Today’s post is sponsored by Maria Z. Medina and Maker of Gods!
Title Maker of Gods
Author Maria Z. Medina
Intended Target Audience Young Adult
Publication Date December 8th 2026 by Wednesday Books
Find It On Goodreads ● Amazon ● Chapters ● Blackwell’s ● Barnes & Noble ● IndieBound
In the swashbuckling finale to the Mistress of Bones duology perfect for fans of The Bone Shard Daughter and Six of Crows, a necromancer and the God of Death must outwit the Gods themselves ― or end the world trying
Necromancer Azul del Arroyo only wanted one thing: to steal her sister back from Death by reclaiming her sister’s bones. But after inadvertently uncovering a plot to reawaken the gods and suffering a great loss, she feels further from her goal than ever.
In exchange for a chance to save her sister, Azul’s only choice is to work together with Death to uncover an underground group set on finding the rest of the gods in the blood-red city of Bremón. And with his mysterious motivations, silver tongue, and magnetic interest in Azul, Death does not make it easy.
With Nereida, the Count, and Esparza determined to get revenge on the Faceless Witch, the trio also find their way to Bremón to join Azul, but soon discover that Death is not the only god who has already awakened…and the rest of the gods are not as merciful.
Lies, games, and gods collide in Maria Z. Medina’s masterful follow-up to Mistress of Bones, where the only thing stronger than the divine is human will.
I look forward to making Pop! Goes The Reader’s most-anticipated lists every single year! While being a mood reader means I’m not always able to strictly stick to a to-be-read list, it’s exciting to explore what’s being published in the months ahead. Posts like this help me better organize my thoughts and decide what I ideally want to prioritize and read first, not to mention give me lots to look forward to!
Please Note: If you’re a young adult author with a novel being published in 2026 and don’t see your book on one of Pop! Goes The Reader’s Most-Anticipated lists, please don’t be hurt or upset! These lists are entirely subjective and based on my own personal reading taste. My favourite genres are contemporary and realistic fiction, horror and historical fiction, which is why you won’t see many books outside of those genres on this list. While I try my best to remain up-to-date about upcoming releases, it’s also entirely possible that I simply haven’t learned about your book yet! If you’re the author of a 2026 young adult novel that you think might make a good fit for me and Pop! Goes The Reader, please don’t hesitate to reach out – I would love to hear from you!
For even more wonderful young adult novels being published in 2026, please check out this Goodreads list, which currently features more than 400 young adult books being published this year for you to choose from. Hopefully you’ll be able to find the perfect book for you. Happy reading!
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The publication dates listed below might be subject to change.
Publication Date October 6th 2026 by Scholastic Press
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New York Times bestselling author Jasmine Guillory makes her highly anticipated young adult debut with a Dirty Dancing-inspired contemporary romcom!
It’s the summer before her senior year of high school and Kat (Kitty to her family) planned to spend it reading good books, working on her college applications, and enjoying her independence. Instead, she’s stuck for an entire month with her family at a camp in the desert in Southern California.
When she stumbles across a staff party on the first night, she’s jealous of their joyful, uninhibited dancing. She hasn’t danced like that since two years ago, when she was forced to quit ballet, which she once loved more than anything. She’s determined to leave dance where it belongs – the past.
But Jordan, the handsome and magnetic hip-hop dance instructor, keeps dragging it into her present. As Kat begins sneaking around and lying to her parents to spend time with Jordan, she’ll have to ask herself – what is she willing to risk to finally feel free? And is it possible her feelings for Jordan could reignite her love for dance?
Publication Date October 6th 2026 by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
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From the author of The One That Got Away with Murder comes a fresh YA mystery about a girl who survives a murder attempt and the boy who finds her bleeding on the side of the road as they team up to find out who is targeting teen girls in their small, Rust Belt community. Perfect for fans of Holly Jackson and Karen M. McManus.
High school might be officially over, but the real nightmare is just beginning. When two best friends are attacked on graduation night, only one of them makes it out alive.
Left for dead at an abandoned house but determined to find out who killed her best friend, Rose is rescued by former high school quarterback and heartthrob, Jake, who becomes an unexpected ally…and maybe something more. But when she learns that seventeen years ago, another girl suffered the exact same fate in the exact same place, she wonders if a murderer might be back with a vengeance…or is a copycat killer on the loose?
