Ready for another round-up of debut YA novels? As always, debut is defined as first published novel, rather than an author’s first YA novel or their first novel under a pen name. All of these books are available this month, and all descriptions come from WorldCat, unless otherwise noted. 

If I’ve missed any from traditional publishers, let me know in the comments. 

Damsel Distressed by Kelsey Macke: Imogen Keegen has never had a happily ever after–in fact, she doesn’t think they are possible. Ever since her mother’s death seven years ago, Imogen has pulled herself in and out of therapy, struggled with an “emotionally disturbed” special ed. label, and loathed her perma-plus-sized status. When Imogen’s new stepsister, the evil and gorgeous Ella Cinder, moves in down the hall, Imogen begins losing grip on the pieces she’s been trying to hold together. The only things that gave her solace–the theatre, cheese fries, and her best friend, Grant–aren’t enough to save her from her pain this time. While Imogen is enjoying her moment in the spotlight after the high school musical, the journal pages containing her darkest thoughts get put on display. Now, Imogen must resign herself to be crushed under the ever-increasing weight of her pain, or finally accept the starring role in her own life story. And maybe even find herself a happily ever after. (Description from Goodreads) 

Stray by Elissa Sussman: Princess Aislynn’s magical ability is powerful and uncontrollable, so she is “redirected” into the order of Fairy Godmothers, where her heart is removed and stored in a hidden cabinet, and she must spend the rest of her life devoted to serving another royal family–but her growing friendship with a palace gardener causes Aislynn to question the vows she has taken, and the motives of those who would prevent her from “straying” from the path.

Sweet Unrest by Lisa Maxwell: When seventeen-year-old Lucy Aimes moves to New Orleans and meets Alex, a boy who behaves as if they’ve known each other forever, she becomes caught up in a centuries-old vendetta. 

Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch: Orphaned Meira, a fierce chakram-wielding warrior from the Kingdom of Winter, must struggle to free her people from the tyranny of an opposing kingdom while also protecting her own destiny.

Stitching Snow by R. C. Lewis: A futuristic retelling of Snow White in which seventeen-year-old Essie, a master at repairing robots and drones on the frozen mining planet Thanda, is pulled into a war by handsome and mysterious Dane after his shuttle crash-lands near her home.

Trust Me, I’m Lying by Mary Elizabeth Summer: Having learned to be a master con artist from her father, Julep Dupree pays expenses at her exclusive high school by fixing things for fellow students, but she will need their help when her father disappears.

Beware The Wild by Natalie C. Parker: A teenaged girl and her boyfriend must find her older brother after he wanders into their town’s swamp and a mysterious girl appears in his place.

Compulsion by Martina Boone: After the death of her disfigured, shut-in mother, Barrie Watson moves to her aunt’s South Carolina plantation, which is guarded by an ancient spirit who cursed one of the island’s three founding families and gave the others magical gifts that become compulsions.

Crazy by Linda Vigen Phillips: While growing up in the 1960s, Laura uses art to cope with her mother’s mental illness.

Gabi, A Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero: Sixteen-year-old Gabi Hernandez chronicles her senior year in high school as she copes with her friend Cindy’s pregnancy, friend Sebastian’s coming out, her father’s meth habit, her own cravings for food and cute boys, and especially, the poetry that helps forge her identity.

Lailah by Nikki Kelly: While struggling to understand her own identity, Lailah is torn between an injured vampire and a rogue angel who appears in her dreams.

Of Scars and Stardust by Andrea Hannah: When Claire Graham returns to Amble, Ohio, to search for her missing younger sister, Ella, she must keep her wolf hallucinations at bay and face the mystery of what really happened two years ago, and whether it is happening again now.

