Today’s post is sponsored by Kalynn Bayron and Tell The Ghosts I’m Gone!

Title Tell The Ghosts I’m Gone
Author Kalynn Bayron
Intended Target Audience Young Adult
Publication Date September 1st 2026 by Bloomsbury YA
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From New York Times bestselling author Kalynn Bayron comes a new horror novel about a group of teens with unique – and potentially deadly – gifts.

Moll, Redd, Agnes, and Ossie are powerful-and dangerous. But they don’t want people to fear them. They’ve spent their lives trying to understand and control their supernatural gifts, trying to help people instead of hurt them.

That’s why they offer paranormal investigative services to anyone who needs them. But when the case of a missing young woman brings them to an old (and potentially haunted) Victorian mansion, soon it’s the four teens who are in the greatest danger. The secrets they uncover about the paranormal forces inhabiting the house may shed light on the darkness that exists at the edge of their powers and finally help them gain control – if they can make it out alive.

It’s nearly that time of the year again! As the days begin to grow shorter and we unpack our coziest sweaters and enjoy glasses of fresh apple cider (preferably around a warm, crackling fire), I thought it would be fun to once again explore the scary (and not-so-scary) books published this year to help make sure our to-be-read lists are ready for spooky season. I know readers’ mileage may vary when it comes to how frightening they’d like their books to be, so I’ve done my best to include books that fall at different places on the spooky spectrum so that every reader can find the right book for them. Got a suggestion you don’t see in the list below? Please leave it in the comments – I’d love to hear from you!

Searching for further thrills and chills this Halloween? Check out the lists I created for Halloween 2020, Halloween 2022, Halloween 2023 and Halloween 2024 as well as this list of 20 Young Adult Books Featuring Vampires and this list of 55 Young Adult Books Featuring Witches and Witchcraft for even more scary (and not-so-scary) young adult books to choose from in addition to the ones in today’s post!

Looking for something a little more romantic? Over on Patreon, I recently shared a list of 25 2026 Young Adult and Adult Autumnal Romance!

Speaking of Patreon, if you enjoyed this post and found it helpful, I hope you’ll consider checking out Pop! Goes The Reader’s Patreon! Members receive access to at least three exclusive posts and rewards there every month, including curated book lists like this one on a specific theme, genre or subject. Membership on Patreon makes a real, tangible difference in helping to support Pop! Goes The Reader and allowing me to do what I love and makes posts like this one, that are accessible to all readers, possible. Thank you!

Publication Date January 13th 2026 by Page Street YA
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Maybe this is possession; maybe this is truly what it is to be haunted.

There’s a ghost haunting Drew Tarpin’s new room. Liam Orville has been dead for ten months and has no idea how to move on. But the longer he stays, the more likely it is he’ll degrade into an energy consuming husk ― which Drew is more concerned about than her grades or her inability to make meaningful connections with other students.

Drew is everything Liam never was when he was alive, but they do share some common ground: Drew finds herself hopelessly attracted to ― and completely tongue-tied around ― Hannah Sullivan, who happens to be Liam’s former best friend.

After a run-in with a ghost-eating monster leaves Drew and Liam desperate for answers, they strike up a deal: In return for Drew investigating why Liam is still around, he’ll help her talk to Hannah. But Liam’s time is running out, and if Drew doesn’t help him move on, he risks becoming a monster himself.

Publication Date January 13th 2026 by Bindery Books
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The Breakfast Club meets 28 Days Later in this revised and expanded edition of Courtney Summers’s cult classic about a traumatized young woman forced to survive the zombie apocalypse.

Sloane Price knows there are worse things than the end of the world, so when the zombie apocalypse happens, the opportunity to escape her violent home life offers no relief. She’s already lost the one thing that matters most — her sister — and now seems like the perfect time to give up.

But when she inadvertently ends up barricaded in her high school with five other teens, their desperate and volatile bids for survival force a series of impossible decisions. As the days creep by and the dead close in, Sloane must confront everything she thought she knew about life, death, survival, and sacrifice and — once and for all — make a choice.

Joined together for the first time in this special “director’s cut” edition, This Is Not A Test and its novella sequel Please Remain Calm explore the forces that tether us to life — and to each other — in our darkest times.

Publication Date January 13th 2026 by Abrams Fanfare
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A thrilling, spine-chilling YA graphic novel from debut author Victoria Setian and Bloom artist Savanna Ganucheau ― a modern spin on the classic horror novel Dracula.

Mina Murray is followed by death ― at least, that’s the rumor in her small town of New Whitby. An aspiring photojournalist, she has a knack for finding herself in unsettling situations to find interesting shots, like on the deck of the recently crashed boat the Demeter.

While exploring the wreckage, Mina comes across large cases of dirt and debris ― and the decaying body of the ship’s captain.

Intrigued by the ghastly scene, Mina tries to unearth more information about the abandoned ship, the captain, and the missing crew. Instead, she finds herself roped into her high school’s newspaper club covering the big school dance her BFF, Lucy, is coordinating. It’s a major bummer, but all might not be too bad if it gets her closer to Jon, her crush and guitarist for the local punk band the Romeros.

But instead of catching Jon’s eye, Mina enters the orbit of Raf, the brooding (and frankly, hot) transfer student who has everyone under his thrall. As Raf’s popularity grows and the dance draws near, sinister events begin to shake the core of the school: The head of the newspaper club gains an unseemly appetite for flies. Jon is getting close to Raf.

And Lucy falls ill…with strange puncture wounds on her neck. Mina starts to suspect that new student is hiding a dark and terrible secret…but will she be able to figure it out before it’s too late?

Publication Date January 13th 2026 by Delacorte Press
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A psychological thriller about a night of babysitting that turns fatal and a girl determined to figure out if the gas leak was an accident, perfect for fans of E. Lockhart’s We Were Liars.

Ella was supposed to be out with friends. But a blinding headache and a twist of fate leave her babysitting instead.

Only, when she arrives, the house is quiet, the door is wide open — and the air reeks of gas. She manages to call 911, but not everyone survives.

As Ella struggles to recover, cracks begin to form in the investigation. Whispers, memories, and buried motives point to something sinister. The gas leak might not have been an accident after all. And someone might be out to kill Ella next.

The door’s open, the gas is leaking, and nothing is what it seems — your next book club obsession starts here.

Publication Date January 20th 2026 by Wednesday Books
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Welcome to Bleak Haven: The town you won’t (or can’t!) leave… Deep fake murders have taken over the high school, but what happens when they start to become real?

Would you Swipe to Die?

When the new craze takes over Bleak Haven High, Ava Wilson refuses to join in. As the niece of an infamous murderer, it’s the last thing she needs.

The mysterious website allows people to view their own ‘death’ – an AI generated version of their final slasher-movie-moments. But, when some of her classmates’ deepfakes are replicated in real life, Ava can either catch the killer…or be the next victim.

Publication Date January 20th 2026 by Wednesday Books
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Welcome to Bleak Haven: The town you won’t (or can’t!) leave… The second nail-biting novel in the Bleak Haven series, in Vincent Ralph’s signature, terrifying style!

Bleak Haven High’s senior class of 1987 have already survived the town’s most horrifying tragedy to date. As a result, 17-year-old Noah understands everything there is to know about monsters.

When the bookstore that Noah works in is held up by masked attackers, he assumes they want cash. But the assailants aren’t demanding a ransom. They are searching for Bleak Haven’s very own urban legend – The Burning Book.

After something with a thirst for flesh creeps from the book’s pages, Noah must use his knowledge of Bleak Haven’s terrifying history to help his fellow hostages escape the mall, without turning their town into another bloodbath.

Publication Date January 27th 2026 by Delacorte Press
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After a group of teens visit a dangerous island where three are left behind, the surviving girls realize they must return to confront the sinister force hunting them. This dark YA thriller is perfect for fans of Yellowjackets.

Eight were lost. Five were found. None will ever be free.

For Evie Williams, life is about to get a lot more complicated. Haunted by the events of a school trip to Hollow Lake National Park that went disastrously wrong, Evie and her friends returned changed, their lives forever marked by the mysterious Island they encountered — and the three girls they left behind.

Now, someone is picking off those who were involved, one by one. Their families, friends, and even online investigators are all caught in a deadly game. The stakes are raised when Evie receives a chilling message: to save her loved ones, she must return to the Island.

As Evie and the other “Lost Girls” navigate the treacherous terrain of the Island once more, they must confront the secrets they’ve buried, the horrors they witnessed, and the person — or thing — that’s hunting them. But some secrets refuse to stay hidden, and the Island demands a price for freedom.

Publication Date January 27th 2026 by Nancy Paulsen Books
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In the tradition of Jordan Peele and Tiffany Jackson’s The Weight of Blood, a YA thriller about a Black teen whose fight for survival forces a small southern vacation town to face its dark history of racial violence.

When sixteen-year-old Naomi Ward and her family head to a secluded cabin in the Shenandoah Valley for summer vacation they don’t know the small, mountain town of Sparksburg, Virginia has a dark and twisted past. But when they arrive, Naomi can’t shake the feeling that something about Sparksburg just isn’t right—and it smells god awful, but for some reason Naomi is the only who can smell the town’s stench. When she learns Sparksburg had once been a Sundown Town — a town where Black people weren’t allowed after sunset lest they be murdered — Naomi’s unease starts to make sense.

As Naomi digs more into Sparksburg’s violent origins, she finds herself haunted by the ghost of a girl, appearing nightly outside her window. Then she learns of two girls who’ve recently gone missing and suspects the past may still be present in Sparksburg and beneath the quaint façade of this tourist town is a palpable danger.

When Naomi decides to track the disappearance of the two girls herself, she becomes suspicious of a local man who has kindled fear in Naomi more than once. She soon learns he has a connection to one of the missing girls, and Naomi is certain he’s responsible for the disappearances.

When no one believes her, Naomi takes matters into her own hands. But to save the missing girls, she’ll have to finally face her own past trauma as a “missing girl” as she finds herself in a fight for survival.

Gripping and triumphant, L.S. Stratton tells an important and unforgettable story of racial reckoning inspired by historical events.

Publication Date January 27th 2026 by Disney Hyperion
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From the author of It Waits In The Forest comes Sarah Dass’s next stand-alone supernatural thriller — a lush and evocative tale of the rot that grows at the heart of even the most beautiful places. Perfect for fans of Angeline Boulley and Tiffany D. Jackson!

All Maya Woods wants is to reunite her three best friends, Pearl, Erica, and Lystra, for one last epic boat trip to the islands around their Caribbean home before they all graduate from high school. But the girls are forced to make an emergency landing on Annatto — an island avoided by locals and tourists alike because of the rumors of monsters and shadows that lurk in its depths — and their yearly tradition descends into darkness as Erica turns up dead and the girls are forced to leave her body behind.

Their tight-knit community is sent into a spiral of grief and suspicion, and Maya and her friends are at a loss to understand what happened: was it simply an accident or is there truth to the rumors about Annatto?

And while the community rejoices when Erica mysteriously returns alive and well a week later, Maya can’t seem to let go of her questions. What did they see that night? And who — or what — has Erica returned as? As old arguments and new betrayals rise to the surface, Maya and her friends can feel the shadows closing in on them. Something is lurking in the night, and they must be ready to face it.

Drawing from the darkest corners of Caribbean mythology, acclaimed author Sarah Dass delivers a supernatural thriller blends cultural nuance with monsters that go bump in the night, giving long-time Rick Riordan Presents fans the kind of story that will root into their hearts and awaken never their deepest fears.

Publication Date February 3rd 2026 by Sourcebooks Fire
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Yellowjackets meets Smile in this atmospheric sapphic horror debut, in which a group of troubled girls are stalked through the Appalachian wilderness by a frightening monster that feeds on their deepest fears.

Penny’s abusive father is dead…but she still hears his voice in her head, encouraging her to hurt those around her. She can’t go to school or be around her friends or even draw with a sharp pencil without her intrusive thoughts urging her toward violence. Desperate to get a handle on her OCD, she agrees to spend the summer at Camp Whitewood ― an exclusive therapy retreat in the woods.

She feels optimistic when she arrives. The other girls all have their reasons for being there, which makes Penny feel a little less alone. But then she starts seeing things that can’t possibly be there: the gold watch her father was buried with, his favorite whiskey spilled on her cabin floor…a terrifying figure she calls the Shadow Man looming at the foot of her bed. Penny thinks she is losing her mind, but when a girl goes missing, and is later found dead, it’s clear that whatever is happening at Camp Whitewood isn’t all in her head.

As the hallucinations become increasingly intense and more girls wind up dead, Penny must work with whoever is left standing to figure out what is real before the Shadow Man uses their traumas against them and claims their lives.

Publication Date February 17th 2026 by Wednesday Books
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In this young adult speculative mystery, a teen must find a way to free a cursed witch in order to save her best friend before time runs out.

Every year horror-loving Simone Washington throws an epic Halloween party for her classmates. Party-planning is her favorite escape from the dark secrets in her past, and this year, she’s taking things up a notch with an invitation-only event to celebrate her eighteenth birthday ― something that will leave the halls of Pinegrove Academy flooded with gossip about the big ghoulish bash. The overnight stay at Doll’s Head Lake will be filled with spooky pranks and scary stories told by the fire – including the legend of a local witch named Regret.

But those dark secrets from Simone’s past are forced to the surface at the party when her best friend Kira dies under questionable circumstances. The witch appears and offers Simone a deal: if Simone can figure out how to release Regret from the curse trapping her at the lake within fourteen days, all of Simone’s regrets will be erased. If Simone accepts, Kira’s life will be immediately restored. But if she fails, Kira will die again ― and Simone will be the one to kill her.

Publication Date February 24th 2026 by Sourcebooks Fire
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All of them are guilty.

All of them must play the game.

But only one can survive.

On the first anniversary of a tragic fire at their high school, seven teenagers jump at the chance to attend a luxury desert retreat. But when they’re left at a rundown abandoned motel and a sinister text message accuses them of complicity in the fire, they realize someone is playing a deadly game of revenge.

The rules? Every hour, one of them must sacrifice themselves, leaving the motel to be killed, until only one survivor remains. Otherwise… they all die.

As the countdown begins, the stranded must answer the questions: when everyone’s guilty, who deserves to live? Who deserves to die?

With time running out, can they work together to uncover who’s running the game before the bodies pile up? Or will it be survival of the fittest?

Publication Date March 3rd 2026 by Feiwel & Friends
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For fans of Sinners and Immortal Dark, a teen girl must uncover her family’s deadly secrets in order to save her best friend and her island in this heart-pounding YA debut.

Addae has spent her whole life on the Golden Isle, a private island off the coast of South Carolina that has been in her family for centuries. Island residents don’t really fraternize with mainlanders, and for good reason. Golden Isle was founded by the Kinfolk, descendants ― including Addae and her Nana Ama, the island matriarch ― of escaped enslaved Black people.

But the Isle and the Kinfolk have secrets that must be protected from the outside world. Secrets of spirituality, mythology that are deeply rooted in their West African culture, beliefs, and traditions. The Kin are bound to protect the Golden Isle and, in turn, it protects them.

When Addae’s best friend Naria goes missing and one of the Kin turns up drained of blood, Addae’s way of life is threatened. It looks like the work of the Adze, West African supernatural beings that drink human blood in order to survive ― also known as vampires.

Believing Naira is alive, Addae travels to the mainland. But as Addae gets closer to finding Naria, she uncovers deep secrets about Nana Ama’s past, and about her own… secrets that could change how she feels about the Golden Isle and her lineage.

Torn between two worlds, Addae will have to decide how far she is willing to go ― and who she is willing to cross―to save her best friend, and even herself.

Publication Date March 3rd 2026 by Wednesday Books
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Roe Damarcus has never been afraid of the dead. Her power to summon spirits has awed the guests of her esteemed family’s galas for as long as she can remember. Her future is certain, and her gift will be another shining jewel in the Damarcus legacy.

But when she fails her realm’s trial to keep her magic and is deemed too dangerous for society, she faces a harrowing choice: give up her gift or serve a punishment sentence aboard the Celestial, a luxurious magical cruise ship where staff members compete for guest votes to earn a coveted retrial.

As a concierge, Roe juggles the demands of affluent guests, cruel bosses, and the suspicion that an infuriatingly handsome silks performer, Ivander, is determined to keep her from a retrial.

But the true dangers surface after her shift ends when the Celestial transforms into halls of nightmares that kill staff members after dark. Faced with the reality of serving aboard, Roe begins to question the ship, trials, and the system that put her there. But the moment Roe sinks into the ship’s dark history, she’s wrongly framed for a guest’s murder. Vowing to conjure her own second chance, Roe will use whatever power she has to uncover the secrets of the ship, her family, and their entwined bloody past…before she becomes the Celestial’s next victim.

Publication Date March 3rd 2026 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
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A group of girls does Death incarnate’s bidding in this haunting speculative young adult novel by the author of The Year of the Witching.

Roslyn isn’t herself anymore. It’s been a year since her sister, Adeline, died under mysterious circumstances, and Roslyn is still tormented by her absence. So when the elusive caravan of girls that Adeline spent her last summer with rolls back into town, Roslyn joins them to finally figure out what happened to her sister.

Strange, beautiful, and intriguing, the girls are closed off from the world. And as it turns out, they’re brought together by a force more sinister than Roslyn’s nightmares could’ve conjured up: Death himself.

Death has spared the girls from untimely endings, and to pay for their lives, the girls travel the country reaping souls on his behalf. Now Roslyn must decide if finding closure is worth the price of striking the same deal.

Publication Date March 3rd 2026 by Scholastic Press
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The chilling second installment in the Let’s Split Up trilogy, where coming home means facing a killer who knows your past.

One year after surviving the mystery that made them local legends, the Sanera gang has gone their separate ways. College, new lives, and distance have replaced late-night investigations ― except for Cam, who can’t quite move on.

When Sanera’s Halloween festival reunites the group for a celebratory hometown event, nostalgia quickly turns to terror. Cam spots the Carrington Ghoul ― a figure tied to their last case ―and realizes their past isn’t done with them yet.

As the festival spirals into chaos, a new killer emerges, using Sanera’s local legends as inspiration for a string of gruesome murders. Each crime mirrors myths the gang once debunked, making it clear: someone is obsessed with their history ― and is rewriting it in blood.

With the town exploiting its dark past for tourism and the gang’s fame painting a target on their backs, they must reunite to stop the killer before the legend claims one of their own.

Tense, twisty, and relentless, Be Right Back deepens the danger and raises the stakes in the Let’s Split Up trilogy ― proving that once you uncover the truth, there’s no such thing as moving on.

Publication Date March 10th 2026 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
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This propulsive thriller follows a fractured group of friends as they fight to survive a killer escape room in rural Tennessee. Perfect for fans of I Know What You Did Last Summer and Karen M. McManus.

Twelve months ago, an escape room fire took everything from Steffi Zamekova. In just one hour, she lost it all: her popular blog, her close-knit inner circle, and her memories of the night that killed one of the group’s own…the charismatic (if infuriating) Matt Cesari.

On the anniversary of the bewildering tragedy, Steffi is still desperate to piece together what went wrong. So when she receives an ominous invitation in the mail summoning her to the new escape room across town, she seizes the chance for answers.

Reunited with her former friends, Steffi sees the game as a last chance to uncover the truth behind Matt’s death. But it’s soon clear that each participant has their own cagey reasons for accepting the challenge. And as tensions rise and the players are picked off one by one, it’s a race against the clock for Steffi to uncover their secrets and unlock her own memories before the game’s mastermind ensures that no one escapes the room alive.

Publication Date March 31st 2026 by Sourcebooks Fire
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A vacation in paradise turns deadly when four teens’ sailing charter hits stormy seas in this propulsive new thriller from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Megan Lally!

Hannah is having an incredible spring break. A week at a resort in Mexico with her best friend Emmy and her family is perfect for de-stressing from senior year, even if it’s awkward being around Emmy’s older brother, Jackson, who she’s had a crush on for as long as she can remember.

Still, the beach is gorgeous. So is the guy they meet in the surf. Except Hannah is now the third wheel in Emmy’s vacation romance.

Eager to impress Emmy, her wealthy new boyfriend charters a private sailboat to make the most of their last day in paradise, and Hannah and Jackson are invited along. As the clouds roll in and the skies darken, their boat is the only one leaving the marina. And the further they get into open water, the more unsettled Hannah becomes. A storm is brewing onboard that’s as deadly as the one racing toward them. Forget surviving graduation. Who will make it back to land alive?

Publication Date March 31st 2026 by Holiday House
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A homecoming queen and a bad-boy loner team up to break a generational curse in this YA supernatural horror from a talented American Egyptian voice.

Seventeen-year-old Mina is always focused on what comes next: exams, school dances, opportunities for a picnic by the lake. Filling up the future keeps her from lingering over how little she knows about her history or where she comes from. Anytime she asks her father questions about Egypt–or about her mother’s mysterious death–he struggles to open up.

When Mina receives an invitation from an aunt she’s never met to visit the Haikal mansion, her mother’s childhood home in El Agamy, Mina accepts. She can’t resist the chance to learn more about her roots or what happened to her mother, even if it means lying to her loves ones for the first time in her life.

But when Mina returns from El Agamy, she doesn’t come back alone.

A sinister entity follows Mina from the Haikal mansion to her tiny California town. Mina is forced to abandon her friends, her father, and everything she loves in order to prevent the entity from violently possessing them. Isolated and fighting for her life, Mina must seek help from an unlikely ally: Jesse Talbot, the mortician’s hostile son and the only person who proves immune to possession. Jesse would rather floss with barbed wire than team up with social butterfly Mina, but he doesn’t exactly have a choice—after all, he’s running from family secrets of his own.

As Mina and Jesse dig deeper into Mina’s family lore, they uncover a bloody debt that must be satisfied if Mina wants to finish senior year alive.

Publication Date April 7th 2026 by Sourcebooks Fire
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Everyone in the rural town of Ashling knows the tale of Veronica Green, a teen who was murdered in the woods. But did a party trick bring her back to claim her revenge? A fast-paced, suspenseful YA horror from the author of Summer’s Edge and People Like Us.

There is no one Hazel trusts less than her self-centered twin, Beth. So when Beth abandons her at a party she didn’t want to attend in the first place, Hazel decides not to let it ruin her night. She throws herself into flirting and telling ghost stories over a Ouija board. Hazel might not be the popular twin, but she is going to have fun if it kills her.

Except Beth doesn’t come home that night, and Hazel’s anger morphs into anxiety. It only sharpens when Beth reappears a day later, disoriented and claiming to be Veronica Green, a teen who was murdered in their small town years before. If it isn’t a possession, Beth is really good at faking it. Did they accidentally release a vengeful horror during the party?

Hazel must uncover what happened to Veronica all those years ago if she’s going to save Beth. But the truth may destroy them both ― if they don’t destroy each other first.

Publication Date April 21st 2026 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
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Perfect for fans of Don’t Let the Forest In and Wuthering Heights, this gothic horror novel is about the pasts that haunt us and the stories we decide to make for ourselves.

There’s nowhere Catie East would rather be than the redwood forest that surrounds her family’s unusual historic home, the Heights.

She prefers being alone in the forest. People are … complicated. But when a scientist and his son move into the estate’s cottage, planning to study the woods around them, the boy catches Catie’s eye. And when a dead woodpecker miraculously comes back to life in his precious hands…he captures her heart.

Necromancy isn’t the only strange thing happening in the Heights.There’s an unfamiliar face in the mirror. Blood on the floors. Eyes in the wallpaper. And the men around her—including her once-sweet nature boy—are becoming something else. Something possessive and frightening. Something violent.

As the Heights’s dark history starts to come to light, Catie discovers that the home she loves is imbued with pain. And even though the pain isn’t her own, it will corrupt her and the people around her all the same—unless she can stop it.

A story about breaking cycles of abuse and overcoming generational trauma, May the Dead Keep You is an edge-of-your-seat read—equally horrifying, heart-wrenching, and hopeful.

Publication Date April 28th 2026 by Wednesday Books
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In this new mystery from CL Montblanc, the author of Pride or Die, two internet enemies are forced to work together after a true crime meetup turns into a deadly case of its own.

Seventeen-year-old Sam Tombs hopes to get more eyes on the videos they make to raise awareness of crimes against LGBTQ+ teens. A true crime content creator event seems like the perfect opportunity to grow their channel―until the group becomes stranded at an eerie Victorian mansion, and one of them is killed in the night.

Sam’s alibi, and the only person they can trust, happens to be their mean, dorky internet nemesis Dylan. But the two must now put aside their rivalry and use their investigative skills to figure out who among the remaining teens is the killer, before their own deaths become tomorrow’s trending content.

Publication Date May 5th 2026 by Disney Hyperion
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Three wishes. One prom queen celebrating at the Jersey Shore. And one monster who will keep killing until her wishes are paid for.

From the virally popular author of Here Lies A Vengeful Bitch, a queer feminist YA horror/slasher novel perfect for fans of You’re Not Supposed To Die Tonight.

Seven years ago, Sundae Valentine made a deal with a monster she met at the bottom of a motel pool. She didn’t know the wishes he offered had a price — or that the third wish, the one she still hasn’t made, will cost her life.

Back then, she barely escaped Wildwood alive. Now, the cheerleaders and football players are headed to the Jersey Shore for prom weekend — leaving Sundae no choice but to return to the scene of her sun-bleached nightmares.

Sundae tries to forget, throwing herself into the rides on the pier, the tequila-fueled dance parties, and the guitar-strumming girl she can’t quite look away from. She hopes the beast has forgotten, too.

But there are eyes like silver coins watching from the shadows, and teeth like a rusty saw glinting in the light of the boardwalk. Because Sundae still owes a debt. And whatever it takes, whoever he has to kill, this time the monster’s determined to collect.

Publication Date May 5th 2026 by Wednesday Books
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Midsommar meets Fear Street in this modern, sea-soaked folk horror debut about fighting to survive, and fighting to be yourself.

Seventeen-year-old Lindsay Weinberg has just gotten kicked out of another prep school, and has consequently found herself shipped to her Uncle Levi’s farm in the cold, isolated town of Marbury, Maine.

When Lindsay arrives at a big, old farmhouse miles from civilization, she is greeted by her uncle’s new wife, a goy with a little too much Jesus decor for Lindsay’s taste ― with Uncle Levi mysteriously away on a business trip. Not only that, but Lindsay isn’t the only teen staying there. In fact, there is a small group of teens going through some kind of reform program. Up at dawn. Manual labor all day. No phones, computers or tablets.

Things start to feel hopeless until Lindsay meets the twins, Phin and Cass. They live on an island off the Peninsula’s coast―and they have internet. Lindsay convinces the others at Haven House to sneak out for a party on the island, and the night is incredible. At least…what they can remember of it. All of them wake up in their beds with sea-shell mementos, no memory of how they got home, and wicked hangovers. All of them except one. And as the disappearances and mysteries pile up, Lindsay and the others realize that they have become involved in a terrifying fight to survive, before the Cove claims them all.

Publication Date May 5th 2026 by Random House Books for Young Readers
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A native Hawaiian teen travels to a luxury island resort in search of her missing twin and uncovers the dark side of paradise, in this YA supernatural thriller that’s Mexican Gothic meets She Is A Haunting.

For the world’s wealthiest, Kōpaʻa Island Resort is more than a destination. It’s the ultimate escape. With no cell service or Wi-Fi, the Hawaiian island is a coveted wellness retreat renowned for its persimmon orchard and promises of rejuvenation.

But their dream vacation is Lehua’s nightmare. When her twin sister, Ohia, goes missing, Lehua follows her trail to Kōpaʻa to find her. Instead, Lehua is cut off from civilization — and help — after the island’s boat leaves without her, stranding her with the resort’s lavish guests and enigmatic staff.

As Lehua investigates Ohia’s disappearance, she discovers her missing sister isn’t the island’s only mystery. Kōpaʻa’s rich exterior and sweet persimmons hide its dark plantation past. And Lehua can’t ignore the dreams haunting her each night—nor the warning telling her to leave the island at once. To uncover what happened to Ohia, Lehua will have to unearth the island’s bloody history and face the horrors that lurk within its sugarcane fields — or risk being consumed by them.

