Snakes on YA: A Cover Trend for YA Books (& Adult Titles, Too!)

April 8, 2019 |

Another book cover reveal last week made clear there’s a new trend on the YA block: snakes on YA (say that like “Snakes on a Plane,” please, if you’re not already). It’s been around for a bit on YA, especially on fantasy and on fairy tale stories, but it’s hitting full steam this year.

People have noticed, and some have noted how poorly rendered some of those snakes are. Whatever the case, I kind of like the snake. It’s representative of so many things, and it’s fun to think about how it plays into the story literally and figuratively.

Find below a round-up of the snake-infested YA books hitting shelves this year. I’ve included all of the YA titles I’ve found, as well as a number of adult books. Some of those adult books have tremendous YA crossover appeal, too, making their slithery covers an easy way to sell them to readers. I’ve used Goodreads descriptions, since I’ve not read any of these books yet.

However, this isn’t even the biggest trend in covers I’ve seen this year. Here’s your teaser for next week, which will feature a cover design feature I could not stop seeing as I was rounding up these snake-y reads.

The Dark Age by Pierce Brown (July 9)

For a decade Darrow led a revolution against the corrupt color-coded Society. Now, outlawed by the very Republic he founded, he wages a rogue war on Mercury in hopes that he can still salvage the dream of Eo. But as he leaves death and destruction in his wake, is he still the hero who broke the chains? Or will another legend rise to take his place?

Lysander au Lune, the heir in exile, has returned to the Core. Determined to bring peace back to mankind at the edge of his sword, he must overcome or unite the treacherous Gold families of the Core and face down Darrow over the skies of war-torn Mercury.

But theirs are not the only fates hanging in the balance.

On Luna, Mustang, Sovereign of the Republic, campaigns to unite the Republic behind her husband. Beset by political and criminal enemies, can she outwit her opponents in time to save him?

Once a Red refugee, young Lyria now stands accused of treason, and her only hope is a desperate escape with unlikely new allies.

Abducted by a new threat to the Republic, Pax and Electra, the children of Darrow and Sevro, must trust in Ephraim, a thief, for their salvation—and Ephraim must look to them for his chance at redemption.

As alliances shift, break, and re-form—and power is seized, lost, and reclaimed—every player is at risk in a game of conquest that could turn the Rising into a new Dark Age.

The Deceiver’s Heart by Jennifer A. Nielsen

In this sequel to the instant New York Times bestseller The Traitor’s Game, Kestra Dallisor has finally gained possession of the Olden Blade. With the dagger in her control, she attempts to destroy the tyrannical Lord Endrick. But when Kestra fails, the king strips her of her memory, and leaves her weak and uncertain, bound to obey him. Heartbroken, Simon is desperate to return Kestra to the rebel she was, but refuses to use magic to heal her. With untrusting Coracks and Halderians threatening to capture and kill her, and war looming on the horizon, Kestra and Simon will have to learn to trust each other again if they have any hope of surviving. But can a heart once broken ever be healed?

The Deceiver’s Heart marks a stunning return to Jennifer A. Nielsen’s gorgeously rendered world of Antora and all its treachery and magic.

Evermore by Sara Holland

Jules Ember was raised hearing legends of the ancient magic of the wicked Alchemist and the good Sorceress. But she has just learned the truth: She is the Alchemist, and Caro—a woman who single-handedly murdered the Queen and Jules’s first love, Roan, in cold blood—is the Sorceress.

The whole kingdom believes that Jules is responsible for the murders, and a hefty bounty has been placed on her head. And Caro is intent on destroying Jules, who stole her heart twelve lifetimes ago. Now Jules must piece together the stories of her past lives to save the person who has captured her heart in this one.

Five Dark Fates by Kendare Blake (September 3)

After the grim confrontation with Queen Katharine, the rebellion lies in tatters. Jules’s legion curse has been unbound, and it is up to Arsinoe to find a cure, even as the responsibility of stopping the ravaging mist lies heavy on her shoulders, and her shoulders alone. Mirabella has disappeared.

Katharine’s reign remains intact—for now. When Mirabella arrives, seemingly under a banner of truce, Katharine begins to yearn for the closeness that Mirabella and Arsinoe share. But as the two circle each other, the dead queens hiss caution—Mirabella is not to be trusted.

