Category Archives: teen fiction

Butler Bookshelf

by

For fans of fast-paced, nail-biting, whodunit thrillers, this week’s Butler Bookshelf is definitely for you. From a mysterious party drug plaguing schools with Stepford Wives-esque effects to a football team massacre that’s left one religious town reeling, these five books are cocktails of crime, thriller, mystery, and horror in all the right ways. Our feature pick this week is Lost Girls of Hollow Lake by Rebekah Faubion, set to be released on January 27th. In a sapphic, Yellowjackets meets Lord of the Flies way, Lost Girls of Hollow Lake tells the story of eight girls abandoned on a mysterious island after a school field trip goes south. When the group is miraculously—supernaturally, even—able to make it back to shore, there’s only one problem: just five girls remain. The town wants answers about the missing three, and someone out there is determined to pick off the rest. Can these girls ever truly make it off the island?

Read Lost Girls of Hollow Lake to find out & check out some more thriller YA books below!

Better the Devil
Erik J. Brown
HarperCollins / Storytide
Available January 20th, 2026!

Gaslit
Megan Davidhizar
Random House Children’s Books / Delacorte Press
Available January 13th, 2026 (today!)

I Don’t Wish You Well
Jumata Emill
Random House Children’s Books / Delacorte Press
Available January 20th, 2026!

Lost Girls of Hollow Lake
Rebekah Faubion
Random House Children’s Books / Delacorte Press
Available January 27th, 2026!

Shiny Happy People
Clay McLeod Chapman
Random House Children’s Books / Delacorte Press
Available now!

Butler Bookshelf

by

Happy New Year! What better way to kick off 2026 than with a Butler Bookshelf all about rom-coms?! From fake relationships, enemies to lovers, and a Groundhog Day meets Sixteen Candles situation, there’s a little bit of every trope here for everyone. Our feature pick this week is Love Goes Viral, by Camille Stochitch, Alexander Berman, and Estelle Laure. Aspiring pop star and small-town Texan Love Thompson is thrown into the spotlight after a video of her dancing blows up overnight. Sweet & simple Austin Grey, with no social media whatsoever, is trying to save his father’s decrepit diner in the Chicagoland suburbs. (Shoutout to Highland Park!) When their worlds collide, thanks to a viral video, chaos quickly ensues as feelings emerge & the two’s PR relationship begins to feel very, very real. Can a Hollywood budding starlet and an off-grid amateur chef make it after all? Pick up Love Goes Viral for that perfect, banter-y rom-com feel.

Check out some more young adult rom-com books below!

We’ve Hit Turbulence
Jessica L. Cozzi
Random House Children’s Books / Delacorte Romance
Available January 13th, 2026

16 Forever
Lance Rubin
HarperCollins
Available January 6th, 2026 (that’s today!)

Love Goes Viral
Camille Stochitch, Alexander Berman, Estelle Laure
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing / Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Available January 6th, 2026 (today!)

You Had Me @ Hello World
Rona Wang
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing / Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Available now!

Reel Love
Addie Woolridge
Random House Children’s Books / Delacorte Romance
Available now!

Butler Bookshelf

by

If you’ve scrolled on social media these past couple of weeks, there’s a good chance you’ve heard about Heated Rivalry, the hockey romance book series, for adults, that’s selling out shelves and now amassing millions of viewers with a television adaptation. Looking for something just as page-turning but within the right age range? We’ve got plenty of Young Adult hockey romances here at the Butler Center! (Okay, maybe one of them is about field hockey… but it’s still great, we promise!) And one for middle-grade readers as well. December’s weather has proven to be icy and cold, just like the rink, but make no mistake—these puck-slinging romance books heat up fast, with humor and lots of heart. Our feature pick this week is Heart Check, by Emily Charlotte. Although they share classes and shifts at the local diner, high-schoolers Luke and Harper couldn’t be more different. Luke’s a hockey star, and in Harper’s eyes, a total jock. Harper’s quiet and artsy, and in Luke’s eyes, stuck-up. But when their lives begin to entangle, the unlikely duo manages to break the ice and… find love.

