This year has already seen the release of several YA books, ranging from the fiercely anticipated Sunrise on the Reaping to a slew of debut novels by authors dealing with the grotesque, the ordinary, or the grotesquely ordinary. The YA genre is widely loved by teens and adults alike, and young adult fiction continues to have something for everyone with these ten anticipated releases coming in the latter half of the year.
When We Were Monsters by Jennifer Niven
From the author of the heart-shattering All the Bright Places comes a new thriller about an elite New England boarding school, and the lengths one will go to feed their ambition. This novel centers on Effy and Arlo and their time in a secluded writing program with their mentor, Meredith Graffam. It is a story about how we seek redemption after staring in the face of our own monstrosity.
The Steps by Wendeline Van Draanen
The lines have been drawn by the Vossen clan, and once introverted Ruby must contend with the life left in the wake of her mother and aunt’s deaths. When dangerous things begin to happen, Ruby must rely on her playbook to save the Vossens from the scheming family known as The Steps. Can she checkmate The Steps and get her cousin on her side of the chessboard? Or will it be too late for the Vossen clan and their fortune?
Between the Walls by Caspian Faye
When his recently divorced father moves to a new town, James wants nothing more than to return to his old life. That is, until his presence awakens Nathaniel, a seventeen-year-old trans ghost boy from the 1700s. Can they cross the chasm between life and death, to see each other for who they really are? Or will the dark entity in the basement come lurking, ready to claim their souls for its own nefarious purpose?
Split the Sky by Marie Arnold
Trigger Warning: This title contains references to racism and child murder. Please exercise personal care when reading.
A Black girl living in a Texas sundown town must find courage in this harrowing tale of family, legacy, and sacrifice. Fifteen-year-old Lala Russell, a gifted cellist intent on getting out of her hometown, has social justice fatigue. She has also inherited her grandmother Sadie’s gift of foresight. When Lala has a vision of a Black teenage boy being shot by a white homeowner, she must find and save him. That is, until Sadie has a vision of the protests after the boy’s murder, which lead to widespread social change. Lala is then faced with the question of sacrifice.
Through Our Teeth by Pamela N. Harris
Hope Jackson is dead, and it is up to three of her friends to solve her murder. Everyone thinks she took her own life, but Liv is not so sure. Recruiting Hope’s best friends, Kizzie and Sherie, Liv is determined to bring her boyfriend, Brendan, to justice. But doubt soon creeps in, and Liv begins to wonder if they are truly solving Hope’s suspected murder, or if she is helping cover Kizzie and Sherie’s lies.
A Steeping of Blood by Hafsah Faizal
In the anticipated sequel to Hafsah Faizal’s A Tempest of Tea, Arthie Casimir is picking up the pieces after a bloody night. The press are dead, the public wants justice, and the vampires are in danger. Arthie has no time to mourn. She must assemble her fractured crew for one last fight and face the ghosts of her past in Ceylan.
My Mother, the Mermaid Chaser by Jamie Ho Hoang
Paul yearns to know more about his mother while being haunted by a ghost, despite not believing in ghosts. Ngoc Lan is eleven when her family is fractured, and she and her sister are sent from Vietnam on a boat. Only she will survive, and grow weary of an American dream haunted by the death of her sister, an abusive marriage, and the deep ache of missing her homeland. This is a novel about intergenerational trauma, and a teenage boy discovering the lost pieces of himself.
Hello Sunshine by Keezy Young
In this graphic novel, a boy named Alex has gone missing from his small town. It is then up to his twin Jamie, boyfriend Noah, best friend Sky, and Jamie’s partner Izzy to find him. They are all harboring complicated emotions and will stop at nothing to find Alex. As the search for him deepens, secrets about his mother’s demons come to light, and may be the key they need to locate him.
All the Way Around the Sun by Xixi Tian
After her brother passes away, Stella Chen’s family is fractured. She is then moved from rural Illinois to San Diego, where she is left alone in the silence, with the knowledge of secrets simmering just below the surface. If things couldn’t get any worse, Stella is forced to join her estranged childhood friend, Alan Zhao, for a tour of California’s colleges. It is not long before Stella and Alan find themselves pulled into each other’s orbits.
The Transition by Logan-Ashley Kisner
Trigger Warning: This title contains references to transphobia. Please exercise personal care when reading.
A transgender teen’s life is derailed after he is bitten by a werewolf in his post-op recovery. Hunter and two of his best friends must then race against time to stop the creature from worming itself into his head. Hunter can let the voice have its revenge against his transphobic classmates, or he can fight alongside his friends for the life he’s already fought so desperately for.
These are just a few of the many upcoming YA books in the latter half of 2025. Be sure to check them out and add them to your TBR. Happy reading!
Interested in diving deeper into new young adult titles? Check out even more 2025 releases here.
Find these and more on our 2025 New Releases You Need to Grab Today shelf on Bookshop.
