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Books to Save Your Gift Cards For!

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Books to Save Your Gift Cards For!

It’s never too early to give a gift, book nerds, and no better time to save, collect, and use all those gift cards you got this year and put them to great use!

From fiery sequels and companion novels, classic story retellings, brand-new epic fantasy books, exquisite debut novels, game-changing graphic novels, and more, there’s seriously something for every kind of reader on this list! Without further ado, check out the books we recommend you save your gift cards for this year and into the next. Now, get shopping!

 

Highly Anticipated YA Books Releasing In The First Half Of 2026

🎀 Save Those Gift Cards For These Epic Books! 🎀

 

1. A War of Wyverns of S.F. Williamson

A War of Wyverns

📚 This is the sequel to A Language of Dragons

Rebellion happens in the shadows. In the sequel to the New York Times bestseller A Language of Dragons, language is the greatest weapon in a war between humans and dragons—and one translator has the power to change the world. Perfect for teen fans of Fourth Wing and Babel.

Who is Vivien Featherswallow?

It’s the question on the lips of every human and dragon in Britannia, and even she doesn’t know the answer. Is she the Swallow, the face of the rebellion against the corrupt government and invading Bulgarian dragons? Is she a brasstongue, a translator on the cusp of discovering a new dragon language? Or is she just Viv, the girl who lost the love of her life after playing spy?

Viv isn’t sure, but she knows she has to fight back.

Armed with a machine that allows her to listen to dragons’ thoughts, a diary with the clues of a never-before translated dragon tongue, and her own need to avenge her lost love, Viv seeks out the elusive Hebridean Wyverns. If she can find them and convince them to join the war, the rebellion might have a chance.

Viv will soon realize that while translation is a weapon, it might not help her on her journey to victory—or to finding herself.

 

2. 16 Forever by Lance Rubin

16 Forever

It’s the morning of Carter Cohen’s 16th birthday, and everything’s going his way.

He’s psyched and ready to get his driver’s license, his little brother’s not hogging the bathroom, and, man, something smells good for breakfast…

But when Carter bounds downstairs, Mom bursts into tears. It happened again. It’s Carter’s 16th birthday—for the sixth time. Every time he’s supposed to turn 17, he loops back a year. His memory gets wiped clean, his body ages backward—the rest of the world moves on, just not him.

Maggie Spear, on the other hand, has been dreading this day ever since she and Carter started dating. When she spies him in the halls and he doesn’t seem to know her at all, it’s obvious that it’s over between them. She can’t be in a relationship with someone who is just going to forget her again and again. Since Carter doesn’t remember that they’re together, then it’s probably better if she just pretends that they never were.

Except Carter senses that there’s more to their story than Maggie’s letting on, and Maggie’s keeping secrets of her own—but in the process of trying to let the other go, they find themselves falling in love all over again.

With Maggie soon leaving for college and Carter’s birthday quickly coming around again, will they be able to find a forever that isn’t stuck at 16?

Filled with tender moments, silly banter, and lots of teenage angst, 16 Forever is the latest YA page-turner from New York Times bestselling, award-winning author Lance Rubin.

 

3. Better the Devil by Erik J. Brown

Better the Devil

A harrowing, edge-of-your-seat psychological thriller about a queer homeless teen who, in a bid for safety, assumes the identity of a boy who went missing ten years ago…only to find that his new home is anything but a safe haven—from All That’s Left in the World author Erik J. Brown!

Perfect for fans of Karen McManus, Holly Jackson, and Ryan La Sala.

When a runaway teen is arrested for shoplifting, he’s desperate not to be sent back to the hyper-religious parents he knows will never accept him. While at the police station, he notices a resemblance to the aged-up photos of Nate Beaumont, a child who went missing ten years ago—and, in a moment of desperation, he takes Nate’s identity in hopes that it will help him make a quick getaway.

