40 New YA Books Releasing Before Spring That You'll Want To Get Your Hands On

    Marching bands, magic, mysteries, mirrors, Mamma Mia, and more are waiting for you in this season's newest reads!

    Rachel Strolle
    by Rachel Strolle

    BuzzFeed Contributor

    A lot of anticipated winter titles appeared on this list, so we absolutely recommend checking out that list once you've scrolled through this one!

    1. Here's to Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

    Seth Abel, Quill Tree Books

    Release date: December 28

    If you haven't read book 1, What If It's Us: Arthur is in New York for the summer. Ben is returning a box of his ex-boyfriend's things. When the two meet at the post office, neither knows what is in store for them as a pair. Separations, reunions, questionable dates, and all abound as the two try to make it work.

    What it's about: Two years after they split, Ben can't stop thinking about the fact Arthur is back in town, despite the fact that he's spent his first year of college on his fantasy manuscript with a writing (and kissing) partner, Mario. Arthur's got a boyfriend back home, but has headed to New York for a Broadway internship. As the two cross paths again, they wonder if the universe is pushing them back together.

    Get it from Bookshop or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    2. The Chosen One by Echo Brown

    Hachette, Echo Brown

    Release date: January 4

    What it's about: As high school valedictorian Echo adjusts to life at Dartmouth College, she quickly realizes that the reality of the school falls short of what it promised. Alas, it may not be the paradise of ideas it thinks it is, and it might not in fact lift every voice, but it might be a portal to different dimensions of time and space. The only way to find out for sure is if Echo accepts her calling as a Chosen One, and that will require her to try to heal her past and venture into a new future.

    Get it from Bookshop or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    3. The Ivory Key by Akshaya Raman

    Clarion Books, Emily Gillaspy

    Release date: January 4

    What it's about: Family drama abounds in this angsty treasure hunt fantasy that feels like should be the basis of an escape room. The only hope Vira, queen of Ashoka, has of reestablishing the magic in her world lies in the Ivory Key, an object of legend that is hidden in enemy territory. But to get there, she'll need to reunite with her estranged siblings, who all want the key for their own reasons (to sell, to clear a name, to prove loyalty) but will have to work together to succeed.

    Get it from Bookshop or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    4. When You Get the Chance by Emma Lord

    Wednesday, Traci J Brooks

    Release date: January 4

    What it's about: If the idea of a new Emma Lord book thrills you, delights you, and has you saying, "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" then you're going to have the time of your life the first week of 2022. Millie has a dream and it is to head to Broadway, something her introverted single dad is not wildly onboard with. But when she unearths her dad's 2003, surprisingly moody LiveJournal, she decides to try to find her mom. In a very Sophie Sheridan-esque scenario, Millie heads off to meet her destiny in quite a similar way, finding that her mamma possibilities are still-aspiring actor Steph, dance teacher Farrah, and stage enthusiast Beth. Toss in drama club rival, Oliver (but don't mention the Simmering Romantic Tension or the angel eyes, please), and when all is said and done, Millie's search for the past might just bring her back to what she has always had.

    Get it from Bookshop or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    5. My Fine Fellow by Jennieke Cohen

    Harperteen, Via jenniekecohen.com

    Release date: January 11

    What it's about: It's Pygmalion by way of Food Network in this 1830s-set retelling. Helena Higgins is the top of the class at the Royal Academy, determined to produce culinary greatness through an...untraditional project. Partnering with Penelope Pickering, who is set on proving the value of non-European cuisine, plans turn toward Elijah Little, a Jewish street vendor who they're determined to transform into a gentleman chef.

    Get it from Bookshop or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    6. Ashes of Gold by J. Elle

    Simon & Schuster Books, Via authorjelle.com

    Release date: January 11

    If you haven't read book 1, Wings of Ebony: After her mother is fatally shot, Rue is taken to Ghizon, a hidden island of magic wielders, to live with her father, leaving her younger sister behind. The only half-god/half-human there, Rue breaks a big rule (no leaving) and returns to Houston, Texas, where her sister is in danger from the very forces that took their mother. And when it turns out that the evil in her home and the evil in Ghizon are the same, Rue must embrace the full power of her ancestors to save her neighborhood from the gods.

