New Release Tuesday: YA New Releases September 15th 2026

YA New Releases September 15th 2026

Another week to usher in a whole bunch of YA New Releases! We are full throttle ahead with Fall releases and thrillers and all the big books are hitting the shelves! We hope that if you plan to grab any recent titles from our work, that you try one of our independent affiliates: Libro.fm for all your audiobooks and Bookshop.org for all your digital or physical editions!

Winterveil

by Ava Reid
Published by: HarperCollins
on September 15, 2026
Genres: Dystopian, Thriller, Young Adult
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Bestselling author of A Study in Drowning and Fable for the End of the World Ava Reid is back with a thrilling new duology unlike anything you’ve read before. This collector’s edition features a color-swapped embossed cover, illustrated endpapers, foiled cover, and striking edges.

There is no application process for Valeran Academy, but it boasts the brightest – and precociously criminal – students in the nation.

A disgraced politician from a powerful American dynasty.
A coldly brilliant strategist who will sacrifice anything to win.
A former pageant queen with a talent that could change the world.
A prodigious female soldier with an enigmatic past – and a dangerous secret.

With eerie war simulations, cutthroat competitions and foreboding new technology, Valeran trains its students to be elite assets in a Cold War that has dragged on for nearly a century. But as a sinister conspiracy takes shape and these four are drawn together for a mysterious mission, their loyalties are tested, their convictions shaken and they all begin to are they ushering in a new era of freedom, or tyranny?

Anger Is Only a Shadow

by Elizabeth Acevedo
Published by: Quill Tree Books
on September 15, 2026
Genres: Contemporary, In Verse, Young Adult
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From National Book Award-winning, New York Times-bestselling author and renowned poet Elizabeth Acevedo comes a white-knuckle journey to self-understanding and doing the right thing, no matter the cost.

Lil is anything but small. She’s rebellious, she's loyal; she's figuring out what kind of good person she wants to be, or if she wants to be a good person at all. But more than anything? Lil wants to be free.

When her instinct for freedom leads to another stay in D.C. juvenile detention, Lil knows she’s lucky to just be on probation. But judgment, guilt, and an ankle monitor weigh heavily on her, and she can’t shake that pinned-down feeling.

The only person who might understand is her big brother, Aldwin. Except he’s more distant now than just the hundred miles from his college. Something’s been off with him for several months, but only Lil seems to realize how important it is to get to him.

As her court hearing ticks closer, a question looms over Lil as the missed phone calls and strange texts from her brother pile will she stay put, or put her future freedom on the line?

Ashes at the Altar (Blood at the Root, #3)

by LaDarrion Williams
Published by: Labyrinth Road
on September 15, 2026
Genres: Contemporary, Fantasy, Young Adult
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At a hidden magical HBCU a teen boy must confront evil spirits, family secrets and tested loyalties. In this haunting finale to the New York Times bestselling Blood at the Root trilogy, bloodlines, betrayal, and legacy collide in a battle that may cost everything.

Malik Baron has learned a lot since he first came to Caiman History is power. Family is more than just blood. You can't escape your past. And magic always comes with a price.

But nothing he's been taught could have prepared him for what this semester will bring. Even after he risked it all to trap the evil spirit Marinette that has been possessing his mother, her power continues to grow. And with her and the Bokors still at large, the cracks in the magical community have reached a breaking point. Just as Malik begins to get to know his father's family, the Bonclairs' power is challenged, leaving him to decide where his loyalties lie. And it's not just the future of Caiman at stake, but the very magic that runs in his veins.

In the propulsive and emotional conclusion to this powerful trilogy, the future and the family Malik has fought so hard to build and protect is in greater danger than ever. But with the power of ancestors and the strength of his loved ones behind him, can he fight for what the world has always said is impossible for a Black boy like him—a happy ending?

Styx - The River (Goddesses of the Underworld, #2)

by Nikita Gill
on September 15, 2026
Genres: Historical Fiction, Mythology/Folklore, Young Adult
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The instant #1 New York Times bestselling series!
This richly imagined retelling of the Greek myth of Styx, goddess of the underworld river, is a powerful novel-in-verse from world-renowned poet Nikita Gill. Perfect for fans of Madeline Miller and Alexandra Bracken.

