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Welcome to Top
Ten Tuesday! Are you ready for another giant list of books? This week, we’re talking
about the new young adult books that are coming out between January and June
2021. The books on this list are for teens ages 14-17, but I’m a proper grown
up, and I’m looking forward to reading them. I think YA books often do a better
job than adult books of tacking current events or telling a fast-paced,
entertaining story. I can’t wait to get my hands on these books.
If you’re interested in 2021 book releases for younger kids, I listed those last week.
2021 Young Adult Book Releases
January
What Beauty
There Is by Cory Anderson
Contemporary Thriller
January 7, 2021
Jack Morton has nothing left. Except his younger brother, Matty, who he'd do anything for. Even die for. Now with their mother gone, and their funds quickly dwindling, Jack needs to make a choice: lose his brother to foster care, or find the drug money that sent his father to prison. He chooses the money.
Ava Bardem lives in isolation, a life of silence. For seventeen years her father has controlled her fate. He has taught her to love no one. Trust no one. Now her father is stalking the same money as Jack. When he picks up Jack's trail, Ava must make her own wrenching choice: remain silent or help the brothers survive.
Why I’m excited to read it: I can hear you right now. You’re saying, “Aj, you don’t read
thrillers. Why is the first book on your list a thriller?” It’s because the
early reviews have been impressive. My bookish friends are raving about this
dark, gripping tale. Goodreads calls it “An exhilarating, emotionally powerful and superbly written thriller.”
Last Night At
The Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
Historical Romance
January 19, 2021
Seventeen-year-old
Lily Hu can’t remember exactly when the question took root, but the answer was
in full bloom the moment she and Kathleen Miller walked under the flashing neon
sign of a lesbian bar called the Telegraph Club.
America in 1954 is not a safe place for two
girls to fall in love, especially not in Chinatown. Red-Scare paranoia
threatens everyone, including Chinese Americans like Lily. With deportation
looming over her father—despite his hard-won citizenship—Lily and Kath risk
everything to let their love see the light of day.
Why I’m excited to read it: I can hear you right now. You’re saying, “Aj, you don’t read
romance. Why is there a romance on your list?” The 1950s is one of my favorite
time periods to read about. A lot changed in the world during that decade. WWII
was over. There were new inventions, new cultural icons, new threats, new paranoias.
The romance part of this novel doesn’t scare me because I read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo last
year. That was a 1950s romance, and I adored it. Bring on
all the 1950s lesbian forbidden love stories!
Don’t Tell A
Soul by Kirsten Miller
Horror
January 26, 2021
All Bram
wanted was to disappear—from her old life, her family's past, and from the
scandal that continues to haunt her. The only place left to go is Louth, the
tiny town on the Hudson River where her uncle, James, has been renovating an
old mansion.
But James is haunted by his own ghosts. Months
earlier, his beloved wife died in a fire that people say was set by her
daughter. The tragedy left James a shell of the man Bram knew—and destroyed
half the house he'd so lovingly restored.
The manor is creepy, and so are the locals. The
people of Louth don't want outsiders like Bram in their town, and with each
passing day she's discovering that the rumors they spread are just as
disturbing as the secrets they hide. Most frightening of all are the legends
they tell about the Dead Girls. Girls whose lives were cut short in the very
house Bram now calls home.
The terrifying reality is that the Dead Girls
may have never left the manor. And if Bram looks too hard into the town's
haunted past, she might not either.
Why I’m excited to read it: It’s being compared to Rebecca
by Daphne du Maurier, so I’m instantly interested. I love Rebecca, with all its intense characters and twisted mysteries. I
can’t pass up family secrets, weird locals, and haunted mansions. Those are all
promising ingredients for an excellent horror novel.
