Psst! We have a secret to share. Did you know that many of your fave romance authors have also written YA books? From Christina Lauren and Rachel Lynn Solomon to Sandhya Menon and Lynn Painter, these authors have turned their talents to multiple genres and age groups, and we couldn’t be more thankful! Which of these amazing books are you planning to add to your TBR? Let us know!
We couldn't resist a shout-out to another of our fave Jenn Bennet books: Starry Eyes! In this romantic dramedy Zorie's way-too-ordinary life is driven off the beaten path (literally) and abandoned in the wilderness with her nemesis—the boy who broke her heart.
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Ready for more Jenn Bennett? Be sure to check out her other YA books, including: Chasing Lucky, The Lady Rogue, Serious Moonlight, and Alex, Approximately!
Elissa Sussman is a bestselling author of books for both teens and adults, and in a pervious life managed animators in some of the best animation studios in the world, including Nickelodeon, Disney, and more! Drawn That Way combines Moxie with the world of animation in this unputdownable novel about a teen girl determined to prove herself in the boys’ club of her dream industry no matter what it takes.
From contemporary rom-coms to a brand new series set at an elite boarding school! Of Curses and Kisses is the final installment in Sandhya Menon's latest series which puts a contemporary spin on Sleeping Beauty! Want more magical goodness? Check out the other books in this series, Of Curses and Kisses and Of Princes and Promises, both out now!
Sandhya Menon is another YA rom-com queen, and recently published her first adult romance, but perhaps her most well-known book is the classic When Dimple Met Rishi! This hilarious, heartfelt book is a fan-favorite for a reason, and follows two Indian-American teens whose parents conspire to arrange their marriage.
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From contemporary rom-coms to a brand new series set at an elite boarding school! Of Curses and Kisses is the first installment in Sandhya's latest series which kicks off with this contemporary spin on Beauty and the Beast.
Want more from Sandhya Menon? Check out There's Something About Sweetie, From Twinkle with Love, 10 Things I Hate About Pinky, and her (free!) short stories you can read here on SimonTeen.com: Love at First Fight and As Kismet Would Have It!
Jenn Bennett has written romances covering a wide range of topics, and her YA novels are just as heartfelt and engaging as her adult ones! Jenn's latest is Always Jane, a delightfully romantic story about a chauffer's daughter, Jane, who finds herself in the middle of a love triangle with the sons of her boss's wealthy next-door neighbors. Swoon!
Shea Ernshaw is the QUEEN of atmospheric magical romances that are just a little bit dark and a lot of cozy! In A Wilderness of Stars an illness cursing the land forces a teen girl astronomer to venture across the wilderness in search of the stars’ message that will, hopefully, save them all.
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Want more Shea? Check out Winterwood and The Wicked Deep!
This hilarious swoon-worthy rom-com from Lynn might not be on shelves quite yet, but this read is already a favorite of our team and we knew we had to include it! Lynn's latest YA masterpiece follows a teen girl who unwittingly finds herself at the center of a bet while working at a waterpark. This read is enemies-to-lovers shenanigans at its best, and it's out now!!!
After living through a dumpster fire of a Valentine’s Day, Emilie Hornby wakes up stuck in some sort of time loop nightmare. How many days can one girl passively watch her life go up in flames? And when something good starts to come out of these terrible days, what happens when the universe stops doling out do-overs?
Lynn Painter might just be the rom-com QUEEN, and Better Than the Movies takes the cake as the rom-com to end all rom-coms. In this fan-favorite read Liz Buxbaum, a hopeless romantic teen, attempts to secure a happily-ever-after moment with her forever crush, but finds herself reluctantly drawn to the boy next door instead. Be sure to read (or re-read) this swoony romance before the sequel, Nothing Like the Movies, hits shelves this October!
Another hilarious enemies-to-lovers romance from Rachel Lynn Solomon? Yes please! Today Tonight Tomorrow is an unforgettable romantic comedy about two rival overachievers that takes place over the course of twenty-four hours on the last day of senior year. Plus, the swoony, steamy sequel, Past Present Future, is out now!
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Want more from Rachel Lynn Solomon? Check out We Can't Keep Meeting Like This!
Romance novels by Christina Lauren are fan-favorites, and for good reason! This internationally bestselling author duo has taken the romance world by storm, and their YA novel Autoboyography is just as epic, moving, and complex as their adult novels. This coming-of-age love story follows two boys who fall in love in a writing class—one from a progressive family and the other from a conservative religious community.
A magical romance in the vein of Groundhog Day from romance author Rachel Lynn Solomon? Sign us up!!! Rachel is know for her relatable, ADORABLE romances, and See You Yesterday is no exception. This new release follows a girl forced to relive her disastrous first day of college, and is stuck in this time loop with her nemesis!
If you’ve fallen in love with Kai and Paedyn in Powerless, and had your heart ripped out by Adena and Mak in Powerful, we know that you can’t WAIT to read Reckless! Even though Powerless broke our hearts into a million tiny pieces the first time we read it (thanks, Lauren) and we were left on an EPIC cliffhanger, we knew we wanted to relive this epic story in preparation for our return to Ilya.