Check out more hockey-themed romance below!

Heart Check
Emily Charlotte
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing / Margaret K. McElderry Books
Available now!

Fake Skating
Lynn Painter
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing / Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Available now!

All’s Fair in Love and Field Hockey
Kit Rosewater
Random House Children’s Books / Delacorte Romance
Available now!

And for younger, middle-grade readers…

Bea Mullins Takes A Shot
Emily Deibert
Random House Children’s Books / Yearling
Available now!

The Complications of Intimacy: A Review of How Girls Are Made

by

How Girls Are Made
Mindy McGinnis
HarperCollins 
Ages 16-18
Available November 18, 2025

High school seniors Fallon, Shelby, and Jobie couldn’t be more different. Fallon is determined to graduate with straight A’s and escape Presnick, their small, conservative Ohio town. Shelby is focused on her budding career as a semiprofessional MMA fighter. And Jobie is chasing online stardom… and a rhinoplasty. When Fallon finds out her thirteen-year-old sister Farrah’s sex education class is teaching girls virtually nothing, she decides someone must enlighten these young girls about safe sex. After coercing Shelby and Jobie to join in, the trio begins hosting secret meetings to talk about sex at the local rec center, under the guise of a “self-help” class called “SHAFT.” After an Instagram post about “SHAFT” goes viral, Presnick’s parents are up in arms. DMs begin flooding in; fingers start pointing, and their antidote to an incompetent health class quickly spirals into a dangerous web of lies. Weaved in between their own simultaneous struggles, a fatal ending for one of the three solidifies the long-lasting effects of trauma. 

Although the first three hundred pages, even with a point of view shift each chapter, maintain a consistent tone that accurately captures the acerbic humor and raw tumult of teenage girlhood, the final fifty pages quickly veer into tragedy reminiscent of a Lifetime movie—fitting for a story steeped in teenage drama. Despite its soapy ending, How Girls Are Made serves as an important cautionary tale about the complications (and potential dangers) of sex and relationships. The characters are complex; the dialogue rings true, and as devastating as the story becomes, McGinnis confronts a myriad of incredibly relevant issues to teenagers nowadays. Given its heavy subject matter, which McGinnis tackles with heart-wrenching accuracy, including references to rape, suicide, and domestic abuse, the book is best suited for more mature young adult readers. 

Long Live the Queen: A Review of Red as Royal Blood

by

Red as Royal Blood
Elizabeth Hart
HarperCollins Publishers/Harper
Ages 15+
Available November 18th, 2025

Ruby has spent her entire life keeping her head down. As a castle maid, she does her best to be invisible to the royal family of Lumaria (except for Prince Rowan, her friend and chess partner). So when the king dies and names her as his heir, no one is more surprised than Ruby herself. The situation is further complicated when Ruby discovers a note from the king warning that he believes he was murdered — and that Ruby may be next. Thrust into a whirlwind of lies and deceit, Ruby must figure out for herself who she can trust. Who killed the king? What secrets are the remaining members of the royal family hiding? And most importantly, can Ruby survive to see herself crowned queen of Lumaria?

Red as Royal Blood is part romance, part thriller, part fairy tale. As Ruby rapidly adjusts to being thrown headfirst into royal life, she finds herself facing potential danger around every corner while also trying to unravel her own complicated feelings toward her friend Rowan and his brother, Asher, who was set to take his father’s throne. Hart weaves together the dual mysteries of Ruby’s past and the late king’s warning to create an atmosphere that is tense and action-packed — with just enough breathing room to allow for the romantic tension to build on top of it.

For lovers of all things royal, Red as Royal Blood provides a thrilling twist on the princess genre. Readers looking for a love story, a mystery, or a story with a strong and smart leading lady will find something in its pages to scratch that itch.