    What it's about: For Rue, breaking out of a basement prison with no memory of how she got there is only half the battle. After reuniting with her friends, she sets off to find a way to return the magic to her father's people that was stolen by the Chancellor, all while trying to figure out if she's the right person to lead the fight.

    Get it from Bookshop or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    7. The Bone Spindle by Leslie Vedder

    MICHELLE DOTTER

    Release date: January 11

    What it's about: Treasure hunter Fi is exploring a long-lost ruin when she accidentally pricks her finger on a bone spindle. Now, she's saddled with the spirit of Briar Rose, a prince under a century-long sleeping curse, who is awaiting someone to break the spell. Fi, alongside northern warrior girl Shane, will have to fight through dark magic, bad exes, and Witch Hunters to free a kingdom and perhaps find love along the way.

    Get it from Bookshop or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    8. Vinyl Moon by Mahogany L. Browne

    Crown Books for Young Readers, Via mobrowne.com

    Release date: January 11

    What it's about: Vignettes, poetry, and prose come together to tell the story of Angel, who feels out of sync with Brooklyn after moving from California post-the incident. But despite everywhere else not making sense, in Mr. G's class, she finds stories — not just novels, but those her classmates share — that speak to her and help her begin to heal.

    Get it from Bookshop or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    9. Shattered Midnight by Dhonielle Clayton

    Disney-Hyperion, Jessica Andree

    Release date: January 18

    What it's about: Zora arrives in 1928 New Orleans after a tragic accident caused by her magic. Though music is her only means of escape, the powers make her a target, especially as a Black woman in the South. When she gets the chance to perform in a prominent jazz club, she comes across a sweet white pianist named Phillip and a strange mirror that foretells their future together. As they fall into a forbidden romance, they learn of a complicated connection between their families that could lead to Zora risking everything.

    Get it from Bookshop or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    10. Mister Miracle: The Great Escape by Varian Johnson and Daniel Isles

    DC Comics, Courtesy of the Publisher

    Release date: January 25

    What it's about: Scott Free's biggest goal is to head to Earth. Unfortunately for him, he's a student at the Goodness Academy, on the planet Apokolips, ruled by Lord Darkseid, where no one has ever left of their own free will. Or, well, alive. But despite having what he thinks is a foolproof plan, Scott finds himself falling for Big Barda, head of the Female Furies, and the one tasked with keeping him from escaping.

    Get it from Bookshop or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    11. The Red Palace by June Hur

    Feiwel & Friends, Julie Anna Tang

    Release date: January 25

    What it's about: Joseon (Korea), 1758. Hyeon is working as a palace nurse, hoping to one day win her estranged father's approval. But when Hyeon's closest friend and mentor becomes the prime suspect in the murders of four women who were killed in a single night, she wades into the world of investigating. Working with Eojin, a young inspector, they realize the truth points to the Crown Prince, and uncover deadly secrets in the corners of the palace.

    Get it from Bookshop or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    12. Into the Midnight Void by Mara Fitzgerald

    Little, Brown, Emily Frazier

    Release date: January 25

    If you haven't read book 1, Beyond the Ruby Veil: Emanuela, a socialite who knows how to get what she wants, lives in a world where the water is created by the Watercrea, who is able to create water from the blood of people who have these mysterious marks on their skin. If you get one of these marks, you have to turn yourself in, but until now, Emanuela has managed to keep hers hidden. When the Watercrea discovers her, the two fight and the Watercrea is killed, so Emanuela goes on the run and has to find a new way to bring water to her town.

