Welcome 2024! We’re starting the new year with a brand-new list of YA book releases, and a slight change in format. I know some of you preferred that I kept the weekly Spotlight format, so I am going to try to blend that up with the monthly format.
I’ve honestly missed the weekly format, too, but I love the monthly format because it means I miss fewer potential Spotlight titles. For this reason, I’m keeping the Google Slides presentation as a monthly list, rather than weekly. There will still be three Google presentations – YA, middle grades, and picture books. I am also keeping the monthly printable list.
The links to the printable list and the Google Slides presentation are at the bottom of this post.
You’ll also notice a new look on the blog this week! I’m still working on a few tweaks, such as my titles still showing up in pink (WHY are my titles STILL PINK?????!!!!!). I’ll get there!
On to this week’s YA Spotlight! With only five titles, the YA Spotlight is the smallest of the week.
Authors: Shawneé Gibbs and Shawnelle Gibbs
Copyright: 2024
Genre: graphic novel, supernatural
Setting: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Recommended for: Grades 8-12
Themes: haunted mansions, slavery, ghosts, popularity, teens with jobs, fathers and daughters, paranormal abilities, ability to see ghosts, secrets
Protagonist: female, age 15, Black
Starred reviews: Publishers Weekly
Pages: 224
PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY
For as long as she can remember, Chelsea Grant has tried everything she can think of to distance herself from the disastrous damage her father does to her social life. It’s not easy to shake her reputation as Ghost Girl when Dad keeps advertising his business as a “paranormal removal expert” in big, bold, loud letters all over New Orleans!
This year, Chelsea’s all grown up, attending one of the most prestigious high schools in the city, and she’s finally made friends with the popular crowd. Things are looking up—until a night on the town backfires spectacularly, landing her in hot water at home. Her punishment? Working for her dad at Paranormal Removal Services. All. Summer.
Worst of all, her new job reveals an unexpected secret she has to keep: While Dad hunts ghosts with his own DIY tech, Chelsea can actually see them. And when she meets Oliver, a friendly spirit, at the fancy mansion her dad is getting a handsome fee to exorcize, she realizes she has to save his after-life, even if it risks everything her father’s worked for.
Author: Marc J. Gregson
Copyright: 2024
Genre: fantasy, adventure
Setting: floating island of Holmstead
Recommended for: Grades 8-12
Themes: contests, evil family members, serpents, social stratification, siblings
Protagonist: male, age 16, white
Starred reviews: Booklist and Kirkus
Pages: 416
Notes: Book 1 of a planned trilogy (Above the Black)
PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY
Exiled to live as a Low, sixteen-year-old Conrad refuses to become heir to his murderous uncle. But Meritocracy is a harsh and unforgiving rule on the floating island of Holmstead, and when his ailing mother is killed by monstrous gorgantauns, Conrad cuts a deal to save the only family he has left. To rescue his sister from his uncle’s clutches, Conrad must enter the Selection of the Twelve Trades.
Hunter, the deadliest of all the Trades, gains a fresh recruit with Conrad. Now he must endure vigorous training, manipulative peers, and the Gauntlet—a brutal final test that yields riches and status to whichever skyship crew kills the most gorgantauns. Forced to serve in the lowest of stations and unseen by all, Conrad overhears whispers of rebellion in the dark. Conrad had never known anything existed below the toxic black clouds of the Skylands…until now.
Author: Mason Deaver
Copyright: 2024
Genre: romance
Setting: high school
Recommended for: Grades 9-12
Themes: Valentine's Day, Cupid, dating, former best friends, high school, LGBT+, transgender
Protagonist: nonbinary 16-year old Cupid
Starred reviews: no starred reviews at this time
Pages: 320
PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY
As a cupid, Jude thinks they understand love a little bit more than the average human. It makes sense — Jude’s been studying love their whole teen life.
And, yes, there have been some bumps in the road, and they’re currently on probation for doing something that they absolutely, definitely shouldn’t have done… but they’re ready to prove they can make matches without ever getting involved.
