This week, I’m telling you about the intriguing young adult books coming out in the first half of 2020. This is going to be a big post, so let’s get into it.
Update: Due to Coronavirus, some of the release dates may have changed.
*This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
Update: Due to Coronavirus, some of the release dates may have changed.
*This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
Upcoming Young Adult Book Releases
January
Infinity Son by Adam Silvera (Infinity
Cycle #1)
Growing up in
New York, brothers Emil and Brighton always idolized the Spell Walkers—a
vigilante group sworn to rid the world of specters. While the Spell Walkers and
other celestials are born with powers, specters take them, violently stealing
the essence of endangered magical creatures.
Brighton wishes he had a power so he could join the fray. Emil just wants the fighting to stop. The cycle of violence has taken a toll, making it harder for anyone with a power to live peacefully and openly. In this climate of fear, a gang of specters has been growing bolder by the day.
Then, in a brawl after a protest, Emil manifests a power of his own—one that puts him right at the heart of the conflict and sets him up to be the heroic Spell Walker Brighton always wanted to be.
Brotherhood, love, and loyalty will be put to the test, and no one will escape the fight unscathed.
Brighton wishes he had a power so he could join the fray. Emil just wants the fighting to stop. The cycle of violence has taken a toll, making it harder for anyone with a power to live peacefully and openly. In this climate of fear, a gang of specters has been growing bolder by the day.
Then, in a brawl after a protest, Emil manifests a power of his own—one that puts him right at the heart of the conflict and sets him up to be the heroic Spell Walker Brighton always wanted to be.
Brotherhood, love, and loyalty will be put to the test, and no one will escape the fight unscathed.
Blood Countess by Lana Popović
A historical YA horror novel based on the infamous real-life inspiration
for Countess Dracula.
In 17th century Hungary, Anna Darvulia has just begun working as a scullery maid for the young and glamorous Countess Elizabeth Báthory. When Elizabeth takes a liking to Anna, she’s vaulted to the dream role of chambermaid, a far cry from the filthy servants’ quarters below. She receives wages generous enough to provide for her family, and the Countess begins to groom Anna as her friend and confidante. It’s not long before Anna falls completely under the Countess’s spell—and the Countess takes full advantage. Isolated from her former friends, family, and fiancé, Anna realizes she’s not a friend but a prisoner of the increasingly cruel Elizabeth. Then come the murders, and Anna knows it’s only a matter of time before the Blood Countess turns on her, too.
Don’t Read The
Comments by Eric Smith
Divya Sharma
is a queen. Or she is when she’s playing Reclaim the Sun, the year’s hottest
online game. Divya—better known as popular streaming gamer D1V—regularly leads
her #AngstArmada on quests through the game’s vast and gorgeous virtual
universe. But for Divya, this is more than just a game. Out in the real world,
she’s trading her rising-star status for sponsorships to help her struggling
single mom pay the rent.
Gaming is basically Aaron Jericho’s entire life. Much to his mother’s frustration, Aaron has zero interest in becoming a doctor like her, and spends his free time writing games for a local developer. At least he can escape into Reclaim the Sun—and with a trillion worlds to explore, disappearing should be easy. But to his surprise, he somehow ends up on the same remote planet as celebrity gamer D1V.
At home, Divya and Aaron grapple with their problems alone, but in the game, they have each other to face infinite new worlds . . . and the growing legion of trolls populating them. Soon the virtual harassment seeps into reality when a group called the Vox Populi begin launching real-world doxxing campaigns, threatening Aaron’s dreams and Divya’s actual life. The online trolls think they can drive her out of the game, but everything and everyone Divya cares about is on the line.
And she isn’t going down without a fight.
You Too?: 25 Voices Share Their #MeToo Stories by Janet Gurtler (Editor)
A timely and
heartfelt collection of essays inspired by the #MeToo movement, edited by
acclaimed young adult and middle-grade author Janet Gurtler. Featuring Beth
Revis, Mackenzi Lee, Ellen Hopkins, Saundra Mitchell, Jennifer Brown, Cheryl
Rainfield and many more.
When #MeToo went viral, Janet Gurtler was among the millions of people who began to reflect on her past experiences. Things she had reluctantly accepted—male classmates groping her at recess, harassment at work—came back to her in startling clarity. She needed teens to know what she had not: that no young person should be subject to sexual assault, or made to feel unsafe, less than, or degraded.
You Too? was born out of that need. By turns thoughtful and explosive, these personal stories encompass a wide range of experiences and will resonate with every reader who has wondered, “Why is this happening to me?”
