Discover the new books for young adult readers that our booksellers are excited about this month!
Of Flame and Fury
Mikayla Bridge
Phoenixes are unpredictable, wild and incredibly dangerous. But on the island of Cendor, many risk their lives racing them. Seventeen-year-old Kel Varra knows the risks all too well. But despite her fierce need to protect her phoenix, Savita, Kel needs the prize money more. When her team, the Crimson Howlers, loses their rider, Kel has no choice but to join forces with her biggest rival, the arrogant and annoyingly charismatic Warren ‘Coup’ Coupers. Their new partnership attracts the interest of Canen Cristo, head of the powerful Cristo Industries, who offers to sponsor the Crimson Howlers. But as tensions rise on and off the track, and political conspiracies are uncovered, the Crimson Howlers are left with two options: win or burn.
Of Flame and Fury was my most anticipated read for 2025 and it did not disappoint. The characters are loveable, the story is fast-paced and the twists and turns had me on the edge of my seat! Mikayla Bridge has created a fantasy world like no other. The descriptions of the island of Cendor and the mythical creatures that inhabit it are so vivid and unique, I just couldn’t get enough! Especially the phoenixes! I kept flicking back to the compendium at the front of the book to learn more about each subspecies!
This flawlessly executed debut fantasy novel will have you falling in love with phoenixes and the Crimson Howlers. It’s the perfect read for anyone who loves rivals-to-lovers plots, steamy YA romance, found family and cheering for the underdog. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed. For ages 14+.
Reviewed by Lucie Dess.
Tenderly, I Am Devoured
Lyndall Clipstone
Tenderly, I Am Devoured is an enchanting gothic romance fantasy. Woven with elements of horror, a sapphic romance and folklore, this story is mysterious, dark and intriguing. It follows Lark, an orphan raised by her two older brothers. When she is expelled from her prestigious school and returns to her debt-ridden childhood home, Lark finds out that her brothers have arranged a marriage of convenience for her. But this marriage is not to just any ordinary man: Lark is betrothed to Therion, a sea god.
When the wedding ceremony is interrupted, Lark is saved by Alastair and his sister, Camille. The three must unite to face looming dangers and navigate an entangled romance. The relationship between Lark and the two siblings is tender and haunting. At times this is a slow burn, but with great world-building and strong atmospheric descriptions, I stayed hooked until the end.
Tenderly, I Am Devoured is a perfect blend of horror and young adult fiction. It reminded me of House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig and is perfect for fans of Aquaman or A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid. For ages 14+.
Reviewed by Yasmin Baker.
Moonlight and Dust
Jasmin McGaughey
For Zillah, the trouble all started when her sister Nik stepped off a balcony, plummeting into a swimming pool and a mysterious coma. After that night of tragedy, Zillah’s plan to leave her Brisbane boarding school and spend a year with Nik at the local Craigmont High becomes all the more daunting, as she’s forced to step out of her sister’s shadow and make a name for herself. But the more Zillah learns about Nik’s world – and the closer she gets with Nik’s distractingly handsome best friend – the more she realises there might be more to that accident than she thought.
Craigmont High has a massive secret, and it comes in vials of glittering liquid that cost $50 a dose. Everyone calls it ‘Moondust’ and the incredible abilities it confers are undeniable, but its dangerous consequences might be just as hard for them to ignore.
Moonlight and Dust is a well-plotted and inventive mystery, with a perfectly calibrated cast of characters and a plot wound tightly enough to draw anyone in. It’s made all the more notable by Jasmin McGaughey’s commitment to depicting her own Torres Strait Islander culture, which proves central to Zillah’s journey, whether in the broad and supportive family structure that supports her in her toughest moments or in the creole language she speaks with the friends she’s able to find community with. Details like these add depth to Zillah as a character, ground the fantastical drama in lived culture and elevate this book from good to great. For ages 14+.
Reviewed by Joe Murray.
Skipshock
Caroline O’Donoghue
I loved this book so much I read it twice! Caroline O’Donoghue is the author of the romance novel The Rachel Incident, a supernatural young adult (YA) series, and host of the popular podcast Sentimental Garbage, but her new YA novel Skipshock is unlike anything she’s done previously.