Only…Jude’s next assignment isn’t about setting up two adults. No, this time Jude has to go to high school, with kids their own age. And the assignment is a tough one: two best friends who are meant to be more than just best friends… but who aren’t currently speaking to each other after a huge falling out.
Jude thinks they’ve got this one all under control, and that they won’t get involved whatsoever.
Which proves that maybe Jude hasn’t learned the first lesson of humans and love…It’s complicated.
Author: Allison Saft
Copyright: 2024
Genre: fantasy, romance
Setting: Kingdom of Avaland
Recommended for: Grades 8-12
Themes: magic, royalty, weddings, designers, wealth and privilege
Protagonist: female, working class; characters' skin tones vary
Starred reviews: Publishers Weekly
Pages: 384
PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY
Niamh Ó Conchobhair has never let herself long for more. The magic in her blood that lets her stitch emotions and memories into fabric is the same magic that will eventually kill her.
Determined to spend the little time she has left guaranteeing a better life for her family, Niamh jumps at the chance to design the wardrobe for a royal wedding in the neighboring kingdom of Avaland.
But Avaland is far from the fairytale that she imagined. While young nobles attend candlelit balls and elegant garden parties, unrest brews amid the working class.
The groom himself, Kit Carmine, is prickly, abrasive, and begrudgingly being dragged to the altar as a political pawn.
But when Niamh and Kit grow closer, an unlikely friendship blossoms into something more―until an anonymous gossip columnist starts buzzing about their chemistry, promising to leave them alone only if Niamh helps to uncover the royal family’s secrets.
The rot at the heart of Avaland runs deep, but exposing it could risk a future she never let herself dream of, and a love she never thought possible.
Author: Kate Weston
Copyright: 2024
Genre: humor, epistolary, rom-com
Setting: England
Recommended for: Grades 9-12
Themes: diaries, journalism, friendship, feminism, anxiety, mental health
Protagonist: female, nearly age 16, white, British
Starred reviews: no starred reviews
Pages: 382
Notes: Bridget Jones's Diary for teens
PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY
At fifteen, Kat Evans is still sorting it all out, and that includes being a good feminist (and, by extension, a good human).
She promises herself that this school year, she’ll be making changes to her life that will make her less of a walking disaster, like:
1) keeping her diary every day as all the top journalists and writers do
2) stop obsessing over her crush Hot Josh because she doesn’t need a man to complete her
3) stop stalking said Hot Josh on Instagram and accidentally liking his pictures
4) somehow managing to stop worrying about every single thing in her life; and, most importantly,
5) SMASHING THE PATRIARCHY—that is, after she figures out what it is and how one goes about dismantling it.
And though Kat may lack the grace it requires to meet her goals, she makes up for that with plenty of good humor as she stumbles through high school with all its bullies, parties, and crippling moments of self-doubt. With the help of her best friends, her parents, and her diary, Kat may figure out how to be a cool, fun feminist yet.
THE LINKS YOU’LL NEED FOR JANUARY
- January 2024 – YA Books – Google Slides presentation – click “use template” to make a copy – share with students and teachers! Remember that this presentation will eventually include all YA Spotlight titles for January 2024.
- Printable list of all January 2024 Spotlight titles – sorted by genre and grade level group; click “use template” to make a copy
- The Ginormous Book List – this month’s YA titles are #3738 – #3742 on The Ginormous.
MORE JANUARY 2024 NEW RELEASE SPOTLIGHTS
ABOUT THE SPOTLIGHT
The New Release Spotlight began in May 2016 as a way to help librarians keep up with the many new children’s and YA books that are released each week.
Each week, school librarian Leigh Collazo compiles the New Release Spotlight using a combination of Follett’s Titlewave, Amazon, Goodreads, and Barnes and Noble. Recommended grade levels represent the range of grade levels recommended by professional book reviewers. See the full selection criteria here.
Inevitably, there are far more books that meet my criteria than can make it on the Spotlight. When I have to make the tough decisions on what to include, I just use my “librarian judgment.” Would I buy this book for my own library? Would my students want to read this book? Is the cover appealing? Does it fill a need?