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 June 9-13, we’re showing you all the new covers for our Spring 2026 young adult books. So get your Goodreads shelf ready because you’re going to want to add all of these books to your TBR!


6/9: Cover Reveals Day 1


Infinite Shores by Pascale Lacelle

Ninth House meets The Hazel Wood in this spellbinding conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Drowned Gods Trilogy, a gorgeous dark academia fantasy following a teen mage and her friends on their desperate quest through worlds and time!

Fate cannot be broken—not even by the gods who serve it.

Emory refuses to lose Romie again. Her friend’s fate hangs in the balance as the monstrous Clover plans to use her as a sacrifice to steal power from the deity Atheia—and make himself into a proper god. To stop Clover, Emory needs the help of Atheia’s dark counterpart, Sidraeus. Yet this enigmatic deity cannot be trusted, and if Emory is to ally with him, she must invoke an ancient magic to keep him tethered to her side.

Meanwhile, in the divine workshop of the god of balance, Baz learns he has a role to play in the coming fight to save the crumbling worlds and their weakening magics. Yet all he can think of is Kai and the gruesome fate that awaits him at Clover’s side—a fate, the god tells him, that is beyond even his reach. But Baz is determined to save Kai, even if he has to rewrite time itself.

As chaos reigns and the tides of a corrupted magic threaten to consume all, Emory and Baz must contend with mercurial gods, vengeful deities, and those hell-bent on eradicating Eclipse magic to save the people they love—and write an ending to their stories that defies fate itself.

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

 

Heiress of Nowhere by Stacey Lee

An orphan races to uncover a killer—who may have come from the sea—when she and her beloved orcas fall under suspicion in this gothic historical mystery from the New York Times bestselling author of The Downstairs Girl.

1918. Orcas Island, Washington.

Eighteen-year-old Lucy Nowhere has spent her life working on the massive estate of Dakon Sanders, the eccentric shipbuilder who took her in after she washed ashore as a baby in a green canoe. But she longs for a life away from the island, which, despite its abundance, holds no answers for her.

Just before her departure to attend university, Lucy discovers the head of her benefactor on a rocky beach. Rumors swirl that a mischievous spirit, the Orkus, has struck again, much like it commanded its minions, the seawolves, to kill a nameless cannery worker years ago. But Lucy doesn’t believe the seawolves are at fault. She believes that the seal heads that have started appearing on beaches have been placed there by a human hand.

Then, Lucy is named the heiress of the multi-million-dollar estate, displacing his dashing and mysterious nephew, Nash. The unexpected inheritance casts Lucy under new suspicion—and paints a large target on her back.

Though her best friend, the ruggedly handsome estate cowboy guard, Koa, urges her to leave the island with him, Lucy knows the only way she can discover who she is, and to free the island of its curse, is to find the real killer—before she becomes the next victim.

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

 

Lights Out by Jenni Fletcher

A college student experiences life in the fast lane in a whirlwind fake dating scheme with a notorious Formula 1 driver in this swoony crossover romance perfect for fans of Chloe Walsh and Lauren Asher.

He’s a future international racing champion, but she’s making it hard to stay on track…

Maisie Evans is a dedicated university student who still secretly dreams of the glittering sports career she abandoned. Giovanni Bauer is the resident bad boy of Formula 1 racing and needs to turn his reputation around fast—or risk losing his place on the team.

When Gio and Maisie’s worlds collide, the answer to their problems seems obvious: a fake relationship. She gets to travel and brush shoulders with sports royalty, and he gets to fix his public image. But as sparks fly—on and off the track—will their “relationship” make it across the finish line, or will the public’s attention cause them to crash and burn?

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


6/10: Cover Reveals Day 2


Better Than the Movies (Collector’s Edition) by Lynn Painter

This sparkling deluxe paper over board special edition of Lynn Painter’s phenomenal New York Times bestselling rom-com about a hopelessly romantic teen girl’s first love features a new cover, stenciled edges, gorgeously designed endpapers, a ribbon bookmark, a letter from the author, and never-before-published bonus content!

Perpetual daydreamer Liz Buxbaum gave her heart to Michael a long time ago. But her cool, aloof forever crush never really saw her before he moved away. Now that he’s back in town, Liz will do whatever it takes to get on his radar—and maybe snag him as a prom date—even befriend Wes Bennet.

The annoyingly attractive next-door neighbor might seem like a prime candidate for romantic comedy fantasies, but Wes has only been a pain in Liz’s butt since they were kids. Pranks involving frogs and decapitated lawn gnomes do not a potential boyfriend make. Yet, somehow, Wes and Michael are hitting it off, which means Wes is Liz’s in.

But as Liz and Wes scheme to get Liz noticed by Michael so she can have her magical prom moment, she’s shocked to discover that she likes being around Wes. And as they continue to grow closer, she must reexamine everything she thought she knew about love—and rethink her own ideas of what Happily Ever After should look like.

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

 

Love Goes Viral by Alexander Berman, Camille Stochitch, and Estelle Laure

An internet star crafts a fake relationship with a small-town boy to rehab her image only to develop real feelings in this sweeping romance perfect for fans of Lynn Painter and Rachael Lippincott.

Love Thompson has it all: 50 million followers, brand deals, PR packages at her Hollywood mansion doorstep. Until…she doesn’t.

After she takes the blame for her influencer boyfriend’s mistake, the fallout goes even more viral than the video that skyrocketed her to fame. And even though she’s technically innocent, by the next morning she’s already lost sponsorships and 10 million followers. Love needs to rehab her image. Fast. And that means dating someone a little more homegrown.

Enter: Austin Grey. Austin is about as down to earth as it gets. His only followers are the regulars at his family’s struggling diner he’s doing his best to save. But everything changes when he gets a DM from an internet star from his past he never expected to cross paths with again.

When Love walks back into Austin’s life, they both think this is a purely online scheme with an expiration date. But as real feelings start to develop that keep them coming back to each other again and again, will either of them be willing to take a chance on something real?

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

 

The Roommate Arrangement by Samantha Markum

When Blair accidentally becomes college roommates with her brother’s best friend, sparks fly in this hilarious rom-com from bestselling author Samantha Markum, perfect for fans of Lynn Painter and Emma Lord.

Blair might be a little type-A, but she never thought of herself as completely overbearing…that is, until her two best friends drop her from their housing arrangement a week before her pre-college summer coding program is about to start.

Blair knows if she switches to an on-campus dorm, her parents will make her give up her expensive sculpture class with her dream mentor in order to pay for it. Desperate, she agrees to be the fifth roommate to four off-campus sophomores who are also in a last-minute bind. But things get complicated when one of her new roommates turns out to be her brother’s best friend, Jamie Atwater.

Blair begs Jamie not to tell her brother about the new living arrangement. Her brother would go straight to their parents, who would definitely not approve, and all her plans would fall apart. So they strike a deal: she’ll help him finish coding the app he’s building if he promises to keep her secret.

Spending more time together shouldn’t be a problem. Sure, Jamie has a new haircut, a mysterious tattoo, and a year’s worth of earned muscle, but it’s not like Blair is noticing. After all, they’re only roommates, right?

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

 

Ungodly Chaos by Selma Soren

An action-packed contemporary fantasy for fans of Rick Riordan and Legendborn following a heartbroken girl who accidentally discovers her ex-boyfriend is the descendant of the Egyptian god of chaos and in danger from a deadly plot.

Amira Shah is having a perfectly good, perfectly normal year—until her boyfriend (and hottest boy in school) Kaidan Jaziri breaks up with her on her seventeenth birthday. But Amira is never one to let things go, and after overhearing Kaidan loudly arguing with someone in town, she follows him, only to fall through a portal to the underworld, also known as Duat.

There, she learns the chaotic ex-boyfriend who would endlessly rope her into trouble inherited his impulsive nature from his ancestor Apep, the god of chaos.

Kaidan is intent on solving a spree of murders happening in the human realm. Someone is killing other descendants—and if Kaidan isn’t careful, he might be next. Feeling a mystical pull to Kaidan and the underworld, Amira insists on helping solve the mystery.

Together with Kaidan’s rival and descendent of the sun god, Zain Nailos, they uncover secrets behind Amira’s mysterious connection to the Egyptian pantheon and pursue the clever killer who may have been hiding among them all along.

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


6/11: Cover Reveals Day 3


Paradise Coast by Suzanne Young

Rival groups of local and wealthy teens in a small Everglades town confront the secrets that rise from the waters in the wake of a hurricane in this sizzling and suspenseful thriller from New York Times bestselling author Suzanne Young—perfect for fans of Outer Banks and The White Lotus.

Some secrets won’t stay buried. Not even in the Everglades.

