Summary via Publisher:

Maisie: hasn’t gotten her life back on track since her best friend died and she saw Owl, harbinger of ill tidings and doom.

Joel: Streaming prodigy with questionable decision-making who’s been exiled to a summer of kitten fostering.

Verona: will do anything to leave their trailer park behind, even watch a house she knows is haunted.

Owl: son of Big Owl, who can’t help who he is, or how much he cares about these aforementioned humans.

Their four stories intertwine with a ghost bent on justice, an adorable feline Animal Person, and a vengeful monster headed straight for them in this singular YA fantasy novel from Newbery Honor-winning Darcie Little Badger.

My Thoughts: Ghostly activity, kittens, and harbingers of ill tidings and doom are certainly an interesting combination and one that I thoroughly enjoyed. For starters, the format will be a welcome one for many readers. There are multiple styles of writing with traditional text and then a font that looked like handwriting was used on what appeared to be tinted lined paper. Even more intriguing was the inclusion of random illustrations and 20+ pages of comics scattered throughout. I don’t know why publishers believe that only middle grade novels should get illustrations and I think it’s a happy day when we get illustrations in YA.

Even though there is imminent doom from the beginning of the story, the book is still quite warm and cozy. It’s a testament to the love and caring relationships. Maisie and her family can rely on each other and will do anything for any of their loved ones. There are scary moments in the book, but the strong bonds and internal activity of the characters will be what likely lingers in readers’ minds.

There is loss and grief that Maisie and her family are working through, but there is a feeling of support and community there. There are themes of trust, love, and healing. In addition, the whole story is rooted in the place and Lippan Apache culture.

This book also manages to fill a need that I have noticed and that is more YA on the younger side. So many books now are focused on senior year or college. Maisie is sixteen and some of the book is in the past so she’s even younger then.

Recommendation: Get it as soon as possible. Children of Owl is a delightfully creepy mystery with a lot of heart.

Publisher: Levine Querido
Pages: 272
Review Copy: digital ARC via publisher
Availability: On sale October 6, 2026

Extra: Pre-order beadwork giveaway

Demonology for Overachievers by Lily Anderson
Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

Merritt Maldonado has done everything right. But for every club she’s founded, tree she’s planted, and sport she’s played, her academic nemesis Linus Lexington has been right there. By her side. Copying her every move.

And now they’re neck and neck for a coveted full ride scholarship. Desperate to gain an edge, Merritt finds herself making a deal with a demon. But when other applicants start dying in gruesome ways, Merritt realizes the demon is killing off her competition. And to make matters worse, she finds the demon’s mark on Linus.

Now Merritt and Linus’ souls are tied to the same deadly demon. With bodies piling up, they have to work together to break the pact, stop the killings, and maybe admit that the bond they share isn’t just supernatural…

Don’t Print This by Monica Chin
Page Street YA

Freshman year, Ace Li kissed his best friend, Akash Patel. The next day, Akash moved away without a word―and Ace was so brokenhearted he stopped eating.

It took years for Ace to recover, but he’s finally stable again. Ace drinks his protein shakes, swims every morning, and might even win the debate competition this year. He’s good. He’s forgotten that kiss―at least, that’s what he tells himself. Then Ace hears the news: Akash is back.

Akash has returned because his mother, the world-famous investigative journalist Radhika Malhotra, is missing, and she was last seen in this town. Ace tries to stay away, but the second he sees Akash, the feelings he’s suppressed bubble back to the surface. Then Ace happens upon some notes―notes about what Akash’s mother was investigating. If he retraces her steps, he might be able to find her. And if he does, maybe Akash will give him another chance.

As Ace follows Radhika’s trail, his stable life begins to crumble. He stops eating, and he starts receiving threatening, anonymous messages. If he goes public with what happened to Radhika and why, his entire town will have to pay the consequences. Winning Akash’s heart might cost Ace everything, but maybe that’s a sacrifice he’s willing to make.