It’s October, so let’s take a look at the debut novels out this month, some already release and some to come in the next couple of weeks. As usual, I define debut as actual first-published novel, so I’ve done by best to leave out those first-time YA novels or those books by authors who have published before but under other names. You can check out prior installments of the debut roundups by checking out September’s list and going backwards from there. If I’ve missed a traditionally-published debut YA novel out in October, let me know in the comments! I’ve also tried to link up to our reviews. As usual, all descriptions are from WorldCat, unless otherwise noted.

Fault Line by Christa Desir: After his gilfriend, Ani, is assaulted at a party, Ben must figure out how he can help her to heal, if he can help her at all. Reviewed here.

Red by Alison Cherry: In a town that values red hair above all else, someone threatens to expose pageant contestant Felicity’s secret about her coppery locks.

Sex & Violence by Carrie Mesrobian:  Sex has always come without consequences for Evan. Until the night when all the consequences land at once, leaving him scarred inside and out. Reviewed here. 

Entangled by Amy Rose Capetta: Seventeen-year-old Cade, a fierce survivor, feels alone in the universe until she learns that she was created in a lab in 3112 and entangled at a quantum level with a boy named Xan, sending her on a galaxy-spanning journey toward a real connection.

Reclaimed by Sarah Guillory: Jenna Oliver doesn’t have time to get involved with one boy, let alone two.  All Jenna wants is to escape her evaporating small town and her alcoholic mother. She’s determined she’ll go to college and find a life that is wholly hers—one that isn’t tainted by her family’s past. But when the McAlister twins move to town and Jenna gets involved with both of them, she learns the life she planned may not be the one she gets. Ian McAlister doesn’t want to start over; he wants to remember. Ian can’t recall a single thing from the last three months—and he seems to be losing more memories every day. His family knows the truth, but no one will tell him what really happened before he lost his memory. When he meets Jenna, Ian believes that he can be normal again because she makes not remembering something he can handle. The secret Ian can’t remember is the one Luke McAlister can’t forget. Luke has always lived in the shadow of his twin brother until Jenna stumbles into his life. She sees past who he’s supposed to be, and her kiss brings back the spark that life stole. Even though Luke feels like his brother deserves her more, Luke can’t resist Jenna—which is the trigger that makes Ian’s memory return. Jenna, Ian, & Luke are about to learn there are only so many secrets you can keep before the truth comes to reclaim you. (via Goodreads).  

Twistrose Key by Tone Almhjell: After finding a mysterious key, eleven-year-old Lin Rosenquist finds herself in the wintery world of Sylver where all the inhabitants were once either beloved pets or tamed wild animals, and must find the missing Winter Prince before she can return home. 

Freakboy by Kristin Elizabeth Clark: Told from three viewpoints, seventeen-year-old Brendan, a wrestler, struggles to come to terms with his place on the transgender spectrum while Vanessa, the girl he loves, and Angel, a transgender acquaintance, try to help.

How to Love by Katie Cotugno: A tumultuous love affair between Reena and Sawyer ends when Sawyer abruptly abandons their Florida town, causing Reena to bear their child alone and struggle with mistrust when Sawyer returns three years later.

The Brokenhearted by Amelia Kahaney: When seventeen-year-old Anthem Fleet is suddenly transformed into an all-powerfull superhero, she must balance her old life with the dark secret of who she has become. 

Eat, Brains, Love by Jeff Hart: New Jersey teens Jake Stephenson and Amanda Blake are turning into zombies and, having devoured half of their senior class, they are on the run, pursued by teen psychic Cass, a member of a government unit charged with killing zombies and keeping their existence secret.

Six Months Later by Natalie D. Richards: Chloe didn’t think about it much when she nodded off in study hall on that sleepy summer day. But when she wakes up, snow is on the ground and she can’t remember the last six months of her life. Before, she’d been a mediocre student. Now, she’s on track for valedictorian and being recruited by Ivy League schools. Before, she never had a chance with super jock Blake. Now he’s her boyfriend. Before, she and Maggie were inseparable. Now her best friend won’t speak to her. What happened to her? And why can’t she remember?