Deep in the Everglades, there was once a luxurious and legendary hotel enjoyed by the wealthy elite. Until one mysterious night when a fire tore through the building, killing a young socialite and casting blame on a local dock worker. Soon after, the hotel vanished, swallowed up by the wetlands like it never existed at all.

Until now.

When a powerful hurricane unearths the ruins of the long-forgotten hotel, the past is dragged back to the surface as clues to the devasting truth about the night of the fire are revealed.

It’s the truth that die-hard local Noa and her friends have been chasing for years in the hopes of clearing their ancestor’s name and pushing back against the rich families trying to force them out. With the help of Jamie, the rebellious son of a wealthy businessman, Noa and her crew begin a desperate fight for the justice they deserve.

It won’t be easy. Because the wealthy control just about everything on Paradise Coast—including the truth. And they will do whatever it takes, even kill, to make sure the past stays buried.

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

 

The Danger of Small Things by Caryl Lewis

A teen uses her art to protest injustice and galvanize others to resist in this fierce, gorgeously written near-future dystopian novel about girls finding their voices in the darkest of times, perfect for fans of The Handmaid’s Tale and Girls with Sharp Sticks.

The whole world rested on a single bee’s wings…until that last honeybee died, and the balance of the universe tipped. Now, famine and war rage across the land. People are no longer allowed to read or create art. They are forbidden to believe in the existence of love.

Like every other girl, Jess has been taken from her home to live in a government dormitory, where they are forced to pollinate crops by hand with brushes. But unlike the others, Jess knows how to read and paint—and she knows that brushes aren’t meant for pollinating.

Jess is her mother’s daughter, with a strong streak of rebellion that even the harshest punishment can’t stamp out. She knows there is something horribly wrong with this system built on the hard labor of young girls, a system that forces them to marry and have children as soon as they are able. With smuggled paints and brush in hand, can Jess inspire a revolution?

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

 

Steam by Shaenon K. Garrity and Illustrated by Emily Holden

A genius humanoid escapes the university lab where she was made and gets a job at a local coffee shop in this quirky, misfit young adult graphic novel perfect for fans of Giant Days and Heartstopper.

Ruby is a genius humanoid who was grown in a secret lab at the local university, created to solve science’s greatest problems. But Ruby suspects she can’t fulfill her function while trapped inside, so she breaks out.

Now living among humans, Ruby attempts to lie low and fit in as a barista at the university coffeehouse, Inkcap. Working there gives her plenty of opportunity to figure out what problems people need solving. And as far as she can tell, most humans’ biggest problem is struggling to find happiness. And what makes them happy? Love! So, Ruby uses her superpowered brain to play cupid.

As Ruby sets to work pairing up the staff and regulars at Inkcap, she feels more and more human herself: she’s got a community now, maybe even a crush. But the lab believes she’s dangerous, and it wants her back. When pursuing her own happiness leads Ruby straight into a trap, she’ll need her new motley crew of coffeehouse friends to save her from the scientist who only want to use her.

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


6/12: Cover Reveals Day 4


Just the Good Parts by Robbie Couch

From the New York Times bestselling author of If I See You Again Tomorrow Robbie Couch comes a stunningly romantic speculative novel about a teen with the power to visit others’ memories who keeps crossing paths with a handsome stranger in them as he’s looking for his missing dad.

Caspen Coolsby’s dad is missing. But even though it’s only been a few months, everyone has given up on finding him. Except for Caspen.

He finally gets a break in the case when he meets his new upstairs neighbors and discovers he can somehow transport himself into each of the college students’ memories using candle scents that remind them of important moments. No one loved candles more than his dad, so Caspen is sure there must be clues pointing toward where to find him hidden in the memories.

His thinking hits a snag, though, when a handsome boy named Lars keeps popping up in memories where he also doesn’t belong. As the lines between memory and reality begin to blur, Caspen can’t help but fall for the mysterious boy who keeps chipping away at the rose-colored lens he’s always seen life through. But will Caspen be able to find his dad and his crush outside of these stolen moments if it means reliving the hard truths of his past and not just the good parts?

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

 

Beast Becomes Her by Crystal Seitz

Netflix’s Wednesday meets Norse mythology in this gorgeous dark contemporary fantasy following a teen berserkr sent to a secret magical academy where she must unmask the real killer behind the gruesome campus murders or risk becoming the next victim.

Edith has always been a good girl—she has to be, or her foster family might think she’s like her violent father. No matter how much anger simmers inside her, she keeps it buried, hidden…

Until the day she’s pushed a step too far, and that anger comes bursting out in the form of literal claws.

It’s then that Edith learns she’s a beserkr, a descendant of ancient Norse warriors with the ability to turn into animals. To avoid jail for attacking a student, Edith is shipped off to the mysterious Skallagrim Academy. The ancient school is supposedly a haven for people like her, a place where she can learn to control her powers and then push them down so deep that they’ll never come out again.

But someone—or something—is stalking the dark halls of Skallagrim.

On her first night, Edith stumbles upon a gruesome murder and is caught at the scene of the crime by Amund, who is tasked with hunting down wayward berserkir. Now, with Amund suspecting Edith as the killer, she’ll have to catch the real culprit to prove her innocence before she ends up in the hunter’s crosshairs—or becomes the killer’s next victim.

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


6/13: Cover Reveals Day 5


The Afterlands by Akemi Dawn Bowman

Nami must race against time to save Infinity—and humanity—in the explosive third and final book in the “cerebral and pulse-pounding” (School Library Journal on Infinity Courts, starred review) Infinity Courts series from critically acclaimed author Akemi Dawn Bowman.

Infinity has changed. Victory and Famine lie in ruins, while Ozias—previously the leader of the fight against the AI Residents who subjugated humans—has overthrown Death. And the boy that Nami unreservedly gave her heart to has been dragged back to the Capital to have his memory erased. In a shifting landscape of alliances, Nami doesn’t know who she can trust—she only knows it’s her mistakes that have driven them to today.

With few allies and even fewer friends, Nami sets off one final time to prove that a bridge between humans and Residents really is possible…before the shadows of the past destroy any chance of a better future.

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

 

Sweet Clarity by Rhiannon Richardson

A sweet, contemporary, sapphic romance of self-exploration and self-love by The Meet-Cute Project author Rhiannon Richardson.

Clarity Jones has her first kiss with Hannah Fitzpatrick while away at Christian summer camp. Though it wasn’t like her to be so impulsive, realizing she’s gay slid a missing piece of her identity into place and was the most freeing experience of her life. However, Clarity’s self-discovery turns to disaster when she and Hannah are found together—and she gets a glimpse of how the truth can turn her life upside down.

Now that she’s home, Clarity vows to do whatever it takes to keep her secret from her Baptist parents and not lose any more friends. Only this goal becomes increasingly complicated as Clarity must choose between who she been pretending to be and who she really is.

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

 

The Chemical Garden collection (Wither, Fever, Sever) by Lauren DeStefano

For the first printing only! This book features sprayed edges while the special edition supply lasts.

A teen fights to escape the wealthy family who kidnapped her to produce their heirs in this first book in the riveting, New York Times bestselling dystopian young adult trilogy reminiscent of The Handmaid’s Tale. This special 15th anniversary edition features a brand-new look!

Rhine Ellery has four years left to live. A botched effort to create a perfect humanity has left all males with a lifespan of twenty-five years, and all females with one of twenty—and the world has fallen into a state of panic. Geneticists seek a miracle antidote, desperate orphans crowd the population, crime and poverty have skyrocketed, and girls are kidnapped off the streets and forced to serve as wives and bear children for the scions of the rich and powerful.

Despite her every precaution, Rhine is kidnapped and forced to become a bride. Kept under tight guard, and tossed into a glittering world of illusion, Rhine is given wealth and luxury beyond anything she’s ever dreamed. Her every need is met…every need except freedom. With the help of sweet, caring Gabriel—a servant in the manor—Rhine will do anything it takes to escape, go home, and reunite with her twin brother.

But Florida is a long way from Manhattan; her father-in-law, a scientist from the perfect, healthy “first generation” who is obsessed with finding a cure for this early death, is watching her every move and hoarding corpses in the basement; and her husband, Linden, is a far cry from the monster she imagined him to be. But in a world that continues to decay, and with only four years left to fight for, is there any room for someone like Rhine to choose her own path?

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

 


Additional Cover Reveals


According to Plan by Christen Randall

From USA TODAY bestselling author Christen Randall comes a cozy, feel-good queer romance about self-discovery, finding your person, and carving out a space for yourself in unexpected places—perfect for fans of Heartstopper, Felix Ever After, and Julie Murphy.

Mal Flowers expected senior year fall to be full of cozy sweaters, good coffee, and copyediting. As the new editor-in-chief of their school’s literary magazine, they just want to follow The Plan to graduate and get out of their small midwestern town—a place where, as a broke, fat, queer person with ADHD, they’ve never really fit in. But when budget cuts result in the lit mag’s cancellation, Mal is suddenly left scrambling for something to replace it.