    What it's about: Cracks are beginning to emerge in Emanuela's magic and reign, forcing her to ally with Verene, her arch nemesis. Unexpected reunions and new truths about their magic lead the girls to the discovery of an otherworldly authority outside the veils, threatening not just Occhia, but the other realms as well. This remarkable duology closes with this twisty thrill of a sequel.

    Get it from Bookshop or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    13. At the End of Everything by Marieke Nijkamp

    Sourcebooks Fire, Karin Nijkamp

    Release date: January 25

    What it's about: When the guards at The Hope Juvenile Treatment Center begin to act strange, and then just don't show up at all, the teens exiled there band together to break out. But they soon discover soldiers outside the gates, and learn that they're stuck at Hope due to a rapidly spreading infectious disease. And how do you survive a deadly plague in a world that never wanted you in the first place?

    Get it from Bookshop or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    14. The New Girl by Jesse Q. Sutanto

    Sourcebooks, Via jesseqsutanto.com

    Release date: February 1

    What it's about: On Lia's first day at Draycott Academy, a prestigious school she's attending thanks to a track scholarship, she witnesses a girl being carried away by campus security. She seems to be the only one phased by this, but as the days go on she learns there are more dangers at Draycott than she could have imagined...including a corrupt teacher, a golden boy with many secrets, and someone blackmailing her with the goal of getting her thrown out.

    Get it from Bookshop or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    15. Required Reading for the Disenfranchised Freshman by Kristen R. Lee

    Crown Books for Young Readers, Via goodreads.com

    Release date: February 1

    What it's about: Savannah worked incredibly hard throughout high school, at the cost of her social life, to ensure her acceptance at a top college. While she'd been thinking of an HBCU, she ends up with a full ride to Wooddale University, and heads off to find a world very different from the one they advertise. When a campus statue is vandalized with blackface, and the popular son of a local prominent family is the prime suspect, Savannah begins to unearth more of Woodale's racist history.

    Get it from Bookshop or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    16. And We Rise by Erica Martin

    Viking Books for Young Readers, Brandon New

    Release date: February 1

    What it's about: This book of poetry explores the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s. From "Separate but Equal" to Martin Luther King Jr. to lesser known figures and moments, these poems, alongside historical photographs, document the fight for justice and equality in a beautiful collection.

    Get it from Bookshop or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    17. Cold by Mariko Tamaki

    Shawnee Custalow, Roaring Brook Press

    Release date: February 8

    What it's about: Todd Mayer's body was discovered naked and frozen in a snow-covered park. Georgie didn't know him, but after hearing about his death, she can't stop thinking about it, and as a fellow queer outcast, she's determined to uncover the truth behind his death. And while she does that, Todd's ghost is recounting the events and choices that led to his demise.

    Get it from Bookshop or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    18. You Truly Assumed by Laila Sabreen

    Inkyard Press, Nohelia Valentin

    Release date: February 8

    What it's about: After a terrorist attack brings a new wave of Islamophobia into Sabriya's life, she turns to her online journal, You Truly Assumed, for comfort. But when it goes viral, fellow Muslim teens flock to it and find a community in it. Soon, Zakat and Farah join Bri running the blog — Zakat after her own haven is vandalized and Farah in the midst of a dreaded visit with her father and his new family — as it continues to grow. But when one of them is threatened, they must determine who is behind it, and whether to shut the blog down or to make sure their voices are still heard.

    Get it from Bookshop or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    19. Lulu and Milagro's Search for Clarity by Angela Velez

    Harperteen, LeeAnn Stromyer

    Release date: February 8

    What it's about: Sisters Lulu and Milagro are on a school cross-country college road trip from Baltimore to San Francisco. Lulu is there as part of her college plan, hoping to nail her interview for an internship at Stanford. Milagro isn't interested in school, but her Spring Break "Operation: Lose Your Virginity" plans got thwarted, and she's joining the trip to try to get back at her ex. But to unravel their futures, they'll have to uncover the secrets of their older sister, Clara, who went off to college and sparked a massive fight with their mother.