Time is running out, because whoever the killer is, they’re eager to correct their biggest mistake: letting Rose live. As Rose follows the trail of evidence, she’s led down a path of horrors that threatens to expose the insidious secrets at the heart of her community ― secrets the killer will do anything to keep quiet.
Publication Date October 6th 2026 by Margaret K. McElderry Books
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A girl juggles planning her town’s first-ever winter festival and untangling her complicated feelings for both her best friend and the star hockey player in this charming book in the swoony Bramble Falls series that started with the New York Times bestselling Falling Like Leaves.
After Bramble Falls’s wildly successful Falling Leaves Festival, Sloane Sullivan is looking forward to some downtime — especially kicking back and marathoning Nora Ephron movies with her best friend, Asher. But they barely make it through Sleepless in Seattle before Sloane’s mom calls an emergency tourism department meeting; it’s all hands on deck — Bramble Falls is having its first ever Falling Snow Festival!
Sloane may still be recovering from the last seasonal event, but she’s also excited. After all, Christmas is the best time of year! And she’ll have her whole crew by her side, including her cousin Ellis and, of course, Asher. But when irresistible, hockey-playing Micah catches Sloane’s attention, she finds herself a bit distracted. The emotions her unexpected flirtation brings up make Sloane feel confused about Micah…and Asher.
She’s never thought of Asher as more than her best friend, but even if Sloane is seeing Asher in a new light, what does that mean for her and Micah? Uncertain and more than a little overwhelmed, Sloane throws herself into festival preparations, hoping to get a little Christmas magic in return that will help her figure out where her heart lies.
Publication Date October 6th 2026 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
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A teen girl faces the horrors of misogyny and racism — plus an evil witch and her horde of monsters — in this fun, fast-paced thriller.
Thulasi is the perfect daughter: she’s responsible, she never breaks the rules, and she’s always willing to babysit her seven-year-old cousin. Even on Halloween night.
But the night takes a horrifying turn when a simple playdate leads to accidentally summoning a horde of monsters out of a book of horror tales, along with her small town’s most famous author, Addison Greer — Thulasi’s literary hero. Except Addison has a more sinister scheme planned for her miraculous return: revenge on the family that wronged her.
Drawn into a bloodthirsty bargain with Addison, Thulasi will have to team up with Sam, the super cute quarterback in her class, and the only other teen stuck with babysitting duty on Halloween. They only have until midnight to foil Addison’s plans — while keeping their seven-year-old charges safe — or her monsters will destroy their town and everyone they love.
Publication Date October 13th 2026 by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
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Tonight, inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art ― somewhere between the hours of 8 PM and 5 AM ― Auden Peck will fall in love with Miki Kawamura.
That’s Miki’s plan, anyway. And the plan is destiny.
See, Miki’s grandparents fell in love after accidentally being locked in the Met overnight in 1965. And now, after too many almost-confessions, hopeless romantic Miki will finally tell her best friend Auden that she loves him by retracing the path through the museum that her grandparents took that fateful night.
But destiny has other plans. For it’s not Auden who joins Miki on her midnight tour, but Lou McSweeney ― the world’s most jaded cynic, and Miki’s ex. How can she possibly confess her feelings for Auden when she’s stuck sparring with this arrogant jerk? And is it possible that her original plan was not destiny’s true course after all?
For fans of Lynn Painter and Jenny Han, The Museum of Modern Love is an irresistible instant classic about the thrilling, often infuriating, rush of first love, guaranteed to sweep you off your feet.
Publication Date October 13th 2026 by Sourcebooks Fire
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An exclusive club, a secret party, and a murderer hiding in plain sight. From the author of Perfect Little Monsters and This Is Where We Die comes a twisted thriller that will leave you guessing until the very end.
When June Chan’s older sister Lily is stabbed to death at a secret party in front of a dozen people, June learns about the exclusive murder mystery club Lily was in, and the themed games that members played.
The police rule Lily’s death an accident caused by a malfunctioning prop knife and close the case. The school warns off all the members ― including Lily’s boyfriend and best friends ― and shuts Murder Club down.
Everyone seems fine to move on. Accept that life isn’t fair and that Lily’s death was just a tragic accident…everyone but June. Determined to find out more about the Club, its members, and exactly what happened that night, she dives into the personal lives of everyone who witnessed Lily’s death.
