Fantasy 2024 Sweepstakes

 | 
November 12, 2024

Enter for a chance to win this collection of YA fantasy books!

YALLFest is almost here! Here’s a comprehensive schedule of all our Simon Teen activity this year. Don’t forget to follow us @SimonTeen on X, on TikTok, and in our Instagram Stories for up-to-the minute news, behind the scenes fun, and content from our authors at YALLFest. See y’all soon!

Everything Happening With Simon Teen @ YALLFest 2024

Saturday, November 16

**Note: For all in-booth giveaways, tickets will be available one hour prior to the giveaway at the booth.

All Day

  • Come by the Simon Teen booth to enter our raffle for the chance to win deluxe promo items and signed books! 
  • Stop by the booth to pick up a wristband for the Powerless special event (while supplies last), snag some exclusive swag, and take photos in the Oathbound-themed photo opportunity!
  • Check the @SimonTeen socials for fun content!
  • Pick up a ticket for an upcoming giveaway one hour prior to the listed giveaway time below!

11:00am

  • All Better Now ARC giveaway (Simon Teen booth)
  • They Love Me, They Love Me Not, But Either Way We Should Take Care of That Demon Over There Panel with Tracy Deonn and Lauren Roberts (Charleston Music Hall)
  • Magic, Mystery, and Middle Grade Panel with Karen Strong and Stuart Gibbs (Charleston Museum)
  • Pay No Attention to the Reader Behind the Curtain Panel with Jarrod Shusterman and Sofia LaPuente (American Theater Cinema)

12:00pm

  • As You Wish ARC giveaway (Simon Teen booth)
  • We (Vampires) Are So Back Panel with Crystal Seitz (Charleston Music Hall)
  • Tracy Deonn signing (Lit Alley)

1:00pm

  • Storm Singer ARC giveaway (Simon Teen booth)
  • Spotlight on Publishing Journeys Panel with Robbie Couch (Charleston Music Hall)
  • Middle Grade Monopoly Panel with Karen Strong and Stuart Gibbs (Charleston Museum)
  • The Horrors Persist but So Do I Panel with Joelle Wellington and Jarrod Shusterman (American Theater Ballroom)
  • The Spork in the Road Panel with Laura Taylor Namey (American Theater Ballroom)

2:00pm

  • Special Event: Powerless Diamond Art Bookmark Kits (wristband required) (Charleston Museum Event Quad)
  • Destination Debut Panel with Crystal Seitz (American Theater Cinema)
  • Lauren Roberts signing (Big Book Tent)
  • Stuart Gibbs signing (Charleston Museum)
  • Karen Strong signing (Lit Alley)
  • Jarrod Shusterman and Sofia LaPuente signing (Lit Alley)

3:00pm

  • Don’t Spoil the Ending Panel with Sofia LaPuente (American Theater Ballroom)
  • Robbie Couch signing (Lit Alley)
  • Joelle Wellington signing (Lit Alley)
  • Laura Taylor Namey signing (Lit Alley)
  • Crystal Seitz signing (American Theater)

4:00pm

5:00pm

  • Afternoon Keynote with Lauren Roberts (Charleston Music Hall)
  • We’d Like to Offer You the Position of Lead Panel with Tracy Deonn (Charleston Museum)
  • The Books We Love, The Books We Write, The Books We Wish We Had as Teens Panel with Robbie Couch and Joelle Wellington (American Theater Cinema)

Don’t forget to come say hi to us at the booth all day!

Enter for a chance to win signed copies of Curious Tides and Stranger Skies by #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Pascale Lacelle!



Did someone say new Free Reads? Yes, that’s right, we did! And we are so excited for November’s Free Reads. This month’s theme for Free Reads is Fantasy! We have some fantastical Fantasy reads you’ll want to gobble up. Check out all of November’s new releases with extended excerpts!

Free Reads are only available to Simon Teen members! Not a Simon Teen member yet? It’s free and easy to sign up! Click here to set up your account now. 

Full Reads


1. Spell Bound by F.T. Lukens

Two rival apprentice sorcerers must team up to save their teachers and protect their own magic in this “charming and engaging” (School Library Journal) young adult romantic adventure from the author of In Deeper Waters and So This Is Ever After.

Start reading now!

2. Daughters of Oduma by Moses Ose Utomi

An elite female fighter must reenter the competition to protect her found family of younger sisters in this “absorbing, striking” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) young adult fantasy inspired by West African culture, perfect for fans of The Gilded Ones and Creed.

Start reading now!

3. Moon Dark Smile by Tessa Gratton

The fate of an Empire lies with a headstrong Heir and a restless demon in this lush young adult fantasy that’s a “tapestry of self-discovery, redolent with vivid imagery…[s]ensual and strange” (Kirkus Reviews) for fans of Laini Taylor and Girl, Serpent, Thorn.

Start reading now!

4. Cruel Illusions by Margie Fuston

Caraval meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer in this “beguiling” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) 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.

Start reading now!


Extended Excerpts


1. Stranger Skies by Pascale Lacelle

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!

Start reading now! 

2. Way I Am Now by Amber smith

Eden and Josh decide to give their relationship another chance in this much anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestseller The Way I Used to Be that “highlights with painful honesty the process of moving forward following trauma” (Kirkus Reviews).

Start reading now! 

3. Powerful by Lauren Roberts

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.

Start reading now! 

4. Inheritance of Scars by Crystal Seitz

Belladonna meets Norse mythology in this gorgeous dark fantasy debut that follows a teen who accidentally awakens an imprisoned draugr and must follow him into a deadly magical forest to rescue her grandmother.

Start reading now! 

5. Reckless by Lauren Roberts

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.

Start reading now! 

6. Powerless by Lauren Roberts

Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, this young adult fantasy follows the forbidden romance between a powerful prince and an ordinary girl as they try to survive their kingdom’s grueling laws pitting them against each other.

Start reading now! 

7.These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong

Perfect for fans of The Last Magician and Serpent & Dove, this heart-stopping debut is an imaginative Romeo and Juliet retelling set in 1920s Shanghai, with rival gangs and a monster in the depths of the Huangpu River.

Start Reading Now!

8. Wild and ruined Song by Ashley Shuttleworth

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!

Start reading now!

9. The Dagger and the Flame by Catherine Doyle

In the dark underbelly of a beautiful city, two rival assassins are pitted against each other in a deadly game of revenge, where the most dangerous mistake of all is falling in love in this searing young adult fantasy.

Start Reading now!

10. A Door in the Dark by Scott Reintgen

“For readers who have just finished Naomi Novik’s The Golden Enclaves and are ravenous for more dark academia” (Booklist), this “pulse-pounding” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) fantasy thriller follows six teenage wizards as they fight to make it home alive after a malfunctioning spell leaves them stranded in the wilderness.

Start Reading Now!

