This Month in Teen Books: April 2021

Reading recommendations for teens
April 13, 2021
YA fantasy is back on the rise at the moment, with some of the hottest crossover titles and small-screen adaptation coming from tales of magic, adventure, and rebellion for teen readers. This month sees another exciting debut in this genre on the horizon:
 
witches-steeped-in-gold-(1).pngWitches Steeped in Gold by Ciannon Smart
 
Iraya has spent her life in a cell, but every day brings her closer to freedom, and vengeance. Jazmyne is the Queen’s daughter, but unlike her sister before her, she has no intention of dying to strengthen her mother’s power. Sworn enemies, these two witches enter a precarious alliance to take down a mutual threat. But power is intoxicating, revenge is a bloody pursuit, and nothing is certain— except the lengths they will go to win this game.
 




Trending Now
The release of Netflix’s Shadow and Bone, based on the Grishaverse novels by Leigh Bardugo, is imminent. Those who are looking to refresh themselves on the books before it drops, or read the source material after, are looking at long waiting lists due to their renewed popularity. Fortunately, we have a list of other suggestions to take a look at while you wait for your holds:
 
What’s New This Month
Upcoming books by Jenny Lee, Becky Abertalli, Joan He, and Victoria Aveyard, along with a young reader’s version of Kwame Onwuachi’s Notes From a Young Black Chef, a new standalone graphic novel from Oni Press, and more:
    
What We’re Reading
Speaking of Becky Abertalli, library staff recommended her novella from the Simonverse series this month, as well as contemporary fiction by David Yoon and Maurene Goo, powerful graphic novels by Mike Curato and Trung Le Nguyen, and more great titles:
   
For more lists of recommended reads from the book world and beyond, check these out: