Young Adult New Releases May 19th 2026
Time to wish all the new releases a happiest of book birthdays! May YA books are still releasing in groups larger than 15 so there’s something for everyone! If you plan to purchase any ebooks, physical, or audiobooks, we hope you check out our indie bookseller affiliates Bookshop or Libro.fm – all sales help indie bookstores!
Shapes of Love
by L.V. PeñalbaPublished by: Wednesday Books
on May 19, 2026
Genres: Contemporary, LGBTQIA+, Young Adult
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Loveless meets This Time It’s Real in this aroace story about challenging the idea that romance is the ultimate life goal and finding where you fit in when you don’t follow society’s script.
When nineteen-year-old Sasha’s first album throws her into stardom, her fans become obsessed with discovering who inspired her love songs. Except, Sasha is aroace-spec (aromantic, asexual), and she’s not interested in romance (unless it comes in the shape of a slowburn enemies-to-lovers book or a star-crossed-lovers manga). Her music is all about her favorite love stories, not her own.
After running into Kai, her estranged best friend who she hasn’t seen in two years, pictures of them together leak, and everyone assumes he’s Sasha’s muse, the “boyfriend” who broke her heart. Pressured by her label and fearing fan backlash, Sasha agrees to a PR relationship with Kai for six months - but her sense of self is put to the ultimate test. Where does she fit in a society that equates happiness with romantic love? One where even her closest friends prioritize their partners over her?
Under the guise of their faux romance, Sasha and Kai get a chance to rebuild their platonic bond and heal the wounds of their past. But when actor Asher Grish enters the scene, threatening to shake the foundation of Sasha’s PR relationship, she finds herself at a crossroads. Either she loses herself, or her career.
L.V. Peñalba’s Shapes of Love is an unforgettable story of finding the people that feel like home - even if that home isn’t what the rest of the world expects. It's not a romance, but it's most definitely a love story.
"Shapes of Love is an honest, distinctly relatable exploration of aroace identity, the entertainment industry, and what our relationships mean to each other. I felt mortifyingly seen when Sasha admitted her songs were mostly about anime and TV ships. This book was utterly unputdownable." - Ann Zhao, author of Dear Wendy
An Expanse of Blue
by Kauakanilehua Mahoe AdamsPublished by: Heartdrum
on May 19, 2026
Genres: Contemporary Romance, In Verse, Young Adult
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Fans of The Poet X will fall for this powerful, romantic debut novel-in-verse about a Native Hawaiian girl's fight to find belonging in a fracturing family, sharing a message of love with resounding emotional truth.
Aouli Elizabeth Smith is adrift: unheard at home and an unbeliever at church, fighting her sister and losing her best friend. Overflowing with feeling, she pours her secrets and herself into her song journal when the world threatens to sweep her away. The one place she feels tied down to earth is at her Aunty Ehu’s house. Those joyous Saturdays with her extended Native Hawaiian community living in Western Washington are precious to her. Under the maple trees, the fragments of her life fit together, if only for an afternoon.
Then, an unspeakable truth about her father shatters this one perfect corner of her life.
As Aouli’s world constricts around what others wish she could be, language fails her. But when a new boy, Nalu, turns up with eyes that seem to pierce right into her soul, maybe it’s love that can give her the words to set herself free.
The Lustrous Dark
by Loretta ChefchaouniPublished by: Peachtree Teen
on May 19, 2026
Genres: Fantasy, Mythology/Folklore, Young Adult
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PREORDER NOW to receive the striking deluxe hardcover edition featuring stenciled edges, illustrated endpapers, and foil jacket effects!
For fans of Sabaa Tahir and Guillermo del Toro comes The Lustrous Dark, a sweeping YA fantasy inspired by a Moroccan folktale, in which a young midwife’s apprentice rises up to take back the power that’s been stolen from women.
Orphaned as a baby, Shay has spent her life training as the midwife’s apprentice. Her role grants her stability, yet Shay has always yearned for more. Namely, motherly affection and answers regarding her mysterious birth—neither of which the midwife deems practical to provide.
After Shay discovers her birth mother, Hind, is still alive and addicted to a magical drug called Snow, she determines to get the woman clean. But when Hind betrays Shay to get her hands on more Snow, Shay’s abandoned within a deadly forest and forced to rely on a band of monstrous ghouls for safety.
Shay’s realm has long stood on the brink of war between the men who control magic and the revolutionaries who want to eliminate it. But in the forest, Shay hears the pleading call of ancient spirits who claim that not only has magic been stolen, but she has the power to return it. With the help of a spitfire revolutionary and the boy who’s winning over her heart, Shay discovers the horrific truth of who produces Snow and will have to decide for herself whether to heed the spirits’ charge or fade into obscurity.
This emotionally raw and gorgeously rendered fairytale combines the lush worldbuilding of This Woven Kingdom with the mother trauma of Snow White and a dash of Tim Burton. Steeped in mysticism and mythology, The Lustrous Dark confronts injustices against women with a righteous scream that’ll inspire readers to rally against the patriarchy and oppressive regimes worldwide.
Perfect for readers who love Political Revolutions, Fighting the Patriarchy, Toxic Mothers, Reawakening the Gods, Ancient Magic, Bone-Chilling Monsters, Haunted Forests, Female Friendships, Fairytale Retellings, North African Folklore, and Cinnamon Roll Love Interests.
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
The Neon Sky (The Idlewood Duology, #2)
by Alyssa Villaireon May 19, 2026
Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult
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For fans of Stephanie Garber and Holly Black comes the bewitching sequel to The Glittering Edge, where magic is real, witches make irresistible boyfriends, and keeping secrets is dangerous–but not as dangerous as the truth.
Penny Emberly didn’t expect to fall head over heels for Alonso De Luca last summer–or to discover that he’s a witch. Together with their friend Corey Barrion, they managed to save her mother from a deadly spell. Now autumn has arrived, and Penny believes they can take on anything.
But darkness is descending on the small town of Idlewood. Corey is desperate to undo the bloody legacy that made his family rich. The price, however, is steep: to unravel the magical bargain made by his grandfather, Corey must take a life.
As Corey wrestles with an impossible choice, Alonso begins to change. The more he pushes the limits of his magic, the more volatile, violent, and possessive he becomes. When tragedy strikes one of their classmates, the trio is forced to confront a terrifying question: is Alonso being consumed by something that’s bent on the destruction of everyone around him–especially Penny and Corey?
As supernatural forces drive them apart, Penny, Corey, and Alonso must decide what they’re willing to sacrifice before more blood is spilled–even if it means losing each other.
I'm Gonna Get You Back
by Eva Des LauriersPublished by: Henry Holt & Company
on May 19, 2026
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Young Adult
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OUT FOR REVENGE. IN IT FOR LOVE.
Small-town scandals, explosive secrets and friendship fallouts threaten to tear Clara and Reid apart - all over again . . .
Reid Rousseau was always a winner. Now, he's a former state champion runner with an injury no one can know about and a college scholarship on the line. When he's invited as the guest of honor for Legacy Weekend, a competitive tradition that welcomes high school alumni back to his small mountain town, Reid would rather run away than face his crumbling future-and the girl who broke his heart.
Clara Suarez's legacy can't be failure. A year out of high school and aimless, she has one last shot at getting into her dream film school shooting a Legacy Weekend video interviewing her former classmates-including her ex, Reid-about their explosive senior year and the scandal that capped it off. But any time people return to the mountain, drama follows... especially when an anonymous social media account starts airing everyone's dirty laundry.
Reid isn't the only one hiding something, and Clara isn't the only one with regrets. Their spark is still strong enough to set off a wildfire, but their secrets might just tear them apart for good.
A second-chance love story from Eva des Lauriers, perfect for fans of Lynn Painter, Tillie Cole, and Jenny Han.
This Could All Go Bad
by Spencer HallPublished by: Bloomsbury
on May 19, 2026
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
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One night can change everything in this hilarious and heartfelt novel perfect for young teens about to start high school. Perfect for former fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid.