If you’re short on time and didn’t get to re-read Powerless to prepare, we’ve got you covered with this epic recap! If you want to do a re-read in the future, check out our tandem read guide for revisiting both Powerful and Powerless!
WARNING – if you haven’t already experienced the DELIGHT that comes with reading Powerless… go read it ASAP and stop reading here to avoid any spoilers!!!
Paedyn Gray is an Ordinary, something that makes you an outcast in the Kingdom of Ilya at best, and at worst, is a death sentence. For decades in Ilya, the Elites have possessed extraordinary powers gifted to them by the Plague, while anyone born without powers is considered a threat to the kingdom. Because of this, Paedyn is forced to use her skills of observation to pose as a Psychic to blend in with the Elites and survive in the infamous Loot Alley, a slum within the Kingdom. Her situation is made even worse when her father is killed by Imperials (the king’s guard), but in the years that follow, Paedyn’s world is made brighter by her best friend Adena, a seamstress, Phaser, and the sweetest of all sweeties. The two survive off of Adena’s sewing and Paedyn’s thievery.
This simple (but difficult and dangerous) way of life is completely overturned when Paedyn both robs and unwittingly saves Malakai “Kai” Azer—one of Ilya’s two princes—from an attack by members of the Resistance. Kai is training to become his brother Kitt, the future king’s Enforcer, as he is a Wielder, an ability that allows him to use the power of anyone within reach. While he may seem to be broody 100% of the time and is the darkness to his brother Kitt’s “Golden Boy” persona, Kai does have a heart and secretly attempts to spare any Ordinary children he’s tasked with hunting down, saving from a terrible fate when he can.
Paedyn’s heroic rescue of the prince earns her the nickname “Silver Savior,” and brings her unwelcome notoriety, placing a target on her back and earning her a place in the 6th Purging Trials. The Trials, which take place every year, are a series of deadly games meant to showcase the most powerful Elites’ abilities and earn them glory and notoriety. In reality, they are a means of reinforcing the prejudice against powerless individuals because the king himself chooses not only Elites (those with coveted powers) but also Mundanes (those with more common abilities), making the Trials an unfair fight.
After reading her name on the list of the chosen for the Trials, Paedyn must leave Adena behind (*sob*) and travel to the palace with the other participants. Once there, she meets her personal Imperial guard, Lenny, and begins to adjust to palace life. After two days in isolation in her room, Paedyn and the other contestants (Ace, Hera, Andrea “Andy” Vos, Braxton Hale, Sadie, and Blair) finally meet each other at a dinner, where she is also reunited with Kai and introduced to the king and queen. Tensions are HIGH (both between the opponents and between Kai and Paedyn), especially when Paedyn is shocked at the kings mention of her father, but the evening ends without any significant violence (just a little knife to throat action, NBD), and training begins for the contestants.
A few days later, the contestants are introduced to the public through interviews and demonstrations of their abilities, and Paedyn is able to put on a convincing show as a “Psychic”. Training continues, and against her better judgment, she finds herself befriending both Kitt, who is kind and compassionate (even though he closely resembles his cruel father), and the more challenging Kai. Paedyn and Kai struggle to resist their undeniable attraction to each other, but their differences as well as Paedyn’s desire to keep her secret keep them apart, so when Kitt asks her to be his partner for the upcoming ball, she accepts!
Paedyn struggles to find a gown for the event, but why not have something custom made when your BFF is an incredibly talented seamstress?! As an added perk, Adena is allowed to come live at the palace and given room, board, and salary for the duration of the Trials. Kai and Paedyn continue to grow closer, even participating in midnight dance lessons before the ball.
At the ball, Paedyn throws caution (and tradition) to the wind by wearing a STUNNING silver gown made by Adena to match her nickname, the “Silver Savior,” and a knife is tied to her thigh, leaving Kai FLUSTERED. Everything is going fairly well until a Resistance attack breaks up the celebrations. Paedyn is forced into a safe room with the royal family (other than Kai, who stays to fight), and the attack causes her to decide that, should she survive the Trials, she will find the Resistance.
The first Trial kicks off the very next day, when contestants awaken deep in the Whispers, Ilya’s impenetrable forest. The contestants are left to survive in the forest and fight one another to retrieve the most armbands, all while being surveilled from afar by Sights, Elites with the ability to record and project what they see for Ilya’s audience (Creepy much?). After Kai finds Paedyn injured, she and the prince form a tentative alliance and eventually make it through the Trial, but two contestants, Sadie and Hera, are killed. Afterward, Paedyn secretly returns to Loot Alley to find members of the Resistance (including her guard, Lenny!), whom she promises to help sneak into the arena during the final trial.
After a second ball, and a surprise fight to escalate tensions between the contestants, the second Trial begins. The contestants are grouped into teams and must climb a mountain to reach the top before the others. Despite being on opposing teams Kai and Paedyn both make the climb and reunite at the top. Most of the members of their respective teams make it as well, other than Braxton, who is killed by Blair. When a fight ensues between the contestants at the very top of the mountain, Paedyn lets Kai kill Ace, the Elite who injured her in the first Trial, while Kai lets her run to the flag and grab it, marking the end of the Trial.
