What it’s about: Waters is fast becoming the go-to source of haunting Sapphic YA, and she keeps it up with her newest, about three girls with vested interest in winning a contest to find a killer’s bones. Near-victim Lucy, true crime fan Carolina, and psych student Maggie all have reasons for wanting to find the Cloudkiss Killer’s remains, and when they team up and work together, it brings Lucy and Carolina closer…and puts all of them in danger. Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.
What it’s about: It’s been five years since the release of Silvera’s smash hit, They Both Die at the End, and now he’s back with a prequel that takes readers back to the night before Death-Cast ever began. Orion and Valentino each have their own reasons for signing up for the death-predicating service, but when only one of them gets the call, they make the impossible decision to spend the day together anyway, knowing they’ll be crushed by the end of it. (Of course, so will readers, but that’s half the fun of an Adam Silvera book, isn’t it?) Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.
What it’s about: Fresh off the heels of Lo’s critically acclaimed Last Night at the Telegraph Club, this companion takes place 60 years into the future, against the backdrop of the seminal Supreme Court decisions on same-sex marriage. Aria’s summer plans are dashed when she gets in trouble at a graduation party and gets shipped off to her grandmother in California instead. But all is not lost. Aria finds the perfect way to keep herself entertained: with her grandmother’s compelling gardener, Steph. Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm. What it’s about: There’s nothing like a solid Shakesqueer graphic novel, especially one by two YA authors established in reimagining the Bard’s work, and especially when paired with luminous artwork depicting an excellent range of gender expression. Vi is new to Arden High, a welcome refuge from a life of wearing uniform skirts she can no longer tolerate. But one thing is missing: her twin, Sebastian, who insisted on staying behind at their old school. Being on her own is a mixed bag for Vi, who gets pulled into a delightful friend group, finds herself crushing on a poet, and lands in the middle of a messy romantic entanglement fit for the original Twelfth Night. Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. What it’s about: Brandon’s back to break more hearts with his sophomore novel, about a boy named Isaac whose longing to learn more about the dad he’s never met sends him and his boyfriend on a road trip to remember. En route, things don’t quite go as planned, delivering Isaac into the hands of a girl named Max who’s eager to help with the hunt. Then he finds his mission changing, and he learns more than he ever expected. Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm. What it’s about: Lamb’s been known for trans Jewish YA fantasy for some time, thanks to Avi Cantor Has Six Months to Leave, but my excitement at an actual full-length novel cannot be overstated. It’s set in a shtetl so tiny it only has two inhabitants, angel Uriel and demon Ashmedai, aka Ash; all the rest have been making their way to America. When one of the emigrants goes missing, and Uriel and Ash take up the hunt, they head that way too, and find a whole bunch of humans needing their assistance along the way. Meanwhile, America isn’t exactly the dreamland promised, and Uriel and Ash face more obstacles on their journey than they ever could’ve imagined. Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm. What it’s about: Tyndall takes a historical turn with their newest, bringing queer joy and resistance to World War II Berlin with the story of two girls who become enamored with an underground jazz club and risk everything to become regulars. As Charlie and the other Swing Youth rebel in increasingly dangerous acts of rebellion against the Nazi party, they’ll have to assess just how much they’re willing to lose in the name of safety and freedom. Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm. What it’s about: Rare is the YA book set in Victorian Era, but that’s only one of the intriguing things about Cornwell’s newest, though you’ve probably figured that from the title. What you may not know is that its star, Adele, is the very same ward of Mr. Rochester’s from Jane Eyre, and this is how her story continues when she’s sent to boarding school in London. She’s perfectly happy to go to the lovely school, but all that beauty can’t hide that plenty of ugliness abounds even in the wealthiest of corners. When one of her new friends is assaulted, Adele pairs up with an intriguing con artist girl and goes full vigilante. But what happens when she herself lands in the crosshairs? Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm. What it’s about: Queer holiday rom-coms are all the rage this fall, and Arlow’s doing YA proud with this contribution about two girls who literally crash into romance during winter break in Washington, DC. When a dog-walking gig brings science nerd Shani to May’s door, it’s all she can do not to run home screaming. But sticking around proves to be worth her while when the girls fall for each other, forcing Shani to get over her pre-vacation breakup once and for all if she wants a chance at a happy future. This warm and witty romance is bound to be a new favorite, perfect for reading by a cozy fire. Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm. What it’s about: One of Brazil’s best YA imports is back to serve queer teens, but they’re not the voice of this story: The house that unites them over the course of decades is. Ana, 2000’s resident of 8 Sunflower Street, is being forced to move, and desperately trying to cement her relationship with her secret girlfriend before she does. Ten years later, Greg is living there with his aunt and falling for a delivery boy. And in 2020, Beto is falling in love online…and going out of his mind during lockdown IRL. Major life changes, complicated families, and big feelings abound in this creative exploration of the passage of time and the landmarks that stabilize us. Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm. What it’s about: Danns’ debut is one of the most unique books you’ll read this year, combining Japanese folklore and Egyptian mythology in the story of twins Kaori and Kairi, the first twins ever to survive infancy on the genderfluid island of Mu, thanks to an ancient prophecy. But when their powers clash along with their values, their unanticipated survival may not be long for their world. Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. What it’s about: When Avery’s forced from her DC home to live with her ailing grandmother in small-town Georgia, it’s a major disruption to her senior year…and a major distraction when the feud between her mother and grandmother lead her to dig into old family secrets. There is a major upside, though, in the form of two new friends: Simone and Jade, the former of whom becomes a romantic interest for Avery as well. But all her newfound happiness threatens to crumble when her digging for answers goes a little too deep. Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm. What it’s about: Clare’s speculative dual-timeline YA stars two girls (one cis, polyam, and pansexual, the other a trans lesbian) a century and a half apart who meet when scientist Willa is pulled forward through time from 1891 Bologna to a future where Earth is unlivable and everyone resides in artificial worlds, including Riley and Jaideep. The three land in an abandoned city, on the run from a time cop with nothing but a time machine on the fritz and a mission to save Earth while they still can. Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. What it’s about: If you’re a fan of the old* saying “revenge is a dish best served bisexual,” you may have found your bookish soulmate in Gonzales’s newest, which has scorned teen Maya finding the perfect opportunity for revenge against her cheating ex, Jordy: appearing on a reality show starring all his exes. What she doesn’t count on is falling for one of those exes. Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.
What it’s about: After two solid contemporary Sapphic romances, Jaigirdar takes her talents back in time to queer up the Titanic with a good ol’-fashioned heist novel. Josefa’s got her eye on a valuable book on board the legendary ship, but a solo mission isn’t gonna cut it. Enter Hinnah, Violet, and Emilie, each of whom has a valuable thieving talent…even if they have nothing else in common. (Well, unless you count that two of them are falling for each other.) Working together could lead to an incredible score, or even more incredible danger… Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.
