Happy Summer!
We here at YA Books Central are looking to help you keep cool. We’ve teamed up with wonderful publishers to organize a great giveaway to make it happen!
Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August. – Jenny Han
Title: Breakout
Author: Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon
Publisher: Quill Tree Books
Release Date: 6/2/2026
Trapped at a luxurious resort off the coast of Florida, a group of elite teens are about to have a spring break they will never forget . . . but not all of them are coming home. The star-studded team of authors behind New York Times bestsellers Blackout and Whiteout returns with a thriller full of intrigue, betrayal, and heart-stopping romance.
For Thurgood Marshall Academy’s best and brightest–five friends who’ve been thick as thieves since kindergarten–this spring break is all about forgetting: they want nothing more than to wash away last year’s tragedy, and the human-shaped hole it left in their friend group.
It’s a hole the new kid, Anthony Brooks, seems to fit right into. So when he invites the Five to join him on a private island for a week at his dad’s luxury resort, they agree with zero hesitation. No one’s counting on a freak tropical storm swooping in and killing the vibe. And speaking of killing, they’re also ill-prepared for the mounting collection of dead bodies… including (another) one of their own.
As their dream trip unravels, everything they tried to leave behind–secrets, lies, betrayals, dead best friends–seems to be washing up on the shore of their lives for everyone to see. Will any of them make it out alive?
From the bestselling, award-winning team behind Blackout and Whiteout—Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon—comes a thriller that begs the question: is it possible to outrun the worst thing you’ve ever done?
- Murder-Mystery Meets Romance: Sparks fly and hearts collide over the course of one thrilling week. But can love survive when trust shatters and lives are on the line?
- Forced Proximity: Trapped on a private island, this close-knit group of friends are about to stretch tensions to the snapping point. There is no escape from danger or desire!
- Luxury With a Side of Lies: Be swept away by the glittering lifestyles of the one percent–and captivated by the intrigue and deadly secrets that lurk beneath their shimmering surfaces.
Title: Their Will Undone
Author: RJ Valideperas
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: 6/2/2026
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 Amaru, it is an honor to be chosen in the annual harvest and serve the gods’-favored emperor. Nina’s brother has already been chosen, but when the emperor’s men come a second time for her sister, Nina volunteers instead. She is taken to the acllahuasi, a gilded cage where women train to become servants or wives for the ruling class. It is there that a soldier comes to collect her, and Nina learns of her fate—to become a wife…to the emperor.
As the emperor’s trusted friend and soldier, Kasik is ordered to retrieve Nina and deliver her untouched. But the emperor’s betrothed is not as he expected. The distrust between Nina and Kasik is thicker than the trees surrounding them, and Kasik’s honor is put to the test when their path back to the capitol leads them into dangerous territory. Their lives and hearts are in peril as forbidden desires are unearthed, along with a stirring of dark magic in Nina that inexplicably ties her to the gods.
What begins as a simple task becomes a tense journey that forces Nina and Kasik to confront where their true loyalties lie—with the emperor and the fate of their people, or with the desires of their own hearts.
- Historical Inspiration: This story was inspired by the Inca Maiden of Llullaillaco.
- Betrothed’s Best Friend: When Nina arrives to the capital city, she’ll be married to the emperor of Amaru—who happens to be Kasik’s best friend.
- Forbidden Romance: Nina is engaged to the emperor. Kasik is a soldier in his army. Even so, they can’t deny the sparks that erupt between them.
- Forced Proximity: Nina and Kasik must work closely together to travel across the dangerous terrain leading to the capital.
Title: Medicine Wheels
Author: Byron Graves
Publisher: Heartdrum
Release Date: 6/2
The American Indian Youth Literature and Morris Award-winning author of Rez Ball returns with the unforgettable story of a gifted young Ojibwe athlete learning to ride in his father’s footsteps while practicing for a skateboarding championship.
When Bryce’s mom walks out on her abusive boyfriend and back into jail for breaking her probation, he’s left facing the summer of his junior year with no parents, no phone, and only the clothes on his back.
With nowhere to call home, Bryce crashes at his grandparents’ house on Wolf Creek reservation. Wolf Creek is full of memories and old friends—including Robbie and Mikayla, who hang out at the local skate park.
