New Book Releases for May 2016
Looking for a book to read? Well, May 2016 is your month. Check out this epic list of new young adult fiction releases, as well as couple of epic Christian novels (New book by Dee Henderson, anyone?)
Young Adult Fiction
Holding Smoke – Elle Cosimano – Hyperion – Published 3 May 2016
Young adult fiction: Contemporary, paranormal.
A Court of Mist and Fury – Sarah Maas – Bloomsbury – Published 3 May 2016
Feyre survived Amarantha’s clutches to return to the Spring Court–but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can’t forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin’s people.
Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms–and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future–and the future of a world cleaved in two.
Young adult fiction: Fantasy.
Tone Deaf – Olivia Rivers – Sky Pony Press – Published 3 May 2016
Ali Collins was a child prodigy destined to become one of the greatest musicians of the twenty-first century—until she was diagnosed with a life-changing brain tumor. Now, at seventeen, Ali lives in a soundless world where she gets by with American Sign Language and lip-reading. She’s a constant disappointment to her father, a retired cop fighting his own demons, and the bruises are getting harder to hide.
When Ali accidentally wins a backstage tour with the chart-topping band Tone Deaf, she’s swept back into the world of music. Jace Beckett, the nineteen-year-old lead singer of the band, has a reputation. He’s a jerk and a player, and Ali wants nothing to do with him. But there’s more to Jace than the tabloids let on.
Young adult fiction: Contemporary.
Love & Gelato – Jenna Evans Welch – Simon Pulse – Published 3 May 2016
Lina is spending the summer in Tuscany, but she isn’t in the mood for Italy’s famous sunshine and fairy-tale landscape. She’s only there because it was her mother’s dying wish that she get to know her father. But then Lina is given a journal that her mom had kept when she lived in Italy. Suddenly Lina’s uncovering a magical world of secret romances, art, and hidden bakeries. A world that inspires Lina, along with the ever-so-charming Ren, to follow in her mother’s footsteps and unearth a secret that has been kept from Lina for far too long. It’s a secret that will change everything she knew about her mother, her father—and even herself.
Young adult fiction: Contemporary
Ruined – Amy Tintera – HarperTeen – Published 3 May 2016
Emelina Flores has nothing. Her home in Ruina has been ravaged by war. She lacks the powers of her fellow Ruined. Worst of all, she witnessed her parents’ brutal murders and watched helplessly as her sister, Olivia, was kidnapped.
But because Em has nothing, she has nothing to lose. Driven by a blind desire for revenge, Em sets off on a dangerous journey to the enemy kingdom of Lera. Somewhere within Lera’s borders, Em hopes to find Olivia. But in order to find her, Em must infiltrate the royal family.
Young adult fiction: Fantasy.
A Walk in the Sun – Michelle Zink – HarperTeen – Published 3 May 2016
Rose Darrow never wanted to spend her life working on her family’s farm. But when her family is rocked by an unexpected tragedy she has no choice but to put her plans for the future—and dreams of escaping her small town—on hold.
Bodhi Lowell left home as a kid and hasn’t looked back. Years of working farm jobs has given him the one thing he wants most: freedom to travel without answering to anyone. He’s already looking past his job at Darrow Farm and plans on leaving in September—until he meets Rose.
Young adult fiction: Contemporary.
Night Speed – Chris Howard – Katherine Tegen – Published 3 May 2016
Alana started her use of tetra in an effort to fight the breaknecks who take the drug to commit crimes, using the high speed rush to fuel their getaway. But Alana has become enamoured of the rush tetra provides and the distance between the good guys and the bad guys shrinks when Alana is blamed for a breakneck’s death. She decides to go undercover to take down the source of tetra once and for all.
Young adult fiction: Science-fiction.
The Way Back To You – Michelle Andreani and Mindi Scott – Katherine Tegen Books – Published 3 May 2016
The death of Cloudy’s best friend Ashlyn changed Cloudy’s world. For Ashlyn’s boyfriend Kyle, it changed everything. Now Cloudy struggles on with life, projecting an ‘I’m fine!’ façade, while Kyle is noticeably falling apart. When the opportunity to meet the recipients of Ashlyn’s organ donation presents itself to Cloudy, she takes it and neatly ropes Kyle into joining her. Perhaps this trip will give them both some closure or hope for the future.
