July 1st
The Promise of Lost Things by Helene Dunbar (Sourcebooks Fire)
Russ Griffin has always wanted to be a fantastic medium. Growing up in the town of St. Hilaire, where most residents make their living by speaking to the dead, means there's a lot of competition, and he's always held his own. But Russ knows the town he loves is corrupt, and he's determined to save it before the sinister ruling body, The Guild, ruins all he's ever wanted.
Willow Rodgers is St. Hilaire royalty. An orphan, raised by The Guild, she's powerful and mysterious. But she has secrets that might change everyone's fate. She's done with St. Hilaire, done with helping desperate customers who think mediums work for them. She wants to end the cycle for good and rid the town of ghosts, even if that means destroying the only home she's ever known.
Asher Mullen lost his sister, and his parents can't get over her death. They sought answers in St. Hilaire and were left brokenhearted. Now they want to expose St. Hilaire as a fraud. Asher is tasked with infiltrating the town, and he does that by getting to know Russ. The only problem is, he might be falling for him, which will make betraying Russ that much harder.
Russ, Willow, and Asher all have their own agendas for St. Hilaire, but one thing's for certain, no one will be resting in peace.
The Darkening by Sunya Mara (HMH)
A CAGE OF CLOUDS is a lovers-to-enemies YA Fantasy for fans of THE CRUEL PRINCE.
Vesper Vale is the daughter of revolutionaries. Failed revolutionaries.
Her mother was given a choice: death by the hangman’s axe, or death by the Storm. She chose the Storm.
When
Prince Dalca captures her father and sentences him to death, Vesper
will do anything to save him from sharing her mother’s fate.
Even magically alter her face and infiltrate Dalca’s army.
Even steal Dalca’s heart—and give him hers.
Even walk with him into the Storm.
Who We Were in the Dark by Jessica Taylor (Penguin Teen)
Donner Lake is famous for its dazzling waters, dramatic mountains, and the travelers trapped there long ago who did unspeakable things to survive. But for lonely Nora Sharpe, Donner was where a girl named Grace glided into her life one night and exploded her world.
After that, every summer, winter, and spring break, Nora, her brother Wesley, the enigmatic Grace, and their friend Rand left behind their real lives and reunited at Donner Lake. There, they traded truth and lies. They fell in love. They pushed each other too far. They came to know each other better than anyone in some ways, and not at all in others.
But two years later, something has happened to blow their world apart. Grace is missing. And Nora must find her way through the unspoken hurts and betrayals of the last two years—and find her way back to Wesley and Rand—to figure out what exactly happened to Grace, the girl she thought she knew.
Lia and Beckett's Abracadabra by Amy Noelle Parks (Abrams) - moved from 2021.
Seventeen-year-old Lia Sawyer is thrilled to get a mysterious invitation from her grandmother to compete in a stage magic contest––even though her parents object. But she’s going to be judged by a bunch of old-school magicians who think that because she’s a girl, her only magical talents lie in wearing sparkly dresses, providing distractions, and getting sawed, crushed, or stretched. And Lia can’t ask her grandmother for help because she’s disappeared, leaving behind only her best magic tricks, a few obscure clues, and an order to stay away from Blackwell boys, the latest generation of a rival magic family.
Lia totally plans to follow her grandmother’s rule––until the cute boy she meets on the beach turns out to be Beckett Blackwell, son of the biggest old guard magical family there is.
Witty and romantic, Lia and Beckett’s Abracadabra is a YA rom-com with a magical twist.
A Disaster in Three Acts by Kelsey Rodkey (HarperTeen)
Your childhood best friend refuses to kiss you during a pre-adolescent game of spin the bottle? Terrible, zero stars, would not replay that scene again.
The same ex-friend becomes your new best friend’s ex? Strangely compelling, unexpected twist, worth a hate-watch.
That same guy—why is he always around?—turns out to be your last shot at getting into the documentary filmmaking program of your dreams?
Saine hates to admit it, but she’d watch that movie.
And working with Holden Michaels on this doc is going to get her into college—even if she has to take a few. . . cinematic liberties as a director. But there’s something about Holden that makes her feel like she’s the one in front of the camera—like he can see every uncomfortable truth she’s buried below the surface. Saine knows how her story’s supposed to go. So why does every moment with Holden seem intent on changing the ending?
