Category: What’s Up in YA

Hey YA Readers: I’ve got a really special interview today for you between two incredible YA authors.

“What’s Up in YA?” is sponsored by Libro.fm.

Libro.fm lets you purchase audiobooks directly from your favorite local bookstore. You can pick from more than 100,000 audiobooks, including New York Times best sellers and recommendations from booksellers around the country. With Libro.fm you’ll get the same audiobooks, at the same price as the largest audiobook company out there (you know the name), but you’ll be part of a much different story, one that supports community. In June, Libro.fm is launching their Kids Club and YA Club, which will offer select audiobooks priced under $10 each month, as well as their Summer Listening Challenge–each person to finish will get free audiobook credit and the chance to win free audiobooks for a year! Sign up here to get three audiobooks for the price of one.

Happy Monday — or whenever you’re reading this newsletter. I’ve got two incredible authors interviewing one another today. Best-selling and award-winning author Jason Reynolds (you know him, right?) sat down with author Randy Ribay, whose book The Patron Saints of Nothing just hit shelves. Jason and Randy are talking not only about the book, but also about identity, family, religion, and more.

I’ve had a copy of The Patron Saints of Nothing on my pile but haven’t yet gotten to read it, but the reviews are raving and I cannot wait to dive in. This interview makes me even more convinced to pick it up sooner, rather than later. Here’s the description via Amazon:

Jay Reguero plans to spend the last semester of his senior year playing video games before heading to the University of Michigan in the fall. But when he discovers that his Filipino cousin Jun was murdered as part of President Duterte’s war on drugs, and no one in the family wants to talk about what happened, Jay travels to the Philippines to find out the real story.

Hoping to uncover more about Jun and the events that led to his death, Jay is forced to reckon with the many sides of his cousin before he can face the whole horrible truth — and the part he played in it.

And now, without further ado, Jason Reynolds and Randy Ribay!

Jason Reynolds (JR): My first question is probably the most important, at least to me. There are only a few Filipino writers (that I know of) in children’s literature, and I’d argue in (American) literature on the whole. Why are these stories important? Also, I know some of the interesting history of the Philippines. Can you talk a bit about the complexities of that history and the effect they have on Filipino culture, and how these stories are told? (I know, it’s a big question but…lol)

Randy Ribay (RR): Filipinos have been in North America since about 1587. We’re the third largest immigrant group in the United States and the second largest population of Asian Americans. A lot of people might find this all surprising because we’re so disproportionately underrepresented in American literature and media. So I’d say our stories matter for the sake of visibility. To borrow some wisdom from Rudine Sims Bishop, Filipinx Americans need more “mirrors”—stories that allow us to see ourselves—while non-Filipinx Americans need more “windows” and “sliding glass doors”—stories that invite readers into our world. Having a healthy quantity of stories that depict the diversity of Filipinx American experiences will help build empathy and solidify a sense of connection and belonging.

As to the second part of your question, the complexity of our community’s history makes for an especially deep well of diverse experiences. The Philippines consists of over seven thousand islands and over one hundred and seventy languages. Early in its history, the indigenous peoples interacted with China, India, and Islamic missionaries, so you can see those cultures interwoven into our own. Then there was over three hundred and fifty years of Spanish colonial rule, forty years of American rule, and four years of Japanese occupation. As an American commonwealth, English spread and our status allowed for a wave of working class immigrants to enter the US at a time when the Chinese Exclusion Act prevented other Asians from doing so. Of course, that didn’t mean we were welcomed with open arms. Jim Crow and anti-miscegenation laws also applied to Filipinos, especially as our presence expanded and anti-Filipino sentiment grew in white communities.

All that said, while there certainly are some shared experiences—not only between Filipinx Americans, but also with other minority groups in the US—there’s also infinite nuance. I’m glad to see an increasing number of Filipinx American writers in kid lit like Melissa de la Cruz, Erin Entrada Kelly, Marie Cruz, Mae Respicio, myself and others, but there are a lot of untold stories in our community still waiting in the wings.

JR: You chose to write what, to me, feels like hyper-contemporary work. Like, this is a story about a family, but it’s framed around a political moment that’s playing out in real life, day-by-day. Why choose this, and was there any apprehension around the decision and execution?

RR: Issues like the extrajudicial killings in the Philippines’ drug war get at the core of what it means to be human and to been seen (or not seen) as human by society. But these issues can often feel abstract and distant when only reading articles and statistics which then leaves a lot of room for apathy or complacency. Initially, I wrote Jay’s story to try to make it more real for me. The deeper I got into the story, though, the more I realized Jay & Jun’s family was becoming a microcosm for what’s happening at the macro level and I began to cultivate the story with that in mind, understanding that the novel could make the abstract real for a lot of other people as well.

There was—and will always be—for me the concern that since I’m FIlipino American and not Filipino I have no right to broach the topic. However, instead of avoiding that issue, I leaned into it. It’s intentionally written from the perspective of a Filipino American, and Jay grapples with this on the page. I didn’t want him to be a savior, so I focused on positioning him as a learner. I felt a responsibility to get the facts right in doing so. Granted, the facts can be elusive, so I tried to do my due diligence in researching and speaking with people about what’s going on. I also tried to present different perspectives in a way that didn’t dehumanize anyone. I believe there is a very small percentage of people who support the extrajudicial killings for the sake of personal gain, but I believe a vast majority of Filipinos who support it really do want what’s best for their family, for the country. At the same time, I wanted to make clear the human effects of the policy and the ways it’s abused.

JR: Family plays a huge role in this story. Can you talk a bit about duality of identity, and how it often comes to a head when dealing with the duality of family, as in your protagonist Jay’s case, a family in the United States, and a family in the Philippines.

RR: Family is always complex, but in the case of someone like Jay (and me) who is biracial and has family in two different cultures/countries, there’s a whole other layer to it. Neither parent/side of the family fully understands what it’s like to be part of the first generation that is both, so many of us are left to navigate what that means on our own. At its best, you feel like you have a foot in both worlds. At its worst, you feel like you don’t truly belong anywhere. In situations where you’re surrounded by one side of extended family or the other or when you’re visiting your homeland, these feelings can’t be ignored. I always felt pretty firmly American growing up, but I was always keenly aware that others didn’t think of me automatically as such because of how I looked. People asked me “What are you?” all the time. But then when I traveled to the Philippines, I’d feel this connection because people looked more like me and ate many of the foods my family grew up cooking, but I didn’t speak any of the languages and wasn’t familiar with a lot of the customs. Some people choose not to think about this too much, electing to simply weather the temporary discomfort. But I think it’s always healthier to confront those feelings, struggle with them, and then come out the other side with a stronger sense of identity.