As June begins to uncover secrets the club would prefer to remain hidden, it becomes clear Lily’s death wasn’t an accident. June realizes that the only way she can find out what really happened is to revive Murder Club and set a trap. To catch her sister’s killer, she will have to host the deadliest Murder Night of all…
Publication Date October 13th 2026 by Bloomsbury YA
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#1 New York Times bestselling and Newbery Medal winning Renée Watson crafts a tender, romantic YA novel about beginnings and endings and new beginnings again.
Bliss knows there’s more to life than what she’s experienced in her small town. She’s ready to be the girl who isn’t just waiting anymore, who can make something happen. Working in her family’s funeral home, she can’t help but ponder what it means to truly live and what it takes to leave a lasting legacy. Her existential questions have labeled her the weird “funeral home girl” to most of her peers, except for her best friend, Alex, and the new boy visiting from Portland for winter break.
Solomon isn’t put off by Bliss’s musings. He has questions of his own, like why his mother abandoned him and if she ever did – or ever will – love him. He has come to visit for answers, and to work at his mom’s flower shop, where he meets Bliss on a delivery to the funeral home.
Their chance meeting changes everything. As they open up to each other, share their hearts and experience something real, something new, they find that even if a relationship has an end, love can last forever.
Powerful, moving, and inspiring, Everything New Again is a story of first love perfect for fans of Jandy Nelson and Nicola Yoon, about falling in love and finding who you are – all at the same time.
Publication Date October 13th 2026 by Feiwel & Friends
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Liliana “Lili” Garza hasn’t had a single moment of peace since her best friends were murdered at a graduation. A year later, Lili is barely scraping by. Now that her own high school graduation is fast approaching, reminders of the massacre are all around her, with news stories commemorating the anniversary of the Gatzville graduate murders and a town that refuses to let her forget.
But when one of Lili’s classmates is found dead at a party exactly one year after that horrific night ― killed by the same injuries that Lili herself had survived ― Lili realizes that someone is trying to recreate the past ― and this time, they might not let her escape. To stay alive ― again ― Lili must confront the ghosts of her past to find out who is coming for her, even if it means unearthing the painful memories she has buried deep down inside.
A tense thriller about the scars that trauma leaves ― and the lengths we will go to survive, despite the odds stacked against us ― this is a powerful YA novel that will stay with you long after the final page.
Publication Date October 13th 2026 by Wednesday Books
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Flickering neon lights and hot Miami nights turn deadly in this haunting gothic horror.
You may not escape, but the truth will.
Twenty-five years ago, the Ripley Memorial High School senior class entered the luxurious Kaleidoscope Key resort deep in the remote Florida Keys. By morning, almost all were dead. Despite international intrigue and years of investigation, no one truly knows how the 183 students died. And they never will, since the five survivors of the massacre have never spoken a word about what happened to them that night.
Paige Keller, daughter of one of the Kaleidoscope Key Massacre’s infamous survivors, has grown up determined to steer her life away from the resort and the unsolved mysteries her ex-best friend, KJ, can’t leave alone. But when she’s called home on the 25th anniversary of the massacre, she finds that KJ has gone missing.
Paige knows there’s only one place KJ could be: her obsession, the now-abandoned resort. When Paige and the remaining survivors’ kids go in after her, they’re forced to confront their ― and their parents ― pasts once and for all.
Kaleidoscope Key is waiting, and it’s starving. Once they find their way inside, there may not be a way out. And one way or another, the truth of the massacre will come to light.
Captivating and chilling, Courtney Gould’s Until The Last Light Goes Out is a tale you won’t soon forget: a horror story, a love story, and an ode to the pain passed between generations.
Publication Date October 13th 2026 by Sourcebooks Fire
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From the author of This Books Kills and Catch Your Death comes a new novel filled with murder, mystery and mind-blowing twists, perfect for fans of Holly Jackson and Karen M. McManus.
It’s been one year and six days since seventeen-year-old Kay left her sleepy hometown after the devastating death of her best friend, Ivy. But now she’s back, forced to stay with her cousin as her parents jet off to a holiday without her. She was hoping for a quiet week of boredom and memories, but what actually greets her is a terrifying anonymous letter left on her bed.
The note tells her that there will be a thrill on Tuesday, a wreckage on Wednesday, treachery on Thursday, a fire on Friday, sabotage on Saturday, a stabbing on Sunday…and her murder on Monday.
As the events threatened in the letter start to happen, Kay knows she has to figure out who her would-be murderer is before they can follow through on their twisted promise and make the worst day of the week a deadly one.
