Hi, Jennifer! Welcome back! How have you been since we last spoke in 2023 for the release of Artifacts of an Ex?

Great! It’s wild to me that three years later, I’m putting out my third book.

Your latest novel, Checking You Out, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Love letters in the library.

What can readers expect?

You’ll find bookish friends, kittens, tennis, and swooning. Lots of swoon-worthy moments.

Where did the inspiration for Checking You Out come from?

A few years ago, a friend posted their New York Public Library checkout receipt on Facebook. She wrote with the photo, “I think I could be best friends with this person,” based on the books the person checked out. Once I saw the Netflix TV show Dash & Lily, I knew that I wanted to use the same concept of letters left in a notebook in The Strand bookstore, but change it to love letters in the Los Angeles Central Public Library.

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

I volunteer in the kitten nursery at Best Friends Los Angeles so I set the meet-cute scene there. I loved the idea of two people meeting and liking each other over their shared love of cats. It was fun to take my experiences as a volunteer and write those special moments in the book.

Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?

Not while writing, but during the publication process, I was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer. My editor and publishing team were incredibly kind. I have never asked for an extension, but I needed to when it came time for copy edits. I was going through surgery and treatment so I needed a few extra weeks to get those done. Copy edits are always a slow process for me anyway so I just did as much as I could each day. Some days, it meant not much got done on edits.

Such a cute cover! Can you share any insight behind the direction for it?

I’m so lucky and grateful that illustrator Leni Kauffman has drawn the covers for all three of my young adult books. For Checking You Out, I really wanted to see a cat on the cover so that was the one thing I asked for. The rest of the adorable cover with the library cart and books was the artistic direction of my publisher.

This is your third novel! What are some of the key lessons you’ve learned over the past three years since your debut when it comes to writing and publishing?

So many lessons. Keeping in touch with my readers from book one has been so wonderful. They cheer me on with each book. In terms of writing, I think each manuscript has taught me how to craft fun meet cutes, great secondary characters, and all the swoon that I love when reading romances.

What’s next for you?

I have an adult historical fiction that my agent and I are discussing next week to submit to editors. It’s very different than my YA. The book is based on history from Los Angeles’s Chinatown and is partly a ghost story. I’ve been researching and drafting this book for three years so I’m excited to share that story with readers.

Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up? Any you’ve read so far this year that you’ve enjoyed?

Oh my god. The new Heartstopper Vol. 6 just arrived from our local bookstore and I’m dying to dive in. I love that series. I’m also eagerly awaiting Julian Winters’s next YA romance, FIND MY WAY DOWN TO YOU.

Three books I couldn’t put down this year were The House of Now and Then by Edward Underhill, Whidbey by T Kira Madden and Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke. Read those books on vacation. They were so good, so thrilling, and satisfying. I love when I finish a book and feel like I got what I wanted out of it.

Will you be picking up Checking You Out? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Jennifer Chen, Author of ‘Checking You Out’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Intrigued? Read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from Hangry Hearts by Jennifer Chen, which is out March 18th 2025.

Julie Wu and Randall Hur used to be best friends. Now they only see each other on Saturdays at the Pasadena Farmers Market where their once close families are long-standing rivals.

When Julie and Randall are paired with ultra-rich London Kim for a community-service school project, they are forced to work together for the first time in years. It quickly becomes obvious that London has a major crush on Julie. But Julie can’t stop thinking about Randall. And Randall can’t stop thinking about how London is thinking about Julie. Soon, prompted by a little jealousy and years of missing each other, school project meetings turn into pseudo dates at their favorite Taiwanese breakfast shop and then secret kisses at the beach—far from the watchful eyes of their families.

Just as they’re finally feeling brave enough to tell their grandmas, the two matriarchs rehash their old fight and Julie and Randall get caught in the middle and Julie’s brother finds out they are dating. Their families are heartbroken.

But it’s the Year of the Dragon, an auspicious time to resolve disagreements and start anew, and Randall isn’t going down without fighting for what—and who—they love. Could the Lunar New Year provide not only a second chance for Randall and Julie, but for their families as well?

Chapter Two
Julie

“Absolutely not,” I declare as Tyler bursts into my bedroom.