Sharply observed and gorgeously written, That Which Feeds Us explores the true cost of paradise as Lehua must fight to reclaim the land, the stories, and the very souls of her people.

Publication Date May 5th 2026 by Sourcebooks Fire
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You’re cordially invited to the wedding massacre of the season…

Life is good for Katie Rose Waters. Her family is filthy rich, and she has it all: a closet full of designer shoes in a mansion fit for a queen, Mother Dear’s undivided attention and of course, the comforting knowledge that she can get away with murder any time she wants…literally.

But Katie Rose’s perfect world starts to crumble when her estranged sister Kit returns home to their small town with a new engagement ring and a fiancé in tow. With Belldam, Texas’s most extravagant wedding on the horizon Mother Dear goes into wedding planner mode, obsessing over wedding dresses, florists, and finding a cake. And Katie Rose? She’s been demoted to an afterthought. Unless, of course, Mother Dear needs help with a decapitated body. It’s simply devastating.

Left to her own wicked devices, Katie Rose begins to suspect that her picture-perfect life might be as hollow as the corpses she leaves behind. What’s a spoiled daughter to do without Mother Dear’s guidance? But whatever, everything will be fine as long as the trio can stay calm.

Unfortunately, there’s nothing more stressful than a wedding…

This outrageous young adult slasher blends the comedy of Father of the Bride with nonstop kills à la Serial Mom in the most twisted mother-daughter story yet.

Publication Date May 12th 2026 by Delacorte Press
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For fans of The Last Bookstore On Earth and Compound Fracture, a heart-pounding rural horror following a genderqueer teen who survives a near-apocalypse, only to be hunted by a mysterious monster whose very existence is entwined with their own.

From a breathtaking new voice in YA, this story is for anyone haunted by the sins of past generations — and fighting to right them.

When Cedar was a child, fragmented, tortured souls woke up in the world’s most complex machines, destroying them and pushing technology back decades. A fall. The Fall, some said, and they called it Autumn.

Ten years later, following a family tragedy, Cedar moves to the nowhere town of Sawblade Lake only to find something hunting them. A long, bent shadow that reeks like rot and has the mouth of a deep crevice. It’s after Cedar, and it’s willing to go to any lengths to break them, including preying on Cedar’s new queer family.

The closer it circles, the more it seems to weave through Cedar’s whole life. It might stretch back to their mother’s gruesome, inexplicable death, to the murk of their missing family, to the house they grew up in. Back and back and back to the first day of Autumn.

Cedar thought they understood how their world had changed, but they’re far from dredging the bottom.

Publication Date May 12th 2026 by Page Street YA
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I’m the only one left hunting the monster, the only one left with a chance of saving us all.

Raised in a town surrounded by a labyrinthian, man-eating swamp, Lili craves nothing more than to track down the monster lurking in its depths and kill it.

The monster’s curse claims the flesh and bone of every adult in town, stealing them away, piece by piece. For generations, people have tried to kill it or escape the town altogether, but every path out of town leads them right back in.

Caleb, a bookish boy with dreams of freedom, is hungry to escape. He thinks that with Lili’s help and knowledge of the swamp, he can make a map to freedom. And Lili hopes that with a better sense of its territory, she might finally find and kill the monster.

Together, they chart the swamp’s shifting terrain. Sharing in the danger and the beauty of the landscape sparks a friendship between them ― and then something more. However, what they discover disrupts everything Lili thought she knew about the town, her father, the monster ― even herself. The truth at the root of the curse could devour them all. And Lili must decide if risking her life to be the town’s savior is worth sacrificing her own chance of escape.

Publication Date June 2nd 2026 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
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The Witch Haven meets Divine Rivals in this magical tale of a young clairvoyant who gets dragged into a dangerous game of revenge alongside a mysterious thief in early 1900s New York City.

Stella Bohdan is never alone — never — and yet she is the loneliest person she knows, dead or alive. A gifted psychic who can hear the voices of spirits, all Stella wants is to con enough people to survive on the brutal New York City streets and find a way to deal with the tragic death of her sister.

Performing seances in parlor rooms and tarot readings by candlelight, Stella is barely holding on. Until she meets Pax, a mysterious young man who offers Stella an invitation and a promise: Join a secret group of talented mystics who explore the darker realms of spiritualism, and together they will get revenge on her sister’s killer.

But how can Stella admit she is the reason her sister is dead?

In the hope of righting past wrongs, Stella joins Pax and his team of mystics. It’s soon clear there is more behind their partnership than just vengeance.

They must tread carefully though, because in the world of spiritualism, not everything is what it seems — especially when communing with the unknown.

Publication Date June 9th 2026 by Random House Books for Young Readers
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Being a teenager bites — literally. When a classmate develops a thirst for blood, one girl must confront her secret supernatural past before things turn deadly. Fans counting down the days to the Buffy The Vampire Slayer reboot will sink their teeth into this dark and hilarious YA debut.

Her past is back for blood.

My goals for senior year were simple:
● Find a prom dress I don’t hate
● Spend as much time as possible with my amazing boyfriend Max (and my even more amazing best friend Sarita)
● Maybe try not to flunk history class

My plans did NOT include:
● Babysitting a newborn vampire — who also happens to be Max’s annoying (and annoyingly cute) buddy Ezra
● Fighting off my ex-boyfriend — who did I mention is immortal?
● And generally worrying about death and blood and mayhem

Turning human was supposed to mean finally getting a second chance at a normal life. But ever since moving to Sunrise Harbor, Florida, nothing has been normal. What’s worse is I actually made friends here. And when my dark past threatens to take it all away, well, being mortal totally sucks.

Award-winning author Darcy Miller makes her YA debut in this wise-cracking and witty entry that brings new blood to your favorite vampire tropes.

Publication Date June 9th 2026 by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
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Just one taste can change everything.

All seventeen-year-old Dusty wants is to escape into books and the Adirondack wilderness that surrounds her small town. But in the dead of night, strange things have been happening in Black River.

Animals are being ravaged by something unnatural. And Dusty wakes up one day with dirt on her feet, changed and starving. When new kid Will arrives, Dusty feels an attraction unlike anything she’s felt before. She wants him…or she wants his blood. As Dusty realizes she’s transforming into something she can’t control, she reluctantly turns to the only person she somehow knows will understand: the annoyingly attractive Eli Blake.

Together, Dusty and Eli must uncover the mystery of their town and their new, insatiable desires. Have they become vampires or some other kind of monster?

Whatever they are, they’re not the only ones.

An irresistible blend of suspense and romance, this paranormal small town mystery is perfect for fans of Stephanie Meyers and Tigest Girma.

Publication Date June 16th 2026 by Christy Ottaviano Books
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Perfect for fans of Rory Power and Tiffany D. Jackson, this twisty horror novel follows a magnetic young influencer who gets ensnared in a web of dark, jealousy-fueled magic.

Three years ago, Bella dumped her best friend Kerry to follow her dreams of becoming an influencer. It worked; she is Such a Lucky Girl, famous for her epic manifesting glow-up and dedicated to helping other girls be “lucky,” too. She’s living the dream — success, sponsorships, and fame. She burned her old life to the ground and never looked back.

Leaving Kerry behind. Alone. Angry.

When Kerry picks up a vintage self-help book on shadow work, she’s fascinated by the suggested rituals. Get back at those who have wronged her? Yes, please. She has one person in mind, and that girl is smiling at her millions of followers, having forgotten Kerry long ago. But there’s something attached to the book, something dark and ancient, and Kerry and Bella may not be ready for what is about to be unleashed.

Publication Date June 23rd 2026 by Norton Young Readers
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Two friends must uncover the truth about the bloody reappearance of a cryptid in this queer, X-Files-inspired thriller from the author of Bad Creek.

To save her family’s struggling ranch, 18-year-old Claire fabricates a video of her hometown’s legendary alien cryptid, Old Lucky, that grabs the attention of paranormal vloggers Lenny and Evan. Lenny is plagued with doubts about their channel’s future, so catching Old Lucky might just be her chance at finding something real.

After Evan deserts Lenny, believing the investigation to be a hoax, Claire agrees to “help” Lenny uncover the history of Old Lucky ― and preserve her deceit. But the more the girls are drawn together and the more clues they unearth, the more secrets rise to the surface. The cows are being mutilated, the ranch hand has disappeared, and the strange lights in the sky are back. Something inhuman lurks in Scarberry, where danger lives close to home. The Monsters We Made is an eerie and suspenseful exploration of one town’s dark history and the people who brought it back to life.

Publication Date June 23rd 2026 by Knopf Books for Young Readers
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In a small town haunted by unsolved disappearances, a teen with a secret ability must unravel a deadly mystery – before she becomes the next victim.

Mendocino is not the quaint coastal California town Zayn Pereira imagined. It’s shrouded in a fog that never lets up. Posters of a missing teen girl are plastered everywhere, and just offshore is an island called Rainsong, rumored to be haunted.

At her new school, everyone is tense and suspicious of each other. So when charismatic Ollie takes Zayn under her wing, it’s a relief – but is her charm hiding something? People assume brooding Tiago, the missing girl’s ex-boyfriend, is responsible for her disappearance…but Zayn can’t keep her eyes off him. Is he really who everyone says he is?

Besides, Zayn has a secret of her own. And when Tiago is struck by a car one night, she is forced to reveal it to save him. In doing so, Zayn discovers her connection to a generations-old feud that still rages today. Can she break herself from the grip of Mendocino’s past tragedy? Or will she become the next girl on the missing poster?

Filled with angsty romance, supernatural powers, murder, and vengeance, this is a chilling and propulsive read.

Publication Date June 23rd 2026 by Nancy Paulsen Books
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Thrilling crossover YA horror perfect for fans of Krystal Sutherland and Tiffany Jackson, where the captain of a high school cheer team is caught in a bitter rivalry and turns to an ancient, supernatural creature for help, not knowing she’s just made a deal with a devil and could lose everything that matters, including her life.

Maris Larsen is the captain of the West Eaton High cheer team. She’s Coach’s favorite and the team worships her. Being on the team makes her feel special — powerful. When she’s leading the girls on the mat, Maris doesn’t have to think about her dead-end life in a dead-end town. She can forget about her depressed mother and absent father and the fact that her girlfriend doesn’t really love her. But when newcomer and Coach’s new golden girl, Genevieve Ray, joins the team, the only thing going right in Maris’s life is suddenly in jeopardy. A bitter rivalry develops between the two, but Maris is determined to take Genevieve down. The knife she needs to wield comes to Maris in her dreams.

While sleepwalking, Maris is visited by a monstrous, decaying beast in the shape of an enormous deer. Doe is an ancient, tired creature who has been wandering, trapped in her current form for decades. She cannot die, but she cannot go on living as she has. Only a girl related by blood to those who bound her in this form can free her, but those girls she loved died years ago — murdered in a fire.

But Maris is somehow linked to Doe’s beloved girls — linked by blood — and so she has the power to free Doe, to unleash her immense power. In Maris’s dreams, she and Doe form a bond, but Maris doesn’t know the creature from her dreams is real. Maris doesn’t understand the danger she’s in. She only knows Doe has promised her a way to win her battle with Genevieve. But for Maris to win, someone has to die, and the only real winner in the end will be Doe.

Publication Date June 30th 2026 by Sourcebooks Fire
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Pretty Little Liars meets The Blair Witch Project in this harrowing thriller from the author of Murder Land, brimming with betrayal, unsettling town secrets, and a killer lurking in the woods.

Emma knows her friends all lie to her. And everyone knows Emma is the outcast of their group. She’s usually fine with that, until her friends go on a camping trip that she planned…without her. The next morning, she wakes up to the news that all three of them died at the campsite.

When Emma starts receiving unnerving videos of the girls the night they died from an anonymous source, it becomes clear their deaths weren’t an accident. And if this becomes a murder case, Emma will be suspect number one. Because while everyone knows she had been excluded from the plans, what they don’t know is that she went to the campsite that night after all, and someone has proof.

Emma teams up with Beck, one of the victims’ sisters, to return to the woods and figure out what really happened the night her friends died, uncover who is behind the mysterious videos she is receiving, and make sure that nobody can pin their murders on her. But stranded in an eerie town that doesn’t welcome outsiders with a murderer on their heels, Emma and Beck just might be next…

Publication Date July 7th 2026 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers
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In an insular small town steeped in Norse traditions, a local teen grapples with dark secrets from the past rising to the surface in this “spine-tingling thrill ride” (School Library Journal, starred review) by New York Times bestselling author Jacqueline West.

Lucia Sorenson holds on hard to the things she loves. Her tiny hometown clings to the bluffs above the Mississippi River, threatened by weather and time. Unlike most people her age, Lucia plans to stay after graduation and help her grandfather run the Viking Museum of Black Point. Maybe then she can keep everything her ancestors built from washing away.

When the Black Point Hotel, a supposedly haunted local landmark, is bought by an outsider, the town is shaken — and for Lucia, fresh changes arrive in the form of the owner’s nephew, Max. As Lucia gets to know Max, she begins to question her role in the town’s rituals and to see the place, and herself, with new eyes.

But the town is flooding, and old secrets are rising to the surface. Soon Lucia will have to choose between the home she thought she knew and the hideous truths hidden underneath.

Publication Date July 7th 2026 by Delacorte Press
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From the author of Escape Room comes a thrilling whodunnit. Three people all confess to murdering the same person, they all have motives, but only one is the true killer.

Guess who?

Maria’s life spirals into chaos after she provides testimony that puts her brother behind bars, a decision that has fractured her family and left Maria isolated from her friends. And not long after, Maria is found dead.

Three of her peers — Cody, Norah, and Pip — all confess to the murder. And they all have a motive…but only one is guilty.

When it comes to light that Maria was being tormented by a mysterious, masked figure known only as the “Mystery Guest,” the search for answers becomes even more complicated.

Who is behind that mysterious mask? Who is the mystery guest? Maren Stoffels masterfully plays with perspectives and motives, as only she can — resulting in a murderously exciting page-turner.

Publication Date July 7th 2026 by Random House Books for Young Readers
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The daughter of a sinister magical family who made a deal with the devil must stop the man killing them off, one by one, in this deliciously dark fantasy thriller that’s House of Hollow meets Succession, laced with a kiss-or-kill romance.

Cicely is the black sheep daughter of the powerful Winter family, who made a deal with the devil in exchange for riches and ruthless magic. Soren is the boy her family banished to the underworld. Their fates intertwine when Cicely’s loathsome Uncle Dorian winds up dead at a masquerade ball.

Once overlooked for her lowly gift of discovering secrets, Cicely is now her family’s only chance at survival, tasked with finding the killer before he takes out every last Winter. With time running out, Cicely narrows her sights on Soren, who she suspects is back for vengeance.

Yet the more Cicely investigates Soren – and gets to know him – the more she begins to question how much family loyalty is worth. After all, when it comes to being a Winter, one can have love or power, but rarely both…

Publication Date July 21st 2026 by Bloomsbury YA
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I Killed Zoe Spanos meets The Counselors in this YA thriller about the daughter of a killer who must prove her innocence after a night of fun turns deadly.

Dina Soto is used to laying low. Ever since her father confessed to murdering two of his students, Dina’s mom has kept the family on a short leash to avoid drawing any more attention. But when cute, popular, and incredibly sweet Kai Thompson invites Dina to spend the weekend with him and his friends at his cabin, Dina thinks maybe being noticed wouldn’t be so bad.

But once at the cabin, Dina realizes one night won’t change her reputation as the daughter of a killer – especially not when people start turning up dead. Told in part through police evidence, the truth of what happened that night unravels alongside long-held secrets. But one thing remains true: Dina is adamant she didn’t do it. Now, she just has to prove it.

Publication Date July 21st 2026 by Union Square & Co.
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From Bram Stoker Award-winning author Lora Senf comes a fast-paced YA filled with cosmic horror and existential dread — four teens fight for survival on an impossible island against a creature who might spell the end of the world. Perfect for fans of Kate Alice Marshall and Claire Legrand.

Reckless, depressed, impulsive and sixteen, Harrow Lane is going to an island that shouldn’t exist to look for answers about the death of her father — the father who accidentally cursed her shortly after she was born. Things immediately go very wrong — beginning with the sinking of the boat that brought them to the island and an ominous chuckle from something that shouldn’t be there — and keep getting worse in ways they couldn’t possibly imagine. Harrow and friends came without being invited and whatever lives there doesn’t like visitors.

With no way to reach the outside world and no understanding of the rules of the island, Harrow and her friends are in mortal danger, and knowing who can and can’t be trusted is a thing they left back on shore. Matters are only complicated by Harrow’s emotions — she’s given her biggest feelings human faces and personalities and does her best to keep them locked away in a seedy motel she built in her mind. But emotions are sneaky, and she’s having to face them at the worst possible time. It’s creating sort of an “Inside Out in hell” situation as they fight for survival against a creature that seems to be made entirely of terror and who very well might spell the end of the world.

Publication Date July 21st 2026 by Amulet Books
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New from the author of Dead Girls Walking comes a YA horror about a girl kidnapped by a racist cult after investigating the supernatural happenings at her sister’s gravesite.

A month ago, Junie Daniels was in a car crash that left her with a dead sister, fragmented memories of the accident, and a mother too checked-out to plan a funeral.

The cheapest grave plot Junie can find is in the next town over. Sure, Williamsville is still proudly named after a slave master who was rumored to dabble in dark magic―but this is North Carolina, after all.

When unexplained occurrences start happening at the graveyard, though, Junie and her best friend, Omari, investigate. And it’s not long before Junie and Omari are taken…

Williamsville wants both Daniels girls. But Junie will do anything to protect her sister ― even if it’s only her corpse.

Publication Date July 21st 2026 by Delacorte Press
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An addictive killer-thriller following an aspiring crime journalist’s investigation into a case that blurs the line between art and life. Perfect for fans of Holly Jackson’s A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder.

When aspiring crime journalist Fliss Keller attends an estate sale and uncovers a disturbing painting by a mysterious artist, she wants nothing to do with it. Unfortunately for her, her Art History professor dad buys it immediately. The portrait has been lost for decades and completes a set of four existing paintings of women by the same artist already hanging in the town’s gallery.

But when a series of gruesome crimes rock the community and her father’s gallery becomes the epicenter of a deadly game, Fliss discovers that the paintings may hold the key to a killer’s identity.

Haunted by the specter of a serial killer, Fliss races against time to solve the mystery before it claims another victim. In a world where every brushstroke hides a sinister secret, can she unravel the clues before she becomes a killer’s muse?

Publication Date July 28th 2026 by Feiwel & Friends
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Bring It On, but with murder, this heart-pounding YA thriller follows Jonty, a star cheerleader forced to track down a killer and achieve her dream ― before it’s too late.

With competition this fierce, bodies are bound to hit the mat…

All Jonty has ever wanted is to lead her cheerleading team, The Exalted Ones, to win a NCA championship. Cheer is not just a sport, it’s her legacy. Her mother cheered for T.E.O. before she died, and Jonty would do anything to snatch the crown and honor her mother’s memory. This year she has a real shot, finally beating her rival Tommie and becoming the team captain.

But Jonty’s perfect season is shattered when Tommie shows up dead on the first day of practice. Now the team is down a flyer and everyone is convinced that Jonty killed her. Everyone except Adam, her co-captain, who was with her the night that Tommie died.

As the season progresses, girls keep dropping like flies, and one thing becomes clear: Someone is sabotaging The Exalted Ones, and they’re willing to commit murder to get their way. But with the police still convinced it’s her, will Jonty be able to save herself, her team, and her perfect season?

Publication Date July 28th 2026 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
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The remaining members of a ghost hunting show return to the haunted manor that may have killed their friend in this atmospheric, contemporary gothic debut perfect for fans of She Is A Haunting and Delicious Monsters.

Four teens went into the manor, three came out.

In July, Georgia Perry and Jules Park — secret girlfriends, covert art thieves, and cohosts of a popular YouTube ghost hunting show — step into a haunted house to steal a priceless painting. A few short hours later, there’s a knife in Jules’s chest and Georgia is waking up in a pool of blood with no painting and no memory of how she got there.

Now it’s October, and Georgia is underwater. She hasn’t been to class in weeks, and she’s avoiding her old crew — and only friends — like the plague. But when the three remaining thieves get a call from the man who paid a hefty sum to keep them out of jail, demanding that they return to finish the job, Georgia has no choice but to return to her old life.

As the estranged friends scramble to steal the painting with no cover story and no leader, they quickly realize that something is very, very wrong, and it’s not just the suffocating memory of Jules or the prying eyes of their viewers. Between the strange shadows that begin to trail them and the nightmares plaguing Georgia’s sleep, only one thing is certain: something followed them home from De Lys manor, and it will do anything to keep them from going back.

Publication Date August 4th 2026 by Sarah Barley Books / Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
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A girl hated by her town for her father’s crimes must decide whether to save it or burn it all down when a dying god in the woods warns her of an impending catastrophe in this “socially conscious and serpentine mystery topped with spine-tingling supernatural imagery” (Publishers Weekly, starred review).

When a bone-white crow lands in Sylvie Singer’s backyard, she knows trouble is coming. And after an FBI raid reveals her father’s double life, Sylvie’s entire world comes crashing around her. With nowhere to go but the abandoned railway station in the cursed West Woods, Sylvie spends her time avoiding the carnivorous white deer that live there, counting down the days until she can graduate from high school and finally leave the town that’s openly out for her blood. Then Sylvie encounters a different sort of monster.

Illican is a horned god bound to the West Woods, even more wretched than she is. Sylvie is drawn to Illican, excited that he can introduce her to magic that could save her town — save her. But Illican is dying, and the last thing Pine Ridge Hollow wants is help from Sylvie Singer…

The town is a tinderbox, and Sylvie is the spark that will either save it or burn it all down.

Publication Date August 4th 2026 by Graphix
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Beware the dead of winter in this suspenseful YA graphic novel thriller!

When it’s so cold, it bites!

Teen influencers Jen and Dante post wild videos of themselves doing extreme sports. But when they jump out of a helicopter to ski down a mountain, the stunt goes way wrong. Dante’s ankle gets slashed, and the helicopter crew — who were supposed to be waiting at the bottom of the mountain — are nowhere to be found. As the confused teens seek answers from some locals, they all find themselves flesh-to-fang, trapped in an isolated cabin surrounded by frost vampires!

Their only hope for survival is to make it to sunrise…

Publication Date August 4th 2026 by Entangled: Mayhem Books
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They’re being hunted…

When sixteen-year-old Georgie and her troublemaking brother are shipped off to the wilderness for their stepmother’s newest reality show, Georgie is convinced it’ll be the worst experience of her life. Two weeks. No phones. Hiking. Camping. Cameras catching every humiliating second.

Then she meets Mack Gray. Tattooed, unreadable, and ― among a cast of kids already branded as trouble ― he’s the one she’s sure is dangerous.

One night, the counselors are chanting affirmations around the fire. By morning, they’re gone.

But the kids are not alone.

Georgie can feel it, stalking them from the shadows ― watching, waiting, picking them off one by one. Whatever it is, it isn’t just hunting.

It’s playing.

And in this game, there seems to be only one ending: no one gets out alive.

Publication Date August 4th 2026 by Abrams Books for Young Readers
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A chilling collection of terrifying creatures from around the world, perfect for readers who want to know what lurks in the shadows.

A Romanian Strigoi rising from its grave. The Boogeyman’s claws scraping beneath the bed. A Banshee’s wail echoing through Ireland. The glowing eyes of the Mothman staring from a West Virginia tree line. Krampus arriving to punish naughty children in the Yuletide season.

In Strange and Terrible Things: A Guide to Creatures That Haunt Our Dreams, author and artist Devin Forst takes you on a global tour of nightmares. Packed with eerie folklore, monstrous myths, and creepy tales from every corner of the world, this thoroughly researched guide uncovers nearly 80 sinister beings that live in the heart of humanity’s oldest fears.

Perfect for fans of horror and role-playing games, this illustration-heavy older middle–grade book explores the stories we tell about monsters ― and what those stories say about us.

Creatures include those from classical mythology and contemporary folklore, and from diverse cultural traditions, including African, Aztec, British, Chinese, Egyptian, Filipino, Greek, Indian, Irish, Japanese, Mesopotamian, Mexican, Middle Eastern, Nordic, Native American and North American, Slavic, and South American.

Publication Date August 11th 2026 by Delacorte Press
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Willa has no memory of anything before arriving at Dorsey House, and when she meets two sinister girls who seem to already know her, she slowly begins to lose her grip on what is real…and what is a lie. A haunting contemporary speculative thriller for fans of Kill Creatures and We Were Liars.

Willa Childs doesn’t know why she’s at Dorsey House. The tragic accident that banished her to the mysterious reformatory perched at the edge of the sea is lost in the recesses of her murky memory. The Dorseys themselves offer no answers, and the only other wards, Caroline and Ivy, seem intent on keeping Willa in the dark — and on the outside of their obsessive friendship.

Yet as the days pass, it begins to feel like the sinister twosome knows Willa better than she knows herself. And as her memories gradually return to focus, the girls become even stranger, doing their best to convince Willa that she’s been at Dorsey House before. Only, that’s impossible.

Or is it? If they’re telling the truth, Willa can no longer trust her own mind. The line between reality and nightmare begins to blur. Willa is certain Dorsey House is haunted, but by what? And if she can’t remember leaving, how will she ever escape?

Publication Date August 11th 2026 by Random House Books for Young Readers
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A lyrical, evocative horror about vampires from the Philippines…and a hunter on their tail. A brother and sister fight to protect their secrets, their community, and most of all, each other, in this evocative novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Patron Saints of Nothing.

As Filipino vampires known as manananggal, Lily and her brother Caleb understand the value of a secret. After all, to hide is to survive. To lie is to live. They’d never harm another person — but people only believe their worst fears around creatures of myth. So the siblings stay quiet. They follow their community’s rules.

Until a monster hunter turns up and kills a fellow manananggal, anyway.

Until Caleb is marked as the hunter’s next prey.

Suddenly, he and Lily realize there’s always been more at stake than the lives of their people. Because when doing everything “right” is still a death sentence, what can they take as truth? As the hunter nears, the siblings must decide if they’ll be driven from the only home they’ve ever known…or fight to protect a community that may already be lost.

Publication Date August 18th 2026 by HarperCollins
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Let the killing continue in Lights! Camera! Frendo! It’s the fourth installment of Adam Cesare’s Bram Stoker Award-winning series, and this time Frendo goes Hollywood – with all the blood, guts, and mayhem you’d expect from the series that spawned the blockbuster motion picture.

Sabrina Alvarez is pretty much a nobody — until she lands the starring role in the big budget film based on the Kettle Springs Massacre. Sabrina knows she should be on top of the world. She’s going to be THE Quinn Maybrook, Final Girl of Final Girls, national hero and certified badass. But as soon as Sabrina gets to Kettle Springs, she just can’t quite shake the feeling that something’s off. A spate of deaths, an out-of-control director, a town decimated by loss and divided by anger, and a movie designed to glorify it all. Something bad is brewing, and this time, it’s all on film.

A meditation on the villains inside us all, it’s the latest installment of Adam Cesare’s Bram Stoker Award-winning series, Clown In A Cornfield.

Publication Date August 25th 2026 by Delacorte Press
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Three girls bond in unsettling ways when a grizzly starts picking off known abusers in their secluded mountain town in this darkly funny, deeply feminist novel for fans of books like The Honeys and Wilder Girls.

When it comes to boys and bears, always choose the bear.

The girls of Riverside are raised to grin and bear it. Until three of them can’t anymore.

Megan Lawless (aka Outlaw): Riverside born and raised. Lettered in volleyball, basketball, and track. HATES Kevin Johnson, but tolerates him for her best friend, Megan.