11. Prince of Fortune by Lisa Tirreno

Red, White & Royal Blue meets A Darker Shade of Magic in this swoony debut young adult romantic fantasy following a magical young prince and a noble seer who fall in love in the midst of war and intrigue.

Start Reading Now!

12. Eleven Houses by Colleen Oakes

Twilight meets The Mist in this epic romantic tale of a mysterious island and the houses who have stood for centuries to guard against the dreaded nightmare of beings waiting to strike from the ocean’s depths.

Start Reading Now!

13. Revenant games by Margie Fuston

All of Us Villains meets Kingdom of the Wicked in this “urgent action-adventure” (Publishers Weekly) 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.

Start Reading Now!

14. Otherworldly by F.T. Lukens

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 “irresistible elixir of romance and suspense” (Kirkus Reviews) from the New York Times bestselling author of Spell Bound and So This Is Ever After.

Start Reading Now!

15. Where the dark stands still by A.B. Poranek

A girl with dangerous magic makes a risky bargain with a demon to be free of her monstrous power in this “dark, devastating, and gothic” (Kirkus Reviews) young adult fantasy perfect for fans of An Enchantment of Ravens and House of Salt and Sorrows.

Start reading now!

16. King of Dead Things by Nevin Holness

For fans of Legendborn, Neil Gaiman, and Leigh Bardugo, this “electrifying” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) 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.

Start reading now!


Extras


1. The Eid Gift by S.K. Ali

The Eid Gift is a companion short story to Love from A to Z. Adam and Zayneb —engaged but continents apart for so long— are finally in the same city!

Start reading now!

2. Love at First Fight by Sandhya Menon

Join Dimple and Rishi as they do an escape room in this exclusive short story from Sandhya Menon! You’ll also see how Pinky and Samir met for the first time before you can read about them in 10 Things I Hate About Pinky.

Start reading now!

3. As Kismet Would Have It by Sandhya Menon

Will Dimple and Rishi find their happily ever after? Find out in this funny, romantic, endlessly charming e-novella sequel to When Dimple Met Rishi!

Start reading now!

4. The Thief by Jessica Brody and Joanne Rendell

A short story prequel to Sky Without Stars about the origins of fan-favorite character, Chatine!

Start reading now!

5. These Precious Scars by Emily Suvada

A haunting short story prequel to the Mortal Coil series.

Start reading now!

6. Better Than the Prom by Lynn Painter

A swoonworthy short story from Wes’s perspective from Better Than the Movies.

Start reading now!

7. Uncharted Dreams by Pascale Lacelle

Romie Brysden is a Dreamer, the best at the prestigious Aldryn College for Lunar Magics. She knows the realm of dreams like a sea captain knows the tides. And she’s gone deeper into this vast sleepscape than any Dreamer ever has. This is a prequest short story to A Curious Tides.

Start reading now!

8. The Priest and the Shepherd by Chloe Gong

Set six years before the events of Foul Lady FortuneThe Priest and the Shepherd follows Orion’s sister, Phoebe, and his best friend, Silas!

Start reading now!

9. Our First Chance by Robbie Couch

Long before they were best friends, River wasn’t a fan of Dylan—Mavis’ suspiciously perfect new boyfriend who was slowly stealing her away. But in this short story prequel to Another First Chance, Mavis cleverly plans for them both to attend an Astronomy Club meeting, hoping the after-school activity brings the pair closer together. Meanwhile, many states away, the mastermind behind a secretive research group scores a big win that will upend the high schoolers’ lives forever…

Start reading now!

10. Better Than Before by Lynn Painter

Lynn Painter’s Better Than the Movies collides with Betting on You when, after meeting the annoyingly cute Bailey on his flight, Charlie gets picked at the airport up by his cousin, Wes, who introduces him to his annoyingly cute neighbor, Liz.

Start Reading Now!

11. Second First dATE BY RACHEL LYNN SOLOMON

Graduation has come and gone, and there’s one major milestone Rowan and Neil haven’t yet hit in their relationship: going on a real date. Neil’s planned every detail, determined to give his girlfriend the ultimate romantic evening, although he’s secretly worried their connection may not spark the way it did on the last day of school—which, given how much he adores her, would be absolutely devastating. When the night turns out to be one disaster after another, they realize the date itself hardly matters. They’re still completely starry-eyed over each other, and with a little of Seattle’s natural magic, they have a whole summer to get it right.

Start Reading Now!

12. Werewolves, witches & Wyverns by F.T. Lukens

Claire and Grant are best friends who love to play a fictional and fantastical table-top card game which features a bevy of supernatural beings including werewolves, witches, and wyverns. During a playing session, Claire accidentally opens a portal and she and Grant are promptly sucked into a parallel world that is startlingly familiar to their game and where the card dynamics allow them to cast magic spells. Thus, their adventure begins in the pilot episode of Werewolves, Witches, & Wyverns, the television show beloved and raved about by the characters of Otherworldly.

Start reading now!

13. Nothing Better Than You by Lynn Painter

Experience Wes and Liz’s first kiss from Better Than the Movies from Wes’s point of view!

Start Reading Now!

Simon Teen Reveals Week is here!

What, you ask, is Simon Teen 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 7-11 we’re showing you all the new covers for our Summer 2025 young adult books. So get your Goodreads shelf ready because you’re going to want to add all of these books to your TBR!


10/7: Cover Reveals Day 1


always be my bibi by priyanka taslim

Clueless meets Jenna Evans Welch in this young adult rom-com about a spoiled American teenager who faces some major culture shock—and potential romance—when she jets off to Bangladesh for her sister’s wedding.

Bibi Hossain was supposed to get her first kiss this summer.

Too bad her father finds out and grounds her for breaking his most arcane rule: No boys until your sister gets married.

Just when Bibi thinks she’ll be stuck helping him at their popular fried chicken chain until school reopens, her oh-so-perfect older sister Halima drops a bombshell: she’s marrying the heir of a princely estate turned tea garden in Bangladesh. Soon, Bibi is hopping on the next flight to Sylhet for Halima’s Big Fat Bengali Wedding, hoping Abbu might even rethink the dating ban while they’re there.

Unfortunately, the stuffy Rahmans are a nightmare—especially Sohel, the groom’s younger brother. The only thing they can agree on is that their siblings are not a good match. But as the two scheme to break their siblings up, Bibi finds it impossible to stay away from the infuriatingly handsome boy.

Could her own happily ever after be brewing even as she stirs up trouble for her sister’s engagement—or is there more steeping at the tea estate than Bibi knows?

You can pre-order your copy here or add it to your Goodreads shelf!

 

this could be forever by ebony ladelle

This compelling and complex romance about love across cultures follows a Black girl and Brown boy who find themselves—and each other—while pursuing their passions the summer before college.

Deja’s got a plan. The first in her large family to go to college, she wants to study chemistry and sell natural skin care products, like the ones she already creates from plants grown on her family’s North Carolina farm. It all starts with the Onward Bound summer program at the University of Maryland, the summer before school officially starts.

