I’ve always been a lover of school, for as long as I can remember. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy summer break, but I’ve always loved to learn. For those of you who are lovers of school and excited about all that education has to offer, check out these 10 new and upcoming novels set in school or with student protagonists.
With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo
Emoni got pregnant freshman year and her life was turned on its head. Since then, her life has become a chain of difficult decisions. The one place she seems to find solace is in the kitchen. After graduation, she plans to pursue her dream of becoming a chef and will fight to do whatever it takes. Acevedo is the author of the celebrated The Poet X, and this novel is sure to be just as amazing.
Tell Me Everything by Cambria Brockman
Malin, Gemma, John, Max, Khaled and Ruby meet at the start of freshman year of college and form a tight-knit group, but Malin has secrets to hide and she’s good at hiding them. Just before graduation, her secrets come out and end in a grisly murder. This novel boasts a layered character development and sounds to me similar to Pretty Little Liars.
Screen Queens by Lori Goldstein
Only 2 percent of 3,000 applicants are accepted into the ValleyStart tech internship program. Maddie, Delia and Lucy are determined to be the first ever all-female team to win the program’s big competition. Described as The Bold Type meets The Social Network, this YA novel sounds so empowering and full of girl power!
The Gifted School by Bruce Holsinger
When a school for gifted children opens up in a small Colorado town, the relationships within a group of four families starts to shatter as their competitive natures are revealed. The parents try to get their own children into the new school and will do whatever it takes for their child to come out on the top. Reminiscent of Big Little Lies, this is the perfect read to keep the drama going as season two of the HBO show starts to wind down.
The Reunion by Guillaume Musso
Twenty-five years ago, a group of friends committed a murder and hid the body away in the campus gym. Not having spoken to each other since graduation, the group reunites just in time for the demolition of the very same gym in which they hid the body. This U.S. debut from #1 bestselling French author Guillaume Musso sounds like one hell of a ride.
Wilder Girls by Rory Power
A year and a half ago, the Tox hit the Raxter School for Girls, placing it under quarantine. Then the teachers started to die off, one by one. Now the girls are infected, living in strange bodies confined to a school surrounded by a fence. When one of the girls goes missing, Hetty escapes to search for her. I’m reminded of the film The Village and this novel sounds too intriguing to not pick up this summer.
Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds
Jack’s life is not quite going to plan. He just barely missed making the varsity team. He just barely missed being valedictorian. But when he meets Kate, he falls hard. He gets the girl. Almost. But she dies. If only he could find a way to go back and prevent her death, things would be better. But is time travel real? And if it is, what happens when little actions create a butterfly effect? This book sounds so much like A World Without You, which I sobbed through, so of course, this sounds right up my alley.
Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay
It’s Jay’s senior year and he plans to do a whole lot of nothing before heading to the University of Michigan next fall. But when he finds out his cousin was murdered under President Duterte’s rule, he flies off to the Philippines to discover the truth. This is a story of family, faith and understanding what it means to be an immigrant in American society. This sounds reminiscent of The Hate U Give, which is one that still grasps me after almost three years.
The Art of Breaking Things by Laura Sibson
Skye has a dark secret that she’s been keeping. She’s finishing up senior year and has already been accepted into her first-choice school. Things are going great until her mom’s ex-boyfriend returns, and there’s history there. She has to choose between getting out of the town she hates and her sister’s safety. This one seems a lot like Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak and is bound to be an emotional read.
These Witches Don’t Burn by Isabel Sterling
Hannah’s a real with in modern-day Salem, but must keep her powers a secret to non-witches. During the end-of-the-school-year bonfire, something terrible happens and Hannah’s convinced it’s dark magic. She can’t quite convince her coven and must instead partner up with her ex-girlfriend Veronica to save her town. I am obsessed with this synopsis and so excited to read this fun novel.
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