When 17-year-old Margo is on a train to Dublin, something strange happens: suddenly she is on a different train in a world where no one has even heard of Dublin. The only other passenger is Moon, who, although the same age as her, has been working for years as a travelling salesman. Here, as in the Railhead series by Philip Reeve, trains transport people between worlds. However, worlds differ in the length of hours that constitute a day, and Margo has just landed in a world with only a six-hour day. ‘Skipshock’, like jetlag, is an unfortunate physical side effect caused by the challenge of moving rapidly between worlds.
There is a dominant power, the Semper, trying to control the trains and thus all the worlds. There is also a well-organised resistance called PACT; an ostracised race, the Lunati, to which Moon belongs; and a watch, given to Margo by her father, that can break trains connecting worlds. This watch makes Margo an important figure to both the Semper and PACT.
Skipshock is science fiction, with all the high concepts and fascinating ideas you’d expect, but it’s also a character-based romance between Margo and Moon. Written with the utmost authenticity and compassion, it makes you wish with all your heart that, against all odds, things will work out for them. My only complaint is that the cliffhanger ending will remain unresolved for readers until the sequel is published in 2026! Skipshock is an entirely original and utterly brilliant novel for adults and teens aged 14+.
Reviewed by Angela Crocombe.
Also recommended this month are:
We Saw What You Started
Carla Salmon
Three deadly fires. One suspect. A thriller of surf and sea.
Otto was a star surfer back in California, but now he just wants a fresh start. When fires break out in Red Sands, the locals are suspicious. It's no coincidence that Otto's at the scene every time. Is it?
Milly isn't so sure. Small town talk isn't always right – especially when it comes to her 'perfect' brother, who doesn't deserve to become captain of the surf lifesaving club.
What if the new boy is innocent? Can Otto and Milly trust each other to find the truth behind the fires? And what happens when you do the wrong things for the right reasons?
Join us to celebrate the launch of We Saw What You Started at Readings Chadstone! Find more details here.
Amelia, If Only
Becky Albertalli
Amelia Applebaum isn’t in love with Walter Holland. He just happens to be her favorite moderately famous, chaotically bisexual YouTuber. Who she just happened to invite to prom. (But it’s fine. No, for real. If you delete the post, it didn’t happen.)
Okay, maybe her friends are right: she’s slightly parasocially infatuated. But Amelia just knows sparks would fly – if only she could meet Walter for real. If only he would host a meet-and-greet. If only it were just a short road trip away. And if only she could talk her best friends into making it the perfect last hurrah before graduation – even Amelia’s newly-single, always-cynical, guitar-toting best friend Natalie.
One thing’s for sure: all roads lead to butterflies. But what if Amelia’s butterflies aren’t for Walter after all?
The Nightblood Prince
Molly X. Chang
The night Fei was born, a prophecy was made: she would one day become the Empress of All Empresses. Torn from her family as a child and raised in the palace to one day marry the Crown Prince of the most powerful empire in the land, Fei has only ever known loneliness. When the opportunity arises to seize her own destiny for the first time in her life, Fei sets out to hunt a legendary tiger, knowing it might cost her everything. What she doesn't expect is to fall under the mercy of Yexue, the beautiful runaway prince from a rival kingdom. Blessed by the night, harbouring a dangerous magic, and capable of commanding an army of deadly vampires, Yexue could be the key to Fei gaining more than just her freedom.
But to outrun destiny, Fei must spark a wave of events that will change the world as she knows it. Torn between two princes and plagued by nightmares of bloodshed, she finds that the stars might be more inescapable – and more irresistible – than she ever considered before. Two kingdoms on the brink of battle. One prophesied empress to unite them, who finds herself caught between two princes and the fact that love alone may not stop the coming war.
Embrace the Serpent
Sunya Mara
The Serpent King is the most eligible bachelor in the land: a monster with dark and terrible magic and the ruler of the last free kingdom. Riches and power await his future bride – but also a life forever trapped in the games of court.
That fate is eighteen-year-old Saphira's worst nightmare. Ever since the Empire made her an orphan, she's found freedom in being invisible. So, despite her rare gift for harnessing the magic in gemstones, she lets an unscrupulous jewelsmith take credit for her increasingly sought-after work.
But when the king sends his most clever huntsman to find the best jewelsmith of all, the spotlight lands on Saphira. Faced with choosing between falling into the Empire's grasp or marrying a monster, she chooses the latter – even if it means getting increasingly caught between her cold, serpentine husband and his cunning, handsome huntsman …