Frightmares by Eva V. Gibson (Underlined)
But the dead body Dave finds is very, very real.
His summer job has become a labyrinth of nightmares. Danger lurking behind every door. And if Dave doesn’t open the right one . . . he’ll never get out.
Boys I Know by Anna Gracia (Peachtree Teen)
Readers of Becky Albertalli and Jenny Han’s novel’s will be glued to the page as June navigates messy boys and messier relationships in this bitingly funny and much-needed look into the overlap of Asian American identity and teen sexuality. Anna Gracia has crafted an outstanding coming-of-age novel.
The Charmed List by Julie Abe (Wednesday Books)
But when number four on Ellie’s list goes horribly wrong—revenge on Jack Yasuda—she’s certain her summer has gone from charmed to cursed. Instead of a road trip with Lia, Ellie finds herself stuck in a car with Jack driving to a magical convention. But as Ellie and Jack travel down the coast of California, number thirteen on her list—fall in love—may be happening without her realizing it.
In The Charmed List, Julie Abe sweeps readers away to a secret magical world, complete with cupcakes and tea with added sparks of joy, and an enchanted cottage where you can dance under the stars.
What Souls Are Made Of: A Wuthering Heights Remix by Tasha Suri (Feiwel and Friends)
As the abandoned son of a Lascar—a sailor from India—Heathcliff has spent most of his young life maligned as an "outsider." Now he's been flung into an alien life in the Yorkshire moors, where he clings to his birth father's language even though it makes the children of the house call him an animal, and the maids claim he speaks gibberish.
Catherine is the younger child of the estate's owner, a daughter with light skin and brown curls and a mother that nobody talks about. Her father is grooming her for a place in proper society, and that's all that matters. Catherine knows she must mold herself into someone pretty and good and marriageable, even though it might destroy her spirit.
As they occasionally flee into the moors to escape judgment and share the half-remembered language of their unknown kin, Catherine and Heathcliff come to find solace in each other. Deep down in their souls, they can feel they are the same.
But when Catherine's father dies and the household's treatment of Heathcliff only grows more cruel, their relationship becomes strained and threatens to unravel. For how can they ever be together, when loving each other—and indeed, loving themselves—is as good as throwing themselves into poverty and death.
Space Trash by Jenn Woodall (Oni Press) - YA graphic novel.
In 2115, Earth has been abandoned as a lost cause and mankind has moved on to space colonization. At a decrepit high school on the moon for underprivileged youth, Stab, Yuki and Una are three teenagers who try to keep their boredom and resentment at bay by fighting rival gangs and cliques, hanging out, sleeping their way through class, all while trying to avoid punishment from the Student Council.
Fights over turf, respect and snacks lead to unearthing an exciting secret, but will their friendship be strong enough to forge a new future?
The Comic Book Lesson by Mark Crilley (Ten Speed Press) - YA Non-fiction graphic novel, details not yet updated on Goodreads.
Acclaimed illustrator and
graphic novelist Mark Crilley returns with a new approach to learning
the essential elements of making comics. Using the same comics-style art
instruction as in The Drawing Lesson, The Comic Book Lesson follows the story of Emily, an enthusiastic young comics fan and aspiring creator who has a story she needs to tell.
On
her quest to turn her story into a comic book, Emily visits her comic
book shop and local comics convention, where she meets three mentors.
Trudy, a high school student working on comics of her own, teaches Emily
how to create expressive characters and how art can convey action and
suspense. Madeline, a self-published manga artist, teaches Emily how to
use panel composition and layout to tell a story visually and how to
develop a comic from script to sketch to finished pages. Sophie, a
professional graphic novelist, guides Emily through fine-tuning the
details of dialogue, sequence, and pacing to lead readers through the
story.
The Comic Book Lesson blends these teaching
moments into a sweet, clever, and poignant story that reveals why Emily
is so driven to create her comic book. Each lesson builds off the
previous information and skills presented, and the sequential art format
provides the perfect vehicle for step-by-step instruction. This book
also includes practice exercises to help readers develop their own comic
book skills.
