Prince of the Palisades by Julian Winters

When roguish Prince Jadon of Îles de la Rêverie is left in America to clean up his image after a horribly public break-up gone viral, romance is not on the table. Carefully planned photo ops with puppies? Yes. Scheduled appearances with the Santa Monica elite? Absolutely. Rendezvous with a pink-haired, film-obsessed hottie from the private school where he’s currently enrolled? Uhhhh . . .

Together with his entourage—a bitingly witty royal guard, Rêverie’s future queen (and Jadon’s brilliant older sister), and a quirky royal liaison—Jadon’s on a mission to turn things around and show his parents, and his country, that he’s more than just a royal screw-up. If he doesn’t prove that he’s the prince Rêverie deserves? Well, he may not be allowed home . . .

But falling for a not-so-royal American boy has Jadon redefining what it means to be a leader. If he can be someone’s Prince Charming just by being himself, maybe that’s all it takes to win over a nation. Or at least a prince can dream . . .

The White Guy Dies First ed by Terry J. Benton-Walker

13 SCARY STORIES. 13 AUTHORS OF COLOR.

13 TIMES WE SURVIVED THE FIRST KILL.

The White Guy Dies First is a powerful and entertaining collection for YA readers featuring thirteen scary stories in which the white guy dies first.

Killer clowns, a hungry hedge maze, and rich kids who got bored. Friendly cannibals, impossible slashers, and the dead who don’t stay dead....

A museum curator who despises “diasporic inaccuracies.” A sweet girl and her diary of happy thoughts. An old house that just wants friends forever....

These stories are filled with ancient terrors and modern villains, but go ahead, go into the basement, step onto the old plantation, and open the magician’s mystery box because this time, the white guy dies first.

Edited by Terry J. Benton-Walker, including stories from bestselling and critically acclaimed Adiba Jaigirdar, Alexis Henderson, Chloe Gong, Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, H. E. Edgmon, Kalynn Bayron, Karen Strong, Kendare Blake, Lamar Giles, Mark Oshiro, Naseem Jamnia, Tiffany D. Jackson, and Terry J. Benton-Walker.

Finding Famous by Candice Jalili

Ever since her mom died, Josie Lawrence has been content with her safe, predictable life. She hangs out with exactly two people: her best (and only) friend, Louise, and her stepdad, Matt. She has exactly one (unrequited) crush on resident high school himbo, Isaac. And she’s fully prepared to spend the end senior year preparing for Stanford and actively avoiding anything that reminds her of her mother.

But when Josie discovers that her biological father is the recently deceased Ali Mashad—patriarch of America’s original reality TV family, dripping with wealth, fame, and Vogue magazine covers—Josie’s “predictable” life is gone quicker than you can say “you’re doing amazing, sweetie.”

Being a Mashad means that the entire world is now at Josie’s feet—desperate to dress her, to photograph her, to know her—opening a door to a world that Josie never expected to find: one with a cute guy who just might be her soulmate, three ridiculous but wonderful sisters, and answers to all the questions she wishes she could ask her mom. But the biggest question of all is: If being a Mashad is the chance of a lifetime, will Josie be brave enough to take it?

Blog tour: Near Misses and Cowboy Kisses by Katrina Emmel

A swoon-worthy YA rivals-to-lovers romance between a Nebraskan cowboy and California girl, thrust together on the Oregon Trail.Anything’s possible under a prairie sky...Riley Thomas is feeling stuck—she’s moved from California to Nebraska, she’s on a weeklong Oregon Trail family bonding excursion, and her luggage is lost. There’s no one her age on the trip except a tall, dark and irksome cowboy who wrongly assumes she has zero ability to handle the great outdoors. She can’t wait for this misery to end—even though going“home” isn’t even possible anymore.

Lone wolf Colton Walker loves the simpler life of the plains and his family’s tourism business that helps protect them. He’s a stand-up guy—not a love ‘em and leave ‘em type like his rival, Jake. And he knows better than to take his chances with a prairie princess like Riley.

But Riley’s got more sense than Colton thinks–and he’s not nearly as inflexible as he seems.And under a wide prairie sky of puffy clouds and bright stars, everything comes into focus–including a cowboy’s heart.

