Young Adult New Releases June 2nd 2026
Happy Pride Month! Happy JUNE! Happy Summer! Hopefully at least one of those things are worth celebrating for you, I know I am ultimately more happy this month! Check out most of today’s YA Books releasing below, and if you are so inclined, please purchase through our affiliates who actually help the local economy instead of ruining the place! Check out our Bookshop link or for audiobooks you’ll want to try Libro.fm – all sales help us out a little bit, and helps indie bookstores!
The Hyacinth Labyrinth
by Jamie PactonPublished by: Peachtree Teen
on June 2, 2026
Genres: Fantasy, LGBTQIA+, Young Adult
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A whimsical adventure full of magic, fantastical road trips, and a sapphic slow-burn, friends-to-lovers romance—for fans of Sorcery of Thorns and Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries.
All magic begins in stories. That’s what Fae princess Hyacinth has always been told. As the unmagical daughter of Queen Mab, Hyacinth has never fit in at her mother’s court. She hopes that if she learns about her father, who disappeared fifteen years ago, she can finally learn more about herself.
When Hyacinth and her friend Chloe—a human stablehand trapped in Fae—sneak off to a riverside night market, Hyacinth learns that her father was last seen heading to a library at the heart of a treacherous labyrinth. The problem: The labyrinth was built long ago by three goddesses, and no one has ever returned from it.
Still, Hyacinth has to try.
With the help of Chloe and a tiny dragon named Coffee, she defies Queen Mab and sets off into the wilds of the Moonshadow Kingdom. Along the way they face bandits, magical creatures, a centuries-old human who hosts an Endless Ball, and Hyacinth and Chloe’s growing feelings for each other. Meanwhile, an ancient power lies in wait at the center of the labyrinth, and it is eager to write the girls’ ending.
A lush, fairycore, sapphic YA fantasy that returns readers to the Fae world introduced in Jamie Pacton’s bestselling novel The Absinthe Underground!
Perfect for readers who love Sapphic Slow-Burn, Friends-to-Lovers, Grumpy/Sunshine, Princess/Lady Knight, Bodyguard Romance, Fae/Human Relationships, Only One Bed, and Stories Are Magic!
The Secret World of Briar Rose
by Cindy PhamPublished by: Kokila
on June 2, 2026
Genres: Fantasy, LGBTQIA+, Mythology/Folklore, Retellings, Young Adult
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A lush and immersive queer “Sleeping Beauty” retelling about escapism, grief, and dreaming of a better world, as imagined by YouTube star Cindy Pham
100 years have passed since the last heir of Gyldan fell into eternal slumber and doomed the once-mighty kingdom into poverty and invasion. At least, that’s what the fairy tales claim.
Corin is a jaded thief who doesn’t believe in fables, even when she searches Gyldan’s underground tunnels to find her younger sister, Elly, who ran away to find the sleeping princess in hopes of a better life. Corin's conviction is challenged when she discovers the ruins of the ancient castle, maintained by beings from the kingdom's golden age, who protect a hidden portal into princess Amelia's subconscious. Following Elly’s voice, Corin jumps in the portal and seals the entry behind her.
Inside the lush world of Amelia's dreams, the sisters reunite for a new adventure as they meet Briar Rose, Amelia’s whimsical alter ego, and Malicine, a sharp-tongued demon with a gift for magic. But as they explore ice castles, sunflower mazes, and star-filled oceans, Corin suspects Briar Rose is hiding darker secrets behind her "perfect" paradise – and that there are some things their subconscious can’t bury forever.
Where You'll Find Us
by Jen St. JudePublished by: Bloomsbury YA
on June 2, 2026
Genres: Fantasy, LGBTQIA+, Young Adult
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In this beautifully profound YA novel, a trans teen finds a home where queer kids from all different decades have found refuge from hatred-and from time.
Calla Quick has no future. At least, that’s how it feels. Her parents disowned her via text message, and now she can’t afford to go to an all-women’s college with her girlfriend Ramona like they planned. But Calla wonders if maybe that’s for the best—because even though Calla told Ramona her parents disowned her because they found out she’s gay, the truth is, Calla has been questioning whether she’s a girl at all.
Calla wishes she had more time to figure everything out, and one night, her wish is seemingly granted. When Calla and Ramona stumble upon a mysterious farmhouse in the woods, they meet five teens who claim they’ve lived there for decades. The land, which they call Amaranth, acts as a safe haven for queer kids throughout history—a place free of hate, free of violence, free of time itself. Here, Calla can be Cal, and they feel instantly accepted. They don’t have to worry about the future because at Amaranth, it will never come—until one night when the clock strikes twelve.
