Intrigued? Read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from Good Luck, Babe! by Erin Baldwin, which is out now.

Reality TV enthusiasts Noelle and Yumi spent ten years attached at the hip—until the summer after junior year. One ill-fated night (and one awkward kiss) ended their friendship, and after a year of no contact, fate throws the girls back together when they’re offered a last-minute spot on their favorite show—an Amazing Race analog called The Adventureverse.

It’s a chance to put their superfan status to the test, a dream come true. Except for a few snags: It’s an all-couples season, filming starts in two days, and Noelle hasn’t spoken to her “girlfriend” in a year. But Noelle already has plans to use the prize money on her ailing father’s medical expenses. She would do anything for him—including fake date her ex-bestie on national television.

Can Noelle walk a tightrope between reality and TV while juggling a pretend relationship and true feelings? Or will she get sent home empty-handed and brokenhearted?

EXCERPT

Chapter 5

THREE THINGS

I don’t mean to look at the email. Okay, I do mean to look, but I don’t mean to care. In my defense, my dad was asleep when I finished my shower and I was left alone with my thoughts. Over the past hour, I’ve reread the message so many times that I could recite it from memory.

Adventureverse Casting— URGENT

Dear Noelle Breland and Yumi Panganiban,

Thank you for applying The Adventureverse. We’ve had some unexpected last-minute changes to this upcoming season’s cast and would like to speak with you and your

partner about an available position that we need filled immediately. It is extremely short notice, as filming is set to begin this Monday, May 25th, so please contact us as soon as possible if you are interested. While we can’t give away too many details about the season, as an added incentive, I can disclose that the prize money will be doubled to two million dollars (USD) for Season 25 only.

Please contact me ASAP if you’re interested.

Aliona Vasilyeva

No matter how many times I close the app, I keep finding myself drawn back to those three words: two million dollars. Eugh. I resist the urge to scream into and/or suffocate myself with my shower-hair-dampened pillow.

I love The Adventureverse and I’ve dreamed of competing on it for over ten years. But Yumi got that email, too—her email address was right next to mine—and she didn’t say anything. So, why would I? I’m fully prepared to just repress it—seal up the memory of my dream come true in the little lockbox that I hide in the cobwebby corners of my mind.

But then the reality of the situation hits me. Two million dollars. Well, my share would be one million. And after taxes, it would be closer to half a million. Still, though, that’s five hundred thousand more than what my dad has right now.

This is a way out. I am being offered, on a silver platter, the opportunity to buy my dad out of his stress, his worry, his debt. While it’s not like he could buy a new liver (it only works that way on the black market), the money would give him options. Professional cleaners to make the house safe when his immune system is nonexistent post-transplant, a home health nurse to check on his recovery, healthy food. No debt. No pushing himself to go back to work before his body is ready. And if I don’t need to get a job right away, I can be available to drive him to lab appointments and checkups.

At least for a little bit, we could relax.

I inhale, angry at myself for pushing back against the inevitable.

My life keeps asking me to change. Just when I’ve gotten the pieces into a configuration I’m happy with, something else moves, or grows, or pushes against me. And it’s never my fault. No, not fault. It’s never my choice. My mom dying, losing Yumi, my dad getting sick, college, The Adventureverse—no matter how carefully I place the puzzle together, the picture keeps changing. So, fine. Just tell me where to go, tell me what shape I need to be.

Whatever makes the puzzle work.

People endure things they don’t want all the time. People who live in war zones don’t want their houses to be destroyed. Poor parents don’t want to have to work two jobs. My dad doesn’t want to have liver disease. Yet here I am, not wanting to go on a fun little globe-trotting game show adventure and learn to polka dance for two million dollars.

Boo-fucking-hoo.

It’s time to grow up, Noelle. You say you’d do anything for your dad—the least you can do is grovel for him.

You know what’s not interesting?

Dread.

It’s a slow, boring whitewashed wall of a mental state, like apathy or depression. Though artists and writers try to romanticize it, it has only ever been, and will only ever be, a mind-numbingly dull wasteland. And yet I’ve spent so much of my life hanging out in it. It’s dark outside by the time I do the first of three things I’ve been dreading: I go to Taylor Norris’s graduation party. This, in and of itself, isn’t the worst fate. I like Taylor. She still invites me to her parties even though I rarely make an appearance these, and

I appreciate that.

However, that appreciation doesn’t keep me from contemplating faking my own death the entire drive over, because action items two and three for tonight are as follows: find Yumi Panganiban, and beg her to do The Adventureverse with me.

I park, and even though I would happily sit in my car and anxious-avoidance around for the next few hours, I force myself to move. My consciousness separates from my body, leaving the discomfort of being perceived somewhere behind me, an afterimage Noelle Breland abandoned on the side of the road. She watches me step out of the car, lock the doors, and march down the block.

Pounding bass-heavy music reverberates down the street, and I wonder how the cops haven’t been called yet. This is an upscale neighborhood right on the edge of Phoenix, the kind where every house has an elaborate xeriscaped lawn—that grassless, zengarden-like design that uses different types of gravel and pops of native plants to say, Even in a drought, I’ d still be wealthier than you. These people absolutely call 911 on house parties.