This gorgeous DELUXE LIMITED EDITION is available in the US and Canada while supplies last and includes:
★ Foil and embossing
★ Designed edges
★ Special endpapers
★ Printed case

Beginning a generation before Hekate, Styx sings the story of the goddess of the underworld river that bears her name.

The firstborn child of Titans, Styx is revered as the first of her kind--until she is eclipsed and forgotten amid her scores of siblings, the Oceanids and the Potamoi.

Coming of age in a world simmering with paranoia and unspoken fear of Zeus, Styx learns to conceal the rage ignited by her growing disillusionment with her parents and her vain and unkind siblings.

Instead, she finds solace and sisterhood in her cousin, Asteria. Together, they train in the arts of creation and magic. And as they seek to learn their divine purpose and their place within the Titanomachy, they discover both the joy sparked by true love and the fierce resilience birthed from motherhood.

In this lyrical and heartrending tale of sisterhood, identity, love, and war, Styx must carve her own path to womanhood--and ultimately, godhood.

Meet all the Goddesses of the Underworld:
Hekate: The Witch
Styx: The River
Nyx: The Night

We're All Going to Die Tonight!

by Veronica Bane
Published by: Delacorte Press
on September 15, 2026
Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Young Adult
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A twisty, off-the-rails mystery about seven teens, forced to spend a stormy—and deadly—night together. Perfect for fans of There’s Someone Inside Your House and No Place Left to Hide.

The members of the Coastal Canyon debate team have their reasons to hate each complicated pasts, thornier presents, a huge competition loss . . . Now they’re stuck at an Airbnb together for a night during what feels like the storm of the century. Can it get any worse?

Yes. Yes, it can.

A flat tire, a severed landline, someone’s unconscious, and there’s a body outside. The night is unraveling, and it’s becoming no one is safe. But safe from who? A teammate? A teacher? Or is a stranger lurking nearby in the woods?

Seven students.
Three teachers.
One body.
Lock all the doors and trust no one.

After all, death isn’t up for debate.

Deadly Little Lessons

by Danielle Valentine
Published by: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
on September 15, 2026
Genres: Horror, Thriller, Young Adult
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Luminary is more than just a school. It is a test of moral fiber, strength of will, and human resilience.

Lia Michaels can pick any lock and break into most computer systems. But a life of delinquency has her bouncing between foster homes and juvie. So when she applies to Luminary Prep, a new experimental school created to challenge academic conventions, Lia is surprised by the acceptance letter that follows.

With state-of-the-art technology, fancy cafeteria food, and a campus that looks like a painting come to life, Luminary seems to be the break Lia needs. That is, if she can excel in class and be one of only five students who will be allowed to graduate.

But classes at Luminary are . . . odd. And dangerous. There is a death-trap obstacle course in Physics, a Chemistry exam with explosives, and guillotines in Political Science. As students keep vanishing, one by one, Lia starts to wonder if it's not that five students will graduate—but that only five will survive.

The Secret to Belonging

by Megan E. Freeman
Published by: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
on September 15, 2026
Genres: Contemporary, In Verse, Young Adult
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Three starred reviews!

A neglected teen travels to Norway for a fresh start in this “lush…aching” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) coming-of-age novel in verse about longing, love, and the courage to create joy from the ashes of despair by award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Megan E. Freeman.

You are invisible in your own family. Your parents spend all their care and attention on your brother, who is addicted to drugs. Your dreams don’t matter to anyone but you.

Your only ticket out is a college fund left by your grandfather—until your parents use it to pay for your brother’s drug rehab.

Just when your future seems about to collapse, you are offered a lifeline: a scholarship to become an exchange student in a remote part of Norway. It’s an invitation to begin a new life in a new place with new people…a place where you might finally feel like you belong.

Heart of Thieves (The Devious, 2)

by Jessica S. Olson
Published by: Feiwel and Friends
on September 15, 2026
Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult
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A cunning thief turns the tables on the feuding brothers who betrayed her in this thrilling conclusion to the Den of Liars Duology, perfect for fans of Powerless and Lightlark.

