The Nerd Daily may obtain commissions for qualifying purchases from the links included in this article.
Who’s ready to get their hands on some new YA releases!? We definitely are and we bet you can’t wait too! We love a new year because that means there’s going to be so many new books coming out over the next 12 months from authors we already love as well as authors releasing their very first novel into the wild!
Naturally there’s many books being released, so we’ve narrowed it down to 48 titles that we are really looking forward to being released between the months of January and June!
So, what can we expect from 2020? Well there’s new books from familiar names such as Cassandra Clare, Melissa de la Cruz, Suzanne Collins, Alwyn Hamilton, and many more! In terms of content, there’s gender-swapped retellings, vampires, assassins, magic, thrillers, dragons, sweet contemporaries, stories of friendship, tales of love and revenge, and much, much more!
Read on to discover just a few of our favourites and tell us in the comments if you are looking forward to any of these releases!
JANUARY
Oasis by Katya de Becerra
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
In this young adult thriller for fans of Lost and The Twilight Zone, a group of teens are saved when they come across a mysterious oasis. But who will save them from the oasis?
Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
Perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Sarah Dessen, and praised as “an intense rush of rebellion and romance” by #1 New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Garber, this romantic and layered Own Voices debut from Abigail Hing Wen is a dazzling, fun-filled romp.
Dark and Deepest Red by Anna-Marie McLemore
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
With Anna-Marie McLemore’s signature lush prose, Dark and Deepest Red pairs the forbidding magic of a fairy tale with a modern story of passion and betrayal.
Rogue Princess by B.R. Myers
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
A princess fleeing an arranged marriage teams up with a snarky commoner to foil a rebel plot in B. R. Myers’ Rogue Princess, a gender-swapped sci-fi YA retelling of Cinderella.
Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibañez
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
A lush tapestry of magic, romance, and revolución, drawing inspiration from Bolivian politics and history.
Black Girl Unlimited: The Remarkable Story of a Teenage Wizard by Echo Brown
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
Heavily autobiographical and infused with magical realism, Black Girl Unlimited fearlessly explores the intersections of poverty, sexual violence, depression, racism, and sexism―all through the arc of a transcendent coming-of-age story for fans of Renee Watson’s Piecing Me Together and Ibi Zoboi’s American Street.
Blood Countess by Lana Popović
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
A historical YA horror novel based on the infamous real-life inspiration for Countess Dracula.
Don’t Read the Comments by Eric Smith
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
Slay meets Eliza and Her Monsters in Eric Smith’s Don’t Read the Comments, an #ownvoices story in which two teen gamers find their virtual worlds – and blossoming romance – invaded by the real-world issues of trolling and doxing in the gaming community.
FEBRUARY
The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
Tricia Levenseller, author of Daughter of the Pirate King, is back with an epic YA tale of ambition and love in The Shadows Between Us…
The Gravity of Us by Phil Stamper
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
Teen boys find love when their parents’ NASA mission uproots their lives in this sweet debut perfect for Adam Silvera fans.
The Queen’s Assassin by Melissa de la Cruz
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Red Queen, this is the first novel in a sweeping YA fantasy-romance duet about a deadly assassin, his mysterious apprentice, and the country they are sworn to protect from #1 NYT bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz.
Yes No Maybe So by Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
New York Times bestselling authors Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed have crafted a resonant, funny, and memorable story about the power of love and resistance.
Belle Révolte by Linsey Miller
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
From the author of the Mask of Shadows duology comes a standalone fantasy where two young women must trade lives, work together to stay alive, and end a war caused by magic and greed.
The Last Confession of Autumn Casterly by Meredith Tate
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
If I Stay meets One of Us is Lying in this gripping contemporary thriller.
Ink in the Blood by Kim Smejkal
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
A lush, dark YA fantasy debut that weaves together tattoo magic, faith, and eccentric theater in a world where lies are currency and ink is a weapon, perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Kendare Blake.
Foul Is Fair by Hannah Capin
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
Foul is Fair is a bloody, thrilling revenge fantasy for the girls who have had enough. Golden boys beware: something wicked this way comes.
MARCH
Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
Chain of Gold is the first novel in a new trilogy that stars the Shadowhunters of Edwardian London.
Bone Crier’s Moon by Kathryn Purdie
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Kathryn Purdie comes a high-stakes fantasy duology flush with doomed romance and macabre magic, perfect for fans of Stephanie Garber and Roshani Chokshi.
Anna K.: A Love Story by Jenny Lee
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
Dazzlingly opulent and emotionally riveting, Anna K.: A Love Story is a brilliant reimagining of Leo Tolstoy’s timeless love story, Anna Karenina―but above all, it is a novel about the dizzying, glorious, heart-stopping experience of first love and first heartbreak.
Greythorne by Crystal Smith
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
Brimming with deliciously mysterious magic, political intrigue, and a passionate heroine who will do anything to save the ones she loves—this highly anticipated sequel to Bloodleaf won’t disappoint.
Harley in the Sky by Akemi Dawn Bowman
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
The Greatest Showman meets This Is Us by way of Sarah Dessen in this heart-wrenching, hopeful contemporary novel about a multiracial teen who risks it all to follow her dreams by joining the circus, from the critically acclaimed author of Starfish.