JR: There’s also an element of this story that felt like a bit of a mystery, in the best way. Like a whodunit. Expound on how secrets can be both an incredible literary device, and the cornerstone of a story about family.

RR: As a literary device, it’s a great technique for automatically hooking the reader. A secret asks a question, and it’s in our nature as human beings to answer questions. So, it automatically gives the plot a trajectory. Then the challenge as a writer is to craft a story that follows a believable and engaging journey for your protagonist to uncover the truth and to offer an answer that’s going to feel satisfying or meaningful or logical.

Now, family secrets can be a particularly powerful storytelling device because of the emotional stakes. Secrets are secret for a reason. If a family member is hiding something, it’s probably because it has some real potential to fracture the deepest of relationships and cause some legit lasting trauma. Family secrets are also very relatable. A vast majority of us are never going to try to solve a murder, but we probably all have some family secrets lurking in the shadows.

As a side note, it’s funny to me that it sometimes gets pitched or marketed as a mystery novel because I don’t think of it that way at all. To me, the family piece is absolutely the central element of the story even though a mystery drives the plot. As I wrote, I was thinking primarily about how to capture the nuance and complexity of Jay’s family dynamics.

JR: The title, Patron Saints of Nothing, alludes to the patron saints of the Catholic church. How does faith play into Jay’s story?

RR: Religion is something Jay’s grown up with but hasn’t given much thought to. I believe that about 80% of Filipinos are Roman Catholic (Thanks, Spanish colonialism…), but in my experience, it’s often a cultural thing. People go to Mass and celebrate the holidays and basically just go through the motions because that’s what they’re supposed to do. But how many are really thinking about these things deeply? His cousin Jun is one of those careful thinkers, though, and Jay reads about that in some of his letters. The more Jay considers Jun’s thoughts and the more he digs into the drug war, the more dissonance he feels. Like, one of the Ten Commandments is not to murder, and Jesus speaks about loving your neighbor as yourself—it’s contradictory to embrace those teachings while supporting extrajudicial killings. He begins to understand this hypocrisy in a way I think is common to teens. Adults might have already resigned themselves to ignore or justify certain inconsistencies of principle or to hide behind the “it’s complicated” excuse, but teens will call bullshit. They’re still figuring out the world, and they’ll be honest about when they notice adults telling them one thing but doing another. Jay works through a lot of this internally throughout the story, and I made one of his uncles a Catholic priest because I wanted to give him the opportunity to confront someone about this, to try to untangle it on the page, externally. I admire the way Kelly Loy Gilbert’s Conviction and Elizabeth Acevedo’s The Poet X do this, and I know there are others confronting the topic as well. But I wish more MG and YA showed us kids processing their relationships with religion

JR: This is your third book. How are you feeling about it all?

RR: Amazed people keep letting me do this. For real. I love creating worlds and characters with nothing but words, and it’s wild to think I have three stories out in the world for anyone to read. Any time I see my books in a bookstore or a reader comes up and tells me they loved one of them, there’s still this feeling of unreality to it all. It’s also kind of different to move out of the debut mentality to thinking about my books forming a body of work.

To be honest, though, at the same time I feel a lot more pressure than I used to. Not many people knew about my debut, An Infinite Number of Parallel Universes, when it came out in 2015 so the only expectations I was dealing with were my own. After the Shot Drops got some good reviews and has maintained some steady momentum. Patron Saints of Nothing has also received some really positive reviews, and there has been a lot more chatter pre-publication about it compared to my previous books. At a practical level, the longer I’m in the game and the more readers I pick up along the way, the more requests to do interviews, school visits, festival appearances, etc. I receive. I’m grateful for all of these chances to meet and interact with readers, but at the end of the day, fielding those requests and doing that stuff takes time away from writing-—as I’m sure you know. And as a full-time teacher, time is not something I have an abundance of. At a deeper level, having more readers familiar with your work and having positive reviews creates a constant expectation that the next thing is going to be even bigger and better and more profound than the last. While I’d like to think that the more I write the better I get at it, that line of thinking falls into the trap of assuming that quality is objective. But there’s a significant subjective component to art, so different readers are going to connect with different stories. I try to keep that in mind and focus on the story at hand and telling it as truly as I can.

Big thanks to Jason and Randy for this fabulous and insightful conversation and big thanks to you all for hanging out this week!

— Kelly Jensen, @veronikellymars on Instagram and editor of (Don’t) Call Me Crazy and Here We Are.

Hi YA fans! I’m Jamie Canavés and I’ll be driving this newsletter train for Kelly today. I write Book Riot’s mystery & thriller newsletter so I thought I’d share with you a few of my favorite YA crime books. Plus, the last few YA books I read and loved–for those who don’t want a full mystery takeover of this here newsletter.

Sponsored by Tor Teen

Maris Brown is a liar. A good one. But even she is unprepared for what a summer in a wealthy beach town with her estranged father and his new family have in store for her. Sinister plots lurk beneath the surface of what should be paradise—and at the heart of everything is the elite Duval family. Maris isn’t sure who she can trust, but she’s drawn to the youngest Duval. Edison is back from college and dating Maris’s stepsister, but he is far more than the golden boy he appears to be. The secrets he harbors are deadly.

Some Awesome Mystery YA Reads

The Things She’s Seen by Ambelin Kwaymullina, Ezekiel Kwaymullina: This is a unique and beautiful mystery novel–I know beautiful isn’t what you think of for crime but here we are–that explores family, friendship, death, and grief. Beth Teller is a fifteen-year-old Aboriginal girl who recently died and her father can see and hear her. She’s decided to help him, a detective, solve a case in the hopes of helping him through his grief over her death. And then she meets Isobel Catching, a witness to the crime, who can also see her… The story alternates between Beth and her father solving the mystery, and Isobel Catching remembering what she saw–her sections read like narrative poetry. The crime genre needs more unique and awesome books like this. (TW child abuse and assault)

Death Prefers Blondes by Caleb Roehrig: This book made me think of it as Ocean’s 11 dated RuPaul’s Drag Race and the wedding reception got crashed by Hamlet! It’s so good, and fun, and also filled with love. Margo Manning is a teen socialite with a team of drag queens who rob from the rich. And it’s a full-scale operation with gadgets and a fence. Come for the kick-ass scenes and stay for the found-families, love, and getting to know each wonderful character’s life and dreams. (TW addiction)

Trouble Is A Friend of Mine by Stephanie Tromly: With all the excitement for the return of Veronica Mars on Hulu in July I have to recommend this great trilogy that is perfect for VM fans. You get the high school setting with mysteries, each book feels like a season, and also the greater mystery threaded through all three books which is Digby searching for his missing sister. And for those who are fans of Logan Echolls’s annoyingness, and contentious relationship with Veronica, you’ll love Digby and Zoey.