In this conclusion to the Three Dark Crowns series, three sisters will rise to fight as the secrets of Fennbirn’s history are laid bare. Allegiances will shift. Bonds will be tested. But the fate of the island lies in the hands of its queens. It always has.

Kingdom of Souls by Rena Barron (September 10)

Magic has a price—if you’re willing to pay.

The lush world building of Children of Blood and Bone meets the sweeping scale of Strange the Dreamer in this captivating epic YA fantasy debut.

Born into a family of powerful witchdoctors, Arrah yearns for magic of her own. But each year she fails to call forth her ancestral powers, while her ambitious mother watches with growing disapproval.

There’s only one thing Arrah hasn’t tried, a deadly last resort: trading years of her own life for scraps of magic. Until the Kingdom’s children begin to disappear, and Arrah is desperate to find the culprit.

She uncovers something worse. The long-imprisoned Demon King is stirring. And if he rises, his hunger for souls will bring the world to its knees… unless Arrah pays the price for the magic to stop him.

Inspired by tales of folk magic in her own community, Rena Barron spins a darkly magical tale perfect for fans of Three Dark Crowns or Shadow and Bone, about a girl caught between gods, monsters, and her own mother’s schemes.

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo (October 1)

Galaxy “Alex” Stern is the most unlikely member of Yale’s freshman class. Raised in the Los Angeles hinterlands by a hippie mom, Alex dropped out of school early and into a world of shady drug-dealer boyfriends, dead-end jobs, and much, much worse. In fact, by age twenty, she is the sole survivor of a horrific, unsolved multiple homicide. Some might say she’s thrown her life away. But at her hospital bed, Alex is offered a second chance: to attend one of the world’s most prestigious universities on a full ride. What’s the catch, and why her?

Still searching for answers to this herself, Alex arrives in New Haven tasked by her mysterious benefactors with monitoring the activities of Yale’s secret societies. Their eight windowless “tombs” are the well-known haunts of the rich and powerful, from high-ranking politicos to Wall Street’s biggest players. But their occult activities are more sinister and more extraordinary than any paranoid imagination might conceive. They tamper with forbidden magic. They raise the dead. And, sometimes, they prey on the living.

Ninth House is the long-awaited adult debut by the beloved author of Shadow and Bone and Six of Crows. Leigh Bardugo will take her place alongside Lev Grossman and Deborah Harkness as one of the finest practitioners of literary fantasy writing today.

The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black (January 7, 2020)

After being pronounced Queen of Faerie and then abruptly exiled by the Wicked King Cardan, Jude finds herself unmoored, the queen of nothing. She spends her time with Vivi and Oak, watches her fair share of reality television, and does the odd job or two, including trying to convince a cannibalistic faerie from hunting her own in the mortal world.

When her twin sister Taryn shows up asking of a favor, Jude jumps at the chance to return to the Faerie world, even if it means facing Cardan, who she loves despite his betrayal.

When a dark curse is unveiled, Jude must become the first mortal Queen of Faerie and uncover how to break the curse, or risk upsetting the balance of the whole Faerie world.

Rise by Ellen Goodlett (June 11)

Sisters Akeylah, Ren, and Zofi are all a step closer to their dying father’s throne, a step closer to the crown that will allow one of them to rule over Kolonya. But the sisters’ pasts continue to haunt them. Each hides a secret marked with blood and betrayal, and now their blackmailer is holding nothing back. When King Andros discovers the sisters’ traitorous pasts, the consequences will shake the entire kingdom to its core.

As Kolonya’s greatest threat stalks closer and closer, weaving a web of fear and deceit around Ren, Zofi, and Akeylah, even the people they love are under suspicion. If the sisters are going to survive, they’ll have to learn to trust each other above all else and work together, not only to save themselves, but to protect everyone and everything they hold dear.

With shocking reveals and suspenseful storytelling, this breathtaking sequel to Rule will keep you guessing until the very last page.

Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin (September 3)

Bound as one, to love, honor, or burn. Book one of a stunning fantasy duology, this tale of witchcraft and forbidden love is perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas.

Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned.

As a huntsman of the Church, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. But when Lou pulls a wicked stunt, the two are forced into an impossible situation—marriage.

Lou, unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, must make a choice. And love makes fools of us all.

Set in a world of powerful women, dark magic, and off-the-charts romance, this steamy debut novel will leave readers burning for more.

