May and June have a plethora of compelling new young adult science fiction, fantasy, and horror titles to choose from. Competitions continue to be popular, as do gods and demons and dystopian settings, and we’re seeing an interesting intersection of all three this season. Science fiction is also gaining popularity (something I personally am very happy to see). We’re also getting a wave of historical fantasy in eras that don’t usually get much fiction. I’ve pulled together the 21 summer releases that I’m most excited for.
Magic with a Twist
The Invisible Wild by Nikki Van De Car
(Running Press Kids; May 6, 2025) Folklore and reality mix in this story set on the Big Island of Hawai’i. Emma finds a boy she nicknames “Hilo” living in the same woods where she once found a place between time and space. When some land occupied by the Menehune, the people Kānaka Maoli believe lived on their islands first, is purchased by a developer, the two teens work together to not only help them but to atone for their own mistakes.
Wake the Wild Creatures by Nova Ren Suma
(Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; May 6, 2025) Talia’s paradise in the Catskills was shattered. She and her mother Pola lived with other women who had escaped to their abusive men to find refuge in the abandoned hotel the Neves. Her mother, imprisoned for murder, is cut off from her. Now in a dark, miserable life of systemic oppression, Talia longs to be reunited with her community. She and her cousin make their great escape as they try to figure out who betrayed them three years ago.
Slice of Cherry by Dia Reeves
(Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers; June 10, 2025) Originally published in 2011, this was the second in the Portero Universe (the first being Bleeding Violet). Portero is a strange town with even stranger denizens. Kit and Fancy are the daughters of the notorious Bonesaw Killer, and muder must be genetic because they get a hankering and can’t be stopped. Tensions flare when Fancy ups her game with powers from a parallel world while Kit discovers an interest in boys.
Tempest by K. Ibura
(Quill Tree Books; June 24, 2025) Veronique was sent to live with her mawmaw after her mother died in Hurricane Katrina. But after Veronique uses her magic to save a boy from drowning, she’s sent back to New Orleans. She tries to keep her wind powers a secret, but an organization called the Vaunted come hunting. They collect people with elemental powers like hers, but as nice as it sounds to be with people who are like her, this is the group her mawmaw was trying to protect her from all these years.
Among Ghosts by Rachel Hartman
(Random House Books for Young Readers; June 24, 2025) Charl and his mother Eileen fled his earl father for St. Muckle years ago. They have a good life until she’s blamed for a plague. After a dragon attacks the town, Charl flees once more, this time ending up in a haunted abbey. Listen listen listen. This is younger YA—the main character is 13! If you’re not a regular YA reader, you have no idea how rare a gift this is. And it’s set in the world of the Seraphina and Tess of the Road books! Y’all.
Science Fictional
The Emilie Adventures by Martha Wells
(Tordotcom; May 13, 2025) Collects together the steampunk duology Emilie and the Hollow World, published 2013, and Emilie and the Sky World, published 2014. The first book is about a girl, Emilie, who stows away on a steamship helmed by Lady Marlende. She’s on a quest to track down her missing father. The sequel introduces visitors from another aetheric plane, sending Emilie and the Marlendes on yet another grand adventure.
The Singular Life of Aria Patel by Samira Ahmed
(Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; May 13, 2025) Physics nerd Aria just broke up with her boyfriend Rohan to avoid the drama of college relationships. After a car accident, Aria wakes up in an alternate reality. Rohan and a poem keep popping up in every reality. One reality tempts her to settle, but she dreams of returning to her “real” life.
Titan of the Stars by E.K. Johnston
(Titan of the Stars #1 — Tundra Books; May 27, 2025) I’m sorry, you’re telling me this is being marketed as Titanic meets Alien? And it’s a duology??? Perfection. The spaceship Titan is setting off on its maiden voyage, traveling between Earth and Mars. Dominic would rather be at art school, but instead his father has maneuvered him onto their prize ship. Apprentice engineer Celeste works in the bowels of the ship, far from Dominic’s wealthy cabin. When alien artifacts brought aboard as decor turn out to be more alive than dead, the two teens must rely on each other to survive the slaughter.
If We Survive This by Racquel Marie
(Feiwel & Friends; June 17, 2025) Six months ago, a rabies mutation spread across the world. Infected humans turn into “rabids,” and terrorize the uninfected. After their mother dies and their father disappears, Flora and her brother Cain are all that remains of the Paz family. They hatch a plan to trade Los Angeles for their family’s Northern California vacation home, what is sure to be a perilous journey. This is comped as The Walking Dead meets Yellowjackets, and if that doesn’t hook you, nothing will.
Past Is Present
Salvación by Sandra Proudman
(Wednesday Books; May 20, 2025) In the days after the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848, signaling the end of the Mexican-American War and resulting in Mexico surrendering more than half its territory including all of Alta California, Lola de La Peña takes revenge. As the masked vigilante Salvación, she defends her town of Coloma. Then comes Damien Hernández, a man wielding a dangerous magic and swearing to undo the treaty and deliver Alta California back to Mexico. Salvación may be the only person who can stop him from taking over Coloma.
Devils Like Us by L.T. Thompson
(Bloomsbury YA; June 3, 2025) In 19th century Massachusetts, three teens encounter the supernatural. Cas sees visions of future deaths. Remy ended their friendship after Cas prophesied her father’s death, but now she thinks he’s still alive and being held captive by a sinister organization, the Order of Lazarus. Irish immigrant Finn is secretly in love with Remy, which sucks for her because Cas foresees her death as well.