He shoves his phone in my face. “Look at how cute this boy is.”

The boy in question is incredibly hot, with long brown hair, brown skin, and the kind of gorgeous smile that’s hard to look at. His eyes sparkle with glittery silver eyeliner.

“Are you in love with him?” I ask. I plop on my bed.

Tyler sits next to me and sighs. “Desperately.”

I give him a look. “Have you actually spoken to him?”

Tyler grabs a teal velvet pillow off my bed and smacks me with it.

“Why must you ruin every romance I embark on?” He lays down with a theatrical sigh.

Tyler is in love with a different boy every week. I can’t even take his crushes seriously because if a boy actually expresses interest in Tyler, he immediately grows bored and moves on.

“Because you’re dramatic and complicated and you’re not in love,” I say loudly.

He squints at me. “What do you know about love? Aside from reading romance novels and watching every rom-com ever made?”

I pounce on Tyler, and he easily tosses me aside. “I’ll have you know that I was in love once,” I say.

Tyler rolls his eyes. “Crushes on celebrities hardly count as being in love, Jules.”

I hate him sometimes.

“Anyway!” I say pointedly. “I still don’t want to go to London Park’s party. You know I hate those kinds of parties.”

“You mean, parties where people have fun?”

One glare makes Tyler hop off my bed.

“Listen,” he says, “we can do a simple in and out. I just want to chat with Ricky for a few. Maybe make out. Then, we can come back here, and we can play Scrabble until our eyes bleed.”

I lean in close to him. He smells of lavender aftershave and mint gum.

“You’re just sore that I always beat you at Scrabble.”

“You’re delusional,” says Tyler. “Plus, a little birdie told me London Park thinks you’re cute.”

I roll my eyes. “I’m not in sixth grade. That’s not going to work on me.”

“You owe me.”

I hate Tyler’s impeccable memory. I went out after curfew once and Tyler covered for me with Mom and now he lords it over me every chance he gets.

“Fine!” I say, “But I refuse to have any fun.”

Tyler grabs my arm and drags me to my closet. “Come on, Princess Fun, let’s get you dressed.”

* * *

An hour later, we roll up to London Park’s house. Excuse me, mind-blowing gargantuan mansion. London lives in the fancy part of Pasadena where the houses have so much space that they have their own tennis courts.

Not really the place for Tyler’s 2014 Toyota Corolla, but I could care less.

A valet takes our keys as we step out. London is so over the top.

Tyler whispers, “In and out. I promise.”

The place is packed already with almost everyone in my junior class. Tyler loops his arm in mine and leads me straight to the kitchen.

The enormous white marble kitchen island is covered in red Solo cups and a various assortment of liquors, including London’s parents’ soju brand, Moon Seoul. Tyler beelines for the pineapple soju. He pours himself a healthy gulp.

“Liquid courage,” says Tyler after he downs his shot.

“Like you need it. You could talk to a wall,” I say.

Suddenly, Tyler grabs my arm and drags me into the walk-in pantry. The floor-to-ceiling room is filled with Korean groceries, tan bags of white rice, and so much soju that it takes up one entire wall.

“He’s in the kitchen,” whispers Tyler.

“Okay. So why are we in here then?”

“What if he thinks I’m way too needy?”

“You are. What else?”

“He’s like extremely hot. Like I can’t look directly at him,” says Tyler.

“Do you want me to say that you’re hot? Because you’re my brother and that’s a step too far for me.”

Tyler actually seems nervous, his foot tapping repeatedly, his white tennis shoes squeaking on the pristine tile floor. I soften.

I put my hands on his shoulders and look him in the eye.

“Ty, if that boy doesn’t think you’re hot, then he’s losing out,” I say.

Tyler finally smiles. “Okay. I’ll be back.”

He strides out of the pantry. I wait a few minutes before I peek out. The boy is laughing and touching Tyler’s arm. He has nothing to worry about.

I step out of the pantry and run smack-dab into London.

“Oof, I’m sorry.”

“Oh Julie, I’m so happy you’re here,” says London.