Foreigners by E.L. Shen
Quill Tree Books

For centuries, the Chin family has kept its secrets.

In 1878, Duanfang knows he’s destined for greatness. He’ll do anything to uphold and protect the legacy of his Manchu family—even if it means hiding his past.

In 1965, Zheng Yi flies from Taiwan to New York City to have a shot at attending an American college. Thrown into a world of parties, prejudice, and a tumultuous romance, Yi worries that New York may be more than she can handle. But just as she is beginning to adjust, she must make a shocking decision that will irrevocably change her life and her future forever.

Today, Dawn Chin’s family is opaque at best, with heavy expectations and heavier silences. But an assignment to interview her grandmother is about to crack open her real family history: a legacy hundreds of years old, and a lie decades in the making . . .

Perfect Liars Book 1: Lies and Secrets by Alex Mírez
Wattpad Books

When Jude Derry arrives at the elite Tagus University, that’s the advice she’s given. She should have listened. It isn’t long before she realizes that everything revolves around three things: wild parties, hot gossip, and hooking up. And what lies at the center of it all? The university’s irresistible trio—the Cash brothers.

As influential and rich as they are cocky, brothers Aegan, Adrik, and Aleixandre have known nothing but power. Ruling campus has always been easy—until Jude devises an ingenious plan. In order to expose the hidden secrets of the Cash family, she must infiltrate their luxurious inner circle.

But sinking deeper into their complicated family, Jude finds herself becoming more entangled in a web of lies and intense power struggles. And when the line between truth and deception—hatred and passion—gets blurred, the stakes are suddenly higher than she’d bargained on. And when feelings are involved, everything gets more dangerous.

What began as a mission to uncover the dark mysteries of the Cash brothers launches Jude into an unexpected new reality where nothing is what it seems—and no one can be trusted.

To Our Untamed Core by Sonido Reyes
Versify

Centuries after the conquistadors claimed the Afueras for their own, Temo spends his life obeying the Holy Order’s decree, undergoing their sacraments to tame his supposedly violent nature.

The only rule he breaks: hiding that he’s trans. If that fact is discovered, Temo will face El Torneo, a brutal, fight-to-the-death game pitting the untamed against one another. No Afuereño who enters El Torneo ever escapes with their life.

But when Temo’s boyfriend is unexpectedly arrested and thrown into the deadly tournament, he’ll do anything to rescue Ollin from his gruesome fate, even if it means entering El Torneo himself.

Only there’s far more to this tournament than meets the eye—survival is just the beginning. When the cost of saving the one he loves the most might be higher than he ever imagined, is Temo willing to pay it?

Author: Jasmine Guillory

Genres:  Romance/Contemporary

Pages: 320

Publisher: Scholastic

Review Copy: ARC from publisher

Availability: Available Oct. 6^th

Summary: It’s the summer before her senior year of high school and Kat (Kitty to her family) planned to spend it reading good books, working on her college applications, and enjoying her independence. Instead, she’s stuck for an entire month with her family at a camp in the desert in Southern California.

When she stumbles across a staff party on the first night, she’s jealous of their joyful, uninhibited dancing. She hasn’t danced like that since two years ago, when she was forced to quit ballet, which she once loved more than anything. She’s determined to leave dance where it belongs — the past.

But Jordan, the handsome and magnetic hip-hop dance instructor, keeps dragging it into her present. As Kat begins sneaking around and lying to her parents to spend time with Jordan, she’ll have to ask herself — what is she willing to risk to finally feel free? And is it possible her feelings for Jordan could reignite her love for dance?

Review: Full disclosure – I’m a huge Jasmine Guillory fan, having read and own all her books, so you know I was excited when I found out that she was writing a YA romance. I had high expectations for this novel as Guillory can write an exceptional story that is full of heart. I was not disappointed. There were moments were I was angry at the events in the novel and even shed a tear at a heartwarming moment between Kat and her parents. The fact that “It’s Only Dancing” is a reworking of the 1987 movie Dirty Dancing really had me excited because I remember going to the theater when I was a teen and falling in love with the movie. I was wondering how Guillory would retell the story with modern teens in a modern setting. And reader….she did the thing. This was an excellent adaption of a beloved movie.