Now under a literal ticking clock, the housemates must find a way to stop time again or face going back to their harsh realities, but as Cal learns everyone’s story, they begin to wonder what queer people lose when their history is lost to time.
The Heirs
by Faridah Àbíké-ÍyímídéPublished by: Feiwel and Friends
on June 2, 2026
Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Young Adult
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A mystery about five teen geniuses, their billionaire father, and the investigation into his murder.
Five prodigies, one dead father, a mansion full of suspects…Octavius the Maestro.
Fola the Brain.
Bilal the Olympian.
Perdita the Artist.
Romeo the Failure.These are the five heirs of the illustrious billionaire Leontes Button. Adopted and viciously trained with their father’s infamous “Button Method” to prove his hypothesis for creating prodigies—child geniuses—the Button siblings have had no choice but to be brilliant according to their father's impossibly high standards.
Until he is murdered at his annual Prodigy Ball.
Now, all who attended the ball are required to stay in the Button Manor while the police investigate. But the officers have their work cut out for them—each of the Button siblings has something to hide, but The Heirs aren't the only ones with secrets. After all, Leontes Button was especially good at making enemies. . .
Shadow Reaper
by Lynette NoniPublished by: Knopf Books for Young Readers
on June 16, 2026
Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult
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Never bargain with a reaper.
The city of Aravell is in peril, plagued by a deadly blackmist that kills all it touches and reapers who roam the streets, stealing magic from innocent children in their thirst for power. Seventeen-year-old Viridia Solace has trained for years to hunt these reapers, but their ranks keep growing, led by the man who murdered her parents: the notorious Reaper Priest.
When the Priest's most loyal follower, Reeve Ashton, is captured, he offers Viri a chance to avenge her parents . . . for a price. She knows better than to bargain with a reaper, let alone this reaper, but his offer is too good to resist.
Soon she's breaking him out of prison, colluding with his crew of magic thieves, and following him deep into the blackmist forest in search of an ancient legend, all so they can stop the Reaper Priest’s plot to doom the city. Viri is staking her life on Reeve's plan, but how can she trust a silver-tongued criminal to keep his word? And how can she trust her own heart when a buried secret could shatter everything?
Full of relentless twists, enemies-to-lovers romance, found family, and high stakes action, Shadow Reaper is the start of a breathtaking new duology from international bestselling author Lynette Noni.
The Ocean Would Paint Me Blue
by Zoulfa Katouhon June 2, 2026
Genres: Magical Realism, Young Adult
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From the celebrated author of As Long as the Lemon Tree Grows comes a poignant novel about a Syrian American girl who uses a magical sketchbook to turn her grief into art, painting miraculous murals of her mother’s life in Syria.
Seventeen-year-old Jihad Dabbagh has always seen life with a heightened sense for colors, one of many magical blessings the women in her family possess. But Jihad's gift changes depending on her mood. When depression sets in, the world is a colorless oasis, and in the wake of her mother's sudden death, the world has become a permanent shade of grey.
Broken by tragedy, Jihad's family doesn't believe her color loss. Her father sends her to the elite Braxton Academy to finish her senior year. There, Jihad's name and hijab put a target on her back. Her haven comes in the form of an old sketchbook carved from a tree in her hometown in Syria — a country she only knew through her mother's stories. Jihad hasn't picked up a brush in over a year, but finds herself channeling the colors of her hurt, pain, and grief as she paints the story of her mother's journey in Syria.
When graffiti of that same mural starts magically popping up all over New York, her art goes viral and the world takes notice, the threat of legal consequences is imminent. To reclaim her voice, Jihad will have to paint a new future for herself and Braxton, guided by the resilience of her mother's story.
Their Will Undone
by R.J. ValldeperasPublished by: HarperCollins
on June 2, 2026
Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult
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A debut YA fantasy must-read for fans of The Winner’s Curse, What the River Knows, and This Woven Kingdom.
When a maiden is selected to marry the emperor, her journey to the palace will see her fighting both a spark of magical power and her growing feelings for her broody escort in this romantic fantasy duology opener, inspired by a true story from the Inca empire.
In the Amaru Empire, it’s considered an honor to be chosen for the annual harvest. But when guards stole Nina’s brother away, it devastated her family. So, when the guards returned for Nina’s sweet sister, she threw herself into their clutches instead. And Nina has spent every moment since then in the acllahuasi, a gilded cage where women are trained to become servants or wives.