The Black Coats by Colleen Oakes

The enigmatic Black Coats have been exacting vengeance on men who have hurt girls and women for years. The killer of Thea’s cousin went free, and Thea has just received an invitation to join the Black Coats’ balancings—acts of revenge meant to teach a lesson. Justice for Natalie has never felt so close.

But as the balancings escalate in brutality, Thea’s clear-cut mission begins to unravel and she must decide just how far she is willing to go for justice.

Because when the line between justice and revenge is paper thin, it’s hard not to get cut.

The Snakes by Sadie Jones (June 25)

“I wonder if it hurts them to shed their skins,” she said. She didn’t feel afraid standing in the darkness, imagining snakes, even with the smell of death in the air.”

Recently married, psychologist Bea and Dan, a mixed-race artist, rent out their tiny flat to escape London for a few precious months. Driving through France they visit Bea’s dropout brother Alex at the hotel he runs in Burgundy. Disturbingly, they find him all alone and the ramshackle hotel deserted, apart from the nest of snakes in the attic.

When Alex and Bea’s parents make a surprise visit, Dan can’t understand why Bea is so appalled, or why she’s never wanted him to know them; Liv and Griff Adamson are charming and rich. They are the richest people he has ever met. Maybe Bea’s ashamed of him, or maybe she regrets the secrets she’s been keeping.

Tragedy strikes suddenly, brutally, and in its aftermath the family is stripped back to its heart, and then its rotten core, and even Bea with all her strength and goodness can’t escape.

A chilling page-turner and impossible to put down, THE SNAKES is Sadie Jones at her best: breathtakingly powerful, brilliantly incisive, and utterly devastating.

2019 YA Books In Verse For Your TBR

April 1, 2019 |

Happy poetry month! Every year, my town goes all out to celebrate verse, thanks to a local writing and performance group. They team up with area businesses to bring a “One Poet, One City,” and this year’s poet is Gwendolyn Brooks. The coffee shop’s sleeves have her poetry on them, there’s a poetry and yoga event, there are poems plastered in business windows, and more. I’ve always been a poetry fan and a writer of poetry myself, which is part of why I’m so drawn to these novels. With the enthusiasm hitting me everywhere I go in town, I’m feeling the verse fever especially strong this year.

There’s already been at least one powerhouse of a verse book published this year. Laurie Halse Anderson’s SHOUT has earned a ton of stars, and rightly show: it’s a gut punch of a book about sexual assault, survival, and the freedom of speech. But what other YA books have hit shelves this year — or will hit shelves before the end of the year — should be on your radar? I’ve done my best to round up everything I could find when it comes to 2019 YA books in verse.

When I’ve done these before, I’ve called them YA novels in verse. But this year, since verse is showing itself in nonfiction memoirs (yes, plural!), I’m going with the broader description of YA books in verse. Likewise, a couple of these are straight-up poetry collections.

This list is likely incomplete. It reflects what I’ve found in my own searching. If you know of other YA books in verse hitting shelves this year, please drop the titles in the comments. And just for fun, I have a couple of 2020 releases included as well.

Descriptions come from Goodreads.

If you’ve never read a book in verse, this might be the year you should start. Any of these would be a great first pick.

2019 YA Books in Verse

The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta (No cover yet, August)

Fiercely told, this is a timely coming-of-age story, told in verse about the journey to self-acceptance. Perfect for fans of Sarah Crossan, Poet X and Orangeboy.

A boy comes to terms with his identity as a mixed-race gay teen – then at university he finds his wings as a drag artist, The Black Flamingo. A bold story about the power of embracing your uniqueness. Sometimes, we need to take charge, to stand up wearing pink feathers – to show ourselves to the world in bold colour.

*I masquerade in makeup and feathers and I am applauded.*

Note: This might be a UK-only release.

I Don’t Want To Be Crazy by Samantha Schutz (Available now)

This is a true story of growing up, breaking down, and coming to grips with a psychological disorder. When Samantha Schutz first left home for college, she was excited by the possibilities — freedom from parents, freedom from a boyfriend who was reckless with her affections, freedom from the person she was supposed to be. At first, she revelled in the independence . . . but as pressures increased, she began to suffer anxiety attacks that would leave her mentally shaken and physically incapacitated. Thus began a hard road of discovery and coping, powerfully rendered in this poetry memoir.

