Young Adult Cover Reveals For July!

Today on The Booked Shelf we’ll be wrapping