Before he can run again, Nate’s family arrives and welcomes him home to a life he never had. As “Nate” watches and waits for his chance to escape, he finds that the Beaumonts are nurturing and loving, very different from his own parents.

But soon unsettling things start to happen—vandalism, alarms going off in the middle of the night—and it becomes clear that someone knows “Nate” isn’t who he says he is…and that the real Nate wasn’t kidnapped, but murdered.

As he starts to unravel the mystery, he gets ever closer to the devil he may know—and learns he might be their next victim.

 

4. The Great Disillusionment of Nick and Jay by Ryan Douglass

The Great Disillusionment of Nick and Jay

From New York Times bestselling author Ryan Douglass comes a gripping and tender reimagining of The Great Gatsby about the pursuit of happiness—and love—in a society built on cruelty and secrets.

Seventeen-year-old Nick Carrington wants nothing more than to leave Greenwood, Oklahoma, behind and make a name for himself in the papers. But when tragedy strikes, dreams turn into a twisted reality. Forced to start anew in Harlem, only a letter of acceptance from the prestigious West Egg Academy is able to pull him back into the world.

But the supposedly integrated private boys’ school is more of a catchy headline than a fact, with the same prejudices Nick left behind back home. And his secret but growing feelings for the founder’s wickedly charismatic son, Jay Gatsby Jr.— who dances past society’s conventions with practiced ease—only add more complications.

When Nick’s cutting pen exposes dangerous truths about West Egg and leads to perilous consequences, he and Jay must decide whether to spend a lifetime outrunning trouble or be the ones to light the match. Can they not only fight back but triumph? Or will the powers that be win yet again?

 

5. Better Catch Up, Krishna Kumar by Anahita Karthik

Better Catch Up, Krishna Kumar

Buckle up for a wild ride with this cheeky and charming rom-com where one girl’s quest across India to seal her first kiss turns into finding first love in the most unexpected places. Perfect for fans of Axie Oh and Jenny Han!

Krishna Kumar may have gotten into her dream college, but that doesn’t mean she’s stopped being a bi disaster. Even after spending her whole summer in India flirting with her gorgeous neighbor Amrit, she has nothing to show for it. And now, her fate is sealed: she’s destined to be the only freshman who’s never been kissed.

But when her flight home is delayed right as a distinctly flirty text from Amrit lights up her phone, Krishna is determined to seize her last chance at a perfect first kiss with Amrit, even if it means asking her cousin-turned-nemesis, Priti, for help. Because Amrit is miles away at a family wedding—and Priti’s best friend, Rudra Desai, is the only one with a car.

The unlikely trio set off on a road trip to crash a wedding and save Krishna’s summer. But as she starts to fall for the quiet yet irresistibly hot and charming Rudra, who everyone knows is unrequitedly in love with Priti, Krishna realizes her heart better catch up to her head before she skips right past her first kiss and falls directly into her first heartbreak.

 

6. Few Blue Skies by Carolina Ixta

Few Blue Skies

In her latest novel, Pura Belpré Award–winning author Carolina Ixta weaves a tender story about love and hope, following a teen as she works to protect her family and community from a major corporation taking over her town.

Paloma Vistamontes is heartbroken. A year ago, her ex-boyfriend, Julio Ramos, broke up with her after his father’s death, a tragedy that drove Paloma and him apart. Ever since then, the mountains have felt flatter, the sky farther away.

Now, her hometown of San Fermín, a place where honest people work on farms and in factories, is in danger. Selva, a massive e-commerce conglomerate, threatens to open one of their warehouses beside her high school.

This isn’t the first time they’ve done this. Since Selva arrived, they’ve opened warehouses everywhere where there used to be green spaces. Because of them, the air pollution is so bad that school is often canceled. Many people, including Paloma’s ever-practical Ma, want to leave.

But Paloma wants nothing more than to stay. Because when the smog clears, there is still hope. That hope drives Paloma to reconnect with Julio to expose and challenge the dangers that Selva introduces to communities like their own. Can they stop Selva from destroying everything they know? Is there still a chance for their budding romance?