Four Came Back by Chelsea Sedoti (Sourcebooks Fire) - some editions dated August 1st, publisher confirms this date.
An influencer, an over achiever, a heartthrob, an outcast, and a conspiracy theorist go into the woods for a camping trip at Salvation Creek.
Sometime around midnight, one of them vanishes.
Now, the four who came back are under suspicion, and they each have a very different story to tell about the events of the night.
With one of them missing, and the clock ticking, why would they lie? Who is hiding what? And what dark truths will their lies reveal.
Long Live the Pumpkin Queen by Shea Ernshaw (Disney Press)
Sally Skellington is the official, newly-minted Pumpkin Queen after a whirlwind courtship with her true love, Jack, who Sally adores with every inch of her fabric seams -- if only she could say the same for her new role as Queen of Halloween Town. Cast into the spotlight and tasked with all sorts of queenly duties, Sally can't help but wonder if all she's done is trade her captivity under Dr. FInkelstein for a different -- albeit gilded -- cage. But when Sally and Zero accidentally uncover a long-hidden doorway to an ancient realm called Dream Town in the forest Hinterlands, she'll unknowingly set into motion a chain of sinister events that put her future as Pumpkin Queen, and the future of Halloween Town itself, into jeopardy. Can Sally discover what it means to be true to herself and save the town she's learned to call home, or will her future turn into her worst... well, nightmare.
July 12th
How Maya Got Fierce by Sona Charaiporta (Imprint) - moved from August 2021.
Maya dreams of working in magazines. But as the daughter of garlic farmers, her path is set: It’s off to Cow Camp instead. And when she accidentally destroys valuable property and gets kicked out of the program, she can’t tell her parents—or ask for the thousands of dollars she owes.
Desperate to earn enough to pay for her mistake, Maya interviews for an internship at Fierce fashion magazine—and ends up getting a full-time job offer! The only problem? They think she’s 26.
Maya is so close to making her dreams come true, even if the glam life at Fierce isn’t quite as shiny and fun as she hoped. But when she suggests the perfect candidate for a big story—and manages to get the scoop—all eyes are on her. How long can she keep her real age from her boss—and her real life from her parents?
We Made It All Up by Margot Harrison (Little, Brown) - previously dated July 1st.
Celeste doesn’t remember the end of that night and can’t be sure she didn’t deliver the killing blow. Could she still be that scared of getting close to a boy? Secrets are hard to keep in a small town, and even Vivvy seems to suspect her. Exploring the winding passages of the cave where Joss died, Celeste learns he had his own dark secrets, as does Vivvy. The town isn’t as innocent as it appears.
Wake the Bones by Elizabeth Kilcoyne (Wednesday Books)
The
sleepy little farm that Laurel Early grew up on has awakened. The woods
are shifting, the soil is dead under her hands, and her bone pile just
stood up and walked away.
After dropping out of college, all she
wanted was to resume her life as a tobacco hand and taxidermist and try
not to think about the boy she can’t help but love. Instead, a devil
from her past has returned to court her, as he did her late mother years
earlier. Now, Laurel must unravel her mother’s terrifying legacy and
tap into her own innate magic before her future and the fate of everyone
she loves is doomed.
Elizabeth Kilcoyne’s Wake the Bones is a dark, atmospheric debut about the complicated feelings that arise when the place you call home becomes hostile.
Disarming Dakota by Sumeya E. Alington (Wattpad Books)
In the adolescent madness, she finds a tattooed boy named Dakota. He's ungodly tall and has crystal blue eyes that can sway any good girl to do bad things. When they first meet, he makes it his job to show that he doesn't like Sylvia—and he's got reasons.
All she has to do is disarm this bad boy and unlock the secrets he's keeping deep inside. Before they know it, Sylvia and Dakota embark on an emotional roller-coaster of a relationship that is bound to ruin a few lives. But when Sylvia's own secrets come knocking on her door, will it tear them apart or will love prevail?
A Heavy Dose of Allison Tandy by Jeff Bishop (Putnam) - delayed from October 2021.
The summer after senior year should have been a time for Cam to party and hang out with his friends. It should also have been a time for him to win back the love of his life, Allison Tandy, who'd dumped him so brutally the year before.
But it quickly becomes clear that this summer is going to be worse than a failure for Cam. It's going to be a tragedy.
