Danika joins Kelly this week to talk about exciting new YA books that hit shelves in June and July, as well as to talk the best YA books of 2025 so far.
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Looking to elevate your reading life? Tailored Book Recommendations is here to help! TBR delivers reading recommendations hand-picked just for you by real human book nerds. You can get your recommendations via email, or receive hardcovers or paperbacks in the mail. And with quarterly or annual plans available, TBR has something for every budget. Plans start at just $18!
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News:
Best YA books of 2025 So Far
Trailer for Mason Deaver’s I Wish You All The Best has dropped
We Were Liars released to Prime, The Summer I Turned Pretty Season Three is releasing its first two episodes on Prime July 16, and the animated take on Scott Westerfeld’s Leviathan is dropping on Netflix July 10.
Marissa Meyer’s “The Lunar Chronicles” is being adapted for animation in fall 2028.
Books Discussed:
On Again, Awkward Again by Erin Entrada Kelly and Kwame Mbalia
Death in the Jungle by Candace Fleming
Messy Perfect by Tanya Boteju
Love Points to You by Alice Lin
"The Complicated World of YA Books for Younger Teens"
"Do Teens Get Pushed Out of YA Books When It’s Called A Genre?"
(S)Kin by Ibi Zoboi
Hear Us Out by Nancy Garden
The Year They Burned the Books by Nancy Garden
Wednesday
The Haunting of Hill HouseCall Your Boyfriend by Olivia A. Cole and Ashley Woodfolk
Coffeeshop in an Alternate Universe by CB Lee
Best of All Worlds by Kenneth Oppel
Half Brother by Kenneth Oppel
Dan in Green Gables by Rey Terciero, illustrated by Claudia Aguirre
Ana of California by Andi Teran
Amelia, If Only by Becky Albertalli
Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli
Hit Me with Your Best Charm by Lillie Vale
The Tournament by Rebecca Barrow
This Is What It Feels Like by Rebecca Barrow
Nobody in Particular by Sophie Gonzales
Her Royal Highness by Rachel Hawkins
Not So Shoujo Love Story, Volume 1 by Curryuku
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History and Politics in YA Fiction with L.M. Elliott
Kelly talks with YA author L.M. Elliott about historical fiction, Watergate, and contemporary politics for teens.
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To get even more YA news and recommendations, sign up for our What’s Up in YA newsletter!
Looking to elevate your reading life? Tailored Book Recommendations is here to help! TBR delivers reading recommendations hand-picked just for you by real human book nerds. You can get your recommendations via email, or receive hardcovers or paperbacks in the mail. And with quarterly or annual plans available, TBR has something for every budget. Plans start at just $18!
This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Books Discussed:
Truth, Lies, and The Questions In Between by L.M. Elliott
Walls by L.M. Elliott
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The West Wing
Hamilton
Suspect Red by L.M. Elliott
Truth, Lies, and The Questions In Between Playlist
L.M. Elliott's blog
Mrs. America
Countdown by Deborah Wiles (series)
This Promise of Change by Debbie Levy
Here We Are: Feminism for the Real World edited by Kelly Jensen
(Don't) Call Me Crazy edited by Kelly JEnsen
A Dangerous Idea by Debbie Levy
Bluebird by Sharon Cameron
The Silent Unseen by Amanda McCrina
The Color of a Lie by Kim Johnson
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"We Are Each Others' Safes": A Conversation with Jason Reynolds [Rerun]
We're revisiting a fantastic interview from earlier this year! Kelly talks with YA author and children’s literature champion Jason Reynolds about his career, writing the inner lives of teen boys, his favorite middle grade and YA books, and more.
Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.
To get even more YA news and recommendations, sign up for our What’s Up in YA newsletter!