Lola St. James is trapped in a web of lies and deceit. But that only makes her more determined to find the truth. The truth about her past. The truth about her magic. And the truth about the curse that binds her to two warring brothers who she both hates and loves.

With the Liar’s Dice Tournament now only a painful memory, Lola dons a new alter ego, Nocturne, and creates her own elaborate game designed to lure both the Liar and the Thief into her clutches, certain this is the only way to give them a chance to break their curses.

But Lola is not the only one with plans for the brothers. When a powerful figure from their past comes back to haunt them, will Lola's love be enough to hold them all together? Or will the lies they've told tear them apart forever?

We Run the Night

by Peace Mbengei
Published by: Soho Teen
on September 15, 2026
Genres: Horror, Thriller, Young Adult
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An elite, isolated Kenyan boarding school is terrorized by supernatural entities, grotesque maladies, and strange transformations in a chilling YA horror debut inspired by the urban legend of “night runners.” Perfect for fans of She Is a Haunting and White Smoke.

When Shani returns to her elite, isolated boarding school after her father’s mysterious death, she just wants to finish senior year with her scholarship intact—which means focusing on her work and staying out of trouble. Even with her best friend, Pendo, by her side, she’s never quite fit in at Taji Academy. But soon, strange things start happening at school—not only are students coming down with odd, grotesque skin maladies, someone is causing chaos on campus after curfew. Are they night runners, the supernatural entities that terrorize rural neighborhoods in the dark?

The strict administration insists it’s just students pulling pranks. Everyone knows that night runners are just an urban legend. But when one of the popular students, Adila, goes missing—and Shani wakes up one morning with mud on her feet, torn clothes, and a pounding headache—she knows it’s more than that. As she and others at Taji begin to transform with no way to contact the outside world, she must figure out what is happening—before it’s too late.

Pretty Evil

by Rebekah McKendry, David Ian McKendry, Tim Seeley
Published by: Margaret K. McElderry Books
on September 15, 2026
Genres: Graphic Novel, Horror, Paranormal, Young Adult
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KPop Demon Hunters meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer in this sparkling, darkly funny young adult graphic novel following a teen pop star who must take up her missing mother’s demon-slaying mantle and battle her way through the monster-infested world of social media influencers.

To her fans, Mallori (heart over the i, thank you very much) is the ultimate teen pop star: platinum albums, a massive online following, and a glittery pink lifestyle to die for. But in her own life, Mallori Martin just wants to be her own person, free from the pressures of stardom—not to mention her mom-ager’s controlling hand.

After a particularly vicious fight with said mom, Mallori wakes to find her gone, with no clue where or why. In desperation, Mallori calls the police—whose search uncovers not her missing mother but several bodies buried in the basement of their Hollywood Hills mansion.

The bodies don’t stay secret for long, not with Mallori’s legions of fans watching her every move. With rumors flying about Mrs. Martin’s secret serial-killer lifestyle, Mallori flees the public eye, only to discover her mom was indeed living a double life: as a demon slayer.

She’s been abducted, and Mallori can’t let that fight be their last conversation. So to get her back, Mallori will have to pick up where her mom left off, hacking her way through demons and boogeymen—with all her trademark sparkle.

When Lightning Strikes (Vanished)

by Jenny Carroll, Meg Cabot
Published by: Simon Pulse
on September 15, 2026
Genres: Mystery, Paranormal, Thriller, Young Adult
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For the first printing only! This paperback features sprayed stenciled edges while the special edition supply lasts.

After a lightning strike gives her unusual powers, a teen uses them to find missing children in this fast-paced first book in the Vanished paranormal thriller series from New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot (previously published as the 1-800-Where-R-You series).

High school sophomore Jess Mastriani is used to defying expectations—in a bad way if you ask her mom, in an unavoidable way if you ask her. In her stiflingly small Indiana hometown, those who conform can pass unnoticed, but Jess’s quick temper and irreverence for rules have her getting into fights with the football team, logging much more detention time than advisable, and clashing with authority figures.