Raja’s got a dream. His traditional Nepali parents want him to study engineering and settle down in an arranged marriage, but his passion is art, and he wants to open his own tattoo parlor one day. In the meantime, he’s apprenticing at a tattoo shop in College Park, Maryland.

When Deja walks into the shop where Raja’s working, they both start crushing hard—over the course of the summer, they fall more and more deeply for one another. But the closer they get and the more their lives entwine, the more they find that dating someone who doesn’t match your parents’ expectations is harder than they ever imagined.

Can they bridge the divide between the vision their families have for their futures and the lives—and love—that are starting to feel like destiny?

You can pre-order your copy here or add it to your Goodreads shelf!

 

A mastery of monsters by liselle sambury

Ninth House meets Legendborn in this thrilling first book in a dark academia fantasy series about a teen who’s willing to do anything to find her brother—even infiltrate a secret society full of monsters.

When August’s brother disappears before his sophomore semester, everyone thinks the stress of college got to him. But August knows her brother would never have left her voluntarily, especially not after their mother so recently went missing.

The only clue he left behind was a note telling her to stay safe and protect their remaining family. And after August is attacked by a ten-foot-tall creature with fur and claws, she realizes that her brother might be in more danger than she could have imagined.

Unfortunately for her, the only person with a connection to the mysterious creature is the bookish Virgil Hawthorne…and he knows about them because he is one. If he doesn’t find a partner to help control his true nature, he’ll lose his humanity and become a mindless beast—exactly what the secret society he’s grown up in would love to put down.

Virgil makes a proposition: August will join his society and partner with him, and in return, he’ll help her find her brother. And so August is plunged into a deadly competition to win one of the few coveted candidate spots, all while trying to accept a frightening reality: that monsters are real, and she has to learn to master them if she’s to have any hope of saving her brother.

You can pre-order your copy here or add it to your Goodreads shelf!


10/8: Cover Reveals Day 2


the tournament by Rebecca barrow

They Wish They Were Us meets Nothing Left to Tell in this young adult thriller about three girls with entangled pasts who compete for glory in their private school’s annual tournament, putting their survival skills and their relationships to the test.

Gardner isn’t like other boarding schools. They take in those who’ve been rejected everywhere else, they offer a survival skills class that has students killing and gutting animals, and then there’s the Tournament.

A competition available only to seven elite seniors, the Tournament is revered by the entire student body. They’d do almost anything—including completing a series of grueling physical challenges—to win the champion’s cup.

And this year, three seniors make the Tournament more cutthroat than ever.

Max, the ruthless scholarship student who can’t afford any distractions, not even her ex best friend Nora’s stupid confession of love at the end of last year that ruined everything between them.

Nora, who always put herself on the sidelines so Max could have everything she wanted, but might just be ready for center stage now that Max has brutally excised herself from Nora’s life.

And Teddy, the transfer who’s on her last chance and will chase any high that can pull her back from the gaping, dark void inside herself that’s always threatening to pull her in.

If one of them wants to win, then they can’t let anything—or anybody—get in their way.

You can pre-order your copy here or add it to your Goodreads shelf!

 

The beautiful maddening by shea ernshaw

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Shea Ernshaw comes a haunting romantic contemporary fantasy about a teen navigating her family’s love curse that blooms with their enchanted tulips every year.

Seventeen year-old Lark Goode wants only one thing: to escape her small town of Cutwater and the history of her family name. It’s a history that began during the Dutch tulip mania of 1636, when Lark’s ancestor stole the last remaining tulip bulbs and fled to America. But when the tulips bloomed on American soil, madness sprouted from their snowy white petals.

The madness was love.

Now, generations later, the Goodes remain cursed—the unnatural flowers outside their home causing locals to fall helplessly in love with anyone carrying Goode blood in their veins. While her brother embraces the strange power, Lark wants nothing more than to be free from it.

But when she meets a boy who seems unaffected by the family curse, Lark finds herself falling headlong into a feeling she’s spent her whole life trying to avoid. Yet, all curses and magic come with a price, and the town of Cutwater soon sinks into a dangerous sickness tied to Lark and the ill-fated tulips.

To save the town, Lark will need to sacrifice everything—even true love—to break the spell. Because in the Goode family, love has a way of destroying everything.

You can pre-order your copy here or add it to your Goodreads shelf!

 

 

island creatures by margarita engle

From award-winning author Margarita Engle comes an inspiring and luminous love story told in verse about childhood friends, once lost and now reconnected, and their fight to protect endangered animals.

Every day, Vida reads to the creatures at the wildlife rescue center and dreams of her childhood in Cuba, where she and her best friend Adán adventured through the island rescuing animals from harm. Unbeknownst to her, Adán has also moved to Florida and is feeling trapped in his new home, buffeted by the stormy fights between his abuelo and papi. When a chance encounter with a captive fox leads to their reunion, Vida and Adán are able to find refuge from the cruelty that surrounds them in their soaring, rekindled romance.

Their love reaches new heights as they work together at the zoo that rescues rare species, but soon they realize that this peace is only temporary. Much like the wildlife they want to protect, Vida and Adán are caught in a cycle of distrust and heartlessness. As old family grudges and painful memories come to light, can they and their families learn to heal and forgive each other for a brighter, kinder future?

You can pre-order your copy here or add it to your Goodreads shelf!

 

soulmatch by REBECCA DANZENBAKER

In a world where past lives determine your future, a sharp-witted girl confronts a major twist of destiny, embroiling her in a high-stakes game of danger, corruption, and heartbreak in this young adult speculative romance perfect for fans of Scythe and Matched.

Two hundred years after World War III, the world is at peace, all thanks to the soul-identification system. Every eighteen-year-old must report to the government to learn about their past lives, a terrifying process known as kirling. Good souls leave the institute with their inheritance, a career path, and if they’re lucky, a soulmate. Bad souls leave in handcuffs.

It’s a nerve-wracking ordeal for Sivon, who, given her uncanny ability to win every chess match, already suspects her soul isn’t normal. Turns out, she was right to worry. Sivon’s results stun not only her, but the entire world, making her the object of public scrutiny and anonymous threats.

Saddled with an infuriating and off-limits bodyguard, Sivon is thrust into a high-stakes game where souls are pawns and rules don’t exist. As deaths mount, Sivon must decipher friend from foe while protecting her heart against impossible odds. One wrong move could destroy the future lives of everyone Sivon loves, and she can’t let that happen, even if they’ll never love her back.

You can pre-order your copy here or add it to your Goodreads shelf!


10/9: Cover Reveals Day 3


meet me on love street by farah heron

A teen tries to save her quickly gentrifying neighborhood—and make her cynical partner in festival-planning believe in love—in this opposites-attract romance perfect for fans of Lynn Painter and Sandhya Menon.

