2015 YA Reads Written by Authors of Color
*Will periodically update this list as more covers are revealed*
An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir – Set in a terrifyingly brutal Rome-like world, An Ember in the Ashes is an epic fantasy debut about an orphan, Laia, fighting for her family and a soldier, Elias, fighting for his freedom.
The Boy in the Black Suit by Jason Reynolds – Working in the local funeral home to support his family after his mother’s death and his father’s descent into alcoholism, Matt falls in love with a tough girl, Lovey, who never cries and who just might be able to clue him in on how to rise up when life keeps knocking him down.
Catalyst by Lydia Kang – Zelia Benten has lost her father, the love of her life, and any future she might have imagined for herself. Now she, her sister, and the band of illegal genetic outcasts they’ve come to call their family are forced to run when the safety of their foster home is compromised.
Conviction by Kelly Loy Gilbert – Braden’s older brother, Trey, has been estranged from the family for almost as long, and his father, the only parent Braden has ever known, has been accused of murder. His fate lies in his son’s hands; Braden is the key witness in the upcoming trial. Braden has always measured himself through baseball. Now the rules of the sport that has always been Braden’s saving grace are blurred in ways he never realized, and the prospect of playing against Alex Reyes, the nephew of the police officer his father is accused of killing, is haunting his every pitch. Braden faces an impossible choice, one that will define him for the rest of his life.
Daughter of Dusk (Midnight Thief #2) by Livia Blackburne – After learning the truth about her bloodlines, Kyra can’t help but feel like a monster. As tensions rise within Forge’s Council, and vicious Demon Rider attacks continue in surrounding villages, Kyra knows she must do something to save her city. But she walks a dangerous line between opposing armies: will she be able to use her link to the Demon Riders for good, or will her Makvani blood prove to be deadly?
Delicate Monsters by Stephanie Kuehn – From the Morris-Award winning author of Charm & Strange, comes a twisted and haunting tale about three teens uncovering dark secrets and even darker truths about themselves.
Dove Arising by Karen Bao – Phaet Theta has lived her whole life in a colony on the Moon. Then her mother is arrested. The only way to save her younger siblings from the degrading Shelter is by enlisting in the Militia, the faceless army that polices the Lunar bases. Rank high, save her siblings, free her mom: that’s the plan. Until Phaet’s logically ordered world begins to crumble…
Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan – Music, magic, and a real-life miracle meld in this genre-defying masterpiece. Lost and alone in a forbidden forest, Otto meets three mysterious sisters and suddenly finds himself entwined in a puzzling quest involving a prophecy, a promise, and a harmonica. Decades later, Friedrich in Germany, Mike in Pennsylvania, and Ivy in California each, in turn, become interwoven when the very same harmonica lands in their lives.
Emancipated by M.G. Reyes – The good girl, the bad boy, the diva, the hustler, the rock star, and the nerd. Six teens legally liberated from parental control for six different reasons, all with one thing in common: something to hide. Now they’re sharing a house in Venice Beach. But when one of them gets arrested, everyone’s carefully constructed facade comes crumbling down.
Emerald & Ashes (At Somerton #3) by Leila Rasheed – In the third and final book in this romantic historical YA series, heroes emerge and tragedies unfold as the servant and gentry at Somerton Court face World War I.
End of Days (Penryn & The End of Days #3) by Susan Ee – After a daring escape, Penryn and Raffe are on the run, but a startling revelation about Raffe’s past unleashes dark forces that threaten them all. When the angels release an apocalyptic nightmare onto humans, both sides are set on a path toward war. Forced to pick sides in the fight for control of the earthly realm, Raffe and Penryn must choose: Their own kind, or each other?
Endangered by Lamar Giles – The one secret she cares about keeping—her identity—is about to be exposed. Unless Lauren “Panda” Daniels, an anonymous photoblogger, plays along with her blackmailer’s little game of Dare or … Dare. But when the game turns deadly, Panda doesn’t know what to do. And she may need to step out of the shadows to save herself … and everyone else on the Admirer’s hit list.
Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon – This innovative, heartfelt debut novel tells the story of a girl who’s literally allergic to the outside world. When a new family moves in next door, she begins a complicated romance that challenges everything she’s ever known. The narrative unfolds via vignettes, diary entries, texts, charts, lists, illustrations, and more.
This is an almost comprehensive list of books releasing this year written by authors of color. And look at all those pretty covers!
Pretty, pretty!
Published
theluminouscosmos 