My Recent Favorite YA Reads

Five Midnights by Ann Dávila Cardinal: This is a horror novel mixed with a mystery novel which is a great way for horror fans to dip their feet into the mystery genre and vice versa. Also, it’s a great read! Lupe Dávila is visiting Puerto Rico from Vermont for the summer to spend time with her family but it’s anything but a vacation considering her tío is overseeing a murder case that links the victims to their family… I loved the characters and how their struggles unfold and unite them, the tour of Puerto Rico and its cuisine (yum!), and how El Cuco is brought to life. (TW addiction)

Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me by Mariko Tamaki, Rosemary Valero-O’Connell: I had planned on savoring this graphic novel and ended up inhaling it in one sitting and then going back to linger over the beautiful art. Tamaki does such an excellent job of showing those relationships that we can’t figure out how to quit, because we’re sucked in so far, and that lead us in turn to not be great friends. And this graphic novel had fantastic coloring that reminded me of Paper Girls and This One Summer which are also some of my favorite art in comics.

With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo: I absolutely love with all my heart Acevedo’s writing. After reading The Poet X I knew I’d read anything she writes, but also that’s a lot of anticipation weighted on a book. WTFOH delivered and hugged my expectation and I loved this book. First, I must say if you’re an audiobook listener ALWAYS choose that format if Acevedo narrates. Okay, onto what the book is actually about: Emoni Santiago is a high school senior who does not have things figured out–which, really, figuring things out is the point of teen years. And life. Anyhoo, she has a baby, and lives with her abuela who helps her out but has no idea what she wants to do next with her life when she starts taking a cooking class. Watching Emoni navigate parenting with her abuela and the child’s father, learning to accept her passion, be less stubborn and listen, and fight for what she wants was a joy to watch.

Thanks for letting me crash the YA party this time! You can always come chat books with me on Twitter and if you’re missing Kelly you can hear her on her latest Hey YA podcast episode.

Hey YA Readers: It’s T-Shirt Time!

“What’s Up in YA?” is sponsored by Tor Teen.

Based on the Caribbean boogeyman myth, Five Midnights is an immersive murder mystery set against the backdrop of modern-day Puerto Rico.

Five friends cursed.

Five deadly fates.

Five nights of retribución.

If Lupe Dávila and Javier Utierre can survive each other’s company, together they can solve a series of grisly murders sweeping through Puerto Rico. But the clues lead them out of the real world and into the realm of myths and legends. And if they want to catch the killer, they’ll have to step into the shadows to see what’s lurking there—murderer, or monster?

I love how much books have influenced other people’s creativity and their dedication to the book itself. That’s why, even though I don’t wear t-shirts myself, I cannot get enough of bookish YA t-shirts.

Because it’s summer and because, well, it’s t-shirt time.

Wear your love for the Song-Covey sisters. $26 and up.

This one is for all of the fans of The Raven Cycle. Love the vintage styling!

Though not technically a t-shirt, this Everything Everything slouchy sweatshirt was too great not to include.

The perfect Starry Court shirt for Sarah J. Maas fans.

Wear this while waiting for the next book in Holly Black’s Cruel Prince series.

Fashion, Six of Crows style.

I do love a good baseball style t-shirt, and this one for Marie Lu’s Wildcard series doesn’t disappoint.

This shirt is a nice homage to Stalking Jack The Ripper.

Last, but certainly not least, this shirt epitomizes everything in Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give.

Thanks for hanging out, and we’ll see you later this week!

— Kelly Jensen, @veronikellymars on Instagram and editor of (Don’t) Call Me Crazy and Here We Are.

Hello YA lovers! It’s Sharifah, jumping in while Kelly’s out. So let’s get to your YA Deals, shall we?

Sponsored by Amazon Publishing

Time and tide wait for no girl. From the author of The Hundredth Queen series comes an enchanting novel about a young adventurer with a clockwork heart who battles time itself to claim her destiny. She finds buried secrets, hidden realms, and young love along the way. But can she promise her future to anyone when she’s living on borrowed time? Read Before the Broken Star by Emily R. King.

If you haven’t read Sabaa Tahir’s harrowing series (so good!), you really should. Start with An Ember in the Ashes for $3.

For a timely sci-fi story and queer read, check out Victoria Lee’s The Fever King for $2.

Rebekah Crane’s The Upside of Falling Down is the story of the lone survivor of a plane crash, for $2.

Learn more about the courageous and outspoken activist Malala Yousafzai through her memoir, I Am Malala, for $5.

Start Gail Carriger’s steampunk Finishing School Series with Etiquette & Espionage for $3.

Check out Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde if you’re on the hunt for a fun and funny Pride month read, for $3.

And if you loved Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, check out The Inexplicable Logic of My Life, also by Benjamin Alire Sáenz, for $3.

Love a book told from alternating viewpoints? Try You Know Me Well by David Levithan and Nina LaCour for $3.

And then we have a Tiptree Award-winning book in When the Moon Was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore, for $3.

I absolutely loved Ash by Malinda Lo, and will read anything Lo writes. Get this beautiful queer fairytale for  $3.

Get Neal Schusterman’s The Skinjacker trilogy about teens in limbo for only $5. Don’t miss out on this deal!

Look, I love Anne, but Emily Starr is my all-time fave. Get the trilogy by LM Montgomery for only $1! Your summer is basically made.

And those are your deals! Happy reading!

Hey YA friends! Let’s highlight some of 2019’s rad YA comics.

“What’s Up In YA?” is sponsored by If It Makes You Happy by Claire Kann and Swoon Reads.

Winnie is living her best fat girl life at her Granny’s diner, Goldeen’s, in the small town of Misty Haven. She’s poised for one last perfect summer twirling around the diner floor in her 50’s-inspired uniform before starting college in the fall. And then she becomes Misty Haven’s Summer Queen, a highly anticipated matchmaking tradition that she wants absolutely nothing to do with. Newly crowned, Winnie discovers almost immediately that she’s deathly afraid of it all: the spotlight, the obligations, and the way her Merry Haven Summer King, wears his heart, humor, and honesty on his sleeve.