Publication Date October 20th 2026 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
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A serious and studious teen reluctantly agrees to defend her elite private school’s lazy golden boy in this young adult rom-com with courtroom intrigue, an opposites attract romance, and witty banter.
Violet Lopez has planned exactly how her life will go: She’ll graduate valedictorian, attend Harvard, and become a big shot lawyer, all so that her injury-prone single dad can finally take a break.
As a member of her elite private school’s law society, Violet is proud to hold a near-perfect record of defending students against the disciplinary board. But when the popular and infuriatingly charming Theo Hudson is accused of a prank he swears he didn’t commit, Violet recuses herself from his case on the grounds of despising the school’s privileged golden boy, and not even a couple classmates’ offer of a four-figure payout to purposely tank his trial can change her mind.
Then Theo uncovers a secret Violet wants to keep under wraps and blackmails her into representing him. Sick of being pushed around by rich kids, Violet decides she can get sweet revenge on the arrogant jock and some much-needed cash at the same time. She’ll twist his alibi, lose key evidence, mislead witnesses — all while playing the perfect lawyer on the surface. Theo goes down, and Violet gets paid.
But the closer Violet gets to Theo, the more she sees beneath his devil-may-care attitude to someone caring and surprisingly sensitive…who she’s been planning to sabotage. Is it too late to change her mind? And even if she does, would Theo ever forgive her?
Violet can object to falling in love all she wants, but her heart overrules every time.
Publication Date October 20th 2026 by Scholastic Press
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This season, sparks will fly…
Romeo and Juliet meets cozy Christmas rom-com in this delectable new novel from beloved author Kasie West. What happens when the son and daughter of two rival families – both competing for the best decorated house this holiday – fall in love? Perfect for fans of Fake Skating and Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice!
For as long as Jasmine Costa can remember, her family has had a sworn enemy: the snobby Moreno family, who live next door. Jasmine especially can’t stand the teenage son, Ryan, who acts like he’s so much better than her.
This Christmas, the rivalry heats up when their small town holds a contest for best-decorated house. Jasmine has to take home the trophy. But then she and Ryan unexpectedly get thrown together during a holiday party…and discover that they have undeniable (and inconvenient) chemistry. Uh-oh.
As a secret romance blossoms amid the snow and the tinsel, Jasmine will have to make a choice. Can she stay loyal to her loved ones while falling for the one boy who’s off-limits?
Beloved author Kasie West delivers a cozy Christmas rom-com that’s the perfect read for anyone who’s ever had a crush.
Publication Date October 27th 2026 by Delacorte Romance
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A cozy YA holiday rom-com set on a snow-dusted Christmas tree farm, where a girl who walked away from music and a country star nursing writer’s block find themselves writing songs — and maybe falling in love — just in time for the holidays.
In my heart is a Christmas tree farm…
Paisley Morgan thought she had left the music world behind after a disastrous encounter with the band Six String Justice. Now, she’s content to spend her days at her family’s charming Christmas tree farm, secretly nurturing her songwriting dreams. But when a mysterious musician checks into the farm’s on-site studio, her quiet life is turned upside down.
Kash “Money” Murray, fresh from a band breakup and struggling with writer’s block, is sent to the farm to find inspiration. Little does he know the farm’s enchanting atmosphere and its captivating caretaker, Paisley, will provide more than just a creative spark.
As the holiday season unfolds, Paisley and Kash find themselves drawn together by their shared love of music. Amidst the twinkling lights and festive cheer, they embark on a songwriting journey that could change their lives forever. But when Kash takes a bold step that threatens their budding romance, Paisley must decide if love is worth the risk. Will they find harmony together, or will their duet end before it begins?
Publication Date October 27th 2026 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers
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A plucky writer of spells teams up with a frustratingly charming magician to uncover the secrets of a grimoire in this light academia young adult romantasy “that skillfully blends magic, mystery, and the spellbinding power of love” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) perfect for fans of Margaret Rogerson.
No one is allowed past the gargoyles guarding the doors of Thistledown Library. Spellwright Fia Ives should know — for months she’s hoped to be admitted inside to find a magic powerful enough to locate her late mother’s spellbook. One midnight, she finally breaks in, only to discover three mysterious figures already searching the forbidden stacks.