Note: This is a rerelease of a book originally published in 2016. It has an updated, timely author’s note.

In Paris With You by Clémentine Beauvais, translated by Sam Taylor (Available Now)

Eugene and Tatiana had fallen in love that summer ten years ago. But certain events stopped them from getting to truly know each other and they separated never knowing what could have been.

But one busy morning on the Paris metro, Eugene and Tatiana meet again, no longer the same teenagers they once were.

What happened during that summer? Does meeting again now change everything? With their lives ahead of them, can Eugene and Tatiana find a way to be together after everything?

Written in gorgeous verse, In Paris With You celebrates the importance of first love. Funny and sometimes bittersweet this book has universal appeal for anyone who has been in love.

The Language of Fire: Joan of Arc Reimagined by Stephanie Hemphill (June 11)

This extraordinary verse novel from award-winning author Stephanie Hemphill dares to imagine how an ordinary girl became a great leader, and ultimately saved a nation.

Jehanne was an illiterate peasant, never quite at home among her siblings and peers. Until one day, she hears a voice call to her, telling her she is destined for important things. She begins to understand that she has been called by God, chosen for a higher purpose—to save France.

Through sheer determination and incredible courage, Jehanne becomes the unlikeliest of heroes. She runs away from home, dresses in men’s clothes, and convinces an army that she will lead France to victory.

As a girl in a man’s world, at a time when women truly had no power, Jehanne faced constant threats and violence from the men around her. Despite the impossible odds, Jehanne became a fearless warrior who has inspired generations.

Sanctuary Highway by Ellen Hopkins (March 17, 2020)

The United States government, now called the Confederation, has redefined what it means to be “American.” The parameters are narrow; the exceptions few.

In danger and on the run, two teens who fall outside the “correct” Confederation designation must join forces on a thousand mile journey north for safety. But survival means relying on strangers and not everyone is who they appear to be. Who do you turn to when the only person you can trust is yourself, and one wrong whisper can be the difference between freedom and imprisonment, life and death?

Note: some have raised some concerns about this book and this post is worth reading.

Say Her Name by Zetta Elliott (January 14, 2020)

A YA poetry collection that conjures #BlackGirlMagic with poems inspired by iconic Black female/femme artists and activists.

Second in Command by Sandi Van (Available now)

Sixteen-year-old Leo dreams of becoming an Eagle Scout and, someday, a police officer. He makes sure to always do the right thing and be responsible. With his mom deployed and his dad constantly working, Leo is often left in charge of his two younger siblings. Then Leo’s brother, Jack, gets caught up in a dangerous plot that rocks the community. Can Leo keep his promise to stand by his brother no matter what, or will he stand on the side of justice?

SHOUT by Laurie Halse Anderson (Available Now)

Bestselling author Laurie Halse Anderson is known for the unflinching way she writes about, and advocates for, survivors of sexual assault. Now, inspired by her fans and enraged by how little in our culture has changed since her groundbreaking novel Speak was first published twenty years ago, she has written a poetry memoir that is as vulnerable as it is rallying, as timely as it is timeless. In free verse, Anderson shares reflections, rants, and calls to action woven between deeply personal stories from her life that she’s never written about before. Searing and soul-searching, this important memoir is a denouncement of our society’s failures and a love letter to all the people with the courage to say #metoo and #timesup, whether aloud, online, or only in their own hearts. Shout speaks truth to power in a loud, clear voice– and once you hear it, it is impossible to ignore.

Soaring Earth by Margarita Engle (Available Now)

Margarita Engle’s childhood straddled two worlds: the lush, welcoming island of Cuba and the lonely, dream-soaked reality of Los Angeles. But the revolution has transformed Cuba into a mystery of impossibility, no longer reachable in real life. Margarita longs to travel the world, yet before she can become independent, she’ll have to start high school.

Then the shock waves of war reach America, rippling Margarita’s plans in their wake. Cast into uncertainty, she must grapple with the philosophies of peace, civil rights, freedom of expression, and environmental protection. Despite overwhelming circumstances, she finds solace and empowerment through her education. Amid the challenges of adolescence and a world steeped in conflict, Margarita finds hope beyond the struggle, and love in the most unexpected of places.

Some Girls Bind by Rory James (Available now)

Jamie knows that she isn’t like other girls. She has a secret. She binds her chest every day to feel more like herself. Jamie questions why she is drawn to this practice and why she is afraid of telling her friends, who have their own secrets. Could she really be genderqueer?