Ally is left comatose after a terrible car accident on her way home from college. Then Cam tears his ACL, followed by an operation that leaves him in agony. Now Cam will be spending his time on the couch, ruminating over the fact that his ex may not survive.
But when, after taking his medication, Cam starts seeing Ally everywhere--yes, comatose Ally--he starts to think two things: 1. He might be headed for a mental breakdown and 2. This summer might just be interesting after all.
Brimming with honesty and humor, A Heavy Dose of Allison Tandy interrogates how much control we really have over matters of love . . . and life.
Meet Me in the Middle by Alex Light (HarperTeen)
Eden had her best friend Katie—she didn’t need anyone else. But then there was Truman.
Katie’s older brother, the artist. The recluse. The boy with the innocent smile and the dangerous eyes.
Eden had never really known Truman—not until the night of Katie’s accident. That was the night they’d finally let each other into their orbits—only to have the sky come crashing down on them.
With Katie in the hospital and Truman fleeing from his grief without a word, Eden is left alone to grapple with her own pain. But when Truman returns to the city, can Eden let him back into her life knowing that their first kiss is what tore their world apart?
Wattpad superstar Alex Light is back with another poignant romance perfect for fans of Jennifer Dugan and Laura Taylor Namey.
After Life by Melissa De La Cruz (Disney Hyperion)
After defeating Lucifer and sacrificing the love of her life, Jack, Schuyler wakes up back in New York safe and sound. Only it’s not quite the New York she knows, and she’s not in her regular body. She looks different and feels different and so does everyone else. Schuyler soon discovers that in this world, her best friend has a different last name, her parents are both alive and well and one of them is an entirely different person, and the love of her life? Not so dead after all. The catch? Jack has no idea who she is.
As it turns out, Schuyler is not in her New York. She’s not even in her universe. This is an alternate reality. One where Lucifer is alive and well and acting as mayor of New York, Blue Bloods are luring humans to clinics to drain their blood, and Jack is Lucifer’s right hand man. Just when she thinks all is lost, Schuyler is contacted by a familiar friend—the Silver Blood, Kingsley. The Kingsley from her world. He actually remembers the Schuyler she used to be! But he also has a theory, and it’s one she doesn’t like. That Schuyler was sent here to defeat Lucifer. Again. And that she’s the only person in this universe or any universe that can defeat him.
No One Is Alone by Rachel Vincent (Bloomsbury)
Michaela is a junior in high school, close with her single mom. Her dad lives a few towns away and pops in and out of her life only on holidays and birthdays. They barely know each other beyond surface obligations.
That is, until her mom dies. Suddenly on her own, Michaela has to move in with her Dad . . . and learns he's been married with kids all this time, and she was the product of an affair. Before she can even grieve her mother, Michaela is thrust into a strange house with a stepmom and three half-siblings, including new sister Emery, who is in
the same grade and less than thrilled at the prospect of sharing her room and school life. Will Michaela be able to let go of everything she's ever known-and find herself anew-with a family who didn't ask for her in the first place?
Storybooth by Various Authors (HarperCollins)
Everyone has a story.
These are ours.
Each one of these tales connects you to someone you never knew. A real person, sharing their lived experience. Exciting, inspirational, heartwrenching, uplifting, humorous, devastating, thought-provoking—TRUE.
Storybooth illustrates for readers that no matter what is happening in their world, they are not alone.
Real stories submitted by real people, Storybooth allows each contributor to speak for themselves about their experiences, imparting a myriad of raw, achingly honest, and deeply soulful truths with the power to touch each and every individual reader.
July 19th
Blackwater by Jeannette Arroyo and Ren Graham (Henry Holt) - YA graphic novel, moved from 2021.
Tony Price is a popular high school track star and occasional delinquent aching for his dad’s attention and approval. Eli Hirsch is a quiet boy with a chronic autoimmune disorder that has ravaged his health and social life. What happens when these two become unlikely friends (and a whole lot more . . .) in the spooky town of Blackwater, Maine? Werewolf curses, unsavory interactions with the quarterback of the football team, a ghostly fisherman haunting the harbor, and tons of high school drama.
