The consciousness of a teenage boy stuck in a girl’s body—and in a time loop—searches for a way to return to his original vessel in this fresh and clever speculative romance from Ritany (Dead Girls Don’t Say Sorry). Awakening in an unknown girl’s body and driving a car, Laurie panics and crashes the vehicle into a ditch. He’s helped by friendly stranger Gideon, who gives Laurie a place to stay for the night—only for Laurie to wake up driving the same car again the next morning. Shocked to find that he has few memories of his life before now, Laurie struggles to break the cycle, eventually learning that the body he’s inhabiting belongs to Calgary high school senior Valerie. One morning after multiple loops, Gideon recognizes Laurie, and the protagonist realizes that Gideon, too, has been pulled into the time loop. Simultaneously, Laurie suspects that he must find Valerie, whose consciousness is likely trapped in Laurie’s body. Ritany injects surprising and satisfying twists into the well-trod Groundhog Day trope. This insightful novel, populated by honest teens with magnetic chemistry, culminates in a mind-bending reflection of identity. Laurie as Valerie reads as white; Gideon is “part Indigenous.” Ages 14–up. Agent: Jenna Sattherwait, Storm Literary. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 01/30/2026 | Details & Permalink

Scandalous White Lotus mystery vibes combine with teenage mean girl drama in Roscoe’s suspenseful thriller. Affluent college student Avery Finch can’t wait to soothe herself from her breakup with Hugo Vandenburg by spending the summer on Mokani Island. It’s a favorite Caribbean destination and veritable playground for ultrawealthy families, and this year, the Finches invite Avery’s roommate Nora Miller. The girls’ plans for rest and relaxation are foiled, however, by the arrival of Hugo and his family, who own Mokani Island. Luckily for Avery, she immediately hits it off with newcomer Leo Walker, who proves a welcome distraction from Hugo’s larger-than-life presence. When a tropical storm descends on the island, already existing fissures within the vacationers’ relationships widen; trouble intensifies with the discovery of a brutally murdered corpse. As authorities investigate, each guest must reckon with their own past transgressions, and those of their loved ones, if they hope to uncover the perpetrator and absolve themselves of suspicion. The white-cued cast’s tawdry and theatrical behavior, paired with the novel’s scenic setting—relayed in immersive, image-rich prose—make for a gratifying summertime entry into an abundant genre. Ages 14–up. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 01/30/2026 | Details & Permalink

Johnson (Every Time You Go Away) offers both summertime romance and a historical mystery in this sensorial grumpy-sunshine love story set on Nantucket. Seventeen-year-old Lili Gardner is thrilled to be back on the island to fix up her late father’s house. But Lili has more on her mind than home renovations; she also hopes to solve a decades-old mystery about a distant relative accused of smuggling, which her father researched all his life. Following a tip from a neighbor, Lili visits McCleave’s Mermaid Museum, where she meets 19-year-old Wren McCleave, the museum’s cranky manager, who uses a wheelchair. While Wren’s father happily displays tourist-pleasing “mermaid” skeletons, Wren longs to exhibit their authentic historic objects. The teens’ interest in local lore—and Lili’s uncanny ability to charm Wren out of his perpetual crankiness—first sparks amiable companionship, then sunny romance, conveyed via lively prose. Alluring history about Nantucket’s maritime roots and its bustling present-day tourist scene enliven the idyllic seaside setting. Lili and Wren cue as white. Age 13–up. Agent: Kim Lionetti, BookEnds Literary. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 01/30/2026 | Details & Permalink