Turtle Under Ice by Juleah del Rosario (No cover, Expected in 2020)

Turtle Under Ice, a YA novel-in-verse, which follows the relationship between two teen sisters after one of them goes missing during a snowstorm. Publication is planned for spring 2020.

Voices: The Final Hours of Joan of Arc by David Elliott (Available now)

Told through medieval poetic forms and in the voices of the people and objects in Joan of Arc’s life, (including her family and even the trees, clothes, cows, and candles of her childhood). Along the way it explores issues such as gender, misogyny, and the peril of speaking truth to power. Before Joan of Arc became a saint, she was a girl inspired. It is that girl we come to know in Voices.

When You Ask Me Where I’m Going by Jasmin Kaur (October 1, no cover yet)

scream
so that one day
a hundred years from now
another sister will not have to
dry her tears wondering
where in history
she lost her voice

The six sections of the book explore what it means to be a young woman living in a world that doesn’t always hear her and tell the story of Kiran as she flees a history of trauma and raises her daughter, Sahaara, while living undocumented in North America.

Delving into current cultural conversations including sexual assault, mental health, feminism, and immigration, this narrative of resilience, healing, empowerment, and love will galvanize readers to fight for what is right in their world.

White Rose by Kip Wilson (April 2)

A gorgeous and timely novel based on the incredible story of Sophie Scholl, a young German college student who challenged the Nazi regime during World War II as part of The White Rose, a non-violent resistance group.

Disillusioned by the propaganda of Nazi Germany, Sophie Scholl, her brother, and his fellow soldiers formed the White Rose, a group that wrote and distributed anonymous letters criticizing the Nazi regime and calling for action from their fellow German citizens. The following year, Sophie and her brother were arrested for treason and interrogated for information about their collaborators.

Want more? Kimberly rounded up poetry collections for kids hitting shelves this year — there’s a wave of ’em!

Dare You to Lie by Amber Lynn Natusch

March 27, 2019 |

Teenager Kylene has a lot on her plate. Her father, once a respected FBI agent, is in prison for a crime Ky believes he didn’t commit. Her mother left the family when it all went down and moved cross-country with her new flame. In order to stay close to the prison where her father is incarcerated, Ky moves in with her grandfather instead of following her mother. Unfortunately, this also means returning to the high school she left two years ago after someone took topless photos of her without her permission while she was drunk and shared them with the entire student body. Ky thinks her boyfriend at the time is the guilty party, but she can’t be entirely sure. She’s determined to solve both crimes: the one that put her father away and the one perpetrated against her.

I got a strong Veronica Mars vibe from Natusch’s story. The violation Ky experienced feels similar to what Veronica went through, though Veronica’s rape is certainly much worse. Still, the slut-shaming and lack of action by local law enforcement are issues that Ky and Veronica had in common. And of course, such things happen frequently in real life, too.

Like Veronica, Ky is always ready with a witty comeback, fiercely loyal to her friends, and can’t help but get caught up in other people’s business. She’s the first and only person to take action when she sees local bully Donovan beating up his girlfriend in front of the whole school, which puts her on his shit list. This is a very bad thing, because Donovan is a very scary dude. He’s caught up in other shady things, too, like a doctor writing fraudulent prescriptions for steroids to help the high school football team win. It’s unclear until the very end of the book if and how these various threads – the FBI frame job, the photos, the steroid business – connect to each other, and Natusch does a good job keeping readers guessing. The climax is unsurprising in some ways, but very surprising in others, and it will have readers’ hearts pounding. It’s violent (but not gratuitously so) and terrifying, with Ky coming face to face with a killer and no one around to help but herself.

I loved Ky’s relationship with her friends in this book. Natusch does a great job showing the platonic relationship between Ky and Garrett, her longest friend, as well as Ky’s new and deepening friendship with Tabby. As an unstoppable threesome, they’re a joy to read about. The mysteries themselves are more uneven. The steroid plot feels tired, though Natusch does throw a twist into it at the very end that remains unexplored (not a loose end, but fodder for future books). Ky obtains a few small clues about the case against her father, but this seems like it’s going to be the Big Story that stretches across multiple books and is only fully resolved in the final one. The mystery of who took the photos of Ky without her consent is the only one that is solved completely, and the culprit is not exactly a surprise. Still, Natusch juggles all of these plot threads pretty well and kept me interested the entire way.