Katrina Emmel’s Near Misses and Cowboy Kisses will take you on a sweeping journey across the American prairie . . . once you love a boy in a Stetson, you’ll never be the same.

Happy #BookBirthday! 25 July 24

Happy Thursday! This week there is ONE book on our lists publishing!

Flash Flood by Gabrielle Prendergast

When a flash flood leaves Zack and his younger foster brother stranded at home, it’s up to Zack to make sure they survive.

Seventeen-year-old Zack has been living with his foster parents, the Tates, for three years. He used to be an angry mess with a broken heart, but with their love and support he’s doing better now—and managing his ADHD. His foster brother, troubled fourteen-year-old Peter, arrived three months ago. Struggling with ADHD and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, Peter reminds Zach of himself before the Tates took him in.

During a massive rainstorm, Peter runs away. While the Tates are out searching for him, the town announces a mandatory emergency evacuation. The river is flooding! Peter finally shows up and Zack takes charge, gathering supplies and trying to make sure Peter is okay. As the water rises, Zack and Peter have to figure out whether to sit tight and wait or try to escape…before they get washed away.

Welcome to Dorley Hall by Alyson Greaves

Mark Vogel is like the older brother Stefan Riley never had, until one day he disappears, and Stefan has to adapt to life without him. But, one year later, when he runs into a girl who looks near-identical to Mark, Stefan becomes obsessed. He discovers that other boys have disappeared, too, dozens over the years, most of them students of the Royal College of Saint Almsworth, many of them troubled or unruly before their disappearance.

What is happening to these boys? Who are the handful of women on campus who bear a striking resemblance to some of those who went missing? And what is the connection to the mysterious Dorley Hall?

Stefan works hard to get into the Royal College for one reason and one reason only: to find out exactly what happened to the women who live at Dorley Hall, and to get it to happen to him, too.

A closeted trans girl attempts to infiltrate a secret underground forced feminisation programme.

Content note: this story engages with some reasonably dark topics, including but not limited to torture, manipulation, dysphoria, nonconsensual surgery, and kidnapping. While it isn't intended to be a dark or dystopian story, the perspective characters are carrying a lot of baggage, and the exploration of the premise might be triggering for trans readers.

Lucky Day by Beth Morrey

Work. Eat. Sleep. Repeat.

But not today. Today, the rules don’t apply…

After a morning that starts with a terrible migraine, an accidentally strong concoction of painkillers, and a bump on the head, Clover Hendry is not quite herself.

And as she walks out of work at 9.47am, for once Clover isn’t worrying about the consequences.

For once, she’s going to live for herself. . . if only for a day.

Full of a joyful recklessness, Clover Hendry is taking the day off. But will her new-found freedom uncover long-buried secrets?

Happy #BookBirthday! 18 July 24

Happy Thursday! This week there are FOUR books on our lists publishing!

The Last Bookstore on Earth by Lily Braun-Arnold

As the end of the world approaches, is there time for one final love story?

An apocalyptic storm has wreaked havoc on the world. Haunted by the memories of those she couldn't save, Liz returns to the only place she felt safe before the world fell away: the bookstore where she used to work. She settles into a routine - operating the shop as a trading post, welcoming stragglers who want to trade supplies for a book or leave behind messages for loved ones.

Then she learns another life-ending storm is coming and she's nowhere near ready. Until she finds an intruder breaking into the bookstore late at night. Enter Maeve, a guarded, spikey, and potentially dangerous out-of-towner.

When Maeve's secrets come to light and Liz's inner demons come back to haunt them both, the pair find themselves fighting for their lives in more ways than one.

Firebird Caged by Maya Chhabra

Ashley didn’t mean to get pregnant her senior year in high school. She didn’t mean to scare her hardworking and financially struggling mom, or to hide the truth from her awkward ex, Danny. She also didn’t mean to illegally take her well-off friend Madi’s prescription Xanax to cope with the stress—and she definitely didn’t mean to do it more than once.