Combining the spookiness of Anya's Ghost with the irreverent humor of Nimona, Blackwater is one part coming of age story, one part coming out story, and one part paranormal adventure.
Old Magic by Marianne Curley (Simon and Schuster) - reprint of an older YA title for an new audience.
The moment new guy Jarrod Thornton walks into the room, Kate senses something strange and mesmerizing about him. Something supernatural. Her instincts are proven correct a few minutes later when, bullied by his classmates, Jarrod conjures up a freak thunderstorm inside the classroom.
Only, Jarrod doesn’t believe in the paranormal and has no idea his magic is behind the strange incidents that plague him. He finds Kate’s convictions about magic especially frustrating because of the magnetic attraction between them. Why can’t he fall for a normal girl?
But, eventually, not even Jarrod can dismiss his gift…or the mounting danger it’s causing. To save their future, Jarrod and Kate embark on an incredible journey to the past where they must foil the curse that has plagued Jarrod’s family for centuries. Can these fledgling witches summon the strength to emerge victorious?
Youngblood by Sasha Laurens (Razorbill)
Kat Finn and her mother can barely make ends meet living among humans. Like all vampires, they must drink Hema, an expensive synthetic blood substitute, to survive, as nearly all of humanity has been infected by a virus that’s fatal to vampires. Kat isn’t looking forward to an immortal life of barely scraping by, but when she learns she’s been accepted to the Harcote School, a prestigious prep school that’s secretly vampires-only, she knows her fortune is about to change.
Taylor Sanger has grown up in the wealthy vampire world, but she’s tired of its backward, conservative values—especially when it comes to sexuality, since she’s an out-and-proud lesbian. She only has to suffer through a two more years of Harcote before she’s free. But when she discovers her new roommate is Kat Finn, she’s horrified. Because she and Kat used to be best friends, a long time ago, and it didn’t end well.
When Taylor stumbles upon the dead body of a vampire, and Kat makes a shocking discovery in the school’s archives, the two realize that there are deep secrets at Harcote—secrets that link them to the most powerful figures in Vampirdom and to the synthetic blood they all rely on.
Goth Girl, Queen of the Universe by Lindsay S. Zrull (Flux) - details not yet updated on Goodreads.
Jess was claimed by the state when
her bio mom’s mental illness made her unstable. While their relationship
is far from traditional, blood ties are hard to break. There’s only one
problem: Jess can’t reunite with her mom in New York City without a
bunch of paperwork and she worries her social worker will never approve
the trip. That’s when she remembers Oscar’s cosplay group, who are
aiming for that big convention in New York…
So Jess joins Oscar’s team—with every intention of using
them to get to her mom. But her plan gets complicated when she discovers
that, actually, cosplay is pretty great, and so is having friends. And
Oscar, who Jess thought was just a shy nerd, can be as gallant and
charming as the heroes he pretends to be. As the big convention draws
near, Jess will have to decide whether or not chasing a dream of
“family” is worth risking the family she’s built for herself.
After Abriella's sister was sold to the fae, she thought life couldn't get any worse. But when she suddenly finds herself caught in a web of lies of her own making--loving two princes and trusting neither--things are not quite as clear as she once thought.
As civil war wages in the Court of Darkness, Brie finds herself unable to choose a side. How can she know where she stands when she doesn't even know herself anymore? In this darkly romantic thrill ride, the more Faerie is torn apart from the inside, the clearer it becomes that prophecies don't lie and Brie has a role to play in the fate of this magical realm--whether she likes it or not.
Heat Wave by T. J. Klune (Tor Teen)
Nick, Seth, Gibby, and Jazz are back in action bringing justice, protection, and disaster energy to the people of Nova City.
An unexpected hero returns to Nova City and crash lands into Nick's home, upturning his life, his family, and his understanding of what it means to be a hero in the explosive finale of the thrilling and hilarious Extraordinaries trilogy by New York Times bestselling author TJ Klune.
Fractured Path by J.C. Cervantes (Disney Hyperion) - moved from April 2022.
San Francisco, California.
The
1960s are bursting with music and movement and love in San Francisco,
perfect for a budding artist like Blake. Unfortunately, she feels barred
from the art world by both her gender and her multi-racial heritage,
making it tough to land an internship that could put her on the map.