London Park is attractive. Sleek cheekbones, short styled black hair, and a fantastic wardrobe, like his current floor-length black quilted coat with a white tank top that screams Los Angeles cool. But he’s always seemed arrogant, his money-all-the-time attitude making me less interested. He pours me a generous serving of mango soju. I take one tiny sip. Soju made me barf all night last week, so I have a love/hate relationship with it.

“You’re into baking, right?” asks London. He leans closer to me to talk over the noise, so that we’re only inches apart. “We just hired a French pastry chef, if you want to come over sometime.”

From Hangry Hearts, by Jennifer Chen. Copyright © 2025 by the author, and reprinted with permission of St. Martin’s Publishing Group

The post Read An Excerpt From ‘Hangry Hearts’ by Jennifer Chen appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

We apologise in advance to your TBR and bank account, but there’s so many fantastic upcoming young adult books hitting shelves between January and June 2025! There’s new releases from Brigid Kemmerer, Libba Bray, Neal Shusterman, Allison Saft, Tracy Deonn, Ava Reid, Jennifer Dugan, Dahlia Adler, Elizabeth Lim, Becky Albertalli, and many more, plus incredible debut novels!

Read on to discover new books hitting shelves in the first half of the year and be sure to check out our other 2025 round-ups too, including our Most Anticipated, Romance, Fantasy & Sci-Fi and Fiction lists.

JANUARY 2025 YA BOOKS

Breath of the Dragon by Fonda Lee and Shannon Lee

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A young warrior dreams of proving his worth in the elite Guardian Tournament, fighting not only for himself but the fate of everything he loves.

Bingsu For Two by Sujin Witherspoon

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This outrageously charming and infuriatingly adorable enemies-to-lovers coffee shop romance is perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Better Than the Movies.

Everything Is Poison by Joy McCullough

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This historical novel in prose and verse tells the story of a deadly secret hiding in plain sight and of the women who risk everything to provide care for those with nowhere else to turn, perfect for fans of Blood Water Paint and The Lost Apothecary.

Royal Heirs Academy by Lindsey Duga

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In this story filled with “romantic tension, royal drama, and family secrets” (Kristy Boyce), four teens living in a glamorous boarding school must compete in order to inherit a European kingdom.

Liar’s Kingdom by Christine Calella

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An Into the Woods-inspired fairy tale retelling where Cinderella never went to the ball and must lie to get her prince.

Brewed With Love by Shelly Page

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A cozy sapphic romantasy about a teen witch trying to keep her family’s apothecary up and running, with a little help from her ex-best friend—and first crush.

I Am Not Jessica Chen by Ann Liang

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From the bestselling, and award-winning author of If You Could See The Sun comes a new page-turning speculative YA about a girl who wishes she could be as perfect and successful as her cousin… then wakes up the next morning in her cousin’s body.

Ex Marks the Spot by Gloria Chao

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A swoony rivals-to-lovers romance . . . Family secrets that can’t stay buried . . . A globe-spanning treasure hunt with puzzles to solve . . . This latest YA novel by acclaimed writer Gloria Chao takes readers on a soaring adventure through love, loss, and the lively streets of Taiwan.

The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King by Harry Trevaldwyn

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Heartstopper meets Derry Girls in this wonderfully hilarious rom-com about finding your first love when your personality might be too big for the world around you.

The Queen’s Spade by Sarah Raughley

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In this riveting historical thriller inspired by true-life events, Belladonna meets Bridgerton as revenge, romance, and twisted secrets take center stage in Victorian England’s royal court when Sally, a kidnapped African princess and goddaughter to Queen Victoria, plots her way to take down the monarchy that stole her from her homeland.

Build A Girlfriend by Elba Luz

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A teen deep-dives into her dating history to uncover her mistakes, become the perfect girlfriend, and get revenge on the wrong guy so she can ride into the sunset with the right one in this debut rom-com.

Carving Shadows into Gold by Brigid Kemmerer

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Dangerous magic. Fateful choices. Broken promises. The spellbinding series by New York Times bestselling author Brigid Kemmerer continues.

FEBRUARY 2025 YA BOOKS

The Otherwhere Post by Emily J. Taylor

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The New York Times bestselling author of Hotel Magnifique returns with another glittering dark fantasy about a deadly mystery that spans worlds and a teenage girl who must risk everything to uncover the truth.

