Summer is finally here. School’s out, and the holidays have finally arrived. That means it’s time to slow down, enjoy the break with these best new books for teens.

Summer 2025 is the perfect opportunity to pick up a great book. Whether you’re relaxing by the sea on holiday, on a study vacation with Astrolabio, or simply spending quiet time at home, reading lets you escape, dream, and grow.

Books don’t just entertain. They open your imagination, help you think in new ways, and improve how you express yourself. In a world full of screens, a good story still has the power to change how you see things, one page at a time.

To help you find the right reads this summer, we’ve selected some of the most exciting new releases for teens across genres. Fantasy, mystery, contemporary drama, and comedy, there’s something here for every reader, whether you’re looking to escape, to laugh, to think, or to feel.

Let’s explore!

Contents
Fantasy

Among Ghosts by Rachel Hartman (June 24, 2025)

If you’re looking for a book that blends fantasy, folklore, and haunting emotion, Among Ghosts delivers something rare and unforgettable.

Set in the same world as the Seraphina series, this story follows Charl, a boy who has built a quiet life in the out-of-the-way village of St. Muckle’s—a refuge known for its muddy streets, dragon-proof dampness, and promise of freedom after a year and a day inside its walls. But when Charl sees something he shouldn’t—a ghost—the safe world he and his mother created begins to unravel.

Rachel Hartman masterfully combines rich, literary fantasy with a ghost story that speaks to memory, survival, and the quiet power of resilience. If you like thoughtful, atmospheric books that stay with you long after the final page, Among Ghosts is one of the standout fantasy novels of 2025.

Somadina by Akwaeke Emezi (April 2025)

Set in a world drawn from Igbo cosmology and Emezi’s own distinct mythology, Somadina is a spellbinding coming-of-age story unlike anything else on the shelf.

Somadina has the ability to commune with spirits of the dead, but that connection comes at a cost. As she tries to understand her place in a world that sees her powers as dangerous, she’s pulled between loyalty to her family, the call of her ancestors, and the ache of becoming something new.

This is a fantasy story, but it’s also a novel about gender, grief, and healing. The magic may not be real, yes, but the questions it asks are: Who do you trust when no one believes in you? And what do you risk when you choose yourself?

Awakened by A.E. Osworth

You’ve never read a fantasy quite like this.

Awakened is a sharp, hilarious, and unexpectedly profound story about a 30-something linguist in Brooklyn who suddenly wakes up with the ability to understand every language in the world. Wilder isn’t exactly thrilled about this development, especially when it comes with a crash course in real magic, magical found families, and an AI bent on existential chaos.

Taken in by a coven of trans witches—each with powers and baggage of their own—Wilder finds themselves at the center of a fragile magical resistance. The cast is unforgettable: Quibble, the charming portal traveler; Artemis, the grounded but visionary caretaker; and Mary Margaret, a sarcastic teen who can move things with her mind and doesn’t care who’s impressed.

Awakened is unafraid to be exactly what it is. If you like your fantasy smart, funny, political, and full of heart, this is a must-read.

Mystery

Difficult Girls by Veronica Bane

Greta Green wanted a chill summer job. Instead, she ends up working at Hyper Kid Magic Land, a barely-functioning amusement park with faded cartoon mascots, chaotic co-workers, and a deadly secret.

When a girl goes missing and another turns up dead, Greta finds herself tangled in a murder mystery that goes deeper than she ever expected. Was it an accident? Sabotage? Or something even darker? As she digs for answers, she realizes she might be next.

This is a teen mystery that’s sharp, snarky, and surprisingly moving. Greta isn’t your typical “girl detective.” She’s angry, unsure, and too smart to stop asking the wrong questions. With eerie details and a twisted sense of humour, Difficult Girls keeps you guessing (and flipping pages) to the very end.

Death in the Cards by Mia P. Manansala

When tarot reader Danika’s latest client vanishes without a trace, the images in her cards suddenly feel far too real.

Danika, a high school senior with a passion for mystery and a gifted tarot-reading mother, doesn’t expect her chill summer nightlife at the local psychic booth to turn into a full-blown investigation. But when sober teenager Lily fails to collect her reading—and the next day turns up missing—Danika’s curiosity shifts into obsession.

