant going out on a date with friends or your beloved or hanging out with you and yourself.

2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!

Let’s dive into all things new YA paperbacks this week, as well as all of the YA news you can use.

Bookish Goods

stayed up all night reading glass mug

Stayed Up All Night Reading Mug by AriellaSkyDesigns

I love a glass mug, and I love a glass mug that identifies why I need the caffeinated contents held within said mug. This is a fun one for your stash or to gift to a fellow book lover. $21.

New Releases

It’s paperback time! We’ve got a bunch of great paperback YA titles out this week, and below are just two of them. You can grab the entire list right here.

the noh family book cover

The Noh Family by Grace K. Shim

This one is for the K-drama fans out there!

High school senior Chloe Chang got a 23andMe test as a gag gift from her friends. Chloe has always just lived with her mom in Oklahoma following the death of her dad in Seoul before she was even born. Even though she knows the test is a gag and doesn’t believe anything will come from it, Chloe takes it anyway.

She’s shocked to learn that she is part of a wealthy family in Seoul, thanks to her father. Chloe wants to meet them, and even though her mom is hesitant to let her teen daughter go meet the family she never knew about, Chloe goes.

But what she discovers about the Nohs will change her life in ways she could have never suspected.

serendipity book cover

Serendipity: Ten Romantic Tropes, Transformed edited by Marissa Meyer

This anthology got a fresh cover in paperback, and even though illustrated covers are not my favorite, this one is more eye-catching than the hardcover.

Looking for a collection of short stories by some rad YA authors that explore your favorite romance tropes? Grab this book ASAP. Some of the tropes include the fake relationship, the secret admirer, and more. Stories in the collection include work by Elise Bryant, Elizabeth Eulberg, Leah Johnson, Anna-Marie McLemore, Marissa Meyer, Sandhya Menon, Julie Murphy, Caleb Roehrig, Sarah Winifred Searle, and Abigail Hing Wen.

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.

YA Book News

I know I made it sound like there was an abundance of YA book news to cover earlier in the newsletter, but there isn’t. Just a handful of stories this week, all of which are about adaptations.

Thanks for hanging out, and we’ll see you on Saturday for your YA ebook deals.

Until then, happy reading!

–Kelly Jensen

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What's Up in YA

New YA Graphic Novel Extravaganza: YA Book Talk, February 12, 2024

Hey, YA Readers!

I hope your Monday is off to a good start as we enter the week of all things love. I know folks have conflicted feelings on Valentine’s Day, but I enjoy it a lot and always emphasize every year that this holiday is not only historical—it’s been commercialized, of course, but it’s not a Hallmark* invention—but like Halloween, you can enjoy it whatever way you want to. Go on a date with a partner! Take your best friends out for coffee! Grab a book and take a bath with some chocolate hearts! It’s about love and warmth, so let yourself enjoy it.

2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!

This week, let’s love on all things books, if nothing else. Onward into the new releases—and it’s a mega roundup!

*My first job as a teenager was at Hallmark, and my favorite little thing about that job was memorizing where any kind of card was located. You want a “Thanks for being an amazing bus driver” card? I could find you several.

Bookish Goods

young adult reader sticker

Young Adult Reader Sticker by SprinklesStudios

You’re here because you care about and enjoy young adult books. Now share that love on your water bottle, planner, or physical TBR notebook with this sticker. $4.

New Releases

We’re being blessed with abundance in new releases this time of the year. Below are two hardcovers hitting shelves this week. You can grab the entire list right here.

Black girl you are atlas book cover

Black Girl You Are Atlas by Renée Watson, Ekua Holmes (Illustrated by)

Renée Watson is back, and this time, she’s written a collection of poetry that is semi-autobiographical. It explores coming of age as a Black girl at the intersections of race, class, and gender. The poetry includes all kinds of formats and is not only Watson’s story but a call for Black girls today to take the time to know themselves, love themselves, and champion themselves.

this is how you fall in love book cover

This Is How You Fall In Love by Anika Hussain

Zara is a fan of all things love and hopes for her own swoony romance. Adnan has been her best friend since childhood, and while everyone has told them they are the perfect couple, Zara knows they’re meant to be friends.

