With 2017 shaping up to be a highly difficult year for our country at large, sometimes you just need to get away from it all. Luckily, this year also promises some young adult science fiction and fantasy releases to offer you some escapist reading.
Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones
Wintersong is perfect for fans of Jim Henson’s Labyrinth. When Liesl’s sister is taken by the Goblin King, she ventures into the goblin realm to save her. In return for her sister’s freedom, the Goblin King demands that Liesl become his bride. She agrees. Reviewers say that Wintersong takes some unexpected turns in the second half.
(Released February 7th, 2017)
Empress of a Thousand Skies by Rhoda Belleza
This science fiction debut looks like a ton of fun. Rhee is the crown princess and only surviving heir to her galactic dynasty. Aly, a former war refugee, has risen to intergalactic fame – but then he’s falsely accused of killing Princess Rhee. Rhee and Aly will have to work together to defeat an evil that threatens their entire galaxy.
(Released February 7th, 2017)
Gilded Cage by Vic James
Leave it to YA dystopian books to remind you that things can always be worse. In this alternative version of England, all of the power is held by the magical nobility, the Equals. The commoners have to give up ten years of their lives to serve the Equals, usually in sweatshops within the slave towns. But Abi has a plan – she’ll get her family a place working on the estate of one of the powerful Equal families, keeping them together and away from the sweatshops. Of course, nothing goes to plan, and Abi and her brother find themselves in more danger than they ever could have imagined. Gilded Cage was previously a hit on Smashwords before being picked up by a subsidiary of Penguin Random House.
(Released February 14th, 2017)
Island of Exiles by Erica Cameron
Island of Exiles is a “diverse, gritty survival fantasy.” Khya is a warrior of the isolated desert island of Shiara, where the clan comes before all else. But when the clan’s orders put Khya’s brother’s life in danger, she will have to make a choice: follow her orders or save her brother. The only person who can help her is the boy who’s been her lifelong rival, but she will be risking everything. According to early reviews, Island of Exiles has a strong female lead and plenty of LGBTQIA representation.
(Released February 14th, 2017)
The White Road of the Moon by Rachel Neumeier
Hailed as “Leigh Bardugo meets The Sixth Sense,” The White Road of the Moon is the tale of a girl on a perilous journey. The heroine runs away from her cruel aunt and soon encounters a mysterious stranger and a ghost boy who desperately need her help. The author’s remarked that The White Road of the Moon doesn’t contain any romance and instead focuses on female friendship.
(Released March 14th, 2017)
Thick as Thieves by Megan Whalen Turner
Megan Whalen Turner’s Queen’s Thief series has a fairly sizable fandom on tumblr, and they’ve been waiting for this fifth book for seven years now. This fantasy series takes place in setting loosely based on Ancient Greece with a cast of well developed and memorable characters.
(Released May 16th, 2017)
Royal Bastards by Andrew Shvarts
Tila is the sixteen-year-old illegitimate daughter of Lord Kent, who’s discarded her in favor of his true-born children. Then princess Lyriana befriends Tila, shocking everyone by choosing to sit with the bastards. Then Lyriana, Tila, and the other noble bastards stumble on a heinous crime… and only they will have the power to prevent a civil war from tearing the kingdom apart.
(Released June 6th, 2017)
Ash and Quill by Rachel Caine
Ash and Quill is the final book in a YA dystopia trilogy with an unusual setting and focus. This series imagines a world where the Great Library of Alexandria was never destroyed and instead grew to obtain complete control over all books and knowledge. Owning physical books is banned, and you’re only allowed to read library approved titles sent to your reader. In a world of “alternative facts,” Rachel Caine’s series may be more timely than she ever could have imagined.
(Released July 11th, 2017)
The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell
Magic is disappearing from New York City. A sinister order has created the Brink – a barrier that traps all magic users on Manhattan Island. But Esta has a unique ability – she can travel back in time. Using her ability, she’s able to steal from the order before they ever realize she’s there. Her whole life, Esta has been preparing for one job: to venture back into 1909 and steal a book containing the secrets of the Brink, rescuing all the magic users trapped in Manhattan.
(Released July 18th, 2017)
Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller
Mask of Shadows is the first in a new fantasy duology starring a genderfluid assassin. Sal Leon’s home was destroyed by the nobles, and Sal wants revenge. When a flier for auditions to become the Queen’s personal assassin comes their way, Sal sees an opportunity. But the auditions are a fight to the death, and Sal’s background as a common thief was hardly preparation. And then Sal meets Elise, a court scribe, and starts to dream of a future together… but first Sal will need to survive.
(Released September 5th, 2017)