 

7. Enchanted to Meet You by Cara Stout

Enchanted to Meet You

Fake dating and fake royalty lead to real love in this contemporary rom-com debut set at an amusement park, perfect for fans of Lynn Painter and fairytale happily ever afters.

Once upon a time in a fake castle not so far away . . .

Imogen Rogers dreams of happily-ever-afters—but she can’t seem decide what she wants her story to be. She spends her summer hopping from job to job—or getting fired, literally. But when her best friend and soon-to-be investigative reporter suggests that she go undercover at Fairytale Gardens, Imogen is intrigued. And when she gets cast as the fake-royalty theme park’s Princess, it turns out . . . the tiara fits.

Tristian Walsh was born to be Prince Charming—his parents built Fairytale Gardens with Tristian and his brothers in mind. But since his mom died, it feels like the magic has gone and this heir to the make-believe throne wants more. Can he escape a life that’s already been written for him?

When you’re pretending to fall in love, one kiss can blur the lines between fairytale and real life. And when reality steps in, only Imogen and Tristian can choose how this story ends.

 

8. This Ain’t Our First Rodeo by Liara Tamani

This Ain't Our First Rodeo

Love is a wild ride. Hold on.

When life lassoes Josie and Shawn back together three years after their dreamy first date, their second chance at love is anything but easy. A big-hearted rodeo romance set in Houston, Texas, by the critically acclaimed Liara Tamani, author of What She Missed, All The Things We Never Knew, and Calling My Name. This bold first-love story is for fans of Nothing Like the Movies and Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute.

This ain’t Josie’s first rodeo. Her parents own several fancy restaurants in Houston, and they just opened a new one right outside the stadium. Josie is expected to stay inside the restaurant and help, and maybe take over their growing empire one day, but that isn’t what Josie wants. She’d rather be at the rodeo itself than in a high-end restaurant next to it. Or eating funnel cakes and Texas-sized corn dogs at the carnival on the grounds. Or better yet, riding her horse at her grandparents’ ranch, the very place her mom wants to sell.

It ain’t Shawn’s first rodeo either. He’s been riding bulls since his mom died, doing everything he can to live up to his rodeo-champion stepfather’s sky-high expectations. But as Shawn’s stardom rises, so do tensions in their relationship. His stepfather’s drinking and gambling problems sure don’t help.

After one unforgettable night leaves Josie and Shawn wanting nothing but each other, their lives become entwined in increasingly complex ways. Can they save Josie’s family land? Or will Shawn’s stepfather and his shady plan be the ranch’s ruin? Will one wrong move cost them everything? Rodeo after rodeo, year after year, can Josie and Shawn keep their hearts open through the secrets, twists, and turns?

 

9. The Twelve by Joey Graceffa

The Twelve

From New York Times bestselling author and renowned creator Joey Graceffa comes a pulse-pounding YA fantasy where witches hunt witches, magic has a price, and sisterhood is the only thing standing between light and darkness.

Welcome to the coven.

Each month, a Zodiac Witch is born, her magic written by the stars.

Ophelia and Serena—twin sisters born on the cusp of Pisces and Aries—are trapped in the cold confines of an orphanage until fate rips them from obscurity. Suddenly, they are invited into The Twelve, a powerful coven. To join, they must swear to hunt Dark Witches, creatures of spectral beauty and razor-sharp teeth who survive by siphoning magic from young witches.

On a secret island, protected by their new sisters, Ophelia and Serena train to use their powers. Serena commands Lightning, raw and untamed. Ophelia wields Water, quiet and waiting. Their paths shift—one chasing power, the other resisting—as the sisters find themselves caught between two destinies. Some choices can never be undone but they must decide, because magic does not wait, and the darkness is coming for them in ways they could never imagine. After all, the stars never shine without casting shadows.