That is until Adnan asks Zara to do him a huge favor: pretend to be his girlfriend so he can cover up his real secret relationship. Zara is on board, but those fake feelings might start to get a little bit too real and, worse, get confusing when a new boy enters her life. Who does she choose? Does she get to choose at all?

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.

A Graphic Novel Extravaganza

This week is one of the biggest weeks for new YA graphic novels/comics in a while. I do not remember the last time so many were released on the same day, and I don’t want to not highlight them.

Dive into some new comics with these releases, which truly do have something for every kind of reader.

bunt book cover

Bunt! by Ngozi Ukazu, illustrated by Mad Rupert

Molly Bauer is off to college, but it is starting out to be a disaster. All of the money she was promised in the form of financial aid disappeared. But she’s scoured the papers and policies of her school and discovered something: if she and nine other art students can win one game of softball, they’ll all be able to enjoy a full athletic scholarship.

Of course, they’re going for it! Who cares if they don’t know a thing about the sport?

call me iggy book cover

Call Me Iggy by Jorge Aguirre, illustrated by Rafael Rosado

Iggy is an Ohio-born Colombian American. Once he bumps into Marisol, he becomes quickly infatuated. Marisol, however, is way too busy with her own life—including getting her legal papers—to engage. Iggy is desperate to catch her attention, and then he is quickly approached by his abuelo with suggestions.

The problem? His abuelo is dead and also gives terrible advice.

The Fox Maidens by Robin Ha

Kai Song wants to follow in the footsteps of her father and become a warrior. The problem is she’s a girl, and society isn’t keen on female warriors.

She’s also been subject of rumors that she is the granddaughter of Gumiho, the legendary nine-tail fox that her father killed.

When Kai finds out a huge secret about her mother’s past, Kai finds herself unraveling, worried that everything she thought she knew about herself, her history, and her family are all untruths.

freshman year book cover

Freshman Year by Sarah Mai

I would have eaten this book up as a high schooler and have, in my adulthood, read several comics that cover this terrain: moving away to college.

This is Sarah’s graphic memoir of leaving her home in Wisconsin to attend college in Minnesota. It’s about all of the expectations and anticipation she has and what happens when those things butt against the realities of what college life is actually like.

king cheer book cover

King Cheer by Molly Horton Booth, Stephanie Kate Strohm, Jamie Green

This is the second comic in a series that brings a fresh twist to Shakespeare. In King Cheer, we get a queer twist on King Lear (one of my fav Shakespeare plays!).

Leah is the cheerleading captain but decides to call it quits just before graduation. She is struggling with a lot of things, including her identity, with being waitlisted at her dream college, and more.

A pair of twins have now stepped in to replace Leah as co-captains and the situation for the team is not good. They’ve put the cheer squad in such a position that now, they’re fighting the basketball team.

One person can solve the problem. But for Leah, that first requires untangling her own.

Thanks as always for hanging out, and know I am so glad we get to talk books as much as we do.

I’ll see you later this week for (spoiler) MORE BOOK TALK.

Until then, happy reading!

–Kelly Jensen, listening to Once In a Millennial by Kate Kennedy

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What's Up in YA

A Bad Detour Made Worse and More of Today’s YA Book Talk and News: February 8, 2024

Hey, YA Readers!

It’s Thursday, so you know what that means. Coming fresh to your inbox are your YA paperback releases and your YA book news. Onward we go!

2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!

Bookish Goods

public library lover tote bag

Public Library Lover Tote Bag by angiepea

Did you know February is Library Lovers Month? Now you do, and you can brag about your love for your local library with this tote bag that doubles as a way for you to carry your latest library loot. $21+.

New Releases

Publishing season kicked up earlier this year, it seems, and the releases will be coming faster and more furious over the next two or three months. That’s great news and terrible news, of course—great for more books, terrible for ever catching up.

Find below two of the YA paperback books that hit shelves this week. You can catch the entire list of new paperback releases over here.

10 hours to go book cover

10 Hours to Go by Keely Parrack

Wildfires are raging in Oregon, and Lily’s train home to California was canceled. Fortunately—or not—for her, Lily’s ex-best friend Natasha is driving through and offers her a ride. Lily’s desperate and agrees, not knowing that Elke Aziz is also along for the ride.

