Are you looking for some of the year’s bestselling books? Well, look no further! Here is every bestselling book from Riveted by Simon Teen in 2022.

We had so many amazing new releases come out during the final months of 2022! Which of these new reads have claimed a place on your end of the year TBR?

Must-Read Books That Came Out in November and December 2022

1. The Ones We Burn by Rebecca Mix

Love and duty collide in this richly imagined, atmospheric young adult debut about a witch whose dark powers put her at the center of a brewing war between the only family she’s ever known and the enemy who makes her question everything.

Monster. Butcher. Bloodwinn.

Ranka is tired of death. All she wants now is to be left alone, living out her days in Witchik’s wild north with the coven that raised her, attempting to forget the horrors of her past. But when she is named Bloodwinn, the next treaty bride to the human kingdom of Isodal, her coven sends her south with a single directive: kill him. Easy enough, for a blood-witch whose magic compels her to kill.

Except the prince is gentle, kind, and terrified of her. He doesn’t want to marry Ranka; he doesn’t want to be king at all. And it’s his sister—the wickedly smart, infuriatingly beautiful Princess Aramis—who seems to be the real threat.

But when witches start turning up dead, murdered by a mysterious, magical plague, Aramis makes Ranka an offer: help her develop a cure, and in return, she’ll help Ranka learn to contain her deadly magic. As the coup draws nearer and the plague spreads, Ranka is forced to question everything she thought she knew about her power, her past, and who she’s meant to fight for. Soon, she will have to decide between the coven that raised her and the princess who sees beyond the monster they shaped her to be.

But as the bodies pile up, a monster may be exactly what they need.

 

2. Vespertine paperback by Margaret Rogerson

An international bestseller!

From the New York Times bestselling author of Sorcery of Thorns and An Enchantment of Ravens comes a thrilling, “dark coming-of-age adventure” (Culturess) about a teen girl with mythic abilities who must defend her world against restless spirits of the dead.

The spirits of the dead do not rest.

Artemisia is training to be a Gray Sister, a nun who cleanses the bodies of the deceased so that their souls can pass on; otherwise, they will rise as ravenous, hungry spirits. She would rather deal with the dead than the living, who whisper about her scarred hands and troubled past.

When her convent is attacked by possessed soldiers, Artemisia defends it by awakening an ancient spirit bound to a saint’s relic. It is a revenant, a malevolent being whose extraordinary power almost consumes her—but death has come, and only a vespertine, a priestess trained to wield a high relic, has any chance of stopping it. With all knowledge of vespertines lost to time, Artemisia turns to the last remaining expert for help: the revenant itself.

As she unravels a sinister mystery of saints, secrets, and dark magic, Artemisia discovers that facing this hidden evil might require her to betray everything she believes—if the revenant doesn’t betray her first.

 

3. Cruel Illusions by Margie Fuston

Caraval meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer in this deliciously dark young adult fantasy about a girl who makes a deal with a magical secret society to enter a potentially deadly competition for the chance to avenge her mother’s death.

Ever since a vampire murdered her mother, Ava has been determined to get revenge. This all-encompassing drive has given her the fuel she needed to survive foster home after foster home.

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 may not be the bloodsuckers she’s hunting, but Ava is convinced something supernatural is at play, so she sneaks backstage and catches them in acts they can’t explain.

But they’ve been waiting for her.

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. If she joins them, they promise to teach her the skills she needs to hunt vampires and avenge her mother. But there’s a catch: if she wants to keep the power they offer, she needs to prove she’s worthy of it. And to do so, she must put on the performance of her life in a sinister and dangerous competition where illusion and reality blur, and the stakes are deadly.

 

4. Gleanings by Neal Shusterman

The New York Times bestselling Arc of the Scythe series continues with thrilling stories that span the timeline. Storylines continue. Origin stories are revealed. And new Scythes emerge!

There are still countless tales of the Scythedom to tell. Centuries passed between the Thunderhead cradling humanity and Scythe Goddard trying to turn it upside down. For years humans lived in a world without hunger, disease, or death with Scythes as the living instruments of population control.

Neal Shusterman—along with collaborators David Yoon, Jarrod Shusterman, Sofía Lapuente, Michael H. Payne, Michelle Knowlden, and Joelle Shusterman—returns to the world throughout the timeline of the Arc of a Scythe series. Discover secrets and histories of characters you’ve followed for three volumes and meet new heroes, new foes, and some figures in between.

Gleanings shows just how expansive, terrifying, and thrilling the world that began with the Printz Honor–winning Scythe truly is.

 

5. Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn

The powerful sequel to the instant New York Times bestselling and award-winning Legendborn—perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare and Margaret Rogerson!

The shadows have risen, and the line is law.

All Bree wanted was to uncover the truth behind her mother’s death. So she 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:

A Medium. A Bloodcrafter. A Scion.

But the ancient war between demons and the Order is rising to a deadly peak. And Nick, the Legendborn boy Bree fell in love with, has been kidnapped.

Bree wants to fight, but the Regents who rule the Order won’t let her. To them, she is an unknown girl with unheard-of power, and as the living anchor for the spell that preserves the Legendborn cycle, she must be protected.

When the Regents reveal they will do whatever it takes to hide the war, Bree and her friends must go on the run to rescue Nick themselves. But enemies are everywhere, Bree’s powers are unpredictable and dangerous, and she can’t escape her growing attraction to Selwyn, the mage sworn to protect Nick until death.

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.

 

6. Luminary by Kate Scelsa

A collection of mystical practices and exercises, Luminary is a one-of-a-kind guide to mindfulness and self-care for teens to support a life of empowerment, confidence, and, of course, magic!

Self-care is not only necessary, it’s magical! Your road to self-care can be a mystical journey that leaves you feeling more confident, determined, and ready to accomplish all those bucket-list items and dreams you have scribbled in your journal. So why not start that journey now?

Find both mystical and practical tools to help deal with stress, depression, and other challenges in this gorgeously illustrated and highly designed guide offering different creative ways of living a heart-centered, mindful, and magical life through concrete tools for self-care and advice from a diverse group of practitioners in areas like tarot, astrology, energy work, and much more.

Luminary is a book of practical magic that empowers you to pursue mental wellness with curiosity and confidence. But it’s also a book of possibility that pushes the boundaries of what self-help can be.

 

7. Stellarlune by Shannon Messenger

In this stunning ninth book in the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling Keeper of the Lost Cities series, Sophie and her friends discover the true meaning of power—and evil.

Sophie Foster changed the game.

Now she’s facing impossible choices:
When to act.
When to trust.
When to let go.

Her friends are divided and scattered, and the Black Swan wants Sophie to focus on their projects. But her instincts are leading her somewhere else.

Stellarlune—and the mysterious Elysian—might be the key to everything. But finding truth in the Lost Cities always requires sacrifice. And as the Neverseen’s plans sharpen into terrifying focus, it appears that everyone has miscalculated. The Lost Cities’ greatest lie could destroy everything. And in the battle that follows, only one thing is certain: nothing will ever be the same.

 

8. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe 10th Anniversary Edition by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

A Time Best YA Book of All Time (2021)

Celebrate the tenth anniversary of the award-winning, internationally renowned book that is a “tender, honest exploration of identity” (Publishers Weekly) and distills lyrical truths about family and friendship with this gorgeously designed collectible edition.

Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship—the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime. And it is through this friendship that Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about themselves and the kind of people they want to be.

Crafted specially to celebrate the tenth anniversary of this beloved book’s publication, and featuring special, never-before-seen content, this beautiful edition is a must-own for anyone who loves Ari and Dante or who wants to discover their story for the first time.

 

9. A Consuming Fire by Laura E. Weymouth

Uprooted meets The Grace Year in this dark young adult fantasy of love and vengeance following a girl who vows to kill a god after her sister is unjustly slain by his hand.