Wicked Darlings by Jordyn Taylor

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From the author of The Revenge Game comes a twisty YA thriller about the underbelly of Manhattan’s high society, where nothing is off-limits—not even murder.

Under the Same Stars by Libba Bray

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From New York Times-bestselling author Libba Bray comes an evocative and groundbreaking young adult historical mystery that examines truth, rebellion, reconciliation, and what must be sacrificed for a better world.

Needy Little Things by Channelle Desamours

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In this debut speculative YA mystery, a Black teen with premonition-like powers must solve her friend’s disappearance before she finds herself in the same danger, perfect for fans of Ace of Spades.

These Vengeful Wishes by Vanessa Montalban

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A vengeful female spirit with a thirst for justice ignites a teen girl’s rage in this new YA horror, perfect for fans of She Is a Haunting and House of Hollow.

The Wildest Things by Andrea Hannah

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In this sapphic Snow White retelling, if Snow is to save her kingdom from being ravaged by the Blight, she’ll have to kill the Evil Queen’s daughter…if she doesn’t fall in love with her first.

All Better Now by Neal Shusterman

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From New York Times bestselling author Neal Shusterman comes a young adult thriller about a world where happiness is contagious but the risks of catching it may be just as dangerous as the cure.

The Rose Bargain by Sasha Peyton Smith

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The Cruel Prince meets The Selection in this captivating duology opener brimming with heart-pounding romance, vicious competition, and beautiful, cruel fae, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Witch Haven, Sasha Peyton Smith.

Wings of Starlight by Allison Saft

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Brimming with magic and romance, a young fairy queen must form an unlikely alliance or risk an unspeakable danger destroying all she holds dear in this fantasy adventure from New York Times bestselling author Allison Saft.

Unlock the Dark by Sasa Hawk

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Perfect for fans of Brigid Kemmerer and Lexi Ryan, this debut romantasy stand-alone novel blends an immersive world, unique magic system, and swoon-worthy romance to create an unputdownable read that explores the great and terrible lengths to which love compels us to go.

Unhallowed Halls by Lili Wilkinson

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A teen girl travels to an exclusive boarding school after a deadly incident at her old school, but the wood-paneled halls of Agathion are built over centuries of secrets—including an ancient society which may have ties to demonic magic—in this dark academia fantasy perfect for fans of Curious Tides.

This Ends in Embers by Kamilah Cole

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Perfect for fans of Raybearer and Fourth Wing, this astonishing sequel to the bestselling novel So Let Them Burn doesn’t hold back. After all, there are no easy endings in war—especially when sisters are forced to fight on opposite sides.

MARCH 2025 YA BOOKS

All the Hidden Monsters by Amie Jordan

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With a crew so entertaining and unique―All the Hidden Monsters is funny, serious, scary―and you’ll never guess who did it. There’s a world below our own, but who is killing who in both of them?

Say a Little Prayer by Jenna Voris

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Saved! meets Casey McQuiston in this wry, heartfelt tale of a teen who’s taking her church camp by storm—one deadly sin at a time.

Nightweaver by R.M. Gray

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Filled with elemental magic, forbidden romance, and breathtaking twists, Nightweaver is a propulsive romantasy about an iron-willed heroine avenging her brother and discovering her destiny.

Oathbound by Tracy Deonn

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Tracy Deonn’s #1 New York Times bestselling Legendborn Cycle continues in the sensational third book about a dazzling contemporary fantasy world that blends Southern Black Girl Magic with secret societies and the legend of King Arthur!

When The Bones Sing by Ginny Myers Sain

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From New York Times bestselling author of Dark and Shallow Lies comes a new southern gothic supernatural thriller about a teen girl in a small Ozark town who can hear the bones of the dead.

Fable For The End of the World by Ava Reid

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The Last of Us meets The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes in this stand-alone dystopian romance about survival, sacrifice, and love that risks everything.

Hangry Hearts by Jennifer Chen

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Jennifer Chen’s Hangry Hearts is a funny, big-hearted romance about friendship, family, and first love―and being brave enough to have it all.