Elke is the girl Lily got expelled from school several years ago.

It is not a pleasant car ride, but things go from bad to worse when Natasha decides to get off the main road home when smoke starts to grow. That detour seemed okay, until it suddenly Was Not Okay. The three are now trapped in the woods, and Lily’s survival now literally depends on two people who may not especially like her.

a thousand steps into night book cover

A Thousand Steps Into Night by Traci Chee

Miuko is an innkeeper in a world where monsters, gods, and humans all coexist—she, though, is just a normal, average girl.

But then Miuko is cursed. That curse is slowly turning her into the kind of demon whose touch can kill. She needs to rid herself of the curse and that’s not going to be easy.

Despite the challenges, this curse is showing Miuko a type of freedom and magic she could never have imagined before.

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.

YA Book News

Thanks, as always, for hanging out. We’ll see you again on Saturday with your YA book deals.

Until then, happy reading!

–Kelly Jensen, currently reading the YA lesbian classic Annie On My Mind by Nancy Garden.

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What's Up in YA

Slam Poetry, Disability Visibility, & More YA Book Talk:

Hey YA Readers!

I have a packed newsletter for you today. There are so many new releases I want to highlight, and I also want to show off some rad recent and forthcoming YA books that put visible disability front and center.

2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!

Let’s dive in.

Bookish Goods

pink library card memo pad

Pink Library Card Memo Pad by FlyPaperProducts

Keep notes on the important things in your life, including the books you peep in the wild that you know you need to add to your library or bookstore lists. This pink library due date memo pad is perfect for just that. $8.

New Releases

It is a big YA new release week, both for hardcovers and for paperbacks. In the interest of showing off how wide a range of titles there are, I’ll highlight three below. I encourage you to dive into the full list over here.

bright red fruit book cover

Bright Red Fruit by Safia Elhillo

This verse novel follows Samira, whose reputation proceeds her…and it’s not a reputation she wants, but it is one she’s trying to shake. Samira is determined to have a good summer, but when a rumor gets her grounded, she turns to poetry. In a poetry forum, she grows close with an older poet named Horace.

As Samira begins to find her own voice and footing in the slam poetry community, she’s worried that the biggest secret she’s been keeping could be the end of everything she’s worked for.

infinity alchemist book cover

Infinity Alchemist by Kacen Callender

Ash was not admitted into the Lancaster College of Alchemic Science, which would allow him to be among the few legally permitted to study magic; he decides to study in secret by becoming a groundskeeper for the school. So when Ash is discovered by Ramsay Thorne, one of the chosen ones at the school, he’s convinced it is over and he’ll be finding himself in big trouble.

But Ramsay doesn’t turn Ash in. Instead, Ramsay decides to enlist Ash in an entirely different scheme: locating one of the most powerful sacred texts of alchemy.

relit book cover

Relit: 16 Latinx Remixes of Classic Stories edited by Sandra Proudman

This anthology retells classic stories across different genres and gives them all a fresh Latinx spin. Some of the stories include taking Pride and Prejudice into space, star-crossed lovers finding love amid the planet’s ruins, and more. It has a blockbuster roster of contributors, including Olivia Abtahi, David Bowles, Zoraida Córdova, Saraciea J. Fennell, Raquel Vasquez Gilliland, Torrey Maldonado, Jasminne Mendez, Anna Meriano, Amparo Ortiz, Laura Pohl, Sandra Proudman, NoNieqa Ramos, Monica Sanz, Eric Smith, Ari Tison, and Alexandra Villasante

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.

Disability Visibility

Over the years, we have finally begun to see more visible disability representation on YA book covers. It is still far from perfect, but even since I wrote about how “inclusive” YA book covers were not including disabled representation well, it has improved a lot. I wanted to draw attention to a handful of YA books in 2023 and 2024 where disability representation is front and center. Of course, many disabilities are invisible and, thus, would not be obvious in some cover renderings for characters. But I think it is important to keep elevating the covers showing it off, too.