February
The Project by Courtney Summers
Mystery / Thriller
February 2, 2021
Lo Denham is
used to being on her own. After her parents died, Lo's sister, Bea, joined The
Unity Project, leaving Lo in the care of their great aunt. Thanks to its
extensive charitable work and community outreach, The Unity Project has won the
hearts and minds of most in the Upstate New York region, but Lo knows there's more
to the group than meets the eye. She's spent the last six years of her life
trying—and failing—to prove it.
When a man shows up at the magazine Lo works for
claiming The Unity Project killed his son, Lo sees the perfect opportunity to
expose the group and reunite with Bea once and for all. When her investigation
puts her in the direct path of its leader, Lev Warren, and as Lo delves deeper
into The Project, her investigation upends everything she thought she knew
about her sister, herself, cults, and the world around her—to the point she can
no longer tell what's real or true. Lo never thought she could afford to
believe in Lev Warren . . . but now she doesn't know if she can afford not to.
Why I’m excited to read it: Cults! Actually, I want to read it because I loved Courtney
Summers’s other book, Sadie. It was
one of my 2019 favorites. Sadie is an
innovative murder mystery that puts the spotlight on the victims instead of on
the murderer. I’m hoping for more of the same with The Project.
Fat Chance,
Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado
Contemporary
February 2, 2021
Charlie Vega
is a lot of things. Smart. Funny. Artistic. Ambitious. Fat.
People sometimes have a problem with that last
one. Especially her mom. Charlie wants a good relationship with her body, but
it's hard, and her mom leaving a billion weight loss shakes on her dresser
doesn't help. The world and everyone in it have ideas about what she should
look like: thinner, lighter, slimmer-faced, straighter-haired. Be
smaller. Be whiter. Be quieter.
But there's one person who's always in Charlie's
corner: her best friend Amelia. Slim. Popular. Athletic. Totally dope. So when
Charlie starts a tentative relationship with cute classmate Brian, the first
worthwhile guy to notice her, everything is perfect until she learns one
thing—he asked Amelia out first. So is she his second choice or what? Does he
even really see her? UGHHH. Everything is now officially a MESS.
Why I’m excited to read it: Goodreads calls it “A sensitive, funny, and painful
coming-of-age story with a wry voice.” I have to support the books about fat
kids! I was a fat teenager who read a lot
of books. Back then, I rarely saw fat kids as main characters. They were
usually villains, side characters, or comic relief. It makes me happy to see
chubby people on book covers. Chubby kids have adventures too!
The Girl From
Shadow Springs by Ellie Cypher
Fantasy
February 9, 2021
Everyone in
Shadow Springs knows that no one survives crossing the Flats. But the threat of
a frozen death has never deterred the steady stream of treasure hunters
searching for a legendary prize hidden somewhere in the vast expanse of ice.
Jorie thinks they’re all fools, which makes scavenging their possessions
easier. It’s how she and her sister, Brenna, survive.
Then Jorie scavenges off the wrong body. When
the dead man’s enemy believes Jorie took something valuable from the body, he
kidnaps Brenna as collateral. He tells Jorie that if she wants her sister back,
she’ll have to trade her for the item he thinks she stole. But how can Jorie
make a trade when she doesn’t even know what she’s looking for?
Her only source of information is Cody, the dead
man’s nephew and a scholar from the South who’s never been hardened by the
harsh conditions of the North. Though Jorie’s reluctant to bring a city boy out
onto the Flats with her, she’ll do whatever it takes to save her sister. But
anything can happen out on the ice, and soon Jorie and Cody find they need one
another more than they ever imagined—and they’ll have to trust each other to
survive threats beyond their darkest nightmares.
Why I’m excited to read it: I’m always on the lookout for fantasy books that don’t have
the stereotypical faux-medieval-Europe setting. This one seems promising. I’m
getting Yukon gold rush vibes from the setting, which is definitely unusual.
Goodreads calls the book “thrilling and atmospheric.”
Game Changer by Neal Shusterman
Science Fiction
February 9, 2021
All it takes
is one hit on the football field, and suddenly Ash’s life doesn’t look quite
the way he remembers it.