When I open the Norrises’ front gate, its hinges don’t squeak and the bottom doesn’t scrape along the ground. I find this deeply unsettling. Silent fences live in a different tax bracket than me. A gaggle of nicotine addicts greet me with a synchronized vape glow as I cross the front porch and step inside.

I suspect that if I stumbled upon Atlantis one day and the Atlantians were throwing a little function that I needed to awkwardly maneuver in order to explore the city, the lost empire would remain lost. I would reboard the boat, declare there’s nothing to see, and be on my merry way—reality-shifting discovery be damned. That is to say, I am deeply uncomfortable as I wander past stacks of discarded beer cans and strings of color-shifting lights, looking for my former best friend.

I find her in the living room, which has been cleared of furniture to create a dance floor. Yumi’s dressed in the black fitted crop top her older sister, Mila, got her for Christmas two years ago. Her wide-leg jeans are slung low around her hips, highlighting her lean swimmer’s body. She’s laughing, red plastic cup hoisted into the air as she looks back over her shoulder at the girl she’s grinding on.

I know that doesn’t mean anything. That’s just how people dance at Taylor Norris’s parties. And it shouldn’t matter to me if it did mean something. But she used to dance with me like that. I can’t stop my teeth from clenching, but it’s totally fine. I’m over her. I’m so over her.

She looks up, her eyes locking with mine. The smile dies on her lips faster than she can angrily mouth, What?

I try not to bow my head, even though my primate brain is desperate to show deference. I nod toward the kitchen and the backyard beyond. Can we talk?

Yumi’s jaw flexes, relaxes, and flexes again as she decides what to do. Then, without a single word, she abruptly stands up straight and brushes past me, jerking her head to indicate I should follow her.

I imagine it’s habit more than anything that has her walking to the farthest corner of the yard, past the pool and its burbling filter, away from the people partying on the deck. We used to come sit on this stone bench whenever we needed a break from yelling over the music and brushing up against sweaty bodies on the dance floor. It’s secluded here, tucked away beneath a vine covered trellis and turned in such a way that nobody can see it from the deck. Obviously, that means we’ve walked up on couples making out a few times, but that’s just an occupational hazard of secluded benches.

Thankfully, tonight the bench is empty of football players and their hot girlfriends, so Yumi perches on one end and I take the other. Neither of us speaks, sitting in parallel as we stare off into the middle distance.

I wish I could freeze this moment—not because it’s good, but because it’s something. Call me pathetic, but it’s as if the opacity on this layer of existence is turned down, and I can almost see through to what should have been: On this stone bench in another dimension, she’s still my person. Fruitlessly, I want to stay here and hold on to that life, even though the dust of it has long since blown out of my fist. But I can’t.

“I want to do The Adventureverse.”

“No,” she says sarcastically, drawing the word out. “Really? I thought you were just dragging me out here to ask if I liked your speech.”

“Did you?” I ask, trying for playful and probably coming off nervous.

She raises her eyebrows and gives me a look that reminds me I came here to grovel.

“I don’t—” I fight the urge to cringe at myself. “The prize is two million this season.”

“I saw.”

She saw? She read the email? I guess that shouldn’t be surprising because I also read the email, but it gives me hope. Maybe the gap I have to bridge is smaller than I thought. “I need the money.”

Unimpressed, she says, “Okay.”

“My—my dad is . . . sick.”

Though she still doesn’t look at me, her brow furrows. “Like, sick how?”

“Like, I missed prom because we were in the hospital,” I admit, feeling gross about how badly I want her to make the connection that I was in the ER on a night when her biggest concern was whether or not she would win prom queen. She didn’t, by the way. She lost to Kalie McMichaels.

“Did he get hurt at work?” she asks the trellis above us.

“No. His liver is failing. He might need a transplant.” Might.

Like there’s a possibility he doesn’t. Even though the organ donation list has been the only thing occupying my thoughts for months.

“Oh my God.” The surprise gets her. She turns in my direction, mouth open on a gasp. For another brief moment, I see through the overlay of this reality again. Her mouth is open, but

this time she’s laughing at something I’ve said. She offers me a guava candy from her pocket as she sways to the music drifting out of the house.

Here and now, though, her gaze ricochets right back off me, sending her looking over her left shoulder at the trumpet-shaped flowers that climb the trellis. “What happened?” she asks.

It’s an impossible question, one that nobody can answer despite months of specialist visits. Hours of watching my dad swear up and down to new doctors that he doesn’t use IV drugs or drink excessively. Knowing they think he’s lying. Knowing, in their minds, that means he deserves it.

“They call it ‘acute liver failure of unknown origin.’ Apparently, it just happens sometimes.”

“Oh.”

Oh. Is that all my dad deserves? Is that all I deserve? It’s just one more gut punch in the endless boxing match that is my life, but I remind myself that I came here to beg Yumi, not to befriend her. I don’t need her comfort or her empathy. What I need is for her to agree to do The Adventureverse.