Wildfire by Carrie Mac
Annie and Pete
have been best friends since they were little. They know each other better than
anyone, and they've been on more adventures than they can count—they even have
a notebook filled with all the times they've almost died. But they always survive,
because together, they're invincible.
And they've always been just friends. But lately, Annie has been thinking that maybe friendship is just the beginning, and she's been mentally replaying all the times they were almost something more.
Now they're heading out on their next great quest: a ten-day backpacking trip through the mountains of Washington State, ending at Fire Camp, where they'll learn to fight the area's growing wildfire problem. The woods spark with the promise of adventure, but a freak climbing accident interrupts their progress, and as the wildfires close in and smoke envelops them, Annie and Pete wander farther from the trail.
February
Ink In The
Blood by Kim Smejkal (Ink In The Blood #1)
Celia Sand and
her best friend, Anya Burtoni, are inklings for the esteemed religion of
Profeta. Using magic, they tattoo followers with beautiful images that
represent the Divine’s will and guide the actions of the recipients. It’s
considered a noble calling, but ten years into their servitude Celia and Anya
know the truth: Profeta is built on lies, the tattooed orders strip away
freedom, and the revered temple is actually a brutal, torturous prison.
Their opportunity to escape arrives with the Rabble Mob, a traveling theater troupe. Using their inkling abilities for performance instead of propaganda, Celia and Anya are content for the first time . . . until they realize who followed them. The Divine they never believed in is very real, very angry, and determined to use Celia, Anya, and the Rabble Mob’s now-infamous stage to spread her deceitful influence even further.
To protect their new family from the wrath of a malicious deity and the zealots who work in her name, Celia and Anya must unmask the biggest lie of all—Profeta itself.
Their opportunity to escape arrives with the Rabble Mob, a traveling theater troupe. Using their inkling abilities for performance instead of propaganda, Celia and Anya are content for the first time . . . until they realize who followed them. The Divine they never believed in is very real, very angry, and determined to use Celia, Anya, and the Rabble Mob’s now-infamous stage to spread her deceitful influence even further.
To protect their new family from the wrath of a malicious deity and the zealots who work in her name, Celia and Anya must unmask the biggest lie of all—Profeta itself.
Yes No Maybe
So by
Becky Albertalli & Aisha Saeed
YES
Jamie Goldberg is cool with volunteering for his local state senate candidate—as long as he’s behind the scenes. When it comes to speaking to strangers (or, let’s face it, speaking at all to almost anyone), Jamie’s a choke artist. There’s no way he’d ever knock on doors to ask people for their votes . . . until he meets Maya.
NO
Maya Rehman’s having the worst Ramadan ever. Her best friend is too busy to hang out, her summer trip is canceled, and now her parents are separating. Why her mother thinks the solution to her problems is political canvassing—with some awkward dude she hardly knows—is beyond her.
MAYBE SO
Going door to door isn’t exactly glamorous, but maybe it’s not the worst thing in the world. After all, the polls are getting closer—and so are Maya and Jamie. Mastering local activism is one thing. Navigating the cross-cultural romance of the century is another thing entirely.
No True
Believers by Rabiah York Lumbard
Salma Bakkioui
has always loved living in her suburban cul-de-sac, with her best friend Mariam
next door, and her boyfriend Amir nearby. Then things start to change. Friends
start to distance themselves. Mariam's family moves when her father's patients
no longer want a Muslim chiropractor. Even trusted teachers look the other way
when hostile students threaten Salma at school.
After a terrorist bombing nearby, Islamaphobia tightens its grip around Salma and her family. Shockingly, she and Amir find themselves with few allies as they come under suspicion for the bombing. As Salma starts to investigate who is framing them, she uncovers a deadly secret conspiracy with suspicious ties to her new neighbors—but no one believes her. Salma must use her coding talent, wits, and faith to expose the truth and protect the only home she's ever known—before it's too late.
Wranglestone by Darren Charlton
(Wranglestone #1)
In a post-apocalyptic
America, a community survives in a national park, surrounded by water that
keeps the Dead at bay. But when winter comes, there's nothing to stop them from
crossing the ice.
Then homebody Peter puts the camp in danger by naively allowing a stranger to come ashore and he's forced to leave the community of Wranglestone. Now he must help rancher Cooper, the boy he's always watched from afar, herd the Dead from their shores before the lake freezes over.
But as love blossoms, a dark discovery reveals the sanctuary's secret past. One that forces the pair to question everything they've ever known.
March
The Kingdom Of
Back by Marie Lu
Two siblings.