It's no secret that Jensen Chapman is a coward (though he prefers the term 'risk averse'). He's scared of dodgeball day in gym class, intimidated by his older sister (she's weirdly strong, alright?), nervous around his crush Leslie Chen, and freaked out about starting high school…just to name a few things. But on the night before his eighth-grade graduation, that's all about to change.
When Jensen's two best friends, Maleek and Cooper, show up to kidnap him (OK, recruit him) to compete against a group of girls-including Leslie Chen herself-in a series of escalating dares, Jensen knows it's now or never: face his fears once and for all, or face a life of spinelessness forever. The boys set out on an epic race against the clock that includes faulty skateboards, internet-famous ferrets, and a stolen golf cart. But when Jensen finds out that Maleek and Cooper have been keeping a huge secret from him, he'll need every scrap of his newfound bravery to save their friendship.
Stops Along the Way
by Anna SortinoPublished by: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
on May 19, 2026
Genres: Contemporary
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A sunny YA romance about a road trip and life’s unexpected turns from the author of Give Me a Sign.
Iris doesn’t trust the odds. Not when she has a 1 in 4 chance of inheriting the same vision diagnosis as her sister, Amelia.
When Iris travels to the east coast to help Amelia drive her things back from college, the last person she expects to run into on campus is Declan, her board game club rival, but he’s also there to drive his brother home for summer break. The unlikely occurrence results in the four of them caravaning together to Nebraska.
Iris and Declan are used to competing with dice and cards across a table, but the romantic feelings unfolding as they drive across the map are a total surprise. The odds of falling in love on the road seem low, especially amid car troubles and sister drama. Can Iris look past probability and embrace the unexpected?
Song of the Saltings
by Rachael KingPublished by: Margaret K. McElderry Books
on May 19, 2026
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
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The Scorpio Races meets The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea in this gripping young adult folk horror fantasy about a girl who must defy tradition to save her beloved island from the monstrous forces that are tearing it apart.
On the isolated island of Brack, the people live by an ancient bargain: every year, a sacrifice must be made to the Glimm, the creature that haunts the salt marshes. Once, it demanded children. Eight years ago, it should have taken Lotta. Instead, the monster spared her and claimed her pony, shattering tradition and anointing her both folk hero and object of suspicion.
Now sixteen, Lotta tends the Council’s sacrificial horses, keeping her distance from the islanders who whisper about her fate. But something is stirring. The island hums beneath her feet, and a song threads through her dreams. Is the Glimm calling Lotta back?
When she crosses paths with Moss—a boy once hidden from sacrifice—a daring bog rescue sparks a chain of events that forces them both to question the Council’s rule and the lore that binds their people. As crops and animals are blighted and uncanny weather plagues the community, Lotta and Moss must decide whether to obey the Council or risk everything to uncover the island’s deepest secrets.
Because on Brack, monsters come in many forms.
Shatter the Universe (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Book 2): A Novel
by Diana MaPublished by: Amulet Books
on May 19, 2026
Genres: Fantasy, Media Tie-In, Sci-Fi, Young Adult
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From the world of Hasbro's Power Rangers entertainment franchise comes another action-packed, original YA novel from the point of view of Trini Kwan, the Yellow Ranger
Rita Repulsa and her henchmen have been defeated. Trini, Billy, Zack, Jason, and Kimberly have become fast friends and have embraced their roles as the Power Rangers. And Trini and Zack have started dating. Everything is perfect.
That is, until alternate reality versions of the Power Rangers appear in Angel Grove with one purpose: to break up Trini and Zack.
It turns out that there aren't a whole lot of universes where Trini and Zack get together. But in one of those other universes, alternate Trini makes a choice that has resounding consequences for the entire Morphin Grid. Now, a slew of alternate-reality Power Rangers are trying to stop this Trini from making an even more disastrous choice--one that involves her budding romance with Zack.