If you love YA books and haven’t been reading YA comics lately, I hope this roundup will convince you to pick up a new title or two. For those who already know the incredible range of talent in YA comics, this look at a handful of 2019 YA comics will also likely add some new finds to your reading lists.

My own YA comics reading this year has been lacking, despite an incredible slate of new titles, so descriptions are from Amazon while I frantically catch up. This isn’t comprehensive, of course.

Are You Listening? by Tillie Walden (September 10)

Bea is on the run. And then, she runs into Lou.

This chance encounter sends them on a journey through West Texas, where strange things follow them wherever they go. The landscape morphs into an unsettling world, a mysterious cat joins them, and they are haunted by a group of threatening men. To stay safe, Bea and Lou must trust each other as they are driven to confront buried truths. The two women share their stories of loss and heartbreak―and a startling revelation about sexual assault―culminating in an exquisite example of human connection.

This magical realistic adventure from the celebrated comics creator of Spinning and On a Sunbeam will stay with readers long after the final gorgeously illustrated page.

Bloom by Kevin Panetta and Savanna Ganucheau

Now that high school is over, Ari is dying to move to the big city with his ultra-hip band―if he can just persuade his dad to let him quit his job at their struggling family bakery. Though he loved working there as a kid, Ari cannot fathom a life wasting away over rising dough and hot ovens. But while interviewing candidates for his replacement, Ari meets Hector, an easygoing guy who loves baking as much as Ari wants to escape it. As they become closer over batches of bread, love is ready to bloom . . . that is, if Ari doesn’t ruin everything.

Kiss Number 8 by Colleen AF Venable and Ellen T. Crenshaw

Mads is pretty happy with her life. She goes to church with her family, and minor league baseball games with her dad. She goofs off with her best friend Cat, and has thus far managed to avoid getting kissed by Adam, the boy next door. It’s everything she hoped high school would be… until all of a sudden, it’s not.

Her dad is hiding something big―so big it could tear her family apart. And that’s just the beginning of her problems: Mads is starting to figure out that she doesn’t want to kiss Adam… because the only person she wants to kiss is Cat.

Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me by Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O’Connell

Laura Dean, the most popular girl in high school, was Frederica Riley’s dream girl: charming, confident, and SO cute. There’s just one problem: Laura Dean is maybe not the greatest girlfriend.

Reeling from her latest break up, Freddy’s best friend, Doodle, introduces her to the Seek-Her, a mysterious medium, who leaves Freddy some cryptic parting words: break up with her. But Laura Dean keeps coming back, and as their relationship spirals further out of her control, Freddy has to wonder if it’s really Laura Dean that’s the problem. Maybe it’s Freddy, who is rapidly losing her friends, including Doodle, who needs her now more than ever.

Fortunately for Freddy, there are new friends, and the insight of advice columnists like Anna Vice to help her through being a teenager in love.

Mera: Tidebreaker by Danielle Paige and Stephen Byrne

When the Xebellian military plots to overthrow Atlantis and break free of its oppressive regime, Mera seizes the opportunity to take control over her own destiny by assassinating Arthur Curry–the long-lost prince and heir to the kingdom of Atlantis. But her mission gets sidetracked when Mera and Arthur unexpectedly fall in love. Will Arthur Curry be the king at Mera’s side, or will he die under her blade as she attempts to free her people from persecution?

An astonishing graphic novel that explores duty, love, heroism and freedom, all through the eyes of readers’ favorite undersea royalty.

Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker and Wendy Xu (October 15)

Nova Huang knows more about magic than your average teen witch. She works at her grandmothers’ bookshop, where she helps them loan out spell books and investigate any supernatural occurrences in their New England town.

One fateful night, she follows reports of a white wolf into the woods, and she comes across the unexpected: her childhood crush, Tam Lang, battling a horse demon in the woods. As a werewolf, Tam has been wandering from place to place for years, unable to call any town home.

Pursued by dark forces eager to claim the magic of wolves and out of options, Tam turns to Nova for help. Their latent feelings are rekindled against the backdrop of witchcraft, untested magic, occult rituals, and family ties both new and old in this enchanting tale of self-discovery.

Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks

Deja and Josiah are seasonal best friends.

Every autumn, all through high school, they’ve worked together at the best pumpkin patch in the whole wide world. (Not many people know that the best pumpkin patch in the whole wide world is in Omaha, Nebraska, but it definitely is.) They say good-bye every Halloween, and they’re reunited every September 1.

But this Halloween is different―Josiah and Deja are finally seniors, and this is their last season at the pumpkin patch. Their last shift together. Their last good-bye.

Josiah’s ready to spend the whole night feeling melancholy about it. Deja isn’t ready to let him. She’s got a plan: What if―instead of moping and the usual slinging lima beans down at the Succotash Hut―they went out with a bang? They could see all the sights! Taste all the snacks! And Josiah could finally talk to that cute girl he’s been mooning over for three years . . .

What if their last shift was an adventure?

Thanks for hanging out and we’ll see you again soon!

— Kelly Jensen, @veronikellymars on Instagram and editor of (Don’t) Call Me Crazy and Here We Are.

Hey YA readers! Let’s catch up on the latest YA book talk.

“What’s Up in YA?” is sponsored by This Time Will Be Different by Misa Sugiura, from Epic Reads.

CJ’s never lived up to her mom’s ambition, and she’s perfectly happy just helping her aunt, Hannah, at their family’s flower shop. She doesn’t buy into Hannah’s ideas about flowers and their hidden meanings, but when it comes to floral arrangement, CJ discovers a skill she can be proud of. Then her mom decides to sell the shop—to the family who swindled CJ’s grandparents when Japanese Americans were sent to internment camps during WWII. Soon a rift threatens to splinter CJ’s family, friends, and their entire community; and for the first time, CJ has found something she wants to fight for.

It’s been a minute since we’ve caught up on all of the incredible YA book talk happening over on Book Riot. Let’s take this opportunity to do just that.

You’ll note so much excellent YA fantasy talk here! Likewise, don’t miss out on the start of Hey YA: Extra Credit and all things Norma Klein.

