The Best New YA Books of July 2025
It is a truth universally acknowledged that summer is peak reading season. From our childhoods spent racking up Pan Pizzas thanks to the infamous Book It! Program to our adult years sprawled beside pools and on beaches with the latest bestsellers firmly in hand, there’s something deeply perfect about a day spent doing nothing but reading. The publishing industry is obviously fully aware of this, and schedules many of its biggest releases to drop during the hottest months of the year. YA readers are particularly spoiled for choice this month, with several big titles from established faves hitting shelves.
With highly anticipated sequels (Jennifer Lynn Barnes, LaDarrion Williams), buzzy debuts (Rebecca Danzenbaker), and exciting new titles from established favorites (Liselle Sambury, Lyndall Clipstone), there’s something for everyone headed our way this month.
Here are the best new YA books hitting shelves this July.
This Book Might Be About Zinnia by Brittney Morris
Release Date: July 1 from Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Why We’re Excited: A delicate, dual timeline exploration of love, sacrifice, and what it means to be family follows the story of two teen girls—one searching for her birth mother, the other, still reeling from giving her daughter up for adoption
Publisher’s Description: Two moments in time. Two very different girls. And one story that connects them both.
It’s the year 2024, and Zinnia Davis is on a mission to ace her personal essay. But when an admissions rep hints that her adoption story is “lacking heart,” she has to figure out a new spin. Frankly, Zinnia doesn’t know much about her birth parents; that is, until her favorite author releases a new novel—Little Heart—about a princess with a heart-shaped birthmark on her forehead and separated from her mother at birth…just like Zinnia. Could this be her birth mother?
Flashback to 2006, and teenager Tuesday Walker is barely making it through high school after experiencing a loss that had her on leave for months. To cope, Tuesday writes a series of entries in a journal, but when the journal is lost, it feels like reliving the trauma all over again. Tuesday’s search for the journal uncovers dangerous secrets about her past, her crush, and her own mother’s story.
If Tuesday isn’t careful in her search, Zinnia will have to reap the consequences in the present.
Den of Liars by Jessica S. Olsen
Release Date: July 1 from Feiwel & Friends
Why We’re Excited: The latest YA fantasy novel from the author of A Forgery of Roses follows the hidden daughter of a crime boss who attempts a daring heist during a high-stakes tournament at a magical casino full of illusions. [Read the prologue here.]
Publisher’s Description: Lola St. James is the world’s best kept secret. When her father’s loss in the Liar’s Dice Tournament—a high-stakes competition where players are forced to gamble with their deepest secrets—made her a target, she was rescued by the Thief, the notorious leader of the Tentacles. But the Thief’s kindness came with a price: Lola’s heart. In the years that followed, she and the Thief formed a bond like no other, able to feel each other’s emotions because of their shared heart.
Now, living under the pseudonym Astra, she is determined to prove herself and become a full-fledged Tentacle. But when a critical heist goes sideways, the only way forward is for Lola to compete in the Liar’s Dice Tournament herself. Lola is confident in her ability to pull off any heist, but the Thief’s mysterious brother, the Liar, runs the game and he turns out to be more than she bargained for. As her attraction for him grows and illusions run wild, she will be forced to confront the secrets of her past, the truth of the brothers’ shared history, and the lies she tells herself.
The Nightblood Prince by Molly X. Chang
Release Date: July 1 from Random House Books for Young Readers
Why We’re Excited: A unique, Chinese-inspired spin on established vampire lore from the author of To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods, The Nightblood Prince mixes swoon-worthy romance with sharp political intrigue and a fearless young heroine with a prophesied destiny.
Publisher’s Description: The night Fei was born, a prophecy was made: she would one day become the Empress of All Empresses.