Young adult fiction: Contemporary.
Suffer Love – Ashley Herring Blake – HMH Books – Published 3 May 2016
Hadley St. Clair’s life changed the day she came home to a front door covered in slips of paper, each of them revealing the ugly truth about her father. Now as her family falls apart in the wake of his year-long affair, Hadley wants everyone-her dad most of all-to leave her alone.
Then she meets Sam Bennett, a cute new boy who inexplicably “feels like home” to Hadley. Hadley and Sam’s connection is undeniable, but Sam has a secret about his family that could ruin everything.
Young adult fiction: Contemporary.
The Unexpected Everything – Morgan Matson – Simon & Schuster – Published 3 May 2016
Andie is your typical type-A personality. Everything in order, under control and planned to the last detail. It has to be because one little mess-up could have serious ramifications for her father’s political career. When a financial scam rocks her father’s career and her summer internship is pulled as a result, Andie finds herself at loose ends. Luckily she has an incredible group of friends with which to surround herself, manages to find a job walking dogs which isn’t all that bad, and the cute guy she keeps running into has definite crush possibilities. But with her father always around for once and the cute guy looking for more than Andie’s standard three week kiss-and-breakup ritual, this summer is nothing like she expected.
Young adult fiction: Contemporary.
The Season of You and Me – Robin Constantine – Balzer+Bray – Published 10 May 2016
Cassidy Emmerich is shocked when her boyfriend breaks up with her. Now, instead of being poolside with him, Cass is over a hundred miles away, spending the summer with her estranged father and his family at their bed-and-breakfast at the Jersey Shore and working as the newest counselor at Camp Manatee.
One miscalculated step and Bryan’s life changed forever—now he’s paralyzed and needs to use a wheelchair. This is the first summer he’s back at his former position at Camp Manatee and ready to reclaim some of his independence, in spite of those who question if he’s up for the job.
Young adult fiction: Contemporary.
Summer of Supernovas – Darcy Woods – Crown BRYR – Published 10 May 2016
As the daughter of an expert astrologer, Wilamena Carlisle knows that the truth lies within the stars. So when she discovers a rare planetary alignment, she is forced to tackle her worst astrological fear – The Fifth House of Relationships and Love. But Wil must decide whether a cosmically doomed love is worth rejecting her mother’s legacy, when she falls for a sensitive guitar player hailing from the wrong side of the chart.
Young adult fiction: Contemporary.
The Last Time We Were Us – Leah Konen – Katherine Tegen – Published 10 May 2016
When Jason Sullivan is released from jail, Liz Grant’s summer is shaken. She knows that she should stay away from Jason, but she is undeniably drawn to her childhood friend. But secretly meeting with Jason complicates her relationships with her parents and sister and threatens the budding romance between her and Innis Taylor, the brother of the boy whose face Jason permanently scarred. Complicated is perhaps an understatement.
Young adult fiction: Contemporary.
Love Blind – C. Desir and Jolene Perry – Simon Pulse – Published 10 May 2016
Hailey is going blind so she creates a fear list of things to complete before she loses her sight completely. When she meets Kyle, timid and practically mute, she challenges him to create his own fear list.
Young adult fiction: Contemporary.
Girl Against the Universe – Paula Stokes – HarperTeen – Published 17 May 2016
I thought this would be light and fluffy, about a girl whose bad luck involves paper cuts and missing the bus. But Maguire doesn’t dare go near any sort of public transport and tries to avoid people altogether after a series of severe accidents that have killed her family and injured her friends, leaving her without a scratch. This book is more about mental health than little incidents, yet still retains a sense of playfulness. It’s a romance, sports book and serious contemporary all rolled into one.
Young adult fiction: Contemporary.
The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You – Lily Anderson – St. Martin’s Griffin – Published 17 May 2016
Completely clever and totally enthralling, I don’t think I’ve ever read a book with so many geeky, nerdy, academic, comic and literature references. This book will encourage everyone’s inner geek to burst forth. TOTWTMIY is a retelling of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. And just like with the original Benedick and Beatrice, our main characters Ben and Trixie (already spotting the parallels?) love to fight. Everything about Ben drives Trixie nuts. And just like in the play these two are thrown together when their friends start up a romance. Sparks fly.