Note, though, this list is far more white than it should be. This is partially because this representation is still scarce, partially because this is a look at covers specifically, and partially because there is still a paucity of BIPOC disability representation in YA.

brooms book cover

Brooms by Jasmine Walls, illus. by Teo DuVall

This one is pitched as The Fast and the Furious but with broomsticks, and it follows a group of 6 diverse teens who participate in a forbidden broom race, which allows them to embrace their magic as witches. It’s set in 1930s Mississippi, giving the story of magic and witchcraft a historical spin.

joined at the joints book cover

Joined at the Joints by Marissa Eller (July 2)

Ivy is chronically ill and has decided to spend the summer away from social activities since that triggers her anxiety. But her mom and her sister urge her to join a support group, and she does—reluctantly at first, then a little more willingly, once she meets an attendee named Grant. He is cute, he is sweet, and he truly understands her. They share the same juvenile rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis.

But as Ivy begins to feel sicker and grows tired of the work it takes to manage her illness, can she hope that even someone who understands the experience will stick around?

cover of Out of Our League: 16 Stories of Girls in Sports; illustration of many young women of many races

Out of Our League edited by Dahlia Adler and Jennifer Iocopelli

I talked about this one in the January 15 edition of this newsletter, so I won’t say much more because it’s straightforward—this is a rad collection of stories about girls in sports. Also rad? Some of those girls are disabled.

stars in their eyes book cover

Stars in Their Eyes by Jessica Walton, illus. by Aśka

Maisie is attending her first fan convention, and she is stoked to meet one of the heroes of her favorite superhero show. That hero, like her, has a lower leg amputation.

But what Maisie does not anticipate is meeting a cute volunteer at the event named Ollie. As the day goes on, Maisie is unable to stop thinking about how much she is falling for Ollie and how that meeting might be the surprise she did not know she needed.

take all of us book cover

Take All of Us by Natalie Leif (June 4)

Poisoned water changed the landscape of Ian’s West Virginia town. Those who drank the water were turned into zombies, and Ian, who has dealt with chronic migraines and seizures, has relied on his best friend (maybe more than best friend) Eric to help kill the infected around them.

So when a mandate from the government requires everyone in town to evacuate, Ian is not only injured in the rush, he’s devastated to discover Eric has left him on his own.

Now Ian will team up with two others left behind to find out what happened to Eric.

That is, if Eric doesn’t kill them first.

time and time again book cover

Time and Time Again by Chatham Greenfield (July 23)

Phoebe is stuck in a time loop. It is August 6 every day, down to the same doctor appointments that do not help manage her IBS.

But then a car accident sends Jess into the same time loop. Jess, who happens to be Phoebe’s childhood crush. Jess, who convinces Phoebe to take advantage of their repeating days and take chances without consequences.

As Phoebe falls harder and harder for Jess, she begins to worry that the fun they’re having in the time loop will disappear if they ever get out of it.

Thanks, as always, for hanging out. We’ll see you on Thursday with your paperback releases and YA book news.

Until then, happy reading!

–Kelly Jensen

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What's Up in YA

Portal Worlds, WE WERE LIARS Adaptation Filming, and More YA Book Talk and News: February 1, 2024

Okay, campers, rise and shine, and don’t forget your booties ’cause it’s cooooold out there today!

Tomorrow is the best holiday of the year. But you know this already because I said it on Monday, and I said it last year, and I said it the year before. I can’t be the only one who loves Groundhog Day and also thinks that we’ve been in a time loop now for….a lot of years.

One way out? Books. Whatever Willie sees tomorrow doesn’t matter when you’ve got a stack of good reads to enjoy, whether that enjoyment happens indoors or out.

2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!

Bookish Goods

image of several heart shaped corner bookmarks

Personalized Leather Heart Bookmarks by AmericanPersonalized

If you’re in the market for a Valentine’s Day gift for someone—including yourself, of course!—perhaps a personalized leather bookmark in the shape of a heart will fit the bill. $8+.

New Releases

It’s paperback o’clock! Let’s look at two very different paperbacks that hit shelves this week. You can catch the entire list of this week’s new YA paperbacks here.

once a queen book cover

Once A Queen by Sarah Arthur

Eva, 14, is spending the summer at an English manor with the grandmother she’s never met. Pretty quickly, she notices odd things happening at night in the gardens and cannot help herself but to explore. What she finds is that the manor staff believe the gardens hold hidden portals to other worlds and that Eva’s grandmother used to be queen in one of them.