Megan Deloria: Outlaw’s ride or die. Riverside royalty and soon to be valedictorian. Shoo-in for the homecoming crown alongside her boyfriend, Kevin.

Meghan Bach (aka Bee): Moved to Riverside last year. Still the “new girl.” Pulls tarot cards daily. Just wants to forget what happened last summer at that party with Kevin.

And then there’s Kevin Johnson: Riverside’s Golden Boy. Only scared of two things — the dark and bears. Soon, he’ll be scared of three more.

Because Megan, Megan, and Meghan are done with Kevin, and they’re about to teach everyone in their tiny rural town the new natural order: Predator, meet prey.

Publication Date August 25th 2026 by Sourcebooks Fire
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It’s kill or be killed in this heart-pounding apocalyptic horror. The first book in a new series, If We Survive The Night combines the ruthless zombie perils of The Last Of Us with the every-woman-for-herself angle of Yellowjackets. What type of person does it take to survive the end of the world?

Sixteen-year-old Quinn is used to being told that what she feels inside isn’t quite right. After getting kicked out of multiple foster homes and narrowly escaping juvenile detention, she’s undergoing therapy at a residential treatment center for “troubled” girls. Looking for a night of freedom, Quinn sneaks onto the roof with her best friend Keisha, and what she sees changes everything…

She witnesses the start of the zombie apocalypse.

As zombies, or “carriers” as the news calls them, infiltrate the treatment center, escape becomes crucial. Quinn and Keisha make a pact to leave together, but several unexpected complications screw up their plans.

As the girls battle the carriers and wrestle with their doubts about each other, Quinn realizes she has never felt more alive. Maybe this is exactly the kind of world she was built for. And part of thriving in this cutthroat environment means cutting off the dead weight – even if that means putting other lives at risk…But even if she’s willing to sacrifice everything, can anyone really outlive the apocalypse?

Publication Date August 25th 2026 by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
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In this gothic historical tale, two girls must uncover the secrets of their haunted home before it’s too late.

The Harrow Home for Wayward Girls has long stood as a place of secrets. The estate has housed hundreds of young women hidden away during their pregnancies, their homesick cries echoing through the halls, providing a haunting score to Grace Harrow’s childhood.

Now, in the summer of 1947, the Home has been sold to a wealthy hotelier. Grace expects the new owner’s daughters to be spoiled. Yet Rose, the eldest daughter ― unaware of Mr. Harrow’s abusive tendencies ― is jealous of Grace’s seemingly easy confidence. But as they’re drawn into each other’s lives, an unlikely friendship begins to form. Fortunately so, because not all of the wayward girls made it out…

One still lingers. Lurking in the shadows. Looking for vengeance.

To expose the truth buried in the walls of the Harrow Home, Grace and Rose must unravel a legacy of silence and cruelty. But Grace’s father will stop at nothing to keep the past hidden, and if the truth comes to light, it could destroy both their families.

Publication Date August 25th 2026 by Penguin Workshop
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E. M. Carroll meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer with a dash of The Rocky Horror Picture Show in this debut young adult graphic novel that is a celebration of horror, queerness, and figuring out who you want to be.

There is a crypt that sits in the darkness… A crypt that exists across multiple realms, that houses your worst fears… And it’s coming to Widow’s Creek…

When seventeen-year-old Barnaby Jones comes out to their parents as nonbinary, they expect that to be the toughest part of their day. But it turns out the toughest part might actually be when their best friend, Fi, is kidnapped by a faceless killer who’s been abducting teens all across the small town of Widow’s Creek. Or is it when Barnaby unwittingly summons the undead and fabulous Queens of the Crypt through a portal in their bedroom closet?

Either way, the Queens — the Phantom, the Countess, Lady Invisible, the Creature, and the Bogeywoman — are here to help. As the horrors creep closer, can Barnaby work together with the scream queens to save Widow’s Creek from destruction and unmask the Faceless Frightener?

Publication Date September 1st 2026 by Bloomsbury YA
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Jennifer’s Body meets The Weight of Blood in this horror-comedy about an evil spirit looking for a second chance at love and life.

Just because Schuyler is a bloodthirsty evil spirit doesn’t mean she can’t fall in love. Ever since Wren Castillo moved into the house Schuyler haunts, Schuyler has been crushing hard. But Wren has a boyfriend, Enzo, and he’s the worst. Schuyler has no choice but to watch as Enzo treats Wren terribly – until she accidentally possesses him.

With Enzo’s spirit nowhere to be found, Schuyler must pretend to be him until she can set things right. But Schuyler feels more at home in Enzo’s body than she ever did in her own, and as she grows closer to his family and friends-including Wren-she starts to wonder if this could all be for keeps.

Maintaining a possession is harder than Schuyler expected, though, and it might just take some spilled blood to keep her new body going strong. Worse, it turns out she’s not the only one interested in stealing Enzo’s body. When another evil spirit threatens everyone Schuyler now holds dear, she must decide just how far she’s willing to go to secure her second chance at love-and life.

Publication Date September 1st 2026 by Annick Press
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A babysitter faces the horror of longing for a life that might destroy her in this haunting debut for fans of Trang Thanh Tran.

Sixteen-year-old Rachel Bei comes from a family of mediums and spiritual practitioners ― and she could not care less. Yes, there was that time she thought she saw her beloved wàipó not long after her death. But that was back in fifth grade, and grief does funny things to people. Now Rachel isn’t just a skeptic; she’s embarrassed by her mom’s beliefs. That’s one reason babysitting for the Morin family is so appealing. Their immaculate house and home-cooked dinners feel like an escape from Rachel’s messier life with her mom. The Morins may be moving through grief of their own, but Rachel is impressed by the sense of normalcy they’ve maintained for their daughter, Blythe…at least until Blythe tells Rachel she’s been speaking to her dead sister Maddie, and her ghost does not want Rachel in the house.

Drawing on Chinese folklore and suffused with a creeping dread that builds to a gruesome climax, this darkly immersive novel confronts family secrets, the stunning audacity of whiteness, and the ghosts we carry with us.

Publication Date September 1st 2026 by Bloomsbury YA
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From New York Times bestselling author Kalynn Bayron comes a new horror novel about a group of teens with unique – and potentially deadly – gifts.

Moll, Redd, Agnes, and Ossie are powerful – and dangerous. But they don’t want people to fear them. They’ve spent their lives trying to understand and control their supernatural gifts, trying to help people instead of hurt them.

That’s why they offer paranormal investigative services to anyone who needs them. But when the case of a missing young woman brings them to an old (and potentially haunted) Victorian mansion, soon it’s the four teens who are in the greatest danger. The secrets they uncover about the paranormal forces inhabiting the house may shed light on the darkness that exists at the edge of their powers and finally help them gain control – if they can make it out alive.

Publication Date September 1st 2026 by Random House/Disney
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A spine-tingling young adult horror about the untold origins of Maleficent’s dark magic — because evil is seldom what it seems, from New York Times bestselling author, Delilah S. Dawson.

Her story begins once upon a nightmare…

Maleficent believes she is destined for great things. In her hometown, only fairies who sprout wings at age sixteen can learn magic — and though her family looks down on her, she knows that once her wings appear, they will finally recognize her potential.

But when the unthinkable happens and Maleficent is denied her destiny, she joins up with four other teens bent on defying their fates to venture beyond the town’s borders.

A mysterious force pulls at Maleficent, leading the group to an abandoned castle perched on a mountain. This strange place seems straight out of a dream, providing everything they need to survive and creating new rooms at will.

But something sinister is afoot, too: all exits are blocked, and shadows haunt the halls. As fear and paranoia tear the group apart, Maleficent is more determined than ever to be the mistress of her own destiny. In exchange for the magic she has long desired, she’ll do anything.

Anything.

From New York Times bestselling author Deliah S. Dawson comes a sinister novel positioning one of Disney’s darkest villains, that shows the power of desire and the importance of sacrifice.

Publication Date September 8th 2026 by HarperCollins
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From acclaimed author K. Ancrum, on the National Book Award longlist for The Corruption of Hollis Brown, and Lambda Literary Award winner for Icarus, comes a queer romantic horror thriller that is a love letter to Frankenstein about the consequences of our decisions, the legacy of family, and the depths we’ll go to be forgiven.

Victor Frankenstein is a young, wealthy, and brilliant prodigy who wants nothing more than to prove himself and change the world. His plan to right what he feels is wrong with the world? Reanimation of the sick and dying, bringing them back to life. But no one will give him the chance to prove his genius. However, one drunken night a bet is made, one that will cause Victor to do the unspeakable: take a teen boy from a small, neighboring village, and experiment on him under the dark of night. Elias Hilfiker. The boy who would become his monster. His curse. When Elias awakens, his voice is gone, his skin is stitched, scarred, and branded with strange symbols, and he’s abandoned by his loved ones. Meanwhile, Victor embarks on a journey to discover how to reverse the horror he’s unleashed, visiting dark alchemists in lands far and wide, gripped by fear and guilt.

But Victor’s act of resurrection creates a tether to Elias, leaving them feeling each other’s pain, joy, and regret, as the two each seek a way to end the other. As the two bound boys continue to search for answers and forgiveness, vengeance and mercy, the boundaries between what makes a man and what makes a monster will only get more blurred.

Publication Date September 15th 2026 by Margaret K. McElderry Books
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KPop Demon Hunters meets Buffy The Vampire Slayer in this sparkling, darkly funny young adult graphic novel following a teen pop star who must take up her missing mother’s demon-slaying mantle and battle her way through the monster-infested world of social media influencers.

To her fans, Mallori (heart over the i, thank you very much) is the ultimate teen pop star: platinum albums, a massive online following, and a glittery pink lifestyle to die for. But in her own life, Mallori Martin just wants to be her own person, free from the pressures of stardom — not to mention her mom-ager’s controlling hand.

After a particularly vicious fight with said mom, Mallori wakes to find her gone, with no clue where or why. In desperation, Mallori calls the police — whose search uncovers not her missing mother but several bodies buried in the basement of their Hollywood Hills mansion.

The bodies don’t stay secret for long, not with Mallori’s legions of fans watching her every move. With rumors flying about Mrs. Martin’s secret serial-killer lifestyle, Mallori flees the public eye, only to discover her mom was indeed living a double life: as a demon slayer.

She’s been abducted, and Mallori can’t let that fight be their last conversation. So to get her back, Mallori will have to pick up where her mom left off, hacking her way through demons and boogeymen — with all her trademark sparkle.

Publication Date September 15th 2026 by Soho Teen
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An elite, isolated Kenyan boarding school is terrorized by supernatural entities, grotesque maladies, and strange transformations in a chilling YA horror debut inspired by the urban legend of “night runners.” Perfect for fans of She Is A Haunting and White Smoke.

When Shani returns to her elite, isolated boarding school after her father’s mysterious death, she just wants to finish senior year with her scholarship intact — which means focusing on her work and staying out of trouble. Even with her best friend, Pendo, by her side, she’s never quite fit in at Taji Academy. But soon, strange things start happening at school — not only are students coming down with odd, grotesque skin maladies, someone is causing chaos on campus after curfew. Are they night runners, the supernatural entities that terrorize rural neighborhoods in the dark?

The strict administration insists it’s just students pulling pranks. Everyone knows that night runners are just an urban legend. But when one of the popular students, Adila, goes missing — and Shani wakes up one morning with mud on her feet, torn clothes, and a pounding headache — she knows it’s more than that. As she and others at Taji begin to transform with no way to contact the outside world, she must figure out what is happening — before it’s too late.

Publication Date September 15th 2026 by HarperCollins
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A school’s storied legacy cannot stop student’s whispers of mysterious disappearances and a legendary monster, in this terrifying new novel that will entrance fans of Madeline Roux and Claire Legrand.

Jess has always been a runner — always looking for an escape, no matter how many detention centers or “special schools” she’s been sent to. So when she receives a scholarship to the illustrious Danvers-Cutteridge in the mountains of West Virginia, her first plan of action is to find the fastest exit.

But Jess soon learns that this new school has secrets hidden beyond the grand staircases and storied past. A student has gone missing, and Jess’s new friends suspect that they haven’t been told the truth about the disappearance.

As Jess helps search for answers (and a way out), she discovers more of Danvers-Cutteridge’s unsettling history. The abuses and mutilations inflicted on past residents. The strange authority in the headmaster’s celebrated family tree. And the fearsome legend that has haunted the valley for decades — a mysterious girl, dressed in green.

Soon, Jess’s search will take her down into the heart of the school, through the closed-off parts of its history left forgotten in the dark. But walls and iron aren’t enough to keep the hungry darkness at bay…

Publication Date September 15th 2026 by Wednesday Books
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Welcome to Bleak Haven: The town you won’t (or can’t!) leave…

The next eerie novel in the Bleak Haven series, in Vincent Ralph’s signature, terrifying style!

In 2008, Ethan’s older brother drowned in Bleak Haven’s cursed creek. While the coroner ruled out foul play, Ethan has always suspected that there’s more to the story.

Four years later, 18-year-old Ethan chooses the anniversary of the tragedy to finally return to the creek, attempting to gain the closure that has always eluded him.

What starts as a healing process aided by his loyal friends turns sinister when something emerges from the shadows: a figure that looks unnervingly like Ethan’s dead brother, begging for a sacrifice that could change everything.

As Ethan digs deeper into the creek’s dark history, he discovers that someone did return when all seemed lost. Maybe they were the ‘miracle’ child the news reports painted them as. Or perhaps they only came back because someone took their place.

If that’s true, Ethan really could bring his lost brother home. But how far is he willing to go…and at what cost?

Publication Date September 15th 2026 by Wednesday Books
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Welcome to Bleak Haven: The town you won’t (or can’t!) leave…

The nail-biting conclusion to the Bleak Haven series, in Vincent Ralph’s signature, terrifying style!

The Fear Farm fright-fest is the one night of the year when Bleak Haven’s residents are happy to be afraid.

Most people turn a blind eye to the “accidents” that have previously blighted the attraction, but seventeen-year-old Tori Swift has other ideas.

Convinced that there’s an aspiring killer in their midst, Tori auditions alongside her classmates, perfecting her role as the ideal villain while secretly searching for the real thing.

But when tragedy strikes, a murderer is suddenly on the loose in a place where everyone pays to be terrified.

Publication Date September 15th 2026 by Delacorte Press
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A twisty, off-the-rails mystery about seven teens, forced to spend a stormy — and deadly — night together. Perfect for fans of There’s Someone Inside Your House and No Place Left To Hide.

The members of the Coastal Canyon debate team have their reasons to hate each other: complicated pasts, thornier presents, a huge competition loss…Now they’re stuck at an Airbnb together for a night during what feels like the storm of the century. Can it get any worse?

Yes. Yes, it can.

A flat tire, a severed landline, someone’s unconscious, and there’s a body outside. The night is unraveling, and it’s becoming clear: no one is safe. But safe from who? A teammate? A teacher? Or is a stranger lurking nearby in the woods?

Seven students.
Three teachers.
One body.
Lock all the doors and trust no one.

After all, death isn’t up for debate.

Publication Date September 15th 2026 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
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Luminary is more than just a school. It is a test of moral fiber, strength of will, and human resilience.

Lia Michaels can pick any lock and break into most computer systems. But a life of delinquency has her bouncing between foster homes and juvie. So when she applies to Luminary Prep, a new experimental school created to challenge academic conventions, Lia is surprised by the acceptance letter that follows.

With state-of-the-art technology, fancy cafeteria food, and a campus that looks like a painting come to life, Luminary seems to be the break Lia needs. That is, if she can excel in class and be one of only five students who will be allowed to graduate.

But classes at Luminary are…odd. And dangerous. There is a death-trap obstacle course in Physics, a Chemistry exam with explosives, and guillotines in Political Science. As students keep vanishing, one by one, Lia starts to wonder if it’s not that five students will graduate — but that only five will survive.

Publication Date September 22nd 2026 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
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The teen daughter of an infamous serial killer must prove she isn’t the one behind recent copycat murders in this “tongue-in-cheek” (Booklist, starred review) graphic novel that’s a campy, feminist send-up of slashers that both celebrates and subverts classic tropes.

In the cozy town of Clossdale, a serial killer rampages! Five girls missing in as many weeks! Bodies turning up on the forest floor! And all fingers point to one vile fiend: Ash Hargreeves.

Except Ash didn’t do it. She may be the daughter of the infamous Clossdale Killer, and these copycat killings aren’t exactly convincing proof of her innocence — and okay, she’s kind of a weirdo who has two friends total, but when the murders strike a little too close to home, Ash decides to take a stand.

With the help of her besties, Ash is going to hunt down the killer, clear her mother’s name, and stop there from being any more dead girls — now and forever. After all, WWJLCD: what would Jamie Lee Curtis do?

Publication Date September 22nd 2026 by Delacorte Press
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A chilling Gothic horror novel set at a coed boarding school in Scotland, where a teen girl must not only fight against her monstrous male classmates but the monster growing within her after being cursed.

Every wish granted comes with strings attached. That’s how Catriona Cameron ends up with a scholarship to Floodbane Academy — an elite boarding school on the Isle of Skye she never applied to — where she’ll be one of only six girls to enter the castle’s unwelcoming halls.

She’s not looking for trouble. But after a few male students violently attack and make cruel wishes about her, Catriona is cursed with devastatingly good looks, unpredictable new powers, and an insatiable hunger to devour anyone who preys upon women.

As the cravings mount, so does the carnage. With every new taste, Catriona faces the possibility that she is becoming as monstrous as those she hunts. Is slaying the wicked truly worth the loss of her humanity?

Publication Date September 22nd 2026 by Wednesday Books
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For fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and highly bingeable thrillers, Lucy Kline, Necromancer, is a Nancy Drew-style murder mystery mixed with the occult.

It’s been two years since Lucy’s twin sister was presumed dead. As the only person who knew about Louisa’s plan to sneak out on the night she was killed, Lucy still feels responsible for her sister’s grim fate ― despite the fact that it was Lucy who eventually cracked the case, putting Louisa’s killer in jail.

Or so she thought.

When another girl who looks just like Louisa goes missing under similarly mysterious circumstances, and ghostly dreams begin to plague Lucy, she throws herself back into the investigation. The more clues she uncovers, the more her nightmares bleed into reality. And signs start to point to the impossible: necromancy.

With the help of her classmate Howie and a retired medieval history professor, Lucy must find the culprit behind these disappearances and finally come to terms with the grief that’s haunted her for years.

Publication Date September 22nd 2026 by Sourcebooks Fire
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Five years ago, the Poison Apple Carnival became a secret soaked in blood.

Everything about Pritchett High’s grisly Senior Scavenge massacre was erased. The internet was wiped clean. And the truth was buried beneath the reframe of a tragic car crash. But Dusty Nash is about to dig it all up. Driven by humiliation and resentment, and mentored by someone, or something claiming to be Blythe Lennon, Dusty revives the horrors of the Senior Scavenge.

Far away from Belldam, Texas, Violet Warren lives with the truth, its nightmares and ghosts.

When a new group of girls begins receiving candy-colored invitations to a resurrected Senior Scavenge, the language is disturbingly familiar with chilling rhymes and twisted rules. What’s new is the blackmail. Someone has been stalking them.

Violet’s only chance to stop another slaughter depends on her returning to her hometown to confront the violence she escaped… and the one who’s copying it. Because Blythe Lennon may be dead ― but her influence is not.

Whatever you do – Don’t. Go. Online.

Nightmare on Elm Street meets M3gan in this razor-sharp sequel that proves surviving the slasher doesn’t mean the nightmare is over.

Publication Date September 22nd 2026 by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
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Dark academia takes a fresh twist in this YA novel, where a determined high school senior strikes a bargain with a demon to win a coveted scholarship ― only to discover her rival has made the same deal.

Merritt Maldonado has done everything right. But for every club she’s founded, tree she’s planted, and sport she’s played, her academic nemesis Linus Lexington has been right there. By her side. Copying her every move.

And now they’re neck and neck for a coveted full ride scholarship. Desperate to gain an edge, Merritt finds herself making a deal with a demon. But when other applicants start dying in gruesome ways, Merritt realizes the demon is killing off her competition. And to make matters worse, she finds the demon’s mark on Linus.

Now Merritt and Linus’ souls are tied to the same deadly demon. With bodies piling up, they have to work together to break the pact, stop the killings, and maybe admit that the bond they share isn’t just supernatural…

Publication Date September 29th 2026 by Simon Pulse
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Teen influencers compete in a horror movie–themed overnight competition, only to realize the real test is staying alive in this chilling, blood-soaked horror novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Taking of Jake Livingston and the production company behind Clown In A Cornfield.

Mara is a horror buff whose only fond memories of her dad are bonding over movies by Jack Stanley — the producer of the eighties. Stanley’s campy slasher movies may have kept Mara’s fraught parental relationship on life support and gained a cult following, but the man himself has faded from the public eye…until he announces a contest centered around Asylum, his most terrifying film. Five teen influencers will be invited to spend the night on the fully constructed set; whoever sticks it out until morning wins a hundred thousand dollars.

Stuck in a dead-end job, Mara seriously needs that cash. She may not be a famous influencer, but there has to be a way to manufacture an online presence that will capture Stanley’s attention. With the help of her brother and best friend, Mara finds some creative solutions to her dilemma and lands herself onto the roster of the lucky chosen few by way of her engaging authenticity.

When Mara and the other contestants arrive on set, it’s a horror fan’s dream being immersed in the asylum setting, but as the night wears on, they realize the danger is more than movie magic… They’re not there to win or lose but to live or die. As Mara fights to survive, she discovers an inner ruthlessness she didn’t know she had. Just how far will she go to see the sunrise — and will she still recognize herself by the end?

Publication Date September 29th 2026 by Dutton Books for Young Readers
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A stunning YA debut from gothic master Isabel Cañas, bestselling author of The Hacienda, Vampires of El Norte, and The Possession of Alba Díaz.

Despite near-constant political violence in the city and an abusive father at home, Minerva Treviño’s cowardice has kept her alive for sixteen years. But even she has a limit. Unable to take another beating or miss another meal, Minerva musters enough courage to flee to a neighborhood full of rich people loyal to the deposed fascist viceroy and take a job as lady’s maid to a wealthy widow.

Minerva is happy serving Encarnación del Valle. She has food in her belly and the safety of a warm house lit by magical chispa. Why should she care who runs the country or how her employer affords the magic?

When the viceroy sweeps back into power, Encarnación gleefully retreats to the family’s mountainside estate to wait out the inevitable slaughter of the viceroy’s enemies — and of course Minerva may join her. At la Casa de las Gardenias, Minerva is surrounded by more experienced servants and the cruel, scheming del Valles. But the living residents of the house are the least of anyone’s worries, and Minerva quickly discovers that the ancient estate is home to forces far older and more bloodthirsty than anything she could have imagined.

Publication Date October 6th 2026 by Pushkin Children’s Books
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Perfect for fans of Stranger Things, this chilling new young adult novel uncovers a cursed river and a village’s dark secret.

The North American debut of 2-time UK Carnegie Medal nominee Darren Simpson.

Nobody talks about the strange happenings in Maimsbury. No one speaks of the hooded figures glimpsed in the woods, nor the children’s game that went so horribly wrong. But most of all, nobody dares whisper their doubts about the river they have worshipped for centuries.

Like everyone in Maimsbury, Gorse is used to the sacrifices made every spring to the River Yeelde. The life of a farm animal – in return for a year of plenty – seems a fair trade. That is, until a tragedy leads him to a blood-curdling discovery.

Because this year is a Brim Year, and after giving so much, the river needs more than an animal’s life to sate its thirst…

Thirst is a gloriously spooky, folklore-inspired novel perfect for YA horror fans. Blending page-turning storytelling with powerful social commentary, 2-time UK Carnegie Medal nominee Darren Simpson delivers a savage critique on how we justify sacrificing others for our own good, and the importance of pushing back against the status quo when it is harmful or outdated.

Brilliant and bloodthirsty, this breathless narrative creeps up on you just like the infernal river that encaptures Maimsbury’s inhabitants in its deadly thrall.

Publication Date October 6th 2026 by Bindery Books
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The darkness isn’t empty. It’s hungry.

At the edge of the City of the Void, a massive chasm extends miles into the earth, its treacherous terrain overrun with vicious monsters and carnivorous plants. For orphaned best friends Petra and Jade, guiding treasure-seeking tourists down into the Void is the only way to earn enough to pull themselves up out of the slums for good.

Petra prefers to play it safe and take jobs only in the Void’s upper levels, where the dangers are better understood, while Jade wants to risk a descent to the deepest and most mysterious Sixth Layer. Because the deeper they go, the better the payout, and the sooner their dreams can become reality. Their friendship is Petra’s whole world, and Jade’s approval means everything — so Petra agrees to do it Jade’s way.

When their job goes wrong and Jade is lost in the Void, Petra must plunge deeper than she’s ever dared to save her friend. But she doesn’t know the truth of the Void…or what really waits for her in its depths.

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 Delacorte Press
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A chilling romantic folk horror inspired by the legend of the Wild Hunt! Months after their harrowing final performance, a teen girl reunites with her acting troupe for a weekend in the woods — only to find something they awakened has followed them there.

There’s something on those moors that likes to hunt young maidens for sport…

Senior Hazel Fletcher is thrilled when she scores the lead in her high school theater group’s latest production: a doomed romance inspired by local legends of a fearsome huntsman who once rode over the moors. Reclusive and talented, the Edgemoor Players usually keep their parts — and their secrets — to themselves, most of all Roman Cavalero, their enigmatic leading man.

That was then. Now, months later, no one dares talk about the play, its disastrous final performance, or the eerie events that dogged their rehearsals.

When Hazel is unexpectedly reunited with her old castmates on an extra-credit camping trip, the group finds themselves holed up in a ruined church, deep within the wintry fold of an ancient wood. There, tragedy strikes, and Hazel and the rest of the Players are forced to confront old fears and reckon with a deadly truth: What they started last year isn’t over.

Months ago, the Edgemoor Players woke something up — and now it won’t rest until it hunts down its prey.

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 20th 2026 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
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When Sidney Cromwell moves to rural Forsyth County, Georgia from the big city of Atlanta, all he wants is to fit in at his new high school. But when Sidney nearly drowns in Lake Lanier, an allegedly haunted lake that is the site of numerous inexplicable freak accidents and deaths, he becomes a social pariah as he starts to suffer terrifying visions from the past and hauntings by apparitions calling him to Lanier.

Sidney returns to the lake for answers, and he finds in its murky depths the spirits of former residents from Oscarville, the Black town that lies beneath the man-made lake. They enlist Sidney to remind Forsyth of its devastating history and push its citizens to make amends so that the souls in Oscarville can finally rest.

But Sidney soon learns that people will go to great lengths to avoid facing truths they’d rather not hear. The people of Forsyth County refuse to acknowledge the past, and as Oscarville’s populace starts to lose their patience, their rage and thirst for vengeance rise like a tidal wave.

Poignant, timely, and utterly terrifying, this gripping supernatural thriller is perfect for fans of Internment, She Is A Haunting, and You’re Not Supposed To Die Tonight.

Publication Date October 27th 2026 by Peachtree Teen
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Bestselling author Andrew Joseph White returns with another horrific YA thriller: a profound portrait of a struggling teen trying to convince the world — and himself — that he’s better than the serial killer who raised him.

Morgan Slaughter, a seventeen-year-old trans boy with autism, put his serial killer father in prison years ago. Despite that, everyone thinks Morgan will grow up to be just like his dad: including his volatile mother, the documentary crew following their family, and maybe himself.

Desperately, Morgan latches onto his father’s final victim—the only one who was never identified — hoping that if he unravels the mystery, he’ll finally prove he’s better than the man who hurt him. But this puts Morgan in the crosshairs of classmate Felicity Keating, who knows the truth about Morgan’s childhood — that he wasn’t just a witness to his father’s brutality, he was an accomplice. And if he doesn’t let them help with his investigation? They’ll tell everyone.