Trini's options don't look great--give up Zack or potentially cause the destruction of the Morphin Grid. Will Trini and her friends be able to come up with a third option--one that no other universe has been able to find?
Rebel Heiress (The Diamonds)
by Amalie HowardPublished by: Joy Revolution
on May 19, 2026
Genres: Historical Fiction, Romance, Young Adult
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A young heiress must disguise herself to attend a prestigious, all-male university, where she unexpectedly falls for her handsome tutor, in this swoony historical romance by the USA Today bestselling author of Queen Bee.
Lady Rosalin Chen isn’t as vapid as she pretends to be. She’s actually a computing genius and smarter than most of her peers in the ton. Not even her friends know that she’s been sabotaging her own chances to find a match in the marriage mart.
She’s in want of a proper education, not a husband. So while her cousin is gallivanting around Europe, she decides to take his place at Cambridge University. How hard could it be to act like a gentleman, after all?
The only boy who could possibly see through her disguise is her tutor—sharp-eyed math prodigy Tarik St. Clair. The more time they spend together, the harder it becomes to hide who she really is. Even if Lady Rosalin decided to come clean, can love ever be part of the equation once the truth is factored in?
Landing in Place: A Graphic Novel
by Sherine Hamdy, Myra El MirPublished by: Kokila
on May 19, 2026
Genres: Contemporary, Graphic Novel, Young Adult
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A poignant coming-of-age graphic novel about an Egyptian American girl grappling with college, her family, and the political realities of her wider world.
Anisa is following in her sister Reem’s footsteps: She’s a freshman at her sister’s alma mater, she’s on the same premed track, and she’s inherited Reem's old hotpot, mini-fridge, and textbooks. Even though Anisa would prefer to study art, her parents discount that as a valid career choice. The path laid out before her starts to crumble as Anisa feels she doesn’t belong—either in her organic chemistry class or among the other Muslim students on campus.
When Anisa fails her first semester, she begs her parents to let her take time off to visit Cairo and stay with her beloved grandfather. Finally free to have her own experiences, Anisa begins a journey of self-discovery and, as she bumps up against familial, societal, and religious expectations, she starts to develop her own artistic voice. When Anisa returns to the United States, many of these expectations shift, but she learns to draw on the love of friends and family—including those she’s often at odds with—in order to stay true to herself.
Force of Nature
by Melissa Clarkon May 19, 2026
Genres: Contemporary, Speculative Fiction, Young Adult
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This fresh, smart, and funny young adult debut with a speculative twist asks the question: What if Mother Nature was a teenage girl?
Who is Chloe Lovejoy, really? A straight-C student, a girl with a crush on the cutie from chorus, an all-powerful being responsible for taking care of the planet . . . or perhaps all three. That’s what Chloe finds out on her sixteenth birthday, when she unexpectedly inherits the role of Mother Nature from her grandmother. Chloe is overwhelmed, to say the least. Then, when the unthinkable happens, and Grandma is no longer around to guide her, Chloe is left to oversee the natural laws of the world all by herself.
Between managing earthquakes and hurricanes, rivals at school, and her not-very-helpful mother, Chloe tries to maintain balance and harmony on Earth and in her everyday life. But someone in the community has an eye toward harnessing her powers for nefarious purposes, which means Chloe needs to dig deep and get her act together before her secret is found out. After all, the universe is depending on her.
Force of Nature by Melissa Clark is an utterly unique coming of age story about a teen girl rising to the occasion, even when she feels completely in over her head.
Calling Me Home
by Laurin Becker MaciosPublished by: Holiday House
on May 19, 2026
Genres: Contemporary, In Verse, Young Adult
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A beautifully crafted YA novel in verse that follows a 17-year-old girl's backpacking trip across Europe—filled with awe, danger, friendships, and something like love.
Jenny Campbell, recent high school graduate, has spent her unrooted childhood planning for a future she can control: NYU, marketing major, big-city life. But first, a carefully mapped solo backpacking trip through Europe.
Only, the trip doesn’t stay on the map. As she travels between countries and memories, Jenny begins to loosen her grip on the life she’s scripted. She works at a bookshop in Greece, treks through the Balkans on overnight trains, falls in something-like-love in Rome.