Impossible though it seems, he’s been hit into
another dimension—and keeps on bouncing through worlds that are
almost-but-not-really his own.
The changes start small, but they quickly spiral
out of control as Ash slides into universes where he has everything he’s ever
wanted, universes where society is stuck in the past . . . universes where he
finds himself looking at life through entirely different eyes.
And if he
isn’t careful, the world he’s learning to see more clearly could blink out of
existence.
Why I’m
excited to read it: I’ll read
anything Neal Shusterman writes. His books always make me laugh and think. He’s
clever, witty, and puts a ton of thought into his novels. I always come out of
them seeing the world in a slightly different way. Also, his books tend to be
action-packed and full of plot twists, so it’s hard to stop reading them. His
dystopian novel, Dry, was my first
5-star read of 2021.
The Electric
Kingdom by David Arnold
Science Fiction / Dystopia
February 9, 2021
When a deadly
Fly Flu sweeps the globe, it leaves a shell of the world that once was. Among
the survivors are eighteen-year-old Nico and her dog, on a voyage devised by
Nico's father to find a mythical portal; a young artist named Kit, raised in an
old abandoned cinema; and the enigmatic Deliverer, who lives Life after Life in
an attempt to put the world back together. As swarms of infected Flies roam the
earth, these few survivors navigate the woods of post-apocalyptic New England,
meeting others along the way, each on their own quest to find life and light in
a world gone dark.
Why I’m excited to read it: David Arnold’s books often sound extraordinarily weird. I
haven’t read any of them because I’m picky about my weird literature. I’m not
sure if his stuff will match my reading tastes, but I want to try this one
because it’s a dystopia. That’s my current favorite genre. You’d think it’d be
stressful to read dystopias during a pandemic, but it’s not. Their quick pacing
and (mostly) far-fetched plots help me escape from the real world.
The Initial
Insult by Mindy McGinnis
Horror / Mystery / Thriller
February 23, 2021
Tress Montor
knows that her family used to mean something—until she didn’t have a family
anymore. When her parents disappeared seven years ago while driving her best
friend home, Tress lost everything. She might still be a Montor, but the entire
town shuns her now that she lives with her drunken, one-eyed grandfather at
what locals refer to as the “White Trash Zoo,” a wild animal attraction
featuring a zebra, a chimpanzee, and a panther, among other things.
Felicity Turnado has it all—looks, money, and a
secret that she’s kept hidden. She knows that one misstep could send her
tumbling from the top of the social ladder, and she’s worked hard to make
everyone forget that she was with the Montors the night they disappeared.
Felicity has buried what she knows so deeply that she can’t even remember what
it is . . . only that she can’t look at Tress without having a panic attack.
But she’ll have to.
Tress has a plan. A Halloween costume party at
an abandoned house provides the ideal situation for Tress to pry the truth from
Felicity—brick by brick—as she slowly seals her former best friend into a coal
chute. With a drunken party above them, and a loose panther on the prowl, Tress
will have her answers—or settle for revenge.
Why I’m excited to read it: Well, clearly it’s inspired by Edgar Allan Poe. Of course I
have to read it! I love Poe. The revenge plotline is intriguing. I’ve read a
few Mind McGinnis books. I love her writing style. It’s sparse and crackling
with tension. Her characters aren’t afraid to do whatever it takes to survive.
Prepped by Bethany Mangle
Contemporary
February 23, 2021
Always be
ready for the worst day of your life.
This is the mantra that Becca Aldaine has grown
up with. Her family is part of a community of doomsday preppers, a neighborhood
that prioritizes survivalist training over class trips or senior prom. They’re
even arranging Becca’s marriage with Roy Kang, the only eligible boy in their
community. Roy is a nice guy, but he’s so enthusiastic about prepping that
Becca doesn’t have the heart to tell him she’s planning to leave as soon as she
can earn a full ride to a college far, far away.
