August Debut YA Novels

Written by: Kelly on August 13, 2015.

It’s time for another round-up of debut YA novels of the month.

Like always, this round-up includes debut novels, where “debut” is in its purest definition. These are first-time books by first-time authors. I’m not including books by authors who are using or have used a pseudonym in the past or those who have written in other categories (adult, middle grade, etc.) in the past.

All descriptions are from WorldCat, unless otherwise noted. If I’m missing any debuts out in August from traditional publishers, let me know in the comments. As always, not all noted titles included here are necessarily endorsements for those titles.

From Where I Watch You by Shannon Grogan: Sixteen-year-old Kara McKinley’s life imploded after the death of her mean-spirited older sister, but she finds solace in baking and the hope of winning a culinary school scholarship until a stalker targets her, leading her to piece together events from her past even as she fears for her future.

The Temple of Doubt by Anne Boles Levy: Fifteen-year-old Hadara loves to go beyond the city limits gathering herbs and throwing off the yoke of her religious schooling, but when a falling star crashes into the marshes beyond Port Sapphire, two powerful high priests arrive from the god Nihil’s home city to investigate, insisting it harbors an evil force, and choosing Hadara as a guide into the wilds, setting off a chain of events that will upend everything she has been taught about the sacred and the profane.

Diary of a Haunting by M. Verano: After her parents’ high-profile divorce, sixteen-year-old Paige is forced to leave Los Angeles for a rambling Victorian mansion in small-town Idaho where she soon notices strange occurrences that seem to be building toward some unspeakable horror.

The Creeping by Alexandra Sirowy: Seventeen-year-old Stella has no recollection of the day her best friend disappeared while the two, then six, were picking strawberries, until the corpse of a similar girl turns up and Stella not only begins to remember, she learns that something dark has been at work in their little town for generations.

How To Say I Love You Out Loud by Karole Cozzo: When Jordyn’s autistic brother joins her at her elite school her junior year, she is determined not to let anyone know they are related, even if that means closing herself off to her closest friends Erin, Tanu, and Alex, the football captain she secretly loves.

Madly by Amy Alward: Samantha’s ability to mix potions is needed when her family is summoned to take part in an ancient quest to save Princess Evelyn from a potion gone awry, but will curing the princess doom Samantha’s chance at love?

Not After Everything by Michelle Levy: After his mom kills herself, Tyler shuts out the world–until falling in love with Jordyn helps him find his way toward a hopeful future.

Written by: Kelly on August 25, 2014.

The summer tends to be a slower time in the book world, and that’s reflected in the fewer number of debut novels there seem to be to talk about these last few months. But there are some in August, and it’s a great time to catch up on the titles out earlier this year before the fall season brings them out in abundance.

As always, I define debut novel as the author’s first book within any category, not just YA. If I’ve missed anything from a mainstream publisher, let me know in the comments. All descriptions are from WorldCat, unless otherwise noted.

Gates of Thread and Stone by Lori M. Lee: To save Reev, Kai must unravel the threads of her past and face shocking truths about her brother, her friendship with Avan, and her unique power. She will leave the only home she’s ever known and risk getting caught up in a revolution centuries in the making.

The Girl From The Well by Rin Chupeco: Okiku has wandered the world for centuries, freeing the innocent ghosts of the murdered-dead and taking the lives of killers with the vengeance they are due, but when she meets Tark she knows the moody teen with the series of intricate tattoos is not a monster and needs to be freed from the demonic malevolence that clings to him.

Wordless by Adrianne Strickland: After helping Khaya, the Word of Life, escape from her prison, seventeen-year-old trash collector Tavin Barnes joins her on the run, attempting to prevent Khaya’s captors from using the Words for world domination.

The Islands At The End of The World by Austin Aslan: Stranded in Honolulu when a strange cloud causes a worldwide electronics failure, sixteen-year-old Leilani and her father must make their way home to Hilo amid escalating perils, including her severe epilepsy.

Let’s Get Lost by Adi Alsaid: During her cross-country adventures following the tragic death of her family, Leila touches the lives of four strangers — Hudson, Bree, Elliot, and Sonia. While forever changing the lives of these four, Leila also discovers an important truth about herself.

The Revelation of Gabriel Adam by S. L. Duncan: Seventeen-year-old Gabriel Adam is used to moving a lot. When a mysterious assassin burns his home to the ground Gabriel’s father reveals the truth of why they are always on the move: Gabriel is one of four Archangels, born human and sent to stop Armageddon. Now, Gabe must set aside dreams of attending NYU to try to fulfill his newly discovered role as protector of mankind.