Sana Merali is a certified hopeless romantic.

It’s inevitable when she literally lives on Love Street, a cute side-street full of mom-and-pop shops and cozy apartments. With her florist mother, her part-time job at a vintage shop, and her adorably curated wardrobe, Sana knows she’s what meet-cutes are made of—and it’s only a matter of time until her own HEA.

When the neighborhood is threatened by new developments, however, her plans for love get pushed to the backburner as she and her neighbors rally to host a festival that will finally put the neighborhood on everyone’s radar. Because what better way to get people to fall in love with Love Street?

Unfortunately, Miles Desai is also on the planning committee. Miles is contrary, judgmental, and…anti-romance. His hard stance on love inspires Sana with another goal for the summer: to matchmake Miles and knock the cynicism right out of him.

But as her set-up for Miles starts to actually work, Sana realizes that happily-ever-afters, for herself and for her street, aren’t that easy to come by.

You can pre-order your copy here or add it to your Goodreads shelf!

 

goodbye, my princess by Fei Wo Si Cun

The only thing more dangerous than a king is his heir in this first English translation of the romantic tragedy that inspired the popular TV series from one of China’s best-known authors of heartbreak—perfect for readers of Captive Prince and Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation.

There is no room for love in an empire.

Qu Xiaofeng has been living in Shangjing for three years now. A naïve, happy-go-lucky treaty bride from the desert kingdom of Xiliang, she has everything she could ever want as the crown princess of the Li Empire—everything except the crown prince’s heart.

Because Li Chengyin is a heartless boy. Cruel, jealous, and ruthless, he has given his adolescence to the cutthroat contention for the throne and, now that he is the heir presumptive, largely ignores his bride in favor of the girl he seems to really love.

Xiaofeng doesn’t mind…much. It leaves her more time to sneak out of the manor to go drinking and riding in the streets, living just the way she wants to. But one day another boy shows up, claiming to be a sweetheart from a life she can’t remember having lived. As Xiaofeng puzzles out the tangled threads of her past and her complicated feelings about the enigmatic, distant husband she loves and hates in equal measure, what she doesn’t realize is that she’s setting a course straight to tragedy.

Because the only place more dangerous than the palace is the crown prince’s court, the only thing harder to be than a king is his heir, and the path to the throne is paved with blood. Power will always have its price—the only question is if Xiaofeng will survive long enough to pay.

You can pre-order your copy here or add it to your Goodreads shelf!

 

this book might be about zinnia by brittney morris

Clap When You Land meets Monday’s Not Coming in this moving novel told in two timelines as one teen searches for her biological mother and the other copes with giving up her baby from the acclaimed author of SLAY.

Two moments in time. Two very different girls. And one story that connects them both.

It’s the year 2024, and Zinnia Davis is on a mission to ace her personal essay. But when an admissions rep hints that her adoption story is “lacking heart,” she has to figure out a new spin. Frankly, Zinnia doesn’t know much about her birth parents; that is, until her favorite author releases a new novel—Little Heart—about a princess with a heart-shaped birthmark on her forehead and separated from her mother at birth…just like Zinnia. Could this be her birth mother?

Flashback to 2006, and teenager Tuesday Walker is barely making it through high school after experiencing a loss that had her on leave for months. To cope, Tuesday writes a series of entries in a journal, but when the journal is lost, it feels like reliving the trauma all over again. Tuesday’s search for the journal uncovers dangerous secrets about her past, her crush, and her own mother’s story.

If Tuesday isn’t careful in her search, Zinnia will have to reap the consequences in the present.

You can pre-order your copy here or add it to your Goodreads shelf!

 


10/10: Cover Reveals Day 4


art of exile by andrea max

Legendborn meets The Da Vinci Code in this captivating light academia contemporary fantasy following a teen who infiltrates a secret school for the descendants of exiled Renaissance masters to steal their long-lost arts and sciences.

Unlike the high-achieving members of her family’s secret society, Ada Castle has mastered nothing but the art of falling for the wrong guys. But now she finally has the chance to prove her worth: she just needs to gain access to a hidden school that her family has been trying to locate for generations. Granted, she accidentally goes on a date with the recruiter first, then is temporarily abducted, but Ada manages to secure herself an invitation to the Genesis Institute, where descendants of exiled Renaissance masters practice long-lost arts and sciences.

The school is a utopia of sustainable technology, medical advancements, and myths come to life, yet they are unjustly hoarding their resources. Ada goes undercover to steal their innovations for the rest of the world, but Genesis nurtures her creativity and challenges her views, and she can’t help but fall for the school…and maybe also for her frustratingly off-limits recruiter-turned-mentor.

Ada’s tangle of lies start to unravel when one of her new friends goes missing. To rescue her, Ada is forced to work with a dangerous (and dangerously hot) classmate whose suspicions threaten her cover. And when the information she’s shared with her family puts her missing friend and all of Genesis in peril, she’ll have to choose whom to betray: the family she loves or the school that has helped her find herself.

You can pre-order your copy here or add it to your Goodreads shelf!

 

steel & Spellfire by laura e. weymouth

Divine Rivals meets The Witch Haven in this romantic young adult fantasy in which a powerful mage posing as a debutante during the court social season must work with a member of the royal guard to catch a killer with powers much like her own.

In the city of Valora, where mages are feared and closely governed by the law, Pandora Small spends her life pretending to be someone she is not. Raised in seclusion by a shrouded guardian, Pandora learned to wield her magic in a way the world has never seen, making her more weapon than girl.

Pandora may have escaped her guardian, but powerful forces keep them bound together and she’ll do anything to find them again to break their bond for good. Posing as an Ingenue, a well-off young woman with limited magic, Pandora hopes to gain access to the royal court’s social season and the wealthy elite who make it their playing ground. Pandora’s arrival at court becomes more complicated when Kit Beacon, a promising young member of the royal guard, discovers the true scope of Pandora’s deadly magic. Secretly sympathetic towards mages and convinced that Pandora is no harm to the public, Beacon agrees to keep her secret.

But when someone or something with powers terribly like Pandora’s own begins killing her fellow Ingenues, Beacon must decide whether Pandora is truly innocent or if there’s ruthless killer lying under her masterfully crafted facade. And Pandora will have to open up to gain Beacon’s trust because joining forces may be the only way for Pandora to find her freedom and catch the real killer plaguing the city.

You can pre-order your copy here or add it to your Goodreads shelf!

knocking on windows by jeannine atkins

Acclaimed author Jeannine Atkins revisits her past in this brave and powerful memoir-in-verse about memory, healing, and finding her voice as a writer, perfect for fans of Amber Smith and Speak.

Night darkens the window to mirror.
I’m back in my old bedroom.