Two brilliant talents. But only one Mozart.
Born with a gift for music, Nannerl Mozart has just one wish—to be remembered forever. But even as she delights audiences with her masterful playing, she has little hope she'll ever become the acclaimed composer she longs to be. She is a young woman in 18th century Europe, and that means composing is forbidden to her. She will perform only until she reaches a marriageable age—her tyrannical father has made that much clear.
And as Nannerl's hope grows dimmer with each passing year, the talents of her beloved younger brother, Wolfgang, only seem to shine brighter. His brilliance begins to eclipse her own, until one day a mysterious stranger from a magical land appears with an irresistible offer. He has the power to make her wish come true—but his help may cost her everything.
Born with a gift for music, Nannerl Mozart has just one wish—to be remembered forever. But even as she delights audiences with her masterful playing, she has little hope she'll ever become the acclaimed composer she longs to be. She is a young woman in 18th century Europe, and that means composing is forbidden to her. She will perform only until she reaches a marriageable age—her tyrannical father has made that much clear.
And as Nannerl's hope grows dimmer with each passing year, the talents of her beloved younger brother, Wolfgang, only seem to shine brighter. His brilliance begins to eclipse her own, until one day a mysterious stranger from a magical land appears with an irresistible offer. He has the power to make her wish come true—but his help may cost her everything.
Dangerous
Remedy by Kat Dunn (Dangerous Remedy #1)
The first in a
dazzling, commercial, historical adventure series set in the extravagant and
deadly world of the French Revolution. A whirlwind of action, science and magic
reveals, with a diverse cast of fearless heroines, a band of rebels like no
other.
Camille, a revolutionary's daughter, leads a band of outcasts—a runaway girl, a deserter, an aristocrat in hiding. As the Battalion des Mortes they cheat death, saving those about to meet a bloody end at the blade of Madame La Guillotine. But their latest rescue is not what she seems. The girl's no aristocrat, but her dark and disturbing powers means both the Royalists and the Revolutionaries want her. But who and what is she?
May
The Ballad Of
Songbirds And Snakes by Suzanne Collins (The Hunger Games #0)
The Ballad of
Songbirds and Snakes will revisit the world of Panem sixty-four years before
the events of The Hunger Games, starting on the morning of the reaping of the
Tenth Hunger Games.
Running by Natalia Sylvester
Senator
Anthony Ruiz is running for president. Throughout his successful political
career he has always had his daughter’s vote, but a presidential campaign
brings a whole new level of scrutiny to sheltered fifteen-year-old Mariana and
the rest of her Cuban American family, from a 60 Minutes–style tour of their
house to tabloids doctoring photos and inventing scandals. As tensions rise
within the Ruiz family, Mari begins to learn about the details of her father’s
political positions, and she realizes that her father is not the man she
thought he was.
But how do you find your voice when everyone’s watching? When it means disagreeing with your father—publicly? What do you do when your dad stops being your hero? Will Mari get a chance to confront her father? If she does, will she have the courage to seize it?
The Ballad of
Ami Miles by Kristy Dallas Alley
Raised in
isolation at Heavenly Shepherd, her family’s trailer-dealership-turned-survival
compound, Ami Miles knows that she was lucky to be born into a place of safety
after the old world ended and the chaos began. But when her grandfather
arranges a marriage to a cold-eyed stranger, she realizes that her “destiny” as
one of the few females capable of still bearing children isn’t something she’s
ready to face.
With the help of one of her aunts, she flees the only life she’s ever known, and sets off on a quest to find her long-lost mother (and hopefully a mate of her own choosing). But as she journeys, Ami discovers many new things about the world and about herself.
The Jewel
Thief by Jeannie Mobley
In the depths
of the Bastille, sixteen-year-old Juliet Pitau sits cold and filthy in her
cell. Charged with stealing what has come to be known as the Hope Diamond from
King Louis XIV, she has one final chance to convince the King that her motives
were pure. If she fails, this night may be her last. Recording her confession
is Rene, a scribe for the king and the man she loves. But Rene won't even look
her way, let alone begin to forgive her for her betrayal of him.
Before Juliet was imprisoned, she was the daughter of the finest gem cutter in all of Paris. The young King Louis XIV hand-selected Jean Pitau to be his crown jeweler, the only man who could make him shine like the sun. When Louis purchases the Tavernier Violet, a large, deep-blue diamond the likes of which the French court has never seen, Jean is tasked with turning it brilliant. But Juliet's father has never cut a diamond quite like this—and shaping it is risky business. While Jean spirals into depression, Juliet takes it upon herself to have the diamond cut for the King. But with every misstep, she brings her family closer to ruin, and closer to probable death at morning's light once Louis casts his sentence.