Weatherell girls aren’t supposed to die.

Once every eighteen years, the isolated forest village of Weatherell is asked to send one girl to the god of the mountain to give a sacrifice before returning home. Twins Anya and Ilva Astraea are raised with this destiny in mind, and when their time comes, spirited Ilva volunteers to go. Her devoted sister Anya is left at home to pray for Ilva’s safe return. But Anya’s prayers are denied.

With her sister dead, Anya volunteers to make a journey of her own to visit the god of the mountain. But unlike her sister, sacrifice is the furthest thing from Anya’s mind. Anya has no intention of giving anything more to the god, or of letting any other girl do so ever again. Anya Astraea has not set out to placate a god. She’s set out to kill one.

 

10. The Do-Over by Lynn Painter

In this riotous young adult romp for fans of Recommended for You and A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow, a teen girl has the worst Valentine’s Day ever—only to relive it over and over again.

After living through a dumpster fire of a Valentine’s Day, Emilie Hornby escapes to her grandmother’s house for some comfort and a consolation pint of Ben & Jerry’s. She passes out on the couch, but when she wakes up, she’s back home in her own bed—and it’s Valentine’s Day all over again. And the next day? Another nightmare V-Day.

Emilie is stuck in some sort of time loop nightmare that she can’t wake up from as she re-watches her boyfriend, Josh, cheat on her day after day. In addition to Josh’s recurring infidelity, Emilie can’t get away from the enigmatic Nick, who she keeps running into—sometimes literally—in unfortunate ways.

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?

 

11. The Secrets We Keep by Cassie Gustafson

In the vein of The Way I Used to Be and Kelly Loy Gilbert’s Conviction, this heartbreaking yet hopeful young adult novel follows a girl’s struggle to reconcile friendship, sexual abuse, and the secrets we bury deep down inside to survive.

High school freshman Emma Clark harbors a secret—a secret so vile it could implode her whole world, a secret she’s managed to keep buried…until the day her best friend, Hannah, accuses Emma’s father of a heinous crime.

Following her father’s arrest and torn between loyalty to Hannah and to her family, Emma is devastated to learn she must testify against Hannah’s word in order to keep her family together. As Emma wrestles with this impossible decision, her fractured past begins to resurface piece by painful piece—causing the line to blur between her present-day reality and the dark fairy tales she writes to survive, all of which threaten to expose Emma’s long-buried truths.

The Secrets We Keep explores the complex, powerful bonds of friendship and family, asking the difficult question: At what point does Emma’s loyalty to another become a betrayal of herself? And perhaps the toughest question of all: Can Emma find the strength to finally unbury her secret?

 

12. It’s Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han

Now an Original Series on Prime Video

Belly finds out what comes after falling in love in this follow-up to The Summer I Turned Pretty from the New York Times bestselling author of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, Jenny Han.

It used to be that Belly counted the days until summer, until she was back at Cousins Beach with Conrad and Jeremiah. But not this year. Not after Susannah got sick again and Conrad stopped caring. Everything that was right and good has fallen apart, leaving Belly wishing summer would never come.

But when Jeremiah calls saying Conrad has disappeared, Belly knows what she must do to make things right again. And it can only happen back at the beach house, the three of them together, the way things used to be. If this summer really and truly is the last summer, it should end the way it started—at Cousins Beach.

 

13. Other Side of the Tracks by Charity Alyse

This lilting and riveting young adult debut novel about three teens entangled by secret love, open hatred, and the invisible societal constraints wrapped around people both Black and white is perfect for readers of All American Boys and The Hate U Give.

There is an unspoken agreement between the racially divided towns of Bayside and Hamilton: no one steps over the train tracks that divide them. Or else.

Not until Zach Whitman anyway, a white boy who moves in from Philly and who dreams of music. When he follows his dream across the tracks to meet his idol, the famous jazz musician who owns The Sunlight Record Shop in Hamilton, he’s flung into Capri Collins’s path.

Capri has big plans: she wants to follow her late mother’s famous footsteps, dancing her way onto Broadway, and leaving this town for good, just like her older brother, Justin, is planning to do when he goes off to college next year. As sparks fly, Zach and Capri realize that they can help each other turn hope into a reality, even if it means crossing the tracks to do it.

But one tragic night changes everything. When Justin’s friend, the star of Hamilton’s football team, is murdered by a white Bayside police officer, the long-standing feud between Bayside and Hamilton becomes an all-out war And Capri, Justin, and Zach are right in the middle of it.

 

14. A Wilderness of Stars by Shea Ernshaw

Deluxe edition with special embellishments on first printing only!

In this magical romance from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Long Live the Pumpkin Queen, 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.

When all is lost, look to the stars.

Vega has lived in the valley her whole life—forbidden by her mother to leave the safety of its borders because of the unknown threats waiting for her in the wilds beyond. But when Vega sees an omen in the sky—one she cannot ignore—she is forced to leave the protective boundaries of the valley. Yet the outside world is much more terrifying than Vega could have ever imagined. People are gravely sick—they lose their eyesight and their hearing, just before they lose their lives.

But Vega has a secret: she is the Last Astronomer—a title carried from generation to generation—and she is the only one who understands the knowledge of the stars. Knowledge that could hold the key to a cure. So when locals spot the tattoo on Vega’s neck in the shape of a constellation—the mark of an astronomer—chaos erupts. Fearing for her life, Vega is rescued by a girl named Cricket who leads her to Noah, a boy marked by his own mysterious tattoos.

On the run from the men hunting her, Vega sets out across the plains with Cricket and Noah, in search of a fabled cure kept secret by the astronomers. But as the line between friends and protectors begins to blur, Vega must decide whether to safeguard the sacred knowledge of the astronomers…or if she will risk everything to try to save them all.

 

15. The Last Field Party by Abbi Glines 

The seventh and final book in the #1 New York Times bestselling Field Party series—a Southern soap opera filled with football, cute boys, and pick-up trucks—from USA TODAY bestselling author Abbi Glines.

Five years after the Lawton High football team last took the field, everyone is gathering for a special event back home in Alabama. But coming back together brings up memories from the past. Special ones. Painful ones. Unforgettable ones. And for some, the reunion introduces an opportunity to confront unresolved issues.

Can Asa and Ezmita continue to run away from what their hearts truly want? What about Nash and Tallulah—will their natural attraction to each other last when trust concerns rise to the surface? For West and Maggie, five years later means taking the next step—if they have the courage to face it. And a joyous celebration waits for Brady and Riley and their beautiful family. But family may be the point of contention when it comes to Gunner and Willa and their upcoming plans. Finally, there are Ryker and Aurora, who must continue to fight their way through insecurity and temptation.

All these couples find themselves face-to-face with not only the past but a possible future worth celebrating. So as we catch up with the members of the Lawton High football team, the future still remains unknown. Will everyone get their happy endings? Or will they leave it all on the field as they step forward toward the days ahead?

 

16. How Do Meerkats Order Pizza? by Brooke Barker 

In this uproariously funny and charmingly illustrated nonfiction book for middle grade readers, Brooke Barker of Sad Animal Facts introduces readers to incredible animals and the bizarre things human scientists do to understand them.

Did you know that crows never forget a face? Or that jaguars have a favorite cologne? Have you ever wondered how to pet a yeti crab? Or whether dogs can tell if you’re smiling? And just what is a burrowing bettong?

Meet these weird, wonderful animals and the equally weird and wonderful scientists who study them. From crafting fake poop to slurping up bugs with a straw, there’s nothing these amazing humans won’t do to help us learn more about the animals around us. Packed with fascinating facts, this hilarious book from the bestselling creator of Sad Animal Facts reveals secrets like why roosters crow and how meerkats make decisions as a group—and how humans can better understand the wild creatures we share the planet with.