Story of Survival: A Review of The Rebel Girls of Rome

by

The Rebel Girls of Rome 
Written by Jordyn Taylor 
Published by HarperCollins Publishers/Harper 
Ages 14-18 
Available July 8, 2025  

Nineteen-year-old Lilah just finished her first year of college and is still trying to figure out how to survive after her mother’s death. When she receives a mysterious message about a lost family heirloom, she feels excited about the idea of learning more about her family’s history. Lilah grew up thinking that her grandfather, Ralph, was the only member of his family who survived when the Nazis invaded Rome. Now, Lilah has an opportunity to discover if his sister, Bruna, might have survived, too. Despite Ralph’s refusal to speak about his family and childhood, Lilah convinces him to travel to Italy with the hope of discovering what happened to Bruna. Alternating chapters between Lilah’s perspective in the present day and Bruna’s in the 1940s, this story of rebellion and resistance highlights the strength necessary for survival and the importance of telling your story. 

Jordyn Taylor seamlessly weaves together two perspectives separated by 80 years and two generations to create an emotional and touching story of survival and forgiveness. She explores themes of grief, guilt, and generational trauma through Lilah’s grief for her mother and the survivor’s guilt that Ralph and Bruna struggle with for their whole lives. Bruna’s story is compelling and heartbreaking, detailing the reality of living in occupied Rome. Taylor adds an uplifting layer through Ralph and Bruna’s heartfelt reunion and Lilah’s relationship with her grandfather deepening as she learns more about him. She also incorporates aspects of LGBTQ+ history and women’s history in Italy, both showcasing the multi-layered oppression Bruna faced and commenting on the progress that still needs to be made today. In the author’s note, Taylor explains how much of the novel is based on facts, like the missions carried out by resistance groups, and how much is fiction. Both captivating and touching, The Rebel Girls of Rome showcases the power that love has to help people survive and bring people back together, even after 80 years. 

Butler Bookshelf

by

Even though it’s only April, we here at the Butler Center have received countless fantastic books for teens! From fantasy to romance, we want to share some great new teen fiction, like Love on Paper by Danielle Parker. When Macy Descanso is accepted to attend Penovation, a high-profile writing workshop program, she knows she has some big shoes to fill from her writer parents. However, when the workshop’s theme is romance and Macy’s critique partner is the (irresistably cute) son of her parents’ writing rivals, Caleb, she feels the pressure rachet up. Soon, when a classmate reveals a mystery left behind by a romantic literary giant, she knows it will be the perfect thing to distract her from her imposter syndrome. Plus, would it really be so bad to bond with Caleb, who is growing more charming by the second, over solving this mystery? Parker presents a fun summer romance, building Macy and Caleb’s relationship incrementally until they finally admit their feelings for each other. The mystery element adds an entertaining touch, propelling the story forward as the characters explore Berkeley and the surrounding area to find the prolific writer Betty Quinn’s last unfinished manuscript. Parker doesn’t shy away from heavier topics, discussing grief, complicated parental relationships, and imposter syndrome. Using thoughtful and humorous prose, Parker explores what it means to make a name for yourself, even when escaping your parents’ shadow feels impossible. Joyful, funny, and intriguing, Love on Paper is a wonderful young adult rom-com to add to any personal or public library collection!

Check out more teen fiction below!

A Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe
Written by Mahogany L. Browne
Published by Crowne Books for Young Readers
Available now!

Camila Nunez’s Year of Disasters
Written by Miriam Zoila Perez
Published by Page Street Publishing
Available now!

Love on Paper
Written by Danielle Parker
Published by Joy Revolution
Available now!

On the Wings of la Noche
Written by Vanessa L. Torres
Published by Alfred A. Knopf
Available now!

True Life in Uncanny Valley
Written by Deb Caletti
Published by Labyrinth Road
Available now!

Native Joy: A Review of Legendary Frybread Drive-In: Intertribal Stories

by

1

Legendary Frybread Drive-In: Intertribal Stories
Edited by Cynthia Leitich Smith
HarperCollins Children’s Books/Heartdrum
Ages 13+
Available August 26. 2025

Sandy June’s Legendary Frybread Drive-In is everywhere and nowhere all at once. It appears to anyone who needs it, regardless of where they are, bringing together Indigenous people from a variety of places and backgrounds. Each piece of this anthology takes place against the backdrop of Sandy June’s, as teenagers from everywhere from Alaska to Hawai’i visit and grow. The short stories and poetry in the collection brush up against each other, creating a picture of the people and places which make up Sandy June’s.