An undercurrent of hope powers a fraught plot that probes subjects surrounding domestic coercive control in Crawford’s gritty debut. Having been homeschooled by her mother for the majority of her life, Australian 17-year-old Astrid experiences her first day of public school six months before graduation after her controlling father loses his job, forcing her mother to return to work. Though Astrid is excited, she’s also embarrassed by her lack of experience socializing with people her age. While adjusting to high school life, she soon befriends a classmate who shares her passion for music and develops a crush on a free-spirited peer. But Astrid’s instinct to lie about her excessively strict home life keeps them at a distance. Her idle musings about living a “normal, boring” life seem poised to become reality when she discovers her mother’s covert plot to free them both from Astrid’s father’s acerbic personality and unchecked anger. Immediate-feeling first-person narration from Astrid perceptively details her profound feelings of alienation from her peers and tightly wound wariness at home, especially as the climax ramps up with thriller-like intensity. Astrid is white; supporting characters are racially diverse. Resources conclude. Ages 13–up. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 01/30/2026 | Details & Permalink

In this intriguing ghost novel by Peterfreund (In the Ballroom with the Candlestick), an alleged descendant of Edgar Allan Poe seeks to uncover more about her lineage. Though 16-year-old Ellen Poe Reynolds’s family claims to be ancestors of the poet, it’s not something that she likes to advertise. Following a move into her family’s failing Poe-themed B&B, Raven’s Rest, Ellen has been plagued by nightmares, which her aunt claims are visions of various Poe tales. At school, Ellen keeps her head down—until the arrival of new student Gus, who’s been haunting her dreams as a ghost. Things get even creepier when she discovers a mysterious coded journal tucked into her backpack and realizes that she’s being trailed by a vision of Poe himself. Suspecting that the journal contains the original works by Poe, the teen—aided by Gus as well as cryptic quips from her ancestor—resolves to decode the pages, certain that publicizing the stories could save Raven’s Rest from foreclosure. Peterfreund deploys clever puzzles and codes across rapidly paced chapters to relay fascinating insights about the writer’s history and individual works. The protagonists read as white. Ages 13–up. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 01/30/2026 | Details & Permalink

A queer teen must decide how far she’s willing to go to live her truth in this tender sapphic romance from Richardson (The Meet-Cute Project). When 18-year-old Clarity arrives at Christian Camp Refuge as a counselor, she’s expecting a quiet summer minding the younger campers. During her first night there, she encounters classmate and fellow counselor Hannah. Though they rarely interact at school, Clarity suddenly senses a spark between them that makes her feel “more tethered to my own life than I’d felt in a long time.” The girls keep their developing romantic relationship secret from their peers, but when they’re found out, Clarity struggles to deal with the resulting alienation from her coworkers. Resolving to avoid a similar fallout at home, Clarity breaks up with Hannah and hides her revelation about her sexual identity from her family. But after Clarity and Hannah are made copresidents of their school’s festival committee, Clarity must confront their past relationship. “Then” and “Now” chapters deftly alternate between vulnerable moments throughout the teens’ romance and their strained present-day dynamic. The love interests’ joyful interactions—instigated primarily by patient and gentle Hannah—buoy Clarity’s charged attempts at grappling with her shifting identity and perception of her religious faith. Clarity is Black; Hannah cues as white. Ages 12–up. Agent: John Cusick, Folio Jr. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 01/30/2026 | Details & Permalink

A boarding school student winds up in over his head after he unearths new information about his missing sibling in this pulse-pounding mystery by Jackson (Careful What You Witch For, for adults). High school junior Sutter Heyward is anxious to return to Meddlehart Academy, an isolated institution in the Colorado mountains. Though administrators, authorities, and Sutter’s classmates have moved on from his older brother Lawson’s disappearance more than a year prior to the book’s start, Sutter is certain that Lawson is alive. With help from loyal peers, including a lifelong best friend, a crush, and a romantic rival, Sutter searches for clues to his sibling’s whereabouts. Upon learning that Lawson went missing while investigating their school’s rumored buried treasure—one that members of a secret student society called the Order of the Vipers have also been searching for—Sutter believes he’s uncovered the key to finding his brother. But things take a dangerous turn as Sutter delves further into the society’s sinister history. Though some aspects of the dark academia plotting and atmosphere feel overly familiar, expertly rendered character dynamics, a believably suspenseful love triangle, and a focus on the bracing impact of trust and friendship sets this YA debut apart. Ages 12–up. Agent: Rachel Beck, Liza Dawson Assoc. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 01/30/2026 | Details & Permalink