That is, until Emerson Pike—who also has ADHD but is loud, confident, and Mal’s complete opposite—suggests the staff go rogue and create a zine instead. Which would be cool, except that making and selling contraband isn’t exactly what Mal envisioned listing as the extracurricular activity on their college application. A zine would be unofficial, unapproved, and definitely not in The Plan.

But a zine is also a good way to spend more time with Emerson, whose playful banter and bad jokes Mal can’t seem to get enough of. And maybe, with a group of new friends, the back of the charming coffee shop where Emerson works could be somewhere Mal does belong. Because breaking the rules with Emerson—and flirting with her over coffee—is fun.

Maybe The Plan isn’t the only way to find happiness, but can Mal let go of something they’ve depended on for so long?

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

 

Fearful by lauren roberts

Set during the time of Fearless, a mysterious figure arrives in the kingdom of Ilya to witness the fight for the throne and the price it costs those sworn to defend the land in this beautiful and heart-wrenching story in the #1 New York Times bestselling Powerless trilogy.

Love too grand, it kills.

Mara never intended to set foot in Ilya again. But when the king makes a life-altering decision, her interest is piqued, and Death is determined to understand Kitt Azer’s mind if he is destined to join her in the Mors.

Spending time with the king while observing the castle’s inhabitants reminds Mara that there is more to life than just death. There is love. But even the purest of intentions spur revenge and the pursuit of power. And fate will have its way with all of them—to live, to rule, to love, and most certainly, to die…

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

 

Beth is Dead by Katie Bernet

Beth March’s sisters will stop at nothing to track down her killer—until they begin to suspect each other—in this debut thriller that’s also a bold, contemporary reimagining of the beloved classic Little Women.

When Beth March is found dead in the woods on New Year’s Day, her sisters vow to uncover her murderer.

Suspects abound. There’s the neighbor who has feelings for not one but two of the girls. Meg’s manipulative best friend. Amy’s flirtatious mentor. And Beth’s lionhearted first love. But it doesn’t take the surviving sisters much digging to uncover motives each one of the March girls had for doing the unthinkable.

Jo, an aspiring author with a huge following on social media, would do anything to hook readers. Would she kill her sister for the story? Amy dreams of studying art in Europe, but she’ll need money from her aunt—money that’s always been earmarked for Beth. And Meg wouldn’t dream of hurting her sister…but her boyfriend might have, and she’ll protect him at all costs.

Despite the growing suspicion within the family, it’s hard to know for sure if the crime was committed by someone close to home. After all, the March sisters were dragged into the spotlight months ago when their father published a controversial bestseller about his own daughters. Beth could have been killed by anyone.

Beth’s perspective told in flashback unfolds next to Meg, Jo, and Amy’s increasingly fraught investigation as the tragedy threatens to rip the Marches apart.

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 FALL!


 

These new releases are already trending on BookTok and are sure to be new faves for you, too!

Fake Skating cover image
Fake Skating by Lynn Painter

She moved away. He glowed up. Now they’re fake dating—and absolutely not getting along. This friends-to-enemies-to-lovers rom-com has small-town charm, a swoony hockey star, and banter that’ll make you scream. Lynn Painter delivers again, and BookTok? You’re going to eat this one up.

Coldwire cover image
Coldwire by Chloe Gong

She’s given us blood feuds and deadly games—now Chloe Gong takes on cyberpunk! A framed soldier. A student in a high-stakes academic race. Sparks fly as they uncover a dangerous conspiracy. Coldwire is enemies-to-allies, neon-lit tension, and everything BookTok loves about Chloe Gong—just in a whole new world.

A Treachery of Swans cover image
A Treachery of Swans by A. B. Poranek

Odile has one mission: infiltrate the palace and steal a magical crown to restore her kingdom’s power. But when she transforms her childhood rival into a swan and takes her place at court, a royal murder derails everything. Forced to team up with the girl she cursed—and can’t stop thinking about—Odile navigates a web of magic, betrayal, and forbidden feelings. This Swan Lake–inspired fantasy is dark, romantic, and utterly enchanting.

Joy to the Girls cover image
Joy to the Girls by Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick

Fan-favorite sapphic couple Alex and Molly return for a snowy, chaotic, and very romantic holiday novella. Think cozy vibes, messy matchmaking, and major “we’re in love but don’t know it yet” energy. If BookTok had a holiday rom-com shelf, this would be front and center.

Make My Wish Come True cover image
Make My Wish Come True by Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick

What happens when two ex-best friends fake-date their way through twelve festive events? So much holiday chaos, old feelings, and maybe a second chance at something more. Queer Christmas magic, emotional slow burns, and the perfect wintry backdrop—this is a rom-com BookTok has and will continue to obsess over.

Available in paperback this Fall!

A Match Made in Hell cover image
A Match Made in Hell by Charlotte Ingham

She dies. She wakes up in the underworld. Now she’s stuck working with an infuriating (and hot) demon king to win her life back. Think enemies-to-lovers, spicy deals with the devil, and gothic fantasy feels. BookTok, if you love your romance morally gray and steamy, don’t sleep on this.

The Rebel and the Rose cover image
The Rebel and the Rose by Catherine Doyle

The stakes are high, the enemies are hotter, and the magic is deadly. This romantasy sequel delivers slow-burn tension, royal rebellion, and a prophecy that could ruin everything. If you’re craving drama, danger, and a ship you’ll scream over, BookTok—it’s time to get obsessed.

Haven’t read The Dagger and the Flame just yet? Don’t worry! You have plenty of time to catch up before Seraphine and Ransom return.

Heart Check cover image
Heart Check by Emily Charlotte

She hates hockey. He is hockey. Forced to work together at a diner, the banter is brutal—and the chemistry is 🔥. With small-town charm, enemies-to-lovers sparks, and emotional depth, this one's perfect for BookTok readers who want their romance sharp, swoony, and full of heart.

By Invitation Only cover image
By Invitation Only by Alexandra Brown Chang

A science prodigy. A Hollywood socialite. One glittering debutante ball in Paris—and only one can be crowned. With sabotage, secrets, and all the high-society drama of The Selection, this addictive read is perfect for BookTok fans who live for rivals, twists, and elite teen drama.

Always Be My Bibi cover image
Always Be My Bibi by Priyanka Taslim

Bibi Hossain was supposed to get her first kiss this summer. Instead, she’s grounded and shipped off to Bangladesh for her sister’s extravagant wedding. But when Bibi teams up with the groom’s infuriatingly handsome brother to sabotage the nuptials, sparks fly. Think Clueless meets To All the Boys—this rom-com is a swoony, culture-rich delight.

Summer is HERE, and whether you’re visiting the beach, sitting by the pool, or just sitting inside in the AC, you’re bound to need a few new books to add to your summer reading list. From the swooniest of magical romances to a chilling boarding school thriller you’re sure to find something on this list to add to your TBR!

We’ll Always Have Summer cover image
We’ll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han

Now an original series on Prime Video!

In the epic conclusion of the New York Times bestselling The Summer I Turned Pretty trilogy, Belly makes her final choice between Jeremiah and Conrad.

The Prom Queen cover image
The Prom Queen by R.L. Stine

The inspiration behind the hit Netflix movie! When prom queen candidates start turning up dead, it’s a race against the clock to find the culprit in this classic Fear Street title from master of horror R.L. Stine.

The Beautiful Maddening cover image
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.

Meet Me on Love Street cover image
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.

Always Be My Bibi cover image
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.

The Tournament cover image
The Tournament by Rebecca Barrow

Three girls with entangled pasts compete for glory in their private school’s annual tournament, putting their survival skills and their relationships to the test, in this young adult thriller that’s “Shakespearean…stunning…dark academia at its finest” (Publishers Weekly, starred review).

Slice of Cherry cover image
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!

Goodbye, My Princess cover image
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.

A Treachery of Swans cover image
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.

Did someone say new Free Reads? Yes, that’s right, we did! And we are so excited for June’s Free Reads. This month’s Free Reads have been chosen in honor of Pride Month!  Plus, check out all of this month’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. If I See You Again Tomorrow by Robbie Couch

From the author of The Sky Blues and Blaine for the Win comes a speculative young adult romance about a teen stuck in a time loop that’s endlessly monotonous until he meets the boy of his dreams.

Start reading now!

2. Forget Me Not by Alyson Derrick

Perfect for fans of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Five Feet Apart, this tender solo debut by the coauthor of New York Times bestseller She Gets the Girl is a “punch to the gut in the best way” (Booklist, starred review) about the strength of love and the power of choosing each other, against odds and obstacles, again and again.

Start reading now!

