This Week In YA #Booktok (May 21, 2023)

On The Booked Shelf is a new feature called “This Week in YA #Booktok” to highlight the latest buzz surrounding Young Adult titles on the bookish side of TikTok (aka #Booktok).

While the platform is filled with a vast number of creators, this is just a slice of what the algorithm has pushed onto our feed when it comes to new or upcoming titles that’ve had Booktoker’s eager to read, purchase or add the book to their TBR!

Our hope with this new feature is to not only highlight newer YA titles, but also seek out backlist reads that’ve been getting attention from creators on the platform ― consider this also as a resource if you ever find yourself wondering what other titles aside from the “Popular Booktok” are pushed by the algorithm.

With the release of ‘Divine Rivals‘ by Rebecca Ross on April 4, 2023 throughout the month of May there were an average of 25+ videos ranging across the past couple weeks from Booktoker’s praising Ross’s newest YA Fantasy Romance for the “gritty and dark” themes, alongside the reader’s love for the “compelling” main characters of Iris Winnow and Roman Kitt ― who are rival journalists set among a fantastical world of warring gods.

As of May 24, the #DivineRivals hashtag currently has 1 million views.

Shadow and Bone meets Lore in this epic enemies-to-lovers fantasy novel filled with hope and heartbreak, and the unparalleled power of love.

When two young rival journalists find love through a magical connection, they must face the depths of hell, in a war among gods, to seal their fate forever.

After centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again. But eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow just wants to hold her family together. Her mother is suffering from addiction and her brother is missing from the front lines. Her best bet is to win the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette.

To combat her worries, Iris writes letters to her brother and slips them beneath her wardrobe door, where they vanish—into the hands of Roman Kitt, her cold and handsome rival at the paper. When he anonymously writes Iris back, the two of them forge a connection that will follow Iris all the way to the front lines of battle: for her brother, the fate of mankind, and love.

On May 22, Ross revealed through her Instagram the sequel cover to ‘Divine Rivals‘ which has been titled ‘Ruthless Vows’ slated for an April 30, 2024 release!

With the cover reveal of Gabe Cole Novoa’s upcoming YA retelling for Fierce Reads Remixed Classics Series on May 19 via Twitter as well as on TikTok the algorithm highlighted a couple videos with excitement for the Pride & Prejudice retelling. The 9th installment in the Remixed Classics Series will be a retelling in which “Darcy is gay & the second eldest Bennet is a gay trans boy”

With Booktoks garnering over 11k likes and over 53k views, Cole Novoa’s forthcoming novel had climbed up the Barnes & Noble ranks as a pre-order in the Teen & YA Bestsellers top 100 following the reveal.

A trans boy searches for a future—and a romance—in which he can live and love openly as himself in this heart-wrenching YA reimagining of Pride & Prejudice, the ninth book in the Remixed Classics series.

London, 1812. Oliver Bennet feels trapped. Not just by the endless corsets, petticoats, and skirts he’s forced to wear on a daily basis but also by society’s expectations. The world—and the vast majority of his family and friends—think Oliver is a girl named Elizabeth. He finds solace in the few times he can sneak out and explore the city dressed as a young gentleman.

During one such excursion, Oliver becomes acquainted with Darcy, a sulky, rude young man. But in private, Oliver comes to find that Darcy is actually a sweet, intelligent boy with a warm heart. And so Oliver will have to choose: Settle for safety, security, and a life of pretending to be something he’s not, or risk it all for a slim chance at freedom, love, and a life that can be truly, honestly his own.

‘Most Ardently: A Pride & Prejudice Remix’ by Gabe Cole Novoa is set to be released January 16, 2024!

That concludes the round-up for This Week In YA #Booktok! What YA Books have you seen on your Booktok fyp?

‘Nimona’ Coming To Netflix June 2023

As reported by The Booked Shelf last Spring, the long-awaited adaptation for Nimona had been picked up by Netflix for a release this year and as of May 18 the trailer has been revealed by the streaming service, slated for June 30, 2023!

Anchored by the tagline “A new kind of hero takes shape,” the teaser trailer highlighted Nimona’s (Chloë Grace Moretz) mischievous chaotic persona (shapeshifting of course) and the adventures that will be underway in the “techno-medieval landscape” alongside Knight Ballister (Ahmed) and Ambrosius (Eugene Lee Yang).