Now, Eva wants to try to get her grandmother to talk and share her story—even though it is painful. Does Eva have a royal lineage she should know about?

we are all so good at smiling book cover

We Are All So Good at Smiling by Amber McBride

Whimsy is back in inpatient care after an attempted suicide. This time, she meets Faery, a boy who, too, is in treatment. She is instantly drawn to him for reasons she can’t quite put her finger on. So when she’s released and learns that Faery and his family have moved to her town and they’ll be attending school together, she’s glad to have someone who “gets” her.

What the two of them share, though, beyond their mental challenges, is a fear of the Forest near town. But when they enter and realize there is no way out but through, they encounter a host of Sorrows, as well as characters from global fairy and folk tales, who give them guidance on the path toward understanding Sorrow and trauma. 

This is a complex and magical fantasy in verse about mental illness and trauma. 

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.

YA Book News

As always, thanks for hanging out. We’ll see you on Saturday with your YA book deals.

Until then, happy reading!

–Kelly Jensen, currently reading Rez Ball by Byron Graves

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What's Up in YA

Cold Reads + A Little More Than Magic: YA Book Talk, January 29, 2024

Hey YA Readers!

My favorite holiday is later this week, and for the first time in several years, the weather looks to be spectacular for prognostication. Will Willie see his shadow on Friday or not? Honestly, it’s hard for me to care thinking about 50 degrees in early February after this last, err, month of nonsense.

Whether or not you care about the big rodent’s day, I do know you’re here for books, and that, I’ve got in spades!

2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!

Bookish Goods

round purple sticker that sys "book it alumni."

Book It! Alumni Sticker by SGBagTags

Tap the nostalgia button for a moment with this fun vinyl “Book It! Alumni” sticker. It’ll look great on your water bottle, your planner, or the paper journal you keep to track your reading. $4.

New Releases

We’ve got a roster of great new books on shelves this week. I’m going to highlight two very different ones below, and as always, you can check out the entire list here.

poemhood book cover

Poemhood: Our Black Revival: History, Folklore & the Black Experience: A Young Adult Poetry Anthology by Amber McBride, Erica Martin, Taylor Byas

Beginning with the knockout cover, this book promises to be nothing short of the kind of collection of Black poetry—both contemporary and historical—that YA readers deserve. Among some of the contributors are Kwame Alexander, James Baldwin, Ibi Zoboi, Audre Lorde, Nikki Giovanni, and Gwendolyn Brooks, and the poems dive into the Black experience.

these deadly prophecies book cover

These Deadly Prophecies by Andrea Tang

Tabatha Zeng is the apprentice to one of the world’s most well-known sorcerers. Though it’s been an interesting job, she definitely wasn’t anticipating how much crime-solving the role would require. So when her boss predicts his own death and that prediction comes true, Tabitha is one of the prime suspects, along with the sorcerer’s youngest son, Callum.

Tabitha and Callum want to prove their innocence and team up to get to the bottom of the murder. But can Tabitha actually trust this guy?

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.

To Antarctica

Do you have settings and places that you are obsessed with? I’m assuming most of us do, whether it’s someplace real or imagined. A lot of mine tend to be very cold places, and I assume part of it is because it makes me feel better about how temporary it is in my neck of the woods (even though winter does sometimes feel 6 months long).

Antarctica is probably my favorite setting to read about, and indeed, I love every video that hits my TikTok For You page of folks on a cruise to the big white continent.

I ended my 2023 reading year with a book set in Antarctica that releases in a couple of weeks and it made me think about some other books set in the region. Let’s head south to the southernmost pole, where, for those of us in the northern hemisphere, we can revel in their summer (okay, it’s still cold, but we can imagine).

a suffragist's guide to the antarctic book cover

A Suffragist’s Guide to the Antarctic by Yi Shun Lai (Feb 13)

This book has everything: a historic setting, the Suffragist movement, a girl on an Antarctic exposition, and a survival story.

