Hey YA Readers!
I hope you enjoyed a long weekend if you’re in the states, and if you’re not in the states, I hope you took Monday to do a little extra reading. Let’s catch up with some of this week’s new releases — I’m going to go rogue and highlight hardcovers since we didn’t get to on Monday — and then the YA news of the week.
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Bookish Goods
Late Night Readers Club Sticker by ThePresleyCo
If you’re a member of this club, then you’ll love this sticker. Pop it onto whatever you carry with you and find your fellow late night readers. $4.
New Releases
A TON of great books hit shelves this week, both in hardcover and in paperback. But in the interest of space, I’m keeping it to two hardcover releases that released Tuesday. Want the full roundups? You can dig into the hardcover YA here and the YA paperback releases here.
I was on this week’s episode of All The Books, too, and I talked about Rebekah Weatherspoon’s Her Good Side, if you’d like to hear about that one!
Magic Has No Borders edited by Samira Ahmed and Sona Charaipotra
Two stellar authors have teamed up to edit a powerhouse collection of short stories of South Asian folklore, epics, and magic. These stories are rooted in tradition but given a modern spin and include contributions from a truly rockstar lineup: Sabaa Tahir, Sangu Mandanna, Tracey Baptiste, Naz Kutub, and others pen tales of warrior rebels, peris, star crossed lovers, and more.
You Bet Your Heart by Danielle Parker
Sasha is going to graduate high school as valedictorian. The honor would encapsulate her skills, her hard work, and would come with scholarship money she desperately needs after losing her father and watching her mother break her back cleaning houses to help keep them afloat.
It’s not a question. The title is hers.
Or is it?
When the principal calls her and her ex-best friend Ezra down to the office, it’s not because they’re in trouble. It’s because they’re tied for the title. Neither can let this stand, though. Now they’re going to go head-to-head and figure out who truly deserves the honor and money attached.
But as they agree on a three-part competition, they’re forced to confront why their friendship fell apart. And, of course, there might be some sweeter feelings involved, too. Do they go for the throat or are they looking into one another’s eyes a little more closely?
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
YA Book News
- The 2023 GLLI Translated YA Book Prize Honor goes to Alice on the Run.
- The shortlist for the YA category of the Ignyte Awards is excellent.
- I haven’t gotten the chance to watch American Born Chinese yet but the reviews are so good. Have you streamed?
- Check out this nonfiction coming from Sherri L. Smith and Elizabeth Wein about the Black aviation world between World Wars I and II.
- The winners of Canada’s student choice book awards, including for YA titles.
Thanks for hanging out, YA pals. We’ll see you on Saturday for some fresh book deals, then again on Monday.
Until then, happy reading!
–Kelly Jensen, finishing up Imogene, Obviously by Becky Albertalli. Ever wondered what’s considered queer enough? Afraid of being yourself for fear of not being “true” to any identity? You’re going to eat this one up and feel so supported by it.