Torn from her family as a child and raised in the palace to one day marry the Crown Prince of the most powerful empire in the land, Fei has only ever known loneliness. When the opportunity arises to seize her own destiny for the first time in her life, Fei sets out to hunt a legendary tiger, knowing it might cost her everything. What she doesn’t expect is to fall under the mercy of Yexue, the beautiful runaway prince from a rival kingdom. Blessed by the night, harboring a dangerous magic, and capable of commanding an army of deadly vampires, Yexue could be the key to Fei gaining more than just her freedom.
But to outrun destiny, Fei must spark a wave of events that will change the world as she knows it. Torn between two princes and plagued by nightmares of bloodshed, she finds that the stars might be more inescapable—and more irresistible—than she ever considered before. . . .
Tenderly, I Am Devoured by Lyndall Clipstone
Release Date: July 1 from Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Why We’re Excited: Dark, atmospheric, and lushly written, this Gothic romance follows the story of a young woman who must bind herself to a dangerous god in an attempt to save her family’s legacy.
Publisher’s Description: Expelled from her prestigious boarding school following a violent incident, eighteen-year-old Lacrimosa Arriscane returns home in disgrace to discover her family on the point of financial ruin. Desperate to save them, she accepts a marriage of convenience… to Therion, the chthonic god worshipped by Lark’s isolated coastal hometown.
But when her betrothal goes horribly wrong, Lark begins to vanish from the mortal realm. Her only hope is to seek help from Alastair Felimath: the brilliant, arrogant boy who was her first heartbreak, and his alluring older sister, Camille. As the trio delve into the folklore of gods, Lark falls under the spell of both Felimath siblings.
Ensnared by a fervent romance, they perform a bacchanalia with hopes the hedonistic ritual will repair the connection between Lark and her bridegroom. Instead, they draw the ire of something much darker, which seeks to destroy Therion―and Lark as well.
The Rebel Girls of Rome By Jordyn Taylor
Release Date: July 8 from Harper Collins
Why We’re Excited: One part historical fiction, one part romance, this dual timeline narrative that follows two young women: Lilah, a college student looking to understand her grandfather’s mysterious past, and Bruna, a queer Jewish woman who joins the resistance during World War II.
Publisher’s Description: Now: Grieving the loss of her mother, college student Lilah is hoping to reconnect with a grandfather who refuses to talk about his past. Then she receives a mysterious letter from a fellow student, Tommaso, claiming he’s found a lost family heirloom, and her world is upended.
Soon Lilah finds herself in Rome, trying to unlock her grandfather’s history as a Holocaust survivor once and for all. But as she and Tommaso get closer to the truth—and their relationship begins to deepen into something sweeter—Lilah realizes that some secrets may be too painful to unbury…
Then: It’s 1943, and nineteen-year-old Bruna and her family are doing their best to survive in Rome’s Jewish quarter under Nazi occupation. Until the dreaded knock comes early one morning, and Bruna is irrevocably separated from the rest of her family.
Overcome with guilt at escaping her family’s fate in the camps, she joins the underground rebellion. When her missions bring her back to her childhood crush, Elsa, Bruna must decide how much she’s willing to risk—when fully embracing herself is her greatest act of resistance.
Between These Broken Hearts by Lexi Ryan
Release Date: July 22 from Storytide
Why We’re Excited: The latest installment in Lexi Ryan’s underrated Hollow Vows series, Between These Broken Hearts picks up where the action of Beneath These Cursed Stars left off, following two parallel love stories as Jasalyn and Felicity race against the clock to save their kingdoms, their lives, and the men they love.
Publisher’s Description: Princess Jasalyn has eleven days to live. Jasalyn is facing the repercussions of a deadly bargain. Her life, and the future of the shadow court, are forfeit on her birthday unless she can stop the evil fae king Mordeus. She needs to face her greatest fears and find him before she runs out of time, but even after everything, Kendrick won’t let her face this alone.
Shape-shifter Felicity has vanished. Felicity disappeared from King Misha’s dungeons, and her friends have been searching for her to no avail. But even if she’s found, Felicity will never be able to escape the oracle’s tragic prophecy for her and her family. In her lonely battle with fate, Misha is the last person she can ask to stand by her side, but the first one she’ll need.