That, plus the fact that Blake’s family has been notoriously riddled
with bad luck, makes her feel like she can’t catch a break. Things only
get worse when Blake starts to have ominous, confusing visions that grow
stronger and more frequent, prompting Blake’s aunt and uncle to tell
her about a long-lost family heirloom that could be the key to
everything. Fueled by the ambiguous clues in her visions, Blake sets out
on a journey through the city to retrieve her ancestors’ legendary
mirror. But Blake is not the only one looking for it. Soon she must
attempt to unleash her own dormant powers . . . or else risk all she
holds dear.
July 26th
Long Story Short by Serena Kaylor (Wednesday Books)
Unfortunately, hearts and hormones don't follow any rules, and there is no textbook for teenage interactions. When she's adopted by a group of electic theater kids, and immediately makes an enemy of the gorgeous popular son of the camp founders, she realizes that relationships are trickier than calculus. As the summer draws to an end, and with Oxford on the line, this girl genius stumbles through illicit parties, double dog dares, and more than your fair share of Shakespeare. But before the final curtain falls, will Beatrice still feel like Oxford alone is enough?
Serena Kaylor’s debut, Long Story Short, is a fun rom-com with a whole lot of heart about friendship, first love, and learning to take a chance on yourself.
Master of Iron by Tricia Levenseller (Feiwel and Friends) - moved from May 2022.
Eighteen-year-old Ziva may have defeated a deadly warlord, but the price was almost too much. Ziva is forced into a breakneck race to a nearby city with the handsome mercenary, Kellyn, and the young scholar, Petrik, to find a powerful magical healer who can save her sister's life.
When the events that follow lead to Ziva and Kellyn's capture by an ambitious prince, Ziva is forced into the very situation she's been dreading: magicking dangerous weapons meant for world domination.
The forge has always been Ziva's safe space, a place to avoid society and the anxiety it causes her, but now it is her prison, and she's not sure just how much of herself she'll have to sacrifice to save Kellyn and take center stage in the very war she's been trying to stop.
Accomplished: A George Darcy Novel by Amanda Quain (Wednesday Books)
It is a truth universally acknowledged that Georgiana Darcy should have been expelled after The Incident with Wickham Foster last year – at least if you ask any of her Pemberley Academy classmates. She may have escaped expulsion because of her family name, but she didn’t escape the disappointment of her big brother Fitz, the scorn of the entire school, or, it turns out, Wickham’s influence.
But she’s back for her junior year, and she needs to prove to everyone – Fitz, Wickham, her former friends, and maybe even herself – that she’s more than just an embarrassment to the family name. How hard can it be to become the Perfect Darcy? All she has to do is:
- Rebuild her reputation with the marching band (even if it kills her)
- Forget about Wickham and his lies (no matter how tempting they still are), and
- Distract Fitz Darcy — helicopter-sibling extraordinaire — by getting him to fall in love with his classmate, Lizzie Bennet (this one might be difficult…)
Sure, it's a complicated plan, but so is being a Darcy. With the help of her fellow bandmate, Avery, matchmaking ideas lifted straight from her favorite fanfics, and a whole lot of pancakes, Georgie is going to see every one of her plans through. But when the weight of being the Perfect Darcy comes crashing down, Georgie will have to find her own way before she loses everything permanently—including the one guy who sees her for who she really is.
A Girl's Guide to Love and Magic by Debbie Rigaud (Scholastic) - previously titled Kindred Spirits, two versions of this record on Goodreads.
Cicely Destin, a Haitian American teen living in Brooklyn, loves the annual West Indian Day Parade that takes place in her neighborhood. The colors, clothes, tastes, sights, and sounds all celebrating Caribbean culture fill her with pride and joy. This year, the parade will be extra special: it falls on Cicely's birthday, AND Cicely will get to hang out with her awesome aunt, Mimose, a social media influencer known for dabbling in Haitian vodou. But when Mimose's dabbling becomes a little too real, and she seems to be possessed by a rogue spirit right before the parade, it's up to Cicely, plus her best friend, Renee, and her crush (!), Kwame, to try to set things right. Cicely and her friends set off on a winding, thrilling scavenger hunt through Brooklyn to find the items that will undo the possession. But can Cicely help her aunt if she doesn't fully realize her own powers just yet?
