40 Highly Anticipated YA Books You’ll Want To Check Out This Summer

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·27 min read

1.Batter Royale by Leisl Adams

Release date: June 7What it's about: Rose wasn't intending to be on a baking reality show, but she and her best friend, Fred, are now in it to win after she impressed a famous food critic while working as a waitress. Not only do they need to deal with a very intense week and a half of challenges and sabotages, but also their growing feelings for each other.Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. 

2.The Loophole by Naz Kutub

Release date: June 21What it's about: After a breakup that ended with Sy working at a coffee shop job while his ex-boyfriend traveled to

3.We Weren't Looking to Be Found by Stephanie Kuehn

Release date: June 21What it's about: Dani and Camila have little in common besides the room they share at the Peach Tree Hills treatment facility. Dani, who is living with addiction, comes from a famous and wealthy Black family, with a politician mom who has high expectations. Camila, dealing with self-harm, is from a Colombian American family and works her butt off to get what she wants out of life. When the two find a music box filled with letters from a former PTH resident, they decide to investigate and discover who she was, and who she might have become after.  Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.

4.Never Coming Home by Kate Williams

Release date: June 21What it's about: This summer's most exclusive destination features white sand beaches and luxurious surroundings that are absolutely free. Unknown Island is only open to those under 21, and the first 10 to get to live the experience are elite influencers such as a beauty blogger, a gamer, an athlete, and more. But it wasn't their fame that got them invited...it was because of their deadly secrets. As the influencers begin dying one by one, in dramatic fashion, it becomes clear that it's a trap. Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.

5.Dream Runners by Shveta Thakrar

Release date: June 28What it's about: For the last seven years, Tanvi has been part of the dream runners, a group of human children in the subterranean realm of Nagalok who collect mortal dreams for the immortal naga court. But one of her dream harvests goes wrong, and the memories and emotions that were taken from her upon joining the dream runners begin to return, leading her to the only mortal in Nagalok who could help. As Venkat, the dreamsmith, helps her search for answers, they discover the truth might be more dangerous than they could have dreamed. Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.

6.The Song That Moves the Sun by Anna Bright

Release date: June 28What it's about: Rora and Claudia are trying to save the universe. This wasn't part of their plan initially, but after meeting Major and Amir, who explained to them the secret cities of the spheres that are ruled by the magic of astrological signs, they learned that chaos has been spreading. On their way to right the disruption, they'll journey, there will be romance, truths, and of course, friendship, as they seek the answer to secrets among the stars. Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.

7.How Maya Got Fierce by Sona Charaipotra

Release date: July 12What it's about: Maya is the heiress to a mini garlic empire who is supposed to head off to agriculture school in the future, so her summer at cow camp is really important to her parents. But an expensive incident that gets her kicked out of the camp leaves her with a huge secret to keep from her parents — and a huge amount of money that she owes the school. To earn the money to pay it off, she interviews for an internship at Fierce, a fashion magazine she's obsessed with. She lands a job as an assistant features editor, and it seems like a dream come true. As long as they don't find out she's not actually 26.Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.

8.A Heavy Dose of Allison Tandy by Jeff Bishop

Release date: July 12What it's about: Cam's summer plans have come to a crashing halt after tearing his ACL in a basketball incident. So instead of partying and winning back Allison Tandy, the girlfriend who dumped him the year prior, he's laying on the couch recovering. But after taking his medication, he begins to see apparitions of Ally (who didn't expect to spend her summer talking to her ex as a vision after a car crash left her in a coma). Speculative John Green vibes live in these pages! Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.

9.Dauntless by Elisa A. Bonnin

Release date: July 19What it's about: Beasts roam in Seri's world, and she's seen the struggle to fight the beasts firsthand as she works as an assistant to a valor commander. An unexpected meeting brings her to a new truth, as Tsana, a stranger from an unknown world, can actually communicate with the beasts. Through their conversations, Seri begins to question the rules she's always held as truth. Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.