I like to read mysteries as audiobooks; it prevents me from skipping to the end to find out whodunit, an unfortunate tendency of mine. Narrator Vanessa Moyen is not my favorite, though. She voices Ky well, but her male voices sound almost comical, and her other female voices are all too high-pitched and whiny. Of course, this is a matter of taste for each individual listener. Hand this title (in any format) to teen mystery fans. They won’t be disappointed.

Debut YA Novels: March 2019

March 25, 2019 |

It’s time again to round up a new batch of debut novels — this time for March!

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. Authors who have self-published are not included here either.

All descriptions are from Amazon, unless otherwise noted. If I’m missing any debuts that came out in March from traditional publishers — and I should clarify that indie/small presses are okay — let me know in the comments.

As always, not all noted titles included here are necessarily endorsements for those titles. List is arranged alphabetically by title, with publication dates in parentheses.. Starred titles are the beginning of a new series.

Debut YA Novels: March 2019

*Bloodleaf by Crystal Smith (3/12)

Princess Aurelia is a prisoner to her crown and the heir that nobody wants. Surrounded by spirits and banned from using her blood-magic, Aurelia flees her country after a devastating assassination attempt. To escape her fate, Aurelia disguises herself as a commoner in a new land and discovers a happiness her crown has never allowed. As she forges new bonds and perfects her magic, she begins to fall for a man who is forbidden to rule beside her. But the ghosts that haunt Aurelia refuse to abandon her, and she finds herself succumbing to their call as they expose a nefarious plot that only she can defeat. Will she be forced to choose between the weight of the crown and the freedom of her new life?

Fake Plastic Girl by Zara Lisbon (3/26)

Celebrity-studded parties that last long into the night. Camera flashes and designer clothes. And a body found floating in the Venice Beach canals.

But let’s start at the beginning.

Justine Childs is your average teenage girl, until the day ex-child-star Eva Kate Kelly moves in across the way. Eva Kate is gorgeous, seductive, and eager to invite Justine into her glittery world. Their relationship intensifies quickly, but there is a lot they aren’t telling each other, and in the midst of the whirlwind, a girl lies dead. Who killed Eva Kate? Justine swears her innocence—and she’d like you to hear her side of the story.

*The Fever King by Victoria Lee (3/1)

In the former United States, sixteen-year-old Noam Álvaro wakes up in a hospital bed, the sole survivor of the viral magic that killed his family and made him a technopath. His ability to control technology attracts the attention of the minister of defense and thrusts him into the magical elite of the nation of Carolinia.

The son of undocumented immigrants, Noam has spent his life fighting for the rights of refugees fleeing magical outbreaks—refugees Carolinia routinely deports with vicious efficiency. Sensing a way to make change, Noam accepts the minister’s offer to teach him the science behind his magic, secretly planning to use it against the government. But then he meets the minister’s son—cruel, dangerous, and achingly beautiful—and the way forward becomes less clear.

Caught between his purpose and his heart, Noam must decide who he can trust and how far he’s willing to go in pursuit of the greater good.

If You’re Out There by Katy Loutzenhiser (3/5)

After Zan’s best friend moves to California, she is baffled and crushed when Priya suddenly ghosts. Worse, Priya’s social media has turned into a stream of ungrammatical posts chronicling a sunny, vapid new life that doesn’t sound like her at all.

Everyone tells Zan not to be an idiot: Let Priya do her reinvention thing and move on. But until Zan hears Priya say it, she won’t be able to admit that their friendship is finished.

It’s only when she meets Logan, the compelling new guy in Spanish class, that Zan begins to open up about her sadness, her insecurity, her sense of total betrayal. And he’s just as willing as she is to throw himself into the investigation when everyone else thinks her suspicions are crazy.

Then a clue hidden in Priya’s latest selfie introduces a new, deeply disturbing possibility:

Maybe Priya isn’t just not answering Zan’s emails.

Maybe she can’t.

Izzy + Tristan by Shannon Dunlap (3/12)

Izzy, a practical-minded teen who intends to become a doctor, isn’t happy about her recent move from the Lower East Side across the river to Brooklyn. She feels distanced from her family, especially her increasingly incomprehensible twin brother, as well as her new neighborhood.