Skateboarding reminds Bryce of his late dad: carefree, riding like he could fly. If Bryce could learn to ride like that, he’d take his crew to the top of the skateboarding championship at the end of the summer, and finally prove he’s not a loser, especially to the online-famous, captivating Mikayla. Summer is looking up, even as he’s falling on his face.
But when a fresh loss takes Bryce down, he’ll need to learn to lean on his Ojibwe community to get back on the board. Only then can he discover his father’s real legacy—and the true meaning of unconditional love.
Title: Libertad
Author: Cassandra James
Publisher: Quill Tree Books
Release Date: 6/16/2026
In this conclusion to a sweepingly epic seafaring romantasy duology—perfect for fans of Daughter of the Pirate King, Curious Tides, and The Hurricane Wars—Ximena Reale is trying to bring down an empire. But with her loyalties torn, she finds herself grappling with the true price of freedom…and love.
Alongside her sister, Ximena Reale now sails under the banner of the legendary pirate Gasparilla. But, between the bounty on “Gasparilla’s” head and the Empire’s renewed efforts to stomp out piracy, the sisters’ fellow pirates are suddenly wary of swearing allegiance to their cause.
After a betrayal in the one place they were supposed to be safe, Gasparilla’s crew hits the high seas again and Ximena is reunited with Cazador Dante de León. Her longtime rival has been tasked with capturing her, and Ximena doesn’t know if she can trust the information he’s feeding her about the empire’s plans to take over the Northern Archipelago’s silver mines. “Gasparilla” heads north to rob the robbers, but the Empire has a few nasty tricks up their sleeves—including putting a traitor in the pirates’ midst.
With the armada closing in, Ximena finds herself scrambling to protect the people she loves. The price of freedom is higher than it’s ever been—but is Ximena willing to pay, even if it costs her everything?
- The Pirate’s Life for Me: Since learning the truth about her family, Ximena has turned to piracy, just like her sister and parents did.
- Forbidden Romance: Dante is sworn to the Cazadores, hunters who track down pirates. Any feelings he had for Ximena are now strictly forbidden.
- Who to Trust: Though she might have feelings for Dante, Ximena isn’t sure if she can trust the information that he is feeding her.
- Seafaring Adventure: Ximena and her crew embark on another adventure to challenge the Luzan Empire.
Title: Winners & Liars
Author: Aleema Omotoni
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: 6/30/2026
Knives Out meets Death at Morning House in this thrilling standalone mystery layered with family secrets, the whitewashing of history, and a high-stakes literary competition for the keys to a Victorian-era English estate—from Aleema Omotoni, the NAACP Image Award-winning author of Everyone’s Thinking It.
Derin’s acceptance into Cambridge University is the end of an era—just not the one she expected.
When she and her ultra-competitive Uni prep group, the Kenfield Set, were first invited to Professor Darnley’s summer ball, they planned on celebrating the group’s success, surrounded by the riches of his historical Kenfield estate—not kicking off the festivities with the professor’s will reading.
But when the Darnleys’ aristocratic children are disinherited, the students are offered the opportunity of a lifetime: compete in a Victorian, literary-inspired inheritance competition to be named the new heir—winner takes all!
For Derin, it’s a chance to help her working-class family. But the remaining Darnleys won’t take losing their stately home and its multimillion-pound inheritance lying down. And added to the mix, a mysterious note is slipped under Derin’s door alluding to a dark family secret lying in wait.
Now Derin must balance the cutthroat games; scheming relatives; and a cute Kenfield intern amid her dawning realization that the history of this inheritance might be soaked in lies . . . and blood.
Title: THE RIVER SHE BECAME
Author: Emily Varga
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Release Date: 6/30/2026
A high stakes, action-packed romantasy from bestselling author Emily Varga where a relic-hunter searches for an ancient fae object to restore the magic to her world, but must learn to trust her own powers—and her heart.
This limited luxe edition features gorgeous foil design on the cover and case, a dazzling edge design and an exclusive map―available while supplies last!
I’m going across the River. And I’m going to save us all.
Yaseema is a brilliant scholar and loyal servant of the Empire—or so they think. By day, she catalogs the fae relics of her conquered kingdom. But by night, she reclaims the artefacts in secret to restore magic to her dying land.