 

17. We’re In This Together by Linda Sarsour 

An inspiring and empowering young readers edition of We Are Not Here to Be Bystanders, the memoir by Women’s March coorganizer and activist Linda Sarsour.

You can count on me, your Palestinian Muslim sister, to keep her voice loud, keep her feet on the streets, and keep my head held high because I am not afraid.

On January 17, 2017, Linda Sarsour stood in the National Mall to deliver a speech that would go down in history. A crowd of over 470,000 people gathered in Washington, DC, to advocate for legislation, policy, and the protection of women’s rights—with Linda, a Muslim American activist from Brooklyn, leading the charge, unapologetic and unafraid.

In this middle grade edition of We Are Not Here to be Bystanders, Linda shares the memories that shaped her into the activist she is today, and how these pivotal moments in her life led her to being an organizer in one of the largest single-day protests in US history. From the Brooklyn bodega her father owned to the streets of Washington, DC, Linda’s story as a daughter of Palestinian immigrants is a moving portrayal of what it means to find your voice in your youth and use it for the good of others as an adult.

 

18. The Shattered City by Lisa Maxwell 

Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows meets Alexandra Bracken’s Passenger in this spellbinding conclusion to the “vivid and compelling” (BCCB) New York Times bestselling Last Magician series.

Unite the Stones
Free the City
Remake the World

Once, Esta believed that she could change the fate of magic. She traveled to the past and stopped the Magician from destroying a mystical book that held the key to freeing her people from the Brink, an energy barrier that traps all Mageus who cross it.

But the Book was more than she bargained for. So was the Magician she was tasked to steal it from.

Hunted by an ancient evil, Esta and Harte have raced through time and across a continent to track down the powerful artifacts they need to bind the Book’s devastating power. They’ve lost family, betrayed friends, and done what they’d both vowed never to do: fallen in love with the one person who could truly destroy them.

Now, with only one artifact left, their search has brought them back to New York, the city where it all began. But nothing in Manhattan is as they left it. Their friends have scattered, their enemies have grown more powerful, and as the deadly Brink beckons, their time is running out.

If they can’t find a way to end the threat they’ve created, then the very heart of magic will die—and it will take the world down with it.

 

Looking for more new reads to add to your TBR? Check out the amazing books that came out this October!

There’s a chill in the air, leaves are starting to fall, and we’re ready to grab a blanket, a new book, and a mug of something warm and delicious to celebrate! From a magical, romantic sequels to a fun fantasy, October’s new releases deserve a top spot on your Fall TBR. 

Must-Read Books That Came Out in October 2022

1. The Witch Hunt by Sasha Peyton Smith

The lush and pulse-pounding sequel to the New York Times bestselling The Witch Haven follows Frances and her fellow witches to the streets of Paris where family secrets, lost loves, and dangerous magic await.

Months after the devastating battle between the Sons of St. Druon and the witches of Haxahaven, Frances has built a quiet, safe life for herself, teaching young witches and tending the garden within the walls of Haxahaven Academy. But one thing nags; her magic has begun to act strangely. When an opportunity to visit Paris arises, Frances jumps at the chance to go, longing for adventure and seeking answers about her own power.

Once she and her classmates Maxine and Lena reach the vibrant streets of France, Frances learns that the spell she used to speak to her dead brother has had terrible consequences—the veil between the living and the dead has been torn by her recklessness, and a group of magicians are using the rift for their own gain at a horrifying cost.

To right this wrong, and save lives and her own magical powers, Frances must hunt down answers in the parlors of Parisian secret societies, the halls of the Louvre, and the tunnels of the catacombs. Her only choice is to team up with the person she swore she’d never trust again, risking further betrayal and her own life in the process.

 

2. When You Were Mine: The Novel That Inspired the Movie Rosaline by Rebecca Serle

SOON TO BE A HULU MOVIE

From the New York Times bestselling author of One Italian Summer and In Five Years comes an intensely romantic modern recounting of the greatest love story ever told—narrated by the girl Romeo was supposed to love.

What’s in a name, Shakespeare? I’ll tell you: everything.

Rosaline knows that she and Rob are destined to be together. Rose has been waiting for years for Rob to kiss her—and when he finally does, it’s perfect. But then Juliet moves back to town. Juliet, who used to be Rose’s best friend. Juliet, who now inexplicably hates her. Juliet, who is gorgeous, vindictive, and a little bit wild…and who has set her sights on Rob. He doesn’t even stand a chance.

Rose is devastated over losing Rob to Juliet. This is not how the story was supposed to go. And when rumors start swirling about Juliet’s instability, her neediness, and her threats of suicide, Rose starts to fear not only for Rob’s heart, but also for his life. Because Shakespeare may have gotten the story wrong, but we all still know how it ends.

 

3. A Path to the World edited by Lori Marie Carlson-Hijuelos 

A chorus of essays from a variety of voices, backgrounds, and experiences, exploring what it means to be human and true to yourself.

What does it mean to be yourself? To be born here or somewhere else? To be from one family instead of another? What does it mean to be human? Collected by Lori Carlson-Hijuelos, A Path to the World showcases essays by a vast variety of luminaries—from Gary Soto to Nawal Nasrallah to Ying Ying Yu, from chefs to artists to teens to philosophers to politicians (keep your eyes peeled for a surprise appearance by George Washington)—all of which speak to the common thread of humanity, the desire to be your truest self, and to belong.

 

4. Road of the Lost by Nafiza Azad 

Perfect for fans of The Cruel Prince, this gorgeous young adult fantasy follows a girl who discovers she’s spent her life under an enchantment hiding her true identity on her quest into the magical Otherworld to unlock her powers and discover her destiny.

Even the most powerful magic can’t hide a secret forever.

Croi is a brownie, glamoured to be invisible to humans. Her life in the Wilde Forest is ordinary and her magic is weak—until the day that her guardian gives Croi a book about magick from the Otherworld, the world of the Higher Fae. Croi wakes the next morning with something pulling at her core, summoning her to the Otherworld. It’s a spell she cannot control or break.

Forced to leave her home, Croi begins a journey full of surprises…and dangers. For Croi is not a brownie at all but another creature entirely, enchanted to forget her true heritage. As Croi ventures beyond the forest, her brownie glamour begins to shift and change. Who is she really, who is summoning her, and what do they want? Croi will need every ounce of her newfound magic and her courage as she travels a treacherous path to find her true self and the place in the Otherworld where she belongs.

 

5. Love from Mecca to Medina by S.K. Ali

On the trip of a lifetime, Adam and Zayneb must find their way back to each other in this surprising and romantic sequel to the “bighearted, wildly charming” (Becky Albertalli, New York Times bestselling author) Love from A to Z.

Adam and Zayneb. Perfectly matched. Painfully apart.

Adam is in Doha, Qatar, making a map of the Hijra, a historic migration from Mecca to Medina, and worried about where his next paycheck will come from. Zayneb is in Chicago, where school and extracurricular stresses are piling on top of a terrible frenemy situation, making her miserable.

Then a marvel occurs: Adam and Zayneb get the chance to spend Thanksgiving week on the Umrah, a pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina, in Saudi Arabia. Adam is thrilled; it’s the reboot he needs and an opportunity to pray for a hijra in real life: to migrate to Zayneb in Chicago. Zayneb balks at the trip at first, having envisioned another kind of vacation, but then decides a spiritual reset is calling her name too. And they can’t wait to see each other—surely, this is just what they both need.

But the trip is nothing like what they expect, from the appearance of Adam’s former love interest in their traveling group to the anxiety gripping Zayneb when she’s supposed to be “spiritual.” As one wedge after another drives them apart while they make their way through rites in the holy city, Adam and Zayneb start to wonder: was their meeting just an oddity after all? Or can their love transcend everything else like the greatest marvels of the world?