10.Youngblood by Sasha Laurens

Release date: July 19What it's about: Vampires have had a rough time recently, what with nearly all of humanity infected by a virus that is fatal to vampires, and the synthetic blood substitute Hema costing so much. Kat and her mother are struggling to live in this new reality, but her acceptance to the Harcote School (vampires only!) might just change her fortunes. Except, her new roommate is Taylor, Kat's ex-best friend who is a proud lesbian in a wealthy and backward vampire world. And then, there's also that body Taylor just discovered...Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.

11.The Dawn of Yangchen by F. C. Yee

Release date: July 19What it's about: Following up F. C. Yee's magnificent duology about Avatar Kyoshi, this new entry into the world of Avatar the Last Airbender follows Avatar Yangchen, who has heard the voices of the previous Avatars her entire life. As she is brought to Bin-Er in the Earth Kingdom, a city ruled by corrupt Shang merchants who are resentful of the Earth King, she'll need the help of Kavik, an informant, to thwart the plan set out by the Shangs. Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound.

12.Fractured Path by J. C. Cervantes

Release date: July 19What it's about: 1965, San Francisco. Blake is an aspiring artist, but it's been hard for her to land an internship thanks to the combo of her gender, multi-racial heritage, and the family curse that seems to keep them with constant bad luck. After a series of visions that grow stronger as they go, her aunt and uncle tell her about a legendary mirror belonging to her ancestors that might be the key to her powers and her family's fortunes. Get it from Amazon.

13.Love Times Infinity by Lane Clarke

Release date: July 26What it's about: Michie is a high school junior working towards a future where she'd be a first-generation student at Brown, a future she needs to nail her scholarship essays to accomplish. But defining who she is has been a struggle, especially with her concept of the family being bound by the fact she's been estranged from her mother since age seven. As she spends more time with new kid Derek and grows closer to him, she must also deal with the reemergence of her mother, who has reached out to make amends. Michie will have to confront her past and look toward her future in order to decide what she's willing to take a chance on.Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.

14.Beating Heart Baby by Lio Min

Release date: July 26What it's about: Santi is the new kid at high school, trying to leave a past in which his online friendship fell apart after he accidentally leaked his friend's song. But that's not the end of Santi's musical-related woes, as his new section leader in marching band, Suwa, doesn't think he has what it takes to be in the band. As their relationship shifts and grows, and occasionally crumbles, and as more and more time passes and perspectives shift, both boys will need to discover what exactly it is they want to fight for. Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.

15.Master of Iron by Tricia Levenseller

Release date: July 26In case you haven't yet read book 1, Blade of Secrets: Ziva would much rather spend a day in the forge, crafting unique, magical weapons than be out in society. But her dedication to her craft is tested with her newest commission — a sword that would steal its victim's secrets, ordered by a powerful warlord who Ziva discovers wants to use it to enslave the world. Taking her sister and the sword and fleeing, she determines she must either find a worthy wielder or find a way to destroy the sword altogether. What it's about: Now in search of a healer to save her sister, Ziva has to race to a nearby city, one where she and Kellyn are captured by an ambitious prince. To try to save her sister, she's now put in the position she's tried so hard to run from, creating dangerous weapons to be used for taking over the world. 

16.Beasts of Ruin by Ayana Gray

Release date: July 26In case you haven't yet read book 1, Beasts of Prey: Koffi is indentured to the notorious Night Zoo, caring for its magical creatures and working toward her family’s freedom. Ekon is destined to become an elite warrior — until he encounters the Shetani, a vicious monster that has plagued the city for almost a century, and Koffi, who unleashes a power that wards off the beast. Ekon is determined to hunt the Shetani down, but he’ll need Koffi’s help to do it, and the two enter the Greater Jungle together. What it's about: Koffi's sacrifice may mean that Ekon and her city were both saved, but she now has to serve the god of death. Meanwhile, Ekon is setting out to make alliances in hopes of rescuing Kofi from the realm of death, but doing so means getting closer to a dark truth. To reunite, their loyalties will be tested, as will their willingness to reach for the danger inside of them. This stellar sequel deepens these beautifully realized main characters and keeps you wanting more stories in this world. Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.