• Add a pile of new YA paperbacks to your summer reading lists.
• Want some queer YA fantasy reads? Here you go!
• Here’s what Asian Pacific American YA authors want you to know (I love this style of interview so much, as it allows so many voices to shine!).
• Royals in YA fantasy.
• Dig into the top YA horror books.
• Gilded covers in YA fantasy are trending.
• Read your way into some excellent unlikable female characters in YA fantasy.
• YA books that are set at the beach.
• On the representation in We Hunt The Flame. 
• There are never enough YA ballet books as far as I’m concerned.
• Author Tom Mitchell talks about his book How To Rob A Bank.
• Animals of Unusual Size in YA fantasy.
• YA fantasy books set in the modern world.
• These are some of your favorite unconventional YA love stories.
• How about some monster girls in YA fantasy?
• Books by UK authors of color for middle grade and young adult readers.
• Love Stephanie Garber’s “Caraval” series? Here’s what to read next.
• Add some YA fantasy themed flair to your life.
• Where can you find great YA books in translation? Let us help!
• YA books about reproductive freedom.
• More of the kinds of heroes we’d love to see in YA fantasy.
• Excellent Asian-inspired YA fantasy.
• 50+ must-read YA books about sports.
• Get your hands on these inclusive YA fantasy books.
• Diverse YA fantasy books where heroines dress like boys. Oh, and here are some more, too.
• How about some Harry Potter fanvids?
• 2019 feminist YA fantasy reads.
• What is it that adults love about YA fantasy?
• Get into some standalone YA fantasy books.
• Last, but not least, read your way into the work of YA author E. Lockhart.

Just for fun, enjoy this photo of my bunny Hollandaise and her least-favorite book in the Harry Potter series. Enjoy some more bookish pets here.

Thanks for hanging out and we’ll see you later this week!

— Kelly Jensen, @veronikellymars on Instagram and editor of (Don’t) Call Me Crazy and Here We Are.

Hey YA Readers: Let’s talk popular YA!

“What’s Up in YA?” is sponsored by the audiobook edition of Birthday by Meredith Russo.

From the award-winning author Meredith Russo, comes a heart-wrenching and universal story of identity, first love, and fate. Eric and Morgan have been best friends since day one. They share nearly everything together, even their birthdays, but Morgan hasn’t been able to tell Eric his biggest secret. He knows that he’s supposed to be a girl. Six years of birthdays reveal Eric and Morgan’s destiny as they come together, drift apart, fall in love, and discover who they’re meant to be—and if they’re meant to be together. The audiobook of Birthday is read by Dana Aliya Levinson.

I’m always curious what people are most interested in, in part because as much as we talk about trends, those aren’t always defined by those who, well, actually set the trends (see the “trend” that low-rise jeans are coming back into style that’s been from Fashion, as opposed to everyday folks who are hanging on to high-waisted jeans for dear life).

This extends not to just fashion but to books and reading as well. I suspect a lot of readers feel this way — whether or not you’re a reader of everything that is popular, it’s always nice to know what it is people are interested in because it’s great for social ice breaking and also, well, determining whether or not you should look into the thing for yourself.

I’ve gone through the YA books that we have talked about at Book Riot for the first half of 2019 and rounded up the top 10 books. These are based on the number of mentions they’ve had on site and showcase a really wonderful range of genres and authors. There are front list and back list titles here. I limited to one book per author (see: Angie Thomas!) to give a nice range of titles.

This list doesn’t necessarily reflect the bestsellers list and that’s what makes it so interesting.

Because I’ve yet to read all of these YA books, I’ve used Amazon descriptions. May you be adding some more awesome reads that are reader tested and reader approved to your TBR. These are in alphabetical order.

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

They killed my mother.
They took our magic.
They tried to bury us.

Now we rise.

Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zélie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls.

But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope.

Now Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.

Danger lurks in Orïsha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers and her growing feelings for an enemy.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious “errands”; she speaks many languages–not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out.

When one of the strangers–beautiful, haunted Akiva–fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

Descendant of the Crane by Joan He

Tyrants cut out hearts. Rulers sacrifice their own. Princess Hesina of Yan has always been eager to shirk the responsibilities of the crown, but when her beloved father is murdered, she’s thrust into power, suddenly the queen of an unstable kingdom. Determined to find her father’s killer, Hesina does something desperate: she enlists the aid of a soothsayer—a treasonous act, punishable by death… because in Yan, magic was outlawed centuries ago.

Using the information illicitly provided by the sooth, and uncertain if she can trust even her family, Hesina turns to Akira—a brilliant investigator who’s also a convicted criminal with secrets of his own. With the future of her kingdom at stake, can Hesina find justice for her father? Or will the cost be too high?

In this shimmering Chinese-inspired fantasy, debut author Joan He introduces a determined and vulnerable young heroine struggling to do right in a world brimming with deception.

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Graceling tells the story of the vulnerable-yet-strong Katsa, who is smart and beautiful and lives in the Seven Kingdoms where selected people are born with a Grace, a special talent that can be anything at all. Katsa’s Grace is killing. As the king’s niece, she is forced to use her extreme skills as his brutal enforcer. Until the day she meets Prince Po, who is Graced with combat skills, and Katsa’s life begins to change. She never expects to become Po’s friend. She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace—or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.

Internment by Samira Ahmed

Rebellions are built on hope.

On The Come Up by Angie Thomas

Sixteen-year-old Bri wants to be one of the greatest rappers of all time. Or at least win her first battle. As the daughter of an underground hip hop legend who died right before he hit big, Bri’s got massive shoes to fill.

But it’s hard to get your come up when you’re labeled a hoodlum at school, and your fridge at home is empty after your mom loses her job. So Bri pours her anger and frustration into her first song, which goes viral…for all the wrong reasons.

Bri soon finds herself at the center of a controversy, portrayed by the media as more menace than MC. But with an eviction notice staring her family down, Bri doesn’t just want to make it—she has to. Even if it means becoming the very thing the public has made her out to be.

Insightful, unflinching, and full of heart, On the Come Up is an ode to hip hop from one of the most influential literary voices of a generation. It is the story of fighting for your dreams, even as the odds are stacked against you; and about how, especially for young black people, freedom of speech isn’t always free.

Somewhere Only We Know by Maurene Goo

Sparks fly between a K-pop starlet and a tabloid reporter in Somewhere Only We Know, a heartwarming rom-com from Maurene Goo.

10:00 p.m.: Lucky is the biggest K-pop star on the scene, and she’s just performed her hit song “Heartbeat” in Hong Kong to thousands of adoring fans. She’s about to debut on The Tonight Show in America, hopefully a breakout performance for her career. But right now? She’s in her fancy hotel, trying to fall asleep but dying for a hamburger.

11:00 p.m.: Jack is sneaking into a fancy hotel, on assignment for his tabloid job that he keeps secret from his parents. On his way out of the hotel, he runs into a girl wearing slippers, a girl who is single-mindedly determined to find a hamburger. She looks kind of familiar. She’s very cute. He’s maybe curious.

