The Most Anticipated YA Reads of April

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The Most Anticipated YA Reads of April

Posted by Sharon on March 30, 2022

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As dedicated readers already know, some of the best and most innovative stories on the shelves come from the constantly evolving realm of young adult fiction. Every month our team looks at the books being published and how they're resonating with early readers, as measured by Want to Read shelvings and initial reviews. We use this information to put together a roundup of soon-to-be favorites.
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New in April: Christine Lynn Herman untangles a Long Island murder mystery in The Drowning Summer. Robbie Couch mixes queer romance and high school politics in Blaine for the Win. And Riley Redgate ponders the end of the world in Alone Out Here. Also: prank wars, ghostly grandmas, and interdimensional hotels. 听
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Add the books that catch your eye to your Want to Read shelf and let us know what you're reading and recommending in the comments!

Hotel Magnifique
by Emily J. Taylor

Blending urban fantasy and -inspired historical fiction, Hotel Magnifique has an inarguably cool premise: The legendary Hotel Magnifique exists in the Elsewhere and appears in a different destination each morning. The inn offers all sorts of magical diversions, for guests who can afford it. It also has a terrible and deadly secret, one that threatens all who encounter the place. And teenage sisters Jani and Zosa just got hired鈥�.

She Gets the Girl
by Rachael Lippincott听and Alyson Derrick

Five Feet Apart author Rachael Lippincott and debut writer Alyson Derrick team up for this lesbian romantic comedy about two young college women with a plan. Alex Blackwood is headstrong and flirty. Molly Parker is awkward and shy. A curious kind of mentorship bargain is struck, in which each will help the other target their respective objects of attraction. Helping Cupid aim his bow can be fun, but you have to watch where you point that thing.

An Arrow to the Moon
by Emily X.R. Pan

Emily X.R. Pan, author of The Astonishing Color of After, returns with a new fantasy romance inspired by Shakespeare and Chinese mythology. An Arrow to the Moon borrows its shape from the immortal story of Houyi and Chang'e, but Pan likes to scribble outside the lines. For instance, our hero Hunter Yee is an elite-level archer who gets occasional help from a supernatural wind. Our heroine Luna Chang is dealing with a recurring storm of fireflies. Then there鈥檚 the troublesome giant chasm forming underfoot鈥�.

This May End Badly
by Samantha Markum

As anyone who has fought them can tell you, prank wars are dangerous things. The temptation to escalate is just too powerful. Doe, pranking mastermind at the elite Weston girls鈥� school, is learning this the hard way. Her ongoing prank war with the boys at nearby Weston Academy is getting a little too fierce鈥攁nd a little too personal. Fake boyfriends are involved. Debut author Samantha Markum has the details in the presciently titled This May End Badly.

Some Mistakes Were Made
by Kristin Dwyer

In writing, the passive voice often comes in handy. For instance, instead of 鈥淚 made a mistake,鈥� you can say 鈥淢istakes were made,鈥� and avoid all that irrelevant specificity about who did what. New author Kristin Dwyer investigates this theme with her debut novel about rash decisions, unfortunate consequences, and lingering heartache. Ellis and Easton have been inseparable since childhood. Can they mend their broken relationship? Bonus trivia: Author Dwyer is a part-time hair model.

The Drowning Summer (The Devouring Gray)

The Drowning Summer
by Christine Lynn Herman

An intriguing mix of urban fantasy, queer romance, and murder mystery, The Drowning Summer starts with the murder mystery part: Three Long Island teenagers are found dead, killed by drowning, with sand dollars over their eyes. It鈥檚 up to Mina and Evelyn to solve the mystery, which turns out to involve spirit mediums, summoned ghosts, and rising sea levels. It鈥檚 all good witchy fun from the author of The Devouring Gray and The Deck of Omens.

Every Word You Never Said (A Noahverse Story)

Every Word You Never Said
by Jordon Greene

Jacob Walters knew there would be trouble when he came out over the summer. And so there was, especially when Jacob鈥檚 father freaked directly out. But the new school year has brought new acquaintances, like shy, skirt-wearing, transfer student Skylar Gray. The school bullies don鈥檛 like Skylar. Well, Jacob doesn鈥檛 like bullies. Sometimes taking a stand can be fun.

Alone Out Here
by Riley Redgate

It鈥檚 the year 2072, and the human race has just a few more months left on planet Earth. The high-tech spaceship Lazarus, fully prepped and ready to launch, is our species鈥� last hope. But when the apocalypse arrives early, a group of touring teenagers鈥攖he sons and daughters of Earth鈥檚 best leaders and scientists鈥攁re blasted into space instead. Author Riley Redgate (Seven Ways We Lie) takes a detour into science fiction with this innovative 21st-century what-if story.

Blaine for the Win
by Robbie Couch

Blaine Bowers is having a bad day. His boyfriend Joey鈥擶icker West High School鈥檚 student council president鈥攈as just dumped him. On their one-year anniversary. In public. Dude, that鈥檚 cold. Joey, it seems, doesn鈥檛 think that Blaine is serious enough in his ambitions. Determined to prove him wrong, Blaine launches a campaign to become student council president himself. The plan has a certain rounded elegance, don鈥檛 you think?

Flirting with Fate
by J.C. Cervantes

Veteran author J.C. Cervantes (The Storm Runner series) makes her YA romance debut with this heartwarming tale of love, family, and magic. Ava Granados is the most recent beneficiary of a magical blessing that鈥檚 been passed down to the women in her family for generations. But something鈥檚 a bit off with the last transmission. With her deceased Nana acting as a kind of spirit guide, Ava must overcome her own fears and reach out to a mysterious boy鈥�.

Which new releases are you looking forward to reading? Let's talk books in the comments!

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