Marie Lu is no doubt a staple in the YA book scene,Ā and sheās back in force this month with the follow-up to her novel Skyhunter in Steelstriker. The sequel promises to be an explosive conclusion to the duology. But Steelstriker is just one of many YA book releases this September.
Readers might also want to check out science-fiction novel Iron Widow by debut author and YouTuber Xiran Jay Zhao, releasing September 21. Billed as a cross between āPacific Rimā and The Handmaidās Tale, this particular novel is stacking up to be one of the most anticipated releases of the season.
Thereās a lot more to discover! Your September 2021 YA book guide is below.
September 7
The Last Legacy by Adrienne Young
New York TimesĀ bestselling author Adrienne Young returns withĀ The Last Legacy, a captivating standalone about family and blood ties, reinventing yourself, and controlling your own destiny.
What Once Was Mine by Liz Braswell
The 12th installment in the New York Times best-selling series asks: What if Rapunzelās mother drank a potion from the wrong flower?
The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Intrigue, riches, and romance abound in this thrilling sequel to theĀ New York TimesĀ bestsellingĀ The Inheritance Games
The Problem with the Other Side by Kwame Ivery
A searing YA debut that follows the joys, complexities, and heartbreaks of an interracial romance between high school sophomores that blossoms during a volatile school election.
So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix by Bethany C. Morrow
Four young Black sisters come of age during the American Civil War inĀ So Many Beginnings,Ā a warm and powerful YA remix of the classic novelĀ Little Women, by national bestselling author Bethany C. Morrow.
A Clash of Steel: A Treasure Island Remix by C.B. Lee
Two intrepid girls hunt for a legendary treasure on the deadly high seas in this YA remix of the classic adventure novelĀ Treasure Island.
Among Thieves by M.J. Kuhn
A thrilling fantasy debutāa high-stakes heist novel set in a gritty world of magic and malice, and perfect for fans ofĀ Six of Crows!
The Girls Are Never Gone by Sarah Glenn Marsh
The ConjuringĀ meetsĀ SadieĀ in this queer ghost story, when seventeen-year-old podcaster Dare finds herself in a life-or-death struggle against an evil spirit.
The Night When No One Had Sex by Kalena Miller
The Night When No One Had SexĀ finds a group of friends navigating the tenuous transition into adulthood and embracing the uncertainty of life after high school.
Act Cool by Tobly McSmith
A trans teen walks the fine line between doing whatever it takes for his acting dream and staying true to himself in this moving, thought-provoking YA novel from the acclaimed author ofĀ Stay Gold.
The Jasmine Project by Meredith Ireland
Jenny Han meetsĀ The BacheloretteĀ in this effervescent romantic comedy about a teen Korean American adoptee who unwittingly finds herself at the center of a competition for her heart, as orchestrated by her overbearing, loving family.
The Buried by Melissa Grey
A heart-pounding, claustrophobic new story from Melissa Grey, the author of RATED.
Where I Belong by Marcia Argueta Mickelson
An immigrant teen fights for her family, her future, and the place she calls home.
Your Life Has Been Delayed by Michelle I. Mason
Past and present collide in a captivating YA debut about a girl who takes off on a flight and lands . . . twenty-five years later.
Never Saw You Coming by Erin Hahn
In Erin HahnāsĀ Never Saw You Coming, sometimes it takes a leap of faith to find yourself.
September 14
It All Comes Back to You by Farah Naz Rishi
Two exes must revisit their past after their siblings start dating in this rom-com perfect for fans of Sandhya Menon and Morgan Matson.
The Corpse Queen by Heather Herrman
In this dark and twisty feminist historical mystery, a teenage girl starts a new life as a grave robber but quickly becomes entangled in a murdererās plans.
The Bronzed Beasts by Roshani Chokshi
Returning to the dark and glamorous 19th century world of herĀ New York TimesĀ instant bestseller,Ā The Gilded Wolves, Roshani Chokshi dazzles us with the final riveting tale as full of mystery and danger as ever inĀ The Bronzed Beasts.
White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson
The Haunting of Hill HouseĀ meetsĀ Get OutĀ in this chilling YA psychological thrillerĀ and modern take on the classic haunted house story fromĀ New York TimesĀ bestselling author Tiffany D. Jackson!
The Hollow Heart by Marie Rutkoski
Intrigue, romance, and magic abound inĀ The Hollow Heart, the heart-stopping conclusion to Marie Rutkoskiās Forgotten Gods duology.