Young adult fiction: Contemporary.
The Problem With Forever – Jennifer L. Armentrout – HarlequinTeen – Published 17 May 2016
For some people, silence is a weapon. For Mallory “Mouse” Dodge, it’s a shield. Growing up, she learned that the best way to survive was to say nothing. And even though it’s been four years since her nightmare ended, she’s beginning to worry that the fear that holds her back will last a lifetime.
Now, after years of homeschooling with loving adoptive parents, Mallory must face a new milestone—spending her senior year at public high school. But of all the terrifying and exhilarating scenarios she’s imagined, there’s one she never dreamed of—that she’d run into Rider Stark, the friend and protector she hasn’t seen since childhood, on her very first day.
Young adult fiction: Contemporary.
100 Days of Cake – Shari Goldhagen – Atheneum Books – Published 17 May 2016
There are only three things that can get seventeen-year-old Molly Byrne out of bed these days: her job at FishTopia, the promise of endless episodes of Golden Girls, and some delicious lo mien. You see, for the past two years, Molly’s been struggling with something more than your usual teenage angst. Her shrink, Dr. Brooks isn’t helping much, and neither is her mom who is convinced that baking the perfect cake will cure Molly of her depression—as if cake can magically make her rejoin the swim team, get along with her promiscuous sister, or care about the SATs. Um, no. Never going to happen.
Young adult fiction: Contemporary.
26 Kisses – Anna Michels -Simon Pulse – Published 24 May 2016
With that title and cover this book had no choice but to be a cute romance, perfect for chic-lit lovers and a quick, swoony read.
When Veda’s boyfriend of two years dumps her, she and her best friend come up with a plan to enjoy this summer and mend Veda’s broken heart: kiss 26 guys from A to Z.
Young adult fiction: Contemporary.
And if this list of YA books isn’t enough for you, take a look at Epic Read’s 21 Most Anticipated YA Books to Read in May.
Christian Fiction
Sins of the Past – Dee Henderson, Dani Pettrey, Lynette Eason – Bethany House – Published 3 May 2016
Non-stop action, case drama, clues and twists provide the perfect suspense for this utterly addictive book. With hints of romance and a solid basis in faith, this second book in the Cold Case Justice series continues all the excitement from book one with likeable characters and heart-wrenching cases.
Adult fiction: Christian suspense.
Her One and Only – Becky Wade – Bethany House Publishers – Published 3 May 2016
Gray Fowler, star NFL tight end, is being pursued by a stalker, so his team hires a protection agency to keep Gray under the watch of a bodyguard at all times. When Gray meets Dru Porter, an agent assigned to him, he’s indignant. How can an attractive young female half his size possibly protect him?
But Dru’s a former Marine, an expert markswoman, and a black belt. She’s also ferociously determined to uncover the identity of Gray’s stalker. And she’s just as determined to avoid any kind of romantic attachment between herself and the rugged football player with the mysterious past. But the closer they get to finding the stalker, the closer they grow to each other. As the danger rises, can Dru and Gray entrust their hearts–and their lives–to one another?
Adult fiction: Christian contemporary.
Traces of Guilt – Dee Henderson – Bethany House Publishers – Published 3 May 2016
Evie Blackwell loves her life as an Illinois State Police Detective . . . mostly. She’s very skilled at investigations and has steadily moved up through the ranks. She would like to find Mr. Right, but she has a hard time imagining how marriage could work, considering the demands of her job.
Gabriel Thane is a lifetime resident of Carin County and now its sheriff, a job he loves. Gabe is committed to upholding the law and cares deeply for the residents he’s sworn to protect. When Evie arrives in Carin, Illinois, it’s to help launch a new task force dedicated to reexamining unsolved crimes across the state. Spearheading this trial run, Evie will work with the sheriff’s department on a couple of its most troubling missing-persons cases.
Adult fiction: Christian suspense.
Her One and Only is interesting.👍
And really worth reading! Thanks for your comment.