The night of the third ball, Paedyn sneaks into the gardens to escape from the crowds. She is surprised to find Kai doing the same, and they lay in the grass together, talking about their lives and playing thumb wars (SWOON). They end the evening on an emotional note, and Paedyn returns to her room, only to be interrupted by Kitt, who asks Paedyn to take him to Loot. She agrees, because this is exactly what would help her find a passage the resistance can use to sneak into the palace, and together they sneak out via a hidden tunnel and observe life in Loot.
At the final ball, Paedyn steals the secret tunnel’s key from Kitt and passes it off to Lenny. Later that night, Paedyn and Kai almost kiss, but they are interrupted by an Imperial informing the prince that the king wants to see him. The king warns Kai against getting too attached to Paedyn, and tensions rise, but Kitt intervenes, leaving Kai angry but sure that he will not give up Paedyn.
The third and final Trial begins in the Bowl the next day. When the contestants arrive, they are faced with a huge maze created and controlled by Blooms, who can grow incredibly strong plants, and the king announces to the crowd that the person who reaches the center of the maze and kills the criminal waiting there first will win the Trial. Kai and Paedyn make their way to the center first, where they find Adena chained up and beaten. The king, who knows that Paedyn is an Ordinary, used Adena to teach her a lesson. Adena tries to warn her friend, but a branch thrown by Blair hits Adena in the chest and impales her. Paedyn screams and holds her friend as she collapses in agony.
Blair, the winner of the Trial, is cheered by the crowd. However, the atmosphere shifts when the celebration is interrupted by masked figures (the Resistance fighters!!) coming out of the tunnel and into the king’s box. They take the royal family hostage while others, including Silencers, ensure that no one in the crowd or among the contestants can use their powers. The fighters’ confrontation with the king and his Imperials, which was meant to be peaceful, turns into a massacre.
As Kitt realizes Paedyn’s treason, she attempts to flee. However, she is stopped by the king, who reveals the truth about her father’s murder. Paedyn’s father was killed because of his involvement with the Resistance, but not by the king… KAI killed him as part of his Enforcer training (O.M.G.). Overcome by emotion, Paedyn kills the king and confronts Kai, who has the chance to kill her, but lets her run away because although he’s enraged, he can’t bear to end her life.
Three days after the king’s death, Kitt has been crowned king, and is overwhelmed and exhausted by the pressure of his new position. In a haze of rage and grief over the loss of his father, Kitt orders Kai to hunt Paedyn down… and bring her back to him.
Want to get a head start on reading Reckless now that you’re all caught up? Read the first 10 chapters here!
If you binged all three seasons of Bridgerton like we did, or even read the original books that inspired the Netflix adaptation, you more than likely know and love the eight siblings of the Bridgerton family! To celebrate this iconic family we’ve matched each of the Bridgerton siblings to one of our favorite books. From Anthony’s broodiness to Daphne’s big sister attitude and responsibilities, which book and sibling pairing is your favorite?
Just like Anthony and Kate's love story, The Ballad of Darcy & Russell is filled with family drama, angst, and a sweet, swoony conclusion! If you haven't read Morgan Matson's newest delightful romance, you're missing out!
Benedict's time on screen throughout Bridgerton is filled with adorable, "aww" inducing moments, but like the main characters in this read, in season three he's having himself a Hot Boy Summer!
Colin and Penelope have taken "the ton" by storm in the latest season of Bridgerton, and their swoony romance mirrors Love, Off the Record in many ways! Secret identities, journalists spreading important news (aka gossip), and (most importantly) swoony romance combine to make the perfect read for Polin fans!
Daphne prides herself on being an amazing big sister, just like Margot in To All the Boys I've Loved Before! If you can't get enough of the sisterhood dynamics in Bridgerton, you'll love this feel-good quick read from Jenny Han.
Eloise is trying to fit in to survive in society just like Paedyn is in Powerless (but with MUCH lower stakes), and we think that these two fierce women would get along SO well!
Francesca is a big fan of the pianoforte, and there is no romance more perfect for music lovers than Love Radio! Will Francesca find love like Dani and Prince do? We hope so, but we'll have to wait to find out!
Like Gregory, this novel is chock full of adorableness! Plus, the romance between the main characters in She Gets the Girl, Alex and Molly, plays out similarly to Gregory's story in the Bridgerton books!
Like Hyacinth, Misfit in Love's Janna is caught up in the whirlwind of her siblings' love lives! In this fun and fresh sequel to Saints and Misfits, Janna hopes her brother’s wedding will be the perfect start to her own summer of love, but attractive new arrivals have her more confused than ever.
Summer is HERE, and whether you’re visiting the beach, sitting by the pool, or just sitting inside in the AC, you’re bound to need a few new books to add to your summer reading list. From the swooniest of romances to a chilling thriller set in Jamaica you’re sure to find something on this list to add to your TBR!