    Get it from Bookshop or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    20. Pixels of You by Ananth Hirsh, Yuko Ota, and J.R. Doyle

    Amulet Books, Courtesy of the Publisher

    Release date: February 8

    What it's about: Indira, a cybernetically augmented human, and Fawn, a human-presenting AI, have the same internship at a gallery. After the two have a large (and public) blowout, they are forced to work together on a project or never return to the gallery. As their rivalry turns into a slow friendship, the experience will transform them both as artists and as people.

    Get it from Bookshop or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    21. Bright Ruined Things by Samantha Cohoe

    Wednesday Books, Via goodreads.com

    Release date: February 15

    What it's about: In this smashing Shakespearean historical fantasy, Mae lives on the island, where magic is controlled by the Prosper family who are returning to the island for First Night. The celebration of the night Lord Prosper first produced aether, the magical fuel source that changed everything, provides an opportunity for Mae to try to get everything she's ever wanted — magic of her own, equal footing with her best friend, and finally being seen by her crush Miles. But the spirits of the island are dying, and the heir to the Prosper magic, Ivo, holds secrets about not just the truth Mae's world was built on but her own past.

    Get it from Bookshop or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    22. The Chandler Legacies by Abdi Nazemian

    Harperteen, Marc Ohrem-leclef

    Release date: February 15

    What it's about: Chandler is an elite boarding school where five teens — Beth, Sarah, Spence, Ramin, and Freddy — are brought together by their professor in the Circle, a writing group where they are instructed to tell their truths. Beth has returned after a year of judgment from Sarah, her roommate who knows there is more to that story. Ramin is a gay transfer student from Iran suffering from a brutal round of hazing. Freddy is a senior who has fallen hard for Spence and is determined to stand up to his friends after what happened to Ramin, while Spence knows the only thing that kept her from the same fate as Sarah was her family name.

    Get it from Bookshop or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    23. Rima's Rebellion by Margarita Engle

    Atheneum Books for Young Readers, Shevaun Williams

    Release date: February 15

    What it's about: Rima lives in 1920s Cuba, where illegitimate children like her are shunned and left out of conversations about suffrage and equality for women. When she's riding horses alongside her abuela and Las Mambisas, the women veterans who fought during Cuba's wars for independence, she feels more free than anywhere else. As Rima begins to join forces with others longing for freedom, she also comes across a young artist named Maceo and begins to fall in love for the very first time.

    Get it from Bookshop or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    24. From Dust a Flame by Rebecca Podos

    Balzer & Bray/Harperteen, Zaynah Qutubuddin

    Release date: February 22

    What it's about: Hannah's 17th birthday brings with it an unexpected transformation, a pair of golden eyes with knife-slit pupils. When her mother, who has kept her and her brother Gabe on the road nearly all their lives, sets off to find someone who can help, the siblings set out for the truth when she fails to return weeks later. To break the curse that continues to mutate Hannah, they'll have to delve into their family history, from their grandmother's childhood in Nazi-occupied Prague, to the realm of Jewish mysticism and legend.

    Get it from Bookshop or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    25. Only a Monster by Vanessa Len

    Harperteen, Via vanessalen.com

    Release date: February 22

    What it's about: Dark fantasy lovers rejoice! Joan is living with her late mother's eccentric family in London, working at the historic Holland House, and her cute co-worker, Nick, has just asked her on a date. But when she discovers that the eccentricities of her family is actually because they're monsters with hidden powers, she'll be forced to work with Aaron, the heir of a monster family that hates hers, to save herself and her family. And she might want to cancel the date with Nick, too, because it turns out he is a monster slayer, and will do anything to bring them down.