 

6. Everyone Hates Kelsie Miller by Meredith Ireland

Today Tonight Tomorrow meets A Pho Love Story in this whip-smart young adult novel about a girl who embarks on a road trip with her longtime rival to win back her best friend and his girlfriend.

There’s no one Kelsie Miller hates more than Eric Mulvaney Ortiz—the homecoming king, captain of the football team, and academic archrival in her hyper-competitive prep school. But after Kelsie’s best friend, Briana, moves across the country and stops speaking to her, she’ll do anything, even talk to Eric, to find out why.

After they run into each other—literally—at the last high school party of the summer, Eric admits he’s been ghosted by his girlfriend, Jessica. Kelsie tells him she’s had zero contact from Briana since she left their upstate New York town.

Suddenly, a plan is formed: they’ll go on a road trip to the University of Pennsylvania the following week when both Briana and Jessica will be on campus. Together, they’ll do whatever it takes to win back their exes.

What could go wrong?

Used to succeeding in everything, Kelsie and Eric assume they’ll naturally figure out the details on the drive down. What they don’t expect is that the person they actually need may be the one sitting next to them.

 

Ready for even more new releases? Check out the amazing books that came out this September!

While any time of year is appropriate for a rewatch of Hocus Pocus, there’s just something special about cozying up and watching this Halloween classic in October! Once you’ve finished your annual viewing (and watched Hocus Pocus 2 for good measure), check out these books that will give you the same vibes all year long!

 

4 Books to Read if You Love Hocus Pocus

1. The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw

This New York Times bestseller is the PERFECT read for Hocus Pocus fans! This witchy, haunting story follows three sisters on a quest for revenge (just like Winifred, Sarah, and Mary)—and how love may be the only thing powerful enough to stop them. 

 

2. The Witch Haven by Sasha Peyton Smith 

One reason we love Hocus Pocus so much is for the immaculate ✨fall vibes✨ is gives us with every rewatch, and The Witch Haven gives us the same feels! Set in 1911 in New York City, this thrilling and atmospheric historical fantasy following a young woman who discovers she has magical powers and is thrust into a battle between witches and wizards. Once you’ve read The Witch Haven, check out the spellbinding sequel, The Witch Hunt!

 

3. Spells for Lost Things by Jenna Evans Welch

The town of Salem is just as much an important character in Hocus Pocus as the Sanderson sisters themselves, and it’s also an essential character in Spells for Lost Things! This witchy read set in the iconic town has something for everyone: family drama, a mysterious family curse, a little romance, and a whole lot of adventure! 

 

4. Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson

While Vespertine may not be quite as witchy as the other books on this list, this thrilling fantasy about a teen girl with mythic abilities does have the humor that Hocus Pocus is known for! Artemisia is training to be a Gray Sister, but when her convent is attacked by possessed soldiers, she must defend it by awakening an ancient spirit bound to a saint’s relic and binding it to herself. Now, its sassy voice lives in her head full-time, and she becomes a Vespertine, a wielder of a revenant.

Want more magical, atmospheric reads to add to your TBR this fall? Check out this list of witchy books!

#RivetedRevealsWeek is here!

What, you ask, is Riveted Reveals Week? It’s that special time of year when we show you all the shiny new covers for books coming out in just a few seasons. From October 10 – October 14, we’re be showing you all the new covers for our Summer 2023 young adult books. So get your Goodreads shelf ready because you’re going to want to add all of these books to your TBR!

Take a look!

Your First Look at All the Covers for Our Summer 2023 YA Books

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10/10: Cover Reveals Day 1

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Time Out by Sean Hayes, Todd Millner, and Carlyn Greenwald

Heartstopper meets Friday Night Lights in this keenly felt coming-of-age story about a teen hometown hero who must find out who he is outside of basketball when his coming out as gay costs him his popularity and place on the team.

In his small Georgia town, Barclay Elliot is basically a legend. Here basketball is all that matters, and no one has a bigger spotlight than Barclay. Until he decides to use the biggest pep rally in the town’s history to come out to his school. And things change. Quickly.

Barclay is faced with hostility he never expected. Suddenly he is at odds with his own team, and he doesn’t even have his grandfather to turn to the way he used to. But who is Barclay if he doesn’t have basketball?

His best friend, Amy, thinks she knows. She drags him to her voting rights group, believing Barclay can find a bigger purpose. And he does, but he also finds Christopher. Aggravating, fearless, undeniably handsome Christopher. He and Barclay have never been each other’s biggest fans, but as Barclay starts to explore parts of himself he’s been hiding away, they find they might have much more in common than they originally thought.

You can pre-order your copy here and add this to your Goodreads shelf!

 

Infested by Angel L. Colon

The Taking of Jake Livingston meets Cemetery Boys in this YA ghost story about a Puerto Rican teen’s battle with a malevolent spirit targeting his apartment building and the all-too-real horrors of gentrification.

It’s the summer before senior year, and Manny has just moved from Texas to the Bronx in New York. So, instead of hanging with his friends and making some spending money, Manny is forced to do menial tasks in his new home, a luxury condo his stepdad is managing, while stressing about starting over.

Thankfully, he meets Sasha, who is protesting the building but turns out to be really cool. And he strikes up an unlikely friendship with Mr. Mueller, the building’s exterminator. Maybe life in the Bronx won’t be so bad.

Then the nightmares begin. And Manny swears he has roaches crawling under his skin. When building contractors start to go missing, Manny and Sasha come to the terrifying realization that Mr. Mueller is not who he says he is. Or rather, he is, but he died decades ago in a fire exactly where Manny’s new building is located. A fire that Mueller set.

Now, in a race against time, Manny must rescue his family from a deranged specter determined to set the Bronx ablaze once again.

You can pre-order your copy here and add this to your Goodreads shelf!

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10/11: Cover Reveals Day 2

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The Quiet Part Out Loud by Deborah Crossland 

For fans of You’ve Reached Sam and A Heart in a Body in the World, this searing and heartrending teen novel follows an ex-couple as they struggle to reunite in the wake of a devastating earthquake.

High school sweethearts Mia Clementine and Alfie Thanasis had a plan to escape their town for college in the east. Mia would leave her hard-core evangelical home for Sarah Lawrence College, and Alfie would have a new place to pursue his three loves: baseball, poetry, and Mia. But when Alfie got offered a scholarship to the University of San Francisco the same week the entire town found out about Mia’s mom’s affair with their church’s pastor, Mia’s world imploded and she pushed everyone away…including Alfie.

Five months after the worst summer ever, Mia is crashing at her best friend’s dorm at San Francisco State, just a few miles away from the University of San Francisco, praying she never runs into the boy whose heart she broke. And Alfie is trying to make the most of his freshman year while struggling to reconcile with the abrupt ending of his first love.

When Mia and Alfie’s paths cross for the briefest of moments, Mia realizes she never should have let him go and Alfie’s suppressed memories and feelings boil to the surface. But their reunion is cut short when a massive earthquake rocks San Francisco, leaving them to stumble desperately across the rubble in search of the ex they still love before the city crumbles—taking one, or both, of them with it.

You can pre-order your copy here and add this to your Goodreads shelf!

 

Something Close to Magic by Emma Mills

A baker’s apprentice reluctantly embarks on an adventure full of magic, new friendships, and a prince in distress in this deliciously romantic young adult fantasy that’s perfect for fans of Margaret Rogerson and Gail Carson Levine.

It’s not all sugar and spice at Basil’s Bakery, where seventeen-year-old Aurelie is an overworked, underappreciated apprentice. Still, the job offers stability, which no-nonsense Aurelie values highly, so she keeps her head down and doesn’t dare to dream big—until a stranger walks in and hands her a set of Seeking stones. In a country where Seeking was old-fashioned even before magic went out of style, it’s a rare skill, but Aurelie has it.