3. Spell Bound by F.T. Lukens

Two rival apprentice sorcerers must team up to save their teachers and protect their own magic in this lively young adult romantic adventure from the New York Times bestselling author of In Deeper Waters and So This Is Ever After.

Start reading now!


Extended Excerpts


1. the summer I turned pretty by Jenny Han

Now an Original Series on Prime Video!

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, Jenny Han. This deluxe edition features foil on the cover and stenciled sprayed edges!

Start reading now! 

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

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. This deluxe edition features foil on the cover and stenciled sprayed edges!

Start reading now! 

3. We’ll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han

In the epic conclusion of the New York Times bestselling The Summer I Turned Pretty trilogy, Belly makes her final choice between Jeremiah and Conrad.

Start reading now! 

4. 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.

Start reading now! 

5. 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.

Start reading now! 

6. 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.

Start reading now! 

7. 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!

Start reading now!

8. 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.

Start reading now! 

9. 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.

Start reading now! 

10. 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.

Start reading now! 

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

She’s All That meets What If It’s Us in this swoon-worthy hate-to-love YA romantic comedy from #1 New York Times bestselling coauthor of Five Feet Apart Rachael Lippincott and debut writer Alyson Derrick.

Start reading now! 

12. Love at Second Sight by F.T. Lukens

When a teen has an unexpected vision about a future murder, he must juggle newfound interest from the supernatural community with trying to prevent the murder from happening in this new romantic fantasy from New York Times bestselling author F.T. Lukens.

Start reading now! 

13. Till Death by Kellan McDaniel

Two gay men—one young, one ageless—sink their teeth into reclaiming their lives and identities from those who would silence them in this insatiable romantic horror novel from Hugo and Nebula Award–nominated author Kellan McDaniel.

Start reading now! 

14. A Traitorous Heart by Erin Cotter

A noblewoman in the scandalous French court finds herself under the dangerous and watchful eye of the Parisian royalty when she falls in love with the handsome king who is betrothed to her former lover in this bisexual The Three Musketeers by way of Bridgerton and F.T. Lukens.

Start reading now! 

15. 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! 

16. 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!

17. Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

Filled with mystery and an intriguingly rich magic system, Tracy Deonn’s YA contemporary fantasy reinvents the King Arthur legend and “braids together Southern folk traditions and Black Girl Magic into a searing modern tale of grief, power, and self-discovery” (Dhonielle Clayton, New York Times bestselling author of The Belles).

Start reading now! 

18. 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! 


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!

14. the way we met by amber smith

Eden and Josh are in a good place – finally. But now Eden is facing down a new major milestone: spending the weekend with Josh’s parents. The last time she met them, it didn’t exactly go so well. She needs it to be perfect, for them to like her, and like her with Josh. As the weekend unfolds and she gets to know Josh’s family, the return home also brings back memories of the first time Eden met Josh. The real story, the one Josh doesn’t even know…

Start Reading Now!

Giveaway alert!!! Check out all of the May and June Simon Teen giveaways running on Goodreads and Storygraph for a chance to win free books!

By Invitation Only cover image
By Invitation Only by Alexandra Brown Chang

A hard-working teen hoping to land a college scholarship and a nepo baby looking to prove herself collide at the world’s most high-profile debutante ball in Paris in this young adult romance perfect for fans of American Royals and Better Than the Movies.

Enter for a chance to win on Goodreads from 5/4 through 5/16!

This Could Be Forever cover image
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.

Enter for a chance to win on Goodreads from 5/15 through 5/22!

The Beautiful Maddening cover image
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.

Enter for a chance to win on Goodreads from 5/19 through 6/2!

Girls Who Play Dead cover image
Girls Who Play Dead by Joelle Wellington

Two siblings investigate the murder of a friend only to unearth even more deadly mysteries in their small town in this page-turning young adult thriller from the acclaimed author of Their Vicious Games.

Enter for a chance to win on Goodreads from 6/2 through 6/16!

All the Tomorrows After cover image
All the Tomorrows After by Joanne Yi

A captivating, heartrending novel about a Korean American teen navigating grief and first love who agrees to accept money from her estranged father in exchange for letting him get to know her—for fans of Nina LaCour, Kathleen Glasgow, and All My Rage.

Enter for a chance to win on Storygraph from 5/19 through 6/18!

A Match Made in Hell cover image
A Match Made in Hell by Charlotte Ingham

Perfect for fans of Hannah Grace and The Dagger and the Flame, this scorching debut romantasy follows a young woman who makes a deal with the Devil to escape the underworld, only to fall for him instead.

Enter for a chance to win on Goodreads from 6/2 through 6/16!

Falling Like Leaves cover image
Falling Like Leaves by Misty Wilson

Gilmore Girls meets Jenny Han in this autumnal teen rom-com about a city girl stuck in a quaint small town who must confront her future and her old flame while the town prepares for an annual fall festival.

Enter for a chance to win on Goodreads from 6/9 through 6/23!

A Treachery of Swans cover image
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.

Enter for a chance to win on Goodreads from 6/16 through 6/30!

We can’t wait to be hanging out in Santa Monica for YALLWEST 2025 this weekend! SO GET READY because here’s a comprehensive schedule of all our Simon Teen activities this year. Don’t forget to follow along on Instagram Stories for up-to-the-minute news and stay tuned for lots of fun video content from our authors at YALLWEST!


Saturday, may 3rd


All day long at the Simon Teen Booth!

  • Stop by for giveaways all day, and enter our raffle for a chance to win a grand prize of signed books from the Simon Teen authors who will be attending the festival!
  • Get exclusive bookish swag and snag ticket for each ARC drop one hour before the giveaway time! (With the exception of the 11:00 am ARC Drop)


9:00am

  • Coldwire ARC Drop (Simon Teen Booth) (Unticketed)
  • Snag a ticket for the 11:00 am Crystal Ball Mystery ARC Drop

10:00am

11:00 am

  • Crystal Ball Mystery ARC Drop (Simon Teen Booth) (Grab a ticket at 9:00 am)
  • Maneuvering the Map Panel with Tracy Deonn (Barnum Hall)
  • Thank You, Next Panel with F.T. Lukens (Cafeteria)
  • The Annual YALLWEST Storyball with Stuart Gibbs (Disco Quad)

12:00 pm

  • All the Tomorrows After ARC Drop (Simon Teen Booth) (Grab a ticket at 11:00 am)
  • Fiction Feud with Stuart Gibbs, Kiyash Monsef, and Scott Reintgen (Cafeteria)

1:00pm

  • Crystal Ball Mystery ARC Drop (Simon Teen Booth) (Grab a ticket at 12:00 pm)
  • The Future of SFF Panel with Tracy Deonn (Barnum Hall)

2:00pm

  • Middle Grade ARC Drop (Simon Teen Booth) (Tickets available at 1:00)
  • MGnopoly with Kiyash Monsef and Scott Reintgen (Cafeteria)
  • It Builds Character! Panel with Elba Luz (Greek Theater)

3:00pm

  • Crystal Ball Mystery ARC Drop (Simon Teen Booth) (Grab a ticket at 2:00 pm)
  • Searching for Signs Panel with F.T. Lukens (Barnum Hall)
  • Putting a Spin on the Recipe Panel with Morgan Matson (Greek Hall)
  • I Feel I Should Bring Up Past Events… Panel with Chloe Gong (Disco Quad)

4:00pm

  • The Beautiful Maddening ARC Drop (Simon Teen Booth) (Tickets available at 3:00pm)
  • I Love This So Much, But Also I Need Money Panel with Scott Reintgen (Greek Theater)
  • I Went Through a Third Act Breakup and All I Got Was This T-Shirt Panel with Morgan Matson (Disco Quad)
  • Holding Space for Defying Gravity Panel with Chloe Gong (Barnum Hall)
  • Sad Songs, Power Ballads, and Pump Up Playlists Panel with Elba Luz (Cafeteria)

Did someone say new Free Reads? Yes, that’s right, we did! And we are so excited for May’s Free Reads. This month’s Free Reads have been chosen in celebration of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month!  Plus, check out all of this month’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. A Pho Love Story by Loan Le

When Dimple Met Rishi meets Ugly Delicious in this funny, smart romantic comedy, in which two Vietnamese-American teens fall in love and must navigate their newfound relationship amid their families’ age-old feud about their competing, neighboring restaurants.

Start reading now!

2. 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 brand-new 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!

3. Emergency Contact by Mary H. K. Choi

“Smart and funny, with characters so real and vulnerable, you want to send them care packages. I loved this book.” —Rainbow Rowell

Start reading now!


Extended Excerpts


1. P. S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han

Now a Netflix original movie starring Lana Condor and Noah Centineo and the inspiration behind the Netflix spin-off series XO, Kitty!

In this charming and heartfelt New York Times bestselling second book in the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before series, the unforgettable Lara Jean experiences first love. This special keepsake edition features a deluxe faux notebook cover and includes Jenny’s top-secret chocolate chip cookie recipe!