They fell for each other in just twenty-four hours. Now Rowan and Neil embark on a long-distance relationship during their first year of college in this romantic, dual POV sequel to Today Tonight Tomorrow.
Barely Missing Everything meets American Street in this fiercely evocative, action-packed young adult thriller that looks at the darker side of light-filled Jamaica and how a tragedy and missing drug money helplessly entangle the lives of two teens who want to change their fate.
Now in paperback! Shanghai is under siege in this “tightly paced” (School Library Journal, starred review) and searingly romantic sequel to These Violent Delights, which New York Times bestselling author Natasha Ngan calls “deliciously dark.”
The Hating Game meets Alex, Approximately in this smart, chemistry-filled teen rom-com about two rival journalism students competing for the same position on their university newspaper.
Queen Bey’s newest album, COWBOY CARTER, is here and clocking in at an expansive 27 songs, there’s SO much to love (and so much to dive into) in this amazing addition to Beyoncé’s discography. This album is unique and entirely original in its unique mix of sounds, and redefines the genre of country music. If you’re like us and can’t stop listening, you’ll definitely want to add these books to your TBR!
Adina Walker has known this the entire time she’s been on scholarship at the prestigious Edgewater Academy—a school for the rich (and mostly white) upper class of New England. It’s why she works so hard to be perfect and above reproach, because even one slip can cost you everything. And it does. One fight, one moment of lost control, leaves Adina blacklisted from her top choice Ivy League college and her only chance to regain the future she’s sacrificed everything for is the Finish, a high-stakes contest sponsored by Edgewater’s founding family. But when she arrives at the Finish, Adina quickly realizes that the Finish’s stakes aren’t just make or break…they’re life and death.
In the Jim Crow South, white supremacy reigns and tensions are high. But Evalene Deschamps has other things to worry about. She has two little sisters to look after, an overworked single mother, and a longtime crush who is finally making a move. On top of all that, Evvie’s magic abilities are growing stronger by the day. Her family calls it jubilation—a gift passed down from generations of black women since the time of slavery. And as Evvie’s talents waken, something dark comes loose and threatens to resurface…
After years of waiting for her Calling—a trial every witch must pass to come into their powers—the one thing Voya Thomas didn’t expect was to fail. When Voya’s ancestor gives her an unprecedented second chance to complete her Calling, she agrees—and then is horrified when her task is to kill her first love. And this time, failure means every Thomas witch will be stripped of their magic. Voya is determined to save her family’s magic no matter the cost. With mounting pressure from her family, Voya is caught between her morality and her duty to her bloodline. If she wants to save their heritage and her love, she’ll have to find something her ancestor wants more than blood. And in witchcraft, blood is everything.
Eli doesn’t know who he is or who he came from. Three years ago, he was found by his now-best friends, Sunny and Max, who gave him a home in a magical sanctuary doubling as a Caribbean restaurant. Malcolm would do anything to forget where he comes from. Desperate to escape his estranged father’s shadow and plagued with an inherited death magic he doesn’t fully understand, Malcolm has just one priority: save his mother, no matter the cost. Malcolm and Eli’s paths collide when Eli and his friends are sent to track down the fang of the leopard god Osebo, a deadly weapon that can eat magic. In a job filled with enigmatic nine nights and Caribbean legends, the teens must face their own demons as they race through the magical underbelly of London to retrieve the fang…before an ancient and malevolent power comes back to life.
Prince Jones is the guy with all the answers—or so it seems. After all, at seventeen, he has his own segment on Detroit’s popular hip-hop show, Love Radio, where he dishes out advice to the brokenhearted. Until he meets Dani Ford. Dani isn’t checking for anybody. She’s focused on her plan: ace senior year, score a scholarship, and move to New York City to become a famous author. Prince is smitten, but Dani’s not looking to get derailed. She gives Prince just three dates to convince her that he’s worth falling for. Three dates for the love expert to take his own advice, and just maybe change two lives forever.
Mac has never really felt like he belonged. Not on the baseball team, and definitely not at home. At least, not until meets Flor and Mikey. Over the course of one hot, life-changing, Texas summer, Mac will stand face-to-face with desire, betrayal, and letting go of shame, which will lead to some huge discoveries about the realness of truly belonging.
In Legendborn, Bree successfully infiltrated the Legendborn Order, a secret society descended from King Arthur’s knights—only to discover her own ancestral power. Now, Bree has become someone new, but the ancient war between demons and the Order is rising to a deadly peak. Bree wants to fight, but the Regents who rule the Order won’t let her. To them, as the living anchor for the spell that preserves the Legendborn cycle, she must be protected. But enemies are everywhere, and if Bree has any hope of saving herself and the people she loves, she must learn to control her powers from the ancestors who wielded them first—without losing herself in the process.