17.Twice as Perfect by Louisa Onomé

Release date: July 26What it's about: Onomé's sophomore novel is a spectacular journey of confronting expectations, even those we have for ourselves. Adanna's got a packed schedule: school, debate team, assisting her cousin Genny with wedding planning. The extra variable she didn't expect to add to that? Her older brother, Sam, who disappeared a few years back after a fight with their parents. Ada is desperate to get answers about why he left, but learning those secrets may lead her to confront an unwelcome truth about her own life. Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.

18.Bad at Love by Gabriela Martins

Release date: August 2What it's about: Sasha is an intern at a celebrity gossip magazine, and a chance encounter has given her the opportunity for a big scoop. Daniel is the bad boy of the band Mischief & Mayhem, and it's easy to hold out on swooning since Sasha hates bad boys. But despite her determination, Sasha begins to fall for him, which becomes a big problem for the juicy secret she's just learned about him. Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.

19.I Rise by Marie Arnold

Release date: August 2What it's about: This novel follows 14-year-old Ayo, who has spent her entire life as an activist. Her mother founded See Us, a civil rights movement that tackles police brutality and racial profiling in Harlem. Despite Ayo's desire for a normal teen life, she's the presumed new face of the movement after her mother ends up in a coma after a riot between protestors and police. But she doesn't yet know if she is able to take over for her mother while also dealing with her grief and anger. Get it from Bookshop. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.

20.What's Coming to Me by Francesca Padilla

Release date: August 2What it's about: Minerva needs the money provided by her job at the local ice cream stand, but to get it she has to put up with a sexist boss that makes every day worse. She dreams of escaping her hometown, and a chance comes to light in the strangest of circumstances. Following an armed robbery at the ice cream stand, rumors begin to swirl about money hidden on the property. To find it, she'll team up with her neighbor CeCe and not only get the cash they both desperately need but also get revenge on her slimy boss along the way. Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.

21.The King Will Kill You by Sarah Henning

Release date: August 2In case you haven't yet read book 1, The Princess Will Save You: After the mysterious death of King Sendoa, his daughter Amarande is offered the choice to marry a stranger or lose the crown. Though she's reluctant to choose either option, her love, stable boy Luca, is kidnapped by a neighboring kingdom, and it's up to her to try and save both him and her kingdom. What it's about: Amarande is now queen, united with Luca to seek peace among the five kingdoms. But to attain it, they'll need to stop the king from trying, not just to kill Amarande and Luca, but to seize control of the entire continent. Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.

22.How You Grow Wings by Rimma Onoseta

Release date: August 9What it's about: Cheta and Zam are sisters who live in Nigeria where they must avoid their mother's anger and abuse. Zam, who manages to stay under the radar, gets invited to live with her aunt's family. Cheta, the more stubborn of the sisters who never shied from conflict, has to leave home on her own, a path that puts impossible choices and terrible decisions in front of her. And when the sisters reunite, Cheta's fate will rely heavily on Zam. Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound.

23.The Lies We Tell by Katie Zhao

Release date: August 9What it's about: Anna is a freshman at the prestigious Brookings University, but despite moving into the dorms, her parents and their Chinese bakery, Sweetea, are still close by. Regrettably, her middle school rival (and a member of the family that owns Sunny's, Sweetea's business rivals), Chris, is also close by, as while looking into the campus murder of her childhood babysitter, she runs into him. After a vandal hits Sunny's with a racist tag and Anna connects it to a clue from her investigation, she and Chris will need to team up to discover the deadly history of their campus. Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound.

24.The Drowned Woods by Emily Lloyd-Jones

Release date: August 16What it's about: In this fantasy set in historical Wales, Mererid is the last living water diviner, one who went to great trouble to all but vanish. Bound by orders from the prince, she located the wells of his enemies, and he went to poison them without her knowledge, leading her to run once she found out about the deaths it caused. But to get revenge on him, she'll need to team up with her old handler and destroy the well that keeps the prince's lands safe. Lloyd-Jones weaves a wondrous tale, one that feels timeless and divine. Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.

25.Echoes of Grace by Guadalupe García McCall

Release date: August 16What it's about: Sisters Grace and Mercy Torres are grappling with the aftermath of their mother's murder, as each takes her own path towards the future. Grace sees visions, though it's unclear if they are memories or premonitions, and the closer she gets to reconciling with her sister, the more she remembers the week that she spent with her grandmother in Mexico and the horrible thing that happened to her while there. Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound.