The Lost Girls by Sonia Hartl
Getting over Your Vampire Ex is as Easy as Killing Him and Stealing His Girlfriend
Defy the Night by Brigid Kemmerer
FromĀ New York TimesĀ bestselling author Brigid Kemmerer comes a blockbuster fantasy series perfect for fans of Holly Black and Victoria Aveyard, about a kingdom divided by corruption, the prince desperately holding it together, and the girl who will risk everything to bring it crashing down.
A Dark and Starless Forest by Sarah Hollowell
When her siblings start to go missing, a girl must confront the dark thing that lives in the forestāand the growing darkness in herselfāin this debut YA contemporary fantasy for fans ofĀ Wilder Girls.
Not Here to Be Liked by Michelle Quach
Emergency ContactĀ meetsĀ MoxieĀ in this cheeky and searing novel that unpacks just how complicated new love can getā¦when you fall for your enemy.
Idol Gossip by Alexandra Leigh Young
Delicious gossip squares off with genuine heart in this inside look at a K-pop academy.
September 21
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
Pacific RimĀ meetsĀ The Handmaidās TaleĀ in this blend of Chinese history and mecha science fiction for YA readers.
Spells Like Teen Spirit by Kate Williams
The final installment in the hilarious, action-packed Babysitters Coven series thatĀ Refinery29Ā calls candy for 90ās girls and Gen Zāers alike, featuring a coven of witchy babysitters sworn to protect the innocent and defend the world from an onslaught of evilāall before bedtime.
Into the Dying Light by Katy Rose Pool
The Age of Darkness trilogy is perfect for fans ofĀ Throne of Glass,Ā Children of Blood and Bone, andĀ An Ember in the Ashes.
All These Bodies by Kendare Blake
Sixteen bloodless bodies. Two teenagers. One impossible explanation. In this edge-of-your-seat mystery from #1Ā New York TimesĀ bestselling author Kendare Blake, the truth is as hard to believe as it is to find.
To Break a Covenant by Alison Ames
Debut voice Alison Ames delivers with a chilling, feminist thriller, perfect for fans ofĀ Wilder GirlsĀ andĀ Sawkill Girls.
As If on Cue by Marisa Kanter
A pair of fierce foes are forced to work together to save the arts at their school in this swoony YA enemies-to-lovers romance that fans of Jenny Han and Morgan Matson are sure to adore.
Things We Couldnāt Say by Jay Coles
From one of the brightest and most acclaimed new lights in YA fiction, a fantastic new novel about a bi Black boy finding first love . . . and facing the return of the mother who abandoned his preacher family when he was nine.
September 28
Steelstriker by Marie Lu
Explosive action and swoon-worthy suspense collide inĀ Steelstriker, the riveting conclusion to the Skyhunter duet from #1Ā New York TimesĀ bestselling author Marie Lu.
Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber
Once Upon a Broken HeartĀ marks the launch of a new series about love, curses, and the lengths that people will go to for happily ever after from Stephanie Garber,Ā the #1Ā New York TimesĀ bestselling author ofĀ Caraval.
The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik
The specter of graduation looms large as Naomi Novikās groundbreaking,Ā New York TimesĀ bestselling trilogy continuesĀ in the stunning sequel toĀ A Deadly Education.
For All Time by Shanna Miles
The Sun Is Also a StarĀ meetsĀ OutlanderĀ in this vivid, utterly romantic debut novel about two teens who relive their tragic love story over and over until they uncover what they must do to change their fate.
Beasts of Prey by Ayana Gray
In this much-anticipated series opener, fate binds two Black teenagers together as they strike a dangerous alliance to hunt down the creature menacing their homeāand uncover ancient deadly secrets.
Lakesedge by Lyndall Clipstone
A lush, gothic fantasy from debut author Lyndall Clipstone about monsters and magic, set on the banks of a cursed lake, perfect for fans of Naomi Novik and Brigid Kemmerer.
Before We Disappear by Shaun David Hutchinson
Itās a new star-crossed romance about the magic of first love from the acclaimed author ofĀ We Are the AntsĀ andĀ Brave Face, Shaun David Hutchinson.
Dark Rise by C.S. Pacat
In this stunning new fantasy novel from international bestselling author C. S. Pacat, heroes and villains of a long-forgotten war are reborn and begin to draw new battle lines. This epic fantasy with high-stakes romance will sit perfectly on shelves next to beloved fantasy novels like the Infernal Devices series, the Shadow and Bone trilogy, and the Red Queen series.
Which of these releases do you plan to pick up?
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