When the library announces the theft of a dangerous grimoire, suspicion falls on Fia. The only way to clear her name is to root out the thieves she spied that night. However, solving a magical theft isn’t easy while running her inherited spellshop alone. So Fia hires the first person who applies to help — the insufferably charming Penbrook Madbury, who is as sleepy as a cat and just as stubborn. Fia isn’t sure she can trust him with her reckless plan (let alone her beloved shop), but there’s something about the secretive magician that tempts her to try.
As a strange magic curls through town, Fia must risk her own heart to unravel a string of curses before they claim both her and Penbrook. And if some of those curses require kisses to break them, well, that’s just the whimsy of magic.
Publication Date November 3rd 2026 by Holiday House
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I Kissed Shara Wheeler meets Last Night At The Telegraph Club in this stylish sapphic YA romance from the award-winning author of Bestiary.
Taiwanese American teen and aspiring journalist Wendy Lin wants nothing more than to witness the downfall of her personal nemesis, the annoyingly perfect high achiever Helen Ouyang.
Yep, Helen Ouyang. As in, Wendy’s childhood best friend. Now most-decidedly-ex-best-friend. Perhaps, maybe, still her unrequited-crush-friend. After a falling out that may or may not have involved some simmering romantic feelings, the two haven’t spoken in years, and Wendy has had to witness Helen’s meteoric rise to high school success from the sidelines.
But not for long.
Chasing up a lead for the school paper, Wendy soon turns up a major story with Helen at its center — one involving a mysterious fire that destroyed a building and tore apart an immigrant community a decade earlier. Wendy investigates, certain she finally has the dirt she needs to bring Helen down. But when the girls reconnect, old feelings come rushing to the surface…and with them, long-buried skeletons in both girls’ family closets.
Publication Date November 3rd 2026 by Scholastic Press
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Award-winning author Anne Broyles weaves the lyrical story of fourteen-year-old Jane Bushyhead and her family’s forced removal, upon threat of death, from their home in the ancestral Cherokee Nation. Based on a true story, this evocative, compelling account of the pain and hardships endured, as well as the love and courage summoned by the Cherokees on the Trail of Tears, is equal measures heartbreaking and hopeful.
Jane Bushyhead dreams of one day becoming a teacher. But everything changes when she and her family are forced from their ancestral Cherokee homeland by US soldiers at gunpoint. After months of imprisonment and uncertainty, Jane and her people are then ordered to march eight hundred miles to “Indian Territory” (modern-day Oklahoma) during one of the worst winters of the 19th century.
It’s a grueling journey – many of the Cherokee people are barefoot and unprepared for the freezing weather – and all go hungry as supplies dwindle and sickness abounds. Yet, Jane finds romance with a young man who has been adopted by the Cherokees and comfort within the loving embrace of her family.
As the dangerous journey unfolds, and Jane finds purpose in teaching and recording the stories of her people, she will be forced to bear witness as they perish from starvation, disease, and deadly hazards of the trail. Soon, Jane will have to face an impossible choice between love and her own family.
Award-winning author and enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation, Anne Broyles brings the Trail of Tears to desperate, vivid life in this beautiful story about courage, community, memory, and love.
Publication Date November 3rd 2026 by Scholastic Press
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Sharp, timely, and unforgettable ― A Drop of Color is a coming-of-age story about belonging, betrayal, and Black girlhood.
For as long as she can remember, seventeen-year-old Gabrielle’s existence has been a balancing act. Between begrudgingly accepting her role as her predominantly white school’s Token Black Girl, and performing the role of the dutiful Nigerian daughter at home, she’s not left with much time to simply exist as Gabby. But as far as she’s concerned, survival is her main priority – even if it means perpetually walking on eggshells in both spaces.
With her senior year in full swing, Gabrielle can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. But when a racist incident erupts within her social circle, Gabrielle can no longer justify letting it slide and breaks the Oakmont Academy’s unspoken code: no snitching. Suddenly, social butterfly Gabrielle is transformed into a social pariah.
Now on the outs with the Oakmont student body, Gabrielle is faced with a choice: fighting to return to the idea of ‘normal’ she’d worked for years to curate, or finally reckoning with the aspects of her identity that she’s trained herself to subdue ― her Blackness, her Nigerian-ness, and the space where the disconnect between those identities exists.
With razor-sharp honesty and emotional depth, debut author Elizabeth Ese delivers a coming-of-age story that will resonate with readers navigating identity, belonging, and the weight of expectation.