And then she meets Tristan.

Tristan is a chess prodigy who lives with his aunt and looks up to his cousin, Marcus, who has watched out for him over the years. When he and Izzy meet one fateful night, together they tumble into a story as old and unstoppable as love itself.

In debut author Shannon Dunlap’s capable hands, the romance that has enthralled for 800 years is spun new. Told from several points of view, Izzy + Tristan is a love story for the ages and a love story for this very moment. This fast-paced novel is at once a gripping tale of first love and a sprawling epic about the bonds that tie us together and pull us apart and the different cultures and tensions that fill the contemporary American landscape.

*The Last 8 by Laura Pohl (3/5)

Clover Martinez has always been a survivor, which is the reason she isn’t among the dead when aliens invade and destroy Earth as she knows it.

Clover is convinced she’s the only one left until she hears a voice on the radio urging her to go to the former Area 51. When she arrives, she’s greeted by a band of misfits who call themselves The Last Teenagers on Earth.

Only they aren’t the ragtag group of heroes Clover was expecting. The seven strangers seem more interested in pretending the world didn’t end than fighting back, and Clover starts to wonder if she was better off alone. But when she finds a hidden spaceship within the walls of the compound, she doesn’t know what to believe…or who to trust.

Meet Me In Outer Space by Melinda Grace (3/12)

Edie Kits has a learning disability. Well, not a learning disability exactly, but a disability that impacts her learning. It isn’t visible, it isn’t obvious, and it isn’t something she likes to advertise.

And for three semesters of college, her hard work and perseverance have carried her through. Edie thinks she has her disability under control until she meets her match with a French 102 course and a professor unwilling to help her out.

Edie finds herself caught between getting the help she needs and convincing her professor that she isn’t looking for an easy out. Luckily for Edie, she has an amazing best friend, Serena, who is willing to stitch together a plan to ensure Edie’s success. And then there’s Hudson, the badly dressed but undoubtedly adorable TA in her French class who finds himself pulled into her orbit…

The Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds (3/5)

When Jack and Kate meet at a party, bonding until sunrise over their mutual love of Froot Loops and their favorite flicks, Jack knows he’s falling—hard. Soon she’s meeting his best friends, Jillian and Franny, and Kate wins them over as easily as she did Jack.

But then Kate dies. And their story should end there.

Yet Kate’s death sends Jack back to the beginning, the moment they first meet, and Kate’s there again. Healthy, happy, and charming as ever. Jack isn’t sure if he’s losing his mind.

Still, if he has a chance to prevent Kate’s death, he’ll take it. Even if that means believing in time travel. However, Jack will learn that his actions are not without consequences. And when one choice turns deadly for someone else close to him, he has to figure out what he’s willing to do to save the people he loves.

The Quiet You Carry by Nikki Barthelmess (3/5)

Victoria Parker knew her dad’s behavior toward her was a little unusual, but she convinced herself everything was fine until she found herself locked out of the house at 3:00 a.m., surrounded by flashing police lights. Now, dumped into a crowded, chaotic foster home, Victoria has to tiptoe around her domineering foster mother, get through senior year at a new school, and somehow salvage her college dreams . . . all while keeping her past hidden. But some secrets won’t stay buried especially when unwanted memories make Victoria freeze up at random moments and nightmares disrupt her sleep. Even worse, she can’t stop worrying about her stepsister Sarah, left behind with her father. All she wants is to move forward, but how do you focus on the future when the past won’t leave you alone?

Small Town Hearts by Lillie Vale (3/19)

Fresh out of high school, Babe Vogel should be thrilled to have the whole summer at her fingertips. She loves living in her lighthouse home in the sleepy Maine beach town of Oar’s Rest and being a barista at the Busy Bean, but she’s totally freaking out about how her life will change when her two best friends go to college in the fall. And when a reckless kiss causes all three of them to break up, she may lose them a lot sooner. On top of that, her ex-girlfriend is back in town, bringing with her a slew of memories, both good and bad.

And then there’s Levi Keller, the cute artist who’s spending all his free time at the coffee shop where she works. Levi’s from out of town, and even though Babe knows better than to fall for a tourist who will leave when summer ends, she can’t stop herself from wanting to know him. Can Babe keep her distance, or will she break the one rule she’s always had – to never fall for a summer boy?