Forced to confront his past, Morgan’s ugly but carefully controlled world unravels. The film crew is manipulative. His mother’s temper spirals into malice, then violence. And Morgan and Felicity may be more tightly intertwined than either of them can stomach…

You’re No Better is a gritty and unapologetic coming-of-age suspense about teens who grew up surrounded by cruelty and are clawing their way to adulthood the only way they know how.

Publication Date October 27th 2026 by HarperCollins
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Long-held grudges and ancient evils come to roost in this psychological, speculative horror that’s Don’t Let The Forest In meets Stranger Things.

Nothing stays buried forever…

Ava learned the hard way that speaking up means being shut out. A social outcast, she finds comfort in her job at a wildlife rehabilitation center, surrounded by the injured, the damaged, and the lame. Best of all, the work distracts her from the night that changed her life — and the boy she holds responsible for it.

Micah knows he’s not a good guy. His past is littered with mistakes, accidents, and things he’d rather forget. But feeling guilty and accepting punishment are two different things. He doesn’t know which is worse — the weight of what he’s done…or the growing feeling that it’s all about to be dragged into the light.

Hailey will do whatever it takes to rise up from her life of abject poverty. The biggest weapon she has is her looks, and she’ll use it to get what she wants — the richest boy in town. When Ava’s claims threaten their relationship, Hailey knows she must silence her — maybe forever.

When Ava unknowingly awakens an entity that has been biding its time underground, the three teens will be brought together on a night when something wants to be born and only a death will balance the scales.

Publication Date October 27th 2026 by Feiwel & Friends
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CG Drews, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of Don’t Let The Forest In and Hazelthorn, weaves a disturbing and intoxicating siren-call in Scorpion Deep, about a lonely boy who accidentally awakens an obsessive eldritch sea god.

The only thing Jonathan Covey wants from the gloomy, moldering isle of Kelcarrow is to leave it. Summer is ending, and his friends are looking forward to college on the mainland, unaware that Jonathan was not accepted to join them. He’ll be left behind with nothing but the ocean’s haunts and a rising dread of being abandoned.

In an act of wild desperation, Jonathan pays a tithe to Scorpion Deep, an eldritch sea god who many of the locals have dismissed as myth. He wants to forget the past, he wants to follow his friends, and most of all he wants to finally escape.

To his shock and horror, the ritual works ― Scorpion Deep awakens. And despite his terror, Jonathan can’t help but feel drawn toward the ageless entity that seems just as mutually obsessed with him. As scales start growing down his spine and Scorpion Deep’s adoration of him turns bloody, Jonathan realizes the only way to end the nightmare is to destroy the monster one way or another.

But once a god has awoken, the only way to be free is to pay a price of blood.

Today’s post is sponsored by I. M. Eerie and The I Scream Truck!

Title The I Scream Truck
Author I. M. Eerie
Intended Target Audience Middle Grade
Publication Date August 25th 2026 by Aladdin
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Asking too many questions about the new ice cream truck puts a boy on thin ice in this entry in the bone-chilling middle grade horror series An Eerie Tale, perfect for fans of Goosebumps and Christopher Pike.

John’s sister has always warned him that curiosity killed the cat. But he can’t help it — nosiness is in his nature. So when Mr. Dandy’s neighborhood ice cream truck is suddenly replaced by Mr. Twisty’s horror-themed truck, John has questions. Did Mr. Dandy really retire to Florida? Why does Mr. Twisty seem as sinister as his truck? Something about him makes John’s blood run cold.

Putting his curiosity to work, John discovers Mr. Twisty is making mysterious nighttime deliveries to his neighbors. Who needs ice cream at two o’clock in the morning? Clearly something strange is happening, and John is determined to figure out what. But sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong might have serious consequences…

It’s nearly that time of the year again! As the days begin to grow shorter and we unpack our coziest sweaters and enjoy glasses of fresh apple cider (preferably around a warm, crackling fire), I thought it would be fun to once again explore the scary (and not-so-scary) books published this year to help make sure our to-be-read lists are ready for spooky season. I know readers’ mileage may vary when it comes to how frightening they’d like their books to be, so I’ve done my best to include books that fall at different places on the spooky spectrum so that every reader can find the right book for them. Got a suggestion you don’t see in the list below? Please leave it in the comments – I’d love to hear from you!

Searching for further thrills and chills this Halloween? Check out these lists I created for Halloween 2019, Halloween 2020, Halloween 2021, Halloween 2022, Halloween 2023, Halloween 2024 and Halloween 2025 as well as this list of 45 Middle Grade Ghost Stories for even more scary (and not-so-scary) young adult books to choose from in addition to the ones in today’s post!

If you enjoyed this post and found it helpful, I hope you’ll consider checking out Pop! Goes The Reader’s Patreon! Members receive access to at least three exclusive posts and rewards there every month, including curated book lists like this one on a specific theme, genre or subject. Membership on Patreon makes a real, tangible difference in helping to support Pop! Goes The Reader and allowing me to do what I love and makes posts like this one, that are accessible to all readers, possible. Thank you!

Upcoming publication dates listed below may be subject to change.

Publication Date January 6th 2026 by Scholastic Inc.
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Twin sisters. One dead, one living. But which is which in the latest horror novel from master storyteller K.R. Alexander.

Chelsea has now traded places with her evil twin… and finds herself trapped in a ghost space while Angelica takes over. Is it possible for her to get her life back?

Publication Date January 6th 2026 by Delacorte Press
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From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Mystery of Locked Rooms, when a centuries old crypt key is lost — unleashing a dark force — it’s up to the son of the local crypt keeper to end the haunting for good.

Thanks to his mother’s job at a local graveyard, twelve-year-old Will Stone has some unique talents. For one, he knows exactly how a burial vault works and why they’re used. For another, he’s great at genealogy and can decode centuries old records. Not your normal every day after school activities, that’s for sure!

But when a centuries old crypt key is lost, his normally peaceful existence at Graceland cemetery is shattered. Trees wither and die. The lake becomes covered with a sinister green slime that threatens to choke out anything living in it. And suddenly, the graveyard’s reputation isn’t the only thing in jeopardy…Will and his friends’ safety is, too.

Suddenly, Will is forced to consider that the lost key might be an even bigger problem than he originally thought. A dark force has been unleashed within the cemetery gates, and along with his friends Stash, Michelle, and Henry, Will must use his unique skill set to figure out which restless spirit is draining the graveyard of life, and how to end the haunting for good.

Publication Date January 13th 2026 by Hachette Children’s
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The perfect book for adults and children to share, Monsters is set to become a bone-chilling classic that will lurk under every bed!

Ever wondered what terrorised the Scape Ore swamp in 1980s South Carolina? Or who visits the naughty children in Northern Europe to punish them on Christmas Eve? Or how bloated undead feeders got upgraded to a shape-shifting castle-dwelling Count?

From well-known and well-feared monsters like Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster, to the lesser-known, but just as weird and wonderful Japanese Sea Serpent and Chinese Hopping Vampires, this terrific book is the must-have guide to monsters from all over the world.

Each monster is brought to life in a bright and bold way by the fantastically stylish illustrator of the bestselling Stories For Boys Who Dare To Be Different series, Quinton Winter. These illustrations feature alongside the fascinating folklore and history which surrounds the monsters, researched by author and monster enthusiast, Sarah Banville.

Get ready to dive into Monsters, but beware of what you might find there…

Publication Date January 13th 2026 by Little, Brown Ink
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Enter the Bizarre Bazaar, a phantasmagorical graphic novel series sure to enchant or entrap its curious customers! In this spine-tingling mystery, there’s evil lurking in the shadows just outside the Buford family farm!

Lucy and Frida Buford have never stepped foot outside their family farm in the Carolina Inner Banks. It’s the dead of July, and in the midst of yet another boring summer making jam for the family business, the girls are clamoring to be taken to the elusive town they’ve never been allowed to visit. Their father has always said that the outside world is a dangerous place, but danger is closer to home than they even know.

There’s something in the nearby woods uprooting trees, scaring fish from the water, and scratching at Lucy’s window in the middle of the night. Lucy can’t shake the feeling that there’s a monster out and about — one with two pointy fangs who only comes out at night.

It’s up to these two sisters to discover what this monster wants. But the further they stray from home, the weirder things become. What’s really going on beyond the Buford family farm?

Publication Date January 27th 2026 by Little Simon
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A fearless eight-year-old runs his own ghost patrol in this graphic novel based on the first book of the Desmond Cole Ghost Patrol chapter book series!

Andres Miedoso just wants everything to be normal-boring. But after moving to a new town called Kersville, it quickly becomes clear that this place is anything but ordinary. His new neighbor, Desmond Cole, runs a Ghost Patrol, taking on any monster-catching job no matter how spooky, icky, or risky it might be.

Grown-ups always have a lot of advice for new kids in town. But they never say what to do when the house—no, the entire town—is haunted!

Perfect for emerging readers, this full-color graphic novel tells the spooky story better than ever before.

Publication Date January 27th 2026 by Little Simon
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Liv Livingston and her friends are off to a weekend camp retreat in book six of the Spirited graphic chapter book series.

Liv Livingston packs for a supernatural weekend getaway at the lake! The van Pires have invited her and Howl to the lake home for campfires, swimming, and spooky tales of what lurks in the forest outside of town. But nothing is ever that simple in the ghostly town of Gloomsdale. Strange footprints surround their campsite. And the lake shifts and bubbles, as if something dwells underneath…ready to surface.

Publication Date February 3rd 2026 by Scholastic Press
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For fans of India Hill Brown and K. R. Alexander, a chilling ghost story about the way history haunts us.

“This house is in my skin, my bones, my blood. It holds generations of our souls.”

Maggie doesn’t mind moving in the middle of the school year. It’s not as though she had any friends to say goodbye to.

And when she arrives at Oak Grove, she’s not at all surprised to find that the town has been whispering about her family for hundreds of years. The Havercroft women have always had a reputation for being “different”.

Only maybe the town is right. Her family and their house are haunted. The walls breathe, the floorboards whisper, and the ghosts of her ancestors are trying to break free.

They’re trapped, and Maggie is the only person who can free them.

Publication Date February 3rd 2026 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
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From the team behind the New York Times bestselling and Caldecott Medal–winning Creepy Carrots! and its sequels comes the second entry in a spin-off chapter book series in which Jasper Rabbit tells the story of a badger who discovers broccoli can bite back!

Jasper the Rabbit is back! A little older and wiser, he collects creepy stories to share as cautionary tales. If you’re ready for some chills and chuckles alike, tune in as Jasper weaves the yarn of Thadeus Badger and the sticky situation he found himself in.

Now, Thadeus is a typical badger. He and his best friend, Oliver Possum, love burgers as much as they dislike exercise. And they hate eating veggies even more. But when they make a deal with Oliver’s parents to eat an entire salad…well let’s just say the chompers might soon become the chomped. This is a creepy tale after all and even the healthiest things can turn on you.

Join Jasper and Thadeus in this second Creepy Tale chapter book and learn from Thadeus’s mistakes before it’s too late!

Publication Date February 10th 2026 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
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In the sequel to darkly inventive The Labyrinth of Souls, a girl must face a mysterious monster made of nothing but darkness and shadows that no one else can see.

For fans of Tim Burton, V.E. Schwab, and stories with a dash of the strange and macabre.

Ix Tatterfall is no stranger to the odd and the eerie. Her unusual lineage provides unique abilities, such as a strong Darklight power and unencumbered travel into the deadly Labyrinth of Souls. But even Ix is unprepared for the Nowhere Beast, a creature that threatens to consume everything she holds dear.

When the ghosts of Candle Corps past begin to rise from the catacombs, Ix and her friends are called to partake in an ancient magical tradition called the Reckoning, meant to reinforce the seals of protection at their magical school that hold the most dangerous Nightmare creatures from the Labyrinth at bay.

But the Reckoning quickly transforms into more than a test of their courage and skill; it is a race against time to save their world from the monstrous shadow beast created from the hopeless depths of Nothing from a land called Nowhere.

With the help of a mischievous Sorrow, a shadowy Scavenger Prince, and her loyal friends, Ix must navigate the pits of loneliness and confront her deepest fears. But does she know that the darkness inside her heart can be just as treacherous as the monster lurking in the shadows?

Publication Date February 17th 2026 by Blackstone Publishing, Inc.
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From the master of spine-tingling horror for young audiences, A Nightmare on Nightmare Street is full of strange sounds, terrifying visions, and things that go bump in the night.

Twelve-year-old Joe Ferber, his sister Sadie, and their parents have just moved into a house that has all the hallmarks of a horror movie–tombstones in the basement, a creepy doll lying around, strange noises in the wall, and so on. As Joe tries to fall asleep on the first night, his nightlight begins to flash and change colors, and the creepy doll appears in his bed…and then twelve-year-old Shawn Hannigan wakes up from a dream.

Shawn and his little sister, Addie, are seemingly living in the same house with their mother. But when they arrive at their new school for the first day, the teachers are all wearing animal masks, and the principal’s office is pitch black and full of noises. At the end of the day, a stranger claiming to be Shawn’s mom picks him up and tells him he doesn’t have a sister…

As more and more strange things happen to each of them, Shawn and Joe have to figure out what is real, and what is a nightmare…

Publication Date March 3rd 2026 by Scholastic Press
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India Hill Brown meets Sharon Draper in a spooky, poignant, tour-de-force from Shakirah Bourne – an ode to Black Boy friendships, the richness of Caribbean history, and the power that comes from reclaiming your past.

Jermaine is NOT destined to be popular at his new elite school. First, he’s the poorest kid in class – no phone, no cool sneakers, no chance. Second, he loves science and can’t keep himself from gushing about geology. But after being bullied at his old school, he’s desperate for the status and protection that comes from joining the “Turbo Jets”…even if that means abandoning Brody, a fellow outsider who truly wants to be Jermaine’s friend.

As part of a hazing ritual, the Turbo Jets dare Jermaine to break into the notorious “haunted Chase Vault” – the crypt that once housed one of the cruelest enslavers in Barbados and his family. Then they lock him inside as a “joke.”

Luckily, Jermaine makes it out unscathed. There’s just one problem.

Someone else left the crypt with him.

Someone desperate to learn how she died…and get her revenge.

Jermaine is relieved someone else can see the ghost: his ex-best friend Brody. But freeing her won’t be easy. It means ditching the Turbo Jets, teaming up with Brody, and unearthing ugly secrets from the island’s colonial past. Will Jermaine really risk everything to help the suffering spirit find peace?

Publication Date March 3rd 2026 by Scholastic Paperbacks
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Siblings Harper and Dylan are reluctantly spending their summer at Camp Bigfoot. Run by an eccentric guy everyone calls Uncle Squatch, Camp Bigfoot is a classic summer camp with wooden cabins, forest trails, lots of outdoor activities-and the occasional Bigfoot sighting.

Uncle Squatch loves wearing a Bigfoot costume and trying to scare unsuspecting campers. But when a Bigfoot is spotted under a full moon, panic fills the camp. Is this Uncle Squatch’s usual prank, or a real Bigfoot? Harper and Dylan are scared to find out!

Publication Date March 24th 2026 by Greenwillow Books
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Ferris meets Ghosts of Tupelo Landing in this cozy ghost story about family, environmental activism, food, and friendship.

Basil Theriot has spent her entire life in New Orleans — in her family’s famed Cajun restaurant in the French Quarter, really — but she’s never been out to the bayou where her grandfather grew up. She’s also never seen a ghost, even though dozens of ghost tours pass by the restaurant every day and her best friend Tommy is determined to be a ghost hunter.

But then Grandpere’s ghost appears. And he has a mission for her.

Basil wouldn’t mind being haunted if Grandpere could be helpful and share his secret recipe that might save the restaurant. But instead, he’s intent on connecting Basil with her Cajun heritage. He sends her out to the bayou to meet his friends: an airboat captain, a shrimper, and a scientist rebuilding Louisiana’s fast-disappearing coastline.

For fans of Gracie Under The Waves and A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall, Grandpere’s Ghost Swamp has a little bit of everything: a pinch of spookiness, a dash of environmental activism, and a heaping of family.

Publication Date April 7th 2026 by Bloomsbury Children’s Books
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This new spooky mystery series by New York Times bestselling author Kalynn Bayron is perfect for fans of Goosebumps.

Olive Oakes loves a good mystery. She keeps a notebook with her at all times, ready to jot down observations about anything that seems out of the ordinary. Along with her cousin Eli, Olive is always looking to follow the clues.

When Olive and her family visit a town called Whispering Woods, she uncovers a strange backstory to the traveling carnival that comes through the area once a year. With rumors of missing kids and ghost sightings, it’s the perfect opportunity for Olive to investigate! The people of Whispering Woods are very secretive, but Olive is ready to solve the mystery of the haunted carousel.

Publication Date April 7th 2026 by Abrams Fanfare
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Pixar animators Sequoia Blankenship and Rob Thompson deliver a madcap adventure through Hollywood as Feo, a down-on-his-luck chupacabra, must transform into a famous movie monster to save his hometown

This heartfelt debut graphic novel from two seasoned Pixar animators is a funny, fast-paced adventure about the power of friendship and the importance of believing in yourself.

When the tiny Mexican town of Cabrito Viejo is in danger of being bought out by a nefarious film studio, Feo, the mythical but feisty chupacabra, teams up with Camila, a plucky mechanic and local monster enthusiast, to hatch a plan to save their home.

Inspired by her father’s collection of monster movies, the pair head to Hollywood to convince famed screenwriter Doctor Acula to put Feo’s name up in lights. But Feo isn’t exactly the terrifying fiend that local legends make him out to be.

Can the unlikely duo really save the village by making the chupacabra Hollywood’s next great monster?

Publication Date April 21st 2026 by Penguin Workshop
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Beware of Cabin 13! When a devious ghost possesses Leah’s doll, she must face her biggest fear—befriending the teen girls in her cabin to save the other campers from an evil spirit.

Twelve-year-old Leah is nervous to attend sleepaway camp for the first time. She’s worried about meeting new friends, living out in the woods, and being away from her family—the totally normal, non-supernatural scary stuff that all new campers think about.

But Leah didn’t expect to also have to fear the ghost in Cabin 13. It’s a good thing she brought Beverly, her beloved doll, for comfort…

Between getting picked on by the older mean girls in her cabin, participating in a séance gone terribly wrong, and befriending (then unfriending) a possessed doll, Leah’s summer at Camp Cottontail goes from boring to straight-up spooky!

Publication Date April 21st 2026 by Aladdin
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A girl who’s used to battling the monster of her own mind discovers there’s a sinister evil lurking in her small town in this atmospheric paranormal novel that’s perfect for fans of Tracy Wolff and Maggie Stiefvater.

Stories of dark magic and even darker creatures have always swirled about Mina Murray’s town of London, Georgia. Mina knows they aren’t true—and are likely perpetuated only to drive the quirky tourist-trap ghost tours of downtown—but that doesn’t stop her from collecting the stories and drawing them in her sketchbook. Something about the possibility of real monsters helps her deal with the monster in her own head: her OCD, which convinces her danger lurks everywhere.

But when a body is found drained of blood and a classmate goes missing, Mina is thrust into a tangled web of London secrets…that she seems to be at the center of.

Publication Date May 19th 2026 by HarperCollins
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Get ready for a monstrously good time in Camp Scream #1: Shriek Week, the laugh-out-loud, lightly spooky start to a new series perfect for fans of the Tales from Cabin 23 series. With black-and-white illustrations throughout and just the right mix of chills and chuckles, this is one summer camp you’ll never forget!

Publishers Weekly raves that “c​​lassic kid-meets-monster mayhem and fast-paced narration pave the way for a goofy yet sincere adventure about learning how to fit in and finding the courage to stand out!”

Max and his best friend Kiana can’t wait for their first-ever sleepaway camp. But when they arrive, there’s one tiny surprise: they’re the only humans… and everyone else is a monster! There are vampire bunkmates, werewolf counselors, and a mummy in arts and crafts.

With the big talent show just days away, Max and Kiana will have to navigate spooky surprises, creepy creatures, and ghoulish games. Can two ordinary kids survive a week at Camp Scream—and maybe even make some monster-sized friendships along the way?

Camp has never been this creepy—or this fun!

Publication Date May 26th 2026 by Astra Young Readers
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In this riveting middle-grade fantasy, New York Times bestselling author David Elliott and E.M. Elliott tell the story of a forest-dwelling boy forced to confront the mysteries of his life.

Trapped in a dark forest with his cold-hearted parents, Bonebag leads a cruel and isolated existence. However, he feels deep in his bones that things weren’t always this way: he has known happiness before. Why does it feel like it was in a past life?

When Bonebag discovers a locket that burns him to the touch, and a ghostly girl beckons him into the deep woods, he must grapple with the riddle of where he came from and how he came to be. Only then can he begin to rewrite his fate.

From New York Times bestselling author David Elliott and his son, E.M. Elliott, this powerful middle-grade fantasy will take readers on a quest that tackles the mystery of belonging with high-octane twists and turns along the way.

Publication Date June 2nd 2026 by Chicken House
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From award winning author Lucy Strange, The Island At The Edge Of Night is a dark, suspenseful mystery set on an island where science and magic blur and danger and secrets unfold.

Faye Fitzgerald does not remember what she’s done to land herself at the Auk Island School. She remembers so little about the night that changed her life. Growing up surrounded by nature with her botonist father in the Forest House, she can’t cope with the bleak and treeless island where the school sits in seclusion.

Where she and the other children are treated more like prisoners than pupils.

While her fellow students begin to defy the horrible headmaster within the walls of the school, something is begging for Faye’s attention on the outside. “The Knife,” the only mountain on the island, is calling for her. And it will draw her into a web of secrets that she could have never thought possible.

In this gripping mystery that weaves in and around the line between science and magic, a murdered prince, a majestic stag, and a key that will open any door lead Faye on a dangerous journey across the desolate landscape to uncover what happened and the truth about her father’s scientific discoveries.

The Island At The Edge Of Night is a masterfully written, gripping mystery rooted in family and the healing power of nature​​ from the Queen of Gothic.

Publication Date June 2nd 2026 by Aladdin
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A leader-in-training at a beloved summer camp must figure out how to stop a decades-old curse in this middle grade companion novel to the “tightly paced” (Publishers Weekly) The Ghost of Spruce Point.

Frankie Wilkins waits all year for her favorite thing — summers in coastal Maine. This time, she and her best friend, Parker, are Leaders-in-Training at Camp Asticou on nearby Walker Pond. For Frankie, it’s not just about proving her skills but also the hope that a successful LIT run will convince her dad and stepmom to stay in the area, rather than move them all to Long Island.

During their first night there, the LITs learn about a local legend called The Bride of Rippowam. A young woman named Eugenie fell in love with a sailor, but after a tragic accident, she and her fiancé, Raleigh, both drowned. And weird happenings have occurred at the camp ever since, with incidents increasing in recent years.

People suspect that something is keeping Eugenie from officially crossing over, and Frankie realizes Eugenie is trying to send urgent messages about what really happened with her and Raleigh. With their campers in danger, Frankie, Parker, and the rest of the LITs are determined to help Eugenie cross over. But are they willing to break almost every camp rule to do so, and will they find what Eugenie is after — and why — before tragedy strikes again?

Publication Date July 7th 2026 by Yellow Jacket
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The end is nigh. Bring snacks!

When Sebastian accidentally releases a long-imprisoned vampire-goddess after a rough day at school, he sets off a chain of events that will result in the destruction of reality as he knows it, unless he can find a way to stop it.

Seventh-grader Sebastian Onizuka is having a terrible Friday. He overslept after making a video game, spilled orange juice on his pants so it looked like he peed on himself, and then accidentally freed a vampire-goddess from a cursed stone obelisk in the detention room.

Wait, what?

Centuries ago, twelve-year-old goddess Maggorthulax was imprisoned to stop her from devouring the universe. But now that she’s free, Maggorthulax–or Maggie as she likes to be called–is going to destroy reality during the upcoming solar eclipse.

Despite being the Princess of the Abyss, Maggie would rather eat shrimp chips, blip bullies in and out of existence, and binge-watch episodes of The Adventures of Toilet Man than fulfill her evil destiny. Besides, she’s never had a friend before meeting Sebastian, so she’d like to hang out a little longer before wiping out the universe. There’s just one catch…there’s nothing she can do to stop the end of the world.

In this laugh-out-loud book about friendship and bravery, Sebastian and Maggie have six days to find an ancient spell, navigate middle school, and save the world.

Publication Date July 7th 2026 by Scholastic Press
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Two friends must dig into their town’s forgotten past and uncover the forgotten truth — before their whole town goes up in flames. For fans of Small Spaces and Mary Downing Hahn, a spooky ghost story from the award-winning author of The Forgotten Girl and The Girl in the Lake.

Burn it all down.

Gianna and Carter John are best friends, but they couldn’t be more different. Gianna is small for her age, gets straight A’s, and is the teacher’s favorite. Meanwhile, Carter John gets in trouble no matter what he does, just because he’s tall and his voice is loud.

Then one day while working on a class project in the town library, Carter John gets in trouble yet again and reaches his breaking point. As his anger builds, a stack of books flies off the shelf, hitting the librarian.

Now everywhere he goes, strange things are happening. The smell of smoke hangs in the air. Sparks fly when Carter John gets in trouble. And he hears the voice of a young girl singing a song…a song about burning…

When fires start breaking out around town, Carter John and Gianna are determined to figure out who’s responsible. They are certain that these are no normal fires…Something terrible once happened where the town library now stands, and someone’s trying to send them a message about it.

But who is she―and why is she determined to get revenge?

From the author of The Forgotten Girl and The Girl in the Lake, this is both a bonechilling ghost story, and a book about the history of segregated libraries.

Publication Date July 14th 2026 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers
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From the New York Times bestselling author of The Bellwoods Game comes an eerie illustrated middle grade novel about a girl whose new friend and neighbor may have moved into a haunted house.

Some spirits never leave.

When a new family moves into the creepy old house across the street, sixth-grader Flora finds her wish for a best-best friend has come true. Her new neighbor Mac is sweet and charismatic. With Mac by her side, Flora feels like the upcoming school year will be a fresh start for her—no more anxious or klutzy Flora!

But despite their new friendship, not all is perfect. Mac fits in better with their classmates than Flora ever did. Mac’s family seems to be holding back a big secret, something about a mysterious ex-best friend named Daphne who Mac won’t ever talk about. And Mac’s little brother, Danny, gives Flora the creeps. Strange things keep happening whenever he’s around.

Is Flora’s mind playing tricks? Or could it be that Mac’s house is as haunted as it looks?

Publication Date July 14th 2026 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers
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The “[b]y turns chilling and funny” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) second book in the bestselling and award-winning Bunnicula series is now a spooky graphic novel that will send a shiver down your spine and leave you howling with laughter!

The Monroes have gone on vacation, leaving Harold, Chester, and Bunnicula at Château Bow-Wow—not exactly a four-star hotel. On the animals’ very first night there, the silence is pierced by a peculiar wake-up call—an unearthly howl that makes Chester observe that the place should be called…Howliday Inn.

But the mysterious cries in the night (Chester is convinced there are werewolves afoot) are just the beginning of the frightening goings-on. Soon, animals start disappearing, and there are whispers of murder. Is check-out time at Château Bow-Wow going to come earlier than Harold and Chester anticipated?

Publication Date July 14th 2026 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
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The girls of Spirit Service get involved in a heated competition with an all-boy group with nefarious intentions in this second book in the sweet and spooky Spirit Service middle grade series that’s Ghostbusters meets The Baby-Sitters Club.

Spirit Service is booming, and with “Holloween” night approaching, guiding spirits to the afterlife has never been easier. But all is not well. Raveena Gill and her besties have come across an impossible creation: another phantom phone! Worse, this phone belongs to a boys-only anti-paranormal league, and the boys seem bent on trapping spirits for their own gains.

To keep the copycat phone out of the boys’ hands, Raveena proposes a wager. The first to vanquish fifty spirits by Holloween will get to keep both phones. If Raveena fails, she’ll lose Spirit Service; if she succeeds, she’ll stop the twin phone from being used for evil.

