8 Most-Anticipated YA Books Coming in August 2020

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8 Most-Anticipated YA Books Coming in August 2020

All the changes this past spring with lock-downs and social distancing and online learning threw me for a loop. It also delayed a lot of the books I’d been looking forward to reading, which meant I spent the summer scrambling to catch up on the ARCs that publishers had sent me. I’m finally seeing a light at the end of the reading tunnel so to speak, and I wanted to pause and share some of the young adult books I’m most excited about that come out this month.

I’m always up for fantasy, so there are a few of those on here. Lately, though, I’ve been a big fan of rom-com, so I’ve included a couple of those that I’m very eager to escape into. Check out the list and let me know which are on your reading list. Better still, use the buy links and order a couple now so you have a pick-me-up waiting for you in the mailbox.

Note: Amazon, Book Depository, and Indiebound links are affiliate links which help support this blog but don’t cost you anything extra to use.

Most-Anticipated YA Books Coming in August 2020

Midnight Sun (Twilight #4) by Stephenie Meyer

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

What you need to know: Hades and Persephone inspired story that tells of Edward and Bella’s meeting from his perspective.

I’ve read the other books in the Twilight series, and I remember hearing that Meyer was writing this one. It feels big, because the series was so big, and maybe because right now, we’re longing for the lives we had pre-pandemic? Whatever the case, I’m anticipating a LOT of bookish chat about this book this month.

Available August 4, 2020

Lobizona by Romina Garber

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

What you need to know: Follows the story of an undocumented immigrant who is part of a special community of people who are witches and werewolves.

I’ve already read this one, and I loved it so much. Definitely a great escapist story that will make you walk in the shoes of an undocumented girl in a way you’re unlikely to ever forget.

Available August 4, 2020 | My Review

Bookish and the Beast by Ashley Poston

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

What you need to know: Poston gives us her retelling of Beauty and the Beast as a tribute to her favorite versions of the story and a funny, sweet reimagined tale in its own right.

Loads of fun, and another dip into the Starfield world.

Available August 4, 2020 | My Review

Set Fire to the Gods by Sara Raasch and Kristen Simmons

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

What you need to know: SNOW LIKE ASHES trilogy and METALTOWN authors team up to deliver a fast-paced, high-stakes story about a rebel leader and magic-hiding fighter who reignite an ancient war between the gods.

I really liked SNOW LIKE ASHES, so I’m anxious to check this one out.

Available August 4, 2020

Star Daughter by Shveta Thakrar

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

What you need to know: Hindu mythology plus STARDUST by Neil Gaiman. Hailed as perfect for fans of Laini Taylor and Roshani Chokshi.

I am really excited to read this book. I’m a huge fan of Laini Taylor and Roshani Chokshi, so I was pretty much hooked once I heard the comparison to their books.

Available August 11, 2020

Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From by Jennifer De Leon

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

What you need to know: Racial tension. Family secrets. #Ownvoices story about a Latinx girl.

Available August 18, 2020

Where Dreams Descend (Kingdom of Cards #1) by Janella Angeles

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

What you need to know: Magicians compete in a high-stakes tournament to be the headliner at the Conquering Circus.

Seems a bit like a darker GIRL ON WIRE or something along the lines of CARAVAL maybe? I’m super interested in this one.

Available August 25, 2020 | My Review

Now That I’ve Found You by Kristina Forest

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

What you need to know: Fabulous rom-com, an eccentric grandma, and a race across New York City. This sounds like the perfect pandemic-escape read!

Available August 25, 2020

What are your most anticipated August 2020 books?

Which books coming this month are on your reading list? Have you ordered any of them yet?

I’m toying with the idea of pre-ordering a book or two each month so that I have a surprise in the mail to look forward to. STAR DAUGHTER and NOW THAT I’VE FOUND YOU are at the top of my pre-order wish list!

Review: Believe by Julie Mathison

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Believe
Julie Mathison
Starr Creek Press
Published August 4, 2020

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About Believe

Full of humor and wonder, BELIEVE explores the power and limits of the imagination – and how love both breaks and heals our hearts.

Eleven-year-old Melanie knows she’s special. She’s never been bored. She understands the secret language of old houses and makes jewels out of broken glass. Her imagination can do anything — except make friends. It’s 1980, and life as a fifth grader at Buckminster Experimental School is lonely at best, when she’s not dodging Karen, the school bully. Then, Melanie meets Sabrina, who looks like a TV star and acts like a spy, and who doesn’t care what anyone thinks. She teaches Melanie how to believe in herself, and soon Melanie starts living her dreams. She even lands the lead in Peter Pan!

