Movie deals, hot sequels, enchanting new fantasies — there’s plenty of reason to get excited about this fall’s slate of young-adult books. Here are the 11 titles you can’t miss.
Perhaps the fall’s most provocative YA read, People Kill People explores gun violence and white supremacy in a story of six teenagers gaining access to a gun, only for a tragic mystery to unfurl. (Sept. 4)
Milanes’ low-key comedy centers on a Cuban-American teen caught in a steamy love triangle, all while striving to cope with her father’s remarriage and her own social anxieties. (Sept. 18)
The beloved YA commentator and influencer has arrived with a novel of her own, an infectious story about friendship, politics, and falling in (and out) of love. (Sept. 18)
Lu’s Warcross sequel places her among YA’s top fantasy writers. (Sept. 18)
The huge French best-seller finally arrives stateside. Following a girl with special powers who slowly realizes she’s at the center of a large conspiracy, the Mirror Visitor series (kicking off with A Winter’s Promise) has been said to stand “on the same shelf as Harry Potter,” according to Elle. (Sept. 25)
Oliver’s dark whodunit explores obsession and friendship. Note that the author’s previous novel, Panic, is in development as a series at Amazon, with a pilot already ordered. (Oct. 2)
This timely thriller about a teen forced to fight for her family’s survival after a California drought turns deadly is the YA blockbuster of the fall: Paramount Pictures optioned it well before publication, in a multi-studio bidding war. (Oct. 2)
A dark new fantasy in the vein of Holly Black and Leigh Bardugo, Grim Lovelies kicks off a major new series described as a modern-day fairy tale. (Oct. 2)
At long last, the sequel to National Book Award nominee Laini Taylor’s smash hit Strange the Dreamer has arrived. It won’t disappoint. (Oct. 2)
Calling all Book Thief fans: It’s the author’s first novel in 13 years, at long last. It centers on a group of tightly knit brothers as they make their way in the aftermath of their father’s disappearance. (Oct. 9)
Yep, the hit musical will make you cry just as much in book form. And fret not: Steven Levenson, Benj Pasek, and Justin Paul, creators of the Broadway show, were consulted on the adaption. (Oct. 9)
A boy gets stranded on his father’s lunar-cruise utopia, and is left to fend off “insane” robots. If you’re at all familiar with Smith’s dark, at times demented approach to story and humor, you may think you know roughly what to expect of this one. Think again. (Sept. 25)
Hot YA reads
Movie deals, hot sequels, enchanting new fantasies — there’s plenty of reason to get excited about this fall’s slate of young-adult books. Here are the 11 titles you can’t miss.
People Kill People, by Ellen Hopkins
Perhaps the fall’s most provocative YA read, People Kill People explores gun violence and white supremacy in a story of six teenagers gaining access to a gun, only for a tragic mystery to unfurl. (Sept. 4)
Analee, in Real Life, by Janelle Milanes
Milanes’ low-key comedy centers on a Cuban-American teen caught in a steamy love triangle, all while striving to cope with her father’s remarriage and her own social anxieties. (Sept. 18)
Unclaimed Baggage, by Jen Doll
The beloved YA commentator and influencer has arrived with a novel of her own, an infectious story about friendship, politics, and falling in (and out) of love. (Sept. 18)
A Winter's Promise, by Christelle Dabos
The huge French best-seller finally arrives stateside. Following a girl with special powers who slowly realizes she’s at the center of a large conspiracy, the Mirror Visitor series (kicking off with A Winter’s Promise) has been said to stand “on the same shelf as Harry Potter,” according to Elle. (Sept. 25)
Broken Things, by Lauren Oliver
Oliver’s dark whodunit explores obsession and friendship. Note that the author’s previous novel, Panic, is in development as a series at Amazon, with a pilot already ordered. (Oct. 2)
Dry, by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman
This timely thriller about a teen forced to fight for her family’s survival after a California drought turns deadly is the YA blockbuster of the fall: Paramount Pictures optioned it well before publication, in a multi-studio bidding war. (Oct. 2)
Grim Lovelies, by Megan Shepherd
A dark new fantasy in the vein of Holly Black and Leigh Bardugo, Grim Lovelies kicks off a major new series described as a modern-day fairy tale. (Oct. 2)
Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor
At long last, the sequel to National Book Award nominee Laini Taylor’s smash hit Strange the Dreamer has arrived. It won’t disappoint. (Oct. 2)
Bridge of Clay, by Markus Zusak
Calling all Book Thief fans: It’s the author’s first novel in 13 years, at long last. It centers on a group of tightly knit brothers as they make their way in the aftermath of their father’s disappearance. (Oct. 9)
Dear Evan Hansen: The Novel, by Val Emmich
Yep, the hit musical will make you cry just as much in book form. And fret not: Steven Levenson, Benj Pasek, and Justin Paul, creators of the Broadway show, were consulted on the adaption. (Oct. 9)
Rabbit and Robot, by Andrew Smith
A boy gets stranded on his father’s lunar-cruise utopia, and is left to fend off “insane” robots. If you’re at all familiar with Smith’s dark, at times demented approach to story and humor, you may think you know roughly what to expect of this one. Think again. (Sept. 25)