Then a devastating accident rocks Becca’s family
and pushes the entire community, including Becca’s usually cynical little
sister, deeper into the doomsday ideology. With her getaway plans thrown into
jeopardy, the only person Becca can turn to is Roy, who reveals that he’s not
nearly as clueless as he’s been pretending to be.
When Roy proposes they run away together, Becca
will have to risk everything—including her heart—for a chance to hope for the
best instead of planning for the worst.
Why I’m excited to read it: It’s supposedly funny. I’m always ready for a funny book.
I’m also very interested in Roy’s character. Why is he pretending to be
clueless? Prepped is recommended for
fans of Jeff Zentner. Zentner’s novels are heartbreakingly realistic, and he’s
great at writing about teens in small towns. I’ll be thrilled if this book is
similar to his novels.
The Valley And
The Flood by Rebecca Mahoney
Fantasy
February 23, 2021
Rose Colter is
almost home, but she can't go back there yet. When her car breaks down in the
Nevada desert, the silence of the night is broken by a radio broadcast of a
voicemail message from her best friend, Gaby. A message Rose has listened to
countless times over the past year. The last one Gaby left before she died.
So Rose follows the lights from the closest
radio tower to Lotus Valley, a small town where prophets are a dime a dozen,
secrets lurk in every shadow, and the diner pie is legendary. And according to
Cassie Cyrene, the town's third most accurate prophet, they've been waiting for
her. Because Rose's arrival is part of a looming prophecy, one that says a
flood will destroy Lotus Valley in just three days' time.
Rose believes if the prophecy comes true then it
will confirm her worst fear—the PTSD she was diagnosed with after Gaby's death
has changed her in ways she can't face. So with help from new friends, Rose
sets out to stop the flood, but her connection to it, and to this strange
little town, runs deeper than she could've imagined.
Why I’m excited to read it: This just sounds bizarre. I love weird desert towns and want
to read all the books that are set in them. For some reason, deserts attract
the strangest people. I may be wrong, but the plot is giving me vibes of Neal
Shusterman’s Challenger Deep. Weird
things are happening, but the reader isn’t sure if they’re really happening, or if it’s all in the main character’s mind.
March
Firekeeper’s
Daughter by Angeline Boulley
Mystery / Thriller
March 2, 2021
As a biracial,
unenrolled tribal member and the product of a scandal, eighteen-year-old Daunis
Fontaine has never quite fit in, both in her hometown and on the nearby Ojibwe
reservation. Daunis dreams of studying medicine, but when her family is struck
by tragedy, she puts her future on hold to care for her fragile mother.
The only bright spot is meeting Jamie, the
charming new recruit on her brother Levi’s hockey team. Yet even as Daunis
falls for Jamie, certain details don’t add up and she senses the dashing hockey
star is hiding something. Everything comes to light when Daunis witnesses a
shocking murder, thrusting her into the heart of a criminal investigation.
Reluctantly, Daunis agrees to go undercover, but
secretly pursues her own investigation, tracking down the criminals with her
knowledge of chemistry and traditional medicine. But the deceptions—and
deaths—keep piling up and soon the threat strikes too close to home.
Now, Daunis must learn what it means to be a
strong Anishinaabe kwe (Ojibwe woman) and how far she'll go to protect her
community, even if it tears apart the only world she’s ever known.
Why I’m excited to read it: This book is everywhere.
The cover is gorgeous, and the early reviews are glowing. Bookworms can’t wait
to get their hands on this story. It sounds like it’s a mystery/thriller with
depth. I haven’t read many novels that are written by Native American authors
about Native American characters. I’m interested in broadening my reading
horizons and seeing how traditional medicine is used to solve a murder.
Bones Of A Saint by Grant Farley
Historical Fiction
March 2, 2021
Fifteen-year-old
RJ Armante has never known a life outside his dead-end hometown of Arcangel,
CA. The Blackjacks still rule as they have for generations, luring the poorest
kids into their monopoly on petty crime. For years, they’ve left RJ alone . . .
until now.