Until she finds the long lost key to cross the River into the fae world and save her people. But a ruthless realm awaits her there, ruled by monsters wearing beautiful skin—especially the cold-eyed captain who sees through her lies. But even he isn’t what he seems—under the guise of upholding a cruel regime, he works to overthrow it from the inside. To succeed, he needs the same lost relic Yaseema seeks: the crown of an ancient Fae Queen.
With magic that is a mystery even to her, Yaseema can help him find the crown and save his family from a fate worse than death. Unless she steals it first to help her own.
To survive, they must work together to outwit ancient curses, battle creatures born of nightmares, and find a power that could resurrect their worlds. But as secrets unravel and loyalties blur, they face the greatest danger of all: losing their heart to each other.
Perfect for fans of The Cruel Prince and The Mummy, this thrilling start to a new fantasy duology bursts with dangerous romance, heart-stopping twists, and a heroine who dares to steal back her future.
Title: HER SHARP EMBRACE
Author: Kate Koenig
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Release Date: 6/9/2026
The first in a sweeping queer fantasy duology set in a shimmering, New Orleans-inspired world.
In the glittering city of New Soleil, beauty masks danger at every turn. The Nightshades, a crew of magical outlaws, are no different. Their glamorous facades conceal the terror they strike into the hearts of the rich and powerful as they steal from the corrupt and fight for the forgotten.
Noa Toussaint fled her cossetted life as a Saint to join the Nightshades. Infatuated with their ferocious leader, Lennon, Noa aims to capture her heart and keep it. Her talent for alchemy is valuable, but her connection to her family puts all of the Shades in danger.
Now enemies are closer than Lennon knows and Noa must uncover the threat and keep them both alive. Because in a city where lies are lethal and magic is fading, secrets aren’t just costly—they’re deadly.
Title: Cursed Princess Club: Mirror, Mirror
Author: Michelle Knudsen
Publisher: Wattpad Books
Release Date: 6/23/26
For fans of Lambcat’s enchanting WEBTOON comes a novel adaptation series in the vein of Serena Valentino’s Disney Villains series or the Mariko Tamaki’s Lumberjanes novelization. Delve deeper into the world of the Cursed Princess Club.
Welcome to the world of the Cursed Princess Club where things aren’t quite as they seem.
Gwendolyn is a princess. She lives in a castle, her father is the king, and her siblings love her . . . it sounds like a fairy tale, yet it’s not that simple. Gwen isn’t your typical princess, and she isn’t conventionally attractive. But when she meets the members of the Cursed Princess Club, they help her recognize that not “fitting the mold” doesn’t make her less of a princess.
In this second book of the series, Prince Frederick is beginning to question if he deserves Gwen. She’s been so kind to him, but he hasn’t always been nice to her, and he’s starting to realize that appearances aren’t everything.
Meanwhile, Gwen is introduced to the Princels—princes who have shunned society because of their own insecurities, insecurities she can understand.
With the same charming and delightful heart as the comics, the adventures of Gwendolyn and the other Cursed Princesses continue in this novel series adapted by best-selling author Michelle Knudsen.
Title: Bite Me
Author: Alicia Wallace
Publisher: Wattpad Books
Release Date: 8/4/26
Perfect for readers of YA romantasy featuring enemies-to-lovers, vampires, and werewolves as well as readers looking for LGBTQ+ stories.
High school is hard enough—and for Kieran, being a seventeen-year-old vampire certainly doesn’t help. What starts as a typical day in art class takes a turn for the worst when he meets his new classmate Mason, and all Kieran can feel is overwhelming hatred. But at the same time, a different kind of tension keeps pulling the pair mysteriously closer together . . .
When Kieran finds Mason injured in his home woods, he stays at the werewolf’s side despite himself, and the night ends in a steamy kiss that surprises them both. Suddenly disdain turns to attraction. There’s just one problem: Mason is a werewolf, and vampires and werewolves are meant to be sworn enemies, but it’s hard to keep up appearances when every part of them aches to be together. With watchful eyes around every corner, each kiss becomes more dangerous—each bite more unpredictable. With the threat of being exposed hanging over them, these star-crossed lovers must make the fateful choice between head and heart, or risk losing what matters most.
