New Release Tuesday: YA New Releases July 30th 2019

YA New Releases are lighter this week, do you feel caught up? I know I don’t.

Shatter the Sky (Shatter the Sky, #1)

by Rebecca Kim Wells
Published by: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
on July 30, 2019
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy
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“Anne McCaffrey for the next generation, and I absolutely devoured it.” —Mackenzi Lee, bestselling author of The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue “Eagerly awaiting the sequel.” —Melissa Bashardoust, author of Girls Made of Snow and Glass “A wondrous adventure.” —Tessa Gratton, author of Strange Grace “Perfect for fans of Tamora Pierce, Renée Ahdieh, and Cindy Pon.” —Saundra Mitchell, author of All the Things We Do in the Dark and editor of YA anthologies All Out and All Out Now “A captivating debut.” —Audrey Coulthurst, author of Of Fire and Stars “An extremely welcome addition to YA’s queer fantasy canon.” —Dahlia Adler, author of Under the Lights

A determined young woman sets out to rescue her kidnapped girlfriend by stealing a dragon from the corrupt emperor in this stunning fantasy debut that’s perfect for fans of Margaret Rogerson, Rae Carson, and Rachel Hartman.

Raised among the ruins of a conquered mountain nation, Maren dreams only of sharing a quiet life with her girlfriend Kaia—until the day Kaia is abducted by the Aurati, prophetic agents of the emperor, and forced to join their ranks. Desperate to save her, Maren hatches a plan to steal one of the emperor’s coveted dragons and storm the Aurati stronghold.

If Maren is to have any hope of succeeding, she must become an apprentice to the Aromatory—the emperor’s mysterious dragon trainer. But Maren is unprepared for the dangerous secrets she uncovers: rumors of a lost prince, a brewing rebellion, and a prophecy that threatens to shatter the empire itself. Not to mention the strange dreams she’s been having about a beast deep underground…

With time running out, can Maren survive long enough to rescue Kaia from impending death? Or could it be that Maren is destined for something greater than she could have ever imagined?

The Merciful Crow (The Merciful Crow, #1)

by Margaret Owen
Published by: Henry Holt (BYR)
on July 30, 2019
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy
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A future chieftain

Fie abides by one rule: look after your own. Her Crow caste of undertakers and mercy-killers takes more abuse than coin, but when they’re called to collect royal dead, she’s hoping they’ll find the payout of a lifetime.

A fugitive prince

When Crown Prince Jasimir turns out to have faked his death, Fie’s ready to cut her losses—and perhaps his throat. But he offers a wager that she can’t refuse: protect him from a ruthless queen, and he’ll protect the Crows when he reigns.

A too-cunning bodyguard

Hawk warrior Tavin has always put Jas’s life before his, magically assuming the prince’s appearance and shadowing his every step. But what happens when Tavin begins to want something to call his own?

Spark

by Alice Broadway
Published by: Scholastic Press
on July 30, 2019
Genres: Young Adult, Dystopian, Sci-Fi
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After her reckless actions at the naming ceremony, Leora is branded a traitor and sent to the blank settlement, Featherstone, as a spy disguised as a refugee.

But Leora is no longer sure where her loyalty lies. The blanks are just people trying to survive, not the monsters she was trained to see them as.

After all these years of deception, Leora is finally learning the truth -- about being marked, about her mother, and about her own destiny. But if Leora stops spying, the people she left behind in Saintstone will pay the price.

No matter what she does, someone she loves is going to get hurt. As the marked and the blanks inch closer to the brink of war, Leora must choose which half of herself to be true to . . . and which half to betray.

The Year They Fell

by David Kreizman
Published by: Imprint
on July 30, 2019
Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary
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When a horrible tragedy unites five very different high school seniors, they discover the worst moment of your life can help determine who you really are in the powerful YA novel, The Year They Fell.

Josie, Jack, Archie, Harrison, and Dayana were inseparable as preschoolers. But that was before high school, before parties and football and getting into the right college. Now, as senior year approaches, they're basically strangers to each other.

Until they're pulled back together when their parents die in a plane crash. These former friends are suddenly on their own. And they're the only people who can really understand how that feels.

To survive, the group must face the issues that drove them apart, reveal secrets they've kept since childhood, and discover who they're meant to be. And in the face of public scrutiny, they'll confront mysteries their parents left behind--betrayals that threaten to break the friendships apart again.

A new family is forged in this heartbreaking, funny, and surprising book from award-winning storyteller David Kreizman. It's a deeply felt, complex journey into adulthood, exploring issues of grief, sexual assault, racism, and trauma.An Imprint Book"Teen drama abounds in this story about loss and love." --Kirkus Reviews

"Readers will find the characters relatable as they navigate the challenging time from senior year into adulthood following tragedy." --School Library Journal

Truly Madly Royally

by Debbie Rigaud
Published by: Point
on July 30, 2019
Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary Romance
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Fiercely independent and smart, Zora Emerson wants to change the world. She's excited to be attending a prestigious summer program, even if she feels out of place among her privileged, mostly white classmates. So she's definitely not expecting to feel a connection to Owen, who's an actual prince of an island off the coast of England. But Owen is funny, charming...and undeniably cute. Zora can't ignore the chemistry between them. When Owen invites Zora to be his date at his big brother's big royal wedding, Zora is suddenly thrust into the spotlight, along with her family and friends. Everyone is talking about her, in real life and online, and while Owen is used to the scrutiny, Zora's not sure it's something she can live with. Can she maintain her sense of self while moving between two very different worlds? And can her feelings for Owen survive and thrive in the midst of the crazy? Find out in this charming romantic comedy that's like The Princess Diaries for a new generation.