I don’t know if saying her name will help or hurt here, but it feels right. “Yumi, he’s hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt, and he hasn’t even had the transplant. And. . . and I’m not asking for your half. Obviously, that’s yours, and you can use it for school debt or rent or whatever. I know this is crazy. I know you don’t want to do it. It’s just that when I saw that email and realized . . .”

I trail off with a shrug.

She sucks in her cheeks. “You’re right. I don’t want to do it.”

“I know.” I scratch at a chip in the bench’s surface and admit, “Me neither.”

After a beat of silence, she exhales loudly, asking, “He’s really that sick?”

“He really is,” I confirm.

Yumi pulls her phone out of her pocket and taps at the screen a few times before placing it in the space between us, unlocked and open to the casting email. “Okay.” She shakes her head. “Say we do this, then what? We just go back to this, right? Like, you don’t think we’re suddenly going to become besties, do you?”

The way she looks at me—like she’s a celebrity and I’m a parasocial fan pleading with her to read my diary and braid my hair— makes my nose scrunch in distaste. “If it’ll get my dad a million dollars, we don’t even have to talk in the hotel after the cameras go off. No strings. We go on the show, we win, you can forget I exist.” I barely stop myself from bitterly adding again onto the end of that sentence.

After a beat, her eyes shift to me. “And I can still say no? If we call right now, leave a voicemail, and then I change my mind before she calls us back tomorrow, I can dip?”

I want to say no, but how can I? “Of course.”

Her gaze scans me from head to toe. “I’m only agreeing to this for Papa Breland.”

“I know.”

“I mean it.”

“I know,” I repeat.

She stares a moment longer, like she wants to be absolutely sure that I understand how much she despises me now. And I do.

So, she clicks on the number at the bottom of the message.

Good Luck, Babe! By Erin Baldwin Copyright © 2026 by Viking Books for Young Readers. Reprinted with permission.

The post Read An Excerpt From ‘Good Luck, Babe!’ by Erin Baldwin appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Sunshine and good books have always gone hand-in-hand for me. As a full-time university student and debut author, summer is the optimal and only time to really catch up on my never ending TBR (and re-organize my bookshelves for the thousandth time). This year, I’m excited to curl up with some amazing sapphic books during Pride Month and beyond!

True Love and Other Impossible Odds by Christina Li

True love, algorithms, and college YA? Sign me up! I’ve been waiting for this one since the first announcement and can’t stop staring at the beautiful cover. Christina Li is a powerhouse writer, and I’m so grateful for her amazing stories.

Late Bloomer by Mazey Eddings

Mazey Eddings is an auto-buy author for me. She writes about love and neurodiversity in the most compassionate and beautiful way, and I find such a solace in her words as someone who’s still learning how to love and be kind to the unique way my brain works. Her books always contain real, lasting, and nuanced relationships, and Late Bloomer is no exception. Also the Jenifer Prince cover?! Gorgeous!

A Bánh Mì for Two by Trinity Nguyen

This is without a doubt one of my most anticipated 2024 debuts! Not only does the book have a stunning cover, sprayed edges, and the most lovely author, but the foodie romance and wonderful premise promise such a treat!

Wish You Weren’t Here by Erin Baldwin

I don’t remember much about the first and only time I went to summer camp, but I am so ready to visit Fogridge. This not-quite-hate-to-love romance and the dynamic voice of Erin Baldwin’s debut have had me captivated since I got a sneak peek months ago.

In the Event of Love by Courtney Kae

Is anyone else a Christmas-in-July (or June) enthusiast? I love putting a little winter magic into my summer season, and Courtney Kae’s In the Event of Love encompasses that wonder completely. I’m not sure if I’m on my third or fourth read of this book, but I’ll keep returning to Fern Falls as often as I can.

Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating by Adiba Jaigirdar

I read Adiba Jaigirdar’s The Dos and Donuts of Love last year, and it sky-rocketed onto my favorites list, so I can’t wait to meet Hani and Ishu! I’m a sucker for overachiever characters and love an opposites attract romance, and I’m also always looking for books that thoughtfully talk about bi erasure.

Rise to the Sun by Leah Johnson

Paperback re-releases with beautiful covers may just be my kryptonite, but so are sapphic music books, so I’m pretty sure I’m going to love this! The festival setting and weekend-long time frame add even more intrigue, and I can’t wait to dive in.

Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli

Becky Albertalli’s books mean more to me than I can express in a short space, and ever since I was fifteen, I’ve bought every single one to release. Imogen, Obviously pulled me in with its compassionate deconstruction of heteronormativity, and this book is definitely near the top of my Pride Month TBR.

Outdrawn by Deanna Grey

I am absolutely head over heels for this concept, which is an amalgamation of so many of my favorite things: rivals-to-lovers, books about creatives, and ambitious women driving (or drawing!) their own stories. I’ve got Outdrawn bookmarked as a plane read for my summer travels, and I already have an inkling that the long flight may just fly by with this book to keep me company.