26.Lightlark by Alex Aster

Release date: August 23What it's about: The island of Lightlark appears once every 100 years, summoning the rulers of the six realms to play the Centennial. Each ruler is offered a chance to break the curse on their realm, but to destroy the curses for good, one ruler must die. The ruler of Wildling, a realm of temptresses, is Isla, and her people are counting on her to break their curse that kills anyone they fall in love with. Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.

27.Azar on Fire by Olivia Abtahi

Release date: August 23What it's about: 14-year-old Azar dreams of Battle of the Bands victory, but with shredded vocal folds, she's spent most of freshman year intentionally quiet. But Eben (that's Ebenezer Lloyd Hollins the Fifth, the lacrosse hottie) has the voice to make all her dreams come true. To put together the perfect band, Azar will need to do a lot of convincing and has a lot of music magic to make. Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.

28.Seton Girls by Charlene Thomas

Release date: August 30What it's about: Seton Academic High has a 13-year conference win streak, and they want to keep it that way. In fact, the quarterback (the younger brother of the one who began the streak) strives to make the season unforgettable before the next QB, Seton's first Black QB, J, takes over and potentially overshadows him. But the team always says they would never win without Seton's girls, and Aly, J's girlfriend and the school newspaper editor, soon begins to learn why.Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.

29.The Dragons Promise by Elizabeth Lim

Release date: August 30In case you haven't yet read book 1, Six Crimson Cranes: After Shiori, the only princess of Kiata, loses control of her forbidden magic on the morning of the betrothal ceremony she never wanted, her stepmother Raikama banishes her — turning her brothers into cranes and making it so that every word that escapes Shiori's lips will cost a brother his life. On her journey to find her brothers, voiceless and alone, she realizes that she has to place her trust in the boy she fought so hard not to marry.  What it's about: Shiori is setting out to fulfill her promise of returning the dragon pearl to its rightful owner, but to do so, she'll have to voyage to the kingdom of dragons. Many will do whatever it takes to snag the pearl for their own means, and in protecting it, Shiori also opens herself up to the fickle power that lies within it.Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.

30.Lord of the Fly Fest by Goldy Moldavsky

Release date: August 30What it's about: Fyre Fest meets Lord of the Flies in this new novel. Rafi Francisco has just arrived to the Caribbean island where Fly Fest, an exclusive festival with influencers and micro celebs, will be taking place. Eager to put her true-crime podcast on the map, she is intrigued by River Stone, the musician headliner of the fest whose girlfriend mysteriously disappeared. But the island is not what it promised to be, and soon Rafi is fighting for her life. Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.

31.Belladonna by Adalyn Grace

Release date: August 30What it's about: Signa is searching for a murderer, but her investigation partner is a bit...unusual. After being orphaned as a baby, Signa was raised by a batch of different guardians, each holding her wealth more closely than Signa herself, and each meeting an untimely end. She now resides with the Hawthornes, the family at Thorn Grove mourning the loss of their matriarch, who has appeared to Signa as a spirit claiming she was poisoned. To unravel the truth, Signa makes an alliance with Death, whose connection to her grows more powerful with each passing moment. Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.

32.Three Kisses One Midnight by Roshani Chokshi, Evelyn Skye, and Sandhya Menon

Release date: August 30What it's about: Three bestselling authors band together to present these magical love stories. One day a year, the Lady of Moon Ridge descends from the stars to journey among the townsfolk, presenting them with magic. This year, at Moon Ridge High, Onny, Ash, and True (friends known as The Coven) will be searching out the magic of romance, with the help of Onny's grandmother's love potion recipe. Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.

33.Meet Me in Mumbai by Sabina Khan

Release date: September 6What it's about: The only things that Mira knows about her biological mother, Ayesha, is that she was a high school student from India and that she returned to India after giving birth. When Mira finds an old box of letters written to her by her birth mother, she discovers that she's been invited to India for her 18th birthday to meet Ayesha. Mira has always been in search of a sense of belonging, after growing up in a mostly white community, but could the answers she's been looking for really be so close? Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.