Love at Full Tilt by Jenny L. Howe
Release Date: July 22 from Delacorte Romance
Why We’re Excited: A love letter to fandom, theme parks, and plus-sized heroines, everything about Love at Full Tilt is a joyful, charming story of acceptance that’s as sweet as funnel cake. Richly drawn characters are a highlight.
Publisher’s Description: Lia Baker has spent the last few months wishing time would stand still. Soon her friends will head off to college while she’s left behind, buried under her mom’s anxiety and working a job she doesn’t want. But life throws her for a loop when she wins a spot in the fiftieth-anniversary scavenger hunt at Fableland, a legendary theme park. The contest is a golden ticket to a world where her favorite stories come to life and a chance for her to write some new ones of her own.
Everything seems perfect, especially after she teams up with Mason, a cute rival who knows as much about Fableland as she does. Together, they’re unstoppable. But as Mason’s sweet smile starts to melt her focus, Lia realizes that she may have to choose between the future she wants to rewrite—and a love she hadn’t planned for.
Soulmatch by Rebecca Danzenbaker
Release Date: July 29 from Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Why We’re Excited: Suspenseful storytelling, a fully imagined dystopian world, and a creative premise help this story of a futuristic society where souls are tracked and controlled across lifetime pack a thrilling punch.
Publisher’s Description: Two hundred years after World War III, the world is at peace, all thanks to the soul-identification system. Every eighteen-year-old must report to the government to learn about their past lives, a terrifying process known as kirling. Good souls leave the institute with their inheritance, a career path, and if they’re lucky, a soulmate. Bad souls leave in handcuffs.
It’s a nerve-wracking ordeal for Sivon, who, given her uncanny ability to win every chess match, already suspects her soul isn’t normal. Turns out, she was right to worry. Sivon’s results stun not only her, but the entire world, making her the object of public scrutiny and anonymous threats.
Saddled with an infuriating and off-limits bodyguard, Sivon is thrust into a high-stakes game where souls are pawns and rules don’t exist. As deaths mount, Sivon must decipher friend from foe while protecting her heart against impossible odds. One wrong move could destroy the future lives of everyone Sivon loves, and she can’t let that happen, even if they’ll never love her back.
Glorious Rivals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Release Date: July 29 from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Why We’re Excited: Millions, hearts, and lives are at stake in the latest installment in Jennifer Lynn Barnes’s megapopular Inheritance Games saga.
Publisher’s Description: Seven players arrived on Hawthorne Island, each with their own secrets and motivations to win the Grandest Game. Millions are at stake, but so are hearts—and lives. The players now must race to win the game, solve myriad mysteries, and survive the twists and turns of Glorious Rivals.
A Mastery of Monsters by Liselle Sambury
Release Date: July 29 from Margaret K. McElderry Books
Why We’re Excited: The latest from Liselle Sambury mixes dark academia and urban fantasy (with a deadly magic competition thrown on top) in a story where monsters are real, but in which their existence is used to explore complex themes of prejudice, systemic violence, belonging, and more.
Publisher’s Description: When August’s brother disappears before his sophomore semester, everyone thinks the stress of college got to him. But August knows her brother would never have left her voluntarily, especially not after their mother so recently went missing.
The only clue he left behind was a note telling her to stay safe and protect their remaining family. And after August is attacked by a ten-foot-tall creature with fur and claws, she realizes that her brother might be in more danger than she could have imagined.
Unfortunately for her, the only person with a connection to the mysterious creature is the bookish Virgil Hawthorne…and he knows about them because he is one. If he doesn’t find a partner to help control his true nature, he’ll lose his humanity and become a mindless beast—exactly what the secret society he’s grown up in would love to put down.
