Is it pumpkin spice season yet again?
As the weather cools down, it's time to find some NEW fantastic young adult reads to cozy up under a warm blanket with. (Then again, it's always a good time for that! Lol.)
Escape to far off worlds, thrilling adventures, and maybe find something sweet too, with our rundown of these 8 sci-fi and fantasy September New Releases list of young adult books (and maybe you'll also catch a special EXCLUSIVE surprise below!)
Just to keep it interesting, I'll start from the end of the month.
September 29th
Jacklyn and the Twisted Beanstalk: A Jack and the Beanstalk Retelling (Autumn Fairy Tales) by Callie Thomas
She has stolen from the king and now must suffer the consequences. He’s an honor-bound guard, forced to uphold the law. Can she wish her way out of this disaster, or will their budding romance wilt before it even has a chance to blossom?
Jacklyn is tired of the injustice and mistreatment of her fellow farmers in the Kingdom of Cadell. After a rash decision nearly banishes her and her family, she does the unthinkable and trades a rare pumpkin for a sack of magic beans. Despite knowing magic is outlawed, she plants them anyway, hoping the beans will grant her heart’s desire.
But magic is unpredictable, and the beans of transformation were more than what she had bargained for, twisting her wish into a nightmare when her best friend Gillian becomes tangled in the vines of ancient magic. Desperate to save him, Jacklyn must climb the beanstalk, search the forbidden tower for a lost item, and return it to the mysterious woman who traded her the beans.
Time is ticking and she doesn’t have a moment to lose. Can Jacklyn complete her quest before the end of the Harvest Ball, when the blood moon rises and kills everything planted in the soil—including her beloved Gillian? Or will the magic destroy her only hope at a happily ever after?
“Jacklyn and the Twisted Beanstalk” is a part of the “Autumn Fairy Tales”, a collection of eight cozy retellings of your favorite fairy tales. Each book can be enjoyed in any order, so snuggle under your favorite blanket and get ready to “fall” in love with the romance, pumpkin spice, and everything nice of these sweet and clean novellas!
September 25th
The Quest for the Kraken's Ink (Defenders of the Realm Book 4) by Marie-Hélène Lebeault
Dive into a world where mermaids, krakens, and powerful students collide in a battle for survival. As tensions rise and secrets unravel, witness the extraordinary journey of friendship and sacrifice in "The Quest for the Kraken’s Ink." Will they overcome their differences and find a way to forge peace, or will chaos and destruction consume the underwater city?
As the students settle into the sea base camp, they must learn to survive the harsh winter and master their magical abilities. But tensions rise when a hunting accident involving Vera, Jalena, Icarus, and Xena keeps Wickham occupied. Kaia befriends the mermaids, except for Raven, who elicits fear from them, creating a rift between Kaia and Penelope.
Amidst the turmoil, the mermaid village is attacked by krakens, forcing them to seek refuge with the students. With supplies dwindling and krakens menacingly approaching, the students must adapt, balancing their own needs with the mermaids' demands. A power struggle ensues until Penelope and Raven reveal their destined connection, prompting a choice between unity and exclusion.
But when their winter supplies are mysteriously destroyed, the group is thrust into an underwater city, trapped between vengeful mermaids and relentless krakens. Imprisoned and accused of conspiring with the krakens, the students must unravel the truth about the mistreatment of these intelligent creatures. With unexpected allies and newfound abilities, they devise a plan to communicate and negotiate peace.
In a daring escape, secrets are revealed as Raven and Penelope discover their unique underwater capabilities. With the help of Kaia, Wickham, and Herja, a dialogue between mermaids and krakens is established, paving the way for a remarkable trade agreement. Grateful for their assistance, the krakens provide ink for the witches' spell books, yet Raven's journey is far from over.
Prepare for an enthralling conclusion as the students embark on new quests, deepening their bonds and unraveling the sea's mysteries. The Quest for the Kraken’s Ink is an enchanting tale that captivates your imagination and leaves you yearning for more. Dive into this immersive world and discover the power of trust, compassion, and the enduring strength of friendship.
The Quest for the Kraken’s Ink is the fourth book in the Defenders of the Realm series.
September 21st
Fated Sworn (Fated Born Book 3) by Kristin L Hamblin
He’s a thief. She’s a queen. Fate will make or break them.
Trapped in a gang he cannot escape, Bastien struggles to help his friend work off mounting debt. But no amount of good deeds can erase the sins of Bastien’s past—or change his future. It’s just him and a meaningless life of barely keeping ahead of his bad choices and even worse luck.
That is, until he sees her.
With the kingdom back under her rule, Faelyn must do everything in her power to keep it from falling into enemy hands. Even if that means marrying a hateful foreign prince. When a street thief crosses her path, emotions long dormant stir within her. But a queen cannot marry a commoner, and following her heart carries dire consequences.
Theirs is a love that spans lifetimes, but Fate has not been kind. If Bastien and Faelyn can’t trust they are worthy of that love, more than just lives will be lost. The fate of the world is in their hands.
FATED SWORN is the highly anticipated third book in the upper young adult fantasy series, Fated Born, full of heart-wrenching character growth, magical twists, and forbidden romance. The books are best read in order.
September 20th
Prince Charming (Fantasy Romance Book 4) by Aisha Urooj
Ash Charming’s life was anything but charming. He often felt like his name: Ash. Destined to be nothing. Forsaken to be no one. But a small voice in his head told him otherwise. The voice belonged to his late father, the greatest artist his small town had ever known.