This nuanced, joyful, and loving exploration of Haitian American culture, based on Debbie Rigaud's own experiences growing up, is pure magic.
Beating Heart Baby by Lio Min (Flatiron)
Santi has only had his heart broken one time, and it was all his fault. When he accidentally leaked his internet best friend Memo’s song, and it became an overnight hit, Memo disappeared—leaving their song’s cult fame, and Santi, behind.
Three years later, Santi arrives in Los Angeles with a mission: get over the ghost of Memo. Thankfully, his new school and its wildly-talented Sunshower marching band welcome him with open arms. All except for his section leader, the prickly, proud, musical prodigy Suwa. After a disastrous first encounter, Suwa makes Santi’s life a living hell. But when Santi realizes Suwa is trans, then Suwa realizes Santi takes his identity in stride, both boys begin to let their guards down. Santi learns Suwa's surliness masks a painful, still-raw history of his own, and as they open up to each other, their friendship quickly takes on the red-hot blush of a mutual crush.
Just as Santi is feeling settled in this new life, with a growing found family and a head-over-heels relationship with Suwa, he begins to put together the pieces of an impossible truth—that Memo and Suwa might just be one and the same. But their fragile fresh start threatens to rip apart at the seams again when Suwa is offered the chance to step into the spotlight he’s owed, but has always denied himself. Now, as each of them faces the future, Santi and Suwa must finally reckon with their dreams, their pasts, and the boy who always seems to appear right at the wrong time.
Into the Sublime by Kate A. Boorman (Henry Holt)
When the cops arrive, only a few things are clear:
- Four girls entered a dangerous cave.
- Three of them came out alive.
- Two of them were rushed to the hospital.
- And one is soaked in blood and ready to talk.
Amelie Desmarais' story begins believably enough: Four girls from a now-defunct thrill-seeking group planned an epic adventure to find a lake that Colorado locals call "The Sublime." Legend has it that the lake has the power to change things for those who risk—and survive—its cavernous depths. They each had their reasons for going. For Amelie, it was a promise kept to her beloved cousin, who recently suffered a tragic accident during one of the group’s dares.
But as her account unwinds, and the girls’ personalities and motives are drawn, things get complicated. Amelie is hardly the thrill-seeking type, and it appears she’s not the only one with the ability to deceive. Worse yet, Amelie is covered in someone's blood, but whose exactly? And where's the fourth girl?
Is Amelie spinning a tale to cover her guilt? Or was something inexplicable waiting for the girls down there? Amelie's the only one with answers, and she's insisting on an explanation that is more horror-fantasy than reality. Maybe the truth lies somewhere in between?
After all, strange things inhabit dark places. And sometimes we bring the dark with us.
The Witchery by S. Isabelle (Scholastic)
Every autumn, monstrous Wolves emerge from the surrounding Swamp to hunt the people of Haelsford—witchy and mundane alike. They call it the “Haunting Season.” The only thing standing between the Wolves and the town are barriers of witchery, and every year, the mundanes of Haelsford make sacrifices to their witchy neighbors in exchange for protection.
Welcome to the Mesmortes Coven Academy. Let us show you the witch you were born to be.
Four witch girls plan to break the hex once and for all: a greenwitch who can manipulate plant life; a necromancer with a terrifying pull to the dead; an ambitious witch with a powerful arsenal of spells; and Mesmortes’ newest student, the inexperienced baby witch. Each will have a vital role to play if they want to end the Haunting Season for all and forever.
No witchery is without sacrifice.
They are good witches with wicked secrets, and with the help of two mundane boys from the neighboring Hammersmitt School, the witches get closer and closer to the heart of Haelsford’s curse. But the darker the magic, the greater the toll. There will be forbidden spells, betrayals of trust, and irreversible consequences...
Forest Hills Bootleg Society by Dave Baker and Nicole Goux (First Second) - YA graphic novel, moved from Spring 2022.
When Brooke, Kelly, Maggie, and Melissa buy a bootleg anime DVD at a gas station, they get much more than they bargained for with Super Love XL, a risqué move featuring—among other things—a giant mecha who shoots lasers out of her chest. The four girls are horrified (and maybe a little fascinated). It’s so unlike anything they’ve seen, would probably shock everyone else in their town, and definitely would take over their extremely conservative Christian school. That’s when they have the idea to sell copies to local boys…for twenty dollars a pop.
