Best YA New Releases to Devour this Winter
We are burrowing headfirst into the eye of winter right now, and book nerds like me know that that means maximum reading time in a warm and cozy Hobbit home buried under blankets and sipping some quality hot chocolate! Here are some more of the best winter YA new releases that I am planning to read when it’s cold outside—and maybe even snowing.
Windwitch (The Witchlands #2) by Susan Dennard – January 10
“Windwitch” by Susan Dennard
Did you happen to catch Susan Dennard’s epic and amazing fantasy novel, Truthwitch? If so, then you might already have Windwitch, the sequel at the top of your TBR. After an explosion completely destroys his ship, Prince Merik (a.k.a Windwitch) is dead—right? Not so fast! Merik survived and is bent on proving his sister’s treachery. Returning to the capital, Merik operates in the city’s underworld, helping others and biding time. In Windwitch, Merik goes on a wild bounty hunting ride, filled with relentless action, a hint of romance, and the stunning worldbuilding that only Dennard could write. This hefty novel (384 pages) will definitely keep your imagination busy this winter.
Poison’s Kiss by Breeana Shields – January 10
“Poison’s Kiss” by Breeana Shields
Another juicy fantasy novel to put on your YA new releases radar is Breeana Shields’ debut novel, Poison’s Kiss. Are you an assassin-novel junkie like me? Well if you’re trying to tide yourself over until the next Throne of Glass novel, you just might love Poison’s Kiss. Our fearless heroine is Marinda, whose kiss is lethal. She’s taken down tons of boys as part of her job as a top assassin, but one day everything changes when she is ordered to kill Deven, a guy she knows cannot possibly be on the Raja’s hit list. Marinda starts to wonder who she is really working for—and who can she trust. Is Deven really the man he appears to be? And what are these new feelings growing inside her… It’s a colossal collision of steamy chemistry, psychological suspense, and a heroine who is both badass and vulnerable.
Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth – January 17
“Carve the Mark” by Veronica Roth
I know, I know. I’ve been talking about Divergent author Veronica Roth’s new series debut, Carve the Mark, for months. And now that it’s out, you must be seeing the reviews… still not sure if this fantasy/sci-fi novel will live up to the hype! But, I’m intrigued. Akos and Cyra develop gifts just like everyone does in a distant galaxy. Rather than benefit from their gifts, Akos and Cyra suffer from them. At the same time, conflict is growing fast and steady between their two communities. When the two are forced into each other’s world, can they finally achieve peace for their people? Or will greater forces—like love—interfere? Dive into Veronica Roth’s Carve the Mark one chilly winter day and devour it in all its 480 pages of sweeping adventure and glory.
By Your Side by Kasie West – January 31
“By Your Side” by Kasie West
Because everyone needs a little romance sometimes, right? Kasie West has brought us some of the best YA contemporary romances in recent years, like P.S. I Like You and The Distance Between Us. In her latest novel, two opposites get stuck in the library for the weekend. Autumn Collins fully expects her boyfriend to come help her get out of the library, but he doesn’t, and the more time she spends with Dax Miller, the troubled, dreamy, sensitive guy she auto-judged as a bad boy, the more she discovers about who she is and what she wants from life and love. This novel’s premise alone—being locked inside the library over the weekend with a gorgeous and mysterious guy—is enough to put this delightful, heartfelt romance at the top of your TBR this winter.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas – February 28
“The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas
Wrap up the winter YA new releases with the electric YA contemporary novel that’s on everybody’s pre-order and holds list. Angie Thomas’ debut novel hits you in the gut and hits you good. Sixteen year-old Starr Carter is caught between two worlds: the affluent suburban prep school she attends and the poor neighborhood she goes home to each night. Starr tip toes through this delicate balancing act until she witnesses her childhood best friend, Khalil, be shot and killed at the hands of a white police officer. He was unarmed. Thrust into the spotlight with everything hinging on her word, Starr realizes she cannot juggle two opposing worlds any longer. Her search for identity crisscrosses the tension running through America. This searing novel asks you to confront your own morals with an unthinkable crime.
Girl of Fire by Norma Hinkens – Released Jan 10!
“Girl of Fire” by Norma Hinkens
And of course there’s my own brand new YA science fiction novel, Girl of Fire. In what can best be described as “a sci-fi, dystopian thriller trilogy with a whisper of romance, a heavy dose of adventure, and action galore,” Girl of Fire is a tale of dark dealings and treachery in space. Join me for the first installment in the all-new Expulsion Project; a high-stakes story of shocking secrets, and a gutsy heroine with grit and personality who takes on the seedy Galactic world of cutthroat body poachers, double-crossing space pirates and a malevolent self-actualizing software that has named itself Preeminence! With more than 35 five-star ratings on Goodreads, this is one non-stop thrill ride to propel you through the winter.