Clara Ketterling-Dunbar is part of The Resolute, a team of 28 crew members on an Antarctic exposition. It is November 1914, and the ship is stuck on ice 100 miles from the continent. How will the team survive? How will Clara figure out who she is amid a crew who is not necessarily happy there is a woman on board?

As a heads up: this book has sexual assault and harm to animals–the first is not unpunished, and the second is not out of gross cruelty but survival.

If you love survival, discussions of feminism and what it does or does not entail, and reading about the perceptions held by people around the globe about Americans in this era, don’t miss this one.

up to this pointe book cover

Up To This Pointe by Jennifer Longo

Harper thought she knew her entire life and had a plan with her best friend: they’d been ballerinas forever. When they graduated, they’d get positions in the San Francisco Ballet, a loft downtown, and they’d live their dreams. Together.

Things don’t turn out that way, though, which is how Harper ends up in Antarctica. It was some string-pulling and some creative truth-telling that got her there, but it’s an opportunity to rethink her future. To make plans and unmake some, too.

it looks like us book cover

It Looks Like Us by Alison Ames

One of the largest tech companies in the world is sponsoring an internship for teens to study climate change in Antarctica. Riley Kowalski jumps at the chance, along with three others. Riley hoped it could be a restart, as she’d had a very public panic attack at school and could not escape the ridicule of classmates.

But when the teens get to the research station, they don’t seem to be alone. Riley thinks she sees something, but she can’t be sure. Her anxiety can play tricks on her.

As their research leader experiences some bizarre physical changes, though, the teens are realizing that there is something out there and it wants to take them down.

Another YA book that offers some Antarctica is the third book in Marie Lu’s “Legend” series, Rebel.

As always, thanks for hanging out. I’ll see you on Thursday with your YA book news and paperback releases.

Until then, happy reading!

–Kelly Jensen

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What's Up in YA

Grifting, El Diablo, and More YA Book Talk and News: January 25, 2024

Hey YA Readers!

I’ll let you insert a boring introduction here about the weather (it’s been brutal everywhere). Let’s get right into what you’re actually here for, though: the books.

2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!

Bookish Goods

Image of an ex libris stamp with a bookshelf on it.

From the Library of Rubber Stamp by GetStampedUK

I wish sometimes I were the kind of person who marked my books as my own with stamps or bookplates because there are so many cute options. If you are someone who loves a good Ex-Libris stamp, this one is a winner. It’s customizable and features a fun bookshelf. $30 and up.

New Releases

There are a lot of great paperbacks hitting shelves this week. I’ve pulled two very different ones to highlight–the first of which has been in hardcover for a long time by publishing standards and is getting its paperback release just in time for a sequel.

You can grab the entire list of new YA paperbacks over here.

the girls i've been book cover

The Girls I’ve Been by Tess Sharpe

What happens when the daughter of the Queen of Grift is held hostage during a bank heist? The answer is she knows how to get her and everyone else out safely while scaring the ever-living shit out of the two hostage-takers.

Old primarily in a single day, the story begins as Nora, ex-boyfriend Wes, and current girlfriend Iris are in line at the bank when two men begin a robbery and take everyone inside hostage. They want keys to the vaults downstairs, and they can only get those through the manager. The manager, though, has been in a car accident on his way to the bank and won’t be able to make it. From there, we see Nora start to figure out how she can use her knowledge of deceit to get everyone out safely.

A twisty, super satisfying thriller/heist story with a side of grifting.

the wicked bargain book cover

The Wicked Bargain by Gabe Cole Novoa

Mar, a nonbinary transmasc Latinx pirate, can manipulate fire and ice. Unfortunately, as magical as that power is, they’re not strong enough to reverse a bargain made by their father. El Diablo is out for revenge, hoping to collect Mar’s father’s soul and the rest of those on the ship.

By miracle, there’s hope. But not for long: now El Diablo wants to make a bargain with Mar.

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.

YA Book News

As always, thanks for hanging out. We’ll see you on Saturday with some great YA book deals.

Until then, happy reading!

–Kelly Jensen, currently reading Rising from the Ashes: Los Angeles, 1992. Edward Jae Song Lee, Latasha Harlins, Rodney King, and a City on Fire by Paula Yoo (out 5/7)

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What's Up in YA

Cozy Fantasy, Drowned Cities, and More YA Book Talk: January 22, 2024

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.