When the Blackjacks come knocking, they want RJ
to prey upon an old loner. But RJ is at his breaking point. It’s not just about
the gang who rules the town. It’s about Charley, his younger brother, who is
disabled. It’s about Roxanne, the girl he can’t reach. It’s about the kids in
his crew who have nothing to live for. If RJ is to resist, he must fight to
free Arcangel of its past.
Why I’m excited to read it: Does it remind you of The
Outsiders by S.E. Hinton? I was obsessed with that book when I was a teen. It
sounds like Bones Of A Saint is about
found families and kids with too many responsibilities and no good options.
Goodreads says: “Set in Northern
California in the late 70s, this timeless coming-of-age story examines the
nature of evil, the art of storytelling, and the possibility of redemption.” I
love reading about morally gray characters. I never know what they’re going to
do.
April
Everyone Dies
Famous In A Small Town by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock
Short Stories
April 1, 2021
In this book,
the impact of wildfire, a wayward priest, or a mysterious disappearance
ricochet across communities, threading through stories. Here, ordinary actions
such as ice skating or going to church reveal hidden truths. One choice
threatens a lifelong friendship. Siblings save each other. Rescue and second
chances are possible, and so is revenge.
On the surface, it seems that nothing ever
happens in these towns. But Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock shows that underneath that
surface, teenagers' lives blaze with fury, with secrets, and with love so
strong it burns a path to the future.
Why I’m excited to read it: This is my most-anticipated young adult book of 2021. The
author’s novel, The Smell Of Other People’s Houses, is one of my favorite books ever. It’s a beautifully
written story about teens who get themselves into deep trouble in small-town
Alaska. The author is brilliant at developing setting. Her new short story
collection appears to have similar themes to her novel. Goodreads calls the new
book “A lyrical and heartfelt collection.”
House Of
Hollow by Krystal Sutherland
Fantasy / Horror
April 6, 2021
Seventeen-year-old
Iris Hollow has always been strange. Something happened to her and her two
older sisters when they were children, something they can’t quite remember but
that left each of them with an identical half-moon scar at the base of their
throats.
Iris has spent most of her teenage years trying
to avoid the weirdness that sticks to her like tar. But when her eldest sister,
Grey, goes missing under suspicious circumstances, Iris learns just how weird
her life can get: horned men start shadowing her, a corpse falls out of her
sister’s ceiling, and ugly, impossible memories start to twist their way to the
forefront of her mind.
As Iris retraces Grey’s last known footsteps and
follows the increasingly bizarre trail of breadcrumbs she left behind, it
becomes apparent that the only way to save her sister is to decipher the
mystery of what happened to them as children.
The closer Iris gets to the truth, the closer
she comes to understanding that the answer is dark and dangerous—and that Grey
has been keeping a terrible secret from her for years.
Why I’m excited to read it: This is probably Twitter’s most-anticipated horror book of
2021. I’ve seen this book constantly for months. Or, maybe Twitter is just
obsessed with the cover. It’s delightfully creepy. Anyway, I’m interested in
the mystery and the horned men and the corpse that falls out of the ceiling.
WHY IS THERE A CEILING CORPSE? I hope this book is scary enough to live up to
the hype.
Kate In
Waiting by Becky Albertalli
Contemporary Romance
April 20, 2021
Contrary to
popular belief, best friends Kate Garfield and Anderson Walker are not
codependent. Carpooling to and from theater rehearsals? Environmentally sound
and efficient. Consulting each other on every single life decision? Basic good
judgment. Pining for the same guys from afar? Shared crushes are more fun
anyway.
But when Kate and Andy’s latest long-distance
crush shows up at their school, everything goes off script. Matt Olsson is
talented and sweet, and Kate likes him. She really likes him. The only problem?
So does Anderson.