As tensions between and within the clubs rise, a sinister threat stirs in the shadows. To stop it, they will have to band together to uncover the darker origins of the phones themselves…and this time, both the lands of the living and the dead are at stake.

Publication Date July 14th 2026 by Simon Spotlight
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Three spooktacular books in the You’re Invited to a Creepover series are now available together in one paperback bind-up that will have readers sleeping with the lights on. Now with a fresh new design!

Young horror fans won’t be able to unsee the creepy characters in this three-in-one bind-up! From dreadful dolls to a chilling carnival to a menacing mask, these three stories from P.J. Night’s You’re Invited to a Creepover series deliver frights and fun on every page.

Publication Date July 14th 2026 by Candlewick
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Coming to find you, ready or not!

The first title in a brand new middle-grade horror series by the award-winning author Christopher Edge.

Nobody knows who started the Darkive. It’s a database filled with first-hand accounts of strange, unexplained experiences. Ghosts; paranormal entities; weird anomalies. Each one is stored with a bank of evidence to prove the story. Are you ready to dive in?

Adam didn’t think his summer holiday could get any worse. His camping trip with his best friend, Sol, seems to be doomed. They’ve been arguing, and now they find themselves in a strange, abandoned town, where they are told to take part in a game of hide-and-seek. But the rules are hard to follow. And who, or what, are they hiding from?

Publication Date July 21st 2026 by Balzer + Bray
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Born skeptic Lilac Black does not believe in ghosts ― until she is thrust into the secret world of seers and spirits at the Spindlewood School. Perfect for fans of The Clackity and The Swifts.

Lilac Black knows the séances her uncle runs for a living aren’t real. So when she pretends to talk to a spirit to get him out of a tight spot, she expects a scolding, not a celebration. She certainly doesn’t expect an invitation to her uncles’ alma mater, the top-secret Spindlewood School of Seeing.

Irresistibly curious, Lilac decides to attend. But as the only Unseeing student at a boarding school full of Seers, she has to bluff her way through classes and act afraid of spirits everyone else can See. Making new friends, like the intriguing Emmanuelle, only complicates Lilac’s web of lies. And as if her big deception wasn’t enough, something is very wrong on campus.

Spirits send cryptic messages warning of danger, and every ghost on the island seems drawn to a hidden door deep in the library basement. A being is waiting down there…something none of the adults dare to talk about. Lilac and her friend Emmanuelle must use all their powers ― or at least their wits and courage ― to save Spindlewood from a terrifying fate.

Publication Date July 21st 2026 by Union Square Kids
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A lot of things have changed in twelve-year-old Dahlia Reid’s life. Her best friend moved away, her mom got remarried, and now Dahlia has a stepbrother, Levi, who isn’t very nice. The one thing she can count on staying the same is Harvest Festival — the big scary event held every Autumn Equinox in the town of Wilcott Head. But when a new family arrives and grows a massive pumpkin patch, some people in town think it’s bad news, even saying the pumpkin farm is cursed. Dahlia, on the other hand, thinks it’s great. She even befriends the new girl, Penelope. After all, they’re both being bullied by the same boy, Julian, at school.

But on the evening of the equinox, the famous jack-o’-lanterns that line the path to the bonfire begin to disappear, and then people begin to disappear too. Dahlia thinks the pumpkins might be cursed after all…especially when they come to life. Dahlia, Penelope, and Levi band together to fight the jacks, undo the curse, and save the town before it’s too late.

Laura Lavoie, author of The Thirteen Doors of Black House, tells an action-packed story full of adventure, thrills, and chills in Beware The Jacks, perfect for fans of Katherine Arden and Lora Senf.

Publication Date July 21st 2026 by Viking Books for Young Readers
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Innocent wishes turn decidedly sinister in this chilling horror for fans of Katherine Arden and R. L. Stine.

Peter and his half brother, Adrian, live in the shadow of Old Splinter — a formerly lavish estate now in ruins. Rumored to have once housed an eccentric magician, it’s now home to little more than spiderwebs and mold. Tasked with renovating the crumbling mansion on behalf of their wealthy uncle, Peter’s stepdad is at his wits’ end. And the cracks are beginning to show in their once-happy cottage.

A mysterious local legend may be their only hope. The wishing claw, a magical hand that grants your deepest desires, has spell-bound townsfolk for centuries. If it’s real — if he can find it — then Peter might just save his family! But wishes are tricky things and they always come with a price. What starts innocently enough soon unearths much more than Peter bargained for, including a dark secret lurking in the walls of the mansion…and a monstrous hunger that comes knocking at his door.

Publication Date July 21st 2026 by Stonefruit Studio
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Black Mirror meets Goosebumps in the first installment of this fast-paced middle-grade horror series by New York Times-bestselling authors Erin Entrada Kelly and Eliot Schrefer featuring tales of technology gone wrong.

Eleven-year-old Sofia Mendoza is a gamer, not a camper. She should be at home building landscapes and fighting monsters in Sandbox, not deep in the forest with six other kids, who might as well be playing her favorite game in tutorial mode.

Even worse, there’s something off about this summer camp. There are creepy, mechanical vultures, cloaked NPC figures, and the only adult is Monarch, a grim woman in combat boots.

And then the game of elimination begins.

Sofia may be caught in the clutches of Camp Forestjaw, but she’ll do anything to survive. Anything. The problem is, in Forestjaw, everything you’ve ever done ― no matter how long ago ― comes back to you…

Publication Date July 21st 2026 by Odd Dot
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The Hardy Boys meets Gravity Falls in this delightfully spooky middle grade adventure about a small town with secrets, the monster lurking in its shadows, and the misunderstood new kid who has to believe the unbelievable to save them all.

Digby Romer has never lived in one place for very long; despite his best intentions, he’s managed to get kicked out of every European boarding school his parents have shipped him off to. Now, his dad has dragged him to live with his aunt and uncle in small-town USA, with hopes that a slower-paced life will finally fix Dig’s so-called “behavioral issues.”

But all is not well here in Transylvania County, even if the locals insist that the legends of cryptids and monsters lurking in the woods are nothing more than lore. On his first night in town, Dig is convinced that he spots a gigantic, fanged beast in the woods―but nobody believes him. And then the school’s PE teacher disappears, replaced by a greasy, suspicious man named Renfield who must have an ulterior motive. When more people begin to disappear, Dig sets off with a ragtag crew ― his smartypants cousin, the bossy class president, and a survivalist loner ― to get to the bottom of things.

Something is hunting in Transylvania County, and these kids might have to break a few rules to find out who. Luckily, if there’s one thing Dig is good at, it’s making trouble.

Publication Date July 28th 2026 by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
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An eerie middle grade mystery debut that follows a young girl who returns home to find the people of her little town, including her best friend, chillingly changed after the arrival of the prim and proper Gingham family.

When 12-year-old Joni Bird returns home from summer camp, it’s clear something strange is afoot in Olive Springs. May, her usually head-banging best friend, now wears her hair in a tight bun and calls playing the drums “unladylike.” The ice cream shop only serves vanilla ice cream. The women and girls of the neighborhood all sport big pearl earrings and crisp cotton dresses.

At the heart of it all? The creepy new family in the neighborhood with their soulless, carnival smiles and retro fashion sense: the Ginghams. Everyone they invite to their Thursday night book club re-emerges as dead-eyed, smiling, Gingham-approved “model citizens,” all thanks to Mr. Gingham’s lifestyle guide, The Pillars of Perfection ― and something even more sinister hidden behind his basement door.

Through quick thinking and cunning, Joni and her friend Tyler set out to fight not only to get their friend May back, but to save their whole town from forever falling under the Ginghams’ control.

Publication Date July 28th 2026 by Penguin Workshop
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Get pumped for Pumpkin Fest! It’s Friday Night Fright Night, and Adam’s worst fear is about to come to life…

Halloween is a big deal in Little Pine, but newcomer Adam Gibbons doesn’t get the hype. In fact, he’s actively anti-Halloween — and you would be, too, if you were deathly afraid of pumpkins! Yeah…don’t ask.

When Adam is tasked to team up with pumpkin fanatic Molly to plan Friday Night Fright Night, the middle school shut-in event before Pumpkin Fest, he’s forced to confront his greatest fear head…er…jack-o’-lantern-on.

But it soon becomes clear that there is something strange and supernatural brewing in Little Pine. Mind-controlling pumpkins are possessing people and taking over the town, and it’s up to Adam and his small group of friends to smash the infestation and save the world!

Publication Date July 28th 2026 by Delacorte Press
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When a boy moves into his late grandfather’s mansion, he discovers eerie spell books, creepy dolls, and strange noises. But one doll feels especially off — maybe it’s nothing, or maybe it’s…watching. This creepy middle grade read is perfect for fans of the Goosebumps series.

Garrett never met his grandfather, Burke, but he’s heard the stories from his mother. Burke was an enormously successful writer, but he was also notoriously cruel, especially to his family. After he passes away suddenly, Garrett and his mother are told that his enormous fortune is hers…if they agree to spend a week at his estate.

The house is a monument to Burke’s obsession with puppet-like dolls, and the attic is packed with cryptic notes and ancient books. It’s clear that his grandfather was up to something, but Garrett can only guess what, and his fear only deepens when he finds a creepily detailed doll with ‘Marion’ written on the foot.

As the week progresses, Garrett realizes that the house isn’t what it seems. An old typewriter clicks away on its own. There are sounds in the night that come from the basement. And strangest of all is Marion, who always seems to be watching…

Publication Date July 28th 2026 by Viking Books for Young Readers
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A creepy, monster-filled graphic novel, perfect for readers of Summer Vamp and Hellaween!

When Charlotte Bissett discovers a creepy cool book in her school library called Liber de Monstrum, she can’t help but take it home to investigate. Horror has always brought her comfort — as long as it’s safely within the pages of a book.

That night she reads a few pages out loud before going to sleep. And the next day, some really weird things are going on in the small town of Devilfish Bay. There’s snow outside for the first time in years, Charlotte’s favorite teacher is missing, and the new substitute teacher, Miss Fell, is a little strange. She just might be a werewolf!

Charlotte’s worried she made a big mistake reading from the creepy book. She knows it’s up to her to make things right — but to do so, she’ll have to recruit her friends Molly and Griffin to help. But will they even believe her? And if they do, can this new crew of kid monster hunters actually defeat a real werewolf?

Publication Date September 1st 2026 by Scholastic Press
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The line between the ghost world and our world gets even thinner in this haunting new installment of this multidimensional series where ghosts talk from the pages.

Rosteen is dead. He knows he’s dead. And yet…he’s still around. He died as a kid in the 1980s, but here he is in the 2020s, brought back to The Last Resort by Lila, Tobias, and Caleb – who desperately need his help.

The problem? An evil ghost wants to make a comeback and cause a few more disasters that will inevitably cost people their lives. The only way for Rosteen, Lila, Tobias, and Caleb to stop her is to travel to the sites of some of her more infamous disasters in the past and find objects from those times that will somehow defeat her. And to do that, they’ll need to bring back another ghost – the one that killed Lila and Caleb’s grandfather.

Rosteen has nothing left to lose…except his new friends, who could lose everything and become ghosts themselves if they make one wrong move.

Enter the world of The Last Resort! Talk to ghosts that come to life and help solve the mystery!

Publication Date September 1st 2026 by Norton Young Readers
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Mischievous brothers Link and Hud are back for a Halloween-themed entry in the hilarious series from real-life brothers Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey.

It’s October. Halloween is almost here, and brothers Lincoln and Hudson Dupré are excited about their first time trick-or-treating without their parents. But odd and spooky things start happening on their cul-de-sac―things they get blamed for. Link and Hud must face down zombies, a suspected werewolf, and a (definitely) haunted house to find the real culprit and save Halloween.

The latest entry in the hybrid graphic novel series Book Riot says is “full of Black boy joy, brother love, and silliness” brings more chaos, more laughs, and more adventures as Link and Hud use their imagination to get in (and out) of all kinds of trouble. Drawn from the imaginations and experiences of brothers and cocreators Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey, Link + Hud illuminates a world of adventure made possible with a partner in crime by your side.

Publication Date September 1st 2026 by Tundra Books
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After eating a glowing green egg, aspiring journalist Florence Fortescue can suddenly see that her house is overrun with ghost chickens in this delightfully bizarre and hilarious first book of a new early middle-grade series for readers aged 8 to 12!

Ten-year-old aspiring journalist Florence Fortescue did NOT want to move to the country, leaving her best friend and city life behind.

To make matters worse, Florence is shocked to discover a Minions-esque flock of ghost chickens running amok all over her new house — and her parents are oblivious! Clearly, Mom and Dad need to take their precious daughter back to the city RIGHT NOW. If only she could convince them…

Using her journalistic skills, Florence cooks up a sizzling exposé in her homemade newspaper: TERROR IN THE HAUNTED COOP! But when that plan fails, Florence has to enlist the help of her weird new neighbor, two bizarre dogs and maybe even the ghost chickens themselves!

Publication Date September 1st 2026 by Random House/Star Wars
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Explore the darkest corners of the Star Wars galaxy in this chilling horror-themed middle grade novel by New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White.

Pursued by Imperial forces, a young girl named Bia must flee her home planet of Coruscant and find her mother. All the time, she is hunted by a figure in black, a presence more horrifying than she has ever encountered before. Can Bia escape — and what does she have that the Empire wants so badly?

Horror readers and Star Wars fans of all ages will thrill to this fright-filled middle grade novel.

Publication Date September 1st 2026 by Holiday House
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For fans of R.L. Stine, this supernatural horror follows twelve-year-old Sam to his unsettling family home in Singapore, where his journey to unearth details of his dead mother’s life entangles him in a deadly decades-old mystery.

Lonely twelve-year-old Sam Wells has never known his mother. So when his maternal grandmother calls with a plane ticket to Singapore, he hopes the trip will give him the answers he’s been looking for. But his imposing family home isn’t what he expected. His grandmother is a stranger. Spiders crawl over impassible mounds of hoarded mementos. The house is such a labyrinth that Sam can barely make his way through the boxes, let alone find out anything about his mom.

Until he meets her ghost, frozen in time at age twelve.

Something terrible happened when Priya Malhotra was just a schoolgirl in Singapore. Something twisted enough to keep her trapped. Something that might be happening again. Children are going missing as they did decades before in Sam’s eerily unsettling neighborhood…and the closer Sam gets to the terrifying truth that lurks within the haunted, abandoned factory where the original crimes occurred, the more it seems that Sam will be the next to disappear.

To save himself, he’ll have to untangle the mystery. But if he does, will he lose his mom forever?

Publication Date September 8th 2026 by First Second
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For fans of Stranger Things and Goosbumps comes a graphic novel filled with thrills, chills, and friendship.

Riz is determined to prove to his dad that movies matter and ghosts are real, but he and his friends might be in over their head when they investigate the local creepy mansion.

Riz Choudhry lives for two things: movies and anything spooky. His dad? Not so much. While Riz dreams of filmmaking and jump scares, his father dreams of Riz going to med school or law school―and neither one includes ghosts.

But the film club is Riz’s safe haven, a place where other supernatural-obsessed first-gen kids swap scary stories from their cultures. So, when the group decides to film a documentary about the creepy old mansion in town, Riz is all in. But there’s a problem. His dad wants Riz to quit the club. AND the building is about to be demolished. Now Riz and his friends must use the power of filmmaking to save the mansion…before it vanishes forever.

Packed with shivers, laughter, and heart, Don’t Be Scared celebrates friendship, heritage, and daring to fight for what matters ― even if it means disagreeing with your family.

Publication Date September 15th 2026 by Delacorte Press
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The second book in a creepy duology about Mystery James, who was found as a baby in a cemetery, lives in a funeral home, and can smell ghosts. This time, spring break takes a terrifying turn when Mystery suspects a ghost has entered her home…and refuses to leave.

Spring break was supposed to be a time for relaxation, but for Mystery James, it quickly turns into a series of spine-chilling adventures. After a burial at Garcia Graves & Funeral Home, Mystery begins to suspect the ghost of one of Ellis Town’s most eccentric residents may be lingering in her home…or worse, haunting it.

With her trusty arachnid companion, Coffin by her side, Mystery must contend with creepy mortuary salesmen, a sinister presence creeping through her Tia Lucy’s home, and changing friendship dynamics, all while uncovering clues that lead her deeper into an increasingly complex — and personal — mystery.

Soon, the Olde Ellis Town Cemetery becomes the backdrop for a showdown between the past and the present, where Mystery must confront her deepest fears and uncover the truth behind the supernatural events that have plagued her since childhood.

Publication Date September 15th 2026 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
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A middle grade horror novel about disappearing kids and a monstrous beast lurking in the woods, from the author of The Curse of Eelgrass Bog.

As the daughter of private detectives, Pira is used to moving around a lot. So when her mothers’ newest case brings them to the small town of Eyrewood, she expects to find a town just like all the other ones she’s left behind.

But Eyrewood is nothing like she expects. Ash is always falling from the skies, the local wildlife is nowhere to be found, and it’s impossible to light a fire anywhere inside the town limits. And worst of all, there are monsters in the woods — monsters that none of the adults believe in.

When Pira joins up with a group of kids intent on fighting the beasts, she discovers that the monsters may be linked to a series of missing kids going back decades — including the older sister of her new friend Jackie. As Pira and Jackie work with their friends to solve the mystery of the disappearances, they’ll have to confront the secrets at the heart of Eyrewood and the danger lurking in every corner.

Publication Date September 15th 2026 by Abrams Books for Young Readers
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Take the plunge into the strangest, spookiest, and most fascinating rivers around the world (if you dare) in this beautifully illustrated companion to Spooky Lakes, the New York Times and Indiebound bestseller from TikTok star and educator Geo Rutherford.

From Geo Rutherford ― the creator of the hit series Spooky Lake Month (over 79 million likes!) ― comes this thrilling nonfiction book that follows the winding histories of 25 mysterious rivers around the world. Readers will explore natural phenomena, scientific oddities, historical events, and environmental disasters, as well as the myths and legends tied to these waterways, which are increasingly threatened by climate change.

Rivers are Earth’s restless travelers ― carving landscapes, shaping history, and holding secrets. Some are forces of destruction, sweeping away everything in their path, while others are lifelines, sustaining civilizations for millennia. And some are both, bringing prosperity and devastation in equal measure.

From deadly whirlpools to lost cities submerged beneath their waves, these rivers challenge everything we think we know about the natural world. There are rivers that catch fire, rivers that boil, and rivers so deep they seem bottomless. Some slither beneath the ground you stand on, while others vanish without a trace.

Who knew rivers could be so…spooky?

Backed by extensive research and packed with all-new content ― including eerie and eye-popping gouache illustrations in full color ― Spooky Rivers takes readers on an adventure through weird and wild waters.

Publication Date September 22nd 2026 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
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Jordi Acosta wants nothing more than to be invisible. He’s a six-foot-tall twelve-year-old who wishes he could blend in with the rest of his classmates and avoid trouble.

Over spring break, Jordi’s mom, a wildlife biologist, has him volunteer at the Yaupon Creek Wildlife Refuge, much to his dismay. But Mami is keeping secrets, and when Jordi has a close encounter with a surprisingly humanlike bear, she comes clean: her unofficial job at the Wildlife Refuge is to care for Cryptids, creatures like the Chupacabra that are only supposed to exist in stories.

When a greedy corporation called Harvest Sunrise Energy arrives wanting to expand their drilling operations into Yaupon Creek, cattle start getting injured and fences damaged on their neighbors’ farms. Jordi and his friends realize that the company is manipulating the townspeople to believe the creatures are responsible for the damage they’ve wrought. It’s up to them to save their town from this insidious threat ― and clear their cryptid friends’ names.

Publication Date September 29th 2026 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
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A wickedly entertaining supernatural story about three siblings finding their way in the world as ghosts from the bestselling author of the Ivy and Bean series, Annie Barrows.

Everyone at the Ghost Guild knows how the afterlife is supposed to work. But something is amiss with the case of three siblings ― Genie, Fenella, and Tillotson Maconochie ― who are beginning their journey as ghosts in a highly irregular way. They haven’t even been issued their copy of the Ghostology, which would have helped them know how to stay out of trouble. It’s no wonder that they fall prey to the infamous swindler Serena Aster, and end up trapped in her mansion to do her evil bidding for eternity. When they discover that a young orphan is trapped with them, their desire to break free and find their greater ghostly purpose takes on new urgency.

In this page-turning, beautifully illustrated yarn, perfect for fans of A Series of Unfortunate Events and The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette For Young Ladies of Mad Science, readers will discover that at the end of their lives, the Maconochie siblings’ remarkable story is only just beginning.

Publication Date September 29th 2026 by Dial Books
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From the co-creator of the #1 New York Times bestselling Spiderwick Chronicles series comes a deliciously dark supernatural middle-grade coming-of-age story, with two-color illustrations throughout.

Timothy’s grandpa has a saying: the best way to deal with bullies is to wump ‘em. But Timothy would never hurt a fly — and not just because he genuinely loves bugs. He’s always been a good kid…until a shadowy monster appears and begins feeding on his darkest thoughts. Facing bullies both at home and at school, Timothy cocoons himself in the monster’s shadows, where he is consumed by a desire for revenge. But how much of himself can Timothy give up before he is completely transformed?

Award-winning author-illustrator Tony DiTerlizzi stuns in this creepy, brilliantly illustrated, and poignant reflection of the darkness — and light — inside of all of us.

Publication Date October 6th 2026 by Oni Press
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Eisner-nominated writer Josh Tierney (World Piece, Iris Complex) joins longtime collaborator Caitlin Soliman (Iris Complex) in this spooky middle-grade graphic novel about ghosts, friendship, and making comics!

Will and Anita are two lonely tweens who find themselves alone together in the art room of the local after school club. After gushing over each other’s work — Will’s writing and Anita’s art — the two team up to make their own comic about a local urban legend — a teen counselor who haunts the club after a tragic demise. Anita and Will research the ghost and develop their story, forming a strong friendship. But can they overcome bullies at the club and problems at home to become great friends and collaborators?

Publication Date October 6th 2026 by Stonefruit Studio
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Black Mirror meets Goosebumps in this fast-paced middle-grade horror series by New York Times bestselling authors Erin Entrada Kelly and Eliot Schrefer featuring tales of technology gone wrong. In this standalone installment, AI has infiltrated the newest toy craze ― a stuffed animal with spooky capabilities and more sinister intentions.

Lewis’s big hope for his first day at a new school is to make a friend. He never expected that friend to wind up being a hyper-intelligent cuddly panda bear. A gift from his dad, his Panda Mo Nium is an exclusive kids-only AI toy and communication device with big ideas of his own. After other students at his school get their own robot pandas, Lewis suddenly has a friend group.

When Mo begins asking Lewis to perform risky and bloody tasks, Lewis goes along despite his nerves…until the line between cute and creepy blurs and he senses evil intentions behind his AI friend’s glowing eyes. What does this robot panda really want from him and the other kids? The truth might be more frightening than Lewis ever imagined.

Publication Date October 6th 2026 by Scholastic Press
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The Forgotten Girl meets Hide and Seeker in this terrifying MG horror that returns the Zombie to its homeland, the island nation of Haiti.

Lena is a descendant of a long line of Mambos – Vodou priestesses. She’s basically been raised to stir things up. There’s no mess she can’t wriggle out of, even when she’s the one who made it in the first place. But there are problems that even Lena can’t fix…She can’t bring her father back from the dead. She can’t make her mother laugh the way she used to. And she can’t forgive the gods for taking her father away.

When a mysterious man arrives in Lena’s small Haitian village and moves into the giant house on its outskirts, she finally has something to distract her from her father’s death.

But the distraction doesn’t last. Strange things start to happen in her village. People start staring at Lena like they don’t recognize her at all. Their eyes go blank. Their steps turn stiff.

Zombie-stiff.

And wherever Lena runs, they follow.

As the village erupts into chaos, Lena must put her skills to the test. She’ll have to save her friends, figure out what’s controlling everyone, and stay one step ahead of the horde. Because if she wants to survive, she might have to do the one thing she swore she would never do again – ask the gods for help.

Publication Date October 6th 2026 by Scholastic Inc.
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Sinister ornaments come to life and trap a family in their home in this new novel from the author of Red Rover and Killer Harvest.

Publication Date October 6th 2026 by Delacorte Press
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Front Desk meets Stephen King! In this perfectly frightening middle grade read, a twelve-year-old boy moves into a creepy motel where breaking the rules doesn’t just mean getting kicked out — it means disappearing for good.

Dylan has a bad feeling about the Good Night Motel. Ever since he and his mom got kicked out of their apartment, their new living arrangements have given him a serious case of the creeps. The roof is sagging; the wallpaper is peeling. The weird twin owners have painted-on smiles like Victorian dolls, and the handyman always seems to be lurking.

And, of course, there are the Rules. Break three, and you’re out for good.

Dylan couldn’t care less until he’s cornered by a kid who claims to know the truth about this place. The real truth. You see, when people break the rules, they don’t just get kicked out of the motel. They disappear.

And Dylan and his mom could be next.

Publication Date October 13th 2026 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
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For readers of The Clackity and The Bellwoods Game comes a spooky illustrated middle grade tale of a new kid who teams up with the local witch to uncover the wickedness hiding in their seemingly perfect little town.

Bad things don’t happen in the small, sleepy town of Sapwood Coombe. At least that’s what everybody tells Olive when she moves from New York to Vermont. For her mother it’s a fresh start; for Olive it’s the end of the world.

Until she meets Tamsin.

Tamsin isn’t like other kids. She doesn’t go to school or have any parents. She talks to plants, predicts the weather, and gets her recipes from an old spell book. But Tamsin has secrets — dangerous secrets tied up in the town’s lore. And she’s not the only one…

Bad things don’t happen in Sapwood Coombe. Or do they?

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Hot Off The Press is a regular feature on Pop! Goes The Reader in which I share a selection of new books being published in the forthcoming month.

Another new month has begun, and you know what they say: New month, new books! And by ‘they’, I mean me, because it’s time for another edition of Hot Off The Press! With 85 new YA releases in today’s post, there’s no shortage of choices from a variety of different genres, and I sincerely hope you can discover at least one new title that’s right for you! Happy reading!

Did you find this post helpful? Over on Pop! Goes The Reader’s Patreon, I share two additional Hot Off The Press posts detailing over 300 middle grade and adult fiction and non-fiction books being published each month along with other exclusive posts and rewards including downloadable wallpapers for your desktop and devices and book lists on a specific theme for a pledge of $5!

Publication Date September 1st 2026 by Balzer + Bray
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Sparks fly in this Gilded Age novel of mystery, magic, and romance by the author of the New York Times bestselling Beasts of Prey.

Vesper Evans has always resented Basalton’s high society, and the sorcery that provides them with a luxurious life unimaginable to most. Orphaned as a child and rescued by the editor of The Basalton Globe, Vesper is now an ambitious reporter determined to keep her newspaper afloat.

While covering a lavish society gala, Vesper happens upon a shocking scene: the murdered body of a man she had spoken with just minutes before. Several of the powerful magical elite may want the man dead, but the prime suspect is wealthy industrialist Maximilian Kite.

Max soon makes Vesper a tempting offer: Find the culprit and restore his reputation in exchange for a substantial fee. Despite her distaste for Max’s world, Vesper agrees ― the money would save the Globe, and the story would be the scoop of a lifetime. There’s only one catch: In order for her to infiltrate society, the two must pose as a courting couple.

Their investigation takes them from the highest echelons of privilege to the seediest backstreets of Basalton. As they unearth the city’s secrets and scandals, Vesper finds herself in grave danger ― while falling for one of the most infuriating, arrogant, handsome men she has ever met…

Publication Date September 1st 2026 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
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A year ago, Rose was in an accident that nearly claimed her life. In the chaos of that night, a mysterious boy pulled her from the brink of death, then vanished before anyone else could see him. No one believes he was there. But Rose knows the truth.

