The book Another First Chance, written by Robbie Couch explores themes of grief, love, healing, and the importance of second chances. The story's main character includes a teenage boy named River Lang, who's struggling to cope with the death of his best friend, Dylan.
Forever Is Now by Mariama J. Lockington is a young adult novel-in-verse following Sadie Dixon, a Black, bisexual teenager in Oakland, California, who experiences a severe spiral into agoraphobia after witnessing police brutality and experiencing a breakup. Through poetic verse and online social media posts, Sadie's journey explores mental health, activism, finding her voice, and experiencing Black joy while trying to build a safe inner world and contribute to the protests against injustice.
In Killer House Party by Lily Anderson, overachieving valedictorian Arden, facing the loss of her college fund to her parents' purchase of the infamous Deinhart Manor, decides to throw a massive graduation party at the allegedly haunted mansion to make money and celebrate. However, the party turns deadly when the house traps the attendees inside.
Love Radio by Ebony LaDelle follows Prince, a Detroit teen who gives love advice on his popular hip-hop radio show, and Dani, an ambitious writer focused on her future, as they navigate their budding romance amidst personal challenges. Prince cares for his mother and brother while pursuing his dream of becoming a DJ, while Dani works to heal from a traumatic past event that makes her hesitant to engage in romance.
"Rez Ball" by Byron Graves follows Trey Brun, a teen on the Red Lake Reservation who steps into his deceased brother's role as the star basketball player, aiming to lead his Ojibwe community to a state championship and fulfill their collective dream. The novel explores Trey's struggles with grief, pressure from the community, racism, and navigating new friendships and romance, as he attempts to prove himself and live up to his brother's legacy.
Saints of the Household by Ari Tison is a young adult novel told from two perspectives, following brothers Jay and Max as they grapple with the aftermath of a violent act they committed to protect their cousin, an act fueled by years of living with a physically abusive father. The brothers, who are Indigenous Costa Rican (Bribri) and live in Minnesota, must confront their actions, their traumatic past, and their shifting bond with each other, while also drawing on their Bribri heritage to navigate their way forward and break cycles of toxic behavior.
Sky's End by Marc J. Gregson is a YA dystopian novel where Conrad, stripped of his privileged status after his father's murder, enters a deadly competition within the Hunter Trade of a flying society to rescue his siter from his uncle's control. He endures brutal training and dangerous skyship battles against monstrous sky serpents called gorgantauns, unearthing dark secrets about his world and confronting a growing rebellion as he navigates complex loyalties and a harsh, class-based meritocracy.
Thieves Gambit by Kayvion Lewis introduces 17-year-old Rosalyn "Ross" Quest, a master thief from a legendary family of thieves who is tired of her criminal life and wants to find a way out. After a heist goes wrong, Ross's mother is kidnapped and held for ransom. To save her, Ross enters the Thieves' Gambit, a secretive, international competition for the world's best teenage thieves.
Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley follows teenager Perry Firekeeper-Birch on Sugar Island, Michigan, who uncovers her Anishinaabe tribe's stolen ancestral remains and artifacts held by a local college. When more Indigenous women begin to go missing, Perry takes action, eventually leading her and her friends—including her organized twin, Pauline—on a mission to return the ancestors and expose a larger plot.