The stranger, who turns out to be a remarkably bothersome bounty hunter named Iliana, asks for Aurelie’s help rescuing someone from the dangerous Underwood—which sounds suspiciously like an adventure. When the someone turns out to be Prince Hapless, the charming-but-aptly-named prince, Aurelie’s careful life is upended. Suddenly, she finds herself on a quest filled with magic portals, a troll older than many trees (and a few rocks), and dangerous palace intrigue.

Even more dangerous are the feelings she’s starting to have for Hapless. The more time Aurelie spends with him, the less she can stand the thought of going back to her solitary but dependable life at the bakery. Must she choose between losing her apprenticeship—or her heart?

You can pre-order your copy here and add this to your Goodreads shelf!

 

Bonesmith by Nicki Pau Preto

Gideon the Ninth meets the Game of Thrones White Walkers in this dark young adult fantasy about a disgraced ghost-fighting warrior who must journey into a haunted wasteland to rescue a kidnapped prince.

Ready your blade. Defeat the undead.

In the Dominions, the dead linger, violent and unpredictable, unless a bonesmith severs the ghost from its earthly remains. For bonesmith Wren, becoming a valkyr—a ghost-fighting warrior—is a chance to solidify her place in the noble House of Bone and impress her frequently absent father. But when sabotage causes Wren to fail her qualifying trial, she is banished to the Border Wall, the last line of defense against a wasteland called the Breach where the vicious dead roam unchecked.

Determined to reclaim her family’s respect, Wren gets her chance when a House of Gold prince is kidnapped and taken beyond the Wall. To prove she has what it takes to be a valkyr, Wren vows to cross the Breach and rescue the prince. But to do so, she’s forced into an uneasy alliance with one of the kidnappers—a fierce ironsmith called Julian from the exiled House of Iron, the very people who caused the Breach in the first place…and the House of Bone’s sworn enemy.

As they travel, Wren and Julian spend as much time fighting each other as they do the undead, but when they discover there’s more behind the kidnapping than either of them knew, they’ll need to work together to combat the real danger: a dark alliance that is brewing between the living and the undead.

You can pre-order your copy here and add this to your Goodreads shelf!

 

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10/12: Cover Reveals Day 3

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Under This Forgetful Sky by Lauren Yero

In the spirit of Paolo Bacigalupi and Laini Taylor, this futuristic star-crossed love story follows two teens in a starkly unequal world struggling to find their place.

Sixteen-year-old Rumi Sabzwari has spent his entire life behind the armored walls of St. Iago, which protect citizens of the Union of Upper Cities from the outside world’s environmental devastation. But when rebels infect his father with a fatal virus, Rumi escapes St. Iago, desperate to find a cure.

In the ruined city of Paraíso, Rumi meets fifteen-year-old Paz, who agrees to guide him on his journey. As they travel together, Rumi finds himself drawn to Paz—and behind her tough exterior, she begins to feel the same way. But Paz knows more about Rumi’s father’s illness than she’s saying and has her own agenda. With the powerful forces at play in their cities putting them at odds, can the two learn to trust in each other—enough to imagine a different world?

You can pre-order your copy here and add this to your Goodreads shelf!

 

All Alone With You by Amelia D. Coombs

HBO Max’s Hacks gets a romantic twist in the vein of Jenn Bennett in this swoon-worthy novel about a standoffish teen girl whose loner status gets challenged by a dynamic elderly woman and a perpetually cheerful boy.

Eloise Deane is the worst and doesn’t care who knows it. She’s grumpy, prefers to be alone, and is just slogging through senior year with one goal: get accepted to USC and move to California. So when her guidance counselor drops the bombshell that to score a scholarship she’ll desperately need, her applications require volunteer hours, Eloise is up for the challenge. Until she’s paired with LifeCare, a volunteer agency that offers social support to lonely seniors through phone calls and visits. Basically, it’s a total nightmare for Eloise’s anxiety.

Eloise realizes she’s made a huge mistake—especially when she’s paired with Austin, the fellow volunteer who’s the sunshine to her cloudy day. But as Eloise and Austin work together to keep Marianne Landis—the mysterious former frontwoman of the 1970s band the Laundromats—company, something strange happens. She actually…likes Marianne and Austin? Eloise isn’t sure what to do with that, especially when her feelings toward Austin begin to blur into more-than-friends territory.

And when ex-girlfriends, long-buried wounds, and insecurities reappear, Eloise will have a choice to make: go all in with Marianne and Austin or get out before she gets hurt.

You can pre-order your copy here and add this to your Goodreads shelf!

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10/13: Cover Reveals Day 4

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Everyone Wants to Know by Kelly Loy Gilbert

This ripped-from-the-tabloids young adult drama by the critically acclaimed author Kelly Loy Gilbert about a girl’s famous-for-being-famous family fracturing from within as their dirty laundry gets exposed.

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—threatening the aspirational image the Los’ brand (and livelihood) depends on.

After one of her best friends leaks their private conversation to a gossip site, bruised and betrayed Honor pours all her energy into reuniting her family. With her parents 3,000 miles apart, her siblings torn into factions, and all of them under claustrophobic public scrutiny, this is easier said than done. Just when Honor feels at her lowest, a guarded yet vulnerable boy named Caden comes into her life and makes her want something beyond the tight Lo inner circle for the first time. But is it fair to open her heart to someone new when the people she loves are teetering on the edge of ruin?

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.

You can pre-order your copy here and add this to your Goodreads shelf!

 

Rana Joon and the One and Only Now by Shideh Etaat

This lyrical coming-of-age novel for fans of Darius the Great Is Not Okay and On the Come Up, set in southern California in 1996, follows a teen who wants to honor her deceased friend’s legacy by entering a rap contest.

Perfect Iranian girls are straight A students, always polite, and grow up to marry respectable Iranian boys. But it’s the San Fernando Valley in 1996, and Rana Joon is far from perfect—she smokes weed and loves Tupac, and she has a secret: she likes girls.

As if that weren’t enough, her best friend, Louie—the one who knew her secret and encouraged her to live in the moment—died almost a year ago, and she’s still having trouble processing her grief. To honor him, Rana enters the rap battle he dreamed of competing in, even though she’s terrified of public speaking.

But the clock is ticking. With the battle getting closer every day, she can’t decide whether to use one of Louie’s pieces or her own poetry, her family is coming apart, and she might even be falling in love. To get herself to the stage and fulfill her promise before her senior year ends, Rana will have to learn to speak her truth and live in the one and only now.

You can pre-order your copy here and add this to your Goodreads shelf!

 

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10/14: Cover Reveals Day 5

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The Pirate and the Porcelain Girl by Emily Riesbeck and NJ Barna, with lettering by Lucas Gattoni

Our Flag Means Death gets a magical, sapphic twist in this swashbuckling young adult graphic novel adventure full of high-stakes adventure, fantastical creatures, and a swoony enemies-to-lovers romance perfect for fans of In Deeper Waters and The Prince and the Dressmaker.

“I want to be beautiful. I want to be interesting. I want to be enough.”

That was Ferra Brickminder’s prayer to win back the love of her life. And the gods answer—just not in the way she expected. After hoping for a miracle, Ferra instead watches her skin turn into delicate and dangerously breakable porcelain.

Elsewhere, Brigantine de la Girona, a disgraced orc pirate captain, has her own problems. Penniless and banished from her home, Brig struggles to make ends meet with her crew as her only support. So, when a desperate Ferra enlists Brig to sail her across the Great Sea to her ex-girlfriend’s home for a very handsome fee, Brig is happy to strike a deal.

Pampered Ferra and tough-as-nails Brig quickly butt heads, bickering their way across the high seas, but as they encounter increasingly perilous obstacles—including the gods themselves—the two become reluctant allies…and maybe more.

You can pre-order your copy here and add this to your Goodreads shelf!