If only she could share it all with Mom. Missing her mom is like trying to breathe with one lung. It’s bad. Sabrina thinks they can track her down, and Melanie wants to believe, but sometimes it’s easier to pretend. Her new life feels like a house of cards, until one day it all comes crashing down and she finds herself with no choice but to face the truth… and let go.

This quirky, heartfelt middle-grade novel about grief and the resilience of the human spirit will keep you guessing until the end.

My Review

Melanie is an incredibly loveable character. I felt immediately invested in her story. Her imagination is wild and lovely. The way she explains relationships and intentions is really clever and moving, too.

Melanie’s imagination lands her the lead role in the school’s performance of PETER PAN. It helps her deal with the bullying of a fellow classmate and find the courage to make a new friend.

She describes and observes a lot of relationships in BELIEVE, too. From watching her dad interact with his friends, to navigating her own complicated relationship with her grandmother, she relates those exchanges with flair.

Fans of THE OTHER BETTER ME by Antony Jon or NOT IF I CAN HELP IT by Carolyn Mackler will definitely want this book in their libraries.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 up.

Representation
Most characters are white.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
A girl in Melanie’s class bullies her– saying unkind things and making fun of her.

Drug Content
Adults drink alcohol in one scene.

Note: I received a free copy of BELIEVE in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.

Review: How Sweet the Sound by Laura L. Smith

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How Sweet the Sound: The Power and Promise of 30 Beloved Hymns
Laura L. Smith
Our Daily Bread Publishing
Published August 4, 2020

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About How Sweet the Sound

If you love singing and listening to hymns, this book is for you! Hymns are a special kind of music, packed with truth, redemption, and joy, no matter how the times or culture change. How Sweet the Sound focuses on 30 beloved hymns that still speak to us today. Each chapter includes the lyrics to a favorite hymn, an interesting modern-day story of how that hymn continues to impact lives, and questions for contemplation. You’ll enjoy hearing the stories of how hymns have affected other people’s lives as you remember how the hymns you treasure have affected yours.

My Review

I’ve been a fan of Laura L. Smith’s books for years, especially her YA stories. When I heard that she was writing a new book, to be honest, I didn’t even care what it was about– I knew I wanted to review it!

This book, though. HOW SWEET THE SOUND manages to be at once informative, giving some background about the hymn writers or context for when it was written, and also invites readers to peel back the layers of their own hearts and examine how these words impact us our core.

Reading the chapters is like sitting down to listen to music with a friend. It’s easy to get lost in the lyrics of the songs. I found myself humming along with some of the ones I was more familiar with. Then as the author begins to discuss her experience with these songs, she explains things in such a real, raw, open and vulnerable way. Seriously, I don’t know how else to explain it but that it felt like sitting in the living room with her, the way you would with a dear friend.

Her words are encouraging and always full of love. This isn’t a judgey book in any way. It’s definitely a faith-filled story about how God uses hymns to change hearts and lives and draw us closer to Him. I’m so glad I read this book, and I definitely recommend it to anyone who needs an encouraging boost to their faith right now.

Here’s a quick list of the young adult books by Laura L. Smith that I’ve loved and reviewed:

It’s Complicated by Laura L. Smith

It’s Over by Laura L. Smith

It’s Addicting by Laura L. Smith

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Some of the hymns featured in the book are African American spirituals.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
References to being married and having had past dating relationships.

Spiritual Content
Uses Bible quotes and hymns to discuss Christian faith and relationship with God.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of HOW SWEET THE SOUND in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.

Review: Bookish and the Beast by Ashley Poston

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Bookish and the Beast (Once Upon a Con #3)
Ashley Poston
Quirk Books
Published August 4, 2020

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About Bookish and the Beast

In the third book in Ashley Poston’s Once Upon a Con series, Beauty and the Beast is retold in the beloved Starfield universe.

Rosie Thorne is feeling stuck—on her college application essays, in her small town, and on that mysterious General Sond cosplayer she met at ExcelsiCon. Most of all, she’s stuck in her grief over her mother’s death. Her only solace was her late mother’s library of rare Starfield novels, but even that disappeared when they sold it to pay off hospital bills.