But she gets more trouble than she bargained for when a simple decision to walk home from school leads to her getting caught in a thunderstorm and struck by lightning. Jess has no apparent injuries—only a star-shaped scar—but after her accident, she starts having vivid visions of the locations of missing people after seeing their photos. When she tests her intuition by calling in anonymous tips, every one of her flashes of insight turns out to be true.

Before long, her paranormal abilities have Jess and her family under scrutiny from both gossipy neighbors and sinister federal agents, and she discovers even the people she locates can be harmed by her psychic gift when a “missing” person is returned to an unsafe home life.

When Jess gets assigned a new kind of detention—one at a hush-hush military base—she has to muster all her trouble-making instincts to rescue herself and the people she unwittingly endangered. Can lightning strike twice?

Tiger Girls

by Felicia Low-Jimenez, Taylor Esposito, Claire Low
Published by: Maverick
on September 15, 20926
Genres: Fantasy, Graphic Novel, Mythology/Folklore, Young Adult
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To be born a girl in the Year of the Tiger is a death sentence.

In a world where every person bears the mark of their Chinese zodiac sign, Tiger-born girls are feared as omens of calamity—and quietly eliminated. But Suling is the rare survivor, raised in secrecy on the remote Tiger Island among her fierce but isolated Tiger Sisters. Forced into the role of record-keeper, Suling longs for something more—freedom, purpose, answers.

When a mysterious woman washes ashore during a raging monsoon, Suling’s carefully controlled world splits open. The stranger carries dangerous knowledge of the mainland… and secrets linked to Suling’s own past. As tensions rise and the island’s future is thrown into doubt, Suling must decide: will she embrace her fate, or rewrite it?

Discover the haunting, action-filled saga in this stunning graphic novel, collecting the celebrated Tiger Girls webcomic, an exclusive new short story, and bonus behind-the-scenes content. A tale of destiny, sisterhood, and the courage to defy the stars.

The Girl in Green

by Laura Creedle
Published by: HarperCollins
on September 15, 2026
Genres: Horror, Thriller, Young Adult
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A school’s storied legacy cannot stop student's whispers of mysterious disappearances and a legendary monster, in this terrifying new novel that will entrance fans of Madeline Roux and Claire Legrand.

Jess has always been a runner—always looking for an escape, no matter how many detention centers or “special schools” she’s been sent to. So when she receives a scholarship to the illustrious Danvers-Cutteridge in the mountains of West Virginia, her first plan of action is to find the fastest exit.

But Jess soon learns that this new school has secrets hidden beyond the grand staircases and storied past. A student has gone missing, and Jess’s new friends suspect that they haven’t been told the truth about the disappearance.

As Jess helps search for answers (and a way out), she discovers more of Danvers-Cutteridge’s unsettling history. The abuses and mutilations inflicted on past residents. The strange authority in the headmaster’s celebrated family tree. And the fearsome legend that has haunted the valley for decades—a mysterious girl, dressed in green.

Soon, Jess’s search will take her down into the heart of the school, through the closed-off parts of its history left forgotten in the dark. But walls and iron aren’t enough to keep the hungry darkness at bay…

Fight Song

by Kirk Van Brunt
Published by: Swift Water Books
on September 15, 2026
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
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A talented yet cynical Indigenous teen hockey player escapes a dangerous situation in the foster care system in this powerful and timely YA novel.

It's not easy to miss Nokes Lasley, especially when she's on the ice. Towering over the competition at over six feet tall, she routinely dominates on the right wing — and her no-nonsense approach and fiery temper have helped to solidify her reputation as a hockey superstar. Despite her tenuous situation at home, she dreams of hitting the Olympics one day and proving that she can compete in the big leagues.

But suddenly, Nokes's life is turned upside-down when her father is arrested for murder and she's forced to enter the foster care system. Nokes bounces from home to home, from one dangerous setting to the next . . . until she decides to escape across the border to Minnesota, where the promise of a family friend with professional hockey connections far outweighs the abuse she's experiencing in her home province of Ontario.

Through careful lies, and with the help of Aidan, an attractive new friend, Nokes is able to start a new life in a new country — and, most importantly, keep playing hockey. But the past has a nasty way of catching up to her, and soon Nokes has to make a terrible choice: keep running or face her past head-on . . . and maybe even come to terms with her Indigenous heritage.