His father’s art had the touch of fae magic, or so they said. When he died in an unfortunate accident, all magic died in Ash’s world. He was dumped into the cruel hands of his uncle.
Was Ash destined for a life of misery, insults, and destitution, or did fate have something else in store for him?
When the princess is kidnapped and taken to the fae realm, only Ash knows the way, as he discovers it in the sketchbook of his late father. What will Ash find once he gets there?
Destinies cannot be stolen, or in Ash’s case, cannot be avoided. Greatness awaits young Ash Charming, whether he is ready for it or not.
September 19th
Alliance: The Societies Book 2 by Sydney Reames
Friends In Danger. Family At Risk. Worlds Set To Fall.
Kena thought Assimilating to one of the Societies’ seven planets and finding a way to save the Earthers who couldn’t was the extent of her problems. She couldn’t have been more wrong.
The villainous Spear group has come out of the shadows and taken over the Hub, the space station that controls travel between all the Societal worlds. They’ve pledged to wage war and exact control over all the planets. Kena doesn’t even know who’s leading them, yet finds herself thrust unwillingly into a leadership role of her own. Add to that the complication of discovering she is Connected to Fell, with no time to explore her new romance with the forest walker.
Kena and her friends manage to return to the Hub, but defeating the Spear and rescuing their victims proves riskier and more complicated than predicted. Kena develops a new and frightening ability that could save them all, but it comes with a cost.
Will she disregard her principles to save those she cares about, or find a way to use her incredible power honorably without dooming them all?
September 18th
Savage by Liz Shipton
Poet. Pirate. Pariah.
Jameson Briggs grew up in a savage world.
A survivor of the pandemic. An orphan at twelve. A brilliant poet, bullied for his words. A cutthroat pirate, ruthlessly hunted.
But when a disastrous shipwreck leaves him stranded in a foreign city, Jameson finds himself starting over in a world that is savage in a whole new way. Political maneuvering. Deception. Wealth. Beautiful girls.
Beautiful, dangerous girls.
As his world spirals and he is drawn deeper into the city's web of lies and corruption, Jameson must decide: will he rise above it?
Or will he become a savage?
September 15th
Royal Spy Institute 1: The Crown Heist (A Young Adult Fantasy) by Elise Hennessy
It was supposed to be a simple heist.
When I trip a magical trap at the end of a routine theft, I’m left to take the fall. Instead of losing my hand, I receive a visit from the headmaster of the local reform school, who makes an offer I can’t refuse: to enroll in the Radcliffe-Stone Institute for Troubled Youth.
I choose to follow him to RSI and don the uniform. Everyone knows an RSI kid from the emblem on our clothes, but they don’t realize the secrets that the school’s four walls hide. The dregs of our society go in and no one questions what happens after the doors close behind us, but I find out firsthand.
RSI is simply a front for the identification and recruitment of spies from a young age and I’m a prime candidate, as long as I can overcome my anxiety and train up a crew from my peers.
We couldn’t be more different: a thief, a geek, a fighter, a wildcard, and a gossip. But when my failed heist comes to haunt me, I’ll need their help more than ever.
The Herald Spy meets Six of Crows in this YA fantasy series in which a former thief uses her skills to become a spy. If you like clever heroines, strong friendships, and found family, then you’ll love Royal Spy Institute!
✨ COVER REVEAL EXCLUSIVE ✨
Here's something SPECIAL! The gorgeous cover of S. R. Breaker's next fantasy romance reveals TODAY! You're one of the first ones to see it. Do you love dragons too?? We gotchu!
Releasing October 3rd
Reign of the Dragon Heir: an enemies-to-lovers epic fantasy romance (The Dragons of Arcadia Book 2) by S. R. Breaker
She must marry to save all the realms. He must marry her to uncover an evil plot. Will their fake match find truth before the world ends in oblivion?
Wilhelmina of the Second House of Dragoncrest, Guardians to the mystical land of Arcadia, needs to get married. Except everyone she betroths keeps winding up dead.
Four years after the rightful Dragon Heir returns, a union is prophesied as the only way to heal the land ravaged by the Curse of the Spheres.
Resigned with her charge, Mina ends up on a wayward mission that brings about a chance encounter in the desert. Will the impossibly handsome, not-charming-at-all stranger she meets change her fate?
Estranged Fae warrior, Callan of the Priori clan has been running from his past. A drifter rogue for hire across the realms, he never expected accidentally rescuing an enchanting but stubborn dragon would lead him to a reunion with an old friend who happens to be the new queen of Dragoncrest.
And the queen needs a favor. Callan must pretend to be betrothed to the dragon princess, thus making him the next target for murder.
Can they uncover the nefarious forces determined to once more destabilize the realms before the reign of the Dragon Heir ends in peril?
A thrilling, slow-burn, tension-filled, fake arranged marriage fantasy romance. Perfect for fans of "Throne of Glass" and "Shadow and Bone."
Note: This is an Upper YA/teen-friendly NA fade-to-black fantasy romance.
What upcoming young adult books are you excited about this fall? Leave a comment below and let us know!
This article was written by S. R. Breaker.
S. R. Breaker is a USA Today Bestselling Author of fast-paced, offbeat YA/NA fantasy romance books. She lives in New Zealand with her husband and two kids. Suburban mum by day and author by night, she loves to live vicariously through her characters. They don’t have to vacuum all day long and are almost always guaranteed to survive any fantastical or thrilling incidents, no matter how treacherous she writes them.