Lovely Dark and Deep by Elisa A. Bonnin

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From author Elisa A. Bonnin comes Lovely Dark and Deep, a YA dark academia novel exploring magic, loneliness, and the power of found family.

What Wakes the Bells by Elle Tesch

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Inspired by an ominous Prague legend, What Wakes the Bells is a lavish gothic fantasy by debut author Elle Tesch that is perfect for fans of Adalyn Grace, Margaret Rogerson, and V.E. Schwab.

In The Company of Killers by Elora Cook

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Gossip Girl meets The Sopranos in this fast-paced drama about a teenage mafia heiress who would do anything to avenge her family, even join forces with her handsome enemy.

How to Survive a Slasher by Justine Pucella Winans

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You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight meets Scream in this YA slasher that turns classic horror tropes on their heads.

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

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The phenomenal fifth book in the Hunger Games series. Sunrise on the Reaping revisits the world of Panem twenty-four years before the events of The Hunger Games, starting on the morning of the reaping of the Fiftieth Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell.

APRIL 2025 YA BOOKS

The Notorious Virtues by Alwyn Hamilton

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Bestselling Rebel of the Sands author Alwyn Hamilton is back with a glittering fantasy thriller about a glamorous media darling, a surprise heiress, and the magical competition of a lifetime.

Run Away With Me by Brian Selznick

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From #1 New York Times bestselling author/illustrator Brian Selznick, a profoundly romantic YA novel about two boys finding each other and falling in love over one summer in Rome.

The Floating World by Axie Oh

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From Axie Oh, the New York Times-bestselling author of The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea, Final Fantasy meets Shadow and Bone in this lighthearted romantic fantasy reimagining the Korean legend of Celestial Maidens.

Somadina by Akwaeke Emezi

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From the National Book Award finalist and author of Pet comes a novel set in a magical West African world, about a teen girl who must save her missing twin while learning to navigate her own terrifying new powers.

Boys with Sharp Teeth by Jenni Howell

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We Were Liars meets The Raven Boys in this mind-bending YA debut about dark revenge, twisted desire, and the sinister secrets lurking behind the walls of an elite boarding school.

Pride or Die by C.L. Montblanc

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In this delightful dark comedy debut, when the members of an LGBTQ+ club find themselves accidentally framed for attempted murder, it’s up to them to clear their names before it’s too late.

The Coven Tendency by Zoe Hana Mikuta

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Zoe Hana Mikuta delivers a bloody and unrelenting fantasy about young witches dangling on the edge of love and obsession, of magic and madness, of life and death (and death and death and death). . .

If We Were a Movie by Zakiya N. Jamal

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Booksmart meets Phantom of the Megaplex in Zakiya N. Jamal’s debut enthralling enemies-to-lovers queer romance, set against the backdrop of a historic Black-owned movie theater, the quirky employees who work there, and the suburbs of Long Island. Perfect for fans of Leah Johnson and Today Tonight Tomorrow.

Nav’s Foolproof Guide to Falling in Love by Jessica Lewis

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Giving the new girl lessons in romance so she can woo your best friend couldn’t possibly go wrong…right? Perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli and Casey McQuiston, this romantic comedy from Jessica Lewis is packed with heart.

Murder Between Friends by Liz Lawson

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Two years ago, the murder of a neighbor tore three best friends apart–now the killer is going to walk free and the ex-friends are going to have to face the past–and each other–in another twisty thriller from the New York Times bestselling co-author of The Agathas.

Chaos King by Kacen Callender

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The explosive sequel to instant New York Times bestselling YA debut Infinity Alchemist by Kacen Callender.

Lady Knight by Amalie Howard

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The daughter of a duke defies the rules of London high society with the help of the resident rake—who just so happens to be her brother’s best friend—in this fun teen historical romance from the USA Today bestselling author of Queen Bee.

MAY 2025 YA BOOKS

The Thrashers by Julie Soto

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A twisty thrill-ride of unforgettable drama and suspense that “encapsulates the vulnerability of adolescents playing adult games” (Ali Hazelwood) from USA Today bestselling author Julie Soto, The Thrashers will keep you up at night desperate to read just one more page.