Postcard-perfect Jar Island is home to charming tourist shops, pristine beaches, amazing oceanfront homes—and three girls secretly plotting revenge. Kat is sick and tired of being bullied by her former best friend. Lillia has always looked out for her little sister, so when she discovers that one of her guy friends has been secretly hooking up with her, she’s going to put a stop to it. Mary is perpetually haunted by a traumatic event from years past, and the boy who’s responsible has yet to get what’s coming to him. None of the girls can act on their revenge fantasies alone without being suspected. But together…anything is possible.
Harlow Ford has spent her entire life running, caught in her mother’s wake as they flit from town to town, hiding from a presence that Harlow isn’t even sure is real. But when Harlow and her mom set off on yet another 3 a.m. escape, they are involved in a car accident that leaves Harlow’s mother fatally wounded. Before she dies, she tells Harlow two things: where to find the key to a safety deposit box and to never stop running. Harlow realizes she has two choices: keep fleeing her mom’s ghosts or face down the nebulous threat that’s been hanging over her for her entire life.
Miles Morales is just your average teenager. He has unexpectedly become totally obsessed with poetry and can never seem to do much more than babble around his crush. Nothing too weird. Oh! Except, just yesterday, he used his Spidey superpowers to save the world (no biggie) from an evil mastermind called The Warden. And the grand prize Miles gets for that is…suspension. But what begins as a long boring day of in-school suspension is interrupted by a little bzzz in his mind. Soon he finds himself in a fierce battle with an insidious…termite?! His unexpected foe is hiding a secret, one that could lead to the destruction of the world’s history—especially Black and Brown history—and only Miles can stop him.
The Lo family sticks together. That’s what Honor has been told her whole life while growing up in the glare of the public eye on Lo and Behold, the reality show about her, her four siblings, and their parents. Their show may be off the air, but the Lo family members still live in the spotlight as influencers churning out podcasts, bestselling books, and brand partnerships. So when Honor’s father announces that he’s moving out of their northern California home to rent an apartment in Brooklyn, Honor’s personal upset becomes the internet’s trending B-list celebrity trainwreck. As increasingly terrible secrets come to light about the people Honor thought she knew best in the world, she’s forced to choose between loyalty to her family and fighting for the life she wants.
Ashley Bennett and her friends are living the charmed life, but everything changes one afternoon in April, when four LAPD officers are acquitted after beating a black man named Rodney King half to death. Suddenly, Ashley’s not just one of the girls. She’s one of the black kids. As violent protests engulf LA and the city burns, Ashley tries to continue on as if life were normal, but with her world splintering around her, Ashley, along with the rest of LA, is left to question who is the us? And who is the them?
If you’re a competitive person, reading about fierce rivalries and challenges that will keep you on the edge of your seat is a fun way to tap into that side of yourself (without scaring off your friends and family members thanks to a heated board game competition). You are probably familiar with the iconic competitions found in the YA classics, but if you’re looking for something new, here are some heart-pounding recs we know you’ll love!
Powerless has taken the world of YA fantasy by storm, and for good reason! This romantasy read has EVERYTHING you could want in your fantasy read, a forbidden romance between a powerful prince and an ordinary girl, immersive worldbuilding, and the Purging Trials, a brutal competition that exists to pit the powerful Elites against one another.
If there's one thing we love as YA readers, it's vampires! The Revenant Games takes us beyond the traditional vampire/human romance and throws us in the middle of warring witch and vampire kingdoms, both of which buy human blood (either for food or spells). Once a year the uneasy truce between kingdoms is dissolved as they hold the Revenant Games, a contest that allows humans to compete for the life-changing prize of either raising one person from the dead or immortality, depending on which side you play for.
Iris has discovered a terrifying secret, the world is ending, and a mysterious committee has the power to decide who lives... and who doesn't. To choose a leader for the impending apocalypse, the Enlightenment Committee is holding the Tournament of Freaks, a macabre competition made up of vicious fighters with fantastical abilities. Will Iris survive?
Ever since a vampire murdered her mother, Ava has been determined to get revenge. But it’s been ten years since anyone’s seen a vampire, and Ava has lost hope that she’ll ever find one…until she stumbles across a hidden magic show where she witnesses impossible illusions. The magicians reveal they’re part of an ancient secret society with true magic, and Ava has the same power in her blood that they do. But there’s a catch: if she wants to keep the power they offer, she needs to prove she’s worthy of it by entering a sinister and dangerous competition where illusion and reality blur, and the stakes are deadly.
If you’re a fantasy fan looking to explore something a little darker, or just want a moody read that doesn’t quite step into thriller or horror, dark fantasy is the perfect subgenre to explore! The definition of this type of fantasy read is a little tricky to pin down, but whether they feature humans wrestling with supernatural forces, an anti-hero as the main character, or a heaping dose of moral ambiguity in your characters, there’s something for everyone on this list.
No matter what season it is, sometimes you just need a feel-good read, and that’s exactly what cozy fantasy is! These reads are the perfect choice if you’re in the mood for a fun fantasy adventure but not in the mood for super high stakes, complex worldbuilding, or cliffhanger endings. If you need a book that feels like a warm hug on a rainy day, add these cozy fantasies to your TBR!