34.Magical Boy Volume 2 by The Kao

Release date: September 6In case you haven't yet read Volume 1: This graphic novel, originally a webcomic, follows Max, who is a trans man just trying to get through high school. But when his mom reveals that he's descended from a long line of Magical Girls who save the world from evil, his life turns upside down. Now he'll need to save the world and become the next Magical Boy.What it's about: As more and more cracks in the seal open, allowing Devoid and his minions to pass through into our world, Max has to do his best to defeat them while continuing to grapple with the powers he never wanted. Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound.

35.Monsters Born and Made by Tanvi Berwah

Release date: September 6What it's about: The Glory Race is a deadly chariot tournament for the upper class featuring maristags, monsters that live in the black seas around their island. Koral and her family are indentured to the Landers (the ruling elite) to capture these maristags and provide them for the race, but there's no new maristag this year since the last one escaped. To provide for her family, Koral will need to cheat her way into the race and win it for herself, despite the forces attempting to get her to drop out. Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.

36.Aces Wild by Amanda DeWitt

Release date: September 6What it's about: It's not every day you hear about an asexual support group infiltrating a gambling club, but that's exactly the mission Jack Shannon is spearheading. After all, he's the son of a recently arrested Las Vegas casino mogul. But Jack knows his mom was sold out, and assuming that it was her rival (and jilted lover) Peter Carlevaro, he puts together a group of his closest friends that bonded through fandom forums in order to search for proof. Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.

37.The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson

Release date: September 6What it's about: One of YA's greatest writers heads to prom with this Carrie-esque story! Springville High is hosting the school's first integrated prom (a Band-Aid fix post a viral bullying video that revealed their racist roots). Maddy, who attends Springville, has always been an outcast at her school but is worried about becoming more of a target when it's revealed that she is biracial and has been passing as white to please her fanatical white father. Though it seems she's getting more of a normal life, even being asked to prom by the Black superstar quarterback (thanks to the convincing of his significant other, the white class president), the other secret that Maddy has been hiding is about to be unmasked at the dance. Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.

38.Self-Made Boys by Anna-Marie McLemore

Release date: September 6What it's about: New York City, 1922. Nicolás Caraveo's future is in New York, the promise of a future as a professional guiding the trans 17-year-old from Minnesota to the big city. Renting a house in West Egg from his cousin Daisy, who he's shocked to discover passes as white and goes by Daisy Fay and not Fabrega, Nick quickly discovers his next-door neighbor is the pinnacle of spectacle. Jay Gatsby's parties are dazzling — and slightly terrifying — to Nick, who learns both that Jay's true goal is to impress Daisy, and that Jay is also transgender. YA treasure Anna-Marie McLemore adds their signature touch to the Remixed Classics series with this impeccable take on Gatsby. Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.

39.I'm the Girl by Courtney Summers

Release date: September 13What it's about: Courtney Summers is an absolute expert at crafting unflinching thrillers, and this one is one of her best. After discovering the body of 13-year-old Ashley, 16-year-old Georgia finds herself investigating a world of privilege, including the wealthy resort located near the crime scene. Pairing up with Ashley's sister, Nora, the two set out to find Ashley's killer, before he strikes again. Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.

40.The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen by Isaac Blum

Release date: September 13What it's about: The story of Hoodie Rosen's first love is a bit...complicated. First of all, his entire Orthodox Jewish community just moved to Tregaron, a mostly non-Jewish town run by a mayor that isn't thrilled about the new arrivals.  Naturally, the girl he's falling for is the daughter of said mayor. And in the wake of a series of antisemitic crimes, Hoodie will have to balance community, teachings, and love to make it through. Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.

Be sure to also check out these young adult books releasing this summer:

A Secret Princess by Margaret Stohl & Melissa de la Cruz

Those Summer Nights by Laura Silverman

Nothing More to Tell by Karen M. McManus

Furysong by Rosaria Munda

After Life by Melissa de la Cruz

Accomplished by Amanda Quain

Moon Dark Smile by Tessa Gratton

A Year to the Day by Robin Benway