Okay I know 2019 is halfway over, but now that I’m not reading centuries-old literature for college, I can dive into all these amazing new releases!! Let me just say I am LOVING where YA has gone these last few years. There has been such a push for inclusive, representative stories and this is a BEAUTIFUL THING. Despite this, I am terrible at keeping up with new releases unless they are part of a series I follow obsessively. So I thought I’d take some time to highlight ten new releases this year that are already out or will be in the next few months that look AMAZING and are on my TBR list.
Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson — June 4
All sorcerers are evil. Elisabeth has known that as long as she has known anything. Raised as a foundling in one of Austermeer’s Great Libraries, Elisabeth has grown up among the tools of sorcery—magical grimoires that whisper on shelves and rattle beneath iron chains. She hopes to become a warden, charged with protecting the kingdom from their power.
Then an act of sabotage releases the library’s most dangerous grimoire. Elisabeth’s desperate intervention implicates her in the crime, and she is torn from her home to face justice in the capital. With no one to turn to but her sworn enemy, the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn, and his mysterious demonic servant, she finds herself entangled in a centuries-old conspiracy. Not only could the Great Libraries go up in flames, but the world along with them. As her alliance with Nathaniel grows stronger, Elisabeth starts to question everything she’s been taught—about sorcerers, about the libraries she loves, even about herself. For Elisabeth has a power she has never guessed, and a future she could never have imagined.
WHOAAA… This one really grabbed my attention, mainly because my name is Elizabeth and I’m a librarian. So what could be better than a librarian named Elisabeth who must defeat evil while accompanied by a dashing, semi-demonic love interest? This was one of the most highly anticipated YA novels of the year because of Rogerson’s previous successful novel An Enchantment of Ravens. Sorcery of Thorns has gotten great reviews so far, and reviewers are especially loving the world and characters of Sorcery of Thorns. And can we just take a look at that cover done by Charlie Bowater AKA digital artist and fangirl extraordinaire, best known for her work on Sarah J. Maas’s books. Anyway, this novel shows so much promise and I CANNOT WAIT until I finally have time to read it.
Sky Without Stars by Jessica Brody & Joanne Rendell — March 26
When the Last Days came, the planet of Laterre promised hope. But five hundred years later, it’s now a place where an extravagant elite class reigns supreme; where the clouds hide the stars and the poor starve in the streets; where a rebel group, long thought dead, is resurfacing. Whispers of revolution have begun—a revolution that hinges on three unlikely heroes…
Chatine is a street-savvy thief who will do anything to escape the brutal Regime, including spying on Marcellus, the grandson of the most powerful man on the planet.
Marcellus is an officer—and the son of a traitor. Groomed to command by his legendary grandfather, Marcellus begins to doubt the government he’s vowed to serve when he discovers a cryptic message that only one person, a girl named Alouette, can read.
Alouette is living in an underground refuge, where she guards and protects the last surviving library on the planet. But a shocking murder will bring Alouette to the surface for the first time in twelve years…and plunge Laterre into chaos.
Power, romance, and destiny collide in this sweeping reimagining of Victor Hugo’s masterpiece Les Misérables.
I was originally intrigued by this cover, but the blurb had me DEAD. Hugo’s Les Misérables is my FAVORITE book ever. It’s such a beautiful story of love, redemption, and revolution, and Brody and Rendell are interpreting it in SPACE?? WHAT?? I’m so in love with this concept. The authors have really reinterpreted Hugo’s ginormous novel in such a creative way. Javert, the man dedicated to the law and unable to recognize the subtleties of humanity, has been reinterpreted as a cyborg. Very fitting. The only thing I have to caution myself against with Sky Without Stars is to remember it is not merely Les Misérables reinterpreted, but it’s own entity. I have no doubt this sci-fi revolution twist novel will not disappoint.
Watch us Rise by Renee Watson-– February 12
Jasmine and Chelsea are sick of the way women are treated even at their progressive NYC high school, so they decide to start a Women’s Rights Club. They post everything online—poems, essays, videos of Chelsea performing her poetry, and Jasmine’s response to the racial macroaggressions she experiences—and soon they go viral. But with such positive support, the club is also targeted by online trolls. When things escalate, the principal shuts the club down. Jasmine and Chelsea will risk everything for their voices—and those of other young women—to be heard.
As a proud feminist, I am so glad that more and more books and movies like this are coming out. We need stories of women of every color, sexuality, ethnicity, and background banding together to support each other to inspire us to reach out to the women in our own lives. From just the blurb, Watch Us Rise reminds me of Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu which I LOVED, but perhaps more focused additionally on racial issues. Some reviewers believe this novel is not inclusive of LGBTQ and disabled folks, but I will refrain from judging until I read it . Books like this will always be important– those that tell us to join hands, stand up, and tear down injustice and hatred when it meets us, but with love and compassion, not condemnation.