Grab a mug of hot tea and your favorite blanket as you enter the world of Otherworldly, where winter has reigned for five long years. Ellery doesn't believe in the supernatural, so you can imagine their surprise when they cross paths with Knox, who claims he is a familiar from the Other World and has abilities that can't be explained by logic. Even alternate realms can't break their bond, and you won't be able to help "aww"-ing at every arm brush, deep convo, and shared smile between the grumpy/sunshine pairing.
The books in Elisabeth’s world are not like ours, they're dangerous and can transform into terrible monsters if given the chance, and she’s spent her entire life protecting the kingdom from their power. When the library’s most dangerous book is released, Elisabeth finds herself framed for the crime, and the only person she can turn to for help is her sworn enemy, the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn! Once you've read Sorcery of Thorns find out what happens next for Elisabeth and Nathaniel in their sequel novella, Mysteries of Thorn Manor!
Something Close to Magic is such a PERFECT cozy fantasy! In this deliciously romantic read Aurelie, a baker's apprentice, reluctantly embarks on a magical adventure that leads her to new friendships and a prince in distress!
This queer cozy fantasy is a delightful blend between Carry On and Arthurian legend and shows us what happens after the chosen one wins the kingdom and has to get married to keep it…and to stay alive. So This Is Ever After is a total romp and we DARE you not to fall in love with Arek, his best friend Matt, and their whole ragtag group of quest companions!
In An Enchantment of Ravens painting prodigy Isobel is well-accustomed to her immortal and infallible clientele, until the Autumn Prince, Rook, commissions her. But she makes a fatal mistake in painting mortal sorrow in his eyes, a crime she must stand trial for in the Autumnlands. They quickly find trouble on their journey are driven closer than they ever thought they could be!
Prince Tal is finally going on his long awaited coming-of-age tour to see his family’s kingdom after spending most of his life secluded in the palace hall, keeping his forbidden magic a secret. Early on in his tour, Tal meets a rogue-ish mystery boy, Athlen, who he can’t deny his connection to. In Deeper Waters is a delightful story about magic, pirates, and young love!
2024 is shaping up to be a BIG year for amazing new reads! From swoony romcoms and epic romantasy reads to heartwrenching nonfiction and mind-bending thrillers, there’s something for everything on this list. Be sure to preorder and save your faves to Goodreads so you don’t miss out on any of this year’s new releases!
Out 1/2! The Field Guide to the North American Teenager meets Derry Girls in this hilarious and relatable young adult novel in diary entries about a British teen determined to be a good feminist and her charming, embarrassing, and inspiring journey to figuring out how.
Out 1/2! Judy Blume’s groundbreaking novel about first relationships, first love, and…the first time—now with a stunning new look!
Out 2/6! Neve faces her vengeful cousin, the leader of the legions of hell, forcing her to decide where her loyalties truly lie in this thrilling sequel to Ravensong that’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Celtic mythology.
Out 2/13! A teen’s fight for suffrage turns into one of survival when her crew’s Antarctic expedition ship gets stuck in the ice in this historical novel told in journal entries perfect for fans of Gary Paulsen and The Downstairs Girl.
Out 2/13! A painfully average teen’s life is upended by a magical apocalypse in this darkly atmospheric and sweepingly romantic novel perfect for fans of The Raven Boys, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and The Rest of Us Just Live Here.
Out 2/20! For fans of Talia Hibbert and Lynn Painter comes a funny and unflinchingly honest story about a teen who must come to terms with her disability and what it means for her identity, her love life, and her future.
Out 2/27! After her private school is rocked by a gruesome murder, a teen tries to find the real killer and clear her brother’s name in this psychological thriller perfect for fans of The Taking of Jake Livingston and Ace of Spades.
Out 2/27! A girl with dangerous magic makes a risky bargain with a demon to be free of her monstrous power in this young adult fantasy perfect for fans of An Enchantment of Ravens and House of Salt and Sorrows.
Out 3/5! Julie Murphy meets Casey McQuiston in this unforgettable queer romance about a teen girl whose foray into fantasy tabletop roleplaying brings her new confidence, true friends, and a shot at real, swoon-worthy love.
Out 3/19! All of Us Villains meets Kingdom of the Wicked in this action-packed fantasy following a teen determined to win the competition held by warring vampire and witch kingdoms, only to develop complicated feelings for the vampire she’s supposed to hand over.
Out 4/2! A skeptic and a supernatural being make a crossroads deal to achieve their own ends only to get more than they bargained for in this lively young adult romantic adventure from the New York Times bestselling author of Spell Bound and So This Is Ever After.
Out 4/16! For fans of Legendborn, Neil Gaiman, and Leigh Bardugo, this urban young adult fantasy steeped in Afro-Carribbean folklore follows two Black teens searching for a powerful artifact in the hidden magical side of London.
Out 4/23! In this stirring young adult romance from award-winning author Margarita Engle, love and conservation intertwine as two teens fight to protect wildlife and heal from their troubled pasts.
