A Reality Show Murder Mystery, A Poe Legacy, and More New YA Book Releases for April 8, 2026
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It’s a busy publishing week as we continue our journey through the spring and early summer YA book release season. Two things that have stood out in YA so far this year are continuing this week: less inclusive books are being released, and a handful of books are hitting shelves together in hardcover and paperback. The first can be best explained by the fact that diverse books are published on or around the same dates, making some weeks better in their offerings than others. The second is a trend that has been happening for some time last year, and it is quite a welcome one. I will, at some point, do a larger roundup of dual-format releases, as these are books that seem specifically targeted towards teen readers, because of their price-point option.
Many books of different genres are being released this week. There are also many series releases, so if you are looking for the next installment in your favorite series or want to start a new saga, you can find it here. We’ve got a new installment in your favorite Disney YA series, a new book from Patrick Ness set in the “Chaos Walking” series, a new Tahere Mafi, and more.
On the standalone side of things, we have thrillers, romance, a murder mystery, the story of a girl descended from Edgar Allan Poe, and much more. It is worth noting that here are some books which have young main characters-anything is very welcome.
Grab your TBR and get ready to make it.
New hardcover YA releases this week
Ellen Poe: The Forgotten Lore by Diana Peterfriend
The first in the series to be released simultaneously in hardcover and paperback, the story centers on 16-year-old Allan Poe, whose family claims descent from the infamous Edgar Allan Poe. But when Ellen moves into her aunt’s Poe-themed B&B, the nightmares that haunted her mind begin to become part of her everyday reality. It gets worse when she finds a journal in the B&B, and Edgar Allan Poe comes to visit her.
Filled with questions about what is happening, Ellen begins to discover that she and Edgar have something in common: they can communicate with spirits. Bad news? Probably this is why Edgar had to face all kinds of problems. Is this Ellen’s fate too?
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racing games By Marissa Mayer and Tamara Moss
racing games is an escape-room-themed reality show, and last season’s finale was the most explosive yet. Contestant Alicia Angelos was murdered on set.
But the show continues, and season five is now being filmed. It’s a great cast, made up of a cryptographer, a math genius, a game mastermind, and Sierra, the sister of the girl murdered last season. Everyone thinks that she is the one who did this, but she has come on the show to prove her innocence.
The teens are now working together to find out who murdered Alicia, and the clues they find lead to far more questions than answers. However, one thing is becoming clear: whether the killer was Sierra or not, everyone’s lives on the show are in danger until the killer is caught.
This is an intriguing, exciting thriller for readers who love puzzles, escape rooms, and reality TV stories.
girl reflected in the knife By Anika Maros Rissi
Destiny always has to depend on itself. She grew up with a mother who struggled with drug addiction and had several bad boyfriends. Destiny has lived in more places than she can count, but it finally looks like her mom is on the right track, and Destiny can settle down on her own. The good news for her is that she has also fallen in love.
But soon Niyati was heartbroken. She decides to tell a small lie in the heat of the moment to keep her hope for a better life alive. However, that little lie continues to grow, and now Destiny struggles to figure out what’s true and what’s all a figment of her imagination.
Now, Destiny must figure out how to step toward the truth and hold on to it before her life gets even worse.
to steal the throne by gabby burton
Speaking of stories built on lies, here’s another one for fans of stories where lies are central. Meera Kylar has been leading the court of the Virdei from the shadows, since she helped her traitorous half-brother, Luke, become leader of the Virdei. Mera has magic powered by lies, and she is collecting secrets from people across the court in order to keep Luke in power.
Kedren Vale also has magic and that is he can learn the secrets of anyone by touching them. He is desperate for the throne of Virdei, and Mira knows that if he touches her, he will know her secret and be in a position to get what he wants.
Cadren and Luke face off in The Trials, a series of three deadly challenges, and whoever wins will take the throne. Realizing that no matter the outcome, she will have to continue doing someone else’s work, Mira decides that she wants to fight for the throne herself. Now she’s struggling harder than she ever imagined, betraying both her stepbrother and Cadren.
But she’s realizing that one of those boys may hold the key to her victory—and it’s not who she expects.
when it’s your turn to strike midnight by blessing musariri
Chianti, who is 15 years old, has just found out that her father is not her biological father, and it tears her family apart. She goes to live with her maternal grandmother, who was once a freedom fighter in the Zimbabwean civil war.
Very soon, Chianti’s new neighbors take him under their protection. The three friends work as business partners and want Chianti to help them with their work upcycling secondhand clothing. When she’s not working, Chianti finds a box of photographs of her grandmother, leading to questions about what family looks and doesn’t look like.
It is a small book, less than 200 pages. Musariri debuted a few years ago all that it ever meantI hope more people pick it up. If you are in the US Written by people outside the U.S. If you’re interested in YA set outside the U.S., these two books should be on your TBR.
Hardcover YA Series Releases This Week:
More hardcover YA releases this week:
New paperback YA releases this week
the animal you let in by Dana Fair
Hazel does not have a good relationship with her twin sister Beth. Things get worse when Beth leaves Hazel at a party she didn’t want to go to in the first place. But Hazel will do best in it. She’s not the social twin, but she flirts and decides she can entertain herself by telling ghost stories on a Ouija board.
But Beth doesn’t come home after the party and now, Hazel is worried. Beth returns a day later, and claims to be Veronica Green – a teenager who went missing and was found murdered in her town years ago. Hazel knows that her sister is not possessed. At least, she thinks she knows that.
Now, Hazel has to find out what really happened to Veronica years ago, because it may help unlock clues that her partying antics may have accidentally applied to her sister. The challenge will be that Hazel and Beth cannot eliminate each other first.
seyun and dean unscripted By Susan Witherspoon
Reality shows are a theme this week. It follows Seun Shin, who loves to win, and Dean Parker, who is less about competing in terms of speed and strength and more about using smarts to get ahead. When an opportunity comes to participate in a jungle reality show competition, they both jump at the chance. Although Seun is in the field to win, Dean is in the field to prove himself.
They both immediately realized that to win, they would need allies. The show’s producers do not see it as a strategic collaboration. They see this as an opportunity for the audience to craft a rival-turned-lover story.
Problem? Now, Seun and Dean Are Feeling some feelings for each other, and they can’t sort out what’s real from what’s made up for the show. What’s worse, their alliance is making them realize that no matter how well they work together (and no matter how much chemistry they have), only one of them can win.
You can get it in hardcover or paperback.
Paperback YA series releasing this week:
More paperback YA releases this week:
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