The Language of Fire by Stephanie Hemphill— June 11
The Language of Fire is a lyrical, dark, and moving look at the life of Joan of Arc, who as a teen girl in the fifteenth century commanded an army and helped crown a king of France.
Jehanne was an illiterate peasant, never quite at home among her siblings and peers. Until one day, she hears a voice call to her, telling her she is destined for important things. She begins to understand that she has been called by God, chosen for a higher purpose—to save France. Through sheer determination and incredible courage, Jehanne becomes the unlikeliest of heroes. She runs away from home, dresses in men’s clothes, and convinces an army that she will lead France to victory.
As a girl in a man’s world, at a time when women truly had no power, Jehanne faced constant threats and violence from the men around her. Despite the impossible odds, Jehanne became a fearless warrior who has inspired generations.
Me: sees this book My jaw: drops
Joan of Arc has been an inspiration since I read about her as a young girl. She displayed courage and wisdom in the midst of war, opposition against her sex and age, and the challenging of her faith. All I can say is that I have high expectations for this novel. The Language of Fire is the historic interpretation novel I never knew I needed, and what makes me even MORE excited is that it’s written in verse. I have never read any contemporary book like this, but I cannot wait. This style puts Joan of Arc alongside the heroes of Greek epics and promises to deliver a Herculean story. Lastly, I have complete faith that this book will rip my heart out, I mean, we all know how it ends (if not, where were you in history class?), but I’m fascinated to see what Hemphill does with Jehanne.
Descendant of the Crane by Joan He— April 9
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 engages 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.
Lets all take a moment and appreciate this masterpiece of a cover. . . This book was on my to-read list before I even knew what it was about, and I was not disappointed. I love how culturally and historically rooted The Descendent of the Crane is. Readers are especially loving this Joan He’s use of Chinese culture, magic, mystery, and the moral grays of power politics. This looks to be a complex and promising novel.
Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell— September 24
WARNING: this is a sequel to Carry On. The blurb contains SPOILERS. Please read Fangirl and Carry On.
The story is supposed to be over. Simon Snow did everything he was supposed to do. He beat the villain. He won the war. He even fell in love. Now comes the good part, right? Now comes the happily ever after…
So why can’t Simon Snow get off the couch? What he needs, according to his best friend, is a change of scenery. He just needs to see himself in a new light…That’s how Simon and Penny and Baz end up in a vintage convertible, tearing across the American West.
They find trouble, of course. (Dragons, vampires, skunk-headed things with shotguns.) And they get lost. They get so lost, they start to wonder whether they ever knew where they were headed in the first place…
With Wayward Son, Rainbow Rowell has written a book for everyone who ever wondered what happened to the Chosen One after he saved the day. And a book for everyone who was ever more curious about the second kiss than the first. It’s another helping of sour cherry scones with an absolutely decadent amount of butter.
Come on, Simon Snow. Your hero’s journey might be over – but your life has just begun.
I will admit, at first Carry On rubbed me the wrong way. It felt like a cheap Harry Potter knock off for everyone who wished Harry would realize his secret, dark feelings for Draco. I was not sold. UNTIL Rainbow Rowell won me over with her trademark ability to grip a reader’s heart with an unlikely romance. I was a goner for Simon and Baz. Look at their beauty; I had to include all three covers/posters. I’m eagerly anticipating this unique “after the villain is defeated, what does the hero do?” book. I have no doubt in my mind that by the end of Wayward Son, Rowell will have us all slaying villains with Simon and Baz and melting from sheer cuteness.
With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo-– May 7
With her daughter to care for and her abuela to help support, high school senior Emoni Santiago has to make the tough decisions, and do what must be done. The one place she can let her responsibilities go is in the kitchen, where she adds a little something magical to everything she cooks, turning her food into straight-up goodness. Still, she knows she doesn’t have enough time for her school’s new culinary arts class, doesn’t have the money for the class’s trip to Spain — and shouldn’t still be dreaming of someday working in a real kitchen. But even with all the rules she has for her life — and all the rules everyone expects her to play by — once Emoni starts cooking, her only real choice is to let her talent break free.