Title: Love Bites, Vol 1
Author: Alicia Wallace; Adapted by Ele
Publisher: WEBTOON Unscrolled
Release Date: 8/4/26
Perfect for fans of supernatural romance and monster love stories, this graphic novel features two mortal enemies, a vampire and a werewolf, falling for each other.
As a teenage vampire, Kieran has always been warned to stay away from werewolves, but everything changes when he falls for Mason—the Alpha’s son.
What started off as disdain, lines drawn in the sand between two opposing sides, quickly turns to fascination after the two share one fateful kiss.
Kieran and Mason know they can’t be together, their communities would never approve. And with every hidden kiss and rendezvous, keeping their secret takes on a whole new set of problems.
Avoiding the eyes of both society and Kieran’s extremist family grows more and more challenging, and as silver blades sharpen, the two must choose to stand up for a love worth fighting for.
From Wattpad to WEBTOON! Sink your teeth into Bite Me in a brand new way—as a WEBTOON graphic novel as Love Bites!
Title: The Game of Oaths
Author: S.C. Bandreddi
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Release Date: 6/2/2026
Title: The Assassin’s Guide to Dating
Author: Natalie C. Parker
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Release Date: 7/14/2026
Tru and Lila confront shadowy new enemies, dangerous powers and maybe even their first date in this high-octane sequel
At the secretive Underhill agency for those with superhuman abilities, Tru and Lila—a virtually indestructible bastion and an explosive bombshell, respectively—are trying to navigate their talents, careers, and budding relationship. But the perception of bombshells like Lila has soured—their actions, and even their heart rates, are now heavily monitored, and no one trusts a bombshell not to go off. All this scrutiny is hindering not just Lila’s missions but also her attempts to finally go on a real date with Tru. After all, romance can quicken a pulse just as much as danger! As Lila’s bitterness escalates, she meets Ryan, a talented young man from an organization with a lawless reputation who tells her to call him if she gets tired of following the rules. But who is Lila, if not someone who follows all the rules? Is she the person feared by the community stifling her, or the person seen by the ruthless stranger promising freedom and power? This is a fast-paced thriller with high romantic stakes and unforgettable characters.
Title: Queen of the Gods
Author: Katharine Corr and Elizabeth Corr
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Release Date: 8/4/2026
After defying Hades, Deina must choose: become a goddess, or fight for her humanity. The epic mythological fantasy that started with Daughter of the Underworld reaches its heart-pounding conclusion.
Betrayed, Deina is now bound to the Underworld—and Hades wants her to stay. Hades promises immortality, power, and even the chance to be with her friends forever, including Theron, for whom Deina’s heart aches. But Deina refuses. In giving up her humanity to become a goddess, she would be beholden to Hades, and her friends would become mere playthings—dead playthings. After defying the wrathful deity, Deina needs an ingenious plan and plenty of allies if she’s going to escape her fate. The answer may lie in a storied artifact—a powerful torc made by Hephaestus himself, which was broken into pieces and hidden by Tyche, the goddess of luck. Unfortunately, monstrous Aristaeus is searching for the torc as well, with visions of harnessing its power to turn the Theodesmioi into his unstoppable army. Deina and her friends must stop him at any cost—and the cost may be high, indeed. Thrilling clashes, sumptuous settings, and heartrending sacrifices are woven throughout this unforgettable tale of mortals and gods, love and ambition.
Title: A (Dead) Thing Like Me
Author: E.G. Young
Publisher: Holiday House Press
Release Date: 8/18/2026
A teenage ghost in love with life becomes bound to the house of the grieving artist who summoned her via Ouija board in this darkly funny YA paranormal.
One hot dog with banana peppers. That’s all Hot Dog wants. An invisible teenage ghost, she haunts a food cart outside the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Until one night, she’s accidentally summoned via Ouija board to a house party in Florida . . . where finally finally finally, people can see her.
All the party guests scatter, except for Logan: the cool artist girl who doesn’t just see Hot Dog, she actually wants to talk to her. Logan, who isn’t scared of Hot Dog’s stitched mouth or chattering dress. Logan, who’s grieving her own dead BFF—and called Hot Dog by mistake.
Hot Dog wants to prove it’s not a mistake.
She can be Logan’s new best friend. She can go to Logan’s Halloween party. She can eat snacks, have sleepovers, and hang out. She can definitely smile without scaring people. Exactly like a real, human girl.