The concept of families traveling to “camps” for the summer is a forgotten notion, but Guillory makes it work as Kat’s parents are able to work remotely (and really, I think this concept is something that should come back). It’s the summer before Kat’s senior year so her parents decide the family should go to this camp to spend more time together before all of life’s changes commence.  Kat has also become withdrawn from an experience that led her to quit ballet and her parents hope this time away can help return her to the girl she used to be. They were right, in that sense, as when Kat meets Jordan and Toni, her journey towards healing begins. At the beginning of the novel she is very sarcastic and morose, and has very low self-confidence. She enjoys being an observer to life rather than live her life. Kat is truly going through the motions. Thankfully Guillory doesn’t draw out Kat’s pain and we learn early in the novel what happened that caused her to quit ballet and we spend the rest of the novel with Kat as her heart heals and she finds joy in dancing and in herself. Of course the romance is sweet too. And is age appropriate as both Kat and Jordan are rising high school seniors, whereas in Dirty Dancing the age gap was concerning. Jordan is such a “cinnamon roll” as the kids say as he is very caring about others and is very open, which makes the reason why he leaves camp (if you’ve seen the movie you know) enraging. However, the injustice for why he leaves camp actually pulls Kat and her family together and makes the ending of the novel so satisfying aside from the usual romance HEA.

“It’s Only Dancing” was everything I expected it to be. It was a great re-telling of Dirty Dancing that accurately captured our modern life and will be a book that will resonate with today’s teens.

September 1

Tell the Ghosts I’m Gone by Kalynn Bayron
Bloomsbury Publishing

Moll, Redd, Agnes, and Ossie are powerful-and dangerous. But they don’t want people to fear them. They’ve spent their lives trying to understand and control their supernatural gifts, trying to help people instead of hurt them.

That’s why they offer paranormal investigative services to anyone who needs them. But when the case of a missing young woman brings them to an old (and potentially haunted) Victorian mansion, soon it’s the four teens who are in the greatest danger. The secrets they uncover about the paranormal forces inhabiting the house may shed light on the darkness that exists at the edge of their powers and finally help them gain control-if they can make it out alive.

September 15

We Run the Night by Peace Mbengei
Soho Teen

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.

Styx: The River by Nikita Gill
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

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.

Ashes at the Altar by LaDarrion Williams
Labyrinth Road

Malik Baron has learned a lot since he first came to Caiman University: 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?

Anger is Only a Shadow by Elizabeth Acevedo
Quill Tree Books

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 where he’s away at college. Something’s been off with him for a couple of 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 up: will she follow the rules until her sentencing, or put her future freedom on the line?

False Face Josh Galarza
Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

Rusty is positive Todd with two D’s is a figment of his troubled mind. That’s the only explanation for why he breaks into musical numbers and lurks in the school bleachers to stare unabashedly at Burt, the cutest guy in school. But when Todd’s antics go a little too far, Rusty quickly finds himself in a dangerous situation. Little does Rusty know, the boy he’s head over heels for just might be the one to save his life.

By day, Burt Espinoza is the only out kid in school who’s ever maintained his social status. But by night, he is a real hero: a secret agent rescuing vulnerable queer kids in danger. His handlers (also his adoptive moms) are concerned he’s pushing himself too hard to be the man he thinks he needs to be. Now Burt has to prove that he’s ready for his biggest mission yet: saving the only boy he’s ever hurt.

Summary: Justine Kwong has always dreamed of becoming a Formula 1 champion. There’s just one problem: no female driver has ever done it before. So when she’s offered a coveted chance to race in Formula 3, she leaps at the opportunity. Sure, half the fans think she’s just there to fill a diversity quota, and her teammate—the infuriatingly cute Cameron Evans—mistakes her for an intern, but Justine knows her talent will leave them all in the dust.