When Kasik, an obedient lieutenant in Amaru’s army, is sent to the acllahuasi to retrieve the emperor’s new wife, it’s only the promise of his own command—and a chance to escape his controlling father—that forces him to accept.
Kasik has no reason to trust Nina, nor she to trust him. But, as they begin their journey, their chemistry is hard to ignore. Also hard to ignore? The tugging sensation of magic in Nina’s chest, awakening more questions than she can possibly answer as she travels with a handsome stranger to her unknown fate.
Lies Between Us
by Jessica GoodmanPublished by: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
on June 2, 2-26
Genres: Contemporary, Mystery, Thriller, Young Adult
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The New York Times bestselling author of The Counselors delivers a razor-sharp murder-mystery set during the summer when a local teen's suspicious death exposes the devastating secrets three sisters keep.
"A gripping, unputdownable read." —Veronica Bane, USA Today Bestselling Author of Difficult Girls
Do you ever really know the people you love?
For the Gold sisters and Silver brothers, life has been idyllic, growing up in side-by-side waterfront mansions in a town where doors are never locked and the police do little more than issue speeding tickets. The Golds and Silvers have known each other their entire lives, as neighbors, as friends, as family.
But one carefree summer takes a dark turn when a beach party ends in tragedy and their perfect world cracks wide open. Suddenly, the bonds that tie these families together are strained by suspicion and fear. Painful secrets surface, revealing the fragile truths they've all been hiding.
Lucy, the oldest Gold girl, harbors a crushing secret from her boyfriend, one of the Silver boys. Millie, the middle sister, quietly yearns for the one person she can't have. And the youngest, Frankie, uncovers something that could blow their island apart.
From New York Times bestselling author Jessica Goodman comes a gripping novel about the lies friends tell, the façade siblings build, and how one summer tests—and breaks—the bonds of family.
Encore!
by Miles Toriko BurksPublished by: Harper Alley
on June 2, 2026
Genres: Contemporary, Graphic Novel, LGBTQIA+, Young Adult
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In this queer rom-com graphic novel for fans of Heartstopper and Bloom, two ex-best childhood friends reconnect again in high school only to discover they might be something more than friends. Based on the popular Webtoon of the same name!
Senior year is in full swing, and Clay’s determined to have a good year filled with friends, theater dreams, and newfound confidence. But when his ex–best friend, Aron, suddenly reappears in his life—and his theater class—it throws a wrench in all of Clay’s plans. Annoyingly, the two are paired up during an improv exercise, and being vulnerable together onstage swirls up all sorts of old, complicated feelings. Even more annoyingly, Aron is acting like there’s nothing weird or confusing about being back in each other’s orbits again. Which is ironic, since Aron was the one who ghosted Clay in the first place.
As their class assignment continues and they spend more and more time together, Clay isn’t sure he can keep his old feelings buried. But can he trust Aron again, after everything they’ve been through?
Goldenborn
by Ama Ofosua LiebPublished by: Scholastic Press
on June 2, 2026
Genres: Fantasy, Mythology/Folklore, Paranormal, Young Adult
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A girl with a mission. A god with a deal. A story that could change everything.
When 17-year-old Akoma Addo stumbles into a world of ancient gods and modern magic, she’ll have to choose between saving her father… or staying true to everything she’s ever believed.Akoma Addo has one rule: don’t get too close to the supernatural.
Ever since a blazing orb of light left her father in a coma, she’s buried herself in her secret job investigating magical crimes in San Francisco’s AfricaTown -- just enough to keep her grief at bay. But when a body turns up in a pool of molten gold and ash, Akoma’s pulled into something much bigger -- and far more dangerous. At the center of it all is Anansi, the trickster god of stories, who makes her an impossible offer: help him catch a killer and awaken the ancestral magic buried deep in her blood... and in return, he’ll give her a chance to bring her father back. To take the deal, Akoma will have to lie to everyone she loves and embrace the very power she’s spent years trying to deny. And as her connection grows with Xander, the new guy in town with secrets of his own, Akoma must decide who she can trust -- especially when she’s no longer sure she can even trust herself.
Rooted in Ghanaian mythology and packed with mystery, danger, and slow-burning romance, Goldenborn is a gripping fantasy about legacy, lies, and what it really means to rewrite your story.
The Spiritualists
by Kristin O'Donnell TubbPublished by: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
on June 2, 2026
Genres: Paranormal, Thriller, Young Adult
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The Witch Haven meets Divine Rivals in this magical, “high-stakes page-turner of a thriller” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) of a young clairvoyant who gets dragged into a dangerous game of revenge alongside a mysterious thief in early 1900s New York City.
