New Release Tuesday: YA New Releases March 17th 2026

Young Adult New Releases March 17th 2026

Another week of new releases are upon us! Check out most of today’s YA books hitting the shelves below!

Check out our amazing indie bookseller affiliates Bookshop or Libro.fm – remember that supporting these alternatives to the billionaires not only helps local bookstores, but also the planet and the workers!

One Word, Six Letters

by Adib Khorram
Published by: Henry Holt & Co. (BYR)
on March 17, 2026
Genres: Contemporary, LGBTQIA+, Young Adult
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Two teen boys grapple with identity and accountability and set off a ripple effect within their community after a school assembly is disrupted by a shouted slur.

Freshmen Dayton and Farshid couldn’t be more different—or so it seems.

When Dayton takes a dare and shouts the f-slur at a visiting author during a school event, it sets off a chain reaction that forces both boys to face parts of themselves they’d rather ignore.

Dayton, grappling with the fallout of his actions, faces rejection from his friends, disappointment from his parents, and a growing awareness of the harm he’s caused. Meanwhile, Farshid is left to untangle his own feelings—about himself and about the quiet struggle of coming to terms with his queerness in a world steeped in heteronormativity.

As their lives unexpectedly intersect, Dayton and Farshid must reckon with what kind of men they want to become and whether they have the courage to defy toxic masculinity and societal expectations.

Timely, raw, and deeply thought-provoking, this novel is perfect for fans of Jason Reynolds and Nic Stone.

Heiress of Nowhere

by Stacey Lee
Published by: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
on March 17, 2026
Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult
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An orphan races to uncover a killer—who may have come from the sea—when she and her beloved orcas fall under suspicion in this “atmospheric…beguiling” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) historical gothic mystery from the New York Times bestselling author of The Downstairs Girl, Stacey Lee.

1918. Orcas Island, Washington.

Lucy Nowhere has spent her eighteen years working on the vast estate of the eccentric shipbuilder who took her in after she washed ashore in a green canoe as a baby. But she has long wished for a life off the island, and in a matter of days, she is set to leave for college—and, for the first time, choose her own future.

Then she finds her employer’s severed head on the beach. Rumors swirl that a mischievous spirit and its minions, the sea wolves, have struck again. Lucy doesn’t believe in myths. She knows that a human—a human murderer—killed him. And when she is unexpectedly named heiress to the estate, she understands the next target is her.

Her closest friend, the estate’s vigilant young guard, begs her to escape while she can. But Lucy knows the only way she can discover who she is, and free the island of its curse, is to find the real killer—before she becomes the next victim.

Prodigal Tiger

by Samantha Chong
Published by: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
on March 17, 2026
Genres: Contemporary, Fantasy, Mythology/Folklore, Young Adult
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An action-packed YA contemporary fantasy debut that brings vibrant Malaysian folklore to life.

For five years, Caroline Chua has lived in exile from her home and family in Malaysia at a magical academy in New York City--far enough away that she can’t hurt the people she loves. That is until she is abruptly summoned home in an emergency—her beloved older brother, Aaron, who is next in line to become the Protector of the Island, has vanished. And now back in Penang, she can’t help but notice that things don’t feel the same as they once did and it’s unclear if she’s changed, or the island.

Despite her family’s desire to keep her close and the Council’s explicit instructions to stay out of trouble, stubborn, self-sufficient Caroline is hell-bent on saving her brother with or without anyone’s help. But when it turns out that Aaron has been kidnapped by vengeful ghosts with a centuries-old grudge, even Caroline must admit she’s in over her head and will need the help of the friends she had abandoned, including her first love, J.J.

The ghosts’ goals are simple: break the barriers between the ghost and mortal realms during the Hungry Ghost Festival using Aaron to take the island’s magic, and cement their rightful place as the true—albeit dead—rulers of the island. With only seven days before the barrier weakens, Caroline is in a race against time to save her brother. But as enemies stack up, always one step ahead, Caroline can’t help but wonder if she’s strong enough for this battle. Or is she doomed to repeat the mistakes that sent her away all those years ago?

