This summer’s movie season is looking to be great and so does the summer book season look great. All of these books are calling to me, the only question is which one to read first. What about you? Which of these new releases are you going to add to your shelf?
Shards of Silence by Brian Lee Young
HarperCollins
In his first YA novel, award-winning author Brian Lee Young (Diné) bridges the generational divide between a Navajo teen at an elite prep school and his great-grandmother’s experience at a federal boarding school for Indigenous students. The book is an eye-opening call for community healing and a profound coming-of-age story.
Goldenborn by Ama Ofosua Lieb
Scholastic
Akoma Addo has one rule: don’t get too close to the supernatural.
Ever since a blazing orb of light left her father in a coma, she’s buried herself in her secret job investigating magical crimes in San Francisco’s AfricaTown — just enough to keep her grief at bay. But when a body turns up in a pool of molten gold and ash, Akoma’s pulled into something much bigger — and far more dangerous. At the center of it all is Anansi, the trickster god of stories, who makes her an impossible offer: help him catch a killer and awaken the ancestral magic buried deep in her blood… and in return, he’ll give her a chance to bring her father back. To take the deal, Akoma will have to lie to everyone she loves and embrace the very power she’s spent years trying to deny. And as her connection grows with Xander, the new guy in town with secrets of his own, Akoma must decide who she can trust — especially when she’s no longer sure she can even trust herself. Rooted in Ghanaian mythology and packed with mystery, danger, and slow-burning romance, Goldenborn is a gripping fantasy about legacy, lies, and what it really means to rewrite your story.
Hear Ye Mortals by Yamile Saied Méndez
Levine Querido
In 1976 Rosario, Argentina, brothers Daniel and Adrián Aguirre share a passion for music and a bond as best friends. However, under the authoritarian military government, artists and musicians are considered enemies of the state, even if they’re just teenagers playing at home. When one of their songs unexpectedly gains popularity on the radio, Daniel and Adrián, along with their band Río Babelcomprised of children of immigrants from Spain, Palestine, and Germany face a daunting choice.
They must decide whether to pursue their dream of becoming musicians or to remain silent to protect their families. Ready to challenge the military regime, their resolve is tested when one of their own goes missing.
This novel delves into the power of music in the fight for a better tomorrow, making it a compelling read for those who appreciate stories of courage, family, and the enduring spirit of resistance against a totalitarian regime.
Young World by Soman Chainani
Random House Books for Young Readers
America is on the brink of collapse, and the youth have lost all faith in their leaders. As a pivotal election approaches, Benton Young, a high school senior trying to impress a girl, impulsively uploads a video, daring everyone to interfere with the vote and write him in for President. The video explodes online, igniting election chaos and a national revolt, until the Supreme Court intervenes to put Benton in the White House. Galvanized by Benton’s rise, more global youth take to the streets, and more governments fall, until eight of the world’s most powerful nations are led by teenagers.
When these young leaders convene at their first summit in Sweden, they face the monumental task of setting a new course for history. But the first night, their unity is shattered when a leader is murdered in cold blood . . . and Benton is the only suspect. Hunted by enemies young and old, he must untangle a deadly web of secrets, betrayal, and power plays—while the future of the world hangs in the balance.
With globe-spanning action, stunning twists, and an electric new brand of storytelling, Young World is a heart-stopping thriller that asks: What happens when the future really does belong to the young?
The Beckett Effect by Nashae Jones
Simon Pulse
There’s no one Wren hates more than Beckett Lane.
Girls love Beckett because of his famous dad, and Beckett revels in the unearned attention. It seems like everyone except Wren is susceptible to the Beckett Effect—the phenomenon that makes people, most of all teen girls, fall for him despite his glaring red flags. Unfortunately for Wren, her sister, Kennedy, is vulnerable to Beckett’s charms, and she has a huge, misguided crush on him.
When Beckett humiliates Kennedy at a party in front of the entire school, Wren swears to bring him down once and for all. And what better way to expose him than by using her passion for filmmaking to create a documentary showing just how terrible he really is?
But as Wren cozies up to Beckett to get (hopefully damning) inside information, she starts to wonder if the line between love and hate is as clear as she thought…
Like We Were in Paris by Stephan Lee
Scholastic Press
Ben Lim is so excited for his French Club’s trip to the most romantic city in the world: Paris. Ben’s even made a to-do list of all the things he wants to accomplish, like see the Mona Lisa IRL and read a book in a sophisticated cafe. Also, Ben’s parents honeymooned in Paris, and being there will help Ben connect more to the memory of his late dad.
But things go wrong the first night when Ben misses curfew and finds himself locked out of the youth hostel…until morning.
Also locked out? Tyler Travers, the most popular and handsome boy in school. Who, oh yeah, happens to be Ben’s former friend and current nemesis.
Ben cannot deal with Tyler’s entitled-jock attitude. But now that they’re thrown together, the two of them end up roaming around Paris and stumbling upon some cool sights—like the glittering Eiffel Tower, a drag show in the Marais, and even a chance to “borrow” a moped.
As their misadventures take them all across the city, Ben fights his growing attraction to Tyler, which was NEVER part of the plan. The two of them couldn’t be more different. Besides, Tyler doesn’t even remember that they were once friends. Right?
That Which Feeds Us by Keala Kendall
Random House Books for Young Readers
For the world’s wealthiest, Kōpaʻa Island Resort is more than a destination. It’s the ultimate escape. With no cell service or Wi-Fi, the Hawaiian island is a coveted wellness retreat renowned for its persimmon orchard and promises of rejuvenation.
But their dream vacation is Lehua’s nightmare. When her twin sister, Ohia, goes missing, Lehua follows her trail to Kōpaʻa to find her. Instead, Lehua is cut off from civilization—and help—after the island’s boat leaves without her, stranding her with the resort’s lavish guests and enigmatic staff.
As Lehua investigates Ohia’s disappearance, she discovers her missing sister isn’t the island’s only mystery. Kōpaʻa’s rich exterior and sweet persimmons hide its dark plantation past. And Lehua can’t ignore the dreams haunting her each night—nor the warning telling her to leave the island at once. To uncover what happened to Ohia, Lehua will have to unearth the island’s bloody history and face the horrors that lurk within its sugarcane fields—or risk being consumed by them.
Sharply observed and gorgeously written, That Which Feeds Us explores the true cost of paradise as Lehua must fight to reclaim the land, the stories, and the very souls of her people.