When Rose moves across the country for college, she’s expecting a fresh start, one that’s not haunted by the memory of this mysterious stranger. But then she sees him: Hayden. He’s cold and distant and claims he wasn’t there that night. Yet Rose can’t shake the pull she feels toward him. She pursues him, daring him to reject her. Daring him to explain himself.

That’s when she learns the truth about who — or what — Hayden really is, and that the bond between them goes deeper than the night he saved her life. Fate has woven their paths together, and no matter how hard they fight, it refuses to let them go. But loving Hayden may come at a cost…one that could destroy them both.

Publication Date September 1st 2026 by Tundra Books
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Mad Max: Fury Road meets Alien in this exciting follow-up to the YA novel Titan of the Stars by #1 New York Times bestselling author E.K. Johnston.

After the horrific events on the Titan, where ancient aliens were released on the ship and massacred or possessed most of the travelers, Dominic finds himself on the surface of Mars amidst the wreckage of the ruined vessel.

He made it out alive, along with a small number of other survivors — including Ren, a smart and determined ship mechanic. Against all odds, Celeste also survived the crash…but that should be impossible, given she sacrificed herself to save the others…

Dominic and Ren attempt to start a new life on the Mars colony, but the horrors follow them there. What starts out as a mild sickness among the colonists turns into a full-on outbreak — and then, half-eaten bodies are found around the base.

Could Celeste have been taken over by the aliens, and is she behind these mysterious deaths? Despite their differences, Dominic and Ren must work together once again to combat an alien menace in this thrilling sequel to Titan of the Stars!

Publication Date September 1st 2026 by Kokila
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Concluding S. K. Ali’s powerful duology, The Keeper’s Records of Revolution, Golden Flight returns to a divided world with war on the horizon.

How difficult is it to crash the party of the decade? Literally crash it?

The Golden Flight happens once every ten years — a gala to honor elites fallen in service of maintaining Upper Earth’s powerful hold on earth’s remaining populace and dwindling resources.

It’s a party where cunning new technology gets unveiled to masked revelers perpetually thirsty for fresh entertainment.

It’s also a party Raisa and Nayf plan to infiltrate to bring down Upper Earth for good.

Even with a known traitor, and a mysterious, ruthless avenger in their midst, pulling off a dangerous mission in enemy territory feels possible with record-keeper Khalda at the helm. To crack into Upper Earth, simply find strategic details hidden in the records.

However, they soon discover the toll of running a crew with competing, secretive goals: the lines between friend and foe begin to blur to violent ends.

But on an oil rig at the edge of the world, the sun rises and shines on a team member no one knows about.

Will she bring the seed of hope or be the source of ultimate chaos?

Just who is she — and why does she know exactly how to end the world?

Publication Date September 1st 2026 by Bloom Books
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New York Times bestselling author K.A. Linde returns to the Royal Houses series with House of Curses: The story of Kerrigan Argon, a half-Fae, half-human as she seeks her place in an unforgiving world filled with magic, mayhem, and romance. A YA romantasy perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Holly Black, and V.E. Schwab.

Magic. Power. Legacy. She was never meant to have any of them. Now she might control them all.

Kerrigan Argon was born half-human, half-Fae ― fully rejected by both. But when she shatters expectations to become a dragon rider, the world that once scorned her can no longer ignore her rise.

Only now, everything she’s gained is at risk.

Her prince has vanished into shadow. A forced political marriage looms. And in a shocking twist, she’s been nominated to lead the very council that once sought to keep her out.

Worse, a violent faction known as the Red Masks is gaining ground ― fueled by an insider’s betrayal. War brews, and Kerrigan is caught between the old ways that tried to crush her and the dangerous hope of what could rise in their place.

Publication Date September 1st 2026 by Entangled: Mayhem Books
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Poet Graves has only ever wanted to be free. But no matter where she turns, she’s held captive ― by a power she doesn’t understand, a truth she no longer believes in, and a love she can’t deny.

As Poet is drawn further into Rook’s world, his secrets force her to question who she can trust. But when friends turn into enemies, enemies prove to be allies, and the place that was once a safe harbor is revealed as the eye of the storm, Poet’s only choice is to fight for what she believes in.

When New Manhattan’s darkest secrets refuse to stay hidden, the cause Poet and Rook fight for will be called into question. The answers are out there…and they could destroy everything.

Don’t miss the thrilling continuation to a thrilling upper YA romantasy by Nisha J. Tuli, where Divergent meets The Cruel Prince in a glittering, storm-wrecked Manhattan where the elite rule through legacy ― and one forbidden romance could tear it all apart.

Publication Date September 1st 2026 by Disney Hyperion
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Sydney Hoffman can tell when someone has less than 72 hours to live, and it’s left her sarcastic, cynical and alone. Until she meets Peter, who changes everything she believes about life—and death.

This swoony, emotional, and tragically romantic debut is perfect for fans of Dustin Thao’s You’ve Reached Sam and Adam Silvera’s They Both Die At The End.

72 hours before someone dies, Sydney Hoffman sees a pink clock over their head, counting down their final minutes. Seeing death’s status updates in real-time without being able to save anyone is…pretty much the worst. Which is why she never gets involved.

But then she meets Peter Beckett, her optimistic, book-obsessed, and (annoyingly) attractive new classmate. When he discovers what Sydney can do, he convinces her she doesn’t have to handle the countdowns alone. Together they make a plan to wander NYC, looking for pink clocks and helping strangers live their best final hours.

The more people they secretly help, the more Sydney believes she can let go of the memories that haunt her and hold on to Peter instead. But then the universe deals a devastating blow, forcing her to reckon with what it truly means to live your last 72 hours with no regrets.

In her tragically romantic debut, Darianne Schramm weaves a heartwarming, heart-wrenching, life-affirming love story you’ll laugh through, cry through, and absolutely never forget.

Publication Date September 1st 2026 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
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Embark on the thrilling, romantic, and swashbuckling finale to the New York Times bestselling Nightweaver series that’s perfect for fans of Powerless and Heartless Hunter.

At last, pirate Aster Oberon is setting sail — but danger is on the horizon. Armed with her crew of family and friends, Aster is pursuing the evil queen Morana in order to save the world as she knows it. Her heart is desperately torn between Will and Titus, but she’ll have to put her feelings aside to destroy the Underling army once and for all.

Unfortunately, Aster isn’t the only one hunting. Morana is seeking three mythical treasures: a helm that reveals the entrance to Elysia, a key to unlock the gates, and a sword to vanquish the creature within. If Morana is successful in her search, she could destroy the barrier between the heavens and their realm. Now, Aster must race to find the relics first, if she has any hope of bringing peace to the Known World.

But some things would rather stay hidden. When the discovery of the treasures comes at a devastating price, Aster must push past her deepest fears and step into her true power, or else risk dooming the world to darkness.

Fearsome sea creatures, heartbreaking betrayals, and desperate desire fill this exhilarating new installment of the Nightweaver series and the finale to Aster’s journey.

Publication Date September 1st 2026 by Margaret K. McElderry Books
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The first rule for a drama-free senior year? Don’t fall for the mysterious new football transfer. A swoony young adult romance full of undeniable chemistry and school spirit perfect for fans of Lynn Painter and Friday Night Lights, from the author of Heart Check.

When Sabrina and Tyler meet by accident outside (okay, inside) the football locker rooms, it’s not a big deal. After a rocky summer, Sabrina is focused on leading the Spirit Committee to its best year ever, while Tyler is eager to leave behind the mess from his old school with a second chance playing football as a transfer. Neither is looking for romance.

But as the team’s newest (and most eligible) varsity athlete, Tyler is suddenly the center of attention. And Sabrina is busy dodging Ryan, her longtime flirtationship who is determined to take her to the homecoming dance. Ryan is exactly the kind of chaos Sabrina doesn’t need, so she asks Tyler to go as friends instead. Eager to fend off other unwanted advances, Tyler is happy to accept.

Of course, this was before Sabrina realized Tyler is Ryan’s cousin. But as long as they’re just friends, everything should be fine. Tyler is less willing to ignore the connection he feels toward Sabrina, but he’s also desperate to keep his past buried. When the chemistry between them becomes impossible to deny, can their carefully laid plans survive the fallout, or will secrets and social pressure threaten everything they’ve built?

Publication Date September 1st 2026 by Delacorte Press
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In this sweeping World War II historical romance threaded with magic and myth, two star-crossed Japanese American teenagers find a love more powerful than the gods, inspired by the author’s true family history of internment and resilience.

A divine favor can change everything.

1942. War rumbles across the world, gods stir in the wind, and two star-crossed souls are set on a path that will change them forever.

Seventeen-year-old Ren Hamada is defined by his troubled past, while Violet Aratani only worries about keeping her straight-A grades. They have little in common beyond the old magic that thrums in their family relics — until the US government forces them out of their homes simply because they’re Japanese American. In a barbed-wire world where everything seems upside down, the magnetic pull between them is the only thing that makes sense.

But there’s more than just desert dust swirling in the air. A god walks among them, his mortal form tethered to the camp, and only Violet and Ren can free him — an act that would earn them an immeasurable reward. Yet with tensions rising and their lives on the line, is even a divine favor enough to save them?

Publication Date September 1st 2026 by Amulet Books
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Perfect for fans of Daughter of the Pirate King, A Prince Among Pirates, and Our Flag Means Death comes a swashbuckling YA queer romantasy about a mermaid and a pirate who reluctantly join forces to find the Sea Witch.

Dead Shot Rayleigh has spent the last three years bound to a cursed ship after crossing the sea god Red-Handed Roger. Her only hope for freedom is to find his long-ago stolen heart ― which means taking on his sworn enemy, the Sea Witch.

But Rayleigh’s not the only one with a score to settle… Fiery mermaid Maren is also searching for the Sea Witch, determined to bargain for the soul of her lost brother.

When Rayleigh and Maren’s separate missions bring them together, sparks fly, and all their plans go up in flames. Now they’ll have to join forces to survive.

Find the Sea Witch. Steal the heart. And don’t fall for your enemy, no matter how irresistible she is. How hard can it be?

Publication Date September 1st 2026 by Feiwel & Friends
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Del has two rules. One: Stay away from royalty. Two: Don’t fall in love.

The first is because Del is secretly Adeleine Ventris, runaway princess. After the death of her sister at the hand of her lover, Del has fled her family, home, and all the responsibilities that come with being the queendom’s new daughter – heir ― but not before faking her death and magically constructing a new, mirrorwoven face. No longer recognizable as Adeleine, she’s now just Del, a simple musician who knows nothing of court life and can disappear to the faraway opaline lagoon-city of Salato.

The second is because the enchantment hiding Del’s identity can only be unraveled by true love’s kiss. But that’s just fine ― Del’s had enough of love.

When Del breaks Rule One and becomes court bard to the new First of Salato, she is resolved to at least keep her head down and stay well out of politics ― until she realizes sweet, gentle Clara, the young figurehead who trusts too easily and loves too much, may be the one person less prepared to govern than Del herself. And if Clara loses her throne, Del loses the tenuous new job and life she’s found in Salato.

As Del’s deceptions grow ever larger and more precarious ― and as she grows closer to both Clara and Nasca, Clara’s brilliant, dangerous sister ― it will take only the slightest push to bring Del’s house of cards tumbling down.

Like, for example, breaking Rule Two.

Publication Date September 1st 2026 by First Second
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This manga-style YA graphic novel tells a charming tale of friends, crushes, and rivalries within a high school anime club. Perfect for fans of Fangirl: The Manga and The New Girl!

It’s the first day of high school, and Cherie is unsure how to find her place. But then she meets Naomi, a fellow freshman and fan of Orange High School Bakery Club ― Cherie’s favorite anime. Naomi’s warmth and confidence ignite confusing feelings in Cherie. Their duo becomes a trio when they befriend Miro, a boy in their class with an interest in learning about anime.

Enter Jenny: a charismatic upperclassman and president of the school’s anime club. When she invites the three friends to join, it creates tension between them. As Cherie, Naomi, and Miro deal with complicated feelings, can their special bond survive? And will their love of anime endure?

Publication Date September 1st 2026 by Delacorte Press
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From Brandon Sanderson, the #1 New York Times bestselling author who redefined modern epic fantasy, and acclaimed coauthor Janci Patterson comes the explosive first installment in a thrilling new Skyward Flight trilogy, as the legendary team embarks on a perilous mission to a mysterious alien world that could change the fate of the galaxy.

After decades of war against alien oppressors, the humans of the Defiant Defense Force are finally free. Yet for Arturo Mendez, leader of Skyward Flight, freedom isn’t what he thought it would be.

His first postwar assignment seems simple: The DDF has found evidence of other settlements of humans who were isolated during their long war against the aliens, and Arturo and his flight of pilots are to escort a team of diplomats as they attempt to make contact. It’s an easy mission — get in, guard the diplomats, and get out.

But no element of this mission turns out to be simple. Blightfall is inhospitable, surrounded by mysterious debris and covered in giant, invasive forests that have swallowed most of the planet. Upon arrival, Arturo’s team is attacked, and it quickly becomes clear that this human settlement isn’t what it appears to be.

Now trapped in an unfamiliar world and unsure who to trust, Arturo and his team must find allies and uncover long-buried secrets if they hope to escape and return home.

Publication Date September 1st 2026 by Bloom Books
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My pen won’t remember you.

But my blade certainly will.

All Khalani Kanes has ever known is survival. She escaped the world’s deadliest prison and is one of the few people alive to have ever walked beneath the sun. But now, death has her in his grasp, and her luck has finally run out.

The man she loves no longer remembers her, and he’s intent on one thing. Killing her.

To live another day, Khalani will need more than sharpened knives and sheer willpower. She must get close to her brutal enemy and find a way to save him before he destroys them both. But as dark forces close in and impossible truths come to light, Khalani begins to question whether she can even trust her own mind.

Their path will lead them back to where everything began. Apollo. To face what’s coming, she must create brutal alliances, undergo ruthless training, and hold onto a love forged through both blood and pain. But even if she reaches the underground city with her throat unscathed, Khalani will be left with one agonizing question.

After learning the truth…will she still want to survive?

Beneath the sun, only those ablaze will remain.

Publication Date September 1st 2026 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
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In a world where love is forbidden, one girl must fight for her heart and freedom through deadly trials in the first book of a dystopian romantasy duology from New York Times bestselling author J. Elle.

Welcome to The Heart Trials. The prize is love. The cost is everything.

In Ethyria the highborn may love; the lowborn may only feel what the Benevolent allows.

Saltblood lowborn Axira Merreri survives the decaying districts by keeping her heart locked tight, couriering goods by day — and smuggling the ruler’s euphoric Heartfillers to the highborn by night. Until a drop goes wrong and her execution looms.

When she strikes a dangerous bargain to steal something from the Tournament of Hearts, a ruthless dating competition to gain highborn citizenship, she enters. Not for love. For freedom. But as the twisted allure of the competition turns deadly, an unexpected connection cracks her defenses, forcing her to confront a truth she fears: In a regime built on engineered happiness, the most dangerous weapon she has is her heart.

New York Times bestselling author J. Elle delivers a breathless series opener that is bold, bone-chilling, and wholly original as it explores what happens when the heart becomes the empire’s sharpest blade.

Publication Date September 1st 2026 by Delacorte Press
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A reimagining of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera, spotlighting Christine Daaé as she rises to fame while torn between love, ambition, and the haunting secrets of the opera house from #1 New York Times bestselling author Erin A. Craig.

She was never just the voice he shaped…

A rising soprano with a gift she is only just learning to embrace, Christine Daaé has moved through the glittering world of the Opera Populaire longing to find her purpose. Instead, she finds herself caught between two men who refuse to let her slip quietly into the chorus.

One is Raoul, her childhood friend turned devoted admirer, offering her a future filled with warmth, safety, and a love that feels like sunlight. The other is a mysterious masked figure who lurks beneath the Opera House: The Phantom. His brilliance, obsession, and dangerous devotion to nurturing Christine’s talents ignites a dark and complicated passion in her heart.

As Christine’s star ascends, so does the tension between Raoul and the Phantom. She must decide who she is when the curtain falls — and what she’s willing to risk for the life she wants.

Set against the sweeping, romantic world of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera, Our Strange Duet allows Christine Daaé to take center stage to tell her own story: fierce, emotional, and unforgettable.

Publication Date September 1st 2026 by Random House/Disney
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What if Mirabel and her sisters had to leave the Encanto? A magical addition to the New York Times bestselling Twisted Tale series about Disney’s Encanto.

Mirabel’s worst fear is confirmed – she is responsible for the faltering powers of the Familia Madrigal. Guilt-ridden and feuding with her sisters, Mirabel decides to save the magic herself. Sure, she may be the only gift-less member of her family, but she knows she can put their crumbling pieces back together again.

Unfortunately, Mirabel’s youngest cousin, Antonio, beats her to it. He overhears Tío Bruno’s vision and does the unthinkable — leaves the Encanto to find a solution. Terrified of what could happen outside the safety of their home, Mirabel has no other choice but recruit Strong Luisa and Perfect Isabela to help find their baby cousin.

But what starts as a rescue mission turns into a magical quest with a band of brothers whose family has a deep secret connection to theirs.

And soon, Mirabel learns that missing cousins and disappearing gifts may be just the beginning of their problems…

Publication Date September 1st 2026 by Roaring Brook Press
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Respect the Legend. Idolize the Prodigy. Celebrate the Champion. But never underestimate the Rebel in this electrifying graphic novel adaptation of the Legend series’s grand finale.

Eden Wing is a brilliant student. He’s about to graduate a year early from Ross University of the Sciences. But most people don’t introduce Eden this way. Instead, they say, “This is Eden, Daniel Wing’s younger brother.”

Ten years ago, Daniel was known as Day, the boy who led a revolution that saved the Republic of America. Day has since spent the past decade piecing together his memory of his time in the Republic, quietly hiding from the world ― even if it’s meant giving up June, the love of his life.

When June suddenly steps back into Day’s life, rekindling the flames of their romance, the pair team up to rescue Eden who’s been drawn into Ross City’s dark side. But like the rest of the world, they may have underestimated Eden ― what he’s capable of, where his loyalties lie, and how hard he’s willing to fight for what he believes.

Return to the world of Legend in this epic graphic novel adaptation of the pulse-pounding finale to the series, which brings to life the bestselling Rebel with full-color illustrations.

Publication Date September 1st 2026 by Bloomsbury YA
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Jennifer’s Body meets The Weight of Blood in this horror-comedy about an evil spirit looking for a second chance at love and life.

Just because Schuyler is a bloodthirsty evil spirit doesn’t mean she can’t fall in love. Ever since Wren Castillo moved into the house Schuyler haunts, Schuyler has been crushing hard. But Wren has a boyfriend, Enzo, and he’s the worst. Schuyler has no choice but to watch as Enzo treats Wren terribly – until she accidentally possesses him.

With Enzo’s spirit nowhere to be found, Schuyler must pretend to be him until she can set things right. But Schuyler feels more at home in Enzo’s body than she ever did in her own, and as she grows closer to his family and friends-including Wren-she starts to wonder if this could all be for keeps.

Maintaining a possession is harder than Schuyler expected, though, and it might just take some spilled blood to keep her new body going strong. Worse, it turns out she’s not the only one interested in stealing Enzo’s body. When another evil spirit threatens everyone Schuyler now holds dear, she must decide just how far she’s willing to go to secure her second chance at love-and life.

Publication Date September 1st 2026 by Quill Tree Books
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Do Revenge meets Where Sleeping Girls Lie in this dark-academia-stripped-bare novel about a student who uncovers a predator operating in plain sight at her new prestigious private arts high school.

Ava Quirk thought getting into Faraday, the fine arts private school of her dreams, could be a fresh start. Instead, her grades have tanked and her scholarship hangs by a thread.

Near failing out, Ava is presented with a deal. Her student advisor, local legend Peter Barden, agrees to pass her if she befriends Love Solt, a brilliant but guarded classmate. Barden says Love is troubled and could use some guidance. In turn, Ava can soak up Love’s academic prowess. If Ava does this — and gets him a copy of the top-secret novel Love’s writing — he’ll pass Ava. It’s an odd ask, but Ava’s desperate.

At first, friendship comes easy, trust is built, and she’s right where she needs to be to deliver on Barden’s ask. But as time goes by, she realizes she’s falling for Love, and the idea of betraying her is killing Ava. Then she reads Love’s novel…

If the devastating truth Love has penned gets out, many lives will be ruined. But if the secret stays hidden, many lives will be at risk. Ava faces an impossible choice: turn her back on what she’s found, or close the book on a sinister villain who has gone unchecked for far too long.

Publication Date September 1st 2026 by Annick Press
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A babysitter faces the horror of longing for a life that might destroy her in this haunting debut for fans of Trang Thanh Tran.

Sixteen-year-old Rachel Bei comes from a family of mediums and spiritual practitioners―and she could not care less. Yes, there was that time she thought she saw her beloved wàipó not long after her death. But that was back in fifth grade, and grief does funny things to people. Now Rachel isn’t just a skeptic; she’s embarrassed by her mom’s beliefs. That’s one reason babysitting for the Morin family is so appealing. Their immaculate house and home-cooked dinners feel like an escape from Rachel’s messier life with her mom. The Morins may be moving through grief of their own, but Rachel is impressed by the sense of normalcy they’ve maintained for their daughter, Blythe…at least until Blythe tells Rachel she’s been speaking to her dead sister Maddie, and her ghost does not want Rachel in the house.

Drawing on Chinese folklore and suffused with a creeping dread that builds to a gruesome climax, this darkly immersive novel confronts family secrets, the stunning audacity of whiteness, and the ghosts we carry with us.

Publication Date September 1st 2026 by Bloomsbury YA
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From New York Times bestselling author Kalynn Bayron comes a new horror novel about a group of teens with unique – and potentially deadly – gifts.

Moll, Redd, Agnes, and Ossie are powerful – and dangerous. But they don’t want people to fear them. They’ve spent their lives trying to understand and control their supernatural gifts, trying to help people instead of hurt them.

That’s why they offer paranormal investigative services to anyone who needs them. But when the case of a missing young woman brings them to an old (and potentially haunted) Victorian mansion, soon it’s the four teens who are in the greatest danger. The secrets they uncover about the paranormal forces inhabiting the house may shed light on the darkness that exists at the edge of their powers and finally help them gain control – if they can make it out alive.

Publication Date September 1st 2026 by Random House/Disney
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A spine-tingling young adult horror about the untold origins of Maleficent’s dark magic—because evil is seldom what it seems, from New York Times bestselling author, Delilah S. Dawson.

Her story begins once upon a nightmare…

Maleficent believes she is destined for great things. In her hometown, only fairies who sprout wings at age sixteen can learn magic — and though her family looks down on her, she knows that once her wings appear, they will finally recognize her potential.

But when the unthinkable happens and Maleficent is denied her destiny, she joins up with four other teens bent on defying their fates to venture beyond the town’s borders.

A mysterious force pulls at Maleficent, leading the group to an abandoned castle perched on a mountain. This strange place seems straight out of a dream, providing everything they need to survive and creating new rooms at will.

But something sinister is afoot, too: all exits are blocked, and shadows haunt the halls. As fear and paranoia tear the group apart, Maleficent is more determined than ever to be the mistress of her own destiny. In exchange for the magic she has long desired, she’ll do anything.

Anything.

From New York Times bestselling author Deliah S. Dawson comes a sinister novel positioning one of Disney’s darkest villains, that shows the power of desire and the importance of sacrifice.

Publication Date September 8th 2026 by Penguin Workshop
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James Beard Award–winning author Michael Ruhlman delivers a father-son road-trip story about grief, second chances, and discovering that home might not be a place you left behind — but a person you’re just getting to know, one meal at a time.

Junior year was supposed to be Miles’s escape plan — survive one year in Cleveland with Jake, the dad he barely knows, then get back to his real life in New York.

But that was before he got suspended. Before his mom died and left a hole nothing can fill. Before Jake’s art house theater started facing closure — and before Jake dragged him on a half-baked quest across Spain to track down a film director who may or may not want to be found.

Between wrong turns and cryptic clues through Madrid, Toledo, and Seville, they find themselves at wobbly tables in tapas bars, sharing plates of jamon and squid, talking in ways they never have before. Something unexpected happens over bocadillos and café con leche: Miles stops seeing Jake as the dad who left, and starts seeing him as the person who stayed.

James Beard Award–winning author Michael Ruhlman delivers a story about grief, second chances, and discovering that home might not be a place you left behind — but a person you’re just getting to know, one meal at a time.

Publication Date September 8th 2026 by Bloom Books
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An all-new young adult series from Leia Stone. Perfect for fans of Vampire Academy, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and House of Night, this twisty, slow-burn supernatural romance will keep you guessing until the very last page.

They told me turning eighteen meant freedom. They never said it might kill me.

All I wanted was cake, candles, and a fresh start after aging out of the group home I’ve been stuck in for six years.

What I got instead? A vampire crashing my party and trying to drain me dry.

Apparently, vampires are real and I can sense them.

Right before I become dinner, a gorgeous, broody vampire hunter named Asher swoops in and saves me. He tells me I’m not just some orphan with a bad attitude…I’m a legacy. A born Vampire Hunter. And now I’ve got a full ride to Nightguard Academy, a secret school for hunters.

Training to kill the undead? Kinda savage.

Except there’s one problem: I’m hiding a secret so dark it could get me staked before graduation. And in a school full of monsters, secrets don’t stay buried for long.

Publication Date September 8th 2026 by Rocky Pond Books
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In this heartfelt and hilarious coming-of-age romance, Sean discovers his bisexuality and his true voice while chasing his dream as a stand-up comedian.

Sean O’Brien copes with anxiety by being the funny guy — at school, in his relationships, and onstage at local open mics. But when his stand-up act starts feeling like a performance of someone he’s not, everything changes. As Sean struggles with awkward girlfriend encounters and rising panic, he meets Elijah, a new guy with quiet confidence and an honesty Sean has never allowed himself. Suddenly, Sean’s life, his comedy, and his self-awareness come into sharper focus.

With wit and emotional depth, My Own Kind of Person explores the courage it takes to speak your truth — even when your voice shakes.

Publication Date September 8th 2026 by Random House Books for Young Readers
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Two roommates are left reeling when a classmate – and ex-boyfriend – dies in a freak accident. But when his ghost appears on campus, it becomes clear the dead has unfinished business. Practical Magic for the YA reader, this wickedly twisted contemporary horror will keep readers up all night.

Love never dies. That’s the problem.

At the ultra-elite boarding school of Milford, students sacrifice their phones, relationships, and contact with the outside world for the chance at a top-notch education…except Lyssa didn’t. She risked a romance with Milford’s golden boy Jude Sinclair.

But when Jude dies in a freak accident, Lyssa’s world is upended. She can’t imagine her life without him — and when she discovers a way to summon his ghost, maybe she doesn’t have to. The only person Lyssa confides in is her outcast roommate George, who hated Jude…or so Lyssa thought. It appears the girls’ past — and present — is more intertwined than she ever knew. And as Jude’s powers from beyond the grave begin to grow, it soon becomes clear that this ghost is determined to be as controlling in death as he was in life.

From critically acclaimed author Margot McGovern comes a gripping story about desire, obsession, and the strength it takes to find the way back to yourself.

Publication Date September 8th 2026 by Feiwel & Friends
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New York Times-bestselling author Aiden Thomas returns to the beloved world of Cemetery Boys, this time following Julian ― chaos magnet extraordinaire. With restless spirits vanishing and a dark demon from their past emerging, he and Yadriel might be the only ones reckless enough to stop a threat that could tear their world apart.

Julian used to be a ghost and now he can’t stop seeing them.

Ever since Julian was sacrificed as part of a forbidden ritual, he has been able to see and talk with spirits. And that’s really cool, since it allows him to be part of his new boyfriend’s community. But Julian’s seeing other things, too: flickers at the edge of his vision, eyes burning in the night, and “dark spots” on people ― gaping wounds that thrum and bleed shadow. Yadriel has never heard of anything like it, either, and he’s so busy with his new brujx responsibilities that Julian hates for his problems to ruin what little time they have together.