PRODIGAL TIGER is a rich, cinematic celebration of Malaysian magic and folklore, as well as an emotional exploration of never quite feeling like your whole self after living in the diaspora.

Two Perfect Lies

by Natalie D. Richards
Published by: Sourcebooks Fire
on March 17, 2026
Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Young Adult
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In this taut new young adult thriller by Edgar Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Natalie D. Richards, high school junior Clara discovers a shocking truth about her best friend.

Lily has a dark side and deadly plan. And she's orchestrated every last detail to make Clara look guilty.

The first lie made Lily a savior. The second framed Clara for murder. If it weren't for Lily, Clara would still be a total outcast, shunned for her role in an incident that gave her a criminal record and ruined another girl's life. She's spent the past two years trying to escape that night, and ever since Lily Dalton befriended her, she's almost succeeded. After all, Lily's the golden girl of the high school--smart, popular, beloved by all--and as her best friend, Clara's now the bright, hard-working chemistry whiz.

But is Lily really just the good-hearted friend who saved Clara from the past? Because lately Lily has been talking about certain classmates and teachers--about wanting revenge. Do you ever think about making them pay? she asks. How would you do it? Lily has to be joking. At least that's what Clara thinks, until she finds a folder that outlines a deadly plan, including detailed steps and a list of targets in their school.

Shockingly, there's even more to Lily's plan, and it has everything to do with Clara. After all, everyone already knows what she did two years ago. Suddenly all the evidence has been turned against her, and there's no way she can prove her innocence. And the people on that list of targets? One after the next, they're meeting terrible fates, and Clara's looking guiltier by the second. It's up to Clara to find the truth and clear her name, before it's too late.

A harrowing thriller about lies and their devastating consequences, Two Perfect Lies cements Natalie D. Richards as a powerhouse of the psychological thriller genre and promises a riveting, unputdownable read.

Downfall (Above the Black 3)

Published by: Peachtree Teen
on March 17, 2026
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
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The riveting fantasy adventure from New York Times bestselling author Marc J Gregson comes to an explosive conclusion in Book Three of the Above the Black fantasy trilogy.

Mayhem has erupted in the Skylands. Uncle’s iron-fisted grip has eroded peaceful governance, and the Meritocracy hovers on the brink of civil war. Disowned once again, teenage hero Conrad is sent to invade the Below’s colonies—a perilous mission with almost no chance of survival, where Conrad is left for dead.

Rescued by an old enemy and escaping capture by sky pirates, Conrad finds shelter on a faraway island in the Eastern Airs. Under the guise of a new identity, Conrad undergoes training from the King’s enemies and takes to the dueling pits where he competes for the status to challenge Uncle once and for all. Can a dead prince rise again, or will Conrad succumb to the brutal horrors of his world? To rally support and overthrow a despot, Conrad will have to prove the Meritocracy won’t be trading one feckless tyrant for another.

Take a seat for the bloodiest of showdowns in the final installment of the Above the Black fantasy trilogy. Marc J Gregson’s action-adventure revels in gory monster battles, fierce duels, empathetic characters, and a morally gray dystopia that is strikingly imaginative.

Beat Every 1-Up

by Lan Pitts, Frank Cvetkovic, Joe Hunter
Published by: Maverick
on March 17, 2026
Genres: Graphic Novel, LGBTQIA+, Young Adult
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What if Sailor Moon and Double Dragon combined into an action-packed queer swords and sorcery romcom? You get Beat Every 1-Up, a high-action beat 'em up with a tender heart and a humorous point of view for fans of arcade cabinets and fighting games!

