New YA Books Out This Week, October 2, 2024
I’m covering for Kelly this week—whose birthday celebrations I hope go swimmingly. Below, I’ve got new releases by authors that I know to release bangers—there’s an epic fantasy, a killer house party, a demonic possession in Chinatown, and more. Plus, paperbacks that feature Black Hollywood, a bookish romance, and alien-fighting scouts.
Heir by Sabaa Tahir
First of all, Tahir’s 2022 award-winning All My Rage had me in shambles, and I’ve since become a devotee. I just know I will inhale this 500-page bad boy.
In it, Tahir returns to YA fantasy with a story that follows three young people—an orphan, an outcast, and a prince— as they try their best to navigate what is, at times, a brutal empire. Sirsha is a tracker who speaks to the elements, and who was banished from her tribe for a terrible crime. Desperate to survive, she takes on a job hunting down a child killer. Aiz on the other hand, is from the slums, in prison, and her wrath is brewing. Finally, there’s the empire’s crown prince, Quil, whose reluctance to take on the responsibility of leading the empire is quelled by the emergence of an enemy threat. All three must contend with the darkness of the empire, treacherous love, and moral grayness.
Killer House Party by Lily Anderson
The first book of Anderson’s I read was Undead Girl Gang, and it had me gagging—in the bad way (because it was gross) and the good way. In her latest, Arden and her three besties are about to graduate and think what better way to say goodbye to high school than to throw a rager of a party at the creepy mansion that’s newly up for sale. But after Arden steals the keys to the mansion from her real estate mother and the party begins, walls bleeding and all other sorts of unnatural carrying on has her praying just to make it out alive.
Ditching Saskia by John Moore, illustrated by Neetols
This sounds like a gently supernatural slice-of-life, which is very much up my alley. Damian is living with his grandfather and attending a new high school when he summons his mother’s ghost for advice. But he messes up and summons this annoying kid named Saskia instead. Saskia does want to be helpful, which Damian doesn’t feel he needs, and to be real, they both could use some healing from what they’re grieving. And they may be just what the other needs.
The Dark Becomes Her by Judy I. Lin
Here’s another spooky release! Albeit, with some higher stakes than Saskia and Co. Here, dutiful daughter Ruby Chen is trying her best to do well in school and watch over her young sister, Tina. But then a ghost attacks the girls in Vancouver’s Chinatown neighborhood, and the Tina Ruby knows gets replaces with something sinister. In trying to free her sister of the demonic possession, Ruby gets thrown into a battle over the underworld.
Want even more? Check out the full slate of YA hardcover releases this week.
YA Paperback Releases
As always, you might need to toggle your view when you click the link to see the paperback edition.
Scout’s Honor by Lily Anderson
More Lily Anderson! This one is as fun, creepy, and full of diverse characters as her books always seem to be. The main character herself, Prue, is half Puerto Rican, half white, and a legacy Ladybird Scout. These are similar to girl scouts, except instead of selling cookies, etc. Ladybird Scouts protect humans from space parasites known as mulligrubs. So, while they present to outsiders as a demure ladies’ organization, the Scouts are actually training girls from a young age to kill with poisoned teas, knitting needles, axes, and swords. Prue turned her back on the organization once her friend was killed in action, and three years later, has only rejoined in order to swipe a powerful amnesiac tea that she’s hoping will wipe her memory of her trauma. She’s a tried and true Scout, though, so she naturally once again gets caught up in all the monster slaying.
The Blackwoods by Brandy Colbert
With The Blackwoods, award-winning YA author Colbert writes a story of a Black Hollywood family, familial love, and perseverance. It all started with Blossom Blackwood— now affectionately known as Bebe to her great-granddaughters Hollis and Ardith. Bebe started her tenure as a trailblazing Black actress in 1962 and went on to become a legend in the years that followed. Her death at 96 as the matriarch of the most famous Black family in the entertainment industry shakes up everything. Hollis, who doesn’t want fame, is thrust into it, and a family secret threatens the carefully constructed face Ardith shows the world. The narrative shifts —between present-day Hollis and Ardith and a past Blossom as she rose to fame— and shows how much in common the three have with each other.
Love in Winter Wonderland by Abiola Bello
Here, 17-year-old Trey is mega popular at his UK high school, and in a relationship with Blair. The two of them make this sort of power couple.
Then there’s introverted Ariel, who wants to go to art school like her late father, and so needs a job to save up money for tuition. She applies for a job at the Wonderland bookstore—which Trey’s parents own—and gets it. Now Trey and Ariel are working together, but don’t exactly like each other. But when they learn that recent gentrification may lead to Trey’s family’s bookstore being sold to developers, the two come together to try to save the business. And maybe they end up liking each other. Just a bit.
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