Virgil makes a proposition: August will join his society and partner with him, and in return, he’ll help her find her brother. And so August is plunged into a deadly competition to win one of the few coveted candidate spots, all while trying to accept a frightening reality: that monsters are real, and she has to learn to master them if she’s to have any hope of saving her brother.
We Won’t All Survive by Kate Alice Marshall
Release Date: July 29 from Viking Books for Young Readers
Why We’re Excited: A fast-paced YA thriller about a group of contestants made famous by various tragedies or public traumas who are recruited to participate in a billionaire’s new reality survival show, We Won’t All Survive’s high-stakes action sequences may require some suspension of disbelief, but it’s a definite page-turner.
Publisher’s Description: Two years ago, Mercy Gray was hailed as a hero for saving lives during a mall shooting. She still carries souvenirs from that day: the fragment of a bullet lodged in her back, a mountain of medical debt, and guilt for ignoring her sister’s warnings that the sweet boy next door was anything but.
So when billionaire turned TV host Damien Dare recruits Mercy to compete on his new survivalist reality show, she can’t turn down a chance at the whopping cash prize that could send her sister to college. But when she and the other contestants arrive at the off-grid location, something isn’t right. The set is empty. The gates close without warning, trapping them inside. And then one of them turns up dead. What appeared at first to be a tragic accident quickly transforms as more contestants start dropping like flies. With time and resources running low, surviving this show takes on a whole new meaning. Mercy must figure out who to trust. Before she’s next.
Bones at the Crossroads by LaDarrion Williams
Release Date: July 29 from Labyrinth Road
Why We’re Excited: The sequel to Williams’ magical HBCU-set debut Blood at the Root, Bones at the Crossroads continues the story of Malik and his time at Caiman University, as he struggles to hone his powers and learns more about his family and their legacy.
Publisher’s Description: It’s Homecoming season at Caiman University, and all 17-year-old Malik Baron wants to do is be a regular college student…or as regular as he can get at a magical HBCU for young, Black Conjurers. He’s ready to go to parties, hang out with his new friends, choose a major, and talk to girls. Instead, he’s reeling from a summer of revelations, heartbreak and betrayal, and still uncovering the truth about his powers and his legacy.
The family he only just discovered is already fractured beyond repair, and a new relative who shows up on his doorstep brings even more questions. Then there’s the mother he risked everything to find, who might be the biggest threat to the life he’s trying to build. To protect his new community, Malik joins an elite secret society with roots in ancient magic.
His journey takes him even deeper into his own heritage and the history of the magical world, while bringing him closer to a classmate whose friendship might mean something more, if Malik is ready to let her in. But how can he use powers he can’t even control to defend a world he’s not sure will ever fully accept him? And as the pressure and danger builds, will he be able to confront the deepening cracks within the magical society, and those building within himself?
Immortal Consequences by I.V. Marie
Release Date: July 29 from Delacorte Press
Why We’re Excited: An atmospheric dark academia story with multiple POVs, dangerous trials, and a rivals-to-lovers romance, all set at a boarding school in Purgatory where teens must reap souls, Immortal Consequences follows six students determined to change their fate—and their afterlives.
Publisher’s Description: Welcome to Blackwood Academy: the legendary school located on the fringes of the afterlife. Once a pupil enters the academy’s arched gates, there is no way out…except the Decennial, a cut-throat magical competition with only one victor.
This year, six of the Academy’s top students have been chosen to face the Decennial’s tests. Two academic archrivals, whose strange connection blurs the lines between obsession and hate. One girl driven solely by ambition, and another plagued by memories of the love she lost. And a charming playboy who never cared for anyone—until he met the academy’s newest student. But what none of them know? They aren’t the only ones playing Blackwood’s game.
Who will win, and who will fall? Only one thing is for certain: in this game, some fates are worse than death.
Lacy Baugher Milas writes about Books and TV at Paste Magazine, but loves nerding out about all sorts of pop culture. You can find her on Twitter and Bluesky at @LacyMB