Turns out, communal crushes aren’t so fun when
real feelings are involved. This one might even bring the curtains down on Kate
and Anderson’s friendship.
Why I’m excited to read it: Becky Albertalli writes the most realistic teenagers.
They’re not always likeable, and they don’t always make great decisions, but
their behavior is believable. I read her novel—Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda—years ago, and I still think about
it. It’s a sweet, hilarious story. I’m hoping for more of the same with the new
book.
Dustborn by Erin Bowman
Science Fiction / Dystopia
April 20, 2021
Delta of Dead
River has always been told to hide her back, where a map is branded
on her skin to a rumored paradise called the Verdant. In a wasteland
plagued by dust squalls, geomagnetic storms, and solar flares, many would kill
for it—even if no one can read it. So when raiders sent by a man known as
the General attack her village, Delta suspects he is searching for
her.
Delta sets out to rescue her family but quickly
learns that in the Wastes no one can be trusted—perhaps not even her
childhood friend, Asher, who has been missing for nearly a decade. If Delta can
trust Asher, she just might decode the map and trade evidence of the Verdant to
the General for her family. What Delta doesn’t count on is what waits at the
Verdant: a long-forgotten secret that will shake the foundation of her entire
world.
Why I’m excited to read it: I started Erin Bowman’s series of westerns, but they weren’t
unique enough for me, so I never finished them. I liked the setting and the
badass characters, though. I’m hoping for more strong ladies and cactus-filled
places with this new standalone dystopia. I love dystopias and have been
consuming unhealthy amounts of them during the past year. I need more!
Supposedly, this book has a revenge plotline and a weird wannabe dictator
character. I’m intrigued. It’s being recommended for fans of the Mad Max
movies, which I haven’t seen.
May
Luck Of The
Titanic by Stacey Lee
Historical Fiction
May 4, 2021
Southampton,
1912: Seventeen-year-old British-Chinese Valora Luck has quit her job and
smuggled herself aboard the Titanic
with two goals in mind: to reunite with her twin brother Jamie—her only family
now that both their parents are dead—and to convince a part-owner of the
Ringling Brothers Circus to take the twins on as acrobats. Quick-thinking Val
talks her way into opulent first class accommodations and finds Jamie with a
group of fellow Chinese laborers in third class. But in the rigidly stratified
world of the luxury liner, Val's ruse can only last so long, and after two long
years apart, it's unclear if Jamie even wants the life Val proposes. Then, one
moonless night in the North Atlantic, the unthinkable happens—the supposedly
unsinkable ship is dealt a fatal blow—and Val and her companions suddenly find
themselves in a race to survive.
Why I’m excited to read it: This is my second-most-anticipated YA release of 2021. (Are
we ranking releases now? Why not?) I’m excited for it because it’s loosely
inspired by the true story of six Titanic
passengers of Chinese descent. I love when authors base their fiction on real
life events. It makes the fiction more real. Also, shipwrecks are endlessly
fascinating to me. Probably because I can’t swim and oceans are deep. That’s a
nightmare situation right there.
The
Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green
Nonfiction / Essays
May 18, 2021
The
Anthropocene is the current geological age, in which human activity has
profoundly shaped the planet and its biodiversity. In this remarkable symphony
of essays adapted and expanded from his groundbreaking podcast, John Green
reviews different facets of the human-centered planet—from the QWERTY keyboard
and Staphylococcus aureus to the Taco Bell breakfast menu—on a five-star scale.
Why I’m excited to read it: New John Green book! This one is nonfiction. I’ve never
listened to John Green’s podcast, but I have read all his fiction, and I watch
his YouTube videos when I’m bored. I think he’s smart and funny. This new book
sounds pretentious, so it might be perfect for me. And, I love rating things on
a 5-star scale. That’s probably why I became a book reviewer.