In Death in the Cards, Manansala blends mystery and wit with confidence. When the town pressures silence—and when tarot doesn’t offer enough—it’s up to Danika to choose hope over fear.

This book surfaces everything young detectives crave: clever twists, a setting with local colour, diverse characters, and a central mystery that’s equal parts eerie and intelligent.

Contemporary Fiction

Never Thought I’d End Up Here by Ann Liang

Ann Liang’s latest novel Never Thought I’d End Up Here is romantic, funny, emotionally rich, and full of wanderlust. It’s about identity, second chances, and discovering that the home you never felt connected to… might hold more of you than you thought.

Leah Zhang’s life is falling apart—and she knows exactly who to blame: herself. One poorly timed comment at her cousin’s wedding, and suddenly her parents are packing her off on a two-week cultural “immersion” trip across China. Her Mandarin is rusty, she barely knows her own grandparents, and she’s honestly just looking for a way to disappear.

As Leah explores dazzling cities, eats food that reminds her what home tastes like, and slowly begins to understand where she comes from, her feelings toward Cyrus start shifting too. Maybe he isn’t the worst. Maybe there’s something real here. And maybe the version of herself she lost—the one that could belong to more than one place—wasn’t gone after all.

Stuck Up and Stupid by Angourie & Kate Rice

Lily’s summer was pretty normal, until Dorian Khan, teen celebrity and total nightmare, moves into her sleepy coastal town.

This modern-day Pride & Prejudice retelling brings all the tension and wit of Austen’s original, with sun-bleached beach shops, awkward party moments, and surprisingly tender emotional arcs. Lily is sarcastic, smart, and fiercely independent. Dorian is… complicated. And their dynamic? Completely addictive.

Co-written by actress Angourie Rice and her screenwriter mum Kate, Stuck Up and Stupid is funny, heartfelt, and refreshingly modern without losing its classic charm. It’s perfect for fans of character-driven love stories where first impressions are never the whole story.

The Singular Life of Aria Patel by Samira Ahmed

What if there were hundreds of versions of you—living out hundreds of possible lives?

Aria Patel lives in Chicago, where grief and guilt are part of her everyday life. But when a chance encounter thrusts her into an alternate version of her own reality, she begins to see what could have been, and what might still be possible.

Samira Ahmed’s The Singular Life of Aria Patel mixes multiverse theory with raw, honest emotion. Aria is a grounded, relatable character, and her journey isn’t about escaping pain—it’s about choosing hope in the middle of it. This is a book about possibility, identity, and the tiny choices that shape everything.

If you want a story that makes you think without weighing you down, this one delivers.

Humorous Stories

Boys with Sharp Teeth by Jenni Howell

Okay, disclaimer first: this isn’t a comedy in the traditional sense of the word. But if you like your humour dark, sharp, and layered with secrets, you’ll love this Boys with Sharp Teeth.

Marin’s cousin is dead. The elite boarding school where he died claims it was an accident. She knows better.

When Marin infiltrates the school under a false identity, she finds herself drawn into a glittering world of secrets, power, and boys with metaphorical—and maybe literal—fangs. What starts as a revenge mission becomes a tense game of trust, attraction, and survival.

Boys with Sharp Teeth blends boarding school drama, slow-burn romance, and a gothic tone that’s both fun and deeply unsettling. Howell’s writing is clever, her pacing is razor-sharp, and Marin’s voice will stick with you.

When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi

Imagine waking up one morning to discover the moon is made of cheese—and the world acts like it’s totally normal.

When the Moon Hits Your Eye is a hilarious sci-fi romp. The story follows a brilliant astronomer (and many confused people) who must deal with the absurdity as the moon’s true nature upends everything. Critics call it “scathingly funny,” “charmingly cynical,” and full of satirical wit that balances emotional depth with true absurdity.

It’s not your typical YA book—but for anyone who loves deadpan humor, clever satire, and speculative fun, this one delivers solidly and unpredictably.

One Summer, Dozens of Stories

Whether you’re in the mood for dragons, dead girls, secret crushes, or sinister mascots—this summer’s YA releases are packed with fresh perspectives, strong voices, and meaningful choices for teens.