Havenfall by Sara Holland
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
A safe haven between four realms. The girl sworn to protect it–at any cost. New York Times bestselling author Sara Holland crafts a breathtaking new contemporary fantasy perfect for fans of Melissa Albert and Holly Black.
Only Mostly Devastated by Sophie Gonzales
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda meets Clueless in this boy-meets-boy spin on Grease.
When We Were Magic by Sarah Gailey
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
A sly, witchy dark comedy about four teens whose magic goes wildly awry from Magic for Liars author Sarah Gailey, who Chuck Wendig calls an “author to watch.”
APRIL
Incendiary by Zoraida Córdova
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
Jack Kerouac Is Dead to Me by Gae Polisner
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
Gae Polisner’s Jack Kerouac is Dead to Me is a story about the fragility of female friendship, of falling in love and wondering if you are ready for more, and of the glimmers of hope we find by taking stock in ourselves.
Time of Our Lives by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
A reflective, romantic coming-of-age novel that explores life after high school–perfect for fans of Fangirl and Emergency Contact.
The Lucky Ones by Liz Lawson
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
For fans of Thirteen Reasons Why, This Is How It Ends, and All the Bright Places, comes a new novel about life after. How do you put yourself back together when it seems like you’ve lost it all?
Clique Bait by Ann Valett
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
Pretty Little Liars meets Burn for Burn in this thrilling debut from Wattpad star Ann Valett.
Verona Comics by Jennifer Dugan
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
From the author of Hot Dog Girl comes a fresh and funny YA contemporary romance about two teens who fall in love in an indie comic book shop.
Late to the Party by Kelly Quindlen
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
From author Kelly Quindlen comes a poignant and deeply relatable story about friendship, self-acceptance, what it means to be a Real Teenager. Late to the Party is an ode to late bloomers and wallflowers everywhere.
Loveless by Alice Oseman
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
Loveless is a journey of identity, self-acceptance, and finding out how many different types of love there really are. And that no one is really loveless after all.
MAY
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes will revisit the world of Panem sixty-four years before the events of The Hunger Games, starting on the morning of the reaping of the Tenth Hunger Games.
The Notorious Virtues by Alwyn Hamilton
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
Bestselling Rebel of the Sands author Alwyn Hamilton is back with a glittering thriller about a glamorous media darling, a surprise heiress, and the magical competition of a lifetime.
More Than Maybe by Erin Hahn
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
In More Than Maybe, Erin Hahn’s swooniest book yet, Luke and Vada must decide how deep their feelings run and what it would mean to give love a try.
The Life and (Medieval) Times of Kit Sweetly by Jamie Pacton
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
Moxie meets A Knight’s Tale as Kit Sweetly slays sexism, bad bosses, and bad luck to become a knight at a medieval-themed restaurant.
House of Dragons by Jessica Cluess
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
Five royal houses will hear the call to compete in the Trial for the dragon throne. A liar, a soldier, a servant, a thief, and a murderer will answer it. Who will win? Think Three Dark Crowns meets The Breakfast Club with dragons.
Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
From Stonewall and Lambda Award–winning author Kacen Callender comes a revelatory YA novel about a transgender teen grappling with identity and self-discovery while falling in love for the first time.
Chasing Lucky by Jenn Bennett
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
In this coming-of-age romance perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Sarah Dessen, a rule-abiding teen embraces her more rebellious side while falling for her neighbor—a.k.a. the town’s “bad boy.”
By the Book: A Novel of Prose and Cons by Amanda Sellet
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
In this clever YA rom-com debut perfect for fans of Kasie West and Ashley Poston, a teen obsessed with nineteenth-century literature tries to cull advice on life and love from her favourite classic heroines to disastrous results—especially when she falls for the school’s resident Lothario.
JUNE
Forest of Souls by Lori M. Lee
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
Danger lurks within the roots of Forest of Souls, an epic, unrelenting tale of destiny and sisterhood, perfect for fans of Naomi Novik and Susan Dennard.
We Are Not Free by Traci Chee
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
From New York Times best-selling and acclaimed author Traci Chee comes We Are Not Free, the collective account of a tight-knit group of young Nisei, second-generation Japanese American citizens, whose lives are irrevocably changed by the mass U.S. incarcerations of World War II. Read an excerpt here.
Sisters of Sword and Song by Rebecca Ross
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
From the author of The Queen’s Rising comes a thrilling YA stand-alone fantasy about the unbreakable bond between sisters. Perfect for fans of Ember in the Ashes, Sky in the Deep, and Court of Fives.
The Damned by Renée Ahdieh
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
New York Times bestselling author Renée Ahdieh returns with the second instalment of her new sumptuous, sultry and romantic series, The Beautiful.
Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
A trans boy determined to prove his gender to his conservative Latinx family summons a ghost who refuses to leave in Aiden Thomas’s paranormal YA debut Cemetery Boys.
Seasons of the Storm by Elle Cosimano
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
For fans of Maggie Stiefvater and Laini Taylor, a perfect storm lies ahead in this riveting fantasy duology opener from award-winning author Elle Cosimano.
Hunted by the Sky by Tanaz Bhathena
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
Exploring identity, class struggles, and high-stakes romance, Tanaz Bhathena’s Hunted by the Sky is a gripping adventure set in a world inspired by medieval India.