When a doctor reports Ashley to the State of Wisconsin as a drug-addicted threat to her own unborn child, she is forcibly detained under the obscure and secretive Act 292 civil detention system for pregnant women, stranded in the county juvenile shelter home, and stigmatized by authorities who assign her fetus a lawyer but not her. It’s a struggle for Ashley just to get medical care for the pregnancy supposedly being protected—never mind fighting for her own freedom and making sure her baby isn’t taken away by social services after birth. Who’s going to protect Ashley herself? But Ashley is stronger than anyone knows, and she has allies on the outside who believe in her. This is a fight Ashley can win—but only if she stops drifting passively, starts believing in herself, and chooses not to give in to despair.

Characterized by exciting, fast-paced plots and themes that are relevant for high school students, Horizon’s Hi-Lo books are both engaging and easy to read. Short chapters, simple sentence structures, and an accessible format make these books perfect for teen reluctant readers. Horizon books are written at a 2nd- to 3rd-grade reading level with an interest level of ages 14 and up.

Someone's been Messing with Reality by John Hearne

Martin’s parents have disappeared. Also, it turns out, they are aliens. Which makes Martin …?

Then Martin and Tina discover enormous light-emitting eggs in an abandoned mine. It is clear they are not going to be hatching out anything cuddly. And so the kids try to blow them up. But instead of blowing up, huge killer insects hatch, and go on a mission to destroy all human life on earth. Oops.

The Beanstalk Murder by P.G. Bell

Trainee meadow witch Anwen is having a bad day - which gets much worse when a dead giant falls from the sky and destroys her village. But when she examines the body she discovers something interesting. This giant was murdered, which means a killer is on the loose! Tasked with sending a message to the giant kingdom via beanstalk, Anwen and her nemesis, trainee sorceress Cerys, accidentally find themselves whipped up into the sky and deposited in the giants' royal palace - where the king is missing. Using their perfect spy-size and witchy skills, the girls must track down his killer. But how can you investigate a murder mystery when you risk being stepped on by your suspects?

Happy #BookBirthday! 11 July 24

Happy Thursday! This week there are FIVE books on our lists publishing!

Freaky Folklore by Darkness Prevails

Discover the history and culture of over 50 of the most fearsome mythical creatures to capture the human imagination in this startlingly illustrated compendium.

Accompanied by illustrations of each beast, Freaky Folklore is your guide to the world’s most terrifying beings, from ancient times to today. Hosts from Eeriecast, the leading horror podcast network, present the most frightening—and entertaining—tales of these mysterious creatures, revealing everything you need to know.

This beautifully creepy collection is filled with wicked monsters, including:

• Chupacabra: A legendary monster that is said to drain the blood of livestock throughout Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the US Southwest.
• Jersey Devil: Said to have been created due to a mother's curse upon her newborn in the Pine Barrens of southern New Jersey, USA.
• Kelpie: A shape-shifting water horse told of in Celtic folklore. Whatever form it takes, it is said to lure its victims to their watery graves.
• Moehau: A cryptid from Māori mythology, it stands up to 8 feet tall and can be very aggressive when encountered.
• Kuchisake-onna: From Japanese folklore, Kuchisake-onna is a yokai with deep gashes that forms a haunting smile across her face. Should you happen to meet her, she will ask you a question--and you had better answer it correctly.
• Dogman: A werewolf or werewolf-type creature first reported in 1887 in Wexford County, Michigan, Dogman sightings have been reported in several locations throughout Michigan, primarily in the northwestern quadrant of the Lower Peninsula.

Freaky Folklore has the stories, culture, and illustrations for you to be on the lookout for these beasts. Dive into the world of mythology and find what makes each creature unique.

The Genius of Judy by Rachelle Bergstein

An intimate and expansive look at Judy Blume’s life, work, and cultural impact, focusing on her most iconic—and controversial—young adult novels, from Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret to Blubber.

Everyone knows Judy Blume.

Her books have garnered her fans of all ages for decades and sold tens of millions of copies. But why were people so drawn to them? And why are we still talking about them now in the 21st century?

In The Genius of Judy, her remarkable story is revealed as never before, beginning with her as a mother of two searching for purpose outside of her home in 1960s suburban New Jersey. The books she wrote starred regular children with genuine thoughts and problems. But behind those deceptively simple tales, Blume explored the pillars of the growing women’s rights movement, in which girls and women were entitled to careers, bodily autonomy, fulfilling relationships, and even sexual pleasure. Blume wasn’t trying to be a revolutionary—she just wanted to tell honest stories—but in doing so, she created a cohesive, culture-altering vision of modern adolescence.