But driving well isn’t the only prerequisite to getting noticed, and Justine’s forced to fend for herself in a sea of prejudice, paparazzi, and petty backstabbing. There’s a lot riding on her ability to navigate the complicated trackside hierarchy—like the open F2 seat that could be her ticket to the big leagues.

Except…when Justine and Cameron’s bickering gives way to unexpected chemistry, the boy she’s falling for may be the one person standing in the way of her dreams—because while they may be teammates, they are also each other’s biggest competitor. And with her only shot at glory on the line, this race could break more than just hearts.

Review: [As hinted by the summary, Justine faces a great deal of sexism, as well as some racism, over the course of the book. Classism is also touched on, and there is a scene where Justine gets very drunk.]

I know practically nothing about F1, but I do enjoy stories about people excelling in fields that are hostile to them, so I took a chance on The Fast Track. Author Angelica Cheng did a fantastic job of describing the stakes of each of Justine’s races, along with racing culture norms and expectations. Cheng provided just enough detail that I felt the increasing intra-team tension and generally understood impact of Justine’s individual performances on her overall season. The rest of the Orbital team and crew presented plenty of opportunities for additional conflict, plot, and character development outside of the racetrack.

And there was a lot of conflict. Justine is keenly aware of being the only girl in F3, and she gets both intentional and unintentional sexism thrown at her throughout the book. Some scenes are downright rough to read, and the subplot where everything comes to a head is both well-written and absolutely rage-inducing as a reader. There are a few moments where Justine is able to call out others’ treatment of her, but it doesn’t always work in her favor. That said, I was pleased with how this plot was resolved for Justine, even if it didn’t end up overturning racing culture as a whole.

If you like bickering almost-enemies in your romances, you’ll likely enjoy Justine’s relationship with Cameron. I liked how its rocky start gave way to genuine admiration and friendship, and the conflicts that arose between them felt grounded and weren’t there just to eat up the page count. There were some great scenes between them; I was particularly fond of when they each opened up to each other about the difficulties they personally faced in the sport. By the end of the book, I felt that their romance would survive their continued competitiveness without forcing one or the other to yield, which I had been a little worried about. Cheng used this romance subplot to enhance the conflicts in Orbital and F3 in general, which strengthened the overall pacing of the book.

Recommendation: Get it soon if you are into racing or sports books in general. Angelica Cheng’s The Fast Track is an interesting take on a teenage girl breaking ground in a traditionally male sport that doesn’t flinch away from how difficult and demoralizing it can be to be the “first” or the “only” in a field. Justine’s fight to be taken seriously on her own merits has some genuinely great moments, and I appreciated the hopeful note the book wrapped up on.

Extras: Interview With Angelica Cheng (The Fast Track) at YA Books Central

Interview with Angelica Cheng, Author of The Fast Track at YA Outside the Lines

Wicked Endeavors by Kamilah Cole
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Caya was once the ward of Coventry’s royal family…until they were killed by the three witch Houses that now rule the peninsula.

Now eighteen, Caya plans to infiltrate the witches’ glittering world to enact justice. With the help of a mysterious benefactor, she adopts the persona of Marisol Vinyet, a disarmingly beautiful aristocrat. As Marisol, she’ll attend the annual Coronet, a cutthroat social season during which witches increase their power by binding new members to their Houses. The Coronet will draw even the prince of neighboring Domingo—Tomás Castellan—to the peninsula just in time for “Marisol” to kill him. After all, his family set the witches upon Coventry in the first place.

But Tomás is more charming than Caya ever anticipated. Worse, her estranged childhood friend, Bas Arroyo, is the prince’s protector, and she struggles to control her complicated feelings for him.

To take down the witches from within, Caya will have to keep both her identity and her desperate heart under wraps: Although she’s made herself a weapon, she might be the one to bleed.

A Thousand Nights, Edited by Nafiza Azad and Intisar Khanani