 

10. Estela, Undrowning by René Peña-Govea

Estela, Undrowning

In her raw and resonant debut novel, René Peña-Govea seamlessly interweaves prose and poetry to uplift the power of language, the courage to fight injustice, and the complex beauty of finding your people—perfect for fans of Elizabeth Acevedo’s The Poet X and Carolina Ixta’s Shut Up, This is Serious.

Estela Morales is one of the only Latinas who tested into San Francisco’s most exclusive public high school. In her senior year, Estela just wants to keep her head down, eke out a passing grade from her racist Spanish teacher, and get into her dream college.

But after placing second in the Latiné Heritage Poetry Contest behind a non-Latino student, Estela is thrust into citywide debates about merit, identity, and diversity.

Things only get messier when her family is threatened with eviction. As Estela’s friends organize against bigotry and her landlady increases the pressure, Estela is suffocating and finds release only in poetry and in a breathless new romance. When tensions finally reach their breaking point, Estela must find a way to undrown the community she loves—and herself.

 

11. Speak of the Devil by Sweeney Boo

Speak of the Devil

📚 This is the sequel to Over My Dead Body

In the thrilling, witchy sequel to Over My Dead Body, Abigail fights to clear her name as strange occurrences continue to plague Younwity Hidden Institute of Witchcraft—a spooky teen graphic novel perfect for fans of Wednesday Addams and The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina!

Months after Abigail and her friends thwarted a dark magic ritual that threatened to destroy Younwity Hidden Institute of Witchcraft, new dangers and long-buried secrets bubble to the surface.

As autumn turns to winter, a mysterious rune-dotted fissure has appeared in the school grounds, and no one from the Coven is able to seal it—no matter how powerful their magic is. Even worse, it’s believed this fissure is the source of hazardous tremors that continue to rip through the grounds, threatening the institute’s very foundation. Abigail is certain this is all her fault and hatches a plan to seal the fissure herself, but when her ritual goes sideways, she awakens a long-dormant entity hellbent on revenge. To put things right, Abigail will need to unearth the true history of Younwity Institute and, just maybe, unravel the secrets of her own forgotten past along the way.

 

12. Brighter Than Nine by June CL Tan

Brighter Than Nine

📚 This is the sequel to Darker By Four

The Shadowhunter Chronicles meets Chinese diaspora folklore in this sequel to the #1 Sunday Times bestseller Darker by Four! The Shadowhunter Chronicles meets the Chinese underworld, drawing inspiration from diaspora folklore, in this epic, sweeping contemporary fantasy duology from Jade Fire Gold author June CL Tan.

Rui has her life back together—or so it seems. Hailed as a hero, she’s finally on her way to becoming an important member of the Exorcist Guild. But she knows the Hybrid Revenants are still out there, and they’re planning something big. Something evil.

Zizi is trapped in the underworld. As his mortal body deteriorates, he realizes he can access the Fourth King’s memories, which may be the key to keeping the mortal realm safe. To save the girl he loves, he must defy fate—and escape Hell.

Yiran watches from the shadows, magicless once more. When he discovers a dark family secret that changes everything he thought he knew, his hunger for power tempts him toward a possible betrayal. And he must decide what he truly stands for—before it’s too late.

As the consequences of the past wreak havoc on the present, three lives bound by the threads of fate must weave a new destiny for themselves—and the realms.

 

13. Three Sisters by David Macinnis Gill

Three Sisters

Harper and her two sisters face extreme danger and unexpected natural disasters while hiking in the Cascades of Oregon. Nonstop action, survival, high school science, and sibling rivalry are the hallmarks of this contemporary realistic survival story by the acclaimed author of Black Hole Sun.