Again with a GORGEOUS cover; I just want to stare at this book. But literally, With the Fire on High sounds so unique. Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t think I’ve heard of any other YA fiction book about the culinary arts, and I think this is what I’ve been missing. One thing that always makes a book amazing for me is reading about someone who has a passion and uses it. When this is done well, the author half has me convinced by the end to become a ship captain, lute player, or warrior. Knowing me, I’ll be baking endlessly after reading With the Fire on High. Needless to say, I highly recommend diving into this uniquely intriguing novel.
Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff– May 7
The year is 2380, and the graduating cadets of Aurora Academy are being assigned their first missions. Star pupil Tyler Jones is ready to recruit the squad of his dreams, but his own boneheaded heroism sees him stuck with the dregs nobody else in the Academy would touch…
A cocky diplomat with a black belt in sarcasm. A sociopath scientist with a fondness for shooting her bunkmates. A smart-ass techwiz with the galaxy’s biggest chip on his shoulder. An alien warrior with anger management issues. A tomboy pilot who’s totally not into him, in case you were wondering.
And Ty’s squad isn’t even his biggest problem—that’d be Aurora Jie-Lin O’Malley, the girl he’s just rescued from interdimensional space. Trapped in cryo-sleep for two centuries, Auri is a girl out of time and out of her depth. But she could be the catalyst that starts a war millions of years in the making, and Tyler’s squad of losers, discipline-cases and misfits might just be the last hope for the entire galaxy.
They’re not the heroes we deserve. They’re just the ones we could find. Nobody panic.
YUSS. The dynamic duo is at it again. If you have not read The Illuminae Files by Kaufman and Kristoff, you absolutely need to. The series is written in an assortment of files, visually stunning, and gripping all the way through; read my review here. Aurora Rising was released only two months ago and is already a HUGE hit and slated to become a tv series. Everything about Aurora Rising is stunning: the cover, that tagline (lol), and this hilariously promising rag-tag team of heroes.
Devil’s Ballast by Meg Caddy— May 7
Anne Bonny was eighteen when she ran away from her violent husband, James, into the arms of pirate captain Calico Jack Rackham. Now she’s ensconced aboard Jack’s ship Ranger, passing as a cabin boy, and playing her ruthless part in a crew that is raining down mayhem and murder on the ships of the Caribbean.
But James Bonny is willing to pay to get his ‘property’ back. And pirate-hunter Captain Barnet is happy to take his money. The Ranger’s a fast ship: Anne might just be able to outrun Barnet. But can she outrun the consequences of her relationship with Calico Jack?
Action-packed yet nuanced, culturally relevant and sharp as a cutlass, this new novel by the remarkable Meg Caddy brings to life one of history’s most fascinating anti-heroines.
Who doesn’t love pirates? Yes, media feeds us historically inaccurate charming, dashing, witty pirates, but I’m okay with that. Good pirate adventure stories are just captivating, and Devil’s Ballast looks so promising! Anne Bonny and Calico Jack are some of the most infamous pirates in history, and I am READY for Caddy’s anti-hero interpretation of them.
We Contain Multitudes by Sarah Henstra— May 14
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe meets I’ll Give You the Sun in an exhilarating and emotional novel about the growing relationship between two teen boys, told through the letters they write to one another.
Jonathan Hopkirk and Adam “Kurl” Kurlansky are partnered in English class, writing letters to one another in a weekly pen pal assignment. With each letter, the two begin to develop a friendship that eventually grows into love. But with homophobia, bullying, and devastating family secrets, Jonathan and Kurl struggle to overcome their conflicts and hold onto their relationship… and each other.
This rare and special novel celebrates love and life with engaging characters and stunning language, making it perfect for fans of Jandy Nelson, Nina LaCour, and David Levithan.
I know almost nothing about this book, but I do know I’m going to melt from cuteness in this opposites attract, overcoming stereotypes novel. The premise is similar to Simon VS the Homo Sapiens Agenda (or Love, Simon) except I’m curious to see how the attraction changes because these two know exactly who they are falling for rather than the anonymity of email. In recent years there have been so many LGBTQ stories coming out (ha, pun), but We Contain Multitudes seems to already have set itself apart as one of this summer’s biggest LGBTQ novels.
I’d be impressed if anyone is still reading, but WOWWWW look at all those books. One of the greatest tragedies of my life is that I will never be able to read all the books in the world. A fear of mine is that when I’m old and still reading all these amazing books, I’ll die in the middle of a series. Thinking about this makes me think “why do I ever do anything EXCEPT read??”, but sadly I have jobs, school, family, and friends. As readers, we can only read a few books out of the millions that come out each year, so hopefully I’ve given you a few ideas of which are standing out of the crowd.
Let me know which new releases you’re looking forward to or which you’ve already read and loved!!
Keep reading,
Elizabeth
One Page at a Time 