Start reading now! 

2. The 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.

Start reading now! 

3. 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!

Start reading now! 

4. 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.

Start reading now! 

5. Solving for the Unknown by Loan Le

In this sweet, incredibly heartfelt companion to A Pho Love Story, Vietnamese Americans Viet and Evie juggle family expectations with their desire to forge their own path in between college classes and falling in love.

Start reading now! 

6. The Love Match by Priyanka Taslim

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before meets Pride and Prejudice in this delightful and heartfelt rom-com about a Bangladeshi American teen whose meddling mother arranges a match to secure their family’s financial security—just as she’s falling in love with someone else.

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. Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

Filled with mystery and an intriguingly rich magic system, Tracy Deonn’s YA contemporary fantasy reinvents the King Arthur legend and “braids together Southern folk traditions and Black Girl Magic into a searing modern tale of grief, power, and self-discovery” (Dhonielle Clayton, New York Times bestselling author of The Belles).

Start reading now! 

9. 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! 


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!

14. the way we met by amber smith

Eden and Josh are in a good place – finally. But now Eden is facing down a new major milestone: spending the weekend with Josh’s parents. The last time she met them, it didn’t exactly go so well. She needs it to be perfect, for them to like her, and like her with Josh. As the weekend unfolds and she gets to know Josh’s family, the return home also brings back memories of the first time Eden met Josh. The real story, the one Josh doesn’t even know…

Start Reading Now!

The weather is getting warmer, the flowers are blooming and we had an amazing group of must-read books that are coming out this May. If you haven’t added these reads to your TBR, stop what you’re doing and add them now!

The Complete Summer I Turned Pretty Trilogy (Deluxe Boxed Set) cover image
The Complete Summer I Turned Pretty Trilogy (Deluxe Boxed Set) by Jenny Han

From New York Times bestselling author Jenny Han comes the complete paperback collection of The Summer I Turned Pretty series. Each deluxe edition features foil on the cover and stenciled sprayed edges!

P.S. I Still Love You cover image
P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han

In this charming and heartfelt New York Times bestselling second book in the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before series, the unforgettable Lara Jean experiences first love. This special keepsake edition features a deluxe faux notebook cover and includes Jenny’s top-secret chocolate chip cookie recipe!

The Art of Exile cover image
The 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.

Ruthless cover image
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!

This Could Be Forever cover image
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.

Read on for an exclusive excerpt of If Looks Could Kill by Julie Berry!


1888

Whitechapel, East London

Jack Has Thoughts Upon Reading the Morning Papers (Autumn 1888)

I was kinder than I could have been. Kinder to each hellcat than she deserved.

            It isn’t pain that pleasures me. Nor am I mad, unless we all are.

            Their suffering was brief. Instantaneous. They were asleep. They only felt a moment’s fear, if any, then slept for good. I freed them from their wretched lives while their minds reposed in peace. How much better do you treat the beasts you consume? Eat your breakfast bacon, you shopkeepers and clerks, you mistresses and mothers, and gossip about the Whitechapel horrors. Enjoy the entertainment with my compliments.

            Disease and drink and poverty were killing them before your eyes, and did you lift a hand to help? How easily you looked away as they died by the score. Now, thanks to me, you cannot look away. Not anymore.

            You who gasp at morning headlines, I laugh at your hypocrisy. You men who avail yourself of these wretched women’s disgusting delights, and pay less than the price of a loaf of bread, I know who you are. Far more are you scavengers of flesh than I.

            Since they are cattle to you, I’ll be your butcher. You churchgoers, who want the streets cleansed of these wicked whores – you propose no better solution than to raise the rent.

            But come. Be reasonable. Their bitter lives were fated to expire soon, existing as they do on gin. Mine is a life of grander stature. Nature fashioned me rare, unique. Mine is a deeper cunning, an intellect more refined. If offering fallen women upon an altar can preserve me, humanity is better served.

            They were poor. I am rich. They were loathsome. I am pure. They were ignorant. I am a man of learning. They were hideous. I am beautiful. They were female. I am not.

            Where is my sin? I am an angel of mercy, gently hastening a few across the valley of death, to leave their mortal woes behind. What happens to their corpses after they die – what of it? All decompose eventually.

            I mold their clay into truer sculptures than those you jostle and queue to pay to see at your waxworks and dime museums. Behold the true Anatomical Venus. A once-living woman, opened for scientific study and aesthetic pleasure. My fleshy handiwork. Their carcasses are my canvas to show the filth, the taint, the reeking excrement behind whoring, seducing womanhood.

            But even so, I am not cruel. Only when they were quietly gone did I set about my work.

            So write your screeds, you moralizers, but do not pretend you care for those women. You wanted these demons off the street as much as anyone of sense.

            Do not think you can know me. I walk among you daily with a seraph’s face. I sleep in peace when dawn approaches and I lay me down at last. 

The Bowery, Lower East Side, Manhattan

Tabitha – The Fire of the Spirit (Autumn 1888)

Funny thing about the fire of the Spirit. It burns hot in Army meetings, when the captain’s preaching, the singers are singing, the guitar playing, the tambourines jingling, and the people on either side of you are receiving Jesus, dancing for joy, and saying praise be, hallelujah, I’m a new woman, I’m alive in Christ, and they’re begging to enlist in the Lord’s army. It burns bright and hot enough that when they say to you, Sister Tabitha, are you ready to give your life to the Lord and take up his cross and march all the way to Babylon? (Even though it’s actually a train to New York City. I, for one, am not walking.) Are you ready to enlist in God’s Army and carry his banner into war? Are you ready to leave the home to go save souls? Are you ready to rescue sinners and snatch them back from the jaws of a dreadful fate? Are you? Are you?

            All that hot Spirit fire. It’s the kind of thing that makes you say yes.

            (And, possibly also the image of the absolute conniption Aunt Lorraine will have if you say yes gives the idea a bit more sparkle.)

            And you do feel something, just maybe not like what everyone else means by feeling the Spirit. Right in the middle of all that noise, there comes a quiet. You feel a warmth, a glow that fills you up from the inside, and all of a sudden your eyes are pricking and you fell as though beams of light are shooting out your fingers and toes. And it speaks to you. Tabitha, beloved daughter, here I am. I am with you, and I always have been. Come with me, dear one. I have a work for you to do. I need you to go find my other daughters who are lost and lead them home.

            You can’t really argue with that, can you? Not when all that love is pulsing through you till your bones tingle.

            In the meeting, with all the tambourines, you’re pretty sure “home” means the Heavenly Kingdom. The Pearly Gates. The Celestial City.

            But when you get to Babylon, or in this case, the Salvation Army headquarters in the basement underneath Steve Brodie’s Saloon on the Bowery, and you see some of those lost daughters through smudgy saloon windows, you realize maybe home is a mother and a father, back in Poughkeepsie, or Scranton, or West Springfield, weeping over their girl who followed a liar to Gotham and disappeared, never to be heard from again.

            Because she isn’t typing anybody’s letters, or bringing up the Missus’s breakfast tray, and she isn’t weaving cloth in a woolen mill. If only she were.

            She is a prisoner on the Devil’s Mile, one of the forgotten girls of the Bowery. Behind the bright lights and tinkling ivories, the laughter and the liquor, there she is. Behind a beaded curtain. Behind a painted face. Neither her body nor her broken heart belongs to her anymore.

Tabitha – The War Cry (Friday, September 7, 1888)

Commander Maud Booth had warned me – well, all of us – that Satan would strew trials and adversities in our path to glory. I just never expected one of them to be Pearl Davenport, my roommate and companion soldier in the Salvation Army. Wherever I go, there is Pearl, and wherever Pearl goes, there am I.   

            I arrived in New York on Saturday. I spent Sunday attending rally meetings, then several days training at headquarters. By Wednesday night, I’d been assigned my base camp – the one on the Bowery – and my comrade-in-arms. Pearl.

            I had brought a little present for my soon-to-be sister and absolute forever best friend, as yet unmet, likely to be the maid of honor at my wedding if I ever did marry: a bracelet of small coral beads. Modest and pretty. Not very expensive, but nice.

            I handed her the tissue-wrapped package.

            Some people look pleased when given a gift. Or, at least, they know how to fake it.

            She couldn’t, Pearl explained gravely, indulge in such vanity, however, to please me, she would accept the gift and sell it to feed the poor.

            And that was us, just getting started.

            Maid of dishonor at my wedding. Silly, silly me to think joining the Salvation Army would ensure I’d make new friends.

            I may have been somewhat snippish toward Pearl after the fourth or so little display of her precious piety. So much for new-roommate-sisterly-warmth. Grim politeness didn’t last a day before open hostilities broke out. Not for nothing are we called an army.