Words Composed
Of Sea And Sky by Erica George
Contemporary And Historical Fiction (Dual Timeline)
May 25, 2021
Michaela Dunn
dreams of getting into an art school, but when her stepfather refuses to fund a
trip there for a poetry workshop, Michaela enters a local contest searching for
a poet to write the dedication plaque for a statue honoring Captain Benjamin
Churchill, a whaler who died at sea over one hundred years ago. While searching
for clues about this Cape Cod legend, Michaela discovers the diary of Leta
Townsend from 1862 and gets a glimpse of Churchill that she didn't quite
anticipate.
In 1862, Leta writes poetry under the name of
Benjamin Churchill, thinking him dead after being attacked by a whale. Leta is
astonished when Captain Churchill returns, completely unscathed, his death just
a rumor. She quickly falls for him. But is she falling for the actual Benjamin
Churchill, or the boy she constructed in her imagination?
Why I’m excited to read it: This novel sounds wild, like a bookish soap opera. The
captain is dead! OR IS HE? She’s falling in love, BUT HE’S NOT WHO SHE THINKS!
I’m ready for twists and mysteries.
June
A Sisterhood
Of Secret Ambitions by Sheena Boekweg
Alternate History
June 1, 2021
Behind every
powerful man is a trained woman, and behind every trained woman is the Society.
It started with tea parties and matchmaking, but is now a countrywide secret.
Gossips pass messages in recipes, Spinsters train to fight, and women work
together to grant safety to abused women and children. The Society is more than
oaths—it is sisterhood and purpose.
In 1926, seventeen-year-old Elsie is dropped off
in a new city with four other teenage girls. All of them have trained together
since childhood to become the Wife of a powerful man. But when they learn that
their next target is earmarked to become President, their mission becomes more
than just an assignment; this is a chance at the most powerful position in the
Society. All they have to do is make one man fall in love with them first.
Why I’m excited to read it: This is my third-most-anticipated YA release of 2021.
(Clearly, we’re ranking them now.) I’m getting Margaret Atwood vibes from this
book, probably because it’s about women pulling society’s strings from behind
the scenes. I love alternate history books and wish more authors wrote them. I
need this one immediately. (If you’re looking for some excellent alternate
history in the meantime, check out Alma Katsu’s The Hunger.)
The Ghosts We Keep by Mason Deaver
Contemporary
June 1, 2021
When Liam
Cooper's older brother Ethan is killed in a hit-and-run, Liam has to not only
learn to face the world without one of the people he loved the most, but also
face the fading relationship with his two best friends.
Feeling more alone and isolated than ever, Liam
finds themself sharing time with Marcus, Ethan's best friend, and through
Marcus, Liam finds the one person that seems to know exactly what they're going
through, for the better, and the worse.
Why I’m excited to read it: Goodreads says it’s “perfect
for fans of Adam Silvera and Becky Albertalli.” That’s me! I love both those
authors. Mostly I’m interested in this book because Mason Deaver’s debut novel
took over all my social media feeds for a while. Everybody I follow was raving
about it. I need to know why this author has captured the book world’s
attention.
Ace Of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
Mystery
/ Thriller
June
10, 2021
Welcome to
Niveus Private Academy, where money paves the hallways, and the students are
never less than perfect. Until now. Because anonymous texter, Aces, is bringing
two students' dark secrets to light. Talented musician Devon buries himself in
rehearsals, but he can't escape the spotlight when his private photos go
public. Head girl Chiamaka isn't afraid to get what she wants, but soon
everyone will know the price she has paid for power. Someone is out to get them
both. Someone who holds all the aces. And they're planning much more than a
high-school game.
Why I’m excited to read it: Drama! This book is supposed to be dark and full of sex,
lies, and secrets. According to early reviewers, it’s a thriller with depth.
I’m always searching for thrillers that ask thought-provoking questions and
aren’t just action-action-action all the time. Goodreads says this novel is “an
incendiary and utterly compelling thriller with a shocking twist.”