The Last Love Song by Kalie Holford

I might be a little biased, but I think The Last Love Song is a sapphic read meant for summer! It has a scavenger hunt, coming-of-age themes, and childhood-best-friends-to-lovers romance that all take place in a seaside town where dreams rise and set with the sun. And it comes with a perfect summer playlist!

So, that’s what I’ll be reading! I’m always excited to chat about books and share recommendations, and I’m sending all the best summer reading vibes to everyone.

Xoxo,
Kalie

The post Kalie Holford’s Sapphic Summer Reading List appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

From sapphic romances and a Mulan-inspired fantasy, to thrilling adventures and street racing, there’s some immensely delightful new young adult books hitting shelves this month! 

Read on to discover a few of our picks and let us know in the comments below if you’re looking forward to any!

Past Present Future by Rachel Lynn Solomon

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They fell for each other in just twenty-four hours. Now Rowan and Neil embark on a long-distance relationship during their first year of college in this romantic, dual POV sequel to Today Tonight Tomorrow.

Of Jade and Dragons by Amber Chen

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Mulan meets Iron Widow in this thrilling silkpunk fantasy about a girl who must disguise herself as a boy and enter the famed and dangerous Engineer’s Guild trials to unravel the mystery of her father’s murder.

Wish You Weren’t Here by Erin Baldwin

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This sapphic romance novel has everything you could want in a summer vacation read—swoony interactions, childhood nostalgia, and a slow-burn romance you’ll root for the whole time!

The God and the Gumiho by Sophie Kim

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In this sly and dazzling contemporary fantasy, the most notorious nine-tailed fox in Korea pairs up with a trickster god–turned–detective to track down a wrathful demon . . . before it can destroy the mortal world.

Four Eids and a Funeral by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé and Adiba Jaigirdar

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Ex-best friends, Tiwa and Said, must work together to save their Islamic Center from demolition, in this romantic story of rekindling and rebuilding by award-winning authors Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé & Adiba Jaigirdar!

Moonstorm by Yoon Ha Lee

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In a society where conformity is valued above all else, a teen girl training to become an Imperial pilot is forced to return to her rebel roots to save her world in this adrenaline-fueled sci-fi adventure—perfect for fans of Iron Widow and Skyward!

The Color of a Lie by Kim Johnson

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In 1955, a Black family passes for white and moves to a “Whites Only” town in the suburbs. Caught between two worlds, a teen boy puts his family at risk as he uncovers racist secrets about his suburb. A new social justice thriller from the acclaimed author of This Is My America!

Crashing into You by Rocky Callen

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In this fiercely moving YA romance novel, Leti Rivera’s love of street racing is put to the test when tragedy strikes her family and threatens to tear her apart from the boy she’s falling for.

We Shall Be Monsters by Tara Sim

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Frankenstein meets Indian mythology in this twisty, darkly atmospheric fantasy where the horror is not the monsters you face but the ones you create.

Love, Off The Record by Samantha Markum

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The Hating Game meets Alex, Approximately in this smart, chemistry-filled teen rom-com about two rival journalism students competing for the same position on their university newspaper.

Furious by Jamie Pacton and Rebecca Podos

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There’s nothing more thrilling than being behind the wheel when the flag drops, a stretch of track ahead and her foot on the gas. Racing is in Jojo’s blood. Or at least . . . it was.

The Calculation of You and Me by Serena Kaylor

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A calculus nerd enlists her surly classmate’s help to win back her ex-boyfriend, but when sparks start to fly, she realizes there’s no algorithm for falling in love.

The Wilderness of Girls by Madeline Claire Franklin

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An unflinching YA debut about a troubled teen who discovers a pack of feral girls in the woods and is swept up in the ensuing mystery: Are the Wild Girls of Happy Valley lost princesses from a faraway land, as they believe, or are they brainwashed victims of a deranged kidnapper?

Looking For Smoke by K.A. Cobell

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In her powerful debut novel, Looking for Smoke, author K. A. Cobell (Blackfeet) weaves loss, betrayal, and complex characters into a thriller that will illuminate, surprise, and engage readers until the final word. 

Heiress Takes All by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka

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The Inheritance Games meets Ocean’s 11 in this thrilling adventure about a teenager determined to pull off the perfect heist in the middle of her father’s wedding.

The Breakup Artists by Adriana Mather

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Adriana Mather, New York Times bestselling author of How to Hang a Witch, brings her signature wit, wild imagination, and all the feels to her new YA novel, The Breakup Artists.

What June YA books are you looking forward to picking up? Tell us in the comments below!

The post 16 Young Adult Books Hitting Bookshelves In June 2024 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Hi, Erin! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?

Hi there! I’m Erin, and today I’m feeling like more of a chair for my cats than anything else.  But most of the time, I’m a nurse and a writer of whimsical contemporary stories! My debut, Wish You Weren’t Here, releases on June 4^th, and it is also occasionally a chair for my cats.

When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?

Very early! I started reading and writing about the same time, somewhere around third grade, and I just fell in love with them both as a way to step out of the world for a little bit.