            It was Friday evening. We’d been companions for 46 hours. We marched up and down the Bowery and surrounding streets, entering concert saloons and grimy dives before they’d gotten going for the evening, though the saloons were certainly never empty. Dressed in our military uniforms – long blue serge skirts, long matching jackets trimmed in yellow, and poke-bonnet hats – we called people to hear the brass band performing that night at our base camp.

            This time, our fortunate host was O’Flynn’s Tavern, which meant that the proprietor and patrons would be Irish Catholic, and wouldn’t have any interest in a Salvation Army message.

            Men slowly craned their necks around to look at us. At Pearl.

            I might as well get this out of the way. She’d said little, but I felt I could construct her life story: Pearl was a bonnie farm lass from a poor but humble family who read their Bible nightly and held each other’s hands at prayer, when they weren’t ladling soup down the gullets of the sick and elderly. She was pure and holy, but with a feisty streak that fit her Army calling, and as pretty as Little Bo Peep. Strawberry blond curls and rosy cheeks. Her soul was clad in a blue gingham frock. Little lambs gamboled at her feet. (The feet of her soul. Never mind.) I didn’t know what “gamboling” looked like – not many sheep in my city home – but that’s what sheep would do around Pearl. Angels probably did, too. These men at the bar would gambol if it meant they could keep company with Pearl, except that Pearl was cemented, head to toe, to Jesus, who is almost as effective as a squinty-eyed maiden aunt at keeping male suitors at bay. My aunt Lorraine thwarted my chances of winning the only boy I thought I could love in high school, not that those chances were great, mind you; in my case, I didn’t blame Jesus. 

            Where was I?

            As always: Pearl. Right now: O’Flynn’s Tavern. Staring men. I’ll proceed.

            O’Flynn’s was your basic Lower East Side tavern, the bottom floor of a tenement on a side street, below pavement level. The men looked like they’d put in a long day’s grimy work.

            The barkeep was young, with a wiry frame and a thick shock of dark hair. He was handsome, in spite of the toothpick jawing away at the corner of his mouth, which thing I never could abide. He took in Pearl and me as though he thought, well, now we’re in for some fun.

            “You’re all invited, gentlemen,” declared Pearl, “to tonight’s Hallelujah Spree. 8 o’clock at the Salvation Army outpost beneath Steve Brodie’s saloon on the Bowery.”

            Silence greeted this announcement.

            The undaunted Pearl went on. “Tonight’s meeting will be better than any show on earth.”

            “What’ve you got,” said a grizzled older man, “a circus?”

            “Bigger than a circus,” cried my companion. “We’ll have music and singing, and a marching band, and preaching that’ll curl your hair!” This drew some laughs.

            “That’d be quite a job, Ronnie,” said the barkeep, “seeing as you’ve got none.”

            His voice lilted like a true Irishman’s. Musical.

            We sang them a hymn. “I’m a soldier, bound for glory.”

                                                I love Jesus, hallelujah!
           
                                    I love Jesus, yes, I do;
           
                                    I love Jesus, he’s my Saviour,
           
                                    Jesus smiles and loves me too.

            Pearl is, of course, the soprano. But: our voices blend nicely, and the music always is, in its way, its own reward. A few of the patrons of O’Flynn’s closed their eyes to listen.

            The chorus ended. The sullen stares wore on, and I wanted to die, but Pearl’s cheeks flushed red with triumph. She was doing heroic work. A true soldier in God’s army.

            She held a handful of copies of “The War Cry,” the Salvation Army’s gospel newsletter, high like Lady Liberty with her torch. “Who will buy a copy of ‘The War Cry?’” she asked the room. “It’ll be the best penny you’ll ever spend. The one that changes your life forever.”

            No one wanted a copy of “The War Cry.”

            She looked about the room expectantly.

            No one wanted a copy of “The War Cry.”

            She gave her papers a flourish like a baton. Splendid wrist action.

            Strangely, still, no one wanted a copy of “The War Cry.”

            I cleared my throat. “It has a very interesting article in it,” I said, feeling I ought to make an attempt, “of a man who got a raise in pay after he turned his life over to the Lord.”

            A few coughs ensued, some waggling eyebrows from the barkeep, some shifting and pawing through pockets. Pearl sold five copies of “The War Cry” and collected her pennies.

            Bald Ronnie rolled the paper into a tube. “See here,” he said, “what’s in this thing?”

            “The latest bulletins from the battlefield,” Pearl told him.

            He scratched his nose. “You mean, that war in Africa?”

            “The war for souls.” She was enjoying herself, and oddly, so were the men at the bar.

            “Anything in it about the election?” asked the young bartender.

            “Everything you need to know,” she said, “about blessings poured out upon God’s elect.”

            “Elect,” crowed Ronnie. “She’s got you there, Mike.” The bartender, evidently Mike, grinned good-naturedly and dried another mug with his towel. 

            “Got any fighting news in it?” asked a huge fellow, getting in on the spirit of the thing. His build and mashed nose suggested a side career in basement boxing.

            “Absolutely,” declared Pearl. “Every detail of the fight to win souls for the Lord.”

            Now is not the time, I had to remind myself, to slink out of the room.

            I sidled over to the bar and extended a hand to the barkeeper. “I’m Tabitha,” I whispered. “We might as well get acquainted.”

He grinned. “Mike.”

            “I know,” I said. “I mean, I heard.”

            “Spying on me, eh?” He dried his hand on the towel at his waist and thrust it at me. “I guess we’ll be seeing a lot of you two, now, won’t we?”

            I smiled in spite of myself. The voice. “Probably.”

            He waved a mug he was drying in Pearl’s direction. “Who’s your friend?”

            She’s not my friend. “Pearl.”

            A fellow seated nearby chimed in. “Poil, the Goil with the Coils.”

            I will never get used to these New York accents.

            “I’m guessing you two haven’t been working together long,” said Mike.

            My heart sank. “Is it obvious?”

            He leaned closer to whisper conspiratorially. “The look on your face. Like she was a rotten egg that had just bust open. Might’ve been a clue.”

            “Oh.” I felt my face flood with embarrassment. “I’ll have to work on that, won’t I? Not very good for the cause, I mean.”

            “P ’raps not,” Mike agreed, “but entertaining. Pleased to meet you, Miss Tabitha.”

            “And you,” I said, “Mr., er, Mike.”

            “Oi, Mr. Mike,” said a young tough at the bar, “pour the ale, and leave the Sallys be.”

            Mike gave me a wink, then turned back to the tap and his other customers. Pearl stood at the door, watching me curiously, then exited. I hurried out after her into the twilit street.

Tabitha – Soldiers, Sallys, and Hallelujah Lasses (Friday, September 7, 1888)

“Where to now?” I asked Pearl.

            She hesitated. “Downtown,” she said. “Let’s take Chrystie down as far as Canal, and see what we find, then make our way back to base for supper. Preaching all the way.”

            I groaned inwardly but said nothing.

            Pearl invited everyone we passed on the street. She urged them to visit our Hallelujah Spree. She offered them The War Cry. People laughed, or ducked down and pretended not to see us. Some heckled and jeered. She tried the ballyman at one of our dozens of dime museums, this one promising a preserved mermaid, but he waved her away. She even tried her luck on a teenaged girl in pigtails who stopped to ask us for directions.

            “Pardon me,” the girl said, “can you point me toward Spring Street?”

            “We’re soldiers in the Lord’s army of salvation,” Pearl told her proudly. “Would you support our cause by buying a copy of The War Cry, our news bulletin? It’s only a penny.”

            I cringed. Not now, Pearl!

            The poor girl looked stricken. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I used up my money to get here, and then the fare on the Elevated…”

            “That’s all right,” I said quickly. “There’s no need to buy a paper.”

            Pearl scowled.

            The girl thought the scowl was for her. She backed away. “I…can find my own way.”

            “No, don’t,” I told her. “We can help.” I couldn’t direct her myself, so I cast a pointed glance at Pearl, who rolled her eyes as though this was the absolute last straw.

            “Back up to Delancey,” Pearl told her tersely, gesturing up Chrystie, the way we’d come. “Take a left, then a quick right onto the Bowery, and Spring Street will be your next left.”

            “Thank you.” The girl took off up Chrystie with her little suitcase swinging at her side.

            Pearl chafed. “What a waste of time. Think of all the passersby we didn’t invite.”

            I thought of them, all right. They were the lucky ones.

            It was now the hour when the last waves of working men and women tramped home, when the odor of boiled cabbage rivaled the ever-present smell of beer. A steely sky overhung the city, and not just from coalsmoke. Saloons blazed with electric light, while from their upper rooms, red lampshades cast a lurid glow down upon the pavement. In side streets, kerosene lamps lit tenement windows. Everywhere except on Hester Street, where candles gleamed. This, Pearl had explained earlier, was a largely Jewish neighborhood. The sun had not quite yet set, so the Jewish Sabbath was about to start. The sense of expectancy was tangible.