On the other hand, Vance Reigns has been Hollywood royalty for as long as he can remember—with all the privilege and scrutiny that entails. When a tabloid scandal catches up to him, he’s forced to hide out somewhere the paparazzi would never expect to find him: Small Town USA. At least there’s a library in the house. Too bad he doesn’t read.

When Rosie and Vance’s paths collide and a rare book is accidentally destroyed, Rosie finds herself working to repay the debt. And while most Starfield superfans would jump at the chance to work in close proximity to the Vance Reigns, Rosie has discovered something about Vance: he’s a jerk, and she can’t stand him. The feeling is mutual.

But as Vance and Rosie begrudgingly get to know each other, their careful masks come off—and they may just find that there’s more risk in shutting each other out than in opening their hearts.

My Review

I’ve been really looking forward to reading this book, and it did NOT disappoint! Just like I did in GEEKERELLA, I love the quirky, nerdiness of the characters and their obsession with Starfield in BOOKISH AND THE BEAST. I love the banter between Rosie and Vance. And I love her best friends and the enthusiasm they put into everything from teasing her about her dad to Quinn’s quest to become Homecoming Overlord.

There was one tiniest bump in my reading road. At the beginning, of course, Vance is a total jerk. It makes complete sense because this IS a Beauty and the Beast retelling. I can tell you now, it’s so worth those early scenes to watch the cracks in his armor form. To watch his heart change and know how big that is.

Another thing that I loved were the references to Beauty and the Beast. There are a couple of places where there references to minor lines in the Disney version of the movie, and some other references to the story as a whole that were too fun for me to spoil them here.

If you’re looking for a pick-me-up book, something light to take your mind off reality for a bit, look no further! I highly recommend reading BOOKISH AND THE BEAST.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Rosie and Vance are both white. Rosie’s best friend Quinn is nonbinary.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used very infrequently. A couple crude comments.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. Some reference to feelings of attraction between two men.

Spiritual Content
Rosie thinks of her mother, who has died, and repeatedly notes that she no longer exists.

Violent Content
Reference to a car accident. Two boys get into a fist fight. A girl punches a boy.

Drug Content
References to Vance getting drunk in the past.

Note: I received a free copy of BOOKISH AND THE BEAST in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.

Review: Lobizona by Romina Garber

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Lobizona (Wolves of No World #1)
Romina Garber
Wednesday Books
Published August 4, 2020

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About Lobizona

Some people ARE illegal.

Lobizonas do NOT exist.

Both of these statements are false.

Manuela Azul has been crammed into an existence that feels too small for her. As an undocumented immigrant who’s on the run from her father’s Argentine crime-family, Manu is confined to a small apartment and a small life in Miami, Florida.

Until Manu’s protective bubble is shattered.

Her surrogate grandmother is attacked, lifelong lies are exposed, and her mother is arrested by ICE. Without a home, without answers, and finally without shackles, Manu investigates the only clue she has about her past–a mysterious “Z” emblem—which leads her to a secret world buried within our own. A world connected to her dead father and his criminal past. A world straight out of Argentine folklore, where the seventh consecutive daughter is born a bruja and the seventh consecutive son is a lobizón, a werewolf. A world where her unusual eyes allow her to belong.

As Manu uncovers her own story and traces her real heritage all the way back to a cursed city in Argentina, she learns it’s not just her U.S. residency that’s illegal. . . .it’s her entire existence.

My Review

As I’ve heard stories about what it’s like to come to the US as an immigrant, I’ve been moved, felt sympathy, wanted to change things. Nothing has ever made me feel like I’ve slipped into someone else’s shoes the way this book did, though.

Manu is smart. She’s vulnerable, yet fierce. She loves her family, but she’s always felt like an outsider who did not belong, even among them. More than anything else, this is the story of a girl who has never belonged not just finding her place, but carving it out of the landscape and building a true family around her.

I really, really like this book. The magic was fascinating, and again and again the story comes back to questions about what makes a person valuable. Is it where someone was born? What gender they are? Whom they love? What they can do for someone else?

LOBIZONA explores all that and on top of it delivers a sizzling romance set in a dazzling landscape. If you like found families, revolution, and unexpected alliances, this is one you’re going to want to grab, fast.

This book is a great fit for fans of WOVEN IN MOONLIGHT or GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Manu and most other characters are Latinx. A few side characters are gay.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. Kissing between two girls. One scene shows some intense kissing between a boy and girl.

There’s a brief reference to a rape that happened in the past.

Spiritual Content
Because of a demon who fell in love with a human, seventh consecutive daughters become witches with nature-based magic abilities, and seventh consecutive sons become werewolves.