12:00 a.m.: Nothing will ever be the same.

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

Xiomara Batista feels unheard and unable to hide in her Harlem neighborhood. Ever since her body grew into curves, she has learned to let her fists and her fierceness do the talking.

But Xiomara has plenty she wants to say, and she pours all her frustration and passion onto the pages of a leather notebook, reciting the words to herself like prayers—especially after she catches feelings for a boy in her bio class named Aman, who her family can never know about.

With Mami’s determination to force her daughter to obey the laws of the church, Xiomara understands that her thoughts are best kept to herself. So when she is invited to join her school’s slam poetry club, she doesn’t know how she could ever attend without her mami finding out. But she still can’t stop thinking about performing her poems.

Because in the face of a world that may not want to hear her, Xiomara refuses to be silent.

The Things She’s Seen by Ambelin Kwaymullina and Ezekiel Kwaymullina

This brilliantly written thriller explores the lives–and deaths–of two girls, and what they will do to win justice. Sure to be one of the most talked-about books of the year!

Nothing’s been the same for Beth Teller since the day she died.

Her dad is drowning in grief. He’s also the only one who has been able to see and hear her since the accident. But now she’s got a mystery to solve, a mystery that will hopefully remind her detective father that he needs to reconnect with the living.

The case takes them to a remote Australian town, where there’s been a suspicious fire. All that remains are an unidentifiable body and an unreliable witness found wandering nearby. This witness speaks in riddles. Isobel Catching has a story to tell, and it’s a tale to haunt your dreams–but does it even connect to the case at hand?

As Beth and her father unravel the mystery, they find a shocking and heartbreaking story lurking beneath the surface of a small town.

We Hunt The Flame by Hafsah Faizal

People lived because she killed. People died because he lived.

Zafira is the Hunter, disguising herself as a man when she braves the cursed forest of the Arz to feed her people. Nasir is the Prince of Death, assassinating those foolish enough to defy his autocratic father, the sultan. If Zafira was exposed as a girl, all of her achievements would be rejected; if Nasir displayed his compassion, his father would punish him in the most brutal of ways. Both Zafira and Nasir are legends in the kingdom of Arawiya―but neither wants to be.

War is brewing, and the Arz sweeps closer with each passing day, engulfing the land in shadow. When Zafira embarks on a quest to uncover a lost artifact that can restore magic to her suffering world and stop the Arz, Nasir is sent by the sultan on a similar mission: retrieve the artifact and kill the Hunter. But an ancient evil stirs as their journey unfolds―and the prize they seek may pose a threat greater than either can imagine.

Thanks for hanging out and we’ll see you on Monday!

— Kelly Jensen, @veronikellymars on Instagram and editor of (Don’t) Call Me Crazy and Here We Are.

Hey YA readers: You’ve seen those movie, game, and television tie-in novels exploding lately, right? Let’s hear from one of the writers of those types of books.

“What’s Up in YA?” is sponsored by Disney Publishing Worldwide.

Freaky Friday meets She’s the Man in this hilarious contemporary YA about sworn enemies who suddenly find themselves deeply intertwined. Packed with wit and heart, Preston Norton’s second novel brilliantly explores relationships, gender identity, and non-conformity.

Micol Ostow has been writing YA for many, many years. She’s done a little of everything in terms of genre, and my introduction to her work was through her horror (she is one of the winners of this year’s YA honor for the Summer Scares program with her book The Devil and Winnie Flynn).

Micol isn’t here to talk about that, though. One of her big writing arenas is something that absolutely fascinates me: YA tie-ins. You’ve seen them and will continue seeing them — these are YA books that are related to either a movie or TV series or maybe even a video game. Micol’s written a Mean Girls tie-in, and right now, she’s elbow deep in writing the YA tie-in series for Riverdale (which is itself fascinating, as it’s gone from a comic series to a TV show and then back to print in the form of YA books!).

I’ve asked her to talk about what it’s like writing a tie-in series, and she’s here to offer up her ultimate confessions. Let’s give a warm welcome to Micol Ostow — and prepare ourselves to really love the heck out of some tie-in novels.

Confessions of a Tie-In Writer

It is occasionally hard for me to get work done.

Not because I’m a procrastinator, or a woman of a certain age whose questionable multitasking skills often deteriorate into distraction (though I assure you, I am both of those things).

In fact, one of the biggest challenges in my line of work is that, as a sometime tv and movie tie-in writer, it can be a challenge to convince people that I am working.

As a freelance writer, I often work from home. I have a cozy office with a door that closes. But I also have two small children. And when they come home from school and see me on my office couch, laptop beside me and iPad streaming the latest episode of Riverdale, it’s easy to understand how they might get confused.

“I know sometimes my work looks like watching tv,” I tell my oldest, “but I promise you, it’s actually my job.” She’s skeptical (rightly so).

On those occasions, I usher the one or the both of them out of the office and lock the door behind them without remorse. I’m very grateful for the lock on the door. But more than that, I’m amazed to have a job that does so often “look like watching tv.”

    I’ve been a published author since 2005, and a full-time writer since 2007. I began my career in children’s publishing as an editor of young adult fiction, and specifically, commercial paperbacks, many of which were based on licensed properties (some of my earliest projects included the OG “Sabrina, the Teenage Witch,” “Charmed,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” and “Angel”).

*Another fun tidbit? In my former life as an editor, I had the pleasure of working on a Charlie’s Angels novelization written by kidlit wunderkind David Levithan himself.

I think it goes without saying that my career is objectively awesome.

    While I’ve had the privilege of publishing across a variety of genres and age bands since I first began writing professionally, in the last few years I’ve somehow found my way back to tie-in work, and happily so. An editor friend of mine reached out after acquiring the license to Mean Girls to ask if I’d be interested in working on a novel. I’d just had my second baby and my chapter book series was coming to a close, and the idea of diving head first into a fun, iconic property greatly appealed.

Tie-ins are a strange beast. One needs to be an adroit enough writer to mimic character voice, tone, and style – but not so stylized as to allow any authorial voice to pierce the veil. One needs – in most cases – to conceive of original storylines as tautly-plotted as any original work – but those plots must conform to the situational norms of the television show. And above all, one needs to defer to the creators’ vision of the property itself.

Recently, I’ve been working on original novels and comics for “Riverdale,” the teen-soap-noir drama based on the iconic Archie comic set in the eponymous town. It has been, in a word, a dream.

    (Though technically, that’s two words.)