 

Writing in Color edited by Nafiza Azad and Melody Simpson 

Rethink the way you approach writing in this revolutionary and informative new anthology from fourteen diverse authors that demystifies craft and authorship based on their experiences as writers of color—perfect for fans of Fresh Ink and Our Stories, Our Voices.

So, you’re thinking of writing a book. Or, maybe you’ve written one, and are wondering what to do with it. What does it take to publish a novel, or even a short story? If you’re a writer of color, these questions might multiply; after all, there’s a lot of writing advice out there, and it can be hard to know how much of it really applies to your own experiences. If any of this sounds like you, you’re in the right place: this collection of essays, written exclusively by authors of color, is here to encourage and empower writers of all ages and backgrounds to find their voice as they put pen to page.

Perhaps you’re just getting started. Here you’ll find a whole toolkit of advice from bestselling and award-winning authors for focusing on an idea, landing on a point of view, and learning which rules were meant to be broken. Or perhaps you have questions about everything beyond the first draft: what is it really like being a published author? These writers demystify the process, sharing personal stories as they forged their own path to publication, and specifically from their perspectives as author of color.

Every writer has a different journey. Maybe yours has already started. Or maybe it begins right here.

Contributors include: Julie C. Dao, Chloe Gong, Joan He, Kosoko Jackson, Adiba Jaigirdar, Darcie Little Badger, Yamile Saied Mendez, Axie Oh, Laura Pohl, Cindy Pon, Karuna Riazi, Gail D. Villanueva, Julian Winters, and Kat Zhang.

You can pre-order your copy here and add this to your Goodreads shelf!

 

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Additional Cover Reveals

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Their Vicious Games by Joelle Wellington

A Black teen desperate to regain her Ivy League acceptance enters an elite competition only to discover the stakes aren’t just high, they’re deadly, in this searing thriller that’s Ace of Spades meets Squid Game with a sprinkling of The Bachelor.

You must work twice as hard to get half as much.

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, no matter what she must force beneath the surface. 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 any other. 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 in which twelve young, ambitious women with exceptional promise are selected to compete in three mysterious events: the Ride, the Raid, and the Royale. The winner will be granted entry into the fold of the Remington family, whose wealth and power can open any door.

But when she arrives at the Finish, Adina quickly gets the feeling that something isn’t quite right with both the Remingtons and her competition, and soon it becomes clear that this larger-than-life prize can only come at an even greater cost. Because the Finish’s stakes aren’t just make or break…they’re life and death.

Adina knows the deck is stacked against her—it always has been—so maybe the only way to survive their vicious games is for her to change the rules.

You can pre-order your copy here and add this to your Goodreads shelf!

 

Want to see more upcoming covers for new releases? Check out all the covers for the books coming out this spring!

 

Fall is here and we were so excited to kick off the season with a roundup of amazing new releases. September’s books included updated covers and special editions, an essential book about media literacy, and the start of Chloe Gong’s highly anticipated new duology!

Must-Read Books That Came Out in September 2022

1. The House of the Scorpion 20th Anniversary Edition by Nancy Farmer

Discover this internationally bestselling, National Book Award–winning young adult classic about what it means to be human with an updated, reimagined cover!

Matt Alacrán wasn’t born. He was harvested.

His DNA came from El Patrón, the drug-lord ruler of the country of Opium. Most people hate and fear clones like Matt—except for El Patrón. El Patrón loves Matt as he loves himself, because Matt is himself.

As Matt struggles to understand his existence, he is threatened by a sinister cast of characters, and realizes escape is his only chance to survive. But escape from the Alacrán Estate is no guarantee of freedom.

 

2. What the Fact? by Seema Yasmin

From acclaimed writer, journalist, and physician Dr. Seema Yasmin comes a much-needed, timely book about the importance of media literacy, fact-based reporting, and the ability to discern truth from lies.

What is a fact? What are reliable sources? What is news? What is fake news? How can anyone make sense of it anymore? Well, we have to. As conspiracy theories and online hoaxes increasingly become a part of our national discourse and “truth” itself is being questioned, it has never been more vital to build the discernment necessary to tell fact from fiction, and media literacy has never been more vital.

In this accessible guide, Dr. Seema Yasmin, an award-winning journalist, scientist, medical professional, and professor, traces the spread of misinformation and disinformation through our fast-moving media landscape and teaches young readers the skills that will help them identify and counter poorly-sourced clickbait and misleading headlines.

 

3. The Midnight Club by Christopher Pike

From the author of The Wicked Heart and The Immortal comes a beautiful and haunting novel about a group of five terminally ill teenagers whose midnight stories become their reality, now with a stunning new cover!

Rotterham Home was a hospice for young people—a place where teenagers with terminal illnesses went to die. Nobody who checked in ever checked out. It was a place of pain and sorrow, but also, remarkably, a place of humor and adventure.

Every night at twelve, a group of young guys and girls at the hospice came together to tell stories. They called themselves the Midnight Club, and their stories could be true or false, inspiring or depressing, or somewhere in-between.

One night, in the middle of a particularly scary story, the teenagers make a secret pact with each other, which says, “The first one who dies will do whatever he or she can do to contact us from beyond the grave, to give us proof that there is life after death.”

Then one of them does die…

 

4. Forest Hills Bootleg Society by Dave Baker and Nicole Goux

Set in 2005, this gorgeously illustrated, funny, and honest graphic novel follows four teens who stumble into an illicit anime DVD-burning business that shakes up their conservative small town…and their friendship.

When Brooke, Kelly, Maggie, and Melissa buy a bootleg anime DVD at a gas station, they get much more than they bargained for with Super Love XL, a risqué move featuring—among other things—a giant mecha who shoots lasers out of her chest. The four girls are horrified (and maybe a little fascinated). It’s so unlike anything they’ve seen, would probably shock everyone else in their town, and definitely would take over their extremely conservative Christian school. That’s when they have the idea to sell copies to local boys…for twenty dollars a pop.

At first, everything goes perfectly, with the friends raking in cash—pretty soon they’ll even have enough money to buy the matching jackets they’ve always dreamed of! But as the market for mildly titillating anime DVDs grows, the girls realize they’ll need new material. On top of figuring out how to replicate their first success, there’s growing tension within the group. Brooke and Kelly’s romance is on its last legs, and hurt feelings are guaranteed when Melissa starts falling for one of them.

Will the four girls’ shared history be strong enough to see them through this upheaval? Or will they learn that some things can only end in heartbreak?

 

5. Talk Santa to Me by Linda Urban 

A teen girl gets the perfect second try at a first kiss in this hilarious, romp-filled young adult romantic comedy perfect for fans of Jenna Evans Welch and Hallmark Christmas movies.

Francie was born in a stable. Really. Granted, it was the deluxe model with the light-up star on the roof, one of the many Christmas items for sale at her family’s Hollydale Holiday Shop. Their holiday gift empire also includes the Santa School, which was founded by Francie’s beloved grandpa, who recently passed away.

Francie’s always loved working in the shop, but lately Aunt Carole has been changing everything with her ideas for too-slick, Hollywood-inspired Santas and horrible holiday-themed employee uniforms. Aunt Carole’s vision will ruin all the charm and nostalgia Francie loves about her family’s business…unless she does something about it.

But this winter is about more than preserving the magic of Christmas. Francie is saving up for a car and angling to kiss the cute boy who works at the tree lot next door—hopefully it will be good enough to wipe her fiasco of a first kiss from her memory.

As the weather outside gets more and more frightful, can Francie pull off the holiday of her dreams?

 

6. Foul Lady Fortune by Chloe Gong

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights and Our Violent Ends comes the first book in a captivating new duology following an ill-matched pair of spies posing as a married couple to investigate a series of brutal murders in 1930s Shanghai.