The full synopsis for the film reads: A knight framed for a terrible crime turns to a shape-shifting teenage girl to prove his innocence. But what if she’s the monster he’s sworn to destroy?

Initially scrapped by Disney at 75% completion, during April 2022 it was announced that Netflix acquired the project, with plans to stream in 2023.

The film’s poster has been revealed as well:

Official poster for ‘NIMONA.’

The film will release on June 30 on Netflix. pic.twitter.com/EcjEZAShx2

— Cartoon News Network (@CCNCartoonNews) May 18, 2023

Nimona is set to stream with with Netflix June 30, 2023!

‘A Tempest Of Tea’ by Hafsah Faizal Cover Reveal

As of February 10, NYT Bestselling author Hafsah Faizal revealed the cover to her newest YA Fantasy duology via Instagram with the first novel titled A Tempest Of Tea ― slated for a Winter 2024 release!

According to Publishers Weekly the story is “Set in Ettenia, an amalgamation of 1920s and Victorian London with a dash of ancient Rome, the novel follows a gang of outcasts in a deadly heist led by Arthie Casimir to save her tearoom—which fronts an illegal blood house, where local vampires can purchase fresh blood.”

Cover artist is Valentina Remenar and art director is Aurora Parlagreco.

From Hafsah Faizal, New York Times–bestselling author of We Hunt the Flame, comes the first book in a hotly-anticipated new fantasy duology about an orphan girl and her crew who get tangled in a heist with vampires, perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows.

On the streets of White Roaring, Arthie Casimir is a criminal mastermind and collector of secrets. Her prestigious tearoom transforms into an illegal bloodhouse by dark, catering to the vampires feared by society. But when her establishment is threatened, Arthie is forced to strike an unlikely deal with an alluring adversary to save it—and she can’t do the job alone.

Calling upon a band of misfits, Arthie formulates a plan to infiltrate the dark and glittering vampire society known as the Athereum. But not every member of her crew is on her side, and as the truth behind the heist unfolds, Arthie finds herself in the midst of a conspiracy that will threaten the world as she knows it. Dark, action-packed, and swoonworthy, this is Hafsah Faizal better than ever.

A Tempest Of Tea by Hafsah Faizal is set to be released February 20, 2024!

‘Gorgeous Gruesome Faces’ by Linda Cheng Cover Reveal

As of April 3 it was revealed via the author’s Twitter, the cover to the 2023 YA sapphic speculative thriller debut Gorgeous Gruesome Faces from Linda Cheng, slated for a Fall release with Fierce Reads!

Following a disgraced teen idol Sunny Lee, she comes face-to-face with the demons of her past and former bandmate in a workshop that brings about more questions than answers as competitors become injured and strangely mutilated, one by one.

Set in the cutthroat world of K-Pop, Cheng’s debut has been pitched as Yellowjackets meets She Is A Haunting, which also has a planned sequel.

Cheng has described her novel featuring elements of “terrible queer girls,” a “blood-soaked pop idol competition,” as well as “maybe the real treasure was the enemies we made along the way.”

Cover designer is Samira Iravani and letterer is David Milan.

After a shocking scandal that abruptly ended her teen popstar career, eighteen-year-old Sunny Lee spends her days longing for her former life and cyberstalking her ex-BFF and groupmate, Candie. The two were once inseparable, but that was then—before the tragedy and heartache they left in their wake.

In the here and now, Sunny is surprised to discover that Candie is attending a new K-pop workshop in her hometown. Candie might be there chasing stardom, but Sunny can’t resist the chance to join her and finally confront their traumatic history. Because she still can’t figure out what happened that horrible night when Mina, the third in their tight-knit trio, jumped to her death. Or if the dark and otherworldly secrets she and Candie were keeping had something to do with it . . .

But the workshop doesn’t bring the answers Sunny had hoped for, nor a happy reunion with Candie. Instead, Sunny finds herself haunted by ghostly visions while strange injuries start happening to her competitors—followed by even stranger mutilations to their bodies. In her race to survive, Sunny will have to expose just who is behind the carnage—and if Candie is out for blood once more!

Gorgeous Gruesome Faces by Linda Cheng is set to be released November 7, 2023!

Author Interview: ‘The Wicked Bargain’ by Gabe Cole Novoa

On The Booked Shelf today we’re in conversation with Gabe Cole Novoa, author of Latine YA Historical Fantasy THE WICKED BARGAIN, which Publishers Weekly has called a “swashbuckling tale brimming with sorcery” set during the 1820’s among the Caribbean.