Out 4/23! A bisexual teen girl tries to make her ex jealous by faking an Instagram romance that leads to surprisingly real feelings in this hijinks-filled rom-com perfect for fans of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and She Gets the Girl.
Out 4/23! In this sequel to the New York Times bestselling, “pulse-pounding” (Publishers Weekly) A Door in the Dark, Ren’s intellect and cunning are stretched to the limit in her quest to take down the system that stole her father’s life.
Out 4/30! A teen girl searches for closure after her brother dies by suicide in this breathtaking novel from the author of Learning to Breathe and Facing the Sun.
Out 4/16! Penny Dreadful meets The Gilded Wolves in this breathtaking finale to the young adult historical fantasy Bones of Ruin trilogy!
Out 5/7! From New York Times bestselling author Morgan Matson comes a sweeping romantic novel about love, fate…and that one night that can change everything.
Out 5/7! Four gay teens in Texas have the summer of their lives while discovering important truths about realness, belonging, and friendship in this joyful young adult contemporary novel for fans of Adam Silvera and Becky Albertalli.
Out 5/7! Barely Missing Everything meets American Street in this fiercely evocative, action-packed young adult thriller that looks at the darker side of light-filled Jamaica and how a tragedy and missing drug money helplessly entangle the lives of two teens who want to change their fate.
Out 5/7! Now with a beautiful new look, this sweet summer romance about “the floaty happiness of first love” (BCCB) between a girl living in a beachside island town and a city boy is perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Morgan Matson.
Out 5/28! They Both Die at the End meets You’ve Reached Sam, in this heart-stopping speculative young adult novel from New York Times bestselling author Robbie Couch that explores all the different ways love can live on after tragedy.
Out 6/4! They fell for each other in just twenty-four hours. Now Rowan and Neil embark on a long-distance relationship during their first year of college in this romantic, dual POV sequel to Today Tonight Tomorrow.
Out 6/11! The Hating Game meets Alex, Approximately in this smart, chemistry-filled teen rom-com about two rival journalism students competing for the same position on their university newspaper.
Out 7/2! Paedyn and Kai battle with duty and desire in this highly anticipated second installment in the sizzling and epic romantic fantasy trilogy that’s packed with spicy tension and edge-of-your-seat betrayal.
Out 4/30! Set during the time of the New York Times bestseller Powerless, fan favorite Adena gets a story all her own in this captivating novella as she attempts to survive on the streets of Loot…and falls for a mysterious—and dangerous—Elite.
Out 7/2! An anxious teen hopes that a summer of adventure and offbeat dares will keep her friend group together after graduation in this luminous coming-of-age graphic novel with the feel-good vibes of Booksmart and Morgan Matson’s Since You’ve Been Gone.
Out 7/9! Two Muslim teens in Texas fight for access to abortion while one harbors a painful secret in this funny and heartfelt near-future speculative novel perfect for fans of Unpregnant.
Out 8/13! In this action-packed finale to the House of the Dead Duology, Wren and her friends put everything they know to the test as they battle the living and the undead to save their world.
Out 7/9! A young technomancer teams up with a handsome thief to save her sister in this propulsive, magic-filled young adult fantasy that is perfect for fans of Gearbreakers and Iron Widow.
Out 7/30! A group of friends fight to choose their own fates in this trope-savvy, self-referential young adult thriller from the acclaimed author of Their Vicious Games, about a demonic force that acts according to horror movie rules in the spirit of the Scream movies.
Out 8/20! In the vein of The Haunting of Hill House, a teen returns to the mysterious house from her past to search for her missing sister and uncover the truth of Brier Hall in this atmospheric and eerie modern gothic novel.
Out 10/1! House of Roots and Ruin meets The Darkest Part of the Forest in this gorgeous dark fantasy debut steeped in Norse mythology that follows a teen who accidentally awakens an imprisoned draugr and must follow him into a deadly magical forest to rescue her grandmother.
Out 8/27! From the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow, this novel follows two Cuban teens in LA’s Echo Park neighborhood who clash over their visions for the future, the secrets between their families…and the sparks flying between them.
Out 8/27! A raw and honest historical novel in verse about a Chinese teen who immigrates to the United States with his family and endures mistreatment at the Angel Island Immigration Station while trying to navigate his own course in a new world.
Out 9/10! This “important and necessary book for our time” (Amber Smith, New York Times bestselling author of The Way I Used to Be) confronts the myth of the friendzone as a boy in love with his best friend feels he’s owed a chance at romance—and she’s the only one in their lives who disagrees.
Out 9/24! An all-girls school is struck with mysterious cases of screaming hysteria in this chilling dark academia thriller haunted by a deeply buried history clawing to the light.
Out 10/1! ‘Tis the season for holiday hijinks in the newest sapphic rom-com about a rising star and a small town girl going on twelve fake holidates from the New York Times bestselling authors of She Gets the Girl, Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick!
Out 10/1! In this highly anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestselling Better than the Movies, Wes and Liz struggle to balance their feelings for each other with the growing pains of being a college student.