Audre and Bash Are Just Friends by Tia Williams

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Scorching-hot summer. Scorching-hot chemistry. Two teens can’t forget they’re just friends in this sweet, funny, electrifying romance from New York Times bestselling author Tia Williams. Perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Nicola Yoon.

Salvación by Sandra Proudman

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In this Latinx YA fantasy inspired by El Zorro, Lola de La Peña becomes the masked heroine Salvación in order to save her family and town from a man who would destroy it for the magic it contains…if she doesn’t fall in love with one of his men first.

The Lost Queen by Aimee Phan

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A heroine like no other, ancient magic unleashed, a fated epic battle–the first book in an enchanting YA fantasy duology inspired by Vietnamese lore, weaving magic, sisterhood, and self-discovery.

Summer Girls by Jennifer Dugan

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From the author of Some Girls Do comes a YA sapphic romance about two girls from different sides of the tracks.

This Moth Saw Brightness by A. A. Vacharat

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A weird and revelatory debut that vividly captures the dislocation of growing up BIPOC and neurodivergent in a country awash in both conspiracy theories and genuine conspiracies.

Come As You Are by Dahlia Adler

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Dahlia Adler’s Come As You Are is about refusing to accept less than you deserve, and realizing that the best relationships are with people who know exactly who you are.

Cruel is the Light by Sophie Clark

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An epic new fantasy about a demon hunter and a foot soldier thrown together in a centuries-old war. . . and the forbidden love that could change the course of history.

All-Nighter by Cecilia Vinesse

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Booksmart meets Today, Tonight, Tomorrow in this page-turning romp about two archnemeses—the valedictorian and the class slacker—who band together for a whirlwind night after discovering that they need each other to achieve their very different sunrise goals.  

Out of Step, into You by Ciera Burch

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Out of Step, into You is a sapphic contemporary romance following childhood friends turned cross-country team rivals who are forced to work together to win the state championship – for fans of She Gets the Girl.

Titan of the Stars by E.K. Johnston

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Alien meets The Titanic in this tense YA science fiction horror series by #1 New York Times bestselling author E.K. Johnston.

Death in the Cards by Mia P. Manansala

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The young adult debut from the award-winning author of Arsenic and Adobo! When a high school tarot reader’s latest client goes missing after a troubling reading, she must apply everything she’s learned from her private investigator mother to solve a case of her own.

JUNE 2025 YA BOOKS

Celestial Banquet by Roselle Lim

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Iron Chef meets The Hunger Games in Roselle Lim’s dazzling YA fantasy debut, following a young noodle chef who competes in a cutthroat cooking competition for the gods.

Heir of Storms by Lauryn Hamilton Murray

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RED QUEEN meets SHADOW AND BONE in this explosive start to a YA romantasy trilogy about dangerous magic, forbidden love, and a cut-throat competition for the throne in an empire where crowns are not inherited — they’re won.

The Beautiful Maddening by Shea Ernshaw

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From #1 New York Times bestselling author Shea Ernshaw comes a haunting romantic contemporary fantasy about a teen navigating her family’s love curse that blooms with their enchanted tulips every year.

Never Thought I’d End Up Here by Ann Liang

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From the author of the instant New York Times bestseller I Hope This Doesn’t Find You, Never Thought I’d End Up Here is another hilarious and romantic romcom from Ann Liang, this time following a former model determined to get revenge on the boy who ruined her life.

A Forgery of Fate by Elizabeth Lim

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A breathtaking romantic fantasy inspired by Beauty and the Beast about a girl who paints the future and a cursed dragon lord, bound by love and deception in a plot to bring down the gods.

Nobody in Particular by Sophie Gonzales

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Young Royals meets The Prince and Me when a disgraced princess falls for a new student at their all-girls boarding school, but the two must hide their forbidden love at all costs.

Kill Creatures by Rory Power

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From the bestselling author of Wilder Girls and queen of twisty narratives, Rory Power, comes her highly anticipated new Young Adult thriller.

A First Time for Everything by K.L. Walther

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From the New York Times bestselling author of The Summer of Broken Rules comes a fun new coming-of-age romance full of dating disasters, powerful firsts, and the importance of family.