Fourteen-year-old Harper Anderson is embarking on a camping trip with her family: twelve-year-old sister Ryker, a know-it-all who likes to push her buttons; sweet, eleven-year-old sister Jentry; and their dad Jordan, who is trying his best to keep the family together. The trip is to honor their recently deceased mother, whose ashes they carry with them. Fittingly, they are hiking South Sister, one of the three volcanic peaks of the mountain range called Three Sisters in central Oregon. But when the mountain suddenly erupts, their memorial hike turns into a harrowing fight for survival. With Dad injured, it’s up to Harper to get her family safely off the mountain, amid explosions, fires, glacier melt, cave-ins, acid rain, and more tests of her wits and courage.

This thrilling survival story, written with propulsive pacing and filled with breathtaking action by acclaimed author David Macinnis Gill, is also an exploration of grief, sibling rivalry, and the unbreakable bonds of family. For fans of Gary Paulsen and Mindy McGinnis.

 

14. Wild Darling by Alexandra Moody

Wild Darling

📚 This is the third book in the Darling Devils series

Alexandra Moody’s BookTok sensation DARLING DEVILS series is back with the most devilish Darling brother of all — in a wholesome, banter-filled ice-hockey romance perfect for fans of Hannah Grace, slow-burn chemistry, and happily ever afters!

Enemies. Teammates. Something dangerously close to more . . .

Parker Darling is ready to take center ice now that his older brothers have left to play hockey in college. He shows up to the first practice ready to be team captain of the Ransom Devils, only to find a new coach at the rink—one who already hates Parker for a dumb mistake he made years ago. A mistake he made with the help of Coach Foster’s daughter, Mackenzie.

Kenzie Foster loves hockey, too, and she’s a ruthless goalie. If only her dad hadn’t forbidden her from playing—not that she’d want to be on any team with that arrogant jerk Parker Darling. She can’t believe she’s stuck on the bench at a new school, watching the Devils struggle to win without the force of all three Darling brothers.

Parker hates losing, and when the Devils’ star goalie is cut, he knows he has to step up and lead the team back to greatness. Kenzie, meanwhile, sees a wide-open net and an unused uniform just waiting to prove her dad wrong. They’ll need to work together to reach their goals—without getting too close to making another big mistake.

 

 

15. Release Me Deluxe Limited Edition by Tahereh Mafi

Release Me (Deluxe Limited Edition)

📚 This is the sequel to Watch Me

The searing second volume in a new series set in the #1 global bestselling Shatter Me universe ten years after the fall of The Reestablishment. This exquisite deluxe edition features:

  • Shimmery jacket with holographic foil
  • Gorgeous designed endpapers
  • Foil case design with a quote from the novel
  • Stunning holographic edges

Quantities are limited for this deluxe edition so be sure to order now!

Rosabelle Wolff had a plan. Now she wants revenge. To save her sister she needs to get back home and destroy the system that created her. Rosabelle’s greatest strength is her ability to deaden her mind and body; it’s the only way to survive the surveillance state of Ark Island. But lately her heart has been beating harder; her thoughts are spiraling; her defenses are coming undone.

And there’s only one person to blame.

James Anderson had a plan. Now he has nothing but problems. Rosabelle might be the ally they need in a fight against The Reestablishment, but no one wants to trust an enemy assassin. It doesn’t help that Rosabelle’s not much of a talker, doesn’t work well in groups, and kills people on instinct. Taking her side has cost James nearly everything—but keeping her alive might help save his world.

If only he could convince his older brother.

Aaron Warner Anderson has a headache. Something dark is coming, and Rosabelle’s arrival is just a prelude. In her, he sees shades of himself he can’t trust, and worse: he can no longer get a read on the girl. She’s a dead battery, emanating no emotional feedback. At least not until James walks into a room…

Volcanic tension, breathless reveals, breakneck action—and a dystopian world that never stops raising the stakes:

Welcome back to The New Republic.

 

16. unOrdinary Volume 4 by uru-chan

unOrdinary Volume 4

📚 This is the fourth book in the unOrdinary Series

The action-packed series from the #1 digital comic platform WEBTOON concludes in this epic finale where secrets are exposed, powers will be unleashed, and a new King will be crowned!