Six weeks after the start of her freshman year of college, Jeannine Atkins finds herself back in her childhood bedroom after an unimaginable trauma. Now home in Massachusetts, she’s struggling to reclaim her life and her voice. Seeking comfort in the words of women, she turns to the lives and stories of Sylvia Plath, Maya Angelou, and Emily Dickinson. Through raw and poignant letter-poems addressed to these literary giants, Jeannine finds that the process of writing and reflecting has become not only a means of survival but the catalyst for a burgeoning writing career.

Inspired and ready to move forward, she enrolls in her state university, where she feeds her growing passion for writing in fiction seminars. But she finds that she’s unable to escape the pervasive misogyny of her classmates and professors, who challenge her to assert her own voice against a backdrop of disbelief and minimalization. This time, though, Jeannine is not willing to go down without a fight.

A searingly honest memoir told through gorgeous verse, Knocking on Windows stands as a beacon of hope and a celebration of the enduring spirit of survivors of sexual assault—and of writers.

You can pre-order your copy here or add it to your Goodreads shelf!

 


10/11: Cover Reveals Day 5


ruthless by carolyn lee adams

A spine-tingling debut thriller about the ultimate game of cat and mouse as a teen struggles to hold onto hope, and her sanity, while attempting to escape a cunning and determined killer—now with a brand-new look!

Ruth Carver has always competed like her life depends on it. Ambitious. Tough. Maybe even mean. It’s no wonder people call her Ruthless. When she wakes up with a concussion in the bed of a moving pickup truck, she realizes she has been entered into a contest she can’t afford to lose.

At a remote, rotting cabin deep in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Ruth’s blindfold comes off and she comes face-to-face with her captor. A man who believes his mission is to punish bad girls like Ruth. A man who has done this six times before. The other girls were never heard from again, but Ruth won’t go down easy. She escapes into the wilderness, but her hunter is close at her heels. That’s when the real battle begins, and Ruth must decide just how far she’ll go to survive.

You can pre-order your copy here or add it to your Goodreads shelf!

 

slice of cherry by dia reeves

Perfect for fans of Lisa Frankenstein and Bones and All, this “brutally beautiful” (Cassandra Clare) coming-of-rage horror novel about girl villains and monstrosity follows two sisters…and their growing body count—now with a brand-new look!

Kit and Fancy Cordelle are sisters of the best kind: best friends, confidantes, and accomplices. Daughters of the infamous Bonesaw Killer, Kit and Fancy are used to feeling like outsiders, and that’s just the way they like it. But in their otherworldly East Texan town, where the weird and wild run rampant, they are hardly the oddest or most dangerous creatures around.

Despite their mother’s efforts to curtail their worst impulses, Kit and Fancy eventually give into their deepest, most secret desire—the desire to kill. What starts as a fascination with slicing open and stitching up quickly spirals into a gratifying murder spree. Of course, the sisters aren’t killing just anyone—only the people who truly deserve it. But the girls have learned from the mistakes of their father and know that any shred of evidence could get them caught.

So when Fancy stumbles upon a gateway into another world, she opens a door to the perfect body disposal…and to endless possibilities.

You can pre-order your copy here or add it to your Goodreads shelf!


Additional Cover Reveals


The creeping by alexandra sirowy

Romance, friendship, and bone-chilling fear fill the pages of this “haunting modern-day folktale” (April Genevieve Tucholke, author of Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea) about a teen whose repressed memories begin to surface when a body is discovered in her small town—now with updated text and a brand-new look!

Twelve years ago, Stella and Jeanie vanished while picking strawberries. Stella returned minutes later with no memory of what happened. Jeanie was never seen or heard from again.

Now Stella is seventeen and ready for everyone to move on already. Yes, she’s the lucky survivor of her town’s ugly legacy, but she’s looking forward, not back. This coming summer, Stella has a great best friend, a hookup with an irresistibly crooked smile, and two months of beach days stretching out before her.

Then the body of a little girl washes up in an ancient cemetery after a mudslide, and she has red hair just like Jeanie did. Suddenly memories of that haunting day begin to return, and when Stella discovers that other red-headed girls have gone missing as well, she begins to suspect something sinister is at work.

Before the summer ends, Stella may learn the hard way that when you hunt for monsters, you might find them.

You can pre-order your copy here or add it to your Goodreads shelf

 

The Telling by alexandra sirowy

A “haunting…addictive” (Publishers Weekly) novel about a teen who must delve into her past if she wants to live long enough to have a future when murders eerily similar to the dark stories her brother used to tell start happening in her hometown—now with updated text and a brand-new look!

You swore on summer.

Ben was Lana’s world. He was her big brother, her best friend, her summer. And then he was murdered in a grisly carjacking, and her world ended.

Now, six months after Ben’s death, Lana is trying to reinvent herself. She’s found her way into the inner circle of popular kids, and the Lana she is now—bold, daring, brash, adventurous—barely resembles the shy, unpopular Lana she used to be.

And then a body turns up. At first, everyone thinks it’s just a horrible accident. But when more corpses are discovered, Lana realizes the details of the murders eerily match the dark fairy tales Ben used to tell her—stories that only she and Ben knew.

Is Ben seeking vengeance from the grave? Or has a darker phantom from their past come to haunt Lana’s present?

You can pre-order your copy here or add it to your Goodreads shelf!

 

True gretch – Young adult edition by gretchen whitmer

The young adult edition of the unconventionally honest, deeply personal, and sharply funny account from Michigan governor and rising Democratic star Gretchen Whitmer is packed with remarkable insights for young people wishing to make a difference in the world.

When Gretchen Whitmer was growing up, her beloved grandmother Nino taught her that you can always find something good in other people. “Even the meanest person might have pretty eyes,” she would say, a piece of advice that Gretchen carries with her today in her role as the governor of Michigan. (And one that resonated more than another her grandmother offered: “never part your hair in the middle.”)

From navigating a kidnapping and assassination plot in which she herself was a target to facing monumental challenges during a global pandemic, Big Gretch (as she’s now known) shares the key pieces of wisdom that have shaped her trailblazing career and personal experiences in this often hilarious, always uplifting book. Along the way, she tells stories about growing up gutsy in the Midwest, the wild comments she’s encountered as a public figure, and how to neutralize high-profile bullies with a fearless sense of humor.

Told in her famously straightforward and slyly funny voice, this young adult edition of the governor’s story not only offers an intimate insight into the life of a politician with an astounding journey, but also affords extraordinary lessons for young people everywhere who wish to make a difference in the world.

You can pre-order your copy here or add it to your Goodreads shelf!

A treachery of swans by A.B. Poranek

From the New York Times bestselling author of Where the Dark Stands Still comes an atmospheric fantasy based on Swan Lake, following Odile as her plan to restore magic to her kingdom gets disrupted by a murder—forcing her to beg for help from the young woman whose identity she stole.

Can two girls—one enchanted, one the enchantress—save their kingdom…and each other?