The novel released on February 28, 2023 and if you’d like to learn more about this YA fantasy featuring a trans masc non-binary protagonist, read below!

Where did the idea for THE WICKED BARGAIN come from?

Cole Novoa: The short answer: I wanted to write about queer pirates

The long answer: I wanted to write about queer pirates and was inspired by a couple “deal with the devil” stories I came across while researching Mexican myths. It occurred to me that a deal with the devil story would meld nicely with a pirate story, and the rest all came together quickly.

What did you love most about writing this novel?

Cole Novoa: Something that was really special to me about this book was not only writing a trans protagonist, but writing a trans protagonist who uses they/them pronouns in a third person POV. This felt really significant to me because it gave me the opportunity to help normalize using they/them pronouns, and I hope people who aren’t used to using gender neutral pronouns may feel a little more comfortable with it by the end of the book. I also hope people who use they/them pronouns for themselves might feel seen in a way that’s currently somewhat difficult to find in books.

Were there any pieces of historical research involved in writing TWB that stood out to you during the drafting or editing process?

Cole Novoa: There was! I didn’t know a ton about the 1800s when I first began brainstorming the book, so I certainly did a decent amount of research around the history of the Caribbean and Latin America as a whole in the 1800s, the clothes people wore, food they ate, weapons technology they had, etc. I also read up on pirates which was really fun and I learned a bunch of cool facts! I think the most interesting bit to me was learning about the different strategies pirates used to steal from merchants—and how easy it was, especially at first, because merchant ships were largely unguarded!

The story is set during the 1820’s in the Caribbean! What was it like exploring this setting through a fantasy lens and what’s important to you when worldbuilding YA fantasy?

Cole Novoa: I’ve come to realize I really enjoy writing (and reading) historical fantasy because it asks me to reimagine a time period with, well, magic! This gave me an opportunity to shine a light on an incredibly important time in the Caribbean and Latin America’s history, while also considering what it might be like for someone with magic to live during such a tumultuous time. 
As for the second part of that question, whenever I’m worldbuilding with magic the first thing I think about are the rules of magic and how society is framed around that magic. In The Wicked Bargain most of society doesn’t know about magic (and those that do believe in magic think it’s evil) so that was a little easier in the sense that I took an existing framework and considered the dangers to someone living in that kind of society. Other times, when I’m working on a book where society is largely aware of magic, I think about how that magic would influence culture, development of technology, how people see the world, etc. It can be a really cool process!

Its always great to see more LGBTQ+ rep in fantasy! What did you enjoy the most about writing a trans masc non-binary pirate MC?

Cole Novoa: I really loved being able to write a trans person as a hero in a book that wasn’t about being trans. There’s nothing that I enjoy reading more than magical queers, and it was such a blast to write a protagonist whose experience with their gender and body was familiar to me having a magic-filled adventure.

In 3-5 words what can readers expect from THE WICKED BARGAIN?

Cole Novoa: Pirates, demons, magic, much queerness

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Author Bio: Gabe Cole Novoa (he/him) is a Latinx transmasculine author who writes speculative fiction featuring marginalized characters grappling with identity. Now leveled up with an MFA in Writing for Children, when he isn’t being nerdy at his day job, or buried under his TBR pile, you’ll likely find him making heart-eyes at the latest snazzy outfit he wants to add to his wardrobe. Gabe is the author of The Wicked Bargain (out Feb 2023), an untitled Pride & Prejudice retelling (Winter 2024), and the Beyond the Red trilogy

The Wicked Bargain by Gabe Cole Novoa is out now!

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‘Sinner’s Isle’ by Angela Montoya Exclusive Cover Reveal

Here at The Booked Shelf were are so honored to be sharing the cover to YA debut author Angela Montoya’s fantasy romance novel, Sinner’s Isle releasing Fall 2023! In this spellbinding tale, a powerful witch is held on a remote island, desperate to escape and a charming pirate prince finds himself marooned on the witch’s island home. Soon the pirate and witch are forced to work together to outwit their enemies, but more importantly escape, before its too late.

Rosalinda is trapped in Sinner’s Isle, where young women known as Majestics, beautiful witches with dangerous magic, are both loathed by society yet coveted by powerful men who wish to use them. Under the watchful eye of her power-hungry headmistress, Rosa’s certain her phantom magic makes her most favored at this year’s Offering, a fiesta for the wealthy to engage in drink, damsels, debauchery and where Majestics’ powers are put on display…for the wealthy choose a witch to serve them for life.