Before Juliet was imprisoned, she was the daughter of the finest gem cutter in all of Paris. The young King Louis XIV hand-selected Jean Pitau to be his crown jeweler, the only man who could make him shine like the sun. When Louis purchases the Tavernier Violet, a large, deep-blue diamond the likes of which the French court has never seen, Jean is tasked with turning it brilliant. But Juliet's father has never cut a diamond quite like this—and shaping it is risky business. While Jean spirals into depression, Juliet takes it upon herself to have the diamond cut for the King. But with every misstep, she brings her family closer to ruin, and closer to probable death at morning's light once Louis casts his sentence.
Which 2020
young adult books are you looking forward to?
Oo so many look good!! I have added quite a few to my list!
ReplyDeleteArrgggh you're killing me. I already had a few on my list and now I want a few more. And is it wrong that I looked at Wranglestone and said immediately "Hmmm...I want to live there!"
ReplyDeleteI’m looking forward to Yes No Maybe So. Becky Albertalli almost never disappoints (with the exception of Leah on the Offbeat).
ReplyDeleteLovely list!
ReplyDeleteI'm SO curious about the #0 Hunger Games book! Since I very recently read the whole trilogy again.
ReplyDeleteI don't read nearly as much YA as I used to, but several of these look intriguing to me—THE BALLAD OF AMI MILES and WRANGLESTONE especially.
ReplyDeleteHappy TTT!
Susan
www.blogginboutbooks.com
I am very interested in Running, though I have to be in the right frame of mind for political books these days. I liked Don't Read the Comments. The characters were great, the gaming parts were quite immersive, and it offered some interesting social commentary as well.
ReplyDeleteI'm getting pretty excited about the new Hunger Games.
ReplyDeleteI mostly have Silvered Serpents to look for this year!
ReplyDeleteI've added some of these in my list,. Thanks for listing them :)
ReplyDeleteSome of these are new to me! I'm about ready to start reading The Kingdom of Back in about ten seconds, LOL.
ReplyDeleteI love how big this list is, yet it's also a reminder that I will absolutely not keep up with everything, haha. That being said, I'm super excited for Blood Countess, Wranglestone, and The Kingdom of Back. Dangerous Remedy and The Ballad of Ami Miles are new to me, but I love the sound of them!
ReplyDeleteThese posts are always amazing because I SUCK at keeping track of upcoming releases. But I don't know if I am excited for the new Hunger Games book. I loved that series back when it was big but I feel like I am over dystopian novels to be honest.
ReplyDeleteBlood Countess and The Kingdom of Back are already on my TBR, and I knew about the Hunger Games prequel, but my husband actually mentioned it to me, too! I was like, who are you knowing about books?
ReplyDeleteOoh yes I forgot about The Hunger Games book! I'll certainly be reading that!
ReplyDeleteThe Kingdom of Back sounds like my cup of tea! 👍✨
ReplyDeleteI'll be looking out for what you think about The Ballad of Ami Miles. It sounds like it could be very good, or not very good. 😉
I'm so glad to see Running on your list. I haven't seen too many people talk about it. Hope we both end up enjoying!
ReplyDeleteGoodness SO many of these are on my list too! Almost all tbh. I hadn’t heard of Wranglestone but now I clearly need it. I liked Blood Countess. And I’ll be needing to hear your opinion on Wildfire because I have MANY thoughts but most of them are spoilery!
ReplyDeletePersonally it would be Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare and Burning Aurora my most awaited!
ReplyDeleteSo many of these are on my list too! I hope they're all five star reads for you when read them! Happy TTT! <3 :)
ReplyDeleteI am very excited for Yes No Maybe So as well! And of course, I will be reading the Hunger Games prequel along with probably 75% of all readers on the planet :P I also have heard such good things about Wranglestone. I want to wait for more reviews to come in, but it might be one for my TBR too.
ReplyDeleteI'm really looking forward to Yes No Maybe So this year! It seems really sweet and I'm excited to read a book that actually acknowledges Ramdan as it's something my family celebrates but not something I've ever seen written in a book before.
ReplyDeleteHappy 2020!
I'm so looking forward to Yes No Maybe So! And I'm equal parts excited and nervous about Infinity Son and the Hunger Games prequel...
ReplyDeleteGreat list! I also suggest 'The Headspace', an emotional and powerful coming-of-age romance. (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08NDT5JTQ)
ReplyDelete