Published by Heartdrum, a Native-focused imprint of HarperCollins Children’s Books for which Leitich Smith serves as author-curator, and in partnership with We Need Diverse Books, Native joy and the centering of Indigenous voices is at the heart of Legendary Frybread Drive-In. The teenage characters come from a wide variety of tribal backgrounds, with which they have varied and complex relationships. As they deal with hallmark challenges of young adulthood such as grief, love, jealousy, friendship, and family, they make connections with, beyond, and between Indigenous cultures.

The relatable struggles of the characters in this anthology will appeal to any young reader who wishes to read about teens facing challenges similar to their own. For Indigenous readers, it will provide a mirror of their own experiences, while for nonindigenous readers, it provides a window to others’. Cynthia Leitich Smith, in her end note, encourages readers who are unfamiliar with Indigenous literature to use this book as a jumping-off point to explore more. With contributors both established and new, it provides a variety of authors for curious readers to look into, should they want to read further.

Butler Bookshelf

by

If there’s one things books do best, it’s transport us somewhere new. With the power of fiction, we can travel to new places, full of new people, and experience things we never thought possible. This week, we’re taking a look a teen fiction that takes us someplace new – from a fairytale kingdom to an alien invasion to a virus-ridden dystopia, each of these books takes the reader totally out of this world. Our feature is Why On Earth: An Alien Invasion Anthology, edited by Rosiee Thor and Vania Stoyanova. Iona is on a mission. Her brother, Axariam has been stuck on Earth for five years – all the while pretending to be “Max Spencer,” a boyband superstar turned Hollywood actor. But when Iona’s ship crashes and her crew is shattered, their mission (and the premiere of Max’s new movie) devolves into chaos. An innovative approach to the anthology format, each short story in this collection gives a unique perspective on the “alien invasion” as Iona and her crew attempt to reunite and rescue Max once and for all. Delightfully quirky and filled to the brim with loveable characters, this anthology is a must-read for sci-fi lovers everywhere.

Check out more teen genre fiction below!

All Better Now
Neal Shusterman
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing /Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Available now!

Capitana
Casandra James
HarperCollins Publishers/Quill Tree Books
Available now!

Liar’s Kingdom
Christine Calella
Page Street Publishing/Page Street YA
Available now!

Orisha, Volume 1
Huzayfa Umar
The Quarto Group/Rockport Publishers
Available February 25th, 2025

Why On Earth: An Alien Invasion Anthology
Edited by Rosiee Thor and Vania Stoyanova
Page Street Publishing
Available now!

Butler Bookshelf

by

It’s February, which means Black History month is being celebrated across the United States. The Butler Center is proud to feature Black voices and Black literature across our collections, including the Effie Lee Morris Collection of African American Books. This week, we’d like to celebrate the month by taking a look at fiction by Black authors in our new book collection. From picture books to middle grade to young adult, these books span ages and genres, giving a peek at all corners of our collection! Our feature pick is Saturday Morning at the ‘Shop by Keenan Jones and illustrated by Ken Daley. Inspired by the author’s frequent trips to barbershops as a child, this colorful picture book follows a young boy as he spends his Saturday morning in a bustling barbershop. Along the way, he celebrates all the things a barbershop can be: a sound booth, a comedy club, a classroom, and more. With gorgeous full-page illustrations that capture the hustle and bustle of the ‘shop, this is a delightful book for readers of all ages.

Check out more fiction from Black authors below!

As You Wish
Nashae Jones
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing/Aladdin
Available now!

Black Joy
Charnaie Gordon
Illustrated by Lhaiza Morena
The Quarto Group/becker&myer!kids
Available now!

Dear Black Boy
Martellus Bennett
The Quarto Group/Frances Lincoln Children’s Books
Available now!

Saturday Morning at the ‘Shop
Keenan Jones
Illustrated by Ken Daley
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing/Beach Lane Books
Available now!

(S)kin
Ibi Zoboi
HarperCollins Publishers/Versify
Available now!