Amelia, If Only by Becky Albertalli

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The beautiful and heartwarming new romance from Becky Albertalli, best-selling author of Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda.

A Treachery of Swans by A.B. Poranek

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From the New York Times bestselling author of Where the Dark Stands Still comes an atmospheric fantasy based on Swan Lake, following Odile as her plan to restore magic to her kingdom gets disrupted by a murder—forcing her to beg for help from the young woman whose identity she stole.

Among Ghosts by Rachel Hartman

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Set in the world of New York Times bestseller Seraphina, a boy on the run from a dragon—among other dangers—seeks refuge in a haunted abbey in this wholly original ghost story about what haunts us, and what connects us.

If We Survive This by Racquel Marie

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The Walking Dead meets Yellowjackets in If We Survive This, a tense and emotional young adult horror novel from award-winning author Racquel Marie about a teen girl leading a group of survivors on a perilous journey during the apocalypse.

What YA books are you looking forward to? Any other recommendations? Tell us in the comments below!

The post 72 Of The Most Anticipated YA Books Of 2025 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

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

I’m a journalist and author. I’m the mom to seven-year-old twins, two pugs, and a black cat named Gremlin Gizmo. I love to read nonfiction, romance, thrillers, young adult, and poetry by diverse authors. On my writing desk, you’ll find many different color highlighters, several notebooks, my paper planner, and stickers. Under my desk, my pugs, Zoey and Ziggy, are usually sleeping and snoring, smushed into one bed.

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

In second grade, my teacher Mrs. Gionet encouraged me to write. I was a shy, quiet kid (I was a ghost for Halloween that year and didn’t talk to anyone!). She told me she liked my stories and to keep writing them down.

Quick lightning round! Tell us:

• The first book you ever remember reading: Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss. It was the first book I read on my own and I was really excited I could read.
• The one that made you want to become an author: Going to the public library as a kid and marveling at all the books on the bookshelves.
• The one that you can’t stop thinking about: I can’t walk by a dog without telling them they’re cute. Sometimes I wonder if their owners think I’m talking to them!

Your debut novel, Artifacts of An Ex, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

A breakup that inspires art.

What can readers expect?

If you love friends-to-lovers, a fish out of water, and a cinnamon roll romantic lead, Artifacts of an Ex is for you. Readers can expect to see artists, Los Angeles, food adventures, and non-dates that are full of chemistry. Also, if you adore paper planners and stickers, this book is for you.

Where did the inspiration for Artifacts of An Ex come from?

Back in October 2016, I went to the Museum of Broken Relationships in Los Angeles. (It no longer exists.) It was an exhibit of breakup objects—not necessarily romantic relationships—and each placard shared a little bit about the people involved. I loved it and thought it would be a great idea for a teen girl going through her very first breakup.

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

I don’t want to ruin the ending for you, but I loved writing the Big Romantic Gesture at the end. I absolutely love watching grand gestures in romcom movies, so it was really fun to create my own.

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

Goodness. I made a timeline of my writing journey for an Instagram post so I looked through all my emails leading up to my debut book. It was a long 14 years of trying to sell a book. I’ve had more rejections than offers. I’m sharing this because I want people to know that this isn’t the first book I’ve written. It’s the first book I sold. I hope that helps future novelists to know!

What’s next for you?

I’m working on book #2 right now. It’s a young adult romance that I call “farmers market Romeo and Juliet” in which two teens from warring families fall in love and try to date without anyone knowing. But there’s no double suicide or iambic pentameter—just a food poisoning and dual points-of-view.

Lastly, are there any 2024 book releases you’re looking forward to?

Yes! So many. My agent sibling Nia Davenport has a YA thriller coming out in February 2024 called Out of Body that gives Jordan Peele vibes. This Day Changes Everything by Edward Underhill is also out in February and features two queer teens on an epic adventure in New York City. I can not wait for TJ Klune’s sequel to The House in the Cerulean Sea that’s coming out in fall 2024.

Will you be picking up Artifacts of An Ex? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Jennifer Chen, Author of ‘Artifacts of An Ex’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.