YA Books To Look Out For in Summer 2016

Sunday, May 22, 2016


Book launches are always incredibly exciting and there's nothing better than being one of the first people to read a new release. There are many young adult novels that are launching throughout the summer, which is perfect if you're like me and love to read underneath the summer sun, whether that's on holiday or just in the garden. I've selected a few books that I'm most excited for this summer, and I can guarantee that there'll be something for everyone amongst this collection!

United as One by Pittacus Lore
"The Mogadorian invasion has come to Earth, and they have all but won the battle for our planet. Their warships loom over our most populous cities—like New York City, Tokyo, Moscow, Beijing, and New Delhi—and no army will risk making a move against them. The Garde are all that stand in their way . . . but they are no longer alone in this fight. Human teens from across the globe, like John Smith’s best friend, Sam Goode, have begun to develop Legacies of their own. The Garde have always known there is power in numbers. If they can find these new allies and join forces with them, they just might be able to win this war. The time has come for the Garde to make their final stand."

This release is for all of you loyal followers of the Lorien Legacies series by Pittacus Lore, as this is the seventh and final book, hopefully providing an epic conclusion. I'm pretty sure that the events won't make sense without reading the previous books, but what I do know is that this paranormal fantasy book will provide a satisfying end to the story arc, hopefully with a lot of adventure and action along the way. Although I haven't read any Pittacus Lore books, so I can't share my own thoughts on them, I've heard nothing but great reviews of them, with this series being a firm favourite of many people. This book, being released on 28th June 2016, is the perfect way to kick off your summer whilst bringing a beautiful series to its end.

This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab
"Kate Harker and August Flynn are the heirs to a divided city—a city where the violence has begun to breed actual monsters. All Kate wants is to be as ruthless as her father, who lets the monsters roam free and makes the humans pay for his protection. All August wants is to be human, as good-hearted as his own father, to play a bigger role in protecting the innocent—but he’s one of the monsters. One who can steal a soul with a simple strain of music. When the chance arises to keep an eye on Kate, who’s just been kicked out of her sixth boarding school and returned home, August jumps at it. But Kate discovers August’s secret, and after a failed assassination attempt the pair must flee for their lives. In This Savage Song, Victoria Schwab creates a gritty, seething metropolis, one worthy of being compared to Gotham and to the four versions of London in her critically acclaimed fantasy for adults, A Darker Shade of Magic. Her heroes will face monsters intent on destroying them from every side—including the monsters within."

If you're a fan of young adult fiction, Victoria's name won't be unfamiliar to you and I'm certain that this release will excite you as much as her previous ones. Being the start of a new series, I feel as though lots of fresh, innovative ideas will be introduced and, from the summary, I can predict that a new light will be shed on the previous tired and repetitive aspects of dystopian fiction. The idea of monsters and an unusual love really intrigues me, and the fact that Victoria states it to be one of the strangest books she's ever written is all it takes to convince me that this will be popular and well-loved. Its expected publication is on 5th July 2016, so make sure you pick it up!

The Shadow Hour by Melissa Grey
"Everything in Echo's life changed in a blinding flash when she learned the startling truth: she is the firebird, the creature of light that is said to bring peace. The firebird has come into the world, but it has not come alone. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction, and Echo can feel a great and terrible darkness rising in the distance. Cosmic forces threaten to tear the world apart. Echo has already lost her home, her family, and her boyfriend. Now, as the firebird, her path is filled with even greater dangers than the ones she's already overcome. She knows the Dragon Prince will not fall without a fight. Echo must decide: can she wield the power of her true nature--or will it prove too strong for her, and burn what's left of her world to the ground? Welcome to the shadow hour."

If you're a fan of gripping high fantasy novels then this is definitely a recommendation for you, as Melissa Grey is back with the second book in her The Girl at Midnight series. Everything about this book sounds really interesting and urges me to read it, especially since it promises to feature magic and paranormal elements. As this is a sequel, I'd definitely recommend reading the previous book before this one, as it'll help you to make the most of the story and experience it in the best way possible. I definitely think that this may be one of the most underrated releases for this summer, but I'm sure that after its release on 12th June 2016, this book will attract the attention it deserves.