This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
News:
Jason Reynolds wins a MacArther Genius Grant
Books Discussed:
When I Was The Greatest by Jason Reynolds
Coretta Scott King Book Awards
Judy Blume Forever documentary
Forever . . . by Judy Blume
George M. Johnson
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
Miles Morales: Spider-Man by Jason Reynolds
Eugene Yelchin
"Coca Cola Classic 'Polar Bears' TV commercial 1993"
The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Alex Haley
The Fire Next Time: A Letter to My Nephew by James Baldwin
Erin Entrada Kelly
A.S. King
Randy Ribay
King and the Dragonfly by Kacen Callender
Love That Dog and Hate That Cat by Sharon Creech
Weirdo by Tony Weaver, Jr.
Jason's recommended reading order of his books if . . .
You're a teacher or librarian planning to teach the books:
Long Way Down
Look Both Ways
Ghost
If you're an adult wanting to read them for yourself:
Boy in the Black Suit
The Track Series
As Brave As You
For Teens 14+:
Long Way Down
Ghost
All American Boys (with Brendan Kiely)
For Tweens:
Stuntboy, in the Meantime (with Raúl the Third)
Ghost
Look Both Ways
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An Interview with WE WERE LIARS author E. Lockhart & Reflections on NIMONA at 10
It's a YA blast-from-the-past meets popular-still-for-a-reason this week. Kelly talks with E. Lockhart about the We Were Liars adaptation, and Erica talks with Rioter Danika Ellis about the 10th anniversary of Nimona.
Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.
To get even more YA news and recommendations, sign up for our What’s Up in YA newsletter!
Show Notes:
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
Family of Liars by E. Lockhart
We Fell Apart by E. Lockhart
Hey YA Interview with Gayle Forman
We Were Liars on Prime Instagram
My Sister the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
Again, Again by E. Lockhart
Nimona by N.D. Stevenson
Nimona on Netflix
10 Years Later, We Need Nimona More Than Ever by Danika Ellis
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New YA Books by AAPI Authors and an Interview With Erin Entrada Kelly and Kwame Mbalia, Authors of ON AGAIN, AWKWARD AGAIN
Erica goes over a nice mix of new YA books by AAPI authors, while Kelly has a great convo with Erin Entrada Kelly and Kwame Mbalia, authors of the new rom-com On Again, Awkward Again.
Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.
To get even more YA news and recommendations, sign up for our What’s Up in YA newsletter!
Ready to level up your reading life? Become a Book Riot All Access member and explore our full library of members-only content, including must-reads, deep dives, and reading challenge recommendations. For a limited time, the first 50 new All Access annual members get a FREE copy of Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz courtesy of Tor Publishing! Join Book Riot All Access to level up your reading life and claim your free copy of Automatic Noodle.
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Books Discussed:
Eliza, from Scratch by Sophia Lee
Fitting Indian by Jyoti Chand, illustrated by Tara Anand
Dragonfruit by Makiia Lucier
When Devils Sing by Xan Kaur
The Summer I Remembered Everything by Catherine Con Morse
On Again, Awkward Again by Erin Entrada Kelly, Kwame Mbalia
A Universe of Wishes edited by Dhonielle Clayton
Black Boy Joy edited by Kwame Mbalia
The White Guy Dies First edited by Terry J. Benton-Walker
The Black Girl Survives in This One edited by Desiree S. Evans and Saraciea J. Fennell
Highly Illogical Behavior by John Corey Whaley
Then Again, Maybe I Won't by Judy Blume
The Fell of Dark by Caleb Roehrig
Darius The Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram
Gabi, A Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero
You Should See Me In a Crown by Leah Johnson
Goodbye Stranger by Rebecca Stead
Shine by Candy Gourlay
Hurricane Child by Kacen Callender
Hello Universe and Lalani of the Distant Sea by Erin Entrada Kelly
Kaya Morgan's Crowning Achievement by Jill Tew
Moko Magic: Carnival Chaos by Tracey Baptiste
Kwame Mbalia's Freedom Fire imprint (more info)
You can follow both Erin Entrada Kelly and Kwame Mbalia on Bluesky.
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From great new books to favorite classic reads, from news to the latest in on-screen adaptations, Hey YA is here to elevate the exciting world of young adult lit.
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