New Release Tuesday: YA New Releases August 19th 2025

Young Adult New Releases August 19th 2025

It’s another New Release Tuesday, and we are here to share most of the YA books hitting shelves today! You can find them below, and if you appreciate our ad-free posts, you can support our work by using our affiliate links to Bookshop or Libro.fm – two of the best alternatives to the giant conglomerates, and they both support indie bookstores with every purchase!

Leaving the Station

by Jake Maia Arlow
Published by: Storytide
on August 19, 2025
Genres: Contemporary Romance, LGBTQIA+, Young Adult
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Sometimes, looking at him was like looking in a fun-house mirror.

Zoe’s life has gone off the rails.

When she left Seattle to go to college in New York, she was determined to start fresh, to figure out what being a lesbian meant to her, experiment with clothes and presentation away from home for the first time.

Instead, she lost touch with her freshman orientation friend group, skipped classes, and failed completely at being the studious premed student her parents wanted her to be.

But the biggest derailment of all? Her newly minted ex-boyfriend—and the fact that she had a boyfriend to begin with. When she met Alden, he made her feel wanted, he made her feel free. He made her feel . . . like she could be like him, which was exciting and confusing all at once.

So, Zoe decides a second fresh start is in order: she’s going to take a cross-country train from New York to Seattle for fall break. There, no one will know who she is, and she can outrun her mistakes.

Or so she thinks, until she meets Oakley, who’s the opposite of Zoe in so many ways: effortlessly cool and hot, smart, self-assured. But as Zoe and Oakley make their way across the county, Zoe realizes that Oakley’s life has also gone off the rails—and that they might just be able to help each other along before that train finally leaves the station.

This Place Kills Me

by Mariko Tamaki, Nicole Goux
Published by: Abrams/Amulet Books
on August 19, 2025
Genres: Graphic Novel, LGBTQIA+, Mystery, Young Adult
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A compelling, propulsive YA graphic novel mystery from acclaimed Eisner Award–winning author of Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me, Mariko Tamaki, and Eisner-nominated illustrator Nicole Goux

At Wilberton Academy, few students are more revered than the members of the elite Wilberton Theatrical Society—a.k.a. the WTS—and no one represents that exclusive club better than Elizabeth Woodward. Breathtakingly beautiful, beloved by all, and a talented thespian, it’s no surprise she’s starring as Juliet in the WTS’s performance of Shakespeare’s classic tragedy. But when she’s found dead the morning after opening night, the whole school is thrown into chaos.

Transfer student Abby Kita was one of the last people to see Elizabeth alive, and when local authorities deem the it-girl’s death a suicide, Abby’s not convinced. She’s sure there’s more to Wilburton and the WTS than meets the eye. As she gets tangled in prep school intrigues, Abby quickly realizes that Elizabeth was keeping secrets. Was one of those secrets worth killing for?

Told in comics, letters, diary entries, and news articles, This Place Kills Me is a page-turning whodunnit from award-winning writer Mariko Tamaki and acclaimed illustrator Nicole Goux that will have readers on the edge of their seats and begging for an encore.

Once a Villain (Monsters, #3)

by Vanessa Len
Published by: HarperTeen
on August 19, 2025
Genres: Sci-Fi, Young Adult
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The final book in the lauded Only a Monster trilogy is here—where the unstoppable love and high stakes of Divine Rivals meets the propulsive thrills of This Savage Song in a last-ditch, breathless race against time.

Joan has failed to stop Eleanor.

Now Eleanor rules over a cruel new timeline where monsters live openly among humans, preying on them and subjugating them.

Nick—once a hero to humans, and Joan’s first love—is tormented by the choice he made to save her over the timeline itself. And Aaron—the ruthless heir to a powerful monster family—now finds himself in a world where monsters have power beyond imagining while his feelings for Joan grow.

Wrenched between love and rivalry, the three of them must negotiate their fractured pasts to survive the new world and restore what was lost. Because only they remember that there was once a better timeline.

But how will they defeat a whole world of monsters with control over time itself?

Yuli (Guardians of Dawn, #3)

by S. Jae-Jones
Published by: Wednesday Books
on August 19, 2025
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
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The third book in the sweeping, richly imagined Guardians of Dawn fantasy series from S. Jae-Jones, the New York Times bestselling author of Wintersong.

Princess Yulana has a few problems. Her late grandfather has died without naming an heir, civil war threatens to tear the Morning Realms apart, a strange waking dreamer sickness is sweeping through the land, and a plague of hungry ghosts roam the steppes. On top of all of that, Kho, her former best friend turned rival, is getting under her skin. A struggle for power divides the north, and the outcome rests on the winner of the Grand Game―a competition that will determine not just the future of her people, but the course of the entire empire.

When the world is out of balance, the Guardians of Dawn are reborn.

As the Guardian of Wind, it is Yuli’s responsibility to bring order to chaos, along with the Guardian of Fire and the Guardian of Wood. But can she restore balance to the Morning Realms when she can’t even win the political games being played at home? The fate of the Morning Realms depends on the Guardians of Dawn, and whether Yuli can manage both the demonic and political chaos at once.