Quick lightning round! Tell us:

• The first book you ever remember reading: Just Ella by Margaret Peterson Haddix
• The one that made you want to become an author: Two Princess of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine
• The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Your debut novel, Wish You Weren’t Here, is out June 4^th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Queer Disney channel original movie

What can readers expect?

No coming out trauma, no third act break up, no miscommunication trope—just a few goofballs trying to find themselves in the woods and maybe eat some gorp while doing it.

Where did the inspiration for Wish You Weren’t Here come from?

I was working in hospitals during the brunt of covid and just became really burnt out on media that made me sad. I wanted to recreate the leveity that I had last felt in the summer before the pandemic, while working at camp.

Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?

Is it cheating to say all of them? Characters are my bread and butter, and truly there is not a single character in Wish You Weren’t Here that I didn’t love learning about. One that really sticks out to me is Eleazar, a minor character who only appears in a few paragraphs toward the end. Something about his section just feels very real to me.

This is your debut published novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?

Long. I’ve been writing for a long time, and began pursuing publishing back in 2017 with a dark YA fantasy heist. After tons of passes from agents, I shelved that book and I didn’t write or read for two years until I came back and started from scratch with what is now Wish You Weren’t Here (but was Greetings From Bummer Camp originally). But ultimately, I do think Wish You Weren’t Here is the right debut for me, and all of the rejection along the way was just redirection.

What’s next for you?

I’m not allowed to talk about my next book yet, but it’s not a WYWH sequel! It’s going to travel to some very exciting locations and I can’t wait to announce it.

Lastly, what books have you enjoyed so far this year and are there any that you can’t wait to get your hands on?

As always, Emily Henry ate with Funny Story. I finally gave in and started The Wall Of Winnipeg and Me and I’m loving it! Because I’ve been working on my book two, I haven’t gotten to read much this year, but I can’t want to catch up on all the incredible debuts. At the top of my TBR are That’s Not My Name by Megan Lally, Daughters of Shandong by Eve J. Chung, and The Husbands by Holly Gramazio.

Will you be picking up Wish You Weren’t Here? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Erin Baldwin, Author of ‘Wish You Weren’t Here’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

From magic, fairytales, romance, and thrillers, to monsters, rebels, pirates, and friends, there’s certainly something for everyone to look forward to amongst the young adult books releasing between January and June 2024! From new releases from the likes of Emma Lord, Brigid Kemmerer, Kacen Callender, Morgan Matson, Tomi Adeyemi, Kalynn Bayron, Rachel Lynn Solomon, and many more, to those making their dazzling debut, you will be spoilt for choice!

Read on to discover some wonderful new reads within this list and be sure to check out our other 2024 round-ups too, including our Most Anticipated and our Swoonworthy Romance lists!

JANUARY 2024 BOOK RELEASES

Most Ardently: A Pride & Prejudice Remix by Gabe Cole Novoa

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A trans boy searches for a future―and a romance―in which he can live and love openly as himself in this heartrending young-adult reimagining of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, part of the Remixed Classics series.

The Getaway List by Emma Lord

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Inescapably romantic and brimming with New York Times bestselling author Emma Lord’s signature cheer, The Getaway List is an uplifting and romantic read that will settle into your heart and never leave.

If I Promise You Wings by A.K. Small

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Hold Still meets You’ve Reached Sam in this lyrical novel about one young woman’s journey through the Paris fashion scene as she chases promises, overcomes grief, and falls in love.

Just Happy to Be Here by Naomi Kanakia

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In this YA standalone perfect for fans of Tobly McSmith and Meredith Russo, the first out trans girl at an all-girls school must choose between keeping her head down or blazing a trail.

That’s Not My Name by Megan Lally

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From a gripping new voice comes a YA thriller with amnesia, stalking, abduction and twists that will keep you on the edge of your seat, perfect for fans of Natalie D. Richards and Vincent Ralph.​

A Drop of Venom by Sajni Patel

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Circe goes YA in this unapologetically feminist retelling of the Medusa myth steeped in Indian mythology, a YA epic fantasy addition to the Rick Riordan Presents imprint.

The Atlas of Us by Kristin Dwyer

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Following her critically-acclaimed debut novel, Some Mistakes Were Made, Kristin Dwyer is back with The Atlas of Us, a novel about deep grief, found family, and a raw love story that will have readers crying and laughing in equal measure.

Shut Up, This Is Serious by Carolina Ixta

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An unforgettable YA debut about two Latina teens growing up in East Oakland as they discover that the world is brimming with messy complexities, perfect for fans of Elizabeth Acevedo and Erika L. Sánchez.

Arya Khanna’s Bollywood Moment by Arushi Avachat

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Save the Date meets Never Have I Ever in this sparkling debut rom-com about a high school senior whose life suddenly gets a Bollywood spin when her sister gets engaged.

Somewhere in the Deep by Tanvi Berwah

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From the author of Monsters Born and Made comes an action-packed South Asian inspired fantasy that will have your heart racing at every turn. 