Stella Bohdan is never alone—never—and yet she is the loneliest person she knows, dead or alive. A gifted psychic who can hear the voices of spirits, all Stella wants is to con enough people to survive on the brutal New York City streets and find a way to deal with the tragic death of her sister.
Performing seances in parlor rooms and tarot readings by candlelight, Stella is barely holding on. Until she meets Pax, a mysterious young man who offers Stella an invitation and a promise: Join a secret group of talented mystics who explore the darker realms of spiritualism, and together they will get revenge on her sister’s killer.
But how can Stella admit she is the reason her sister is dead?
In the hope of righting past wrongs, Stella joins Pax and his team of mystics. It’s soon clear there is more behind their partnership than just vengeance.
They must tread carefully though, because in the world of spiritualism, not everything is what it seems—especially when communing with the unknown.
My Roman Summer (Scratch & Sniff Cover Edition)
by Bruna De LucaPublished by: Chicken House
on June 2, 2026
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Young Adult
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For fans of Love and Gelato and Anna and the French Kiss, My Roman Summer is the next summer, sun-drenched romance set in the city of love.
This edition includes a special scratch and sniff cover and stained edges that will transport you into summer!
Sixteen-year-old Scottish-Italian Livia feels like an outsider, working in her ailing grandmother’s bar in Rome. Smug local boy, Guilio, works there too, and quickly becomes Livia’s nemesis.
She is not going to be the cliché foreign girl who has a summer romance. But as Livia navigates family drama, newfound friendships and… Giulio, she starts to see the city (and herself) in a new light.
Bad Queer
by Gayathiri KamalakanthanPublished by: Faber & Faber Children's
on June 2, 2026
Genres: Contemporary, In Verse, Young Adult
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A luminous and romantic debut novel in verse about navigating first love as a non–binary teenager.
I feel invincible.Like I could run and runand never stop for breath.
I feel a power in meI didn’t know I had.
The power to speak,to say what I need.
Prema knows exactly who they are. Coming out as non-binary to their queer parents and best friend? A total non-event. Catching feelings for Blessing – the boy in drama club whose smile makes their heart race? That’s trickier.
As their final year of school unfolds and the two of them grow closer, Prema starts to question: Does Blessing really see them? Or just a version of them that doesn’t exist? They’d ask their best friend for advice, but she’s busy falling in love too. . .
With gorgeous illustrations throughout, Bad Queer draws us deeply into queer friendship, family secrets, and the necessary act of loving yourself. Perfect for fans of Alice Oseman, Dean Atta, and Sarah Crossan.
This is a love letter to queer futures – tender, curious, and fiercely alive.
The Game of Oaths
by S.C. BandreddiPublished by: Candlewick Press
on June 2, 2026
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
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In this heart-pounding, richly imagined fantasy set in the Belle Époque, a trapeze artist fights to win a deadly tournament amid the glamour and illusions of a magical circus. But survival isn’t her only goal—she wants revenge.
It’s 1896. Beneath a hotel in the heart of Paris is the famed le Cirque des Ombres, led by ringmaster and Enchanteur Jean-Pierre. But behind the dazzling spectacles, the circus performers are bound by magical contracts, also making them potential players in the annual Game of Oaths, an underground bloodthirsty tournament watched by the wealthy elite. Twelve will compete. Eleven will die.
Seventeen-year-old trapeze artist Falan Sunkara is out for revenge. After her sister ended up as one of the unlucky eleven last year, Falan wants nothing more than to make Jean-Pierre pay for her death. When she’s chosen to compete in this year’s tournament, Falan is not above playing dirty and forging unlikely alliances. But to be the last one standing, she has to determine whom to trust and whose motives to question. Vengeance on top of survival is a dangerous gamble—and in games like this, the house always wins.
Masters of the Universe (Film): Teela: Daughter of Eternos
by Mackenzi LeePublished by: Mattel Press
on June 2, 2026
Genres: Fantasy, Media Tie-In, Young Adult
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From New York Times bestselling author Mackenzi Lee comes a thrilling tale set in the world of the Masters of the Universe live-action film, where Eternian warrior Teela must decide how much she’s willing to sacrifice to save the people—and home—she loves.