There’s one problem: Hog Dog’s not a real, living human girl, and something in Logan’s sprawling house knows it. It scratches like rats in the walls. It opens a secret door in Logan’s attic. It wants to drag Hot Dog into the nothingness where dead things go. And unless Hot Dog can confront the dark truth of how she died, it will unmake Logan too.
Gorgeously strange and stunningly written, this YA paranormal masterfully melds camp and creep into a beyond-the-grave coming-of-age.
Title: Left on Read
Author: Marissa Eller
Publisher: Holiday House Press
Release Date: 8/4/2026
In this rivals-to-lovers romcom from Marissa Eller, overachiever Nova wants one thing: to be the top student in her school. So when a student who could beat her turns up, she tries to keep her eyes on her own paper. . . and off this infuriatingly perfect boy.
School is everything to Nova—literally everything, since she’s missed out on all of the Traditional High School Things in pursuit of academic success. Her senior year is going to be perfect, and so is she… because she’s pushing herself to her physical and mental limit. All she needs to do is ignore her mounting anxiety! Which is probably clinical! La la la!
But Hayes—her ultrasmart, ultra-annoying rival for valedictorian—is making her year far less perfect than she imagined.
He’s after that top spot, and he doesn’t care who he has to shove outside. But when Nova and Hayes are paired up for a group project on student mental health, Nova discovers that he might be the only one who understands what she’s going through. The burnout. The self-doubt. The unrelenting grind. Together, they can stand up to the pressures of academia, family, and the way most traveled… if they partner up in more ways than one.
Title: Library’s or Lattes
Author: Lila Hazell
Publisher: Holiday House Press
Release Date: 8/25/2026
A cozy, swoony autumn romance with a Sliding Doors twist, perfect for readers of Jenny Han and Lynn Painter. Like Pumpkin Spice & Everything Nice for this fall!
One season, two choices for love. . .
Willa’s small town is at its best in the fall. Think crisp air, golden leaves, bonfires, hayrides, and pumpkin spice. It’s cozy and comforting, pretty much perfect, but sometimes Willa wonders if she’s destined for more.
Then she’s left some money by a distant aunt, with one condition: It must be used to see the world. The rest of the book unfolds in alternating chapters where she makes one choice or another about this inheritance.
In one strand, Willa decides to study travel journalism, but she has to hit the books if she wants to be accepted into a program. That why she spends her weekends in the library, where Theo, a grumpy out-of-towner, also hangs out. He may think everything in this town is beneath him, but. . . there’s something irresistible about him when he smiles.
In the other strand, Willa begins planning a perfect round-the-world trip. Meanwhile, she’s working at her favorite coffee shop. . . where she suddenly gets a new boss, monosyllabic James, who’s back in his hometown to nurse a broken heart.
Each potential choice leads Willa to love, and the final chapter is classic happily ever after.
Title: The Hyacinth Labyrinth
Author: Jamie Pacton
Publisher: Peachtree Press
Release Date: 6/2/2026
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!
Title: Believarexic (re-release)
Author: JJ Johnson
Publisher: Peachtree Press
Release Date: 6/29/2026
Asking for help is only the first step.
Jennifer can’t go on like this—binging, purging, starving, and all while trying to appear like she’s got it all together. But when she finally confesses her secret to her parents and is hospitalized at the Samuel Tuke Center, her journey is only beginning.
As Jennifer progresses through her treatment, she learns to recognize her relationship with food, and friends, and family—and how each is healthy or unhealthy. She has to learn to trust herself and her own instincts, but that’s easier than it sounds. She has to believe—after many years of being a believarexic.
Using her trademark dark humor and powerful emotion, J. J. Johnson tells an inspiring story based on her own experience when she was hospitalized for an eating disorder as a teenager. The innovative format using blank verse and prose, changes in tense and voice, and forms, workbooks, and journal entries mirror Jennifer’s progress toward a healthy body and mind.
Title: Hollow (Paperback)
Author: Taylor Grothe
Publisher: Peachtree Press
Release Date: 8/18/2026
Don’t Let the Forest In meets The Whispering Dark in a queer YA cult horror following a recently diagnosed autistic teen who becomes enmeshed in a community of outcasts harboring sinister secrets.
*GIVEAWAY DETAILS*
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