Out of Our League: 16 Stories of Girls in Sports

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A compelling YA anthology from editors Dahlia Adler and Jennifer Iacopelli about the trials and triumphs of girls in sports with stories from Carrie S. Allen, Sara Farizan, Juliana Goodman, Maggie Hall, Leah Henderson, Sarah Henning, Naomi Kanakia, Miranda Kenneally, Yamile Saied Méndez, Cam Montgomery, Marieke Nijkamp, Amparo Ortiz, Aminah Mae Safi, and Kayla Whaley.

Destroy the Day by Brigid Kemmerer

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In the thrilling conclusion to the Defy the Night series, New York Times bestselling author Brigid Kemmerer crafts heartrending twists and devastating turns that will keep readers breathless to the very end.

FEBRUARY 2024 BOOK RELEASES

Infinity Alchemist by Kacen Callender

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Infinity Alchemist is a spellbinding fantasy novel about a quest that leads three young alchemists toward dangerous truth, legendary love, and extraordinary power.

My Big, Fat Desi Wedding

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These genre-bending stories focus on the magic (and tension) of the biggest family gathering. Both award-winning and debut authors share stories of broken hearts, rekindled flames, unlikely romances, and one particular auntie who loves to meddle with stories from Prerna Pickett, Syed Masood, Tashie Bhuiyan, Aamna Qureshi, Payal Doshi, Sarah Mughal, Noreen Mughees, and Anahita Karthi.

This Day Changes Everything by Edward Underhill

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Dash & Lily meets Ferris Bueller’s Day Off in Edward Underhill’s new whirlwind rom-com about two queer teens who spend one life-changing day together in New York City.

Daughter of the Bone Forest by Jasmine Skye

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Two girls reluctantly bound by fate must weather a dangerous courtship as a prophesied war grows ever closer in Jasmine Skye’s high-stakes, queernormative dark fantasy debut, Daughter of the Bone Forest.

A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal

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From the New York Times–bestselling author of We Hunt the Flame comes the first book in a hotly-anticipated fantasy duology teeming with romance and revenge, led by an orphan girl willing to do whatever it takes to save her self-made kingdom.

The Bad Ones by Melissa Albert

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NYT bestselling author Melissa Albert returns with THE BAD ONES, a supernatural horror novel about four mysterious disappearances in a town haunted by a sinister magical history

Kindling by Traci Chee

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From bestselling and award-winning author Traci Chee comes a standalone fantasy set against a war-ravaged world where kindling warfare—the use of elite, magic-wielding teenage soldiers—has been outlawed. In this rich and evocative novel, seven kindlings search for purpose and identity as they prepare for one final battle. For fans of the classic films Seven Samurai and The Magnificent Seven.

I Hope This Doesn’t Find You by Ann Liang

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Unforgettable, snarky, and romantic, I Hope This Doesn’t Find You is Never Have I Ever meets To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before if Lara Jean wrote hate emails instead of love letters.

Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli

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Enemies-to-lovers doesn’t get more high stakes than a witch and a witch hunter falling in love in bestselling author Kristen Ciccarelli’s latest romantic fantasy

If Only I Had Told Her by Laura Nowlin

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An intensely emotional and gripping companion novel to Laura Nowlin’s USA Today and New York Times Bestselling novel If He Had Been With Me about the love that both breaks and heals us. Perfect for fans of Colleen Hoover and Jenny Han.

With a Little Luck by Marissa Meyer

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After being magically gifted with incredible luck, a boy discovers this gift just may be a curse when it comes to love, in this sweet romantic comedy by #1 New York Times-bestselling author Marissa Meyer.

Where the Dark Stands Still by A.B. Poranek

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A girl with dangerous magic makes a risky bargain with a demon to be free of her monstrous power in this young adult fantasy perfect for fans of An Enchantment of Ravens and House of Salt and Sorrows.

MARCH 2024 BOOK RELEASES

The Last Bloodcarver by Vanessa Le

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The tantalising romance of These Violent Delights meets the mechanical wonders of Cinder in The Last Bloodcarver , the first in a two-book debut – with a riveting medical magic system and lush Vietnam-inspired fantasy world.

Bad Like Us by Gabriella Lepore

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Two friend groups collide when someone turns up dead over spring break in this heart-thumping YA thriller for fans of One of Us Is Lying and We Were Liars

The Summer She Went Missing by Chelsea Ichaso

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From the author of Dead Girls Can’t Tell Secrets and They’re Watching You, a compelling new thriller!

Icarus by K. Ancrum

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Perfect for fans of Adam Silvera and Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, this suspenseful queer YA romance from critically acclaimed author K. Ancrum reimagines the tale of Icarus as a star-crossed love story between a young art thief and the son of the man he’s been stealing from—think Portrait of a Thief for YA readers.

Promchanted by Morgan Matson

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Modern-day teens wander into Disney’s Sleeping Beauty in this enemies-to-lovers rom-com from New York Times bestselling author Morgan Matson.

One Last Breath by Ginny Myers Sain

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The New York Times bestselling author of Dark & Shallow Lies delivers another chilling supernatural thriller filled with murder, romance, and a decades long mystery that haunts a small Florida town.

Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

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In Where Sleeping Girls Lie ― a YA contemporary mystery by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, the New York Times-bestselling author of Ace of Spades ― a girl new to boarding school discovers dark secrets and coverups after her roommate disappears.

We Are Mayhem by Beck Rourke-Mooney

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Filled with messy, complicated characters, We Are Mayhem is a debut YA novel about finding your strength, embracing your weird, and being who you truly are – no matter what.

Ariel Crashes A Train by Olivia A. Cole

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Exploring the harsh reality of OCD and violent intrusive thoughts in stunning, lyrical writing, this novel-in-verse conjures a haunting yet hopeful portrait of a girl on the edge. From the author of Dear Medusa, which New York Times bestselling author Samira Ahmed called “a fierce and brightly burning feminist roar.”

The No-Girlfriend Rule by Christen Randall

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Julie Murphy meets Casey McQuiston in this unforgettable queer romance about a teen girl whose foray into fantasy tabletop roleplaying brings her new confidence, true friends, and a shot at real, swoon-worthy love.

The Hedgewitch of Foxhall by Anna Bright

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In this gorgeous stand-alone fantasy romance perfect for fans of Margaret Rogerson and Allison Saft, a rebellious witch undertakes a last-ditch quest to restore magic to medieval Wales—as two princes vie for her heart.

The Poisons We Drink by Bethany Baptiste

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The Poisons We Drink is a potent YA debut about a world where love potions are weaponized against hate and prejudice, sisterhood is unbreakable, and self-love is life and death.

APRIL 2024 BOOK RELEASES

Something Kindred by Ciera Burch

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Magical realism meets Southern Gothic in this commanding young adult debut from Ciera Burch about true love, the meaning of home, and the choices that haunt us.

We’re Never Getting Home by Tracy Badua

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HBO’s Insecure meets Dazed and Confused in this messy, tender YA novel about a friendship breakup, set against the backdrop of a chaotic night at a music festival, from rising talent Tracy Badua.

The Final Curse of Ophelia Cray by Christine Calella

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The Final Curse of Ophelia Cray follows the asexual daughter of a notorious pirate queen and her anxious half-sister braving the sea and its pirates to find themselves

Fate Be Changed: A Twisted Tale by Farrah Rochon

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What if the witch gave Merida a different spell? This New York Times best-selling series twists Disney Pixar’s Brave into a fast-paced story in which Merida is sent back in time.

The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson

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From the author of the multimillion-copy bestselling A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series and Five Survive comes a new true-crime fueled mystery thriller about a girl determined to uncover the shocking truth about her mother’s disappearance while filming a documentary on the unsolved case.

Not Like Other Girls by Meredith Adamo

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Not Like Other Girls is a stunning debut that takes a hard look at how we treat young women and their trauma, through the lens of a missing girl and a girl trying to find herself again.

Otherworldly by F.T. Lukens

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A skeptic and a supernatural being make a crossroads deal to achieve their own ends only to get more than they bargained for in this lively young adult romantic adventure from the New York Times bestselling author of Spell Bound and So This Is Ever After.

The Misdirection of Fault Lines by Anna Gracia

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Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants goes to the French Open in an emotionally honest and openhearted novel for fans of Yamile Saied Méndez and Mary HK Choi.

To A Darker Shore by Leanne Schwartz

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A da Vinci-esque teen girl inventor on a Dante-esque journey through hell to save her best friend.

Draw Down the Moon by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

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New York Times bestsellers P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast return with a new duology set in a dark and magickal world filled with incredible danger and irresistible romance.

Finally Fitz by Marisa Kanter

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A bisexual teen girl tries to make her ex jealous by faking an Instagram romance that leads to surprisingly real feelings in this hijinks-filled rom-com perfect for fans of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and She Gets the Girl.

Song of the Six Realms by Judy I. Lin

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Judy I. Lin, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Magic Steeped in Poison, weaves a dreamy gothic romance worthy of the heavens in Song of the Six Realms.

MAY 2024 BOOK RELEASES

The Worst Perfect Moment by Shivaun Plozza

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Equal parts tender and edgy, this inventive queer romance imagines what it might feel like to come of age in the afterlife.

A Crane Among Wolves by June Hur

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June Hur, bestselling author of The Red Palace, crafts a devastating and pulse-pounding tale that will feel all-too-relevant in today’s world, based on a true story from Korean history.

Blood at the Root by LaDarrion Williams

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A teenager on the run from his past finds the family he never knew existed and the community he never knew he needed at an HBCU for the young, Black, and magical. Enroll in this fresh fantasy debut with the emotional power of Legendborn and the redefined ancestral magic of Lovecraft Country.

The Ballad of Darcy and Russell by Morgan Matson

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From New York Times bestselling author Morgan Matson comes a sweeping romantic novel about love, fate…and that one night that can change everything.

The Only Light Left Burning by Erik J. Brown

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What If It’s Us meets They Both Die at the End in this sequel to the beloved postapocalyptic queer YA adventure romance All That’s Left in the World by USA Today bestselling author Erik J. Brown.

