Categories: Book UniverseWhat to Read

Love YA: Three Young Adult Romances That Come Out On January 8th

It’s the start of the month, which means that we should get that reading goal up and high and do our best to meet it with some good books!

This week, some highly expected fantasy books are coming out, which will have all of you turning pages faster than ever.

Read below for these new releases and don’t forget to tell us what you are reading next!

The Wicked King by Holly Black

You guys, it’s finally time for the follow-up for The Cruel Prince!

After the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her younger brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were easy to control. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her even as his fascination with her remains undiminished.

When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world.

This book is full of romance, intrigue and twists and turns which you won’t expect, so make sure to add it to your bookshelf ASAP!

Slayer by Kiersten White

In this novel set in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer universe, Nina and her twin sister, Artemis, are far from normal. It’s hard to be when you grow up at the Watcher’s Academy, which is a bit different from your average boarding school. Here teens are trained as guides for Slayers—girls gifted with supernatural strength to fight the forces of darkness. But while Nina’s mother is a prominent member of the Watcher’s Council, Nina has never embraced the violent Watcher lifestyle. Instead she follows her instincts to heal, carving out a place for herself as the school medic.

Thanks to Buffy, the famous (and infamous) Slayer that Nina’s father died protecting, Nina is not only the newest Chosen One, she’s the last Slayer, ever. Period. As Nina hones her skills with her Watcher-in-training, Leo, there’s plenty to keep her occupied: a monster fighting ring, a demon who eats happiness, a shadowy figure that keeps popping up in Nina’s dreams, and other challenges. But it’s not until bodies start turning up that Nina’s new powers will truly be tested, because someone she loves might be next. One thing is clear, this book is all about the choices we make in life and what can happen when we take the road chosen for us or even the road less traveled.

The Girl King by Mimi Yu

In this epic fantasy, sisters Lu and Min have always understood their places as princesses of the Empire. Lu knows she is destined to become the dynasty’s first female ruler, while Min is resigned to life in her shadow. Then their father declares their male cousin Set the heir instead, a betrayal that sends the sisters down two very different paths.

Determined to reclaim her birthright, Lu goes on the run. She needs an ally, and an army, if she is to succeed. Her quest leads her to Nokhai, the last surviving wolf shapeshifter. Nok wants to keep his identity secret, but finds himself forced into an uneasy alliance with the girl whose family killed everyone he ever loved.

Alone in the volatile court, Min’s hidden power awakens, a forbidden, deadly magic that could secure Set’s reign, or allow Min to claim the throne herself. But there can only be one Emperor, and the sisters’ greatest enemy could turn out to be each other.

This book certainly explores sisterly issues, like love and even competition, and will surely look great on your TBR shelf.

What romantic and intriguing YA reads are you looking forward to? Let us know on Twitter or IG (@onfrolic) for a chance to have them featured in #LoveYA.

Aurora Dominguez

Aurora Dominguez is a high school English teacher, college professor and journalist in South Florida. Her work has appeared in The Miami Herald, Where Magazine and J-14 Magazine, all places where she worked as a writer and editor before going from the newsroom to the classroom. Her favorite days are "Caturdays," which she spends with a good book, her husband, Sebastian, and her cat, Luna. Her motto when it comes to reading: "No book left behind!"