Must-Read New YA Books To Obsess Over in Fall 2026
by Janssen Bradshaw
When the summer months start winding down and sweater weather is just around the corner, it means the ultimate reading season has arrived: autumn!
This fall selection of young adult novels is one you won’t want to miss! Whether your teen loves stories with betrayals, magic and fantasy, or something on the spookier side, these books are fantastic options just waiting to be read!
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Blightfall
Buy from:Two powerhouse fantasy authors come together to kick off a new Skyward Flight trilogy. After years of war, Arturo Mendez and his team of pilots are assigned a simple mission: escort diplomats to a lost human settlement and make contact. But when they arrive on the mysterious planet of Blightfall, they discover that nothing is as it seems. With danger around every corner and trapped in a world they know nothing about, Arturo and his team must find a way to survive and return home.
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The Gods Will Sing Our Song
Buy from:Romance and magic combine in this historical fiction novel. Ren has a troubled past, and Violet is a straight-A student. The two have little in common until the government forces Japanese American citizens to leave their homes. Once behind the barbed wire fences, Ren and Violet team up to free a god trapped in the camp and fall in love in the process.
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Golden Flight
Buy from:The sequel to The Keeper’s Record of Revolution is here! Raisa, Nayf, and their team set out to infiltrate the most exclusive gala in Upper Earth, hoping to bring down the powerful regime once and for all. But as hidden agendas surface within their crew and loyalties unravel, the mission becomes far more dangerous than they expected. Fast-paced and full of surprises, this book will keep readers wanting more.
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The Heart Trials
Buy from:This dystopian fantasy is perfect for readers who love romances with something to lose, dangerous competitions, and characters fighting against impossible odds. Lowborn, Axira has survived by keeping her heart guarded. But when she makes a deal to steal something from the Tournament of Hearts — a deadly dating competition where the prize is citizenship — she is forced to enter and put her heart on the line.
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Our Strange Duet
Buy from:Told from Christine Daaé’s perspective, this retelling of The Phantom of the Opera is a must-have for fans of the play. As her talent shines at the Opera Populaire, Christine finds herself torn between two very different loves: Raoul, her childhood friend who offers a safe, secure future, and the mysterious Phantom, whose brilliance and enigmatic presence spark passion in her. With romance, ambition, and plenty of drama, Our Strange Duet delivers a story you won’t forget.
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Twisted Vows
Buy from:If you loved Immortal Consequences, this prequel is a fun jump back into Blackwood Academy. Set eighteen years earlier, it follows Wren, who wakes up dead and enrolled in a magical boarding school in the afterlife, where she's paired with the infamous Augustine Hughes for a class project. As rivalry turns to romance, the two uncover dangerous secrets that could change everything. (Side note: this book contains spoilers for Immortal Consequences)
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Capsized
Buy from:Rowing is life for Margaret, and she sacrifices everything for the sport. When she disappears with no explanation over the summer and returns the next season, she is treated like an outcast. Meanwhile, new girl Jo rows only because her dad wants her to. Margaret and Jo form an unlikely friendship, but both girls harbor deep secrets that threaten to surface.
(On sale: 9/8/2026)
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Ashes at the Altar
Buy from:Fans of the Blood of the Root series won't want to miss the exciting conclusion. As Malik returns to Caiman University, he faces unfathomable challenges as dangerous magic, family loyalties, and powerful enemies threaten everything he's fought to protect. Packed with action, family ties, and amazing characters, this finale brings Malik's journey to an emotional close.
(On sale: 9/15/2026)
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Empire
Buy from:The second book in the series returns readers to a world of war, magic, and impossible choices. As the Martial Empire crumbles, Quil Farrar must choose between seeking help from dangerous allies and searching for the woman he loves. Meanwhile, Sirsha is tormented by an evil creature, and Cero finds himself pitted against a leader he once respected and fighting against corruption.
(On sale: 9/22/2026)
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The House of Gardenias
Buy from:After 16 years of surviving abuse in her own home, Minerva escapes by taking a job as a lady’s maid to a wealthy widow. But when the world outside the house becomes dangerous, Minerva and the widow must retreat to the family estate. Naturally, the mansion is more twisted than Minerva could ever have imagined.
(On sale: 9/29/2026)
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The Pools
Buy from:Everyone in the small New England town should be afraid of the hot springs, but the stories don’t seem to scare anyone off. One morning, five people go swimming in the pools, and an event occurs that turns the world upside down. In true E. Lockhart fashion, this dark, twisty novel is full of secrets, lies, and suspense.
(On sale: 10/6/2026)
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Wondrous
Buy from:Alice has been to Wonderland before, but after living with limited freedom in 19th-century London, she returns to Wonderland for good. Alice knows that Wonderland is full of unlikely characters, but she never expects to run into a teenager who claims she is the “true” Alice in Wonderland. Alice sets out on a quest to prove she is the actual Alice in Wonderland.
(On sale: 10/6/2026)
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Underworld Vol 2: The Unfortunate Responsibilities of Leopold Berry
Buy from:Fans of the Sunderworld series won't want to miss this action-packed finale. Leopold Berry is pulled back into the magical world one last time, armed with a powerful ring and long-buried family secrets. With monsters, magic, and friends by his side, Leopold must decide whether he's willing to become the hero for the world that never wanted him.
(On sale: 10/13/2026)
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Huda F Would Love You?
Buy from:In this graphic novel, Huda plans to find love during the summer after high school graduation. With a ton of new friends and aunties with eligible sons, Huda believes love is just around the corner. However, the summer brings Huda surprises and decisions she never imagined she would have to face.
(On sale: 10/20/2026)
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Her Rising Flame
Buy from:If you loved the first book, you'll be eager to return to this world. As Éadha continues to evade her pursuers, Ionáin struggles to survive without his magic, and Gry must choose between his family and the people he loves. Each faces impossible decisions that could change everything.
(On sale: 11/3/2026)
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The Last King of Faerie
Buy from:This book is a must-read for fantasy fans. Filled with action, romance, and twists, your YA reader won’t want to put it down. During Drusilla Blackthorn's fourth year at Shadowhunter Academy, she's kidnapped and taken to the land of Faerie by the mysterious Prince Ash Morgenstern. Even though Ash is surrounded by darkness, Dru finds him irresistible. Meanwhile, crime in the Shadowhunter world forces Kit Herondale and Ty Blackthorn to reunite for a high-stakes mission.
(On sale: 11/3/2026)
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The Sign of the Raven
Buy from:During the day, Ashlyn works as a government messenger. But when she falls asleep, her dreams take her to the Stream — her own imagination. One dreamy night, she is shocked to find her deceased mother there, leading Ashlyn to believe the Stream is hiding something from her.
(On sale: 11/10/2026)
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The Peacock Throne
Buy from:Eshaal Bibi believed she was an orphan until mysterious dreams revealed she could be the heir to a lost royal family and the Peacock Throne. With revolution brewing, Eshaal marries the son of a loyalist family, and soon finds herself torn between her ambitious husband and her desire for truth.
(On sale: 11/24/2026)
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