The Girl in Question by Tess Sharpe

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Four teens. Three henchmen. Two thousand acres of remote forest. One very bad man. And a whole lot of new secrets to unearth. The unmissable, thrilling follow-up to THE GIRLS I’VE BEEN (soon to be a Netflix film).

I Wish You Would by Eva Des Lauriers

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To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before meets You’ve Reached Sam in this love story in which explosive secrets threaten to tear everyone apart, including best friends (or maybe more?), Natalia and Ethan.

Bite Me, Royce Taslim by Lauren Ho

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Acclaimed author of Last Tang Standing and Lucie Yi is Not a Romantic in her YA debut: a sharp yet sweet rivals-to-romance romp through Kuala Lumpur—perfect for fans of Emiko Jean, Abigail Hing Wen, and Kat Cho.

The Lamplighter by Crystal J. Bell

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In a quaint 19th century whaling village, a young woman seeks to expose the dark truth behind the village’s eerie disappearances at the risk of the lives of everyone she loves . . . assuming anyone will listen to a female in the first place.

In the Shallows by Tanya Byrne

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From the acclaimed author of Afterlove comes a beautiful sapphic second-chance love story drenched with longing, loss and mystery.

Keepers of the Stones and Stars by Michael Barakiva

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Keepers of the Stones and Stars is a witty young adult contemporary fantasy about a group of five teens chosen by magical gems to save the world.

Have You Seen This Girl by Nita Tyndall

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Fans of Courtney Summers and Tess Sharpe will devour this standalone YA thriller following a nonbinary teen investigating a series of copycat murders targeting girls in their small town—murders based on their serial killer dad’s MO.

JUNE 2024 BOOK RELEASES

Children of Anguish and Anarchy by Tomi Adeyemi

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Tomi Adeyemi’s #1 New York Times -bestselling Legacy of Orïsha series comes to an earth-shaking conclusion.

Twelfth Knight by Alexene Farol Follmuth

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From the New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six (under the penname Olivie Blake) comes Twelfth Knight, a YA romantic comedy and coming of age story about taking up space in the world and learning what it means to let others in.

Past Present Future by Rachel Lynn Solomon

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They fell for each other in just twenty-four hours. Now Rowan and Neil embark on a long-distance relationship during their first year of college in this romantic, dual POV sequel to Today Tonight Tomorrow.

Of Jade and Dragons by Amber Chen

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Mulan meets Iron Widow in this thrilling silkpunk fantasy about a girl who must disguise herself as a boy and enter the famed and dangerous Engineer’s Guild trials to unravel the mystery of her father’s murder.

Wish You Weren’t Here by Erin Baldwin

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Pitched as The Hating Game for teens, the story follows childhood rivals Juliette and Priya, who are forced to be summer camp cabinmates, and must decide what they want more: to kill each other, or to kiss.

Sleep Like Death by Kalynn Bayron

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New York Times bestselling author and TikTok sensation Kalynn Bayron returns to fairytales with a lush, thrilling and original YA Snow White retelling that brings a new and exciting voice to this familiar tale. Perfect for fans of Cinderella Is Dead.

Heiress Takes All by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka

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The Inheritance Games meets Ocean’s 11 in this thrilling YA adventure about a vengeful daughter determined to pull off the perfect heist in the midst of her father’s wedding.

We Mostly Come Out At Night: 15 Queer Tales of Monsters, Angels & Other Creatures

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An empowering cross-genre YA anthology that explores what it means to be a monster, exclusively highlighting trans and queer authors who offer new tales and perspectives on classic monster stories and tropes. Contributors include editor Rob Costello, Kalynn Bayron, David Bowles, Shae Carys, Rob Costello, H.E. Edgmon, Michael Thomas Ford, Val Howlett, Brittany Johnson, Naomi Kanakia, Claire Kann, Jonathan Lenore Kastin, Sarah Maxfield, Sam J. Miller, Alexandra Villasante, and Merc Fenn Wolfmoor.

Moonstorm by Yoon Ha Lee

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In a society where conformity is valued above all else, a teen girl training to become an Imperial pilot is forced to return to her rebel roots to save her world in this adrenaline-fueled sci-fi adventure—perfect for fans of Iron Widow and Skyward!

There Is a Door in This Darkness by Kristin Cashore

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A magic-tinged contemporary YA about grief and hope from the acclaimed New York Times bestselling author of the Graceling Realm novels.

The Wren in the Holly Library by K.A. Linde

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A Darker Shade of Magic meets Six of Crows, in this alternate day New York where monsters live among humankind, from USA Today bestselling author K.A. Linde.

Storm: Dawn of a Goddess by Tiffany D. Jackson

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Before she was the super hero Storm of Marvel’s X-Men, she was Ororo of Cairo—a teenaged thief on the streets of Egypt, until her growing powers catch the eye of a villain who steals people’s souls.

What YA books are you looking forward to picking up in 2024? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Here’s 72 Of The Most Anticipated YA Books Of 2024 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.