Blume’s bravery provoked backlash, making her the country’s most-banned author in the mid-1980s. Thankfully, her works withstood those culture wars and it’s no coincidence that Blume has resurfaced as a cultural touchstone now. Young girls are still cat-called, sex education curricula are getting dismissed as pornography, and entire shelves of libraries are being banned. As we face these challenges, it’s only natural we look to Blume, the grand dame of so-called dirty books. This is the story of how a housewife became a groundbreaking artist, and how generations of empowered fans are her legacy, today more than ever.

Sisters of the Moon by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick

Suzy Button is grieving. Grieving for her dead mother, but also for the friends she’s left behind, the father who no longer laughs and the life that she once had. In desperation she finds herself in the garden in the middle of the night, under the light of a supermoon, wishing everything would change.

And suddenly, it does.

Into school walks Rhiannon, a fearless new girl who makes Suzy her instant best friend. And Rhiannon seems to make things . . . happen. If Suzy wants something, somehow Rhiannon can make it so: friends, beach parties, midnight photoshoots under a moonlit sky . . . Suzy’s life is finally moving forward again.

But where did Rhiannon come from? She doesn’t seem to live in Sallycove. Why can’t Suzy go to her house? And why does she never have any stuff?

Suzy might be her best friend, but does she really know who Rhiannon is?

The End Crowns All by Bea Fitzgerald

Love caused this war. At least, that’s what the stories will say.

When Cassandra’s patron god, Apollo, offers her the gift of prophecy – and all the power that comes with it – she seizes the opportunity. But when she fails to uphold her end of the agreement, she discovers just how very far she has to fall. No one believes her visions. Which all seem to be of one girl – and she’s going to start a war.

Helen fled Sparta in pursuit of love – though that’s proving more elusive than she’d hoped. Far from home, Helen’s navigating all the politics and backstabbing of the Trojan court.

And one princess seems particularly intent on driving her from the city. . .

But when war finally strikes, it’s more than the army at their walls they must contend with. Cassandra and Helen might hold the key to reweaving fate itself – especially with the prophetic strands drawing them ever closer together.

But how do you change your future when the gods themselves are dictating your demise?

The Idle Stance of the Tippler Pigeon by Safinah Danish Elahi

Happy #BookBirthday! 4 July 24

Happy Thursday! This week there are EIGHT books on our lists publishing!

Murder on a Summer Break by Kate Weston

School outcasts-turned-detective duo, Kerry and Annie, are BACK – and after solving last summer’s menstrual murders, they’re now known as The Tampon Two. (Kerry is uncomfortable with this level of attention, Annie is refreshing her follower count every two seconds.)

When they attend the Festival of Fame, it’s the chance to meet their favourite feminist influencer IRL – along with a host of social media stars, including a tiresome prankster Timmy, super-glam beauty vlogger Celeste and Mystic Millie, who makes very vague predictions.

But then one of the influencers ends up dead.

The festival goes into lockdown, Annie is delighted that she and Kerry are trapped in a yurt with celebrities – Kerry is more concerned that there’s a killer among them. Will the Tampon Two find out who it is before they strike again?

The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst

Kiela has always had trouble dealing with people. Thankfully, as a librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium, she and her assistant, Caz—a magically sentient spider plant—have spent the last decade sequestered among the empire’s most precious spellbooks, preserving their magic for the city’s elite.

When a revolution begins and the library goes up in flames, she and Caz flee with all the spellbooks they can carry and head to a remote island Kiela never thought she’d see again: her childhood home. Taking refuge there, Kiela discovers, much to her dismay, a nosy—and very handsome—neighbor who can’t take a hint and keeps showing up day after day to make sure she’s fed and to help fix up her new home.

In need of income, Kiela identifies something that even the bakery in town doesn’t have: jam. With the help of an old recipe book her parents left her and a bit of illegal magic, her cottage garden is soon covered in ripe berries.

But magic can do more than make life a little sweeter, so Kiela risks the consequences of using unsanctioned spells and opens the island’s first-ever and much needed secret spellshop.