    Get it from Bookshop or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    26. Full Flight by Ashley Schumacher

    Wednesday Books, Via ashwritesbooks.com

    Release date: February 22

    What it's about: If you like your books to leave you ugly crying in your car after just thinking about it, weeks after you've finished, then you need this book. Fall is contest season for the marching band, and new saxophonist Anna is determined to prove herself. When she's assigned mellophone player Weston as a duet partner, she's slightly intimidated — after all, the town thinks he's nothing but trouble. But as the two, and the marching contest, grow closer, forces threaten to tear them apart.

    Get it from Bookshop or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    27. Daughters of a Dead Empire by Carolyn Tara O'Neil

    Roaring Brook Press, Elishia Merricks

    Release date: February 22

    What it's about: Russia is on the edge of civil war in 1918 following the execution of Tsar Nicholas, and this novel expertly tells the stories of a pair of girls caught in the center. Evgenia is a communist peasant girl in search of a doctor for her brother, accepting a diamond in exchange for taking a bourgeois girl as far south as possible. The latter, Anna, barely escaped the massacre that took the rest of her family from her, and is being hunted by the Bolsheviks. This fresh, thrilling take on Anastasia establishes that O'Neil is a debut author to watch.

    Get it from Bookshop or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    28. The Turning Pointe by Vanessa L. Torres

    Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, Via vltorres.com

    Release date: February 22

    What it's about: Rosa is the daughter of a tyrant ballet master father in 1980s Minnesota, and auditions for a concert with Prince have just been announced. While Rosa is desperate to get a position because she loves Prince, she also wants to prove herself outside of just her pointe shoes, and along the way might just find love in Nikki, who works in the dance shop.

    Get it from Bookshop or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    29. Loveless by Alice Oseman

    Scholastic Press, Via goodreads.com

    Release date: March 1

    What it's about: When Georgia gets to college, she discovers that she isn't alone in not crushing and kissing and making out like her friends do when she realizes she is asexual/aromantic. Along the way, Georgia is trying to unlearn the narrative that dating + sex = love, all while her theater group rehearses a batch of Shakespearean scenes.

    Get it from Bookshop or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    30. Okoye to the People by Ibi Zoboi

    Marvel, Via ibizoboi.net

    Release date: March 1

    What it's about: As one of the new recruits for the Dora Milaje, the royal guard that protects King T'Chaka of Wakanda, Okoye is sent on her very first mission. Accompanying the king on a humanitarian mission to New York, Okoye ends up helping teens in a forgotten Brooklyn neighborhood deal with addiction and gentrification.

    Get it from Bookshop or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    31. A Thousand Steps Into Night by Traci Chee

    Clarion Books, Via tracichee.com

    Release date: March 1

    What it's about: Until recently, Miuko was an ordinary girl who lived in the realm of Awara, where gods, monsters, and humans exist side by side. But after being cursed, she's starting to turn into a demon with a deadly touch. In order to reverse the curse, she'll set off on a quest, joined by a thieving magpie spirit and consistently thwarted by a demon prince. And along the journey, she'll realize that getting the curse broken means throwing herself back into a life that doesn't really fit her.

    Get it from Bookshop or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    32. All That's Left in the World by Erik J. Brown

    Harperteen, Via erikjbrown.com

    Release date: March 8

    What it's about: After a deadly pathogen killed off most of the world's population, Andrew stumbles upon Jamie's house with nothing left to lose. While both have lost everyone they've ever loved, they seem to trust each other easily, and flee south in search of civilization. But Andrew's story has holes in it, and Jamie is starting to fall for him, making their journey even more complicated.

    Get it from Bookshop or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    33. Forward March by Skye Quinlan

    Page Street Kids, Jen Quinlan

    Release date: March 8

    What it's about: There are three very good reasons that high school senior Harper wants to keep the fake gay dating profile someone set up as her under wraps. First, dating profiles for students are forbidden. Second, she's not sure she likes anyone like that, or if she likes other girls. And finally, that secret, once out, would affect her father's presidential campaign, one she doesn't think she wants him to win.