The kingdom of Réveillon is under a terrible curse—flowers won’t bloom and snow falls black from the sky. Magic could change things, but all of it is said to be trapped within a golden crown ruthlessly guarded by the king. Seventeen-year-old Odile, raised by vengeful sorcerer Rothbarte, has been trained to infiltrate the palace to steal the crown back and release the power within. When it comes time to set the plot in motion, Odile uses an enchanted necklace to transform Marie, a friend of the young dauphin, into a swan—leaving Odile free to assume her identity and gain access to the royal court.

But when the king is brutally murdered, chaos ensues. Odile’s own brother gets accused of being behind the assassination, leaving Odile desperate to free him…even if it means putting her mission on hold to find the real killer. She’s forced to team up with none other than Marie, the girl who rightfully distrusts her—and who Odile might have feelings for.

As they investigate, they hear whispers that the king’s murder was not at the hands of man, but beast. Torn between loyalty to Rothbarte and her growing feelings for Marie, Odile becomes tangled in a web of treachery and deceit. To save her kingdom, she must find the true path to magic…and find the real killer before they—or it—strikes again.

You can pre-order your copy here or add it 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!


 

Did someone say new Free Reads? Yes, that’s right, we did! And we are so excited for October’s Free Reads. This month’s theme for Free Reads is Halloween, of course! We have some reads that will get you ready for Spooky Season. Check out all of October’s new releases with extended excerpts!

Free Reads are only available to Simon Teen members! Not a Simon Teen member yet? It’s free and easy to sign up! Click here to set up your account now. 

Full Reads


1. Witch Haven by Sasha Peyton Smith

The Last Magician meets The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy in this “spectacular, singular, and spellbinding” (Casey McQuiston, New York Times bestselling author of Red, White & Royal Blue) historical fantasy following a young woman who discovers she has magical powers and is thrust into a battle between witches and wizards.

Start reading now!

2. The Voice Upstairs by Laura E. Weymouth

In 1920s England, a working-class girl who can see spirits works with a lord’s son to solve mysterious deaths at the local manor home in this “intensely atmospheric and eerie…compelling, secret-filled gothic tale” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) perfect for fans of The Haunting of Bly Manor and Downton Abbey.

Start reading now!

3. Spells for Lost Things by Jenna Evans Welch

From the New York Times bestselling author of Love & Gelato comes a poignant and “beguiling” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) novel about two teens trying to find their place in the world after being unceremoniously dragged to Salem, Massachusetts, for the summer.

Start reading now!

4. Magic Dark and Strange by Kelly Powell

The Bone Witch meets Sherlock Holmes in this thrilling historical fantasy about a girl with the ability to raise the dead who must delve into her city’s dangerous magical underworld to stop a series of murders.

Start reading now!

5. Delicious Monsters by Liselle Sambury

The Haunting of Hill House meets Sadie in this “genuinely terrifying” (School Library Journal, starred review) psychological thriller following two teen girls navigating the treacherous past of a mysterious mansion ten years apart.

Start Reading Now!


Extended Excerpts


1. Hysterical Girls of St. Bernadette’s by Hanna Alkaf

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.

Start reading now! 

2. Make My Wish Come True by Rachael Lippincott and ALyson Derrick

‘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!

Start reading now! 

3. Powerful by Lauren Roberts

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.

Start reading now! 

4. Inheritance of Scars by Crystal Seitz

Belladonna meets Norse mythology in this gorgeous dark fantasy debut that follows a teen who accidentally awakens an imprisoned draugr and must follow him into a deadly magical forest to rescue her grandmother.

Start reading now! 

5. Reckless by Lauren Roberts

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.

Start reading now! 

6. Powerless by Lauren Roberts

Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, this young adult fantasy follows the forbidden romance between a powerful prince and an ordinary girl as they try to survive their kingdom’s grueling laws pitting them against each other.

Start reading now! 

7.These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong

Perfect for fans of The Last Magician and Serpent & Dove, this heart-stopping debut is an imaginative Romeo and Juliet retelling set in 1920s Shanghai, with rival gangs and a monster in the depths of the Huangpu River.

Start Reading Now!

8. Ballerina of Auschwitz by Dr. Edith Eva Eger

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.

Start reading now!

9. The Dagger and the Flame by Catherine Doyle

In the dark underbelly of a beautiful city, two rival assassins are pitted against each other in a deadly game of revenge, where the most dangerous mistake of all is falling in love in this searing young adult fantasy.

Start Reading now!

10. Twenty-Four Seconds From Now by Jason Reynolds

#1 New York Times bestselling author Jason Reynolds tackles it—you know…it—from the guy’s perspective in this unfiltered and undeniably sweet stream of consciousness story of a teen boy about to experience a huge first.

Start Reading Now!

11. Prince of Fortune by Lisa Tirreno

Red, White & Royal Blue meets A Darker Shade of Magic in this swoony debut young adult romantic fantasy following a magical young prince and a noble seer who fall in love in the midst of war and intrigue.

Start Reading Now!

12. Eleven Houses by Colleen Oakes

Twilight meets The Mist in this epic romantic tale of a mysterious island and the houses who have stood for centuries to guard against the dreaded nightmare of beings waiting to strike from the ocean’s depths.

Start Reading Now!

13. House of Thorns by Isabel Strychacz

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.

Start Reading Now!

14. Blonde Dies First by Joelle Wellington

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.

Start Reading Now!


Extras


1. The Eid Gift by S.K. Ali

The Eid Gift is a companion short story to Love from A to Z. Adam and Zayneb —engaged but continents apart for so long— are finally in the same city!

Start reading now!

2. Love at First Fight by Sandhya Menon

Join Dimple and Rishi as they do an escape room in this exclusive short story from Sandhya Menon! You’ll also see how Pinky and Samir met for the first time before you can read about them in 10 Things I Hate About Pinky.

Start reading now!

3. As Kismet Would Have It by Sandhya Menon

Will Dimple and Rishi find their happily ever after? Find out in this funny, romantic, endlessly charming e-novella sequel to When Dimple Met Rishi!

Start reading now!

4. The Thief by Jessica Brody and Joanne Rendell

A short story prequel to Sky Without Stars about the origins of fan-favorite character, Chatine!

Start reading now!

5. These Precious Scars by Emily Suvada

A haunting short story prequel to the Mortal Coil series.

Start reading now!

6. Better Than the Prom by Lynn Painter

A swoonworthy short story from Wes’s perspective from Better Than the Movies.

Start reading now!

7. Uncharted Dreams by Pascale Lacelle

Romie Brysden is a Dreamer, the best at the prestigious Aldryn College for Lunar Magics. She knows the realm of dreams like a sea captain knows the tides. And she’s gone deeper into this vast sleepscape than any Dreamer ever has. This is a prequest short story to A Curious Tides.

Start reading now!

