Frenzy Presents Fall 2017 Preview: 5 YA Books I'm Excited About

My Literary Lenses recently celebrated a huge milestone: I went to my very first blogger event over the weekend! The Frenzy crew from HarperCollins Canada invited bloggers to preview their upcoming YA books. Although the preview was an absolute blast, it's safe to say most of us were very excited about the fact that YA authors Angie Thomas, Julie Murphy and Becky Albertalli were also in attendance!

I'm a huge fan of The Hate U Give by Thomas and Dumplin' by Julie Murphy—they're definitely both in my top 10 favourite books I've read this year—so I was a little bit starstruck when they walked into the room. Each author talked about the movie adaptations of their books and what it's like to interact with fans who relate to some of the heavier subject matter in their stories. These authors are so vital to the YA community: They are doing important work by representing marginalized teens who don't often see themselves in books. It isn't surprising that their popularity has exploded recently and I can't wait to read their next books.

I left the event on such a high—it was so uplifting to be surrounded by people with similar interests and hobbies. I also left with a lot more knowledge about some of HCC's upcoming books, which I discuss below!

DRAGONS!
Oh yes, there will be dragons. Lots of them. In Before She Ignites by Jodi Meadows, the protagonist discovers a dark secret about the way dragons are treated in her world and she is determined to expose the truth.

Focus on mental health:
As a person with anxiety, I was so pleased (and actually quite surprised) to hear that so many upcoming books from HCC Frenzy follow characters living with anxiety. I obviously can't say whether the representation is good in any of these books since I haven't read them yet, but Before She Ignites by Jodi Meadows, Top Ten by Katie Cotugno and Kat and Meg Conquer the World by Anna Priemaza all include characters with anxiety. I also believe that one of the main characters in They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera deals with anxiety, but I wasn't able to confirm that through the synopsis.

Dark themes:
If you're sick of lovey-dovey YA where the characters are way too perfect and the story ends wrapped in a perfect bow, then these upcoming HCC Frenzy books may be for you. This Darkness Mine by Mindy McGinnis follows a girl named Sasha Stone who discovers that she absorbed her twin sister in the womb. I've heard the word "freaky" used to describe this book many times, and if McGinnis' previous titles (like The Female of the Species) are anything like this one, I know it will be equal parts disturbing and suspenseful. Although literally everyone (except me) has already read this next one, it's worth mentioning They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera (I mean, the title says it all) where two boys come to terms with the fact that they are going to die today.

1. This Darkness Mine by Mindy McGinnis (October 10, 2017)
From HarperCollins Canada: "Sasha Stone knows her place—first-chair clarinet, top of her class, and at the side of her Oxford-wearing boyfriend. She’s worked her entire life to ensure her path to Oberlin Conservatory as a star musician is perfectly paved. But suddenly there’s a fork in the road in the shape of Isaac Harver. Her body shifts toward him when he walks by, and her skin misses his touch even though she’s never known it. Why does he act like he knows her so well—too well—when she doesn’t know him at all? Sasha discovers that her by-the-book life began by ending the chapter of another: the twin sister she absorbed in the womb. But that doesn’t explain the gaps of missing time in her practice schedule, or the memories she has of things she certainly never did with Isaac. Armed with the knowledge that her heart might not be hers alone, Sasha must decide what she’s willing to do—and who she’s willing to hurt—to take it back."

2. Release by Patrick Ness (September 19, 2017)
From HarperCollins Canada: "Adam Thorn doesn’t know it yet, but today will change his life. Between his religious family, a deeply unpleasant ultimatum from his boss, and his own unrequited love for his sort-of ex, Enzo, it seems as though Adam’s life is falling apart. At least he has two people to keep him sane: his new boyfriend (he does love Linus, doesn’t he?) and his best friend, Angela. But all day long, old memories and new heartaches come crashing together, throwing Adam’s life into chaos. The bindings of his world are coming untied one by one; yet in spite of everything he has to let go, he may also find freedom in the release. From the New York Times bestselling author of A Monster Calls comes a raw, darkly funny, and deeply affecting story about the courage it takes to live your truth"

3. Here We Are Now by Jasmine Warga (November 7, 2017)
From HarperCollins Canada: "Taliah Sahar Abdallat lives and breathes music. Songs have always helped Tal ease the pain of never having known her father. Her mother, born in Jordan and very secretive about her past, won’t say a word about who her dad really was. But when Tal finds a shoebox full of old letters from Julian Oliver—yes, the indie rock star Julian Oliver—she begins to piece the story together. She writes to Julian, but after three years of radio silence, she’s given up hope. Then one day, completely out of the blue, Julian shows up at her doorstep, and Tal doesn’t know whether to be furious or to throw herself into his arms. Before she can decide, he asks her to go on a trip with him to meet her long-estranged family and to say good-bye to his father, her grandfather, who is dying. Getting to know your father after sixteen years of estrangement doesn’t happen in one car ride. But as Tal spends more time with Julian and his family, she begins to untangle her parents’ secret past, and discovers a part of herself she never recognized before. By the acclaimed author of My Heart and Other Black Holes, this is an intergenerational story of family and legacy and the way love informs both of those things. It’s about secrets and the debt of silence. It’s about the power of songs. And most of all, it’s about learning how to say hello. And good-bye."

4. Three Sides of a Heart: Stories about Love Triangles edited by Natalie C. Parker (December 19, 2017)

From HarperCollins Canada: "You may think you know the love triangle, but you've never seen love triangles like these. These top YA authors tackle the much-debated trope of the love triangle, and the result is sixteen fresh, diverse, and romantic stories you don’t want to miss. This collection, edited by Natalie C. Parker, contains stories written by Renee Ahdieh, Rae Carson, Brandy Colbert, Katie Cotugno, Lamar Giles, Tessa Gratton, Bethany Hagan, Justina Ireland, Alaya Dawn Johnson, EK Johnston, Julie Murphy, Garth Nix, Natalie C. Parker, Veronica Roth, Sabaa Tahir, and Brenna Yovanoff. A teen girl who offers kissing lessons. Zombies in the Civil War South. The girl next door, the boy who loves her, and the girl who loves them both. Vampires at a boarding school. Three teens fighting monsters in an abandoned video rental store. Literally the last three people on the planet. What do all these stories have in common? The love triangle."

5. Before She Ignites by Jodi Meadows (September 12, 2017)
From HarperCollins Canada: "From the New York Times bestselling co-author of My Lady Jane comes a smoldering new fantasy trilogy perfect for fans of Victoria Aveyard and Kristin Cashore about a girl condemned for defending dragons and the inner fire that may be her only chance of escape. Mira has always been a symbol of hope for the Fallen Isles, perfect and beautiful—or at least that’s how she’s forced to appear. But when she uncovers a dangerous secret, Mira is betrayed by those closest to her and sentenced to the deadliest prison in the Fallen Isles. Except Mira is over being a pawn. Fighting to survive against outer threats and inner demons of mental illness, Mira must find her inner fire and the scorching truth about her own endangered magic—before her very world collapses. And that’s all before she ignites."

Which YA books are you looking forward to this fall?