Mariano, the Prince of Pirates, has spent his entire life sailing the high seas. That is until, the king’s fleet attacks his ship, leaving him marooned on Sinner’s Isle, with his late mother’s enchanted chain meant to guide him to his heart’s desire. Before he can loot the isle of its vast riches and be on his merry way, Rosalinda steals his amulet and holds it ransom. Her price for its return? Let her escape the Isle with Mariano before the Offering’s end. As they attempt to outwit each other and their enemies, the pirate prince has found himself a (brazen) bewitching headache.

Now without further ado, the cover, illustrated by Zarin Baksh (@nir4z):

Cover Illustrator / Artist: Zarin Baksh – Publisher: Joy Revolution (Penguin Random House)

Rosalinda is trapped on Sinner’s Isle, an island filled with young women like her—Majestics, beautiful witches loathed by society for their dangerous magic yet revered by powerful men who want to use them. 

For years, she has been kept under the watchful, calculating eye of Doña Lucia. Now eighteen, Rosa will be the prized commodity at this year’s Offering, a fiesta for the wealthy to engage in drink, damsels, and debauchery. That is why she must flee—before someone forces the vicious phantoms within her to destroy everything she touches. 

Handsome, swashbuckling Mariano has long sailed the high seas as the Prince of Pirates. Then the king’s fleet attacks his father’s infamous ship, leaving him marooned on Sinner’s Isle with only an enchanted chain meant to lead him to his heart’s desire. Instead, he falls into the hands of a brazen (although) bewitching headache—Rosa.

Together they must outwit each other and their enemies before the Offering ends and it’s too late to escape the perils of Sinner’s Isle

Told in dual POV, the novel can best be pitched in these four phrases according to the author’s tweet ft. a “Broody pirate with a heart of gold / Baddie witch tired of people telling what she can and cannot do / Blackmail & / Phantoms that can tear the world apart.”

Montoya’s Latinx fantasy romance is being released under the Joy Revolution Books imprint, through Random House Kids, a division of Penguin Random House Publishing. Cover Designer is Trisha Previte.

Sinner’s Isle by Angela Montoya is set to be released October 31, 2023!

You can preorder now and add the novel to Goodreads:

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What are your thoughts on this bewitching cover? 👀⚔✨

‘Betting On You’ by Lynn Painter Exclusive Cover Reveal

The Booked Shelf is delighted to be highlighting an exclusive cover reveal for NYT & USA Today Bestselling author Lynn Painter whose known for her YA romcoms Better Than The Movies and The Do-Over. Well get ready because releasing in Fall 2023, is her newest YA novel Betting On You, which has been pitched as a spin on When Harry Met Sally (Painter’s homage to Nora Ephron).

Featuring dual POV, the “boy falls first” and fake dating it centers on Bailey whose newest job at a hotel waterpark reunites her with an old acquaintance turned co-worker Charlie. They met during a flight to Omaha the year prior after Bailey’s parent’s divorce. These two polar opposites look forward to hanging out and gossiping, especially about a pair who continuously flirt and cozy up to one another. This leads them to make a bet on whether the cozy couple will actually end up dating because they can never be “just friends” (Charlie) or whether that can be proven wrong (Bailey).

But as Charlie realizes he’s fallen for Bailey and developed a crush on her, what makes him even more terrified to admit his feelings is when they agree to a fake relationship in order to disrupt the pleasantries between Bailey’s mom and her new boyfriend. And Bailey soon starts seeing him differently too…

Have the secrets and crushes complicated or doomed these polar opposites before they’ve even realized?

Now without further ado, the cover, illustrated by Liz Casal:

Cover Artist: Liz Casal – Publisher: Simon Teen

When seventeen-year-old Bailey starts a new job at a hotel waterpark, she is less than thrilled to see an old acquaintance is one of her coworkers. Bailey met Charlie a year ago on the long flight to Omaha, where she moved after her parents’ divorce. Charlie’s cynicism didn’t mix well with Bailey’s carefully well-behaved temperament, and his endless commentary was the irritating cherry on top of an already emotionally fraught trip.