A FALLEN KINGDOM
Four years after Skeletor decimated the kingdom of Eternos, Teela and the scattered refugees of Eternia survive by never staying in one place for long. When a brutal storm of acidic rain deep within the Evergreen Forest leaves their camp ravaged and hope at its thinnest, some, like Teela’s friend Locke, begin to plan for a future beyond Eternia. But Teela knows her father Duncan, the once-mighty Man-At-Arms, won’t survive leaving the land he swore to protect.A FORBIDDEN ALLIANCE
Desperate to save her people, Teela ventures to Darksmoke to bargain with the ancient dragon Granamyr. He bestows upon her a vial filled with a mysterious, powerful elixir—and no instructions on its use. Enter Evil-Lyn, Skeletor’s ruthless second-in-command, who intercepts Teela with a dangerous proposal: an alliance. In exchange for the vial’s secrets, Teela and the Heroic Warriors must someday help the sorceress overthrow Skeletor himself.A MAGIC THAT COULD SAVE—OR DESTROY—THEM ALL
The vial heals the sick and brings food back to empty tables—until the forest around the camp begins to change. Rivers vanish. Trees peel to bone. Creatures flee. As the land around them withers at an ever-increasing pace, Teela must confront an impossible question: Has the very magic she used to save her people doomed Eternia instead?
Last to Leave
by Teresa RichardsPublished by: Charlesbridge
on June 2, 2026
Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Young Adult
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A trendy, fast-paced mystery for fans of the Knives Out movies as well as Netflix's The Residence.
Video game streamer Fallon joins a 1920s-themed murder mystery game, and the only thing more important than figuring out whodunit is who has the most fans.When seventeen-year-old up-and-coming video game streamer and content creator, Fallon, earns a coveted spot in the new murder-mystery reality game, SleuthIt, her objective seems pretty straightforward: play the game, solve the mystery, and win the million-dollar prize. The fact that she’ll do it all on livestream with seven other young content creators only makes things better—after all, increased exposure is influencer gold, and winning will catapult her gaming channel to the next level.
But unbeknownst to each other, the contestants are interconnected, and when one of them turns out to be Fallon’s online gaming partner, Dante, she starts to doubt the objective of the game. The intrigue runs much deeper than Fallon ever thought—the eight contestants chosen for the show are not the only players in the game, and the interlopers have hidden agendas and competing interests.
As secrets come out and the lines between ally and adversary blur, Fallon will have to figure out what game she’s really playing, who might be playing her, and what she’s willing to sacrifice in pursuit of fame and fortune. Because, in the end, no one can have it all.
The Names We Buried
by Mia SiegertPublished by: Scholastic Press
on June 2, 2026
Genres: Contemporary, LGBTQIA+, Young Adult
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A thrilling, twisty homage to The Face on the Milk Carton about a trans boy who discovers that he was kidnapped as a child, and that his birth parents are still out there searching... for their daughter.
Jaden's seventeenth birthday was meant to be monumental. As a surprise, his dad and Jaden’s boyfriend, Andy, arranged to take him to the courthouse to get his name changed to reflect his gender. But, horrifyingly, the clerk accuses Jaden's dad of forging Jaden's original birth certificate, and due to his criminal past, he's arrested.
Heartbroken but also suspicious, Jaden secretly takes a DNA test and makes an even more shocking discovery: he's not biologically related to his dad. Jaden can't imagine his mother cheating, but the truth might be worse -- further DNA testing also identify Jaden as a perfect genetic match for a couple who have spent the last seventeen years searching for their kidnapped child.
Their kidnapped daughter.
After years struggling to come to terms with his gender identity as well as his parents' complicated pasts, Jaden is forced to re-evaluate everything. Who is he really? And where does he belong? With the dad who raised and loved him, and supported his transition without question? Or with the parents Jaden's never met, who might never be able to accept Jaden as their son?
Game, Set, Matched: A Tennis-Inspired Enemies-to-Lovers Sports Romance for Teens
by Ivy BaileyPublished by: Avon
on June 2, 2026
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Young Adult
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A tennis-inspired YA romance, perfect for fans of The Summer I Turned Pretty and Carrie Soto is Back!
On the court, they’re the perfect pair. Off the court, however…
Billie could win the junior doubles final at Wimbledon—but she needs a new partner. Too bad her best option is Harley, her coach’s nephew she's always hated. Billie hates Harley's lackadaisical attitude, but he's determined to teach her how to relax and (literally) take her eye off the ball. The more time they spend together, the more Billie wonders… is there more to winning than just a trophy?
Summer sports romance: Perfect for those of us who prefer to sit still and read about other people getting hot and sweaty.For the tennis-obsessed: Challengers taught us that tennis is hot, and there's no going back.Enemies, lovers, and teammates: The only thing better than enemies-to-lovers.
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