One of the most exciting categories of books is Teen and Young Adult. The books have near universal appeal and are often as glorious for adults as they are for those on the cusp of adulthood. With the colder months approaching, some new literary gems are about to make an appearance.
Here are the most anticipated teen/YA books for fall/winter 2017:by Maggie Stiefvater (October 10, 2017)
A TV adaptation of Maggie Stiefvater’s “Raven Cycle” series (which ended last fall) is headed to the SyFy channel. Now she’s back with a stand-alone book about an eclectic mishmash of radio waves, owls, and miracles. It’s the 1960s in Bicho Raro, Colorado, which is overrun with science, the occult, and dark spirits...and the Soria family, who has the unique ability to perform unusual miracles. But the marvels are never quite what you expect.
by Philip Pullman (October 19, 2017)
In this much-anticipated new work from the author of “The Golden Compass” (which was released more than 20 years ago) storyteller Philip Pullman returns with a first in a trilogy. Once again, the story is focused on Lyra Belacqua. However, Pullman has said, “It’s not a sequel, and it’s not a prequel, it’s an equal.” Readers will lose themselves in a world where daemons, alethiometers, and the Magisterium come to life.
by John Green (October 10, 2017)
Bestselling author John Green returns in his first book since “The Fault in Our Stars.” Swoon!
“Turtles All the Way Down” tells the story of 16-year-old Aza, who is living with mental illness and losing herself to the ever-tightening spiral of her own thoughts. Yet she's determined to solve the mystery of fugitive billionaire Russell Pickett and score the hundred-thousand-dollar reward. Can she navigate her own spiral of darkness while being a good detective, friend, and daughter?
by Lily Anderson (November 21, 2017)
In this sequel to “The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You,” Elliot Gabaroche knows exactly what she is not going to do this summer. She’s not going to stay home in Sacramento with her overbearing theater-minded stepmother, she’s not going to the mock trial camp at UCLA, and she's certainly not going to the Air Force summer program on her mom's base in Colorado Springs. What she is going to do is head off to summer camp with a group of nerdy and highly gifted kids.
“Readers will be wooed by sci-fi fangirl Elliot’s compelling struggle to remake her identity while discovering how to be true to herself. Brimming with a cast of standout characters and spot-on family dynamics, this is a flat-out joy of a book,” says Jenn Bennett, author of “The Anatomical Shape of a Heart” and “Alex, Approximately.”
by Peter Bognanni (October 3, 2017)
Seventeen-year-old Tess Fowler must find a way to deal with her grief and confusion. She can barely function ever since her closest confidant, Jonah, a boy she revealed her heart and soul to in texts and emails, committed suicide. His death has left an unfillable hole and brought with it a tsunami of sorrow.
After dropping out of high school, Tess works for her father at his alternative funeral business and continues to write to Jonah. Then, one day, she receives an unexpected message that turns her life upside down. Again.
by Jason Reynolds (October 17, 2017)
This stunning novel takes place in an elevator, in 60 dramatic seconds – the time it takes 15-year-old Will to decide whether he’ll kill his brother’s murderer or let him live. Revenge is the path Will is headed down, with a gun shoved in the back waistband of his jeans. As the elevator stops on each floor, someone connected to his brother’s death gets on and gives Will a piece to a bigger story than the one he thinks he knows. What happens when the elevator finally stops on the last floor?
by Adam Silvera (September 5, 2017)
There is no life without death, a lesson Rufus and Mateo are reminded of on the day they will die. It’s September 5, and Death-Cast has called. There’s no stopping the outcome. Even though they’re total strangers, the boys connect through an app called Last Friend. On this last day, they plan on living a lifetime of adventures in the short hours they have left.
“Over the course of an eventful day, these thoughtful young men speak honestly and movingly about their fate, their anger at its unfairness, and what it means to be alive, until their budding friendship organically turns into something more,” says “Publishers Weekly.”
by Malinda Lo (October 17, 2017)
No one notices Jess Wong, yet she sees everything. When her best friend, Angie, begins to fall for Margot Adams, a girl from the nearby boarding school, Jess can see it coming before things even unfold. As her friend pulls her into Margot’s world, she can also see that there’s more than just a crush. There are secrets and cruelty that linger just below the carefree surface of this world of wealth and privilege.
by E. Lockhart (September 5, 2017)
Lockhart’s 2014 YA novel, “We Were Liars,” made headlines with its unexpected plot and edgy narration. Now Lockhart promises even more mystery and deceit in “Genuine Fraud,” which centers on the rocky friendship between Imogen and Jule – two teens from very different worlds who are capable of just about anything.
“An excellent choice recommended for teens and adults who love twisty mysteries, stories about class conflict, and tough-as-nails teen girls,” says School Library Journal.
by Robin Benway (October 3, 2017)
“Far from the Tree” is a moving novel that addresses important topics such as adoption, teen pregnancy, and foster care. The story follows Grace, an only child adopted at birth, who goes looking for her biological family. Maya, her loudmouthed younger bio-sister, was adopted by a house full of chipper redheads. Life is madness for her. Joaquin, their stoic older bio-brother, spent 17 years in the foster care system. He has no interest in bonding over a blood connection. Can Grace shorten the distance and bring them all together?
Which teen/Young Adult books are you excited for this fall and winter? Share in the comments!
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