Now, Bailey and Charlie are still polar opposites, but instead of everything about him rubbing Bailey the wrong way, she starts to look forward to hanging out and gossiping about the waterpark guests and their coworkers—particularly two who keep flirting with each other. Bailey and Charlie make a bet on whether or not the cozy pair will actually get together. Charlie insists that members of the opposite sex can’t just be friends, and Bailey is determined to prove him wrong.

Bailey and Charlie keep close track of the romantic progress of others while Charlie works to deflect the growing feelings he’s developed for Bailey. Terrified to lose her if his crush becomes known, what doesn’t help his agenda is Bailey and Charlie “fake dating” in order to disrupt the annoying pleasantries between Bailey’s mom and her mom’s new boyfriend.

Soon, what Charlie was hoping to avoid becomes a reality as Bailey starts to see him as not only a friend she can rely on in the midst of family drama—but someone who makes her hands shake and heart race. But Charlie has a secret—a secret that involves Bailey and another bet Charlie may have made. Can the two make a real go of things…or has Charlie’s secret doomed them before they could start?

Painter’s YA novels, especially Better Than The Movies, have garnered quite an audience via #Booktok with the #BetterThanTheMovies hashtag reaching 35.2 million views. Painter has also recently announced a BTTM sequel slated for Fall 2024!

Betting On You by Lynn Painter is set to be released November 28, 2023!

You can read more about it on Lynn’s website or add the novel to Goodreads:

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‘A Warning About Swans’ by R.M. Romero Cover Reveal

On The Booked Shelf we’re doing a cover reveal highlight from January 12 via Twitter for A Warning About Swans by R.M. Romero, her newest original YA fairytale novel in verse about a swan girl dreamed into existence who rejects her gift to escape to the human world in 1880 Bavaria. Romero’s novel is slated for a Summer 2023 release with Peachtree Teen!

Hilde was dreamed into existence by Odin and alongside her five sisters, they were granted cloaks that allow them to transform into swans. Each of the sisters has a unique gift, Hilde’s of which involves being able to lead the souls of dying creatures to the afterlife. Hilde meets a handsome boy with no inheritance by the name of Baron Maximilian von Richter. The two form a pact, she will manifest the riches he desires and in return, he takes her to the human world.

After learning about activities deemed fashionable, in response to her struggling to fit in the court of King Ludwig II, Hilde hires non-binary Jewish artist Franz Mendelson to paint her portrait (of which he does so with wings). As she feels drawn to overtime, Richter becomes more controlling. Then when Hilde’s swan cloak goes missing, Mendelson’s gift in painting the true nature of souls becomes her only hope in having it returned.

As of January 30 during the ALA Youth Media Awards, Romero’s 2021 novel The Ghosts Of Rose Hill was recognized as a Sydney Taylor Notable Book, for books that “authentically portray” the Jewish experience (according to JewishLibaries.org)

Cover artist is Daria Hlazatova.

Swan Lake meets The Last Unicorn by way of the Brothers Grimm in a dreamy, original fairytale in verse which transports readers to the Bavarian Alps.

Bavaria. 1880. Hilde was dreamed into existence by the god Odin, and along with her five sisters, granted cloaks that transform them into swans. Each sister’s cloak is imbued with a unique gift, but Hilde rejects her gift which connects her to the souls of dying creatures and forces her to shepherd them into the afterlife—the “Other Wood.”

While guiding the soul of a hawk to the Other Wood, Hilde meets the handsome Baron Maximilian von Richter, whose father was once a favorite of the king and left him no inheritance. Hilde is intrigued by Richter’s longing for a greater life and strikes a deal with him: She will manifest his dreams of riches, and in return, he will take her to the human world, where she will never have to guide souls again.

But at the court of King Ludwig II in Munich, Hilde struggles to fit in. After learning that fashionable ladies are having themselves painted, she hires non-binary Jewish artist Franz Mendelson, and is stunned when Franz renders her with swan wings. The more time she spends with Franz, the more she feels drawn to the artist’s warm, understanding nature, and the more controlling Richter becomes. When Hilde’s swan cloak suddenly goes missing, only Franz’s ability to paint souls can help Hilde escape her newfound prison.

A Warning About Swans by R.M. Romero is set to be released July 11, 2023!

‘Better Than The Movies’ Sequel Releasing In 2024

On January 20, Lynn Painter announced through Twitter that her NYT Bestselling YA romance Better Than The Movies will be getting a sequel titled Nothing Like The Movies, which is slated for a fall 2024 release!