My Fair Monster

by Adrienne Rivera
Published by: Page Street YA
on August 19, 2025
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Young Adult
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Pageant winner and horror fanatic Corie Nielson dreams of putting the “QUEEN” in “SCREAM QUEEN”

Born into a family of beauty queens, seventeen-year-old Corie Nielson has the looks and charm befitting of Miss Teen Indiana. Her sights are set on the Miss Teen America crown next—and the college scholarship that comes with it—in hopes that she can finally break into her secret dream career: horror movie scream queen.

With pageant appearances, caring for her great-grandma, school, and shifts at the family boutique . . . there’s more than enough for one person to juggle, let alone Corie with her undiagnosed ADHD. But when the local horror show announces a monster costume contest that promises to make all her dreams come true, Corie can’t help but think: What’s one more thing? Surely, she can manage her family’s high expectations while also using her pageant skills to launch her into horror stardom. All she has to do is convince grumpy special effects makeup artist Everett Robbins to partner up and turn her into a pageant-worthy monster.

But old habits die hard; when the contest and a budding relationship with Everett distract her from her obligations even more, Corie must decide if a shot at her wildest dreams is worth risking the family bonds and pageant traditions that have brought her this far.

A Little Something Different

by Sandy Hall
Published by: Square Fish
on August 19, 2025
Genres: Contemporary Romance, New Adult
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An irresistibly sweet romance between two college students featuring misread signals, unheard confessions and one improbable meeting after another, told by everyone but them.

Lea and Gabe can’t stop running into each other: creative writing classes, coffee shops, diners and dorm buildings—sometimes literally, spilling books and breakfasts amid hurried apologies and awkward silences. They’re interested, then infatuated, but too nervous to say so, much to the annoyance of everyone watching.

The creative writing teacher pushes them together. The Starbucks baristas watch with bated breath. The delivery guy assumes they’re a pair, the waitress automatically seats them together, and the bus driver tells stories about them to his wife. Even the squirrel living on the college green thinks they belong together.

Despite the best efforts of their best friends (and nudges from strangers), Lea and Gabe are the only ones who can’t see the chemistry. But as with any good love story, something has got to give.

A Little Something Different brings a fresh twist on a swoon-worthy college love story, perfect for readers who are fans of:
- Slow-burn romance
- Meet Cutes Galore
- Everyone knows they like each other (except them!)
- College Dating
- Lynn Painter
- Ali Hazelwood

All the Tomorrows After

by Joanne Yi
Published by: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
on August 19, 2025
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
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A captivating, heartrending novel about a Korean American teen navigating grief and first love who agrees to accept money from her estranged father in exchange for letting him get to know her—for fans of Nina LaCour, Kathleen Glasgow, and All My Rage.

Each night, Winter Moon counts her earnings dreaming of escape. Once she’s saved enough, she and her grandmother can finally take flight and disappear. But when her spiteful mother steals her money and blows through it all in one day, Winter is forced to turn to her estranged father, who recently reappeared in her life after being absent for more than a decade. They agree upon a simple contract: she spends time with him in exchange for payment.

It’s not easy reconciling the past and the present, though, and when she’s struck with a sudden loss, Winter flounders in grief and rage. The only person offering a hand is Joon, the new boy at school who sees Winter when no one else does.
When Winter discovers a secret her father has been keeping from her, things get even more complicated. As she navigates grief, first love, and forgiveness, Winter begins to forge connections, new and old, that make her question her future, her conviction to disappear, and what it really means to be family. Winter knows that broken things can never be fixed, but can they come back together in a different way?

The Boyfriend Contract

by Jenn P. Nguyen
Published by: Square Fish
on August 19, 2025
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Young Adult
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Perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Lynn Painter, this sexy and fun YA-rom com stars a seventeen-year-old girl convinces the resident bad boy to sign a love contract and save her reputation after a drunken night she definitely regrets.

Before I even opened my eyes, I knew something was wrong.

Taylor Simmons is screwed.

Things were hard enough when her dedication to her studies earned her the title of Ice Queen, but after she got drunk at a party and woke up next to bad boy surfer Evan McKinley, the entire school seems intent on tearing Taylor down. Desperate to salvage her reputation, Taylor persuades Evan to pretend they’re in a serious romantic relationship, complete with a love contract.

But as they begin to spend more time together, Taylor begins to fall, hard. As the lines between contractual dates and real feelings begin to blur, will Taylor be able to save her reputation… and her heart?

Jenn P. Nguyen’s debut novel is perfect for readers who love:
- Fake Dating
- Bad Boys
- Opposites Attract
- High School Drama
- Jenny Han
- Lynn Painter

Influenced

by Sarah Darer Littman, Cindy L. Otis
Published by: Scholastic Press
on August 19, 2025
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
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Lainey’s tenth grade year isn’t going according to plan. Her twin brother moved across the country to live with their dad and stepmom, leaving Lainey behind. And Lainey’s starting to realize that maybe most of her friends were really her brother’s friends. Thank goodness for her friend Bliss.