Violent Content
Some intense scenes involving running from ICE and police. Battle scenes. Situations of peril.

Drug Content
Manu takes a medication every month that knocks her out for three days. Some characters drink mate, which heightens their magic.

Note: I received a free copy of LOBIZONA in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.

About Romina Garber

Instagram | Twitter | Website

ROMINA GARBER (pen name Romina Russell) is a New York Times and international bestselling author. Originally from Argentina, she landed her first writing gig as a teen—a weekly column for the Miami Herald that was later nationally syndicated—and she hasn’t stopped writing since. Her books include Lobizona. When she’s not working on a novel, Romina can be found producing movie trailers, taking photographs, or daydreaming about buying a new drum set. She is a graduate of Harvard College and a Virgo to the core.

Review and Giveaway: The Voting Booth by Brandy Colbert

Young Adult/Teen 12-18

The Voting Booth
Brandy Colbert
Disney-Hyperion
Published July 7, 2020

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About the Voting Booth

Marva Sheridan was born ready for this day. She’s always been driven to make a difference in the world, and what better way than to vote in her first election?

Duke Crenshaw is so done with this election. He just wants to get voting over with so he can prepare for his band’s first paying gig tonight.
Only problem? Duke can’t vote.

When Marva sees Duke turned away from their polling place, she takes it upon herself to make sure his vote is counted. She hasn’t spent months doorbelling and registering voters just to see someone denied their right. And that’s how their whirlwind day begins, rushing from precinct to precinct, cutting school, waiting in endless lines, turned away time and again, trying to do one simple thing: vote.

They may have started out as strangers, but as Duke and Marva team up to beat a rigged system (and find Marva’s missing cat), it’s clear that there’s more to their connection than a shared mission for democracy.

Romantic and triumphant, THE VOTING BOOTH is proof that you can’t sit around waiting for the world to change, but some things are just meant to be.

My Review

This is one of the books I bought during the drive to support Black authors last month. (The other was A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow.) I ended up being completely surprised by a box from Let’s Talk YA/Disney-Hyperion a week or two later with some incredibly cool promo items for the book release. The key thing here, is that it leaves me with TWO copies of the book! So I’m giving one copy away, yay!

I really loved LITTLE & LION, another book by the same author, so I felt pretty confident that the characters would really pull me into this story, and I was not wrong! Though the theme is very political, it’s also a winning romance about two teens struggling with heartbreaking things.

Duke is still wrestling with his older brother’s death, and his fears about not living up to his big brother’s expectations. Marva is faced with a heartbreaking disappointment as her first love lets her down in a way that makes her question everything about their relationship.

While the story focuses on voting, it’s largely not partisan. What I mean is, there’s no overt demonizing of any specific party, but more a focus on how certain practices, such as closing polling locations or purging voter rolls effects real people as they try to vote on election day.

The amount of profanity in the story may cause problems getting a book like this into classrooms, but I think the idea of the story, its themes and its ability to give readers a view into the experience of young Black voters, makes it a really important book. This is one that needs to be read.

THE VOTING BOOTH is a sweet romance with a side of social activism perfect for readers who loved Liz Lawson’s THE LUCKY ONES or THE LIFE AND (MEDIEVAL) TIMES OF KIT SWEETLY by Jamie Pacton.

The Voting Booth Book Box from Let’s Talk YA

Here’s a picture of all the things in the box I received from Let’s Talk YA/Disney Hyperion. (Don’t forget to read on past the content notes below for a chance to win a copy of THE VOTING BOOTH!)

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Marva is Black. Duke is Black biracial.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used a few times each chapter on average.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. A boy uses a crude word to accuse a girl of having had sex with someone.

Spiritual Content
One polling location is at a church. Someone swears, and another person responds by asking them not to as they’re in a house of God. There are a couple random comments referencing “the gods”, more of an expression than a declaration of faith.

Violent Content
References to Duke’s brother, who was killed. Marva and Duke also discuss having family members sit them down to explain what to do if they’re ever pulled over by police.

Drug Content
In one scene, Duke drinks vodka at a party and ends up saying something he deeply regrets.

Note: I received a free copy of THE VOTING BOOTH in exchange for my honest review. (I also purchased a copy myself.) This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.

Giveaway for The Voting Booth by Brandy Colbert

One winner will receive a FREE hardback copy of The Voting Booth by Brandy Colbert. Hooray! (US only.)

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