Listen up! This is the fisticuff-filled tale of Princess Helia of Terrager! A natural-born fighter since childhood, Helia must head out into the wider world when her soon-to-be-husband is groom-napped on their wedding day by the atrocious ape and would-be world conqueror, Gogo. But what does a sheltered princess know of the other realms? Turns out, not a whole lot.

Luckily, Helia is joined by her (only) friend and bodyguard, the ice witch Sidra. Together, the pair will brave the deserts of Flaterra, the blizzards of Frosterra…uh, you get the idea…until they’ve rescued the wayward prince, thwarted Gogo, and punched every henchman they can find. And maybe, by the end of their journey, Helia and Sidra will realize their connection goes beyond mere friendship…

Find out in BEAT EVERY 1-UP, a young adult graphic novel that will bring a new definition to “your princess is in another castle”!

All That is Ours

by Naadhira Zahari
Published by: Penguin Books SEA
on November 18, 2025
Genres: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Young Adult
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Four friends test their friendship as they seek answers about their beloved city.

Aeni and her friends, Nihal, Faye, and Indra, lead ordinary lives in Central Island, one of the four islands that constitute the state of Killen. In their final years as students at the Academy, they will soon graduate and join the workforce, safe in the knowledge that they will spend the rest of their lives on this very island, which has survived a war that ravaged much of the world.

But one day, they wake up to find that everything—and everyone—seems changed, and before they know it, the four friends are on the trail of a sinister plot that threatens the peace. The truth as they know it has become falsity. While they struggle to put together the history and future of the islands, their friendship threatens to fall apart.

Can they save the day, their loved ones, their home—and escape the ordeal unscathed?

SideQuested: Book 1

by K.B. Spangler, Alexandra Presser
Published by: Andrews McMeel Publishing
on March 17, 2026
Genres: Fantasy, Graphic Novel, LGBTQIA+, Young Adult
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he course of true love never did run straight...For fans of The Owl House and Critical Role comes the first volume in the lighthearted and epic adventure SideQuested!

Magic makes the world go round, but no one in Charlie Goldskin's world knows precisely where magic comes from. This isn't Charlie's problem. She's the adopted daughter of a woodcarver and is training to be a librarian. It'll be a quiet life, but that's fine with Charlie, as magic is summoned through conflict and she would like to avoid that, thank you very much!

Then her birth father shows up to take her from her village and bring her to the king's court.

Prince Leopold is gifted in the noble arts of diplomacy and combat, but he's never met anyone like Charlie. Falling in love with her wouldn't be an issue, except he's already engaged, and his fiancée is the daughter of a very powerful evil witch. Charlie, panicking, decides to break the news to Princess Robin...but then she finds love at first sight, too. To resolve this love triangle, the teens are sent on a quest to discover the source of magic! So much for Charlie's plans for a quiet life...

Castle Swimmer: Volume 3

by Wendy Martin
Published by: Ten Speed Press
on March 17, 2026
Genres: Fantasy, Graphic Novel, Young Adult
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Kappa and Siren’s adventurous journey into the vast ocean begins in this exciting third installment of the hit Webtoon series Castle Swimmer.

After leaving Siren to recover from his wounds in the shark castle, Kappa finds himself out in the big wide ocean once more. Minutes into his newfound freedom, another prophecy intervenes, pulling him towards a giant demigod crab scuttling along the ocean floor. As Kappa tries to figure out why he is drawn towards this crab, he comes across three magic-wielding octopi with tragic pasts and uncovers more about his greater purpose as the Beacon.

When Siren finally leaves the shark castle a month later, Kappa is long gone. Alone in the greater ocean that he’s only ever heard about, Siren quickly finds that he’s unequipped to fend for himself. After having his supplies stolen by thieves, Siren finds himself by luck in the company of a young fish and his mother and joins them on their travels. As they teach him to fight and tough it out in the wild, Siren begins searching for a cure to his curse.

This beautiful graphic novel collects episodes 42-65 of Webtoon’s Castle Swimmer and includes three new mini-episodes plus exclusive bonus content.