Perfect for fans of The Hate U Give, All American Boys, and The Black Kids, A Drop of Color is a timely and compelling novel that challenges readers to reckon with racism, embrace their heritage, and discover the power of self-acceptance.
Publication Date November 3rd 2026 by Holiday House
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Four budding bruja BFFs face off against an anti-magic regime in this witchy, weird-girl YA dystopia for fans of Tehlor Kay Mejia and Anna-Marie McLemore.
They’re a coven of four: Lucy, who can hear a whisper in a crowded room. Clara, who can read your innermost thoughts. Fabiola, who can see the future. And Sirena, who can manipulate your every emotion. They’ve been best friends since they met on the astral plane as kids, each of them hiding their gifts from a world that insists magic and witchcraft are a threat to humanity.
But they’ve never met in the real world…until now.
As a new student at the prestigious Fletcher University, Lucy is looking forward to a perfect freshman year full of in-person coven hangs and covert witchy fun. But something is off with Lucy’s roommate, Retta, almost like she might have latent magic powers she’s unaware of (not possible…right?). So, when Retta disappears, Lucy knows it’s up to her and her coven to investigate — that is, if they can make time for occult recon amid college classes, flirty crushes, and friendship group growing pains.
As the search for Retta leads to an enchanted forest hidden under Fletcher’s campus, Lucy uncovers a chilling truth: maybe Fletcher is just another arm of the anti-magic regime. But are supernatural powers and ride-or-die friends enough to take down an oppressive authority that thinks you shouldn’t exist?
Equal parts coming-of-age friendship story and supernatural dystopia, this dazzling novel finds resistance to oppression in the extraordinary and the ordinary, from magic and spellcraft to friendship, heritage, and love.
Publication Date November 10th 2026 by HarperCollins US
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In this engrossing companion to The Great Misfortune of Stella Sedgwick set in 1860s Paris, prim and proper Olivia Witherson is poised to become the wife of a wealthy businessman, until she’s shown a side of the city she’s never seen — and considers a potential future she never imagined. Perfect for fans of Bridgerton and The Davenports.
Olivia Witherson has it all figured out. Once she’s married to Samuel Desir, a handsome (and rich) businessman in the making, she’ll be able to step into the life of upper-class comfort she’s always known she’s destined for. Getting kidnapped by a gang of ruffians and being held for ransom in their grubby headquarters on the outskirts of Paris… was not part of the plan.
Olivia is sure that Jac Santil, head of the Saints Tristes gang, is the most loathsome, infuriating person she’s ever met. But the longer she spends with the Saints, the more good she sees them doing — distributing food and medicine to the poor, taking in orphaned children, and organizing the exploited laborers of Paris, the same workers who staff Samuel’s factories. Soon, Olivia must acknowledge that there may be more to the Saints, and to Jac, than meets the eye, and that the life of luxury she’d always dreamed of may never come to fruition.
Publication Date November 17th 2026 by HarperCollins
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In this romp of a country house mystery for fans of Truly Devious and Knives Out, when Jojo’s grandad is found dead at a winter family gathering, Jojo is determined to uncover which of her horrible relatives is responsible — and to avoid her maddening ex-boyfriend who crashed the party.
Jojo had planned to spend her winter break healing her heart in the surf of the Pacific. Instead, she’s being forced to attend Grandad’s New Year’s birthday at his estate in the snowy North Carolina mountains — along with her whole horrible family, each one competing to be the most insufferable person at the dinner table.
But things are even worse than Jojo had feared. For some ungodly reason, Fritz is here — Fritz, the childhood friend who broke her heart last summer, whom she’s sworn to loathe for all eternity. And, worst of all, he looks great in winter wear.
The trip takes a turn for the tragic when Grandad is found dead. No one else in the snowed-in house suspects foul play, but Jojo knows the truth: Someone here has committed a murder. Now, she just has to figure out who, and murder them back.
And, because the universe hates her, she might need Fritz’s help…
Publication Date December 1st 2026 by Delacorte Press
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An enchanted train. A forbidden love. And a deadly secret that could derail an entire kingdom.
Princess Delana will do anything to save her kingdom – even marry a stranger. With her realm’s memory magic fading and her grieving father using the last of his powers to relive the past, Delana agrees to a political union with a rival prince. She boards a lavish, enchanted wedding train bound for her new future and surrounded by his court, secrets, and expectations.