2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!

Bookish Goods

Image of a gold necklace with an open book pendant.

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 book cover

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 book cover

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 book cover

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 Comic Cover

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 book cover

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?

Cover of This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron

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 wizards guide to defensive baking book cover

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

Categories
What's Up in YA

YA Memoirs, Lois Duncan’s Tragic Life, and More YA Book Talk: January 18, 2024

Hey YA Readers!

Last week, remember how I said on Monday that it was the first “normal” week of the year? Yep, not here. We had 2 snow days, and now, we’re in the midst of the coldest weather so far this season (the high as I write this is -12, and that’s not the wind chill). If you’re here with me, I hope you’re staying warm and safe. If you’re somewhere with better weather, know my envy is palpable.

The plus side to this is that I did not push myself to do more than I needed to. I got a lot of reading in, and that was everything I really needed.

2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!

Let’s dive into this week’s new books and YA book news. May it warm you up if you’re in need.

Bookish Goods

image of a sticker with a cute creature reading on the moon

Late Night Reader Sticker by KindleStickersStudio

I don’t know what exactly this little creature is, but it is so dang cute. I want to snuggle up to the crescent moon with a book and my cozy clothes! Grab this fun sticker for your Kindle/water bottle/planner for $8.

New Releases

I’m going to mix things up a tiny bit here today. I mean tiny. There are only three YA books releasing in paperback this week, and rather than leave one out, I’m going to shout all three out. We’ve got two novels and a powerful memoir.

all boys aren't blue book cover

All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson

One of the most moving YA memoirs also happens to be one of the most banned in the country. This is Johnson’s story of growing up at the intersections of queerness and Blackness. It’s a story of complicated families, of toxic masculinity, Black joy, and so much more.

friday i'm in love book cover

Friday I’m In Love by Camryn Garrett

It might be too late for Mahalia to have the Sweet Sixteen party of her dreams. The kind that would be like her best friend’s and maybe help her get closer to her crush, Siobhan. But Mahalia has another idea—she’s going to throw herself a coming-out party. She’ll take on extra work and use that money to throw a spectacular event.

In theory, it’s good. In practice, it’s turning into a mess. Will Mahalia even get to have her party, or will she throw in the towel before it even happens?

the chosen one book cover

The Chosen One by Echo Brown

This is a unique take on the memoir, following Echo as she enters her first year at Dartmouth College. She’s been sold a promise about the Ivy League school, but she soon finds herself struggling to keep up with the class, the dating scene isn’t great, and the campus isn’t as diverse as she was led to believe.

Echo realizes in order to succeed, she needs to become her own Chosen One. This will require healing her past to understand her present, including her experiences of grief, racism, difficult friendships, and more.

This is a memoir with a fabulism twist (and that cover is out of this world good!).

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.

YA Book News

As always, thanks for hanging out. We’ll see you on Saturday with your YA book deals.

Until then, happy reading!

–Kelly Jensen, currently listening to the Sold A Story podcast.

Categories
What's Up in YA

Black Aviation, Feminist Medusa, and More New YA Books: January 15, 2024

Hey YA Readers!

Like that, we’ve reached the halfway point of January. This is one of my least favorite months of the year, so I’m not especially sad to see it slip by. It’s been a busy month of preparing for the year, and now, I’m ready to actually live the year.

2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!

Let’s dive into this week’s new releases. Since we are halfway through the month and have had some other fun new releases hit shelves that I haven’t yet talked about, this newsletter is double the new books content. There are two anthologies releasing today that I want to shout out, some graphic novels from earlier this month, and, of course, the usual novel releases.

Bookish Goods

2024 reading log bookmarks

2024 Reading List Bookmark by KettleandCrow

Want an easy and fun way to keep track of your reading–without losing track of what you’re currently reading? Enter this fun bookmark where you can log your year in books. $4 and available in many colors.

New Releases

Two very different new novels to highlight today–one for our fantasy fans and one for our fans of realistic YA. You can grab the entire list of new YA hardcover releases over here and keep scrolling for *even more* new releases.

a drop of venom book cover

A Drop of Venom by Sajni Patel

This one is being pitched as Circe for YA readers, and it is a feminist retelling of Medusa from Rick Riordan’s rad imprint.