Darling by K. Ancrum
Fantasy
June 22, 2021
On Wendy
Darling’s first night in Chicago, a boy called Peter appears at her window.
He’s dizzying, captivating, beautiful—so she agrees to join him for a night on
the town.
Wendy thinks they’re heading to a party, but
instead they’re soon running in the city’s underground. She makes friends—a
punk girl named Tinkerbelle and the lost boys Peter watches over. And she makes
enemies—the terrifying Detective Hook, and maybe Peter himself, as his sinister
secrets start coming to light. Can Wendy find the courage to survive this
night—and make sure everyone else does, too?
Why I’m excited to read it: Normally, I’d see the word “retelling” and keep scrolling.
Retellings don’t interest me. But, this one is written by K. Ancrum. Her
bizarre contemporary novel, The Wicker King, was one of my 2020 favorites. She’s amazing at blurring the lines
between fantasy and reality and writing characters who are . . . misguided.
They’re not evil, but they’re far from good. I’m hoping this book is just as
addictive as The Wicker King.
Wow. If you
made it through that whole post, you deserve 10 boxes of Girl Scout cookies.
Are you looking forward to any young adult book releases in 2021?
House of Hollow sounds so good.
ReplyDeleteMy post.
I really want to get my hands on Hitchcock's book. Her last book was phenomenal, and I have high hopes for this one.
ReplyDeleteOh! All of these books sound awesome! Great list!
ReplyDeleteHere’s my TTT!
Ronyell @ Rabbit Ears Book Blog
You just made me laugh. I love to read YA novels too, despite being an old owl. Don´t Tell A Soul by Kirsten Miller looks and sounds really good. Happy reading and stay safe and well.
ReplyDeleteAce of Spades is already on my TBR, but The Girl From Shadow Springs and A Sisterhood of Secret Ambitions are new to me and sound so good, so I'll be adding those to my TBR.
ReplyDeleteMy TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2021/01/12/top-ten-tuesday-298/
Nice list. Prepped sounds amazing. House of Hollow made my Top 5 Anticipated Releases of 2021 list. Hope you get to read all these.
ReplyDeletehttps://thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/2021/01/top-ten-tuesday-top-ten.html
I read the first few chapters of the House of Hollow--soooo good! I read and enjoyed the weirdness/uniqueness of The Electric Kingdom and it was my first by this author. I have preordered Luck of the Titanic. Great list!
ReplyDeleteLuck of the Titanic is one I've had my eye on for a while!
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way about YA vs adult books sometimes. I started a book the other day and was bored to tears- it was so ponderous and I kept thinking if this was a YA book it would be so much better lol. Anyway I definitely want more YA thrillers. And Last Night at the Telegraph Club looks amazing- I want it for the cover alone.
ReplyDeleteThe Girl From Shadow Springs looks good. I like cold settings. And yes to a good dystopia!
The Valley and Flood is giving me Welcome to Night Vale vibes, or maybe even The Six Gun Tarot (you might like that one. Weird Western desert town- check. )
I'm kind of obsessed with the Titanic, so definitely adding Luck of the Titanic to my TBR!
ReplyDeleteI really like the look of The Electric Kingdom. Thanks for sharing these releases.
ReplyDeleteDon't Tell a Soul and Luck of the Titanic are going on my tbr. Thanks for introducing me!
ReplyDeleteI'm so excited for some of these: Darling, Luck of the Titanic, The Project, etc.
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
Looks like a lot of great YA reads are coming out this year. I'm really excited for Becky Albertalli and Courtney Summers' books.
ReplyDeleteNice list AJ! I'm sure lots of people are swearing at you for adding books to their TBR!
ReplyDeleteI am absolutely dying for The Project. I love Courtney Summers so much and will read everything she ever writes.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this. I've just added most of the sci fi and fantasy books on your list to Goodreads.
ReplyDeleteGood list of books. I don't read many young adult books, but there are some here that sound very good. And so many great-looking covers, too!
ReplyDelete