Out 10/1! In this young adult edition of the bestselling, award-winning memoir The Choice, Holocaust survivor and renowned psychologist Dr. Edith Eger shares her harrowing experiences and gives readers the gift of hope and strength.
Release date TBD! Ninth House meets The Hazel Wood in this riveting sequel to the New York Times bestselling dark academia fantasy Curious Tides, following Emory, Baz, Romie, and Kai on their desperate quests through space and time!
Out 11/12! Arlo and her friends struggle to rally against an overwhelming foe before time runs out in this gripping final book in the Hollow Star Saga, the urban fantasy series about fae in Toronto that’s The Cruel Prince meets City of Bones!
Pretty much everyone on the team here at Simon Teen is a HUGE fan of romance tropes. From forbidden love to love triangles and everything in between, you can often find us discussing (or debating) about all of the amazing books that feature these beloved tropes. To celebrate the staples of the romance genre we’ve rounded up a few examples of our favorite YA romances that feature them!
Katherine and Michael are ready—for each other, for love. Katherine is ready for her first time. They are both ready for this to be forever. They are perfect together, inseparable. Until the summer separates them, and Katherine meets Theo. But she and Michael are truly in love. That means forever. Right? Is this really the love of a lifetime, or the very beginning of a lifetime of love?
If you're a fan of this trope, you have to read Neal Schusterman's Scythe. In a world where death has been eradicated, the population is controlled by Scythes — a mysterious group of people with the power to “glean,” or permanently kill, anyone they want. When Citra and Ronan are chosen to be apprentices to Scythe Faraday, they’re in for more than they bargained for — especially when their apprenticeships turn into a competition that only one of them can survive.
One of our favorite enemies to lovers romances is How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the Universe. When her twin sister reaches social media stardom, Moon Fuentez takes a job as the “merch girl” on a tour bus full of beautiful influencers and meets her bunkmate and new nemesis, Santiago Phillips, who is grumpy, combative, and also the hottest guy Moon has ever seen. Moon is certain she hates Santiago and that he hates her back. But as chance and destiny (and maybe, probably, close proximity) bring the two of them in each other’s perpetual paths, Moon starts to wonder if that’s really true.
See this classic trope play out in Jenny Han’sTo All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, when Lara Jean’s crushes are inadvertently revealed to the world, and she must pretend to date a former friend in order to save face. Bonus! To All the Boys I've Loved Before is now to a movie on Netflix!
Foul Lady Fortune puts SUCH a fun spin on the fake dating trope, following an ill-matched pair of spies posing as a married couple to investigate a series of brutal murders in 1930s Shanghai.
After Bree is inducted into a secret society made up of descendants of the Round Table, she and Nick, the classic "good guy," get very close. In the meantime, Sel, the bad boy, doesn’t trust Bree and actively tries to make her disappear—cute, right? This love triangle perfectly exemplifies the age-old debate: nice guy or bad boy? Once you've read Legendborn find out what happens next for Bree, Sel, and Nick in Bloodmarked!
Lena has a secret: the touch of her skin can kill. When Miranda offers Lena a deal to break her curse, she cannot refuse this opportunity. Along the way, they meet Alaric, and Lena can’t help but catch feelings for both of her companions. Alaric is a comfort, and Miranda makes Lena want to dream. She is stuck with not only who to pick, but who to trust.
There's no forbidden love story more beloved than the story of Romeo and Juliet, and this imaginative retelling of the classic tale is a must-read. These Violent Delights follows eighteen-year-old Juliette Cai, a former flapper who has returned to assume her role as the proud heir of the Scarlet Gang—a network of criminals far above the law. Their only rivals in power are the White Flowers, who have fought the Scarlets for generations. And behind every move is their heir, Roma Montagov, Juliette’s first love…and first betrayal.
Two centuries ago, three sisters living in Sparrow were sentenced to death for witchery and drowned. Now Sparrow is cursed, and for a brief time each summer, the sisters return, stealing the bodies of three weak-hearted girls so they may seek their revenge. Penny Talbot has accepted the fate of the town. But this year, on the eve of the return, a strange named Bo Carter arrives. And as Penny and Bo start to fall for each other, someone else starts to fall for Bo as well — one of the Swan sisters. And so Penny must choose: save Bo, or save herself.
Belly lives for the summers she spends at the beach house. The only thing better than the ocean is staying next door to Conrad and Jeremiah, two brothers who have been her friends since birth. She’s had feelings for brooding Conrad for as long as she can remember, but he’s never returned her affections. But this summer, they’re all a year older and their relationships feel different. Even easygoing Jeremiah is catching her eye in a way he hasn’t before. Full of transportive descriptions of a beach getaway and young love, this is the perfect breezy summer read.
Sky is determined to ask his crush, Ali Rashid, to prom, even though he’s not sure whether Ali is into guys. Might as well shoot his shot, right? But when Sky’s plans get leaked to the school in a cyberbullying attack, he and his friends (and Ali!) band together to show the bullies that homophobia has no place in their small town. Ali is interested in someone else, but one of Sky’s friends might be interested in him. It’s delightful to pick up on the clues even while Sky remains completely clueless.