Bliss is navigating her own tough sophomore year, determined to find her place. But no matter what’s going on in her life, Bliss is really good about being there for Lainey. She’s confident and fearless, all that Lainey wishes she could be. It seems like Bliss is getting everything she’s ever wanted, including a new boyfriend and becoming the first wheelchair user to land a lead role in the school production.

What no one knows is that Bliss is struggling—both at school and with her parents. When things get worse for Bliss, Lainey stops hearing from her completely. Worried that something awful has happened, Lainey rushes to find out what’s going on. But when Lainey arrives at Bliss’s apartment, nothing is what it seems, and everything Lainey thought she knew about her friend is a lie . . .

Tripping Over You Book 1 (Tripping Over You, 1)

by Suzana Harcum, Owena White
Published by: First Second
on August 19, 2025
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Graphic Novel, Young Adult
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The first volume of young adult graphic novel series about the long and winding romantic relationship between an energetic theater kid, Milo, and his withdrawn classmate, Liam. Perfect for fans of Heartstopper!

The infamous theater kid Milo and wallflower Liam are unlikely friends connected by a mutual feeling of being misfits in their boarding school. As their friendship and bond develops, unspoken romantic feelings start to bubble up and complicate everything—misunderstandings and bruised eyes aplenty. But with their graduation soon approaching, Milo gathers the strength to finally confess. They begin dating in secret (for fear of Liam’s strict father finding out), but their relationship becomes more difficult to hide over time and they must decide if they are ready for what the future has in store for them.

Tripping Over You is perfect for readers who want more than just the moody teen problems and the 'getting together' stage. It's a story that throughout the three volumes, progresses until they are out of college, showing the relationship mature and change as the characters move through different stages of their lives.

Kissing Max Holden

by Katy Upperman
Published by: Square Fish
on August 19, 2025
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Young Adult
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Perfect for fans of Laura Nowlin and Tillie Cole, this swoonworthy and heartbreaking YA romance explores the repercussions of a night of stolen, dizzying kisses in this opposites attract meets boy next door tale.

I can’t process this frantic, feverish kiss, but it shoots straight through me, a streak of heat and want and, oh my God—it’s good.

When Max Holden climbs through her window one night, Jillian Eldridge knows she shouldn't let him kiss her. Her parents. His girlfriend. And the fact that Max hasn’t been the same since his dad’s stroke. But she can’t resist, and when they're caught in the act by her dad, Jill swears it'll never happen again. Because kissing Max Holden is a terrible idea, but a bad thing never tasted so good.

With a new baby sibling on the way, her parents fighting all the time, and her dream of culinary school suddenly up in the air, Jillian starts spending more and more time with Max. And even though her father disapproves and Max still has a girlfriend, not kissing Max is easier said than done.

Will Jill follow her heart, and allow their friendship to blossom into something more, or will she listen to her head and stop kissing Max Holden once and for all?

Not Another Love Song

by Olivia Wildenstein
Published by: Square Fish
on August 19, 2025
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Young Adult
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Perfect for fans of Lynn Painter and K. L. Walther, this timeless, compelling YA romance centers on a teen desperate to make it in the music industry - but at what cost?

I really wish you could make it easier for me to dislike you.

Angie Conrad has always known she wanted to be a musician, growing up in Nashville it’s all she’s ever dreamed of. Now a high school senior, she has the opportunity to kick-start her dreams via a songwriting competition for her idol, Mona Stone. Driven to succeed, she begins working on the perfect song to submit, but there are more than just a few obstacles in her way—her crippling stage fright and her mother’s disapproval to name a few.

When Angie meets Reedwood High’s newest transfer student, Ten Dylan, things get complicated. With his endless collection of graphic tees, his surly attitude, and smoldering good looks, Ten toys with the rhythm of Angie’s heart. There’s just one mind boggling problem: he absolutely hates music, especially Mona Stone.

She’s never desired anything but success until Ten entered her life. Now she wants to be with him and to be a songwriter for Mona Stone.

But picking one means losing the other.

Deep Water

by Maren Stoffels
Published by: Delacorte Press
on August 19, 2025
Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Young Adult
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From the author of Escape Room comes a new pulse-quickening read! How do you outrun danger when you're trapped at sea?

Welcome to No Exit.

The place for you, so that others are safe.

Vesper thought a ten-day cruise would be the perfect escape from her troubled life. But when the ship leaves the harbor, she quickly realizes this is no ordinary vacation. She’s has been enrolled in No Exit, a sinister program to reeducate bullies. Now, Vesper and her fellow passengers are about to confront their darkest fears and deepest regrets.

As the days pass, the ship becomes a floating prison where the rules are brutal and the punishments deadly. With each new challenge, the teens must navigate physical and psychological trials that push them to their limits.

And not everyone will make it back alive.