    Get it from Bookshop or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    34. Messy Roots by Laura Gao

    Harperteen, Via lauragao.com

    Release date: March 8

    What it's about: Laura Gao's graphic memoir chronicles a coming-of-age journey, from early childhood in Wuhan, to immigrating to Texas, and to the beginnings of the current pandemic. Throughout it all, young Laura tries to navigate the distance from Wuhan and her family there, parental expectations, and the fluttery feelings emerging when around girls.

    Get it from Bookshop or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    35. And They Lived... by Steven Salvatore

    Bloomsbury YA, Steven Salvatore

    Release date: March 8

    What it's about: Budding animator Chase is starting his first year of college, recovering from an eating disorder, and navigating his gender identity while competing with his ex-best friend for a mentorship opportunity. After he meets poet Jack, who grew up in a close-knit conservative family and is still discovering his sexual identity, Chase realizes he will have to learn to love and be enough for himself.

    Get it from Bookshop or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    36. Diamond Park by Phillippe Diederich

    Dutton Books for Young Readers, Via goodreads.com

    Release date: March 8

    What it's about: Flaco tries to stay out of trouble. But when he and his friends —Tiny, Magaña, and Susi — head to Diamond Park to buy a 1959 Impala convertible, things go wrong quickly, and Susi ends up covered in blood with a knife in her hands. Flaco and Magaña set off to make things right, heading to Mexico to look for Anaconda, a trafficker who they believe is the real killer.

    Get it from Bookshop or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    37. A Far Wilder Magic by Allison Saft

    Wednesday Books, Lisa DeNeffe Photography

    Release date: March 8

    What it's about: The Halfmoon Hunt is about to begin, a competition between duos to track and kill the hala, the last living mythical creature, and win fame, riches, and an ancient magical secret. Margaret Welty is the best sharpshooter in town, hoping to win in order to bring her mother home. Her team is completed by Wes, an aspiring alchemist who has been fired from every apprenticeship he's been granted. Despite the fact their team-up is unlikely, the two outsiders draw closer together, and will have to work together to win the hunt...and survive.

    Get it from Bookshop or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    38. The Truth About White Lies by Olivia A. Cole

    Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, Via oliviaacole.com

    Release date: March 8

    What it's about: When Shania moves to the gentrifying town of Blue Rock, after losing her beloved grandmother, she's sent to Bard, the wealthiest private school in the city. Though she's never thought much about being white, race at Bard is both invisible and hypervisible. As the school's queen bee, Catherine, takes Shania under her wing, and Shania learns more about the rumors surrounding golden boy Prescott and the altercation he had with a Black student who left the school, Shania discovers how deep her family roots stretch into the history of Blue Rock and will face the violence of her silence.

    Get it from Bookshop or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    39. Wrong Side of the Court by H.N. Khan

    Penguin, Mahad Aamir

    Release date: March 15

    What it's about: Fawad has big plans (asking out Ashley, making the school basketball team) and big dreams (being the first Pakistani drafted into the NBA). But there's also a lot of big things in his way (convincing his mother to let him try out for the basketball team, convincing his mother to let him date girls from his school and not arrange a marriage to his first cousin) in addition to his attempts to try and get the neighborhood bully, Omar, to leave him alone and the fact he's still trying to move past his late father's death.

    Get it from Bookshop or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    40. Right Where I Left You by Julian Winters

    Viking Books for Young Readers, Via julianwinters.com

    Release date: March 15

    What it's about: It's the last summer before Isaac heads off to college, and he's got a plan to spend as much time as he can with his best friend Diego — getting tickets for Legends Con and heading to Teen Pride. But a run-in with his old crush, Davi, means missing the on-sale window, leaving Isaac short two con badges. Plus, now to spend more time with Diego, he also has to spend time with Diego's gaming buddies. And when Diego is upset by something that happens between Davi and Isaac, Isaac will have to figure out how to repair his friendship before the summer ends.

    Get it from Bookshop or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.