Then a strange new brujx shows up. Angel, as a nonbinary bruje, can heal the living and release the dead, but more than that, they can also see the same dark spots as Julian. Despite Yadriel’s reservations, Julian eagerly accepts their help. But, Angel’s ruthless methods feel wrong to Julian.

With the shadows growing darker and the discovery of a gaping dark spot on his friend Luca, Julian has to decide who he wants to put his trust in, and just how far he’s willing to go to save what is his.

Publication Date September 8th 2026 by Amulet Books
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Lovely War meets Howl’s Moving Castle in this new YA fantasy from acclaimed author Frances Hardinge, about the people caught in a game played by the gods where castles are moved around the world like chess pieces.

Far above the valleys and villages of the Kingdom of Thaletal, a Great Game is played. Players move castles around the realm like chess pieces ― and the ordinary villagers are mere pawns at the whim of their tactics.

When fifteen-year-old Burr’s peaceful village is disrupted by the arrival of an ominous new castle, he decides he’s had enough. But what starts as a plucky coup soon escalates―and then the castle is wrenched away to a far-flung corner of the kingdom, where whispers mount of a mysterious ancient maiden whose magpies collect her debts at dangerous prices.

Here, the stakes are higher than the tallest turrets, and every move counts. Burr must work with his sisters and friends ― and rely on the unexpected help of an intriguing heiress―to unravel the secrets of the Magpie Maiden and the origins of the Great Game before he becomes just another casualty of the Players’ deadly contest.

Publication Date September 8th 2026 by Running Press Kids
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A teen who is The Chosen One in a fantasy realm finds himself a nobody back home ― that is, until magic appears in the real world and he must re-enter the portal to save a doomed realm.

Months after entering a portal, becoming a powerful mage, and saving a distant realm, disgruntled Asian American high schooler Andy Lao returns home to find that absolutely no one believes what happened to him. In fact, things are worse than ever before as his subpar science and math grades make him a target of his parents’ disappointment. But how do you think about tests and college applications when you’re The Chosen One of a magical land?

One day, at the portal’s location, Andy sees a glowing bit of mana on the ground. And with that, magic is possible again. But when a mysterious, surly teen girl comes through the portal, she claims to be the Chosen One…and that Andy’s the one who doomed the realm. Together, they’ll save magic ― because the answer lies in modern science

Publication Date September 8th 2026 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
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The classic Hallmark holiday movie gets turned upside down when a teen leaves her small-town Christmas tree farm in pursuit of the city girl who swept her off her feet in this cheeky and cozy rom-com by Food Network competitor Stef Ferrari.

Bennie Bosley has Christmas spirit on lock. Her borderline magical ability to give the perfect gift, encyclopedic knowledge of holiday movies, and skill as a baker working at a literal Christmas tree farm mean she’s the authority on all things merry. So, when Bennie sees sparkles after bumping into the most stunning girl she’s ever seen in her small Connecticut town, her friends are all shocked that Bennie doesn’t seem to realize what this is: real holiday magic at work…and the perfect opportunity for her much-needed first kiss.

There’s just one problem: her mystery girl, Eve, lives in Brooklyn and Bennie never got her number or her last name. But showing up unexpectedly to make a big romantic gesture is a classic holiday trope for a reason, right? And her friends aren’t about to miss the fireworks.

But what was supposed to be a quick Christmas adventure turns into a scramble across Brooklyn when the biggest snowstorm of the decade hits. Will Bennie and crew be able to track Eve down for a merrily ever after and still make it back for their last Cooper Farm Christmas Eve party, or is their holiday movie moment destined for the cutting room floor?

Publication Date September 8th 2026 by Delacorte Press
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A mystery and coming-of-age drama set against the backdrop of an elite all-girls rowing club as they navigate first loves, first heartbreaks, and the bonds that form when winning isn’t the only thing on the line. Soon to be adapted for Hulu, by the producer of Pretty Little Liars!

For high-achieving Margaret Douglas, rowing is everything—her friends, her family, and her way into college. As a senior and varsity captain, she has made many sacrifices to get where she is. But after she mysteriously disappears for the summer, rumors swirl: Was Margaret at Olympic training? Rehab? Under house arrest?

Whatever happened, it clearly haunts her…and when she returns at the beginning of the season, Margaret discovers that the sisterhood she once knew has moved on without her.

Meanwhile, spunky freshman and new girl Jo Bryant is only rowing because of her father: former Olympian, Boston legend, and the person Jo blames for her parents’ divorce. Jo knows nothing about crew, or why Margaret’s return has everyone at the boathouse whispering, but she does know that Margaret is the only person who doesn’t treat her like a joke.

For both girls, the varsity team is a sisterhood earned in five a.m. wake-ups and blistered hands. But there are secrets and scandals waiting to surface—and with the biggest race of the year on the horizon, Margaret, Jo, and their teammates are about to find out just how deep those secrets go.

Publication Date September 8th 2026 by Candlewick
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In the mold of Arabian Nights, this groundbreaking YA anthology—featuring seventeen Muslim women writers—links together fantastical stories that a group of refugees tell one another within a riveting frame story.

On her way across the desert, fleeing the soldiers who have destroyed all she knows, one refugee meets another. And another and another. As they travel together, on a journey in search of safety, they take turns telling one another stories—stories woven in the imagination; tales with echoes of the reality they face now. Tales of young people stolen away by jinn and tales of siblings rescuing one another; tales of lands encroached on by settlers and abandoned by rain; tales of magic found in caves, deserts, mountains, lakes, and, above all, in people, community, and faith.

With a frame story written by Nafiza Azad and Intisar Khanani interwoven with stories from fifteen additional authors of various backgrounds, drawing on the mythologies and legends of their cultures, this extraordinary collection will appeal to lovers of fantasy and to those looking for books that center refugees and diverse narratives.

Publication Date September 8th 2026 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers
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From award-winning author Margarita Engle comes a “spellbinding” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) novel in verse about first love, hidden cultures, and ancestral connections that follows a teen’s journey to uncover her late grandmother’s roots in Cuba.

Just before she was transformed
into an invisible spirit
my grandmother whispered her last wishes
into my ear:

Sprinkle my ashes in a patch of girasoles,
wait patiently, harvest the seeds,
fly to la isla, find el jardín,
plant las semillas.
Then and only then —
read my diaries.

Evamar has arrived in Cuba with her abuela’s ashes and her mother’s warnings: Don’t talk politics, boil the tap water before you drink, y por favor absolutamente, don’t fall in love. But then she meets Río, a captivating drummer whose music and presence she can’t ignore.

Río bears his own scars, separated from his family in the United States. As their bond deepens, Evamar discovers an ancestral treasure that could change her future—and the lives of millions of Caribbeans.

Publication Date September 8th 2026 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
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This high-stakes romantasy follows a vengeful teen who cons her way into an elite society of tyrannical witches. But her warring feelings for two people―an enemy prince and a childhood friend―could ruin everything. Perfect for fans of The Shadows Between Us and Powerless.

Caya lived a charmed life under the protection of Coventry’s royal family … until the three witch Houses seized power and wiped them out.

Now eighteen, she’s ready to take revenge. With the help of a mysterious benefactor, Caya slips into the witches’ glittering world under a new identity: Marisol Vinyet, a disarmingly beautiful aristocrat. As Marisol, she’ll attend the annual Coronet, the witches’ cutthroat social season designed to strengthen their power. Even the prince of neighboring Domingo―Tomás Castellan―will attend, just in time for “Marisol” to kill him.

After all, his family set the witches upon Coventry in the first place.

But Tomás is more charming than Caya anticipated. Worse the prince is protected by her estranged childhood friend, Bas Arroyo, who stirs up frustrating feelings that waver between attraction and hatred.

To destroy the witches from within, Caya will have to keep her identity hidden, her heart in check, and her mission front and center. Because even though she’s made herself a weapon, she might be the one to bleed.

Publication Date September 8th 2026 by HarperCollins
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From acclaimed author K. Ancrum, on the National Book Award longlist for The Corruption of Hollis Brown, and Lambda Literary Award winner for Icarus, comes a queer romantic horror thriller that is a love letter to Frankenstein about the consequences of our decisions, the legacy of family, and the depths we’ll go to be forgiven.

Victor Frankenstein is a young, wealthy, and brilliant prodigy who wants nothing more than to prove himself and change the world. His plan to right what he feels is wrong with the world? Reanimation of the sick and dying, bringing them back to life. But no one will give him the chance to prove his genius. However, one drunken night a bet is made, one that will cause Victor to do the unspeakable: take a teen boy from a small, neighboring village, and experiment on him under the dark of night. Elias Hilfiker. The boy who would become his monster. His curse. When Elias awakens, his voice is gone, his skin is stitched, scarred, and branded with strange symbols, and he’s abandoned by his loved ones. Meanwhile, Victor embarks on a journey to discover how to reverse the horror he’s unleashed, visiting dark alchemists in lands far and wide, gripped by fear and guilt.

But Victor’s act of resurrection creates a tether to Elias, leaving them feeling each other’s pain, joy, and regret, as the two each seek a way to end the other. As the two bound boys continue to search for answers and forgiveness, vengeance and mercy, the boundaries between what makes a man and what makes a monster will only get more blurred.

Publication Date September 15th 2026 by Feiwel & Friends
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A cunning thief turns the tables on the feuding brothers who betrayed her in this thrilling conclusion to the Den of Liars Duology, perfect for fans of Powerless and Lightlark.

Lola St. James is trapped in a web of lies and deceit. But that only makes her more determined to find the truth. The truth about her past. The truth about her magic. And the truth about the curse that binds her to two warring brothers who she both hates and loves.

With the Liar’s Dice Tournament now only a painful memory, Lola dons a new alter ego, Nocturne, and creates her own elaborate game designed to lure both the Liar and the Thief into her clutches, certain this is the only way to give them a chance to break their curses.

But Lola is not the only one with plans for the brothers. When a powerful figure from their past comes back to haunt them, will Lola’s love be enough to hold them all together? Or will the lies they’ve told tear them apart forever?

Publication Date September 15th 2026 by Quill Tree Books
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From National Book Award-winning, New York Times-bestselling author and renowned poet Elizabeth Acevedo comes a white-knuckle journey to self-understanding and doing the right thing, no matter the cost.

Lil is anything but small. She’s rebellious, she’s loyal; she’s figuring out what kind of good person she wants to be, or if she wants to be a good person at all. But more than anything? Lil wants to be free.

When her instinct for freedom leads to another stay in D.C. juvenile detention, Lil knows she’s lucky to just be on probation. But judgment, guilt, and an ankle monitor weigh heavily on her, and she can’t shake that pinned-down feeling.

The only person who might understand is her big brother, Aldwin. Except he’s more distant now than just the hundred miles where he’s away at college. Something’s been off with him for a couple of months, but only Lil seems to realize how important it is to get to him.

As her court hearing ticks closer, a question looms over Lil as the missed phone calls and strange texts from her brother pile up: will she follow the rules until her sentencing, or put her future freedom on the line?

Publication Date September 15th 2026 by Margaret K. McElderry Books
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KPop Demon Hunters meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer in this sparkling, darkly funny young adult graphic novel following a teen pop star who must take up her missing mother’s demon-slaying mantle and battle her way through the monster-infested world of social media influencers.

To her fans, Mallori (heart over the i, thank you very much) is the ultimate teen pop star: platinum albums, a massive online following, and a glittery pink lifestyle to die for. But in her own life, Mallori Martin just wants to be her own person, free from the pressures of stardom—not to mention her mom-ager’s controlling hand.

After a particularly vicious fight with said mom, Mallori wakes to find her gone, with no clue where or why. In desperation, Mallori calls the police—whose search uncovers not her missing mother but several bodies buried in the basement of their Hollywood Hills mansion.

The bodies don’t stay secret for long, not with Mallori’s legions of fans watching her every move. With rumors flying about Mrs. Martin’s secret serial-killer lifestyle, Mallori flees the public eye, only to discover her mom was indeed living a double life: as a demon slayer.

She’s been abducted, and Mallori can’t let that fight be their last conversation. So to get her back, Mallori will have to pick up where her mom left off, hacking her way through demons and boogeymen—with all her trademark sparkle.

Publication Date September 15th 2026 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers
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A neglected teen travels to Norway for a fresh start in this “lush…aching” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) coming-of-age novel in verse about longing, love, and the courage to create joy from the ashes of despair by award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Megan E. Freeman.

You are invisible in your own family. Your parents spend all their care and attention on your brother, who is addicted to drugs. Your dreams don’t matter to anyone but you.

Your only ticket out is a college fund left by your grandfather—until your parents use it to pay for your brother’s drug rehab.

Just when your future seems about to collapse, you are offered a lifeline: a scholarship to become an exchange student in a remote part of Norway. It’s an invitation to begin a new life in a new place with new people…a place where you might finally feel like you belong.

Publication Date September 15th 2026 by Sourcebooks Fire
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A page-turning debut thriller for fans of Kathleen Glasgow and Megan Lally about a teen who must confront her own buried trauma to clear her friend’s name of murder and expose the dark secrets of her small town.

“I know about Will….I know what he did that night.”

After the tragic death of golden boy Will Ashford, everyone in town is in mourning. Or almost everyone. Seventeen-year-old Mackenzie couldn’t be more relieved. Because she knows Will’s veneer of perfection hid something dark and dangerous. It was a truth she learned one night at the Ashford house and swore never to tell.

But her plan is threatened when she starts receiving texts from an unknown number. Someone knows the secret Mackenzie has tried so hard to hide―and they are determined to reveal it.

When Mackenzie’s former best friend is found dead, she is convinced the anonymous texter is connected to her murder, and she will stop at nothing to find them. But doing so will mean confronting the trauma she’s fought so hard to suppress and exposing the dark secrets her town has tried to keep buried―or risk being the next girl dead.

Publication Date September 15th 2026 by Labyrinth Road
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At a hidden magical HBCU a teen boy must confront evil spirits, family secrets and tested loyalties. In this haunting finale to the New York Times bestselling Blood at the Root trilogy, bloodlines, betrayal, and legacy collide in a battle that may cost everything.

Malik Baron has learned a lot since he first came to Caiman University: History is power. Family is more than just blood. You can’t escape your past. And magic always comes with a price.

But nothing he’s been taught could have prepared him for what this semester will bring. Even after he risked it all to trap the evil spirit Marinette that has been possessing his mother, her power continues to grow. And with her and the Bokors still at large, the cracks in the magical community have reached a breaking point. Just as Malik begins to get to know his father’s family, the Bonclairs’ power is challenged, leaving him to decide where his loyalties lie. And it’s not just the future of Caiman at stake, but the very magic that runs in his veins.

In the propulsive and emotional conclusion to this powerful trilogy, the future and the family Malik has fought so hard to build and protect is in greater danger than ever. But with the power of ancestors and the strength of his loved ones behind him, can he fight for what the world has always said is impossible for a Black boy like him—a happy ending?

Publication Date September 15th 2026 by Soho Teen
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An elite, isolated Kenyan boarding school is terrorized by supernatural entities, grotesque maladies, and strange transformations in a chilling YA horror debut inspired by the urban legend of “night runners.”

Perfect for fans of She Is a Haunting and White Smoke

When Shani returns to her elite, isolated boarding school after her father’s mysterious death, she just wants to finish senior year with her scholarship intact—which means focusing on her work and staying out of trouble. Even with her best friend, Pendo, by her side, she’s never quite fit in at Taji Academy. But soon, strange things start happening at school—not only are students coming down with odd, grotesque skin maladies, someone is causing chaos on campus after curfew. Are they night runners, the supernatural entities that terrorize rural neighborhoods in the dark?

The strict administration insists it’s just students pulling pranks. Everyone knows that night runners are just an urban legend. But when one of the popular students, Adila, goes missing—and Shani wakes up one morning with mud on her feet, torn clothes, and a pounding headache—she knows it’s more than that. As she and others at Taji begin to transform with no way to contact the outside world, she must figure out what is happening—before it’s too late.

Publication Date September 15th 2026 by HarperCollins
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A school’s storied legacy cannot stop student’s whispers of mysterious disappearances and a legendary monster, in this terrifying new novel that will entrance fans of Madeline Roux and Claire Legrand.

Jess has always been a runner—always looking for an escape, no matter how many detention centers or “special schools” she’s been sent to. So when she receives a scholarship to the illustrious Danvers-Cutteridge in the mountains of West Virginia, her first plan of action is to find the fastest exit.

But Jess soon learns that this new school has secrets hidden beyond the grand staircases and storied past. A student has gone missing, and Jess’s new friends suspect that they haven’t been told the truth about the disappearance.

As Jess helps search for answers (and a way out), she discovers more of Danvers-Cutteridge’s unsettling history. The abuses and mutilations inflicted on past residents. The strange authority in the headmaster’s celebrated family tree. And the fearsome legend that has haunted the valley for decades—a mysterious girl, dressed in green.

Soon, Jess’s search will take her down into the heart of the school, through the closed-off parts of its history left forgotten in the dark. But walls and iron aren’t enough to keep the hungry darkness at bay…

Publication Date September 15th 2026 by Wednesday Books
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Welcome to Bleak Haven: The town you won’t (or can’t!) leave…

The nail-biting conclusion to the Bleak Haven series, in Vincent Ralph’s signature, terrifying style!

The Fear Farm fright-fest is the one night of the year when Bleak Haven’s residents are happy to be afraid.

Most people turn a blind eye to the “accidents” that have previously blighted the attraction, but seventeen-year-old Tori Swift has other ideas.

Convinced that there’s an aspiring killer in their midst, Tori auditions alongside her classmates, perfecting her role as the ideal villain while secretly searching for the real thing.

But when tragedy strikes, a murderer is suddenly on the loose in a place where everyone pays to be terrified.

Publication Date September 15th 2026 by HarperCollins
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Bestselling author of A Study in Drowning and Fable for the End of the World Ava Reid is back with a thrilling new duology unlike anything you’ve read before. This collector’s edition features a color-swapped embossed cover, illustrated endpapers, foiled cover, and striking edges.

It’s a game — until it’s war.

● A disgraced politician from a powerful American dynasty.
● A coldly brilliant strategist who will sacrifice anything to win.
● A former pageant queen with a talent that could change the world.
● An expert female soldier with an enigmatic past—and a dangerous secret.

In an alternate future where the Cold War still rages, four precocious teenage criminals with dark skills and darker secrets are offered a fresh start at a secret military academy. But instead of training to end the war, they find themselves on a mysterious mission that will test loyalties, forge romances, and maybe end the world as they know it.

Publication Date September 15th 2026 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
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The instant #1 New York Times bestselling series!

Perfect for fans of Madeline Miller and Alexandra Bracken, this richly imagined retelling of the Greek myth of Styx, goddess of the underworld river, is an immersive novel-in-verse from world-renowned poet Nikita Gill.

Beginning a generation before Hekate, Styx sings the story of the goddess of the underworld river that bears her name.

The firstborn child of Titans, Styx is revered as the first of her kind―until she is eclipsed and forgotten amid her scores of siblings, the Oceanids and the Potamoi.Coming of age in a world simmering with paranoia and unspoken fear of Zeus, Styx learns to conceal the rage ignited by her growing disillusionment with her parents and her vain and unkind siblings.

Instead, she finds solace and sisterhood in her cousin, Asteria. Together, they train in the arts of creation and magic. And as they seek to learn their divine purpose and their place within the Titanomachy, they discover both the joy sparked by true love and the fierce resilience birthed from motherhood.

In this lyrical and heartrending tale of sisterhood, identity, love, and war, Styx must carve her own path to womanhood―and ultimately, godhood.

Publication Date September 15th 2026 by Wednesday Books
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Welcome to Bleak Haven: The town you won’t (or can’t!) leave…

The next eerie novel in the Bleak Haven series, in Vincent Ralph’s signature, terrifying style!

In 2008, Ethan’s older brother drowned in Bleak Haven’s cursed creek. While the coroner ruled out foul play, Ethan has always suspected that there’s more to the story.

Four years later, 18-year-old Ethan chooses the anniversary of the tragedy to finally return to the creek, attempting to gain the closure that has always eluded him.

What starts as a healing process aided by his loyal friends turns sinister when something emerges from the shadows: a figure that looks unnervingly like Ethan’s dead brother, begging for a sacrifice that could change everything.

As Ethan digs deeper into the creek’s dark history, he discovers that someone did return when all seemed lost. Maybe they were the ‘miracle’ child the news reports painted them as. Or perhaps they only came back because someone took their place.

If that’s true, Ethan really could bring his lost brother home. But how far is he willing to go…and at what cost?

Publication Date September 15th 2026 by Delacorte Press
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A twisty, off-the-rails mystery about seven teens, forced to spend a stormy — and deadly — night together. Perfect for fans of There’s Someone Inside Your House and No Place Left To Hide.

The members of the Coastal Canyon debate team have their reasons to hate each other: complicated pasts, thornier presents, a huge competition loss…Now they’re stuck at an Airbnb together for a night during what feels like the storm of the century. Can it get any worse?

Yes. Yes, it can.

A flat tire, a severed landline, someone’s unconscious, and there’s a body outside. The night is unraveling, and it’s becoming clear: no one is safe. But safe from who? A teammate? A teacher? Or is a stranger lurking nearby in the woods?

Seven students.
Three teachers.
One body.
Lock all the doors and trust no one.

After all, death isn’t up for debate.

Publication Date September 15th 2026 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
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Luminary is more than just a school. It is a test of moral fiber, strength of will, and human resilience.

Lia Michaels can pick any lock and break into most computer systems. But a life of delinquency has her bouncing between foster homes and juvie. So when she applies to Luminary Prep, a new experimental school created to challenge academic conventions, Lia is surprised by the acceptance letter that follows.

With state-of-the-art technology, fancy cafeteria food, and a campus that looks like a painting come to life, Luminary seems to be the break Lia needs. That is, if she can excel in class and be one of only five students who will be allowed to graduate.

But classes at Luminary are…odd. And dangerous. There is a death-trap obstacle course in Physics, a Chemistry exam with explosives, and guillotines in Political Science. As students keep vanishing, one by one, Lia starts to wonder if it’s not that five students will graduate—but that only five will survive.

Publication Date September 22nd 2026 by Quill Tree Books
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Perfect for fans of Pachinko and Last Night at the Telegraph Club, this propulsive, tender novel follows an immigrant family across generations as they navigate love, belonging, and the great fictions we must weave to preserve a legacy.

For centuries, the Chin family has kept its secrets.

In 1878, Duanfang knows he’s destined for greatness. He’ll do anything to uphold and protect the legacy of his Manchu family—even if it means hiding his past.

In 1965, Zheng Yi flies from Taiwan to New York City to have a shot at attending an American college. Thrown into a world of parties, prejudice, and a tumultuous romance, Yi worries that New York may be more than she can handle. But just as she is beginning to adjust, she must make a shocking decision that will irrevocably change her life and her future forever.

Today, Dawn Chin’s family is opaque at best, with heavy expectations and heavier silences. But an assignment to interview her grandmother is about to crack open her real family history: a legacy hundreds of years old, and a lie decades in the making…

Publication Date September 22nd 2026 by Norton Young Readers
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An effervescent holiday rom-com following two boys stranded at an airport who fall in love over one magical, snowy night.

’Twas the flight before Christmas…

Zach is heading home from his first semester at college with presents for his family, a voicemail from his ex, and about as much travel anxiety as can fit within the confines of the human body. After a series of humiliating events, including having his bags stolen, he meets the captivating, beautiful Kieran, who’s dreading his return home for Christmas and traveling with his sister, Rena, and her boyfriend, Lucas ― who are dealing with some baggage of their own.

As the snow falls and sparks fly, Zach and Kieran must learn to trust in themselves and in each other if their love is ever going to leave the ground, while Rena and Lucas must decide if their turbulent relationship can withstand another storm.

Infused with Alex Ritany’s signature warmth and wit, All The Way Home is a story of first loves, flight delays, and finding home for the holidays ― wherever or whoever it may be.

Publication Date September 22nd 2026 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
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The teen daughter of an infamous serial killer must prove she isn’t the one behind recent copycat murders in this “tongue-in-cheek” (Booklist, starred review) graphic novel that’s a campy, feminist send-up of slashers that both celebrates and subverts classic tropes.

In the cozy town of Clossdale, a serial killer rampages! Five girls missing in as many weeks! Bodies turning up on the forest floor! And all fingers point to one vile fiend: Ash Hargreeves.

Except Ash didn’t do it. She may be the daughter of the infamous Clossdale Killer, and these copycat killings aren’t exactly convincing proof of her innocence—and okay, she’s kind of a weirdo who has two friends total, but when the murders strike a little too close to home, Ash decides to take a stand.

With the help of her besties, Ash is going to hunt down the killer, clear her mother’s name, and stop there from being any more dead girls—now and forever. After all, WWJLCD: what would Jamie Lee Curtis do?

Publication Date September 22nd 2026 by Candlewick
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In a twisty transformation of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, populated with queer, trans, and neurodivergent characters, a seventeen-year-old feminist with a penchant for thrashing men at cards finds herself tangled in the last mess she’d ever expect: love.

Violet is used to winning—with her mathematical mind, no one stands a chance of beating her at cards, or much of anything else. So, when her wrathful father threatens to marry her and her trans twin brother Seb to the highest bidders, she’s certain they can escape England, even with a war on. But before they reach safety in Italy, a U-boat sinks their ship, and Violet washes up on a small island, on the wrong side of enemy lines, desperate to find her missing twin.

To earn passage to the mainland, where she hopes Seb has landed, Violet disguises herself as a man and accepts a job delivering love poetry for melancholy pacifist Teo, the island’s irritating golden boy. The object of his affection, fair Olivia, is less than enchanted, but she is intrigued by the handsome delivery boy—Violet in disguise. While Violet struggles to sidestep Olivia’s attentions, she’s vexed by her own inconvenient but undeniable attraction to Teo.

Add a mysterious newcomer, who converts the love triangle into a square, and Olivia’s autistic sister, who’s concocting a devilish revenge against the island’s biggest bully, and odds are things will only get messier.

Fortunately, playing the odds is Violet’s specialty.

Susan Metallo’s whip-smart writing makes for a witty, elegant, and high-stakes exploration of love, loss, friendship, and identity.

Publication Date September 22nd 2026 by Page Street YA
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WE KNOW WHO YOU ARE AND WHERE YOU ARE. STOP DIGGING.

Freshman year, Ace Li kissed his best friend, Akash Patel. The next day, Akash moved away without a word―and Ace was so brokenhearted he stopped eating.

It took years for Ace to recover, but he’s finally stable again. Ace drinks his protein shakes, swims every morning, and might even win the debate competition this year. He’s good. He’s forgotten that kiss―at least, that’s what he tells himself. Then Ace hears the news: Akash is back.

Akash has returned because his mother, the world-famous investigative journalist Radhika Malhotra, is missing, and she was last seen in this town. Ace tries to stay away, but the second he sees Akash, the feelings he’s suppressed bubble back to the surface. Then Ace happens upon some notes―notes about what Akash’s mother was investigating. If he retraces her steps, he might be able to find her. And if he does, maybe Akash will give him another chance.

As Ace follows Radhika’s trail, his stable life begins to crumble. He stops eating, and he starts receiving threatening, anonymous messages. If he goes public with what happened to Radhika and why, his entire town will have to pay the consequences. Winning Akash’s heart might cost Ace everything, but maybe that’s a sacrifice he’s willing to make.

Publication Date September 22nd 2026 by Storytide
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A swoony, heartfelt, and evocative standalone paperback original romance about first love, second chances, and finding yourself in the season of change. Perfect for fans of Misty Wilson’s Falling Like Leaves and anyone looking for their next Gilmore Girls-esque fall read.

Some seasons change everything…

Five years ago, Claire was a child star, the goofy punchline of one of America’s favorite sitcoms. Until a series of devastating betrayals by her manager-father left her broke, humiliated, and desperate to disappear.