She didn’t expect Bastian. Once her childhood friend, now her brooding, fiercely loyal bodyguard, Bastian awakens everything Del must suppress, even as she dances in her fiancé’s arms. But when her handmaiden is murdered on the night of the first ball, Del is revealed to be the true target. Now she and Bastian race to uncover the assassin before the train reaches its final stop.
As danger closes in and forbidden desire ignites, Del must decide: What will she risk for Bastian — and what might it cost the kingdom? Because their passion may be more lethal than the killer.
Publication Date December 1st 2026 by Wednesday Books
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Perfect for fans of Allison Saft and Sarah Beth Durst, a grumpy mage and a familiar matchmaker navigate their magical connection in Mara Rutherford’s newest cozy fantasy.
Winslow Green is known far and wide for her ability to match mages with the perfect animal familiar. Though she doesn’t possess any magic, she has a knack for knowing what her customers need, even if they can’t see it themselves.
Still grieving the tragic death of his last familiar, Bastian Triplehorn reluctantly seeks Winnie’s aid in finding a new partner. She’s determined to live up to her reputation, despite Bastian’s excessive grumpiness. Until the inexplicable happens: Bastian sparks a familiar bond with Winnie instead.
Unable to deny their powerful connection, the two agree to work together until they can solve the mystery behind it. As Bastian and Winnie train for a royal mage competition that could solve all their problems ― or ruin their lives forever ― Winnie gets a taste of what it’s like to have magic herself. And Bastian discovers that all of these unfamiliar feelings are a little like magic, too.
Publication Date December 8th 2026 by HarperCollins
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Bestselling author Meg Cabot’s new YA series takes her signature romcom voice to a ranch full of boys! Fans of fast-paced, sweet teen romances like My Life With The Walter Boys and The Summer of Broken Rules won’t want to miss any of Winn Riley’s adventures finding love in Montana.
Sixteen-year-old Winn Riley is a New York City girl, through and through — until her mom moves their family to Montana, where she’ll be teaching at a dude ranch. Literally: it’s a working-farm school for troubled genius boys…plus Winn, the only female student there.
Winn’s only entertainment for miles is boys: boys rustling cattle all day before attending classes at night, incredibly cute boys like Zack and Teddy. How will she endure an entire semester with so much deprivation — and temptation?
Publication Date December 22nd 2026 by Delacorte Romance
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A heartwarming and hilarious YA romance about the high-stakes world of pageantry and the beauty of first love. Perfect for fans of rom coms by Casey McQuiston!
Parker Ryland has always been the master of his own destiny, meticulously planning his escape from his small town. But when he’s told that his college application is “boring”, he is thrown for a loop. Parker may be many things, but boring is not one of them.
So, Parker applies to his school’s Miss Spirit pageant to spice up his application and challenge himself — and the town’s antiquated gender ideals.
Pageant life in southern Tennessee is intense enough without the nerdy — but undeniably charming — student body president, Dean, offering to give Parker a crash-course in pageantry. As the two get closer, Parker’s carefully constructed plans begin to unravel. And then someone starts sabotaging Parker, threatening not only his chance at the crown, but his future.
As paint splatters and sparks fly, Parker learns that sometimes the best way to win is to play — and love — by your own rules.
Publication Date December 29th 2026 by Henry Holt and Co. BYR Paperbacks
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In this YA rom-com two teenage contestants compete on a reality cooking show and dish out a fun enemies to lovers romance.
Lizzie Ly is determined to win when she’s invited to compete on Sweet Heat ― a reality cooking show where young cooks compete for a mentorship under world famous chef, Harrison Moss. Victory would mean finally fulfilling her culinary dreams and honoring her mother’s memory.
But then Ethan Huang walks into the kitchen.
Lizzie never forgot when the arrogant foodstagrammer nearly destroyed her kitchen confidence with a harsh review, and now he’s her competition? Ethan, however, has plans of his own. He’s ready to prove to his parents and the world that cooking isn’t just a hobby, it’s his future. And he’s not about to let Lizzie Ly stand in his way.
From collaborating on team challenges, enduring the show’s meddling producers, and one upping each other in their private late-night cookoffs, Lizzie and Ethan clash at every turn. But as the competition comes to a boiling point, they begin to realize that their rivalry might be the very thing pushing them to become their best selves…
Lizzie and Ethan are falling in love…but can they turn up the heat without getting burned?