8. The Priest and the Shepherd by Chloe Gong

Set six years before the events of Foul Lady FortuneThe Priest and the Shepherd follows Orion’s sister, Phoebe, and his best friend, Silas!

Start reading now!

9. Our First Chance by Robbie Couch

Long before they were best friends, River wasn’t a fan of Dylan—Mavis’ suspiciously perfect new boyfriend who was slowly stealing her away. But in this short story prequel to Another First Chance, Mavis cleverly plans for them both to attend an Astronomy Club meeting, hoping the after-school activity brings the pair closer together. Meanwhile, many states away, the mastermind behind a secretive research group scores a big win that will upend the high schoolers’ lives forever…

Start reading now!

10. Better Than Before by Lynn Painter

Lynn Painter’s Better Than the Movies collides with Betting on You when, after meeting the annoyingly cute Bailey on his flight, Charlie gets picked at the airport up by his cousin, Wes, who introduces him to his annoyingly cute neighbor, Liz.

Start Reading Now!

11. Second First dATE BY RACHEL LYNN SOLOMON

Graduation has come and gone, and there’s one major milestone Rowan and Neil haven’t yet hit in their relationship: going on a real date. Neil’s planned every detail, determined to give his girlfriend the ultimate romantic evening, although he’s secretly worried their connection may not spark the way it did on the last day of school—which, given how much he adores her, would be absolutely devastating. When the night turns out to be one disaster after another, they realize the date itself hardly matters. They’re still completely starry-eyed over each other, and with a little of Seattle’s natural magic, they have a whole summer to get it right.

Start Reading Now!

12. Werewolves, witches & Wyverns by F.T. Lukens

Claire and Grant are best friends who love to play a fictional and fantastical table-top card game which features a bevy of supernatural beings including werewolves, witches, and wyverns. During a playing session, Claire accidentally opens a portal and she and Grant are promptly sucked into a parallel world that is startlingly familiar to their game and where the card dynamics allow them to cast magic spells. Thus, their adventure begins in the pilot episode of Werewolves, Witches, & Wyverns, the television show beloved and raved about by the characters of Otherworldly.

Start reading now!

13. Nothing Better Than You by Lynn Painter

Experience Wes and Liz’s first kiss from Better Than the Movies from Wes’s point of view!

Start Reading Now!

2024 has been an incredible year of YA books. We have fought monsters alongside Liska, fell in love with Rowan and Neil (again!), and swooned/cried our hearts out at every Kai and Paedyn interaction. Now that the ’ber months have begun and the year is winding to a close, we are celebrating 2024 by rounding up every New York Times bestselling book from Simon Teen so far this year. Check back in December for the complete list!

Betting on You cover image
Betting on You by Lynn Painter

hardcover BESTSELLER

From the New York Times bestselling author of Better Than the Movies, this “entertaining” (Publishers Weekly) rom-com in the vein of She’s All That and 10 Things I Hate About You follows a teen girl who unwittingly finds herself at the center of a bet while working at a waterpark.

Where the Dark Stands Still cover image
Where the Dark Stands Still by A. B. Poranek

hardcover BESTSELLER

A girl with dangerous magic makes a risky bargain with a demon to be free of her monstrous power in this “dark, devastating, and gothic” (Kirkus Reviews) young adult fantasy perfect for fans of An Enchantment of Ravens and House of Salt and Sorrows.

Otherworldly cover image
Otherworldly by F.T. Lukens

hardcover BESTSELLER

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 “irresistible elixir of romance and suspense” (Kirkus Reviews) from the New York Times bestselling author of Spell Bound and So This Is Ever After.

A Door in the Dark cover image
A Door in the Dark by Scott Reintgen

hardcover BESTSELLER

“For readers who have just finished Naomi Novik’s The Golden Enclaves and are ravenous for more dark academia” (Booklist), this “pulse-pounding” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) fantasy thriller follows six teenage wizards as they fight to make it home alive after a malfunctioning spell leaves them stranded in the wilderness.

Past Present Future cover image
Past Present Future by Rachel Lynn Solomon

hardcover BESTSELLER

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.

The Summer I Turned Pretty cover image
The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

SERIES BESTSELLER

Belly has an unforgettable summer in this stunning start to the Summer I Turned Pretty series from the New York Times bestselling author of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (now a major motion picture!), Jenny Han.

Powerless cover image
Powerless by Lauren Roberts

SERIES BESTSELLER

Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, this young adult fantasy follows the forbidden romance between a powerful prince and an ordinary girl as they try to survive their kingdom’s grueling laws pitting them against each other.

Scythe cover image
Scythe by Neal Shusterman

SERIES BESTSELLER

Two teens must learn the “art of killing” in this Printz Honor–winning book, the first in a chilling new series from Neal Shusterman, author of the New York Times bestselling Unwind dystology.

Better Than the Movies cover image
Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter

Paperback BESTSELLER

Perfect for fans of Kasie West and Jenn Bennett, this “sweet and funny” (Kerry Winfrey, author of Waiting for Tom Hanks) teen rom-com follows a hopelessly romantic teen girl and her cute yet obnoxious neighbor as they scheme to get her noticed by her untouchable crush.

The Do-Over cover image
The Do-Over by Lynn Painter

Paperback BESTSELLER

In this “unequivocally hilarious and delightful” (Kirkus Reviews) 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.

Bloodmarked cover image
Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn

Paperback BESTSELLER

The “worthy successor to an explosive debut” (Kirkus Reviews)—the New York Times bestselling and award-winning Legendborn—perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare and Margaret Rogerson! Contains bonus content from William’s POV featuring never-before-seen moments from Legendborn and Bloodmarked, plus a teaser for the explosive third book in the Legendborn Cycle: Oathbound.

Long Way Down cover image
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

paperback BESTSELLER

An ode to Put the Damn Guns Down, this is National Book Award finalist and New York Times bestseller Jason Reynolds’s fiercely stunning novel that takes place in sixty potent seconds—the time it takes a kid to decide whether or not he’s going to murder the guy who killed his brother.

Did someone say new Free Reads? Yes, that’s right, we did! And we are so excited for September’s Free Reads. This month’s theme for Free Reads is all things back-to-school! Check out all of September’s new releases with extended excerpts!

Free Reads are only available to Simon Teen members! Not a Simon Teen member yet? It’s free and easy to sign up! Click here to set up your account now. 

Full Reads


1. Of Princes and Promises by Sandhya Menon

From the New York Times bestselling author of When Dimple Met Rishi comes the second installment in a series set an elite boarding school that’s a contemporary spin on fairy tales, this one a delightful, romantic twist on The Frog Prince.

Start reading now!

2. Girls with Sharp Sticks by Suzanne Young

From New York Times bestselling author Suzanne Young comes the start of a thrilling, subversive new series about a girls-only boarding school with a terrifying secret and the friends who will stop at nothing to protect each other.

Start reading now!