The Waking Forest by Alyssa Wees (3/12)

The waking forest has secrets. To Rhea, it appears like a mirage, dark and dense, at the very edge of her backyard. But when she reaches out to touch it, the forest vanishes. She’s desperate to know more–until she finds a peculiar boy who offers to reveal its secrets. If she plays a game.

To the Witch, the forest is her home, where she sits on her throne of carved bone, waiting for dreaming children to beg her to grant their wishes. One night, a mysterious visitor arrives and asks her what she wishes for, but the Witch sends him away. And then the uninvited guest returns.

The strangers are just the beginning. Something is stirring in the forest, and when Rhea’s and the Witch’s paths collide, a truth more treacherous and deadly than either could ever imagine surfaces. But how much are they willing to risk to survive?

XL by Scott Brown (3/26)

WIll Daughtry is a late bloomer–at least, that’s what everyone tells him. On his sixteenth birthday, Will is just shy of five feet, and he is bitterly resigned to being tiny forever. His only comforts are his best friend and stepbrother, Drew (6’3″), and their pal Monica (5’10”), the girl Will’s been quietly pining for since fifth grade. Everyone else literally overlooks him. But with them, he feels whole. That is, until things take an unexpected turn, and he realizes he’s really and truly on his own.

That’s when he starts to grow. And grow fast. Astonishingly fast. For the first time, Will’s happy with his stature, and the world’s at his feet (for a change). People see him differently; more important, he sees himself differently. But the highest heights come with some low, low lows, and his most precious relationships suffer excruciating growing pains. Will has to figure out what to do with himself–and all of this new “himself” he never expected to have.

The Brilliant Death by Amy Rose Capetta

March 20, 2019 |

Set in a magical Italian-inspired land, Capetta’s high fantasy tackles gender identity and family loyalty. Teodora DiSangro is the daughter of a powerful man who controls a large swath of Vinalia. Vinalia is made up of five loosely connected lands each controlled by a member of the Five Families. The Capo, a man quickly rising to power in Vinalia, wants to join the disparate lands under one rule: his. He sends poisoned letters to the leaders of the five families, which kills most of them and gravely wounds Teo’s father. The Capo demands that a male representative of each family travel to his palace, where he will likely demand their fealty.

Rather than send the eldest boy in the family, Teo’s stepmother (not of the evil variety) elects to send Teo’s younger brother as representative, knowing that the elder is cruel and unsuitable for wielding power. But these plans go awry, and Teo finds herself needing to be the representative herself. Luckily for her, she is a strega: a witch/sorcerer/magic user. Most Vinalians believe streghe don’t exist, but Teo has been using her particular ability to change people into other objects – a punishment for those who cross her father – without anyone’s knowledge for years. And now Teo must perform an even greater change: transforming herself into a boy so she can fool the Capo, find the antidote for the poison, save her father’s life, and somehow prevent the Capo from taking over all of Vinalia.

Luckily, Teo befriends Cielo, a non-binary strega who can change their sex at will. Cielo teaches Teo how to change her body so it will pass as a boy’s in front of the Capo, and that’s when the adventure really gets rolling. Capetta herself identifies as non-binary, so it’s no surprise she has a deft touch with the gender identity issues she explores within the characters of Cielo, who has always seen themselves to be non-binary, and Teo, who comes to appreciate both aspects of her identity and both versions of her body. There’s romance between the two teens as well, which develops slowly and sweetly and authentically. I recommend reading Capetta’s interview with her partner, Cori McCarthy, at the B&N Teen Blog for more detail about the gender identity aspects of her story.

Beyond the gender identity exploration, though, Capetta’s plot also includes intricate political machinations, lies and betrayals, dangerous magic, and the explosive secret behind the “brilliant death” itself. It’s full of excitement, action, twists, and a decent amount of introspection and heartbreak as well. Her characters are well-drawn, and teens will easily empathize with Teo and want her to succeed despite the impossible situation she finds herself in.

Narrator Carlotta Brendan does a great Italian accent (at least to my non-Italian ears) and slightly voices each of the characters, adding to the texture of the story and helping it to come alive. I don’t think I’ve read another YA fantasy that feels this Italian. Capetta’s family is from Italy and she researched for five years, which shows in the details and believability of the world-building. This is a first recommendation for teens who love high fantasy and might want something a bit different from the usual fare.