15 Truly Fantastic YA Books That Came Out This Spring

"Не будем пытаться понять друг друга, чтобы друг друга не возненавидеть." Станислав Ежи Лец

New YA books you’ll want to add to your shelves ASAP this spring!


Soho Teen, samiraahmed.com

Release date: April 7

What it’s about: Told in alternating points of view centuries apart, Ahmed crafts a poignant, feminist, and intriguing story about two girls determined to break cultural expectations. Khayyam Maquet is in Paris for the summer and feels trapped by living up to what’s expected of her and not what she wants. Leila is a young woman who lived 200 years before Khayyam, but her story intertwines with Khayyam’s during her summer.

Get it from Bookshop for $17.46, Barnes and Noble for $18.99, or from a local bookstore through Indiebound here.


Inkyard Press, adialsaid.com

Release date: April 7

What it’s about: Central International School’s annual lock-in is the one event students look forward to every year, but Marisa has different plans. She stages an eco-protest to save the reefs by chaining herself to the doors and won’t let anyone out until she gets what she wants. Told in multiple points of view, Alsaid crafts a novel with an important message at its heart.

Get it from Bookshop for $17.47, Barnes and Noble for $17.49, or from a local bookstore through Indiebound here.


Jimmy Patterson Books, frolic.media

Release date: April 7

What it’s about: In this sequel to Once & Future, a queer King Arthur retelling, Ari and her cursed wizard Merlin travel to the Middle Ages in order to steal King Arthur’s grail. Capetta and McCarthy create an adventurous conclusion to their duology.

Get it from Bookshop for $17.47, Barnes and Noble for $18.99, or from a local bookstore through Indiebound here.


Razorbill, amazon.com

Release date: April 7

What it’s about: Keely Collins feels like she might just be the last person in her friend group to lose her virginity, and when she meets the older and super hot Dean, she doesn’t want him to know how inexperienced she is. So she forms a plan, getting her childhood BFF to teach her everything she needs to know before going all the way with Dean — if only they can keep feelings out of it. Lund’s uplifting and sex-positive rom-com is just what your soul needs right now.

Get it from Bookshop for $17.47, Barnes and Noble for $14.99, or from a local bookstore through Indiebound here.


Chicken House, goodreads.com

Release date: April 7

What it’s about: Luka Kane is sentenced to The Loop — a controlled prison where prisoners can push their execution date by opting into medical experimentations. Luka and the rest of the inmates want to escape. But when war threatens the outside world, it’s unclear if anything is safe anymore. Oliver creates a fast-paced thrill ride of a novel.

Get it from Bookshop for $17.47, Barnes and Noble for $18.99, or from a local bookstore through Indiebound here.


HarperCollins, harpercollins.com

Release date: April 7

What it’s about: Kyle Baker is shocked to learn his mother has been having an affair, but he’s even more surprised when he learns his father knows and won’t do anything about it. As the image of their happy marriage crumbles before his eyes, Kyle begins questioning everything in his own life. Zarr returns with a beautiful, complex, and real story.

Get it from Bookshop for $17.49, Barnes and Noble for $18.99, or from a local bookstore through Indiebound here.


Harpercollins, harpercollins.com

Release date: April 14

What it’s about: During her junior year, Jocelyn Wu learns that her family’s restaurant may be going under. Her family hires Will Domenici to help — by using his social media expertise to create an online presence. Gregorio creates a sweet romance while expertly tackling characters with anxiety and depression.

Get it from Bookshop for $16.55, Barnes and Noble for $17.99, or from a local bookstore through Indiebound here.


Penguin, emilyandaustinwrite.com

Release date: April 21

What it’s about: Fitz Holton and Juniper Ramirez are two seniors who cross paths on a number of the same college tours. Fitz isn’t thrilled by the idea of leaving home, while Juniper cannot wait to have more independence far from home. And as the two grow closer, decisions about their future grow greater. This story takes a realistic look at fearing and embracing your future, family, and figuring out who you are.

Get it from Bookshop for $17.46, Barnes and Noble for $18.99, or from a local bookstore through Indiebound here.


Disney-Hyperion, Sarah Younger / Via zoraidacordova.com

Release date: April 28

What it’s about: This incredible and captivating YA fantasy is set in Inquisition-era Spain. Renata Convida is a memory thief who was used by the royals of her kingdom to slaughter her own people. She joins the rebel spies to work against the crown, but when one of their own is captured, Renata will stop at nothing to save him.

Get it from Bookshop for $17.46, Barnes and Noble for $17.49, or from a local bookstore through Indiebound here.


Farrar, Straus and Giroux, goodreads.com

Release date: April 28

What it’s about: Told through poignant personal essays, George M. Johnson writes about his childhood, bullies, sexual identity, toxic masculinity, family, sex and relationships, and more. This emotional memoir is flawless — a must-read.

Get it from Bookshop for $16.54, Barnes and Noble for $16.49, or from a local bookstore through Indiebound here.


Harpercollins, acevedowrites.com

Release date: May 5

What it’s about: Camino Rios lives in the Dominican Republic and Yahaira Rios in New York City. Far apart, both suffer the devastating loss of their father after his plane goes down. As both girls enter each other’s lives through their grief, they find solace in each other. Acevedo returns with a powerful and emotional story that’s both heartbreaking and hopeful.

Get it from Bookshop for $17.47, Barnes and Noble for $15.99, or from a local bookstore through Indiebound here.


Page Street Kids, goodreads.com

Release date: May 12

What it’s about: When Nishat comes out to her Muslim parents, she’s encouraged to hide who she is — but that becomes a little complicated when her crush on a girl named Flávia grows. When a school competition encourages students to create their own business, Flávia and Nishat choose the same idea: henna. Nishat is upset that Flávia is appropriating her culture, and the stress and competition goes fierce. Jaigirdar creates a refreshing read full of incredible characters.

Get it from Bookshop for $16.55, Barnes and Noble for $17.99, or from a local bookstore through Indiebound here.


HarperTeen, Louis David

Release date: May 26

What it’s about: This enticing and unputdownable historical YA novel is told in a past and present-day narrative from two points of view. Sixteen-year-old Alice is spending the summer in Paris in her grandmother’s apartment, which has been locked for more than 70 years. It’s there that she discovers her great-aunt’s diary. During World War II, Adalyn lives in France under the Occupation, and things take a turn when she meets the leader of a resistance group and decides to join the fight.

Get it from Bookshop for $16.55, Barnes and Noble for $17.99, or from a local bookstore through Indiebound here.


Katherine Tegen Books, kellyyang.com

Release date: May 26

What it’s about: Parachutes are described as teenagers who live and study in the US in private homes while their rich parents remain in Asia. Claire Wang’s life changes when she moves from Shanghai to California. Dani De La Cruz isn’t thrilled Claire is living under her roof, but their narratives painfully intertwine when they both experience sexual assault. Yang pens a powerful and empathetic exploration of rape culture in this complex and topical story.

Get it from Bookshop for $17.47, Barnes and Noble for $18.99, or from a local bookstore through Indiebound here.


Katherine Tegen Books, goodreads.com

Release date: June 16

What it’s about: Skye Shin dreams of joining the K-Pop world, but she’s been told over and over that it’s not where fat girls belong. When Skye nails an audition for a televised competition that’s looking for the next K-pop star, she’s thrown into the judgmental world of the Korean pop entertainment industry, where she meets a super cute competitor, Henry Cho. Skye wants to be the world’s first plus-sized K-pop star — but can she achieve that without losing herself? Lee pens a cute and compulsive read.

Get it from Bookshop for $16.55, Barnes and Noble for $17.99, or from a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

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