A Korean American high schooler moonlighting as a webtoon artist finds her meticulously planned future upended when her fictional creations inexplicably come to life in this epic fantasy adventure by Cho (Wish upon a K-Star). Though 17-year-old Floridian Grace dreams of pursuing a career in medicine, her panic attacks— exacerbated by her doctor father’s high expectations—make her goals feel impossible to attain. Following her grandmother’s death, Grace starts a webcomic based on the Korean myths Halmeoni used to tell her. Under a pseudonym, Grace creates Sun God, a fantasy romance series about Haemosu, a powerful deity cursed to attend mortal high school. When Haemosu one day materializes from the comic, he requests Grace’s help in returning him to his celestial homeworld. As fantasy and reality intertwine, Grace contends with real feelings for her fictional protagonist as well as the arrival of Haemosu’s sworn enemy, and his plot to destroy humankind. Cho seamlessly weaves elements of historical Korean myth into contemporary settings and action-packed sequences. Human issues of racial microaggressions, grief, and anxiety take center stage amid godly conflicts, making for a fresh and richly layered K-drama-esque romantasy. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 12–up. Author’s agent: Beth Phelan, Gallt & Zacker Literary. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 01/30/2026 | Details & Permalink

McCullough (Code Red) chronicles one tween’s reckoning with religious faith and overcoming fear in this empowering verse novel. Eleven-year-old Kestrel Sinclair feels like she’s being kidnapped when her mother whisks her away from their San Diego home to Bozeman, Mont., without letting Kestrel say goodbye to her grandfather. Moving into a cozy guesthouse at the Rocky Mountain Bear Institute, Kestrel—who’s terrified of dogs—finds herself surrounded by them due to her mother’s new job caring for the institute’s pack of Karelians, which are trained to track down bears and keep them away from humans. Even as Kestrel yearns for her grandfather, though, she gradually realizes that, because he controlled every aspect of her life—including her attending their Catholic church’s private school and participating in daily worship activities—Kestrel doesn’t feel like she has her own identity. As she learns harsh truths about her and her mother’s past and confronts her family’s belief system (“Grandpa is always right/ and anyone who questions him/ is questioning God”), Kestrel channels the ferocity of her namesake, a bird of prey, to face her fears. Accessible text portrays the protagonist’s shift from frightened nervousness to steadfast self-confidence, resulting in a deeply introspective offering. An author’s note concludes. The Sinclairs are white. Ages 10–up. Agent: Jim McCarthy, Dystel, Goderich, & Bourret. (May)

Reviewed on 01/30/2026 | Details & Permalink

A Jewish eighth grader adjusts to a new environment while navigating societal pressure to uphold the status quo in Bendheim’s radiant debut. Though 13-year-old Lacey is devastated to leave her best friend Grace behind in Texas to move to Rhode Island, she’s excited to join her new school’s vibrant theater program. Despite her worries about not fitting in, Lacey quickly befriends fellow castmates, and surprises everyone—including herself—by landing the lead role in the musical. Her excitement sours upon learning about the more than 50-years-long tradition of the male and female leads sharing a kiss onstage during the final performance—the only costar she’s interested in is fellow new girl Violet. As opening night approaches, Lacey mourns the widening emotional rift between her and Grace, grapples with strained family dynamics, particularly between herself and her older sister, and decides to pursue becoming a bat mitzvah, along the way reflecting on her relationship with Judaism and tradition. Careful, attentive plotting centers one teen’s reckoning with intense emotions surrounding first love, self-reinvention, and maintaining genuine connections across long distances and during times of transition. Assured prose relays Lacey’s aching and empathetic first-person narration across this relatable story of belonging and becoming. Main characters read as white. Ages 10–14. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 01/30/2026 | Details & Permalink