“Riverdale” is exceptionally suited to my particular wheelhouse: I love teen drama, I love mystery, and I love a healthy dose of genre homage. In that sense, this property is no different than an original work of my own – I feel huge connection and ownership to the writing, because I feel such a kinship for the source material.

    That said, it may be my wheelhouse, but it’s not my sandbox; I just play in it. When asked during a recent interview how tempted I am to bend the characters and the storylines to my will, the answer was: Actually, not all that much. It might have to do with having spent so much time on the opposite side of the desk, but I’m all too aware that these characters and scenarios belong to someone else. Unlike fanfic (which I think is a fun and fantastic way to engage with one’s favorite imaginary worlds), this writing isn’t for me. It’s for you – all the “Riverdale” fans out there looking for a fix in between episodes. My role in this case is to be an extension of the creators’ vision, not to course-correct for a pairing I’m ‘shipping or to rewrite the canon to suit my own preferences.

Generally speaking, I’m the sort of person who takes things much too seriously. But when it comes to writing, to creating, I think the best work, ironically, tends to bubble to the surface when we’re playing, stringing thoughts and words and random tangents together with total abandon. Working with comic book characters feels like the ultimate extension of play.

At the same time, it can sometimes feel more “job-like” than writing my original stories: for one, the deadlines tend to be tighter. For another, see above re: conforming to series norms. And last but not least, a tie-in writer has to check their ego at the door. If the licensor isn’t feeling what I’ve created, that’s the final word. There are writers who might find this process too constricting. But for me, I often like having a hand to hold and a rigid-ish road map in this messy and confusing pursuit we call the writing life.

It’s true that sometimes, my work looks a lot like “just watching tv.” I’m not complaining. The only thing better than going full couch potato with my favorite show or movie is day spent with books, with reading or writing. To have made a career of all three feels just right.

Riverdale: The Day Before is available now, and Riverdale: Get Out of Town is also available now. 

Thanks so much, Micol!  And big thanks to everyone reading today. You’re the best — and we’ll see you again later this week!

— Kelly Jensen, @veronikellymars on Instagram and editor of (Don’t) Call Me Crazy and Here We Are.

Hey YA lovers: Welcome to June and perfect cheap ebooks for summer reading!

“What’s Up in YA?” is sponsored by All the Books, our weekly podcast about new book releases!

Have you listened to our All the Books podcast yet? On All the Books, Book Riot resident velocireader Liberty Hardy and several rotating co-hosts discuss the week’s most exciting and intriguing new book releases from every genre. Stay up to date on the best new books with new episodes every Tuesday (and get bonus recommendations for older books every Friday with the All the Backlist drop-in episodes!). Never miss the buzz on the best new releases: listen to All the Books on Spotify, or your podcatcher of choice.

It’s finally summer here in the middle of the USA — we skipped spring and had an extended winter that led right into summer instead. Which is to say, now all I can think about is grabbing a pile of books and reading in my hammock.

For those of you with hammock reading plans, poolside reading plans, or buried-under-blankets-because-it’s-actually-winter-where-I-am plans, here are some excellent deals to snag. Prices current as of this morning!

I woke up this morning to discover my own anthology (Don’t) Call Me Crazy is $2. If I may suggest picking this book of honest essays and art about mental health, now is the time.

Trish Doller’s fabulous book Something Like Normal, about a teen returning from active duty and struggling with both his relationships and his mental health, is $2. Grab that, then grab Where The Stars Still Shine, about a girl who is given a stable home after a life of instability, also for $2. Her road trip thriller The Devil You Know is also $2.

Meredith Russo’s romance featuring a trans girl main character If I Was Your Girl is $3. An absolutely perfect Pride Month read.

Dip into the world of magical realism with Anna-Marie McLemore’s When The Moon Was Ours for $3.

Although I haven’t yet read Black Wings Beating, I’ve heard nothing but tremendous things about this first book in a series by Alex London. $3.

Jen Wilde’s Queens of Geek, which is a fabulous story about teens at their first fan convention, full of heart, an exploration of friendship and mental health, and more, is $3.

Haven’t yet read Ash by Malinda Lo? You have no excuse. It’s $3, perfect for Pride Month, and it’s a staple in queer YA.

Lois Duncan’s classic I Know What You Did Last Summer is $2.

Impostors, the first book in the spinoff to Scott Westerfeld’s “Uglies” series, is $3.

A History of Glitter and Blood by Hannah Moskowitz is $2 and supposed to be great.

Spend $4 and get Lauren Oliver’s Delirium.

Did you know that the Christina Lauren duo, known for their adult romances, wrote a teen horror romance? They did and you can pick up The House for $2.

All three of the books in Neal Schusterman’s The Skinjacker trilogy can be yours for $5. A steal of a deal and excellent collection for those still catching up on all of Schusterman’s back list.

I know y’all know Anne of Green Gables, but if you haven’t read the Emily Starr trilogy by LM Montgomery, you can pick it up for $1. Three books! $1!

Last, but not least, Marieke Nijkamp’s sophomore novel Before I Let Go is $2.

Thanks for hanging out and we’ll see you on Monday with a really great guest newsletter. Until then, happy reading!
— Kelly Jensen, @veronikellymars on Instagram and editor of (Don’t) Call Me Crazy and Here We Are.

Hey YA readers! Officially, Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month may be coming to an end, but let’s keep it going even longer.

“What’s Up in YA?” is sponsored by Somewhere Only We Know from Maurene Goo and Fierce Reads.

A Cosmopolitan Best Young Adult Book of 2019 Sparks fly between a K pop starlet and a tabloid reporter in this heartwarming rom-com from Maurene Goo. 10:00 PM.: Lucky is a huge K-pop star who just performed her hit song to thousands of adoring fans. She’s tired but dying for a hamburger. 11:00 PM: Jack sneaks into a fancy hotel on assignment for his tabloid job. He runs into a cute girl wearing slippers — a girl who is single-mindedly determined to find a hamburger. 12:00 AM.: Nothing will ever be the same.

May is Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month, but rather than limit reading awesome YA by Asian American authors to one month, let’s add a few more titles to the TBR to keep the love going all year long.

These are all books that, as of this writing, haven’t published yet, so I’ve pulled descriptions from Amazon (I, too, need to add them to my TBR!). There’s a little of everything here genre-wise. I’ve noted with a “*” when the book is part of a series, and I’ve stuck to just first books in a series to avoid spoilers.

