With summer coming so soon, I’ll only get to give two more book recs this year after this one—I’ll definitely miss doing this series and I’ll be excited to get started again next year. I know some people struggle to read over the summer—if you’re someone who wants to read more this summer but can’t find the motivation, this list is for you. I’m always on the lookout for upcoming books so here is my list of YA books to be excited for this summer. Because these are all anticipated releases rather than current releases, this will be my first time recommending books that I haven’t yet read. I can’t personally vouch for these like usual, but I’m genuinely excited about all of them and, because these aren’t books I’ve had to read in full, but instead just research, which takes much less time, I can make a longer list than usual.

(In order of announced release)

• This Could Be Forever by Ebony LaDelle (May 20): This book follows Deja and Raja, two teenagers trying to figure out the rest of their lives. Deja dreams of going to college for chemistry to sell skincare products, like the ones she already creates on her family’s North Carolina farm; Raja dreams of opening a tattoo parlor, even though his traditional Nepali family pushes him to pursue engineering and marriage. The two meet in Maryland and quickly fall head over heels. They work together to balance their love alongside their parents’ expectations. I’m not a huge fan of romance, but I can’t help feeling excited for a book that tackles the intersection of love, family, and tradition.
• This Moth Saw Brightness by A.A. Vacharat (May 27): This is a book that captures “weird-core”—using an all-out conspiracy plot to capture the inherent gaslighting and discrimination often faced by BIPOC and neurodivergent people in our society. Our protagonist, ‘Wayne, signs up for what seems like a normal university health study—but quickly finds himself pulled into a surreal, possibly sinister conspiracy. Alongside his best friend Kermit and fellow study participant Jane, he’s forced to navigate a world that feels increasingly unreal, reflecting the confusion and erasure many marginalized groups experience in navigating systems that weren’t made for them. As a neurodivergent person with a love of conspiracy books and allegories, I’m counting down the days.
• Under the Neon Lights by Arriel Vinson (June 3): This book has everything you could want in a story: romance, fun, self-love, and a strong message about the crushing effects of the increased gentrification of demographically Black communities—maybe I need to slow down. This book follows Jaelyn, a young Black girl in a predominantly Black Indianapolis neighborhood, who loves to skate. Jaelyn is skating away life’s stresses when she meets Trey, a fellow skater and her newfound crush. Jae thinks everything is turning up her way, until she finds out that her beloved local skating rink is being shut down. With her safe haven under threat, Jae is forced to directly confront the widespread gentrification of her neighborhood—and the devastation it brings.
• The Uncertainty Principle by Joshua Davis & Kal Kini-Davis (June 3): Written by a father-son duo, we follow Mia, a teenager living on a boat in the Caribbean with her parents despite her desperate desire to leave. Mia makes it her mission to hack the solar-powered satellite phone so she can call her best friend—she spends her days scavenging deserted islands for anything to assist her on her mission. When two teenagers sail into view, Mia finds herself overwhelmed with possibilities and decisions. With the new possibility of friendship and even romance, Mia needs to decide who she’ll be and what she’ll do. I’ve been told that this book is for the John Green fans, so I can’t wait.
• Call Your Boyfriend by Olivia A. Cole & Ashley Woodfolk (July 1): The premise of this book is equal parts comedic and adorable. Two girls, Beau Carl and Charm Montgomery, have both been crushing on the ever-popular Maia Moon—who’s been hooking up with one and flirting with the other. Both girls are hurt and angry when Maia dumps them both for her douchey boyfriend for prom. Beau and Charm devise a plan to work together to take Maia down. When what starts as purely a revenge plot seems to morph into something more intimate, both girls are forced to decide whether to pursue something much more frightening than revenge: love. I’m already smiling when I think about this sapphic rom-com.
• The Last Tiger by Julia Riew & Brad Riew (July 29): I am so ready for the debut YA fantasy novel. Written by a brother-sister duo and based on the authors’ grandparents’ love story, this book boasts an exciting fantasy grounded in Korean history. And it’s a friends-to-enemies-to-lovers story? I’m sold. In a colonized land, tigers are being hunted to extinction—Lee Seung, a young servant, and Choi Eunji, a rebellious noble girl, find themselves in star-crossed friendship. The two unlikely friends find themselves on opposite sides of the battle for the key to the liberation of their country, the last tiger. When someone else, a prince of the empire, begins to pursue Eunji’s heart, both Eunji and Seung are forced to take inventory of their lives and their love—to decide what to do for the kingdom, and for the final, elusive creature—the last remaining tiger.
• Rosa by Any Other Name by Hailey Alcaraz (August 5): Romeo & Juliet meets the civil rights era? Sign me up. Rosa is a Mexican American girl living during the advent of desegregated schools. While she is now legally allowed to attend the school, it’s still very unsafe for her. Still, she dreams of being a journalist so she goes to school disguising her true identity as “Rosie”, her white alter ego that she uses to avoid prejudice. Tragedy strikes when her two classmates are murdered for being in an intercultural relationship—Rosa has to decide between remaining hidden to protect her future and propelling into activism to seek justice for her friends. Amidst all the chaos, Rosa finds a budding romance in her lost friend’s brother, Marco—the two join forces within their grief and desire for justice.
• Legendary Frybread Drive-In edited by Cynthia Leitich Smith (August 26): This book is set to come out the day before my 18th birthday so happy birthday to me! This exciting anthology features poems and stories from a number of indigenous authors—the book’s namesake is the fictional inter-tribal hangout, Sandy June’s Legendary Frybread Drive-In, where teens of every local tribal nation come to enjoy a rotating menu of traditional eats and a sense of unity. This book boasts a number of iconic indigenous authors as well as many lesser known, I can’t wait to preorder.

I hope these super fun reads give you some motivation to read this summer. I’m really looking forward to all of these and I hope they live up to the hype. Enjoy your last few weeks of school, stay tuned for my final two book recs of the year, and keep reading y’all!