At summer’s end, Jenny returns to the States ready to launch her New York City future. And then, she learns she’s pregnant. Choosing to end her pregnancy, Jenny tries to keep her plans—but finds she may no longer be the person meant to live them.Calling Me Home is part classic travel bildungsroman (you can almost taste the ouzo in Greece and feel the wind of Ireland) and part meditation on how abortion is just one piece of a person's story.
Rani Deshpande Takes the Wheel: A Novel
by Arushi AvachatPublished by: Wednesday Books
on May 19, 2026
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Young Adult
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Rani's summer checklist didn't include falling in love in this sparkling romance for fans of The Summer of Broken Rules and Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute.
Nineteen-year-old Rani Deshpande is on a mission to reinvent herself the summer before transferring to her new university. After a challenging freshman year, Rani can’t help but feel like she’s playing catch up. To that end, she’s crafted a packed summer to get back on track: a dream internship, adventures with her hometown best friend, and regular driving lessons so that she can finally lose her passenger princess reputation - even if it means learning from her aggravating family friend (and childhood crush), Kush Khanna.
Kush and Rani grew up together, but they couldn’t be less alike. Within their close-knit Desi community - a Jane Austen style cast of ridiculous, meddlesome families - Kush is the beloved model son; Rani is more the black sheep. Kush is pre-med; Rani plans to teach elementary school. Kush is cool and collected, bordering on reticent; Rani couldn’t keep her mouth shut if her life depended on it. So when their mothers first force the pair to drive together, the arrangement feels like a recipe for disaster. As the lessons progress, however, Rani discovers there’s more to the boy she’s known her whole life than meets the eye.
In Arushi Avachat's Rani Deshpande Takes the Wheel, Rani must learn to course-correct, no matter how bumpy or windy the road – and even if it includes a detour right into love.
The Book of Murmurs
by Candice PurwinPublished by: Fantagraphics Books
on May 19, 2026
Genres: Fantasy, Graphic Novel, Young Adult
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In this fantasy adventure, a young girl must brave a magical world of strange creatures and shivering landscapes to find her slain parents and defeat a monster who feeds off fear.
When tragedy strikes her household and her book of spells is stolen, Little Moon is spirited away to the strange, shimmering world of The Fault. In this land rich in lore and crackling with magic, she must find allies, discover her true name, and channel the stories of her matrilineal line to battle the fearsome Shenk.
A fantastical tale crafted as supple and strong as spider silk, Candice Purwin's graphic novel weaves together powerful themes of grief, friendship and identity. The Book of Murmurs takes you on a journey through what it is to be lost, and what it means to be found.
Queerleaders
by Olivia A. Cole, Ashley WoodfolkPublished by: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
on May 19, 2026
Genres: Contemporary, LGBTQIA+, Young Adult
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Two cheerleaders find themselves inconveniently tumbling head over heels for each other in this satirical, sapphic teen rom-com that’s Bring It On meets She Drives Me Crazy.
Oak Haven High doesn’t have cheerleaders—it has queerleaders.
It’s a fun coincidence that every new varsity cheerleader since Davie Cathee took the squad by storm three years ago is—or soon comes out as—queer.
But when a rumor sparks that this season, newly minted captain Davie has been specifically recruiting queer members only, Davie is accused of “discrimination” against straight students. She’s given an ultimatum: recruit a straight athlete for the team or the funding for their competitive cheer season will take a major tumble.
Enter Kendall Hayes, the edgy, mysterious new girl. When Davie sees that Kendall has a boyfriend, she quickly convinces her to join the squad. Problem solved.
Until she finds out that Kendall’s actually bisexual…and newly single.
Now Kendall and Davie are faced with having to keep those details under wraps until nationals, which only gets more complicated when they start falling hard and fast for each other. Can Kendall go back in the closet long enough to save the squad? Or will Davie find the courage to love her new crush out loud, even if it might mean the end of the queerleaders?
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