Initially published in May of 2021, the novel has garnered quite an audience via #Booktok (partly due to the use of rom-com and Taylor Swift references, according to readers) with the hashtag #BetterThanTheMovies acquiring 32.1 million views.

In this “rom-com about rom-coms,” as stated by Junior Library Guild, the novel follows high school senior Liz Buxbaum whose willing to do whatever it takes to win over her crush Michael, after her recently moved back into town. But, when her next-door neighbor and childhood pain Wes Bennett seems to hit it off with Liz’s crush, she realizes her only way to win over Michael involves scheming with her annoying neighbor to make sure he becomes Liz’s prom date. But as she becomes closer to Wes, she slowly starts to reexamine everything she thought she knew about love.

Passionate readers have been eagerly awaiting more of Liz and Wes, especially since during August of 2022, Painter revealed a bonus short story (Better Than The Prom) featuring the couple during a prom scene in the novel.

According to Painter’s thread, she stated “I always said I wouldn’t write a sequel because I like where those silly little love lovers landed, but then an idea popped into my head that I couldn’t shake lose. ALSO – I fell madly in love with Wes’s brain during the bonus chapters and I’m not quite ready to get out of his head.”

The novel will be told in dual POV and set during Liz and Wes’s college summer break. Painter stated more details are to be revealed “soon.” Nothing Like The Movies is available to add on Goodreads.

Liz Buxbaum has always known that Wes Bennett was not boyfriend material. You would think that her next-door neighbor would be a prince candidate for her romantic comedy fantasies, but Wes has only proven himself to be a pain in the butt, ever since they were little. Wes was the kid who put a frog in her Barbie Dreamhouse, the monster who hid a lawn gnome’s severed head in her little homemade neighborhood book exchange.

Flash forward ten years from the Great Gnome Decapitation. It’s Liz’s senior year, a time meant to be rife with milestones perfect for any big screen, and she needs Wes’s help. See, Liz’s forever crush, Michael, has just moved back to town, and—horribly, annoyingly—he’s hitting it off with Wes. Meaning that if Liz wants Michael to finally notice her, and hopefully be her prom date, she needs Wes. He’s her in.

But as Liz and Wes scheme to get Liz her magical prom moment, she’s shocked to discover that she actually likes being around Wes. And as they continue to grow closer, she must reexamine everything she thought she knew about love—and rethink her own perception of what Happily Ever After should really look like.

Nothing Like The Movies by Lynn Painter is set to be released Fall 2024!

‘Up In Flames’ by Hailey Alcaraz Cover Reveal

As of January 5, Penguin Teen revealed the cover to debut author Hailey Alcaraz’s forthcoming YA contemporary novel pitched as a retelling of ‘Gone With The Wind’ titled Up In Flames, slated for an October 2023 release.

Ruby Ortega an “unapologetic flirt” finds that her life comes crashing down when the California wildfires devastate her hometown and destroy her parent’s business. In the aftermath and all seeming hopeless, Ortega takes on a resilient nature as she tries to rebuild in addition to helping undocumented people among her town, with the help of a mysterious boy.

Cover artist is Jeff Ostberg and designer is Danielle Ceccolini.

Gorgeous, wealthy, and entitled, Ruby has just one single worry in her life—scheming to get the boy next door to finally realize they’re meant to be together. But when the California wildfires cause her privileged world to go up in flames, Ruby must struggle to find the grit and compassion to help her family and those less fortunate to rise from the ashes.

At eighteen, Ruby Ortega is an unapologetic flirt who balances her natural aptitude for economics with her skill in partying hard. But she couldn’t care less about those messy college boys—it’s her intense, brooding neighbor Ashton who she wants, and even followed to school. Even the fact that he has a girlfriend doesn’t deter her . . . whatever Ruby wants, she eventually gets.

Her ruthless determination is tested when wildfires devastate her California hometown, destroying her parents’ business and causing an unspeakable tragedy that shatters her to her core. Suddenly, Ruby is the head of the family and responsible for its survival, with no income or experience to rely on. Rebuilding seems hopeless, but with the help of unexpected allies—including a beguiling, dark-eyed boy who seems to understand her better than anyone—Ruby has to try. When she discovers that the fires also displaced many undocumented people in her town, it becomes even more imperative to help. And if she has to make hard choices along the way, can anyone blame her?

Up In Flames by Hailey Alcaraz is set to be released October 3, 2023!