            Some passerby made a crack about a ‘pair of Sallys.’ This gave Pearl a new vent for her anger. Other than me, I mean.

            “‘Sallys,’” she muttered. “I hate it when they call us that. We’re soldiers.”

            “It’s not so bad,” I reminded her, “as ‘Hallelujah Lasses.’”

            She directed a sideways glance my way. “You know, for someone so reluctant to enter that pub,” she said, “you certainly had a hard time tearing yourself away from the bar.”

            I marched on, avoiding her gaze.

            “Or was it the barkeeper?”

            “I was just doing my job.” I spared her none of my indignation. “Commander Booth says we should make friends with the barkeepers.”

            “Friends?”

            “I merely shook hands,” I said, “and politely introduced myself.”

            A corseted older woman laden down with parcels paused to regard us curiously.

            Once again, Pearl switched modes instantly. “Good evening, ma’am,” she told the startled woman. “We are soldiers in the Lord’s army of salvation. Would you buy a copy of our bulletin, The War Cry, for one penny, detailing our rescue labors on behalf the working poor?”

            “Ah.” The woman’s face melted like lard in a pan. “I’ve read about you dear girls,” she gushed. “You’re doing a necessary work for the poor, God love you. Yes, I’ll buy one.”

            But her hands were too full of parcels. Soon I staggered under the weight of what felt like cast-iron pans for seventeen of her relations, so she could obtain the precious penny.

            At last the woman and her penny, and Pearl and her War Cry, were properly parted, and we continued our walk. Nighttime was now full. The Bowery’s lights flaunted their brilliance in defiance of the gathering dark.

            “Isn’t it wonderful, Sister Tabitha,” Pearl said, “that we are counted worthy to suffer ridicule for the Lord’s name?”

            I’m not making this up.

            “No, it isn’t wonderful,” I said. “It’s awful, and miserable, and embarrassing. I hate it.”

            She gave me a wide-eyed look of righteous horror.

            “You just said it yourself,” I told her. “You hate it when they call us ‘Sallys.’”

            “If I didn’t hate it,” she said primly, “then it wouldn’t be persecution, and if it weren’t persecution, we wouldn’t receive the blessings promised to those who suffer for Christ.”

            “Seems it would be a lot more efficient,” I told her, “for you and for Jesus, if you just admitted that you like it.”

            That got in amongst her. More efficient for Jesus! What a sacrilege.

            “Make up your mind,” I said. “Hate it or love it. Wonderful or persecution. You can’t have both.”

            Words failed her. Her retort was pathetic. “Oh? And what do you have, Miss Wise One?”

            “A blister on my little toe,” I said, “from tramping around in wet stockings in the rain.”

            Pearl smiled sweetly. The thought of my blister must have delighted her rotten heart. “‘Count it all joy,’ the Bible says,” she told me. “From the Epistle of James.”

            “‘Stay home in bed,’” I replied. “From the Epistle of Me.”

            She shook her head. “I keep asking myself, why are you even here?”

            I choked back a bitter laugh. “You and me both.”

            Pearl was now jumping up and down, and waving on tiptoe to a figure across the street.

            “Yoo-hoo,” she shrilled. “Mr. Laurier!”

            “Mister” Percival Laurier was all of nineteen years old, a new soldier in the Army, fresh from Pittsburgh, the rising star of our rallies and nightly preaching. Laurier, unlike the farm and factory lads the Army usually attracts, came to us with a passionate conversion story, a towering charisma, an athlete’s build, a Grecian profile and, the absolute coup de grace, wavy dark curls. Young female attendance at rallies, thanks to this paragon, was soaring.

            May heaven help us all.  

Whitechapel, East London

Jack After Annie (Saturday, September 9, 1888)

He pockets a pair of rings he found on her fingers; a souvenir, then wraps his prizes in butcher’s paper and folds the parcel into his inside coat pocket along with the blade.

            Footsteps approach. Time to be gone. He is on his feet, slipping through a back gate and then a darkened court without a look back. The rising sun hasn’t found the East End yet.

            It’s so easy. Each time heightens his danger in a city now searching desperately for him. Official vigilance prowls the streets, those terrified dopes, marching about with their torches and rattles while inside, trembling in fear. He will laugh at their impotence tonight, back at his lodgings, enjoying a cigar after a decent wash.

            There. The constable on patrol has already found her. That’s the bloke now, bleating for help. He slows his steps. He is not a man escaping the grisly scene of a human butchery, no. He’s just been out drinking. He’s on his way home. That’s all. He has no reason to dread the weak light cast by one of Whitechapel’s sparse gas lamps, up ahead.

            A rag in his pocket makes quick work of the blood on his hands. He’ll have to check his trousers. He felt her pooling blood as he knelt about his quick work. Trousers can be burned.

            A figure steps out from a doorway up ahead, in the glow of that lamp. Female. He tugs the brim of his hat low over his eyes. All Whitechapel is an eyewitness suddenly, and the papers are full of their stories of how they saw the killer himself, in the flesh. He delights in their ludicrous descriptions of him.

            The woman accosts him. Thinking to make a quick conquest. No, not a woman. A girl. Too slender of waist to be older as most are, and too plump of flesh to be as hungry as most are. He can’t see much of her face. She wears a wide-brimmed hat fringed with dark lace.

            “’Scuse me, sir,” she says. “Lend a poor girl fivepence? For my lodgings?”

            It’s how they all start in. “Lend” her indeed. “No.”

            “Where are you off to, then?” Playfully, like any East End street-walker plying her trade.

            He turns away and shoulders past her, but she seizes a fistful of his coat.

            “You’re too young,” he tells her. “Be off with you.”

            “I smell her on you,” she tells him. “Blood. Entrails.”

            He freezes. That’s not possible. No one saw. No one knew. She’s bluffing.

            Under his jacket, he curls his fingers around the haft of his knife.

            She must be silenced, now, while the constables stare at his earlier handiwork. His gaze rakes the square. That forlorn little court is dark enough. Two in one night. Two within minutes.

            She takes a little promenade around him till he’s turned about with his back to the light.

            “Look me in the eye, and tell me what you see.”

            “Let’s go where we can be alone,” he whispers. “I’ll look into your eyes a long while.”

            “I hope so.”

            She raises her chin and flips upward the dark lace rimming the brim of her hat.

            Lamplight gleams in wet sheen of her eyes.

            And he’s falling, falling. His shin bones liquefy, his bowels turn to dust. A high wind shrieks around him, tugging at his clothes, eroding his face.

            But he’s just standing there, and so is she.

            A reflected flame pulses in her eyes. Inside it, a woman. His latest victim. Her, and not her. Not the pungent, pathetic drunk he’d found, but a goddess of wrath, clad in queenly silks, yet wearing his victim’s fresh-killed face. She glides toward him, propelled by rage.

            His vision swims before him. Her fingers aren’t fingers, but intestines. No, snakes. No, daggers in the hand of a hideous, loathsome monster. No, tendrils of hair waving in the night wind, around the face of a young girl with a smooth young mouth, and wet, luminous eyes.

            He staggers backward, and catches her gaze. Now she’s the one who looks unsure.

            “How—” she begins. “Look at me.”

            He’s powerless to resist. He looks at her. She is standing in a different place. But where before, she seemed commanding, she now looks agitated, confused. She shakes herself as if waking from a dream. As if making up her mind, resigning herself to something.

            The light, somehow, feels changed. Dawn is faintly visible in the sky now. A man and a woman, fresh from an all-night tavern, pass by on the opposite side of the street, singing loudly and out of tune. He didn’t remember them being there before.

He looks back at the girl, now settling the lace once more over the brim of her hat.

            “We’re coming for you,” she tells him. “Run if you like, but we’re coming.”

~

            The last thing a man should do on the streets of Whitechapel, just after the police discover another of his victims, is run.

            The only thing a man can think of to do, when he has met his doom, is run.

            The most useless thing a man can do when his own flesh itself is cursed is run.

            Run, Jack, run, fast as you can.

The Bowery, Lower East Side, Manhattan

Tabitha – Reasons (Friday, September 7, 1888)

To Pearl’s point, to her question, why was I here?

            First, it was because I thought I felt God calling me to come.

            Then it was because Aunt Lorraine loathed the idea with a quivering passion. I could stop right there.

            Then, it was because I had all the arguments with her and my dad about it, in which I vowed that I knew what I was doing, and was dead set upon going, so to give up now and go back would be to eat crow. No, thank you.