The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee (August 13)

By day, seventeen-year-old Jo Kuan works as a lady’s maid for the cruel daughter of one of the wealthiest men in Atlanta. But by night, Jo moonlights as the pseudonymous author of a newspaper advice column for the genteel Southern lady, “Dear Miss Sweetie.” When her column becomes wildly popular, she uses the power of the pen to address some of society’s ills, but she’s not prepared for the backlash that follows when her column challenges fixed ideas about race and gender. While her opponents clamor to uncover the secret identity of Miss Sweetie, a mysterious letter sets Jo off on a search for her own past and the parents who abandoned her as a baby. But when her efforts put her in the crosshairs of Atlanta’s most notorious criminal, Jo must decide whether she, a girl used to living in the shadows, is ready to step into the light. With prose that is witty, insightful, and at times heartbreaking, Stacey Lee masterfully crafts an extraordinary social drama set in the New South.

Like A Love Story by Abdi Nazemian (June 4)

It’s 1989 in New York City, and for three teens, the world is changing.

Reza is an Iranian boy who has just moved to the city with his mother to live with his stepfather and stepbrother. He’s terrified that someone will guess the truth he can barely acknowledge about himself. Reza knows he’s gay, but all he knows of gay life are the media’s images of men dying of AIDS.

Judy is an aspiring fashion designer who worships her uncle Stephen, a gay man with AIDS who devotes his time to activism as a member of ACT UP. Judy has never imagined finding romance…until she falls for Reza and they start dating.

Art is Judy’s best friend, their school’s only out and proud teen. He’ll never be who his conservative parents want him to be, so he rebels by documenting the AIDS crisis through his photographs.

As Reza and Art grow closer, Reza struggles to find a way out of his deception that won’t break Judy’s heart—and destroy the most meaningful friendship he’s ever known.

The Magnolia Sword by Sherry Thomas (September 4)

CHINA, 484 A.D.

A Warrior in Disguise
All her life, Mulan has trained for one purpose: to win the duel that every generation in her family must fight. If she prevails, she can reunite a pair of priceless heirloom swords separated decades earlier, and avenge her father, who was paralyzed in his own duel.

Then a messenger from the Emperor arrives, demanding that all families send one soldier to fight the Rouran invaders in the north. Mulan’s father cannot go. Her brother is just a child. So she ties up her hair, takes up her sword, and joins the army as a man.

A War for a Dynasty
Thanks to her martial arts skills, Mulan is chosen for an elite team under the command of the princeling—the royal duke’s son, who is also the handsomest man she’s ever seen. But the princeling has secrets of his own, which explode into Mulan’s life and shake up everything she knows. As they cross the Great Wall to face the enemy beyond, Mulan and the princeling must find a way to unwind their past, unmask a traitor, and uncover the plans for the Rouran invasion . . . before it’s too late.

*Spin The Dawn by Elizabeth Lim (July 9)

Maia Tamarin dreams of becoming the greatest tailor in the land, but as a girl, the best she can hope for is to marry well. When a royal messenger summons her ailing father, once a tailor of renown, to court, Maia poses as a boy and takes his place. She knows her life is forfeit if her secret is discovered, but she’ll take that risk to achieve her dream and save her family from ruin. There’s just one catch: Maia is one of twelve tailors vying for the job.

Backstabbing and lies run rampant as the tailors compete in challenges to prove their artistry and skill. Maia’s task is further complicated when she draws the attention of the court enchanter, Edan, whose piercing eyes seem to see straight through her disguise.

And nothing could have prepared her for the final challenge: to sew three magic gowns for the emperor’s reluctant bride-to-be, from the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of stars. With this impossible task before her, she embarks on a journey to the far reaches of the kingdom, seeking the sun, the moon, and the stars, and finding more than she ever could have imagined.

Symptoms of a Heartbreak by Sona Charaipotra (July 2)

The youngest doctor in America, an Indian-American teen makes her rounds―and falls head over heels―in the contemporary romantic comedy Symptoms of a Heartbreak.

Fresh from med school, sixteen-year-old medical prodigy Saira arrives for her first day at her new job: treating children with cancer. She’s always had to balance family and friendships with her celebrity as the Girl Genius―but she’s never had to prove herself to skeptical adult co-workers while adjusting to real life-and-death stakes. And working in the same hospital as her mother certainly isn’t making things any easier.

But life gets complicated when Saira finds herself falling in love with a patient: a cute teen boy who’s been diagnosed with cancer. And when she risks her brand new career to try to improve his chances, it could cost her everything.

It turns out “heartbreak” is the one thing she still doesn’t know how to treat.

Tell Me How You Really Feel by Aminah Mae Safi (June 11)

The first time Sana Khan asked out a girl–Rachel Recht–it went so badly that she never did it again. Rachel is a film buff and aspiring director, and she’s seen Carrie enough times to learn you can never trust cheerleaders (and beautiful people). Rachel was furious that Sana tried to prank her by asking her on a date.

But when it comes time for Rachel to cast her senior project, she realizes that there’s no more perfect lead than Sana–the girl she’s sneered at in the halls for the past three years. And poor Sana–she says yes. She never did really get over that first crush, even if Rachel can barely stand to be in the same room as her.

Told in alternative viewpoints and set against the backdrop of Los Angeles in the springtime, when the rainy season rolls in and the Santa Ana’s can still blow–these two girls are about to learn that in the city of dreams, anything is possible–even love.

*Wicked Fox by Kat Cho (June 25)

Eighteen-year-old Gu Miyoung has a secret–she’s a gumiho, a nine-tailed fox who must devour the energy of men in order to survive. Because so few believe in the old tales anymore, and with so many evil men no one will miss, the modern city of Seoul is the perfect place to hide and hunt.

But after feeding one full moon, Miyoung crosses paths with Jihoon, a human boy, being attacked by a goblin deep in the forest. Against her better judgment, she violates the rules of survival to rescue the boy, losing her fox bead–her gumiho soul–in the process.

Jihoon knows Miyoung is more than just a beautiful girl–he saw her nine tails the night she saved his life. His grandmother used to tell him stories of the gumiho, of their power and the danger they pose to men. He’s drawn to her anyway.

With murderous forces lurking in the background, Miyoung and Jihoon develop a tenuous friendship that blossoms into something more. But when a young shaman tries to reunite Miyoung with her bead, the consequences are disastrous and reignite a generations-old feud . . . forcing Miyoung to choose between her immortal life and Jihoon’s.

Thanks for hanging out, y’all, and we’ll see you again soon!

— Kelly Jensen, @veronikellymars on Instagram and editor of (Don’t) Call Me Crazy and Here We Are.