Manisha, 16, runs from monsters. It was monsters (and men) that caused the dispersal of her people. She should be safe as a Priestess in the floating temples, but she’s not.

Pratyush is a monster slayer and favored by the King. Every kill he makes adds a year to his life. But he doesn’t want to have this duty anymore.

When Manisha and Pratyush connect, they see a possibility to change the trajectory of each of their lives. Their plans go awry, though. But in the rebirth of both, they reclaim power and their respective futures.

This one has in the description that there is a sexual assault that happens, so heads up for folks who like to know.

if i promise you wings book cover

If I Promise You Wings by A. K. Small

Alix Leclaire and her best friend Jeanne are going to graduate and land incredible work in the arts in Paris. Alix as a feather artist, and Jeanne, a record contract. But then Jeanne dies, and Alix is at a complete loss.

Alix then feels the spirit of Jeanne pushing her to take risks. To behave as Jeanne would, were she still around. This leads Alix to step out of her comfort zone….though perhaps into the hands of challenges she could never anticipate.

This is a story about art, grief, and defining your own future.

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.

Riot Recommendations

Now let’s look at a rad work of nonfiction, a comic, and two anthologies which have all published so far this month. There’s something here for every kind of reader.

american wings book cover

American Wings: Chicago’s Pioneering Black Aviators and the Race for Equality in the Sky by Sherri L. Smith and Elizabeth Wein

This book, put together by two powerhouse authors, is about the period between World War I and World War II when flying became an American obsession. That included an obsession in the Black community, too, even if their options were much more limited. But a crew of Black Americans, men and women, in Chicago, came together to build their own flying club and airfield on the south side. They trained and educated future Black pilots alongside white pilots in those years.

There are photos throughout as well, really bringing this incredible piece of history to life.

ghost roast book cover

Ghost Roast by Shawneé Gibbs and Shawnelle Gibbs, illustrated by Emily Cannon

Now for our graphic novel, which looks so fun!

Chelsea has been trying to shake the reputation she has, thanks to her dad. They live in New Orleans, and he runs a paranormal removal company. It’s a new school year, and Chelsea is feeling good as she’s finally made friends with the popular crowd.

But then she finds herself in trouble and as punishment, she’s spending the summer working with her dad. She’s not thrilled, especially when she discovers that she might be good at the job because she can actually see ghosts.

Things get more complicated when Chelsea meets a ghost named Oliver and wants to help save him from being stuck inside the mansion that she’s supposed to be helping to destroy spirits from.

my big fat desi wedding book cover

My Big, Fat Desi Wedding edited by Prerna Pickett

All of the stories in this anthology center around Desi weddings. Among the stories are a curse that becomes prophetic, a soulmate whose words can appear on the skin of their beloved, a girl discovering the meaning of true love, a boy debating whether or not to betray his parents, and more. The collection includes stories from Prerna Pickett, Syed Masood, Tashie Bhuiyan, Aamna Qureshi, Payal Doshi, Sarah Mughal, Noreen Mughees, and Anahita Karthik.

out of our league book cover

Out Of Our League edited by Dahlia Adler and Jennifer Iacopelli

One more YA anthology for your TBR is this little gem, which looks like it might actually publish next week (so go ahead and preorder to request it from your library). I am someone who loves a good sports story, so I know I’m eager to dive into these 16 stories about girls in sports. It’s got a strong roster of contributors, including Carrie S. Allen, Sara Farizan, Juliana Goodman, Maggie Hall, Leah Henderson, Sarah Henning, Naomi Kanakia, Miranda Kenneally, Yamile Saied Méndez, Cam Montgomery, Marieke Nijkamp, Amparo Ortiz, Aminah Mae Safi, Kayla Whaley, and both of the editors, Dahlia Adler and Jennifer Iacoppelli.

Whew, are we ever in for some good reading!

I’ll see you later this week with some new paperbacks and YA book news. Until then, may you be reading your next favorite book.

–Kelly Jensen, currently reading The First State of Being by Erin Entrada Kelly