At first, everything goes perfectly, with the friends raking in cash—pretty soon they’ll even have enough money to buy the matching jackets they’ve always dreamed of! But as the market for mildly titillating anime DVDs grows, the girls realize they’ll need new material. On top of figuring out how to replicate their first success, there’s growing tension within the group. Brooke and Kelly’s romance is on its last legs, and hurt feelings are guaranteed when Melissa starts falling for one of them.
Will the four girls’ shared history be strong enough to see them through this upheaval? Or will they learn that some things can only end in heartbreak?
Violet Made of Thorns by Gina Chen (Delcorte) - moved from August 2nd.
A darkly romantic, fairytale-inspired fantasy—the first in a duology—for fans of The Cruel Prince and Serpent & Dove.
Violet
is a prophet and a liar, influencing the court as Seer with her
cleverly phrased—and not always true—divinations. Honesty is for suckers
like the oh-so-not-charming Prince Cyrus, who plans to strip her of her title once he's crowned.
After
the king asks her to falsely prophesy Cyrus's love story for an
upcoming ball, Violet awakens a dreaded curse about the prince's future
bride. Her wits may protect her in the ruthless court, but they can't
protect her against fate—nor the doomed attraction growing between her
and the prince...
Love Times Infinity by Lane Clarke (Poppy) - some editions dated 26th July.
High school junior Michie is struggling to define who she is for her scholarship essays, her big shot at making it into Brown as a first-generation college student. The prompts would be hard for anyone, but Michie's been estranged from her mother since she was seven and her concept of family has long felt murky.
Enter new kid and basketball superstar Derek de la Rosa. He is very cute, very talented, and very much has his eye on Michie, no matter how invisible she believes herself to be.
When
Michie's mother unexpectedly reaches out to make amends, and with her
scholarship deadlines looming, Michie must choose whether to reopen old
wounds or close the door on her past. And as she spends more time with
Derek, she'll have to decide how much of her heart she is willing to
share. Because while Michie may not know who she is, she's starting to
realize who she wants to become, if only she can take a chance on Derek,
on herself, and on her future.
Beasts of Ruin by Ayana Gray (Putnam)
In this much anticipated follow up to New York Times bestselling Beasts of Prey, Koffi’s powers grow stronger and Ekon’s secrets turn darker as they face the god of death.
Koffi has saved her city and the boy she loves, but at a terrible price. Now a servant to the cunning god of death, she must use her newfound power to further his continental conquest, or risk the safety of her home and loved ones. As she reluctantly learns to survive amidst unexpected friends and foes, she will also have to choose between the life—and love—she once had, or the one she could have, if she truly embraces her dangerous gifts.
Cast out from the only home he’s ever known, Ekon is forced to strike new and unconventional alliances to find and rescue Koffi before it’s too late. But as he gets closer to the realm of death each day, so too does he draw nearer to a terrible truth—one that could cost everything.
Koffi and Ekon—separated by land, sea, and gods—will have to risk everything to reunite again. But the longer they’re kept apart, the more each of their loyalties are tested. Soon, both may have to reckon with changing hearts—and maybe, changing destinies.
Beasts of Ruin by Ayana Gray (Putnam)
Koffi has saved her city and the boy she loves, but at a terrible price. Now a servant to the cunning god of death, she must use her newfound power to further his continental conquest, or risk the safety of her home and loved ones. As she reluctantly learns to survive amidst unexpected friends and foes, she will also have to choose between the life—and love—she once had, or the one she could have, if she truly embraces her dangerous gifts.
Cast out from the only home he’s ever known, Ekon is forced to strike new and unconventional alliances to find and rescue Koffi before it’s too late. But as he gets closer to the realm of death each day, so too does he draw nearer to a terrible truth—one that could cost everything.
Koffi and Ekon—separated by land, sea, and gods—will have to risk everything to reunite again. But the longer they’re kept apart, the more each of their loyalties are tested. Soon, both may have to reckon with changing hearts—and maybe, changing destinies.
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