Vesuvius by Cass Biehn
(Peachtree Teen; June 10, 2025) Set right around the time Mount Vesuvius erupted and buried Pompeii in 79 CE. Felix, a thief, unwittingly steals the helmet of the god Mercury. Strangely, although the helmet is supposed to burn anyone who touches it, he seems fine. Loren, a temple attendant, keeps having visions of the demise of Pompeii, visions that prominently feature Felix. When Felix seeks refuge in the Temple of Isis, he meets Loren. Loren and Felix work together to find out what Loren’s visions mean and why Felix cannot be hurt by the helmet. All the while, earthquakes rattle Pompeii.
Queer Delights
The Duke Steals Hearts & Other Body Parts by Elias Cold
(Page Street YA; May 13, 2025) Phyllis and his partner Lucent make a living stealing and ransoming body parts. Phyllis’ magic allows him to remove limbs from people, which Lucent then ransoms back to their original owner. But one victim refuses to pay; he needs the money to get his missing sister Adeline back. So Phyllis sets up a new con, becoming Lord Phillip of Rabbiton, to investigate who is taking girls like Adeline. When he eventually finds her, she’s not what he expected.
Costumes for Time Travelers by A. R. Capetta
(Candlewick; May 27, 2025) Pocket is a town that exists outside time. Anyone who time travels ends up there sooner or later. Like Fawkes, a teen who has been time traveling for years. Calisto is from Pocket and has no desire to time travel. They prefer to stay where they are making costumes for travelers. When they attract the attention of the Time Wardens who want to destroy time travel and Pocket, Calisto and Fawkes jump through time to save the day. And fall in love along the way.
We Can Never Leave by H.E. Edgmon
(Wednesday Books; June 10, 2025) Bird, Hugo, Felix, Eamon, and Cal travel with the Caravan, a group that finds inhuman beings who wake up with no memories but extraordinary powers. One morning the Caravan vanishes without a trace, leaving the five teens behind. Not sure what else to do, they head to another community of inhumans, Port Haven, while they try to solve the mystery of what happened to their people.
In It to Win It
These Vengeful Gods by Gabe Cole Novoa
(Random House Books for Young Readers; May 27, 2025) As a descendant of the god of Death, Crow isn’t supposed to be alive. Most Deathchildren were killed years ago, so Crow hides their identity and magic. When his uncles are jailed for protecting Deathchildren, Crow decides to enter the Tournament of the Gods to win their freedom. Not only will he have to win, but they’ll have to do it without anyone figuring out they can use Deathmagic.
Celestial Banquet by Roselle Lim
(Zando; June 3, 2025) In every generation, a cooking competition is held. Cooks from all over arrive at the Celestial Banquet for the honor of making food for the Major Gods. The best chef will be awarded with immortality, while the losers… well, you can guess what happens to those who displease the gods. Under the banner of a minor local god Kama, noodle chef Cai joins the competition. Her heart is in a competition of its own as it tries to decide between two young men. This sounds like an Asian-inspired fantasy crossed with Top Chef. Into it.
That Devil, Ambition by Linsey Miller
(Storytide; June 3, 2025) The Stellarium is an elite school for magicians. Fabian Galloway has sacrificed everything to get through the academic program, and only one honors class is left. He and twelve of the top students, including his friends Credence and Euphemia, get in. The class has only one assignment, and it counts for 100% of their grade. A demon is summoned to act as their professor. Either they kill it and graduate, it kills them, or both fail to kill each other and the surviving students are killed anyway.
The Protégée by Erica Ridley
(Delacorte; June 10, 2025) Seamstress Angélique lives in an alternate version of Paris in 1850. After her entire family except her little sister are killed due to the terrible working conditions at the Fournier factory, she vows to get even. She’s granted a prestigious apprenticeship under Madame Violette, and immediately bullied for being poor. Angélique has had enough. Madame Violette sets up a contest where the winner will get a substantial raise and become her assistant. Angélique will do whatever it takes—including kill—to win.
Translations
Snowglobe 2 by Soyoung Park, translated by Joungmin Lee Comfort
(Snowglobe #2 — Delacorte Press; May 6, 2025) The book opens shortly after the end of the first installment. Jeon Chobahm is still living in Snowglobe, having just discovered a dangerous secret about her origins. She and the other Haeri girls go up against each other, devastating environmental disasters, and the all-powerful Yibonn Media Group, who rules over Snowglobe. Chobahm’s investigation puts her in the crosshairs of some dangerous people.
Goodbye, My Princess by Fei Wo Si Cun, translated by Tianshu
(Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers; June 17, 2025) Three years ago, Qu Xiaofeng was married off to heartless Li Chengyin, crown prince of the Li Empire. He’s in love with someone else and mostly leaves his bride to her own rowdy devices. While out drinking in the city, she meets Gu Jian who swears they were once betrothed. Xiaofeng must choose whether to protect the man who gave her a crown or the man who tempts her with pleasure, all while dealing with messy court politics.
Glad to see the Dia Reeves re-release, and hope it means these books won’t be forgotten. I love her Portero books, and was distressed to learn recently that she had passed away in 2019. If you’re looking for psychologically incisive horror, where outer nightmares and inner pathologies play off each other, where being monstrous is an asset as often as it’s a liability, these are the books for you. Disturbing, compelling, and (my highest praise) thought-provoking.