3. Time Out by Sean Hayes, Todd Milliner, with Carlyn Greenwald

Heartstopper meets Friday Night Lights in this “seamless, engrossing” (Publishers Weekly) 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.

Start reading now!

4. As if On Cue by Marisa Kanter

A pair of fierce foes are forced to work together to save the arts at their school in this “enemies-to-lovers rom-com of my dreams” (Rachel Lynn Solomon, author of Today Tonight Tomorrow) that fans of Jenny Han and Morgan Matson are sure to adore.

Start reading now!


Extended Excerpts


1. Hysterical Girls of St. Bernadette’s by Hanna Alkaf

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.

Start reading now! 

2. How to Lose a Best Friend by jordan K. Casomar

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.

Start reading now! 

3. Powerful by Lauren Roberts

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.

Start reading now! 

4. With Love, Echo park by Laura Taylor Namey

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.

Start reading now! 

5. Reckless by Lauren Roberts

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.

Start reading now! 

6. Powerless by Lauren Roberts

Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, this young adult fantasy follows the forbidden romance between a powerful prince and an ordinary girl as they try to survive their kingdom’s grueling laws pitting them against each other.

Start reading now! 

7.These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong

Perfect for fans of The Last Magician and Serpent & Dove, this heart-stopping debut is an imaginative Romeo and Juliet retelling set in 1920s Shanghai, with rival gangs and a monster in the depths of the Huangpu River.

Start Reading Now!

8. Wild Dreamers by Margarita Engle

In this stirring young adult novel-in-verse from award-winning author Margarita Engle, love and conservation intertwine as two teens go on a “transformative journey celebrating the power of overcoming personal struggles to make a lasting impact” (Kirkus Reviews).

Start reading now!

9. Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

A young girl begins to question her picture-perfect world in this first installment of Scott Westerfeld’s New York Times bestselling and award-winning Uglies series—a global phenomenon that started the dystopian trend.

Start Reading now!


Extras


1. The Eid Gift by S.K. Ali

The Eid Gift is a companion short story to Love from A to Z. Adam and Zayneb —engaged but continents apart for so long— are finally in the same city!

Start reading now!

2. Love at First Fight by Sandhya Menon

Join Dimple and Rishi as they do an escape room in this exclusive short story from Sandhya Menon! You’ll also see how Pinky and Samir met for the first time before you can read about them in 10 Things I Hate About Pinky.

Start reading now!

3. As Kismet Would Have It by Sandhya Menon

Will Dimple and Rishi find their happily ever after? Find out in this funny, romantic, endlessly charming e-novella sequel to When Dimple Met Rishi!

Start reading now!

4. The Thief by Jessica Brody and Joanne Rendell

A short story prequel to Sky Without Stars about the origins of fan-favorite character, Chatine!

Start reading now!

5. These Precious Scars by Emily Suvada

A haunting short story prequel to the Mortal Coil series.

Start reading now!

6. Better Than the Prom by Lynn Painter

A swoonworthy short story from Wes’s perspective from Better Than the Movies.

Start reading now!

7. Uncharted Dreams by Pascale Lacelle

Romie Brysden is a Dreamer, the best at the prestigious Aldryn College for Lunar Magics. She knows the realm of dreams like a sea captain knows the tides. And she’s gone deeper into this vast sleepscape than any Dreamer ever has. This is a prequest short story to A Curious Tides.

Start reading now!

8. The Priest and the Shepherd by Chloe Gong

Set six years before the events of Foul Lady FortuneThe Priest and the Shepherd follows Orion’s sister, Phoebe, and his best friend, Silas!

Start reading now!

9. Our First Chance by Robbie Couch

Long before they were best friends, River wasn’t a fan of Dylan—Mavis’ suspiciously perfect new boyfriend who was slowly stealing her away. But in this short story prequel to Another First Chance, Mavis cleverly plans for them both to attend an Astronomy Club meeting, hoping the after-school activity brings the pair closer together. Meanwhile, many states away, the mastermind behind a secretive research group scores a big win that will upend the high schoolers’ lives forever…

Start reading now!

10. Better Than Before by Lynn Painter

Lynn Painter’s Better Than the Movies collides with Betting on You when, after meeting the annoyingly cute Bailey on his flight, Charlie gets picked at the airport up by his cousin, Wes, who introduces him to his annoyingly cute neighbor, Liz.

Start Reading Now!

11. Second First dATE BY RACHEL LYNN SOLOMON

Graduation has come and gone, and there’s one major milestone Rowan and Neil haven’t yet hit in their relationship: going on a real date. Neil’s planned every detail, determined to give his girlfriend the ultimate romantic evening, although he’s secretly worried their connection may not spark the way it did on the last day of school—which, given how much he adores her, would be absolutely devastating. When the night turns out to be one disaster after another, they realize the date itself hardly matters. They’re still completely starry-eyed over each other, and with a little of Seattle’s natural magic, they have a whole summer to get it right.

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12. Werewolves, witches & Wyverns by F.T. Lukens

Claire and Grant are best friends who love to play a fictional and fantastical table-top card game which features a bevy of supernatural beings including werewolves, witches, and wyverns. During a playing session, Claire accidentally opens a portal and she and Grant are promptly sucked into a parallel world that is startlingly familiar to their game and where the card dynamics allow them to cast magic spells. Thus, their adventure begins in the pilot episode of Werewolves, Witches, & Wyverns, the television show beloved and raved about by the characters of Otherworldly.

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13. Nothing Better Than You by Lynn Painter

Experience Wes and Liz’s first kiss from Better Than the Movies from Wes’s point of view!

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On a forgotten part of Nova Scotia, there lies an island. 

On that island are Eleven Houses. 

In those houses sit eleven ancient families. 

They stand at the gate between the world of the living and the dead, but not all of them will be ready for the Storm that’s coming. 

Fares Well the House That’s Ready.



There are SO many amazing moments from Legendborn and Bloodmarked that stick with you long after turning the page, but which one is the Breehive’s favorite? The votes are in and the winner is…  



Revisit your fave scenes!

Legendborn 

  • Bree sees the Wall of Ages with Will – page 134-141
  • Bree stands up to Sel for the first time – page 269
  • “You are my king now, cariad.” – page 487
  • “Make it about the love.” – page 386
  • Nick chooses Bree as his squire – page 415
  • Nick and Sel see Bree in the ballroom – page 402-403
  • Bree’s first memory walk – page 227-239
  • Bree’s memory of her mother preparing her – page 388-390

Bloodmarked

  • Bree confronts the Regents – page 161-171
  • Reveal of Sel’s mesmer – page 332
  • First meeting Valec – page 322
  • Sel and Bree at the waterfall – page 473-481 
  • “What truly ties us together is not blood but pain.” – page 138
  • Bree’s big dragon moment – page 531-533
  • Reveal of the Shadow King – page 508
  • The BreeNickSel reunion – page 459

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