This hardcover edition features exclusive chibi case art!

As John’s true powers are revealed, he secretly begins to take revenge on Wellston High’s elite students and take the title of King by force. Under his rule, Wellston descends into fear and chaos, with students too terrified to oppose him. Seraphina, now powerless, grows increasingly concerned about John’s violent behavior. John, consumed by anger and paranoia, refuses to trust anyone. His brutal reign isolates him further, leaving former royals and students powerless against his unchecked dominance.

John is King. Wellston High bends to his will. Yet, with all his power, why does his victory feel so hollow?

 

17. The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake by Mara Rutherford

The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake by Mara Rutherford (9781335013880)

In Wisteria, the very act of innovation is forbidden. Any creation—art, music, engineering—conjures a demon from the other side. The greater the innovation, the more dangerous the demon.

This has never stopped Aurelie from inventing—but it has made it more difficult. Her inventions are small by necessity, producing demons that she is capable of dispatching alone. But she knows she’s meant for something greater, and each day has her chafing more at the boundaries of her society.

Destrier lost his parents to demons as a child, and has devoted his life to preventing more senseless murder at the hands of demons. He was young when he joined the hunters, and each year he’s grown stronger. But it’s never enough.

When a mysterious figure offers Aurelie a job she can’t refuse—an impossible, magnificent invention—her decision to accept sets off a chain of events that will alter every aspect of their world… and sparks the connection that will change both Aurelie and Des irrevocably.

With the fierce enemies-to-lovers romance of Heartless Hunter and the high-concept worldbuilding of Arcane, The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake will thrill readers looking for their new cross-genre favorite.

 

18. I Could Give You the Moon by Ann Liang

I Could Give You the Moon by Ann Liang (9781335014115)

📚 This is a companion to If You Could See the Sun

New York Times bestselling author Ann Liang returns to the world of her acclaimed debut, If You Could See the Sun, as a picture-perfect influencer teams up with the bad boy after they share a vision of future.

Everyone loves Chanel Cao—except Ares Yin.

While Chanel has spent her entire life curating a picture-perfect social media personality—from her body to her hair to her camera-ready smile—Ares has spent his trying to hide in the shadows. But Ares’s brother is missing, and Chanel’s parents have secretly separated, and their only hope is each other.

Ares is willing to do whatever it takes to find his brother, and Chanel will do anything to keep her parents’ secret. When the two meet and share a vision of the future—where Ares’s brother appears, as Chanel’s house burns to the ground—they are determined to use each other. Ares believes Chanel is the key to finding his brother, but Chanel is convinced if she gets Ares to fall in love with her, she’ll save her family house—and her parents’ crumbling marriage.

But Ares isn’t interested in the fake personality that Chanel has used her entire life to get affection and adoration. If she’s going to save her reputation, she’s going to have to let Ares get to know the real her—and risk real feelings.

 

19. The Thorn Queen Deluxe Limited Edition by Sasha Peyton Smith

The Thorn Queen Deluxe Limited Edition

📚 This is the sequel to The Rose Bargain

Wed to one brother. In love with the other.

Bridgerton, The Selection, and The Cruel Prince collide in this Victorian-inspired romantasy; the sequel to the instant New York Times bestseller The Rose Bargain.

This limited collector’s edition features an exclusive alternate jacket, gilded holographic edges, an intricately foiled case design, and never-before-seen bonus content.

Having won the hand of the faerie King Bram, Ivy is now Queen of England.

But with his ascension to the throne, Bram unleashed the fae into the human world. After hundreds of years of being kept from their favorite playthings, the Others are looking to make up for lost time—and they do, with wicked revelry that sweeps through the country.

To survive, Ivy acts the sweet, devoted wife. Behind the smile, she plots to banish her husband, save her sister Lydia, and reunite with the love of her life, Emmett.

Yet Emmet and Lydia are trapped in the Otherworld, where fae games are deadlier than ever—and a queen must play most viciously of all. Or see herself dethroned.

