A dragon-riding competition, a retelling of Jane Austen's Emma with a 21st-century twist, and a collection of short stories about the immigrant experience are just a few of the highlights in October's selection of must read YA books [1]. As always, the YA field is packed [2] with emotional contemporary reads, breathtaking fantasies, and sleep-with-the-lights-on intense thrillers. No matter your age, these incredible reads deserve a place on your crowded TBR list. Trust us, every book on this list is unique and essential, and there's no way you'll be able to choose just one. (And just in case these 12 new YA titles leave you wanting more, you can check out our list of September's best reads here [3].)
Blazewrath Games by Amparo Ortiz
Amparo Ortiz's Blazewrath Games [4] is the dragon riding, contemporary alternate world fantasy we never knew we needed. In a world like ours, but with the added bonus of dragons, Lana Torres is eager to represent Puerto Rico in the international Blazewrath Games, a prestigious dragon riding tournament. But when she discovers a powerful dragon cursed to live out their life in human form has teamed with a former Blazewrath champ to destroy dragon sanctuaries and disrupt the tournament, Lana becomes entangled in a dangerous conspiracy.
Out Oct. 6
The Code for Love and Heartbreak by Jillian Cantor
Jane Austen's Emma gets a modern upgrade in The Code for Love and Heartbreak [5] by Jillian Cantor. Coder Emma devises The Code for Love, the ultimate matchmaking app, much to her code club co-president George's dismay. While the app works perfectly at first, Emma's computer generated perfect matches soon begin falling apart, leaving her wondering how she ended up getting things so wrong.
Out Oct. 6
Five Total Strangers by Natalie D. Richards
Packed with twists and scenes that amp up the tension, Five Total Strangers [6] by Natalie D. Richards is a unique thriller about a young woman, Mira, who accepts a ride from strangers in hopes of making it home for the holidays. Instead, she finds herself riding through a blizzard in a car full of people with secrets they'll do anything to keep.
Out Oct. 6
The Lives of Saints by Leigh Bardugo
Leigh Bardugo, the acclaimed author of the Grishaverse books, returns to her intricate fantasy world in The Lives of Saints [7]. The beautiful collection of short stories centreed on the saints from the Grishaverse is perfect for fans of the author's previous fantasy tales.
Out Oct. 6
One Way or Another by Kara McDowell
Kara McDowell's One Way or Another [8] paints an authentic portrait of what it's like to live with anxiety, while also manageing to spin a warm and cosy holiday tale. Paige, who suffers from severe anxiety, struggles with making choices, but when she slips on a grocery store floor, her life splits in two. This allows her to see what will happen if she spends the holidays in New York with her mom and how her holiday will turn out if she heads to a cabin with her crush's family.
Out Oct. 6
We Were Restless Things by Cole Nagamatsu
Debut author Cole Nagamatsu arrives on the scene with the dazzling and heartbreaking We Were Restless Things [9]. Taking place over the course of one year, the book explores the aftermath of teen Link Miller's mysterious drowning on dry land as his friend, her roommate, and his sister come together to discover the truth about Link's death.
Out Oct. 6
Come on In edited by Adi Alsaid
Editor Adi Alsaid has collected 15 stories exploring the immigrant experience from some of the YA genre's brightest stars. From the anxiety that some immigrants face in security lines to pondering the answer to the question "where are you from?" the touching stories in Come On In [10] are beautiful and invaluable reads.
Out Oct. 13
Daughters of Jubilation by Kara Lee Corthron
Kara Lee Corthron's Daughters of Jubilation [11] is a lyrical novel about a young Black woman discovering her power. Set against the backdrop of the Jim Crow South, Evalene Deschamps is navigating helping her single mother take care of her little sisters, catching her crush's attention, and learning how to use her growing magical abilities. As her gift grows stronger, so does a darkness that only she can fight by accepting the full extent of her power.
Out Oct. 13
A Golden Fury by Samantha Cohoe
Steeped in history and magic, A Golden Fury [12] by Samantha Cohoe follows Thea, a young alchemist who is assisting her mother in the creation of the Philosopher's Stone. However, when her mother succumbs to madness, Thea is left to create the stone on her own — and to fend off the people who wish to use her gifts for their own gain.
Out Oct. 13
This Is All Your Fault by Aminah Mae Safi
Set over the course of a single day, This Is All Your Fault [13] by Aminah Mae Safi chronicles the journey of three teens who are determined to save their local independent bookstore. Rinn, Daniella, and Imogen all clock in to work at the Wild Nights Bookstore expecting a normal day, but they soon discover that without their help, the store will be forced to close its doors.
Out Oct. 13
You Know I'm No Good by Jessie Ann Foley
You Know I'm No Good [14] by Jessie Ann Foley is a sharply observed novel about a teen challenging the expectations that society puts on women. When Mia is forced to go to a therapeutic girls' boarding school to deal with her behaviour, she begins to question whether her issues would have elicited the same reaction if she were a boy.
Out Oct. 13
Among the Beasts and Briars by Ashley Poston
Ashley Poston spins a fairytale that would make the Grimm brothers proud in Among the Beasts and Briars [15]. For hundreds of years, the Kingdom of Aloriya has been a place of safety and peace, while darkness reigns in the forest that surrounds it. But with the crowning of a new queen, the darkness encroaches, putting the life of Cerys, who carries a touch of the woods' magic in her blood, in danger.
Out Oct. 20