The Best New March 2023 YA Releases
Welcome to March, YA book nerds! It’s the start of the busy spring book release season, and March is full of some truly great releases by some beloved YA authors! I’ll confess: March is usually my least favorite month of the year. The snow starts melting and everything is muddy and gross for a while, and while spring is coming, I also live in the Midwest and know better than to get excited by a warm day in March. One bright spot to the month is the sheer number of great releases that hit shelves in this month, and I know that my library card will be getting a workout this month.
You can expect new books from some of your faves like Marie Lu and Mindy McGinnis and Mark Oshiro! Interestingly, the releases are heavily weighed down on the first and last Tuesday of the month, leaving the middle of the month a little light. We’ve got some great mysteries set in Midwestern towns and magical forests, retellings of Austen and Stevenson, and two not-to-be-missed nonfiction titles, one about Colin Kaepernick and one about first generation college students. Make sure your preorder and library reserve buttons are at the ready!
As always, you can find a full list of new releases in the magical New Release Index, carefully curated by your favorite Book Riot editors, organized by genre and release date.
Rosewood by Sayantani DasGupta (March 7)
In this contemporary retelling of Sense and Sensibility, Eila Das is at a summer camp recruiting teens for a Bridgerton-esque TV show. Always one to rely on her common sense rather than the whims of her heart, she’s surprised when she meets Rahul and begins to feel true passion for him. Amidst the drama of the TV show, other campers, and new romance, Eila will have to keep her head as she learns when to rely on sense and when to throw caution to the wind and follow her heart.
My Dear Henry: A Jekyll & Hyde Remix by Kalynn Bayron (March 7)
Set in 1885 London, this Jekyll & Hyde retelling follows Gabriel Utterson, a young law clerk who has just returned to London after scandal and is eager to reconnect with his best friend Henry Jekyll. When he meets Hyde, a mysterious young man who is apparently very close to Henry, Gabriel can’t help but feel a bit jealous…but he’s also intrigued by Henry and Hyde’s apparent secrets. What he’s about to uncover is far darker than he could have imagined.
The Jump by Brittney Morris (March 7)
Jax, Yas, Spider, and Han are Team Jericho, a puzzle-solving, scavenger hunt team who dominate the scene in Seattle. When a new refinery threatens their family and home, a vigilante group proposes a challenge that Team Jericho can’t resist: a hunt that could give them the influence to help their community. Now, they just have to complete the hunt before their rivals — but the stakes are higher than ever.
Colin Kaepernick: Change the Game by Colin Kaepernick, Eve L. Ewing, Orlando Caicedo (March 7)
In this graphic memoir, Colin Kaepernick tells readers about his high school years, where he was a star baseball player being recruited by college and the minor leagues. Colin isn’t sold on the idea of being a baseball player, and would rather play football…but is he brave enough to give up certain opportunities that are guaranteed in baseball for his shot at a professional career in football?
A Long Stretch of Bad Days by Mindy McGinnis (March 14)
Lydia and Bristal are teen girls living in the small town of Henley. When an error on her transcript leaves Lydia scrambling for an independent study, she decides to investigate Henley’s “long stretch of bad days” — a week when the town faced a tornado, flood, and murder. She partners with Bristal, who also needs one more credit to graduate, and this unlikely team attempts to solve the murder and uncover their town’s secrets, but not without putting themselves in danger first.
I Will Find You Again by Sarah Lyu (March 14)
Set against the backdrop of an affluent Long Island community, this book follows two girls, Chase and Lia, who are best friends and soon something more. When Lia disappears, Chase becomes determined to find out what happened to her, even if it is her undoing.
Life is Strange: Steph’s Story by Rosiee Thor (March 21)
Set in the world of the video game Life is Strange, this story follows fan-favorite Steph’s backstory. Steph is a wandering soul who finds herself in Seattle, working at a gamer cafe when she meets Izzie, who introduces her to the world of punk rock. Steph is entranced by the music and the world, but mostly she’s entranced by Izzie, and soon joins the band. But in the whirlwind of making music and touring, can Steph and Izzie’s new relationship last?
Stars and Smoke by Marie Lu (March 28)
In this exciting new thriller from Marie Lu, Winter is an international pop sensation who is almost universally loved. Sydney is an undercover agent in a covert ops group who is determined to become the best spy she can be, and her focus is unwavering. When a crime boss hires Winter to play a private concert for his teenage daughter, Sydney is sent in as Winter’s bodyguard to infiltrate the crime boss’s inner circle…and finds that the most surprising part about her job is that Winter is far more than the shallow pop star she imagined.
Wolfwood by Marianna Baer (March 28)
Indigo is the daughter of the famous painter Zoe Serra, who had a breakdown years earlier and since then the pair have barely been scraping by. An offer at a revival show of her mom’s most famous series of work offers a chance at stability, but Zoe refuses. Desperate, Indigo decides to go forward with the show, copying her mother’s work. But painting Wolfwood sends Indigo into a terrifying and exhilarating world where a band of girls is locked into a battle against some terrifying fauna, and soon Indigo is struggling to keep her grip on reality.
Rising Class: How Three First-Generation College Students Conquered Their First Year by Jennifer Miller (March 28)
Going to college is a huge change…but going to college when you don’t know what to expect and you’re the first one in your family to go can be even more intimidating. Journalist Jennifer Miller follows three first-generation college students as they embark on a college career, from Ivy League universities to community colleges. In this insightful and informative book, Miller details the challenges, successes, and unforeseen curveballs of college life for three students determined to be the first in their families to graduate college.
Into the Light by Mark Oshiro (March 28)
Two teen boys are at the heart of this mystery, set in the American southwest. When Manny was cast out of his family, he was left to wander the wilderness, trying to survive the best he can until he’s given a chance for safety and a new future with the Varela family. Eli has a community and family with strict rules that Eli follows, but he begins to question his reality for the simple fact that he cannot remember his past. And when a body is found, Manny and Eli will find themselves facing the dark secrets and their own identities.
Greymist Fair by Francesca Zappia (March 28)
Greymist Fair is a mysterious village tucked into the woods, and the people who live there are well aware of the magic that lurks in the woods. When Heike, a young tailor, discovers a dead body on a path in those woods, she begins determined to discover who is responsible, but discovers more secrets. This novel is inspired by the lesser-known tales of the Brothers Grimm.
Need more great book recommendations? Check out February’s book releases!