Shiny Broken Pieces by Sona Charaipotra & Dhonielle Clayton
"June, Bette, and Gigi have given their all to dance at Manhattan’s most elite ballet school. Now they are competing one final time for a spot at the prestigious American Ballet Company. With the stakes higher than ever, these girls have everything to lose…and no one is playing nice. June is starting to finally see herself as a prima ballerina. However, getting what she wants might cost her everything—including the only boy she’s ever loved. Legacy dancer Bette is determined to clear her name after she was suspended and accused of hurting her rival, Gigi. Even if she returns, though, will she ever regain the spotlight she craves? And Gigi is not going to let Bette—or the other dancers who bullied her—go unpunished. But as revenge consumes her, Gigi may be the one who pays the price. After years of gruelling auditions, torn ribbons, and broken hearts, it all comes down to this last dance. Who will make the cut? And who will lose her dream forever?"

Amidst all of the fantasy and dystopian books, I thought it was only right to recommend a contemporary novel since it is one of my favourite genres to read. From the synopsis, I can tell that this book is right up my street and is the ideal fast-paced, indulgent book. Not all of you may know this but I actually love dance, and so this book will combine two of my largest hobbies into something that I hopefully love. However, I do think that there'll be more to this book than what there appears, and I hope that what may seem like an innocent story about some ballerinas will actually become much more eventful and suspenseful. This book is expected to be published on 12th July 2016, so make sure you get it then if you're excited about this new release.

A World Without You by Beth Revis
"Seventeen-year-old Bo has always had delusions that he can travel through time. When he was ten, Bo claimed to have witnessed the Titanic hit an iceberg, and at fifteen, he found himself on a Civil War battlefield, horrified by the bodies surrounding him. So when his concerned parents send him to a school for troubled youth, Bo assumes he knows the truth: that he’s actually attending Berkshire Academy, a school for kids who, like Bo, have "superpowers." At Berkshire, Bo falls in love with Sofia, a quiet girl with a tragic past and the superpower of invisibility. Sofia helps Bo open up in a way he never has before. In turn, Bo provides comfort to Sofia, who lost her mother and two sisters at a very young age. But even the strength of their love isn’t enough to help Sofia escape her deep depression. After she commits suicide, Bo is convinced that she's not actually dead. He believes that she's stuck somewhere in time — that he somehow left her in the past, and now it's his job to save her."

From what I've heard, Beth Revis is an excellent science fiction writer, which is evident from her critically acclaimed Across the Universe series that has had book bloggers and reviewers alike going crazy. This new novel of hers also features these elements of fantasy and time travel, but it seems to be a lot deeper, with a particular focus on mental health. I love how Beth is incorporating many different genres into her newest book, with romance, science fiction and contemporary all playing large parts, meaning this book will definitely appeal to a variety of people. This book will be published on 19th July 2016, so make sure you get it then to find out what happens in this exciting yet emotional novel.

A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir
"A Torch Against the Night takes readers into the heart of the Empire as Laia and Elias fight their way north to liberate Laia’s brother from the horrors of Kauf Prison. Hunted by Empire soldiers, manipulated by the Commandant, and haunted by their pasts, Laia and Elias must outfox their enemies and confront the treacherousness of their own hearts. In the city of Serra, Helene Aquilla finds herself bound to the will of the Empire’s twisted new leader, Marcus. When her loyalty is questioned, Helene finds herself taking on a mission to prove herself—a mission that might destroy her, instead."

Being the sequel to An Ember in the Ashes, also by Sabaa Tahir, it's no surprise why this dystopian young adult novel is a highly anticipated release. Although I don't know a great deal about this series, I'm aware that it has quite a lot of fantasy elements, as well as some adventure and romance, so I feel as though it will be suited to many different people. As I'd recommend with pretty much any sequel, make sure you read all of the previous titles beforehand, as I can guarantee that it'll be worth it and help you to fully enjoy this novel. It may seem like you've been waiting forever if you're a huge fan of this series, with the release date being pushed back and still no finished cover, however, the wait is almost over as it will be published on 30th August 2016.

I hope you liked hearing about all of these new releases and if there are any others that you think I've missed out, make sure you let me know in the comments. Thank you very much for reading this post and I'll see you next Sunday!

Love from Daisy x

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