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Four big things are true of February. First, it’s Black History Month, and while highlighting Black literature and Black YA books is a year-long practice, this month, it’s especially important to pick up books by Black YA authors. Where and how you can, prioritize them in your reading life, and then before the month comes to a close, ensure that you’ve not only added a few forthcoming Black YA titles to your to-read list but that you’ve also requested that your public library purchase some of those titles for their collection (that’s one easy task to help protect the right to read and champion inclusive literature all year long).
Second–and sadly, past us already–is the annual prognostication by a giant rodent. Groundhog Day is my personal favorite holiday of the year for the whimsy and absurdity, but also because it marks the half-way point of winter. Whether or not you believe in Phil or Willie’s prophecies, this week would be a great one to dive into a time loop novel or two. Here’s a list from a few years ago featuring both adult and YA time loop novels (I thought I wrote one that was exclusively YA books, but alas, I cannot find one, meaning that I’ll have to create one!).
Third, we’ve got Valentine’s Day fast approaching. Want to read romance novels? This would be an ideal time, whether or not you yourself are the relationship type. YA is ripe with great romance, and you can start or continue your adventure with this look at some of the best YA romance authors.
At this point, if you’re doing the math and wondering what the last big thing of February could be, rest assured that it’s not a holiday. It’s the fact this is the shortest month of the year, and that in many places, the sunlight this month mirrors what we see and feel in October. Except rather than losing daylight, we’re adding it. What does that mean? It’s a great opportunity to pick up some really short YA books and/or books that remind you that spring is approaching. Oh, or maybe this is your time to dive into a slew of YA short stories.
Yes indeed. February is the perfect month to read.
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That introduction said, how about a look at the first batch of YA book releases for February? There are a good number, and we’ll continue to see a healthy dose of new YA book releases for the foreseeable future, especially as we progress into March and April.
This week, let’s go to the circus, hit up the rodeo, and then cozy on in to a sweet romantic fantasy read.
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New Hardcover YA Releases This Week
According to Plan by Christen Randall
It’s senior year, and Mal’s looking forward to being the editor in chief of their school’s literary magazine. They want to keep things quiet and follow their Plan, which is to get out of their small midwestern town ASAP following graduation. Mal’s queer, fat, and has ADHD and thus, has never fit in.
But then they get horrible news: the lit magazine’s been canceled due to budget cuts.
Enter Emerson. Emerson, a fellow student with ADHD but who is the loud, confident type Mal could never be, suggests that the staff of the lit magazine create a zine instead. While Mal never saw making and selling something they think is contraband as part of the Plan, they’re also drawn to Emerson. This would allow them more time with a person they think is cool and funny and charming, among other things.
Soon, Mal is flirting and spending more and more time with Emerson at her place of work. Perhaps getting off Plan is exactly what they need to have the best senior year ever.
Carnival Fantástico by Angela Montoya
CarnivalFantásticois all about magic and mischief. That makes it the perfect place for Esmeralda, a runaway who takes on the role of thecarnival’s fortune teller. She has big aspirations to utilize her skills and wit to secure a lead role in the Big Show. If she succeeds, she’ll escape the tyranny of her former employer, the King’s army commander.
Enter Ignacio. He’s defected from the army, and he’s turned his eye to finding proof that his father is corrupt. Ignacio had no idea that in his search, though, he’d meet a woman spinning fortunes at acarnivaland fall head over heels in love.
The two of them strike a deal. He’ll help her score the lead role, while she’ll help expose his father. However, there are bigger secrets from both of their pasts that threaten their (promising?) futures.
Few Blue Skies by Carolina Ixta
Paloma and Julio broke up after Julio’s father died. Paloma’s been heartbroken since. However, things have only grown more difficult for her as her community of farm and factory workers is being threatened. An e-commerce giant called Silva threatens to open a warehouse near her school, and it’s not the first time this company has been responsible for the town losing its green spaces.
The air pollution is so harmful, though, that people are leaving town in droves. Paloma’s mom wants them to go, too, but Paloma has hope that she and others in town can work together to stop Silva and reverse the harm done by the corporation. But to do this, Paloma will have to turn to the one person she’s most worried about reaching out to: Julio.
This Ain’t Our First Rodeo by Liara Tamani
YA publishes very few westerns, but this is one you’ll want to lasso onto your TBR, especially if you’re a romance reader.
Josie’s parents own a small restaurant empire in Houston, and they’ve just opened a brand new one. She’s expected to help out, especially as she’ll likely take over the businesses one day. Too bad that’s not what Josie wants. She’s itching for time at the rodeo and time riding her horse at her grandmother’s ranch, which her mom wants to sell.
