PW2020 YA #07: JEWEL OF THE CEDAR (#OwnVoices Historical Fantasy)

Sumeyya cannot mourn her recently martyred father. Not only did he surrender the magic jewel keeping their homeland veiled, but he also arranged her marriage to a Viking King.

To protect her people, she agrees to the far-away union and to traveling there under the protection of the king’s adopted son. Through the forest of wolves, the veldt of spies, and the Mediterranean’s shores, love blossoms between them.

But hate’s roots are spreading and if Sumeyya heeds her heart, then she must also learn to channel the jewel’s magic—before crusaders find those she’s meant to keep hidden.

TRISTAN & ISOLDE meets WE HUNT THE FLAME in Moorish Spain

PW2020 YA #08: TOGETHER WE ROT (Contemporary fantasy with horror elements)

There is something rotten at the core of Wil Greene’s remote, frigid Michigan town. Trying to solve her mother’s brutal and ritualistic murder leads her to Elwood: her ex best friend and son of the mysterious, cultish Clarke family. The two must team up to uncover Hartsgrove’s grisly secrets before Elwood becomes his family’s next sacrifice. HEREDITARY + THE DEVOURING GRAY

PW2020 YA #09: STITCHWITCH (Contemporary Fantasy)

As future matriarch of her Minnesotan threadwitch clan, Katerina follows every rule. But when she interrupts rival witch Dominic’s illegal wraith summoning, the creature binds to her. So they make a deal: he’ll hide the evidence if she helps find his missing brother. They just have to control the sassy, soul-devouring wraith without anyone discovering what they’ve done. 

SERPENT & DOVE meets Holly Black

PW2020 YA #10: BOTTLE BLONDE (Contemporary Rom-Com/Trans #OwnVoices)

Amelia Harris has a reputation for being dramatic, and she plans to live up to it by coming out as trans by auditioning for the role of Elle in her high school's production of Legally Blonde. Even if it means auditioning in front of her crush, Travis, who's a shoo-in for the role of her love interest.

PW2020 YA #11: SINNER’S ISLE (Fantasy: Latinx #OwnVoices)

Latinx PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN meets THE BELLES. Rosalinda lives on Sinner’s Isle—where the king keeps all witches under the guise of protection from those who’d see them eradicated. But safety comes at a cost: one witch must serve at the cruel king’s side. There’s no doubt he’ll choose Rosalinda and the vicious phantoms she can release from inside her, but she’ll do anything to flee the island and avoid becoming his weapon, including blackmailing the dangerous pirate who washes up on shore.

PW2020 YA #12: SIDEKICK (Superhero Rom-com – #OwnVoices, STEM)

Anika, sixteen-year-old half-Indian engineering genius, has three goals:

1. Make out with her BFF, Noah.
2. Send MIT her solar panel designs.
3. Dissuade Noah, entitled billionaire, from dressing up in spandex and pretending to be a superhero.

Unfortunately, none of those are happening.

Extra unfortunately, Noah’s fake superheroing results in Anika gaining very real superpowers. As Anika embraces her telekinesis, Noah grows jealous, and a scheming villain threatens her—and humanity. To defeat him, Anika must trade up from sidekick to superhero. And ally with Noah’s evil-hot brother.

PW2020 YA #13: YOU BET YOUR HEART (#OwnVoices Black Rom-Com – Contemporary)

THE SUN IS ALSO A STAR meets TO ALL THE BOYS in this YA #ownvoices Black enemies to lovers rom-com, where two brilliant ex-best friends tied for valedictorian agree to a series of bets to determine who will take the title.

PW2020 YA #14: PEOPLE LIKE US (Contemporary #OwnVoices)

WHAT I CARRY meets EUPHORIA. Fleeing her toxic ex, 17-year-old Amélie Cœur wants to rebuild her life in NYC. New foster family. New love. New beginning. But a secret sister and a shocking death force her to face her demons before they destroy her future.

PW2020 YA #15: STARRSTRUCK (Contemporary, #OwnVoices)

AMERICA’S GOT TALENT meets YOU SHOULD SEE ME IN A CROWN. When Steph and her dance partner Xavier are misconstrued as a couple during their StarrStruck audition, they find themselves in a fake-dating scheme to bolster their chance at winning. But closeted Xavier already has a boyfriend, and Steph soon falls for her high school rival: Mónica, StarrStruck soprano and fan favorite in the competition. As the finale approaches and the secret relationship flourishes, Steph must choose between her budding feelings and her chance at fame and fortune – or she risks losing both.

PW2020 YA #16: THE DEAD DON’T SING (#OwnVoices Fantasy)

Sapphic Hades and Persephone X BEYOND THE RUBY VEIL

With her winter-cursed queendom starved to the bone and her sister in mortal danger, Sirena hatches the perfect two-for-one plan: Poison her murderous mother, the queen, to take the throne and protect her sister. But before Sirena finishes the job, the queen sacrifices her to the alluring Cryptkeeper to bring back summer. Trapped in the underworld, she must do whatever it takes to escape, or she’ll lose her sister—and her crown—forever.