It’s 1931 in Shanghai, and the stage is set for a new decade of intrigue.

Four years ago, Rosalind Lang was brought back from the brink of death, but the strange experiment that saved her also stopped her from sleeping and aging—and allows her to heal from any wound. In short, Rosalind cannot die. Now, desperate for redemption for her traitorous past, she uses her abilities as an assassin for her country.

Code name: Fortune.

But when the Japanese Imperial Army begins its invasion march, Rosalind’s mission pivots. A series of murders is causing unrest in Shanghai, and the Japanese are under suspicion. Rosalind’s new orders are to infiltrate foreign society and identify the culprits behind the terror plot before more of her people are killed.

To reduce suspicion, however, she must pose as the wife of another Nationalist spy, Orion Hong, and though Rosalind finds Orion’s cavalier attitude and playboy demeanor infuriating, she is willing to work with him for the greater good. But Orion has an agenda of his own, and Rosalind has secrets that she wants to keep buried. As they both attempt to unravel the conspiracy, the two spies soon find that there are deeper and more horrifying layers to this mystery than they ever imagined.

 

7. Spells for Lost Things by Jenna Evans Welch 

From the New York Times bestselling author of Love & Gelato comes a poignant and romantic novel about two teens trying to find their place in the world after being unceremoniously dragged to Salem, Massachusetts, for the summer.

Willow has never felt like she belonged anywhere and is convinced that the only way to find a true home is to travel the world. But her plans to act on her dream are put on hold when her aloof and often absent mother drags Willow to Salem, Massachusetts, to wrap up the affairs of an aunt Willow didn’t even know she had. An aunt who may or may not have been a witch.

There, she meets Mason, a loner who’s always felt out of place and has been in and out of foster homes his entire life. He’s been classified as one of the runaways, constantly searching for ways to make it back to his mom; even if she can’t take care of him, it’s his job to try and take care of her. Isn’t it?

Naturally pulled to one another, Willow and Mason set out across Salem to discover the secret past of Willow’s mother, her aunt, and the ambiguous history of her family. During all of this, the two can’t help but act on their natural connection. But with the amount of baggage between them—and Willow’s growing conviction her family might be cursed—can they manage to hold onto each other?

 

Ready for even more new releases? Check out the amazing books that came out this July and August!

The time has come! Camlann is upon us, and the knights of the Round Table are awakening to fight against the demon plague and do battle! Which of Arthur’s knights are you? Take this quiz and find out!

Which Knight of the Round Table Are You?

Can you guess who your Legendborn soulmate would be? Find out here!

If you’ve fallen in love with Chloe Gong’s These Violent Delights duology, we know you can’t WAIT for Foul Lady Fortune! Even though Our Violent Ends broke our hearts into a million tiny pieces the first time we read it (thanks, Chloe), we knew we wanted to relive this epic story in preparation for the beginning of the next duology.  

Don’t have time to re-read the book to prep for Foul Lady Fortune? We’ve got you covered with this epic recap, and if you need a refresher on These Violent Delights too, be sure to check out that recap here! 

WARNING – if you haven’t experienced the UTTER JOY/SOUL-CRUSHING PAIN that comes with reading These Violent Delights and Our Violent Ends… go read them both ASAP and stop reading here to avoid any spoilers. 

The Our Violent Ends Recap You Need Before You Read Foul Lady Fortune

Recap Part 1: Return to Shanghai  

We return to Shanghai four months after the events of These Violent Delights, on the first week of the new year. The madness in Shanghai is gone, and no monsters lurk in the city’s waters anymore… or so we think. Although the monster is no longer terrorizing the streets, the blood feud between the Scarlet Gang and the White Flowers has returned to peak tension levels and Juliette and Roma are (and we cannot stress this enough) NOT a couple.   

Plus, revolution is on the horizon as Nationalist troops march north through the country, and both gangs are doing their best to get on the right side of the conflict before the army arrives. Both are vying for control over weaponry from a mysterious merchant while simultaneously fielding blackmail letters from someone threatening to resurrect the monster of Shanghai (GASP), an “insurance policy” created by Paul Dexter before his death.  

As all this craziness is going on, our beloved characters are SUFFERING.  

Juliette has decided to sacrifice her relationship with Roma to protect him from the blood feud, even if that means that he believes her responsible for Marshall’s death. She also must watch her back around her sneaky cousin Tyler, who may or may not have plans to usurp her as the heir to the Scarlet Gang, but at least she has Kathleen and Rosalind on her side (right?).   

Meanwhile, Roma is left devastated and betrayed after Marshall’s “death” at Juliette’s hands and swears vengeance even if it means killing the woman he loves. While these two are wallowing in their feelings of heartbreak and betrayal, Benedikt is in mourning and desperately missing his beloved Marshall. 

 

 

Recap Part 2: The Monster (Re)Awakens  

Just when we’re getting back into the swing of things in Shanghai, the monster makes its comeback, but in a VERY different way from what we’ve seen before. This time, it doesn’t spread uncontrollably, but instead strikes at the instruction of its master.  

While Juliette works to create a vaccine to prevent a recurrence of the madness from last year, fights break out, blood is drawn, and Benedikt is almost taken out by the Scarlet Gang but is saved by a mysterious stranger (who could it be?! Marshall, obviously!).  

At this point, we worry Roma and Juliette will go on threatening and attacking each other for the rest of the book, but a tenuous truce is called when their fathers propose an arrangement: work together to find out who is sending the letters threatening to release the monster back onto the city.   

 

Recap Part 3: The Investigation Begins 

Juliette and Roma settle into a rhythm as they investigate, targeting foreigners for information, asking their questions, and ending up with even MORE questions. As they search, they discover further proof that Tyler is not to be trusted, and that a spy has infiltrated the ranks of the Scarlet Gang, feeding information to the White Flowers. Who could it be??? 

Our heroes take a trip to Kunshan to continue their investigation and finally come face-to-face with the monster once again and see the horrifying reality of its new form. Juliette decides to play hero, saving the day but also terrifying Roma at the same time, leading to a KISS!!! These two insist they still “hate” each other, but we know the truth.  

In Kunshan they discover that the vaccine flyers they found in the city don’t lead to a vaccine center at all, but a shopkeeper with only one dose. Still, it’s better than nothing, and Roma and Juliette return to Shanghai with a single vaccine.  

Back in Shanghai, the mysterious blackmailer is pitting the White Flower and the Scarlet Gang against one another. During the fighting the White Flower’s safe house is burned to the ground by Tyler, severing the precarious truce between the gangs, and an unconscious Benedikt is rescued by Marshall without his knowledge. We can’t WAIT for these two to be truly reunited! 

Lord Cai informs Juliette that the Communists have sided with the White Flowers, making the Scarlet Gang’s hold on the city is more tenuous than ever. But Juliette hatches a plan to get Roma back on her side. Together they agree to a fragile truce to work on a vaccine. 

Just when we think everything is back on track and going according to plan, Juliette’s life is threatened again, this time by… Benedikt?! To get revenge for (what he thought was) Juliette taking Marshall’s life, Benedikt nearly shoots Juliette, but she reveals that Marshall is, in fact, alive (!!!) just in time. Benedikt and Marshall are reunited in an ADORABLE scene, but Roma is still in the dark.  

Recap Part 4: Tensions in Shanghai Reach Their Breaking Point 

Just when you think you can trust everyone again, the identity of the White Flowers’ spy is revealed to be… Rosalind! Like Juliette, Rosalind fell for a White Flower (Dimitri) and has been feeding him information, but unlike Roma, the White Flower she fell for is NOT a good person, and Rosalind is severely punished for her mistakes.  