Since his mom died, Shawn has been bull riding. It’s part to relieve his grief and part because his step-father expects him to perform well. But as Shawn’s stardom burns brighter, his step-father’s substance use issues grow larger and larger.
One night Josie and Shawn find one another and find really big feelings for each other. Now, their lives are becoming more closely entwined and that might not be for the best–are the adults in their lives going to chase their dreams, and their budding romance, from them? Or can the two teens break free of the expectations put upon them and live their rodeo dreams together?
Until The Clock Strikes Midnight by Alechia Dow
The “meets” pitch for Dow’s latest is so good that it’s worth sharing–this is The Good Placemeets the Brandy version ofCinderella. It’s a cozy romantic fantasy!
Darling is a Guardian. She’s unusual, but she’s quite talented. When she’s got the opportunity to win a Mortal Outcome Council mentorship, which would give her the chance to shape future happiness in all mortal realms, she’s ready for it. She just has to fix Lucy Addlesberg. No problem, Darling thinks. But then she meets Lucy and realizes her life is a mess. Darling’s good at makeovers, but between Lucy’s failing bookstore and failing at winning over her crush, Darling has her work cut out for her.
Calamity is a Misfortune, and he’s also talented at his job: saving mortal beings from the mythical idea of a “Happily Ever After.” He gets real with them about the future and about who they are. So given the chance to win a Mortal Outcome Council mentorship, he’s feeling confident when assigned his skills test with Lucy Addlesberg. No problem, he thinks. She’s been a mess forever.
What Calamity didn’t anticipate was that Lucy has a Guardian assigned to her, too. To take one another down, Calamity and Darling pretend to be dating when they approach Lucy. They’re both angling to get Lucy to do what it is they think is best–and what will help them secure the win. Along the way, though, both Darling and Calamity begin to question what it is they’re doing and whether or not that coveted Council mentorship is what they really desire.
Of course, they might be catching some Feelings for each other, too.
New Hardcover Series Releases:
More Hardcover YA Releases This Week:
New Paperback YA Releases This Week
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Build a Girlfriend by Elba Luz
For generations, the Hernandez women have been cursed in the love department. Amelia refuses to let herself fall to the same fate as her mom, sisters, and aunt, though. She’s going to find out why she’s been unlucky in love so far and find a way to solve the problem before it becomes her destiny.
Amelia is going to track down every one of her exes and find out what made her good–and difficult–to be in a relationship with. She’ll use that to become the best version of herself possible.
When she reunites with Leon, Amelia can’t help but think a little revenge might feel good. She has the insight now to be the most unbreakupablegirlfriendpossible. It’s time to let Leon sweat a bit about his decision to break her.
But things get complicated and fast. What can Amelia do as she realizes her feelings are real and not part of the revenge plot?
Don’t Let The Forest In by CG Drews
Andrew likes to write twisted fairy tales, and he finds great refuge in them—and in sharing them with Thomas, who illustrates them. Thomas is Andrew’s rock, so when Thomas arrives at school one day with his abusive parents suddenly gone and blood on his sleeves, Andrew has questions. Thomas, however, won’t answer them.
Desperate to know what’s going on, Andrew follows Thomas into a forbidden forest in town. It turns out Thomas has been fighting monsters…the very monsters he had drawn for those twisted fairytales.
The boys are finding themselves fighting these monsters every single night and, to make matters more complicated, fighting off growing feelings for one another.
The Scorpion Queen by Mina Fears
Amie lives intheimperial palace at Timbuktu, but everything aboutthelife she’s known is outthewindow in a matter of months. She’s now being accused of a crime, she’s been disinherited, and her new role is to serve Princess Mariama of Mali.
Mariama’s father has set up a whole slew of tests for his daughter’s future suitors. None of them can live up tothetests, and in response to their failures, her father boilsthepotential suitors alive. Now there are 99 corpses of those not deemed good enough to marry Mariama.
Amie is initially boredbyher new role as Mariama’s servant. But soon,thegirls grow closer, especially as Amie sees it’s not necessarily amazing to be in Mariama’s position. Amie still keeps a little distance though, astheplan is for her and her intended Kader to escape Timbuktu. It offers them nothing but pain, suffering, and a future full of death.
Except, Amie continues to be drawn to Mariama, andthefeeling is mutual. Amie’s made a discovery that could change all of their futures and now, she must testthelimits of her own strength and resolve to travelthedesert in search of an exiled god who may betheonly one able to help them all.
New Paperback Series Releases:
More Paperback YA Releases This Week:
Not enough book lists or new releases for you? You’ll want to take a gander then at the most anticipated YA books of 2026.