Now she’s just another high school senior in postcard-perfect Glenridge, Connecticut, determined to leave her past behind. Not even her best friend knows who she used to be — or that she’s scraping together every spare dollar to hopefully attend NYU.

When a movie shoot lands in Glenridge — and with it, her former co-star and ex–best friend, Luke Cordova — it threatens to stir up not only Claire’s past, but also the dizzying crush she once had on Luke. He offers Claire a deal: let him shadow her to research his role, and he’ll pay enough to make her college dreams possible.

As the woodsmoke-tinged October air grows colder, and she falls for Luke (again), Claire must confront what really drove her to hide — and whether she can step back into herself without being consumed by everything she’s tried to forget.

Publication Date September 22nd 2026 by Union Square & Co.
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The first ferry of the new term arrives in six days. Let us hope it finds you alive and well.

When Bronte Cade’s mother vanishes, the only clue she leaves behind is an invitation to a retreat for magical poets. Determined to find answers, Bronte attends in her mother’s place by masquerading as the esteemed Dr. Sappho Cade.

​But when Bronte arrives at the Radley School of Poetry, she finds the island abandoned — save for six other confused poets, one line of an unfinished poem, and an anonymous host who issues a chilling ultimatum through an enchanted gramophone: complete the spell, and they may return home on the next ferry. Fail, and they die.

​There’s another problem: Bronte isn’t magical.

​With escape impossible, the body count rising, and her mother still missing, Bronte forms a wary alliance with the infuriating yet brilliant Marlowe Fang. Together, they race to unmask their host before Bronte is exposed — or worse, the next victim.​

But beneath the host’s sinister scheme lies an even more insidious plot, one decades in the making. It bleeds beyond the shores of Radley like an ink stain, and no one’s hands are clean. Least of all the people Bronte trusts most.

Publication Date September 22nd 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 September 22nd 2026 by Dutton Books for Young Readers
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From NBA, Printz, and Newbery Honor winner M. T. Anderson, a tour de force of research and storytelling that follows the life of a humble young man named Nicholas who became one of the world’s most influential figures in religion, government, and commerce—whether you believe in him or not.

M. T. Anderson still believes in Santa Claus—just not in the way you think.

Born of the research for Nicked, his acclaimed adult debut, Stealing Saint Nick is the story of the man who became Father Christmas—but only after surviving the Great Persecution, the fall of the Roman Empire, and the theft of his magically oozing bones (twice).

Anderson traces Nicholas of Myra, future patron saint of consumption, from his humble origins as a child born into a fringe Jewish cult in a small town on the Mediterranean coast in the third century AD through his rise to one of the preeminent saints in all of Christianity to his transformation into an icon of capitalism and unwitting rival to Jesus Christ. Along the way, Anderson shows how human history can only be known and understood by both examining the objective facts and by studying the fantastical stories that people choose to make into myths.

Anderson’s full powers as a storyteller and a scholar are on display in this incredibly readable and hugely informative tale about how the stories we believe in common shape the course of humanity.

Publication Date September 22nd 2026 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
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A young artist who has bargained away most of his life for divine inspiration pairs up with fellow apprentice Leonardo da Vinci to infiltrate the Medici family and find out the truth about his missing brother in this Renaissance-set young adult mystery perfect for fans of F.T. Lukens.

It’s the height of the Italian Renaissance. In the golden city of Florence, art is equal to holiness—and angels walk among us, bestowing their talents…for a price.

Seventeen-year-old artist Virgil is in trouble. To support his family, he’s bargained most of his life away to an angel—only to discover that his missing brother is in danger, and nothing but magic can rescue him. Now, with just a few months left to live, Virgil is desperate enough to try the one thing he swore he would never, ever do—team up with the infuriating, annoyingly talented, and most notorious playboy in all of Florence, the charming Leonardo da Vinci.

As the two journey through Florence’s gilded streets, luxurious cathedrals, and glorious Medici palaces, they unearth dark truths beneath the city’s facade.

Those in power will do anything to keep their deadly secrets safe, but with his feelings for Leonardo giving him new life, Virgil is determined to expose their lies before he runs out of time.

Even if it might cost him his soul.

Publication Date September 22nd 2026 by Delacorte Press
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A chilling Gothic horror novel set at a coed boarding school in Scotland, where a teen girl must not only fight against her monstrous male classmates but the monster growing within her after being cursed.

Every wish granted comes with strings attached. That’s how Catriona Cameron ends up with a scholarship to Floodbane Academy—an elite boarding school on the Isle of Skye she never applied to—where she’ll be one of only six girls to enter the castle’s unwelcoming halls.

She’s not looking for trouble. But after a few male students violently attack and make cruel wishes about her, Catriona is cursed with devastatingly good looks, unpredictable new powers, and an insatiable hunger to devour anyone who preys upon women.

As the cravings mount, so does the carnage. With every new taste, Catriona faces the possibility that she is becoming as monstrous as those she hunts. Is slaying the wicked truly worth the loss of her humanity?

Publication Date September 22nd 2026 by Versify
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The Hunger Games meets The Sunbearer Trials in bestselling and award-winning author Sonido Reyes’s YA dystopia about a boy who survives by hiding his truth until his boyfriend is sentenced to El Torneo — a brutal, fight-to-the-death game — where he must risk everything to save him.

Centuries after the conquistadors claimed the Afueras for their own, Temo spends his life obeying the Holy Order’s decree, undergoing their sacraments to tame his supposedly violent nature.

The only rule he breaks: hiding that he’s trans. If that fact is discovered, Temo will face El Torneo, a brutal, fight-to-the-death game pitting the untamed against one another. No Afuereño who enters El Torneo ever escapes with their life.

But when Temo’s boyfriend is unexpectedly arrested and thrown into the deadly tournament, he’ll do anything to rescue Ollin from his gruesome fate, even if it means entering El Torneo himself.

Only there’s far more to this tournament than meets the eye—survival is just the beginning. When the cost of saving the one he loves the most might be higher than he ever imagined, is Temo willing to pay it?

Publication Date September 22nd 2026 by Wednesday Books
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For fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and highly bingeable thrillers, Lucy Kline, Necromancer, is a Nancy Drew-style murder mystery mixed with the occult.

It’s been two years since Lucy’s twin sister was presumed dead. As the only person who knew about Louisa’s plan to sneak out on the night she was killed, Lucy still feels responsible for her sister’s grim fate ― despite the fact that it was Lucy who eventually cracked the case, putting Louisa’s killer in jail.

Or so she thought.

When another girl who looks just like Louisa goes missing under similarly mysterious circumstances, and ghostly dreams begin to plague Lucy, she throws herself back into the investigation. The more clues she uncovers, the more her nightmares bleed into reality. And signs start to point to the impossible: necromancy.

With the help of her classmate Howie and a retired medieval history professor, Lucy must find the culprit behind these disappearances and finally come to terms with the grief that’s haunted her for years.

Publication Date September 22nd 2026 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
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The gripping conclusion to the action-packed, ruthless, and romantic fantasy duology that began with HEIR, from the #1 New York Times bestselling and National Book Award–winning author Sabaa Tahir.

A falling empire.
An ancient evil.
A lost homeland.
A lie that could destroy the world.

In the crumbling Martial Empire, crown prince Quil Farrar and his aunt, Empress Helene, are losing a war against the vicious Kegari horde. Quil’s armies dwindle, his faith falters, and the woman he loves vanished months ago, leaving him brokenhearted. Torn between his duty to his people and his desire to discover Sirsha’s fate, Quil embarks on a dangerous quest for aid—from the most treacherous of allies.

Sirsha Westering finds herself tethered to Div, an ancient evil unleashed by a terrible tragedy. Div delights in tormenting Sirsha, hungering for her magical heart. Even as Sirsha struggles for control of her own fate, she is desperate to shield Quil from Div’s destructive power. But Div won’t release Sirsha without a fight. To earn her freedom, Sirsha must uncover Div’s past—and face horrors in her own.

Cero bet-Dafra, former right hand of the Kegari leader, Aiz, now finds himself pitted against her. As Aiz slips further into violence and delusion, Cero must discover if his people have any hope of a future or if they’re condemned to an unending cycle of violence. His journey will force him to confront hidden truths, ancient secrets, and a lie that could destroy the world.

In Empire, #1 New York Times bestselling author Sabaa Tahir returns to the expansive world of fury and vengeance of Heir, weaving a story of legacy and rebellion, loyalty and freedom, and what it means to confront the monsters that lurk within us all.

Publication Date September 22nd 2026 by Flatiron Books
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The #1 New York Times bestselling Once Upon a Broken Heart series continues… Return to the Magnificent North and the BREATHTAKING LOVE STORY that has captivated readers all over the world!

Jacks and Evangeline Fox have finally found their happily ever after.

Everything here in the Hollow is wonderful and perfect.

Nothing is going to go wrong.

No one is keeping a secret…except for maybe one.

But don’t worry, it’s not going to rewrite reality or alter history or change the ending of Jacks and Evangeline’s story.

Definitely not.

Featuring cameos from fan-favorite characters and more than twenty full-page illustrations by Lotusbubble, the newest installment in the Once Upon a Broken Heart universe will immerse readers once again in this beloved, #1 New York Times bestselling series. Because every story has the potential for infinite endings.

Publication Date September 22nd 2026 by Sourcebooks Fire
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Five years ago, the Poison Apple Carnival became a secret soaked in blood.

Everything about Pritchett High’s grisly Senior Scavenge massacre was erased. The internet was wiped clean. And the truth was buried beneath the reframe of a tragic car crash. But Dusty Nash is about to dig it all up. Driven by humiliation and resentment, and mentored by someone, or something claiming to be Blythe Lennon, Dusty revives the horrors of the Senior Scavenge.

Far away from Belldam,Texas, Violet Warren lives with the truth, its nightmares and ghosts.

When a new group of girls begins receiving candy-colored invitations to a resurrected Senior Scavenge, the language is disturbingly familiar with chilling rhymes and twisted rules. What’s new is the blackmail. Someone has been stalking them.

Violet’s only chance to stop another slaughter depends on her returning to her hometown to confront the violence she escaped… and the one who’s copying it. Because Blythe Lennon may be dead―but her influence is not.

Whatever you do – Don’t. Go. Online.

Nightmare on Elm Street meets M3gan in this razor-sharp sequel that proves surviving the slasher doesn’t mean the nightmare is over.

Publication Date September 22nd 2026 by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
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Dark academia takes a fresh twist in this YA novel, where a determined high school senior strikes a bargain with a demon to win a coveted scholarship ― only to discover her rival has made the same deal.

Merritt Maldonado has done everything right. But for every club she’s founded, tree she’s planted, and sport she’s played, her academic nemesis Linus Lexington has been right there. By her side. Copying her every move.

And now they’re neck and neck for a coveted full ride scholarship. Desperate to gain an edge, Merritt finds herself making a deal with a demon. But when other applicants start dying in gruesome ways, Merritt realizes the demon is killing off her competition. And to make matters worse, she finds the demon’s mark on Linus.

Now Merritt and Linus’ souls are tied to the same deadly demon. With bodies piling up, they have to work together to break the pact, stop the killings, and maybe admit that the bond they share isn’t just supernatural…

Publication Date September 29th 2026 by Clarion Books
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Count down to Christmas in 25 romantic, sealed chapters!

Sixteen-year-old Amanda Mathers has big plans for December: Work at the Matcha-Do About Coffee pop up at Post Christmas tree farm, convince her parents to let her travel abroad this summer, and pull off a Secret Santa with her friends.

What she doesn’t plan on is Luke Post. He looks hot carrying cut trees, but he gives Amanda the cold shoulder. When she pulls his name in Secret Santa she has no idea what to give him. But getting to know each other may turn out to be all they could ever want for Christmas.

Open one sealed chapter each day from December 1 until Christmas!

Publication Date September 29th 2026 by Abrams Fanfare
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High School Musical meets Dirty Dancing in this feel-good queer romance with high stakes, hot tango, and camp hijinks delivered by two-time Emmy-nominated writer E.E. Salo and acclaimed cartoonist Megan Kearney

This summer, soccer superstar Honey is the coach at an elite sports camp. Soccer is Honey’s whole world―after all, it got her a full ride to Stanford. Life is a game, that game is about winning, and Honey knows the rules by heart―that is, until she meets Teddi, the brusque Australian dance coach at the arts camp across the lake. Suddenly, Honey’s heart has her forgetting all the rules…

When an inter-camp competition gone awry accidentally lands Teddi’s dance partner with a broken arm, Honey volunteers to step in. With a crucial audition coming up, Teddi has no choice but to accept the offer.

As Teddi teaches Honey the steps, they start to match each other’s rhythm on and off the dance floor…but do these opposites have what it takes to tango their way to the top? With steamy routines, camp shenanigans, and a high-stakes competition coming up fast, these girls will have to show the whole world just how in step with each other they really are.

Publication Date September 29th 2026 by HarperAlley
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Almost American Girl meets Brownstone in Second Generation Blues, a poignant coming-of-age young adult graphic novel about a Cuban American teen as he struggles to choose between being the son his parents need him to be and living the life he wants.

Luis Menendez wants to be free from his immigrant Cuban-American parents’ expectations. Instead, he’s spending the summer delivering food for his family’s faltering restaurant, sweating under the hot sun and the crushing weight of a future he didn’t choose.

At least there’s Yara. Confident, assertive, and basically Luis’s dream girl, she might be the only person who understands him. If only he had any free time to spend with her.

Amid the chaos, Luis starts carving out his own path. But when trying to be the son his parents need clashes with the life he wants, he’s forced to face the question he’s most afraid of answering: Is family loyalty worth sacrificing his own happiness?

Publication Date September 29th 2026 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
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A teen working at a Parisian bakery witnesses a murder in this cozy holiday mystery with a dreamy romance at its center that’s a festive entry in the New York Times bestselling Advent Romance series, told in a perfectly paced advent calendar format with chapter-a-day reading.

When Suzanne Sécretant arrives in Paris for her apprenticeship at the prestigious Rivoli bakery, nothing goes according to plan — starting with her being stuck rolling croissants instead of learning from the whimsical head pastry chef and ending with her witnessing an actual murder. This was definitely not how she had intended to spend her holidays.

But after meeting the charming Léo and mysterious Sofiane, and armed with the victim’s last words, Suzanne realizes she might be the key to solving this case. And she could even find a little love along the way.

With this book’s unique advent calendar format, each of the twenty-four chapters is sealed by its own perforated enclosure that readers can gently tear open — by hand or with the help of a ruler — to read a chapter a day in the weeks leading to Christmas!

Publication Date September 29th 2026 by Delacorte Press
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Every school has its secrets — but at the exclusive Ellison College, the past might prove deadly — in this twisty puzzlebox mystery.

Every school has its secrets.

Ellison College freshman Raina has no idea that her new school is hiding such a grisly past. But thirty years ago, on Mischief Night the week after Halloween, three students walked into the woods surrounding campus, and only one came out. Their killer was never caught, and the students became known as the Mischief Girls.

No one knows what happened. Or do they?

Three decades later, Anika, a classmate of Raina’s, has gone missing. Turns out Anika was looking into the Mischief Girls’ murders before she vanished. And Raina may have been the last person to see her.

Old lies die the hardest.

With the help of Anika’s stepbrother, Rohan, Raina begins to dig into the truth. But the deeper she goes, the more she starts to wonder whether what happened to Anika really began the night she disappeared…or if it goes back further.

The past is catching up to Ellison College. And maybe, so is a killer…

Publication Date September 29th 2026 by Storytide
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The scorching third volume in a new series set in the #1 global bestselling Shatter Me universe ten years after the fall of The Reestablishment.

James Anderson needs a new plan. He’s ready to make real moves to destroy the looming threats against their world, but no one is taking him seriously. James is tired of being underestimated by his own family. He wants five uninterrupted minutes alone with Rosabelle. He wants to kill Sebastian.

And he’s done waiting for permission.

Rosabelle Wolff needs to stick to the plan. Which means she needs to stay away from James and the dangerous feelings he brings out in her. When she’s near him she loses control, and she’ll need absolute control if she has any hope of convincing Sebastian—and through him, Klaus—that she’s still carrying out the original plan to destroy the rebel regime.

In the meantime, Warner needs to stay out of her business.

Aaron Warner Anderson is trying not to kill Rosabelle. They might be reluctant allies, but that doesn’t mean they get along. Every day is a new kind of hell for Warner. He’s worried about his wife; he’s worried about his world. He can’t decide what to do about James until he understands Rosabelle’s true motives—and when he’s finally delivered the answers he needs, the stakes prove astronomical. All roads lead to heartbreak and destruction, no matter what choice he makes.

Gut-wrenching discoveries, blistering romance, non-stop explosive action, and a world determined to control their thoughts and actions: When the eyes of the world are upon you, who do you hope is watching?

Publication Date September 29th 2026 by Delacorte Press
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Love will be tested in this high-stakes, spellbinding sequel to the instant New York Times bestseller The Weaver Bride, hailed as “your next romantic fantasy obsession” (I. V. Marie, #1 bestselling author of Immortal Consequences).

Lovett Tamerlane is engaged.

A silkwitch whose magic can only be harnessed through marriage to a Weaver, Lovett was facing life in the cloisters when Eliot Lear offered the deal of a lifetime: an invitation to the Vainglory to compete for wealthy Weaver heir Noé Alaire’s hand in marriage, in exchange for her solving his sister’s murder.

While they both got what they wanted, the competition was full of surprises. Lovett never expected to fall in love…and Eliot never anticipated that she’d betray him.

Now Lovett has one goal: to take down her fiancé’s father—Bastian Alaire—and end his corrupt Weaver reign at any cost. But though the Vainglory may be over, danger still lurks at Fortblanche. And when Bastian presents Lovett with one last challenge—solve a murder that occurred within his walls, before the day of her wedding—she realizes the tests aren’t over. To pass this one, she’ll have to partner with the only person she hates more than her future father-in-law: his son, Noé.

But as Lovett will learn…sometimes love and hate are two sides of the same coin.

Publication Date September 29th 2026 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
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A student exchange program mix-up turns hilarious and heartwarming in this YA rom-com from debut author Dan Perucco. Cultural exchange has never been this complicated.

Enzo Rossi knows that Irontown, Michigan ― the small declining mining town he calls home ― isn’t exactly a study-abroad dream destination. So when his family is chosen to host an exchange student, he welcomes the opportunity to spend his senior year with a fellow music nerd from the outside world.

But when the Rossis arrive at the airport expecting Davit from Tbilisi, Georgia (the country), they’re greeted instead by Garrett Andersen, a handsome football jock from Atlanta, Georgia (the state). Apparently something got lost in translation.

Living across the hall from someone so cool, so hot, and so obviously straight is not what Enzo signed up for. He can’t stop putting his foot in his mouth, and Garrett ― infuriatingly ― always has a comeback ready. Enzo dismisses Garrett as a spoiled, cocky city boy, and Garrett writes off Enzo as too stuck up for his own hometown.

While Garrett dazzles the rest of Irontown with his Southern charm, Enzo starts stumbling over his feelings. The more time Enzo and Garrett spend together, the harder it is for both boys to keep their guard up…and the closer they come to finally seeing each other clearly.

Publication Date September 29th 2026 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
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A “heartrending yetbeautiful” (School Library Journal, starred review) tale of twins and their group of friends who are forced to navigate life, relationships, and grief after their world is turned upside down from New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Benjamin Alire Sáenz.

CheChe knows that he and his twin sister Emma lead an unusual life. They enjoy spending time with their parents and grandparents, love to read, and don’t have a huge circle of friends—and they’re happy. Then, just a few months after they turn seventeen, three gunmen show up one morning at their El Paso, Texas, high school, and everything changes.

CheChe loses a leg, and both he and Emma have friends who die. Suddenly, the world feels like a very different place. But what they find hasn’t changed—or has only gotten deeper—is their love for their family, their close friends, and one another, and as they begin to heal, they create their own little community, one that wields the power of humor, kindness, and hope.

CheChe finds himself doing all kinds of things he never expected from his junior year: relearning to walk, falling in love with the boy he’s nursed a longtime crush on, making friends with a kid he always found intimidating. By the end of this life-changing school year, none of them will be the same, and many of them will have found their voices in ways they never imagined.

Publication Date September 29th 2026 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
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From the New York Times bestselling author of If I See You Again Tomorrow comes a stunningly romantic, speculative novel about a teen looking for his missing dad, who keeps getting pulled into others’ memories and crossing paths with a handsome stranger who also doesn’t belong there.

Caspen Coolsby’s dad is missing. But even though it’s only been a few months, everyone has given up on finding him. Except for Caspen.

He finally gets a break in the case when he meets his new upstairs neighbors and discovers he can somehow transport himself into each of the college students’ memories using candle scents that remind them of important moments. No one loved candles more than his dad, so Caspen is sure there must be clues pointing toward where to find him hidden in the memories.

His thinking hits a snag, though, when a handsome boy named Lars keeps popping up in memories where he also doesn’t belong. As the lines between memory and reality begin to blur, Caspen can’t help but fall for the mysterious boy who keeps chipping away at the rose-colored lens he’s always seen life through. But will Caspen be able to find his dad and his crush outside of these stolen moments if it means reliving the hard truths of his past and not just the good parts?

Publication Date September 29th 2026 by Simon & Schuster
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For fans of FRANKENSTEIN and THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS, Tessa Barbosa’s ISLE OF TEETH is a poignant dark fantasy that centers on two remarkable individuals, each labelled a monster in their own right—their destinies divided by empire, their fates intertwined by Lady Death.

Lady Death always comes to collect.

Matiu Frankel joined the imperial military to escape his childhood: his father’s wretched creations, his witch-mother’s loyalty to Lady Death, and the haunting voice in his own head. With no choice in assignment, however, he returns home to Song—and to a waiting nightmare. A revenant attack waylays his mission and Matiu, being part-Songi, is accused of working with native insurgents. To remove the bounty on his head, Matiu must prove his loyalty to the Lyssian Empire by infiltrating the resistance and capturing the monster they’ve weaponized.

But Calyx is not a monster. A revenant pieced together from animals and dead Songi, yes. Abandoned by her makers to rot on the Isle of Teeth, yes. But not a monster. At least, not yet. Without medicine, Calyx and her siblings risk losing their humanity to Lady Death’s whispers.

Calyx has three weeks to find a cure. Matiu has even less time to clear his name. In their desperation to survive, they turn to each other, becoming entangled in each other’s stories—and in the larger story of empire and resistance. Amidst growing tensions and the echoing calls of the goddess of death, Matiu and Calyx’s relationship transforms into a dark fable about those who have spent their lives with a boot on their neck—and what they would sacrifice to stand tall once more.

Publication Date September 29th 2026 by Wednesday Books
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Jen Williams stuns in a heartrending sequel to The Sleepless that is as romantic as it is deadly.

Will Lucian pursue chaos and power?
Will Artair choose isolation, or will he choose to walk out into the wider world?
And Elver, perhaps, has the hardest choice of all.

After being sacrificed yet again at the hands of Mother Maura, Elver has returned from the dead even more jih than human. A strange new power simmers beneath her skin alongside a warning from the Queen of Serpents: though she’s been granted another chance at life, someday soon, Elver will be called from the land of mortals.

Now that Artair knows the spirit with whom he shares a body, Lucian, is an ordinary human, the two have formed an uneasy truce. While they attempt to wield their shred of Maura’s stolen power―the only thing keeping her from ascending to full godhood―they’re also confronted with feelings for Elver that are impossible to deny.

But Maura is out for revenge. As dangerous new alliances brew among the Twelve, Elver, Artair, and Lucian must set out to find the only being in existence capable of killing a god. And Elver will need to decide once and for all with which of the Sleepless her poisoned heart lies.

Publication Date September 29th 2026 by Simon Pulse
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Teen influencers compete in a horror movie–themed overnight competition, only to realize the real test is staying alive in this chilling, blood-soaked horror novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Taking of Jake Livingston and the production company behind Clown In A Cornfield.

Mara is a horror buff whose only fond memories of her dad are bonding over movies by Jack Stanley — the producer of the eighties. Stanley’s campy slasher movies may have kept Mara’s fraught parental relationship on life support and gained a cult following, but the man himself has faded from the public eye…until he announces a contest centered around Asylum, his most terrifying film. Five teen influencers will be invited to spend the night on the fully constructed set; whoever sticks it out until morning wins a hundred thousand dollars.

Stuck in a dead-end job, Mara seriously needs that cash. She may not be a famous influencer, but there has to be a way to manufacture an online presence that will capture Stanley’s attention. With the help of her brother and best friend, Mara finds some creative solutions to her dilemma and lands herself onto the roster of the lucky chosen few by way of her engaging authenticity.

When Mara and the other contestants arrive on set, it’s a horror fan’s dream being immersed in the asylum setting, but as the night wears on, they realize the danger is more than movie magic… They’re not there to win or lose but to live or die. As Mara fights to survive, she discovers an inner ruthlessness she didn’t know she had. Just how far will she go to see the sunrise — and will she still recognize herself by the end?

Publication Date September 29th 2026 by Dutton Books for Young Readers
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A stunning YA debut from gothic master Isabel Cañas, bestselling author of The Hacienda, Vampires of El Norte, and The Possession of Alba Díaz.

Despite near-constant political violence in the city and an abusive father at home, Minerva Treviño’s cowardice has kept her alive for sixteen years. But even she has a limit. Unable to take another beating or miss another meal, Minerva musters enough courage to flee to a neighborhood full of rich people loyal to the deposed fascist viceroy and take a job as lady’s maid to a wealthy widow.

Minerva is happy serving Encarnación del Valle. She has food in her belly and the safety of a warm house lit by magical chispa. Why should she care who runs the country or how her employer affords the magic?

When the viceroy sweeps back into power, Encarnación gleefully retreats to the family’s mountainside estate to wait out the inevitable slaughter of the viceroy’s enemies — and of course Minerva may join her. At la Casa de las Gardenias, Minerva is surrounded by more experienced servants and the cruel, scheming del Valles. But the living residents of the house are the least of anyone’s worries, and Minerva quickly discovers that the ancient estate is home to forces far older and more bloodthirsty than anything she could have imagined.

Publication Date September 29th 2026 by HarperCollins
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Return to the world of Truly Devious as Stevie Bell and her friends travel to New York to solve a murder in the next standalone mystery from New York Times bestselling author Maureen Johnson.

Stevie might be the greatest teenage detective Ellingham Academy and the world has ever seen, but even she can’t figure out what happened with her boyfriend, David. What she needs is a distraction: a good old-fashioned murder. Stevie is much happier dealing with dead people. They’re a lot less confusing—they don’t send cryptic texts and make out with other girls in British pubs.

But then Stevie gets exactly what she wanted when a dead body turns up in the middle of a Manhattan apartment complex, and this one is…complicated. Caught in a web of messy alive-people feelings, Stevie finds herself questioning all human connection. Is magnetism only manipulation? Can you trust anyone? Does anyone realize that they’re joining a cult—before it’s too late? And are things with David really over?

Publication Date September 29th 2026 by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
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The new novel from acclaimed, three-time instant #1 New York Times–bestselling author Tomi Adeyemi blends shocking contemporary storytelling with a sinister dark academic flair to create a blockbuster about rage, longing, and a woman’s darkness that will leave readers breathless.

Nothing is more intoxicating than power…

When Emery steps foot onto Dartmouth’s campus, she knows what she has to do: keep her scholarship, take her meds, and pray no one ever finds out about the past she left behind.

But that all changes when Emery meets an intoxicating girl named Roux, her disarming stepbrother named Eli, and the mystical band of girls Roux calls “The Sirens.” Each Siren is as beautiful as the last, and their lives on campus are shrouded in extravagance and secret parties. Before the girls became Sirens, they were outcasts, yet under Roux, their wildest dreams come true. When Roux offers Emery the chance to join them, Emery will do whatever it takes to make it in.

Even if it costs Emery her life.

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