As our hero and heroine are focused on other tasks, Roma’s adorable sister, Alisa, is kidnapped by Tyler (a spectacularly poor choice on his part), throwing everyone into a frensy! Roma and Tyler agree to a duel for Alisa’s return, but Juliette can’t let this happen, knowing in her heart that Roma will die if all goes according to Tyler’s plans. She takes matters into her own hand, shooting her own cousin to save her love right as the duel begins, and then FINALLY reveals to Roma that Marshall is alive.  

Recap Part 5: REVOLUTION (and marriage)!!! 

Revolution has reached Shanghai! The city is in chaos and has fallen under the rule of the Nationalist Army, but Roma and Juliette have finally reconciled and declared their love for one another, and that’s all we care about… right?   

But there’s more! Rosalind drops another bombshell: her lover, Dimitri, is the blackmailer! Dimitri has been behind the chaos in the city at every turn, and wanted to take over the White Flowers, destroying the city in the process and giving the citizens of Shanghai “hope” when they are hopeless. 

As the fighting rages on, the Nationalist Party is fully in control and serves a devastating order: any members of the Communist Party of China (including the White Flowers) are to be purged from Shanghai. Juliette and Kathleen scramble to make a plan and save Roma and Alisa, while Roma works with Lourens to re-create the vaccine to stop Dimitri’s plan for the city’s destruction. Juliette and Roma are reunited (once again) and decide to pledge their love to one another in an impromptu marriage ceremony (TEARS), erasing the blood feud between them and starting anew.  

Meanwhile, Kathleen sheds her former identity, fully coming into herself and taking the name Celia, and joins the revolution (go Celia!!!), and just when we think a happy ending is in the cards for our heroes, Benedikt realizes that the Nationalists and Scarlets know of Roma and Juliette’s escape plans and will be waiting for them to make their move. So, he sneaks over to where the Nationalists are hanging out, because Marshall’s father is a general in the Nationalist Army (what?!), and reunites with his BFF, leading to the most “aww”-inducing confession of love we’ve EVER HEARD. 

 

Recap Part 6: The Final Battle 

Benedikt and Marshall make their escape from under the watchful eye of the Nationalists and attempt to rescue Roma, Juliette, and Alisa, only to find them engaged in a standoff with Dimitri himself. Roma, Marshall, and Alisa are taken prisoner while Juliette is returned to her family, only to discover an unexpected gift: the vaccine in pill form, which she takes with her as she escapes once again (this time with Benedikt’s help) to save Roma.  

Juliette and Benedikt barter with Dimitri for Marshall and Alisa’s release, but Juliette herself chooses to stay with Roma, not wanting to be separated from him again (SWOON). Juliette transfers the vaccine to Roma, protecting them from what’s to come as she baits the dormant monster to attack Dimitri and his henchmen, killing them all. It’s a bittersweet victory though, because in a HEARTBREAKING ending that we’ll never forgive Chloe for, Roma and Juliette sacrifice themselves by causing an explosion to destroy the monster, and themselves in the process.  

 

THE END 

If it’s any consolation, we find out that Alisa, Benedikt, and Marshall made a safe escape, and Roma and Juliette’s legacy lives on. The blood feud ended with our heroes’ deaths, and Alisa carries on with the memory of her brother alive in her heart. Luckily, we’ll get to hear more from Rosalind, Celia, Alisa, and many new characters in Chloe’s next book, Foul Lady Fortune, but we’ll never forget Roma and Juliette. (cue tears) 

Need more Roma and Juliette? Check out our fave fan art from These Violent Delights!

TikTok has become an amazing resource for readers! BookTok somehow knows exactly what books to recommend, and after curating a list of Simon Teen books that TikTok loves, we have to agree that they have great taste. We’ve rounded up some of the Simon Teen books that BookTok recommends you add to your TBR so you can spend a little less time scrolling and a little more time reading!

11 YA Books that TikTok Loves

1. Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

Our girl Bree is SO popular on TikTok, and rightfully so! Legendborn is an AMAZING contemporary fantasy that reinvents the King Arthur legend and creates a spellbinding world filled with magical secret societies, mystery, and plenty of Black Girl Magic too. Be sure to read the first part of Bree’s story before book two, Bloodmarked, comes out this November!

 

2. Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter

If you’re looking for a fun, adorable rom com that will give you ALL the feels, look no further! Better Than the Movies is the perfect book if you love to watch and/or read classic rom coms, and Liz and Wes will steal your heart from the first chapter. Already finished this adorable read? Check out Better Than the Prom, a FREE short story that shares the iconic prom scene from Wes’s POV, out 8/22!

 

3. This is Why They Hate Us by Aaron H. Aceves 

This is Why They Hate Us is a fun, irreverent summer romp that we LOVE! It’s a queer romance and debut author Aaron H. Aceves’s first book, and it’s already racking up stellar reviews and dedicated fans on TikTok and beyond.

 

4. An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson 

An Enchantment of Ravens is a RIDE from start to finish and features fairies, politics, romance, and painting! This one is a bestseller for a reason, and once you’ve fallen in love with Margaret Rogerson’s writing make sure you check out her other books, Sorcery of Thorns and Vespertine, too!

 

5. A Pho Love Story by Loan Le

TikTok loves A Pho Love Story for its adorable, swoony romance, classic enemies to lovers goodness, and delicious book food that will definitely make you hungry! Follow along as Bao and Linh navigate their new relationship against the backdrop of their families’ age-old feud about their neighboring pho restaurants. 

 

6. So This is Ever After by F.T. Lukens 

A whimsical, delightful queer romance that comes with an amazing cast of characters and magic? What’s not to love! So This is Ever After is a fan-favorite (and a bestseller) for a reason, and the high stakes that come along with this rom com will keep you on the edge of your seat. After you’ve read So This is Ever After, be sure to check out In Deeper Waters, another AMAZING queer romance from F. T. Lukens that features pirates, forbidden magic, and plenty of adventure!

 

7. The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

This ICONIC fave needs no introduction, but we’ll just say that it is the perfect summer (or anytime!) read, and deserves a place on every YA romance-lover’s bookshelves. Plus, be sure to read books two and three of the Summer I Turned Pretty trilogy, It’s Not Summer Without You and We’ll Always Have Summer, before season two of the Amazon Prime show makes its debut next year!

 

8. Tithe by Holly Black

If you love fantasy and faeries, this is the book for you! Tithe is the first book of Holly Black’s fan-fave Modern Faerie Tales series, and follows sixteen-year-old Kaye, a fierce and independent modern nomad who must save herself from the sinister magic of the fey courts.

 

9. See You Yesterday by Rachel Lynn Solomon

A time loop, enemies to lovers goodness, and an incredibly relatable main character all combine to make See You Yesterday a must-read rom com! When Barrett Bloom has a disastrous first day of college and finds herself stuck in a time loop of that humiliating day (with her nemesis!!!) you’ll want to be sucked in and taken along for the ride too.

 

10. She Gets the Girl by Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick

This ADORABLE sapphic romance was an instant hit with TikTok because of its amazing heroines and thanks to its equally amazing authors, who co-wrote this story based on their OWN LOVE STORY! If you’re in the mood for a lovely hate-to-love rom com that will give you heart eyes, check out She Gets the Girl!

 

11. These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong

We’re wrapping this list of faves up with a classic: These Violent Delights! If you haven’t read this iconic retelling of Romeo and Juliet set in 1920s Shanghai yet, what are you waiting for?! After you’ve finished book one, check out the conclusion to Roma and Juliette’s story, Our Violent Ends, and add Foul Lady Fortune, the next book in the These Violent Delights world, to your TBR too!

 

Want more TikTok approved book recs? Check out TikTok’s most anticipated Simon Teen books of 2022!

If you’re as obsessed with the characters of These Violent Delights as we are, you likely already have someone picked out that you’d love to hang out with in the real world. Want to find out if that character would actually be your soulmate? Take this quiz to find out!

Ready for more These Violent Delights? Check out some of our fave fan art!