Forbidden romance, deceptive bargains, and lethal court intrigue intertwine in this mesmerizing, fae romantasy sequel that will captivate fans of Once Upon a Broken Heart and Belladonna.

 

20. Divergent Deluxe Limited Edition by Veronica Roth

Divergent Deluxe Limited Edition

An unmissable, hardcover deluxe limited edition of the first book in Veronica Roth’s #1 New York Times bestselling Divergent series: the story that inspired a major motion picture and captivated millions of teen and adult readers worldwide.

This collector’s edition features a stunning, completely foiled case, shimmering unique endpapers, a metallic reimagined cover, gorgeous designed edges, and bonus exclusive content.

One choice can transform you.

Beatrice Prior’s society is divided into five factions:

Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). Beatrice must choose between staying with her Abnegation family and transferring factions. Her choice will shock her community and herself.

But the newly christened Tris also has a secret, one she’s determined to keep hidden—because in this world, what makes you different makes you dangerous.

 

21. Starlight and Storm by Rachel Greenlaw

Starlight and Storm

📚 This is the third book in the Compass and Blade series

Mira is trapped in a deadly situation which could see the end of everything she has fought for. She must enter into one final desperate bargain, but this time, it’s with her greatest enemy, the ruling council. To save her life, her home, and the people she loves most, Mira is forced to compete in a series of terrifying trials filled with dark magic and dangerous monsters.

Her allies are scattered, her people without a home. With Eli lost in another world, Mira must shape herself into a weapon in order to survive. But with the true nature of the ruling council and their ambitions finally revealed, the battle for the future of the Fortunate Isles has become a war. And in war, there is only ever one victor . . .

 

22. If You Were Here by Abigail Johnson

If You Were Here by Abigail Johnson (9781335014108)

A charming and emotional standalone grumpy/sunshine romance set during a Nantucket summer. Lili needs Wren’s help to complete her father’s research and save her family’s reputation–but working together leads to more discoveries than either of them bargained for.

Lili Gardner hasn’t been back to Nantucket, her dad’s favorite place, since her parents divorced six years ago. But Dad passed away recently, leaving her a house on the island and an unsolved mystery about a maligned Gardner ancestor. Lili is determined to finish his life’s work, and convinces her mom and sister to spend the summer in Nantucket with her while she looks for answers, and for a connection to her dad.

Wren McCleave has a passion for history, but his father refuses to showcase anything real in their tourist trap of a “museum.” So when Lili asks Wren for help with her research, Wren can’t resist the opportunity to throw himself into something real, even if he dislikes tourists on principle.

Lili and Wren only have a summer to find out the truth about Lili’s ancestor. But the most surprising truths they uncover aren’t about the distant past, but about themselves right here in the present, and about what they want out of the future.

 

23. The Night King’s Court by Elisa A. Bonnin

The Night King’s Court

Caraval meets Flowerheart in this rich and immersive cozy fantasy, where dazzling magic, lush descriptions, and a sweet sapphic romance cast an irresistible spell.

Ida’s father went missing without a trace seven years ago, last seen at the court of the enigmatic Night King, which comes to life only after dark with magic and revelry.

So when a position opens up for a new court Luminaire, Ida doesn’t hesitate. She inherited her gift for enchantments from her father—and with this position, she’ll use it to find him again.

Ida is swept into the king’s collection of magical beings, those who bring light and entertainment to the Court’s midnight gatherings—and swept away by the Court, where faerie gardens edge into underwater masquerades, dreaming revels offer blissful escapes, and life is a mesmerizing euphoria.

Yet a sinister thread interrupts Ida’s nights of decadence. Memories go missing, the castle’s magic takes on a malevolence, and Ida can’t seem to leave the boundaries of the court itself.

Enlisting the help of the king’s breathtakingly beautiful daughter Lenore, Ida must unravel the castle’s secrets… before this enchanted world destroys her.

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