            Then, it was because I’d been feeling restless, and a bit adrift, ever since my dearest friend and beloved cousin, Jane, only one year my senior, had had the cheek to leave me bereft by getting married and moving to Boston. She was nauseatingly happy. She barely had time to write, so busy was she in feathering her nest. Her Gerald was, I suppose, acceptable, as bridegrooms go, though I certainly couldn’t see what Jane saw in him. But I needed something to fill the void her abandonment and betrayal had opened. Not that I was bitter. Ahem.

            Then, it was because I had promised I would, and then because I had taken the train to the city, and was here now, and so I might as well stay, there being no pressing engagement calling me elsewhere.

            And then it was because I met our Co-Commanders, Mr. Ballington Booth, and his young wife, Mrs. Maud Booth. I would follow Mrs. Booth to Mars if she was forming an expedition, and if she got wind of any poor, lost souls up there, that’s just what she would do. Both she and her husband are wonderful, and she, so bold! Such an outspoken leader. Beloved by audiences of both men and women. I don’t believe she and her husband ever sleep. They work and work for the good of the poorest people in New York. They embody what we’re all supposedly trying to be. Where they lead, I’d like to follow. Even if it means living ‘round the clock with Pearl.

            So the Commanders Booth were two of my reasons.

            But then it was because I arrived in town and saw the need. So much need. That’s what hooked itself into my heart.

            And God’s call? I don’t know. I just don’t know. I know it felt real then. I know I’ve felt nothing like it since. I don’t know if it was a trick of the preaching, or the music.

            But I know there are an awful lot of folks here needing help.

            I think, perhaps, that’s all I know.


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Prologue

            Four thousand, two hundred sixty-seven dollars and fifty-five cents.

            This is what I’m worth: stacks of crumpled bills, light in my palms. If I’m not careful, they might slip away, spiraling into the night like smoke. 

            I cram the ragged envelope back into its spot behind the dresser. At my desk, I scribble the amount in my notebook and study the column of numbers preceding it.

            Five thousand, seven hundred thirty-two dollars and forty-five cents to go.

            Then I can disappear.

Chapter 1

            When I was five, my halmoni taught me how to make origami cranes. I watched the paper squares transform into proud creatures, each intricate fold hidden from view. Peacock blue, marigold yellow, inky violet peppered with stars.

            Sometimes I think of those cranes. How existence can sprout from nothing. How I’ve mastered the art of folding into myself, pleat by tiny pleat. How I wait, yet, for the majestic to unfurl.

Sometimes I head up to the roof and peer over the crumbling wall, six stories to the ground. The thrill of falling, without the fall. My body both drained and energized, quaking with the reminder of being alive.

The view over this side of Sierra Park isn’t great. A grid of worn-out homes and strip malls, lawns yellowing from too much California sun. But it’s about the possibilities—the prospect of escape, the idea that I’ll become fully realized once I’m gone.

I subsist on it, that burrowing want. For emergence. A budding. A release.

            I wait. And I wait.

Chapter 2

            The TV is always on, flickering in the cramped bedroom. My grandma’s gaze stays on her favorite Saturday show, even as I offer up spoons of leftover vegetable jook.

            “Just a little more, Halmoni, and I’ll bring you sikhye later,” I say in Korean. She nods at the mention of her favorite rice drink. Porridge drips onto her blanket-covered lap. I wipe it away with a finger.

            Halmoni is a bird with a crest of white hair floating about her face. She swims in her faded blue shirt, which used to be mine. Soon, she might disappear completely, leaving only a mound of cotton behind.

            “Bribery. No wonder she loves you,” my mother says from the doorway. I’m Sunny, the tag on her work shirt declares—the name she prefers over Sun-young. Ironic. She is anything but sunny.

            Then she turns away, cursing the time, late for her shift as usual. There is the scramble for her things, followed by the slam of the door. Once she leaves, my body uncoils. I inhale and inhale, trying to fill up the crater inside me. The air is always stale here, almost solid in its mustiness. Like it hasn’t circulated since we first moved in a decade ago.

            Halmoni pushes the bowl away, though it’s still half full. She taps my shoulder in a silent question, and I lie, as I do every morning, “Don’t worry, I’ve eaten.”

            Breakfast has always been ours. The two of us at our tiny dining table, awaiting the day’s approach. A stack of toast, a mixing bowl of cereal, or a mound of sliced fruit between us. Our sanctum, the lull before school or work, before Sunny woke, before the neighbors started up their noise.

            Halmoni nods and squeezes my hand. She barely talks anymore. Her life plods on without mercy, trapped within the yellowing walls of this apartment. Broken appliances and stained beige carpet, hiding decades of secrets. Warped furniture and not enough windows. A narrow room shared with Sunny. Sometimes she gazes up at the ceiling for hours, her face blank and drooping. Like a part of her is already gone.

            Our morning ritual looks different now, but it still belongs to us. In these hushed moments together, Halmoni and I are okay.

            I lay my head onto the edge of the bed and close my eyes. She pats my cheek with cool fingers. They feel like feathers.

Chapter 3

            The customer is always right.

            We aim to please and never fight.

            This is our daily mantra at Café Sonata. Even with the most difficult customers, who find fault with every damn thing. Like the woman in the front now, whose clarion voice rises above the afternoon din. I watch while arranging desserts in the display case.

            “Are you trying to give me diabetes?” She shoves her cup toward Eun-ji, the newest barista. The customer’s cropped hair is a helmet, plastered to her head. A red Chanel bag swings from her arm. “Remake it or give me a refund.”

            “I’d be happy to remake it for you,” Eun-ji says. “But caramel lattes are supposed to be sweet.”

            “They must be hiring idiots these days.” She picks up the cup and slams it back down. Milk splatters onto the marbled countertop. “Say ‘nae, I’m sorry,’ and make it again.”

            Okay. Enough. I abandon the desserts and join Eun-ji at the register.

            “What’s the problem?” I offer my best smile. The customer is always right.

            “My drink is so sweet, my teeth are aching.” The woman bares said teeth.

            “You’re welcome to change your—”

            “If I get cavities, are you going to pay the bill? You can’t even afford it.” She purses her lips so hard, it looks painful.

            “I check the cup for her order. “Well, maybe you shouldn’t have asked for five pumps of caramel.” I manage to keep my tone pleasant, though the irritation is ballooning, blazing in my chest.

            “Winter, it’s okay,” Eun-ji hisses, tugging my arm.

            “Didn’t your mother teach you to respect your elders?” Spit flies from the woman’s mouth and lands on my arm. “My daughter would never—”

            “Only if they deserve it,” I say. My mother hasn’t taught me much, I don’t add. My jaw aches from clenching.

            “Winter.” The manager, Joo-hyun, appears to my left and pinches my side. She apologizes to the woman. “Jwesonghabnida. Let me remake your latte. And your next two drinks are on us.”

            “Once we’re alone, she frowns at me. “What’s going on with you lately? Your only job is to make the customers happy.”

            “And somehow make caramel lattes not sweet,” I say. I watch the woman yank a clump of napkins from the dispenser, followed by a handful of sugar packets. She drops them all into her bag.

            “Consider this your last warning. You’re not indispensable.” Joo-hyun tucks a lock of chin-length hair behind her ear. Her earring looks like a silver egg, stretching out the lobe. “I know you need this job, but I’m not above asking you to leave. You’re bringing down our image.”

            She turns away and begins to grind espresso beans, her movements brisk.

            Image means Café Sonata’s spacious, slate-gray interior with marble accents and geometric light fixtures. Image means the four-star rating we have online—God forbid it drops to three point nine. Image means going along with the charade that we’re located in the affluent heart of Cheongdam, not an anonymous suburb no one cares about. Joo-hyun Image means Café Sonata’s spacious, slate-gray interior with marble accents and geometric light fixtures. Image means the four-star rating we have online—God forbid it drops to three point nine. Image means going along with the charade that we’re located in the affluent heart of Cheongdam, not an anonymous suburb no one cares about. Joo-hyun likes to believe this place is much more important than it is.

            But it’s easier than other jobs I’ve had, and minimum wage is better than nothing. Plus, getting paid under the table, all cash, is the best I can ask for. Even if it’s only so I can work more hours than strictly legal. An actual paycheck would just be taken by Sunny, never to be seen again.

            “Sorry,” I say to Joo-hyun’s back. “I’ll do better.”

            “You need anger management classes.”

            “Anger isn’t the issue. She deserved it.”

            “Oh, yes. According to you, they always deserve it.” She shakes her head as she tamps the grounds. “You’re lucky to even be working here. Don’t make me regret taking a chance on you.”

            She spouts some variation of this every week, like I should grovel at her feet with gratitude. But here’s the truth: the choice was between me and an older man who wouldn’t stop leering at the other baristas. I needed this job, and Joo-hyun needed me.

            Sorry, Eun-ji mouths from nearby, looking embarrassed. I wave her apology away. She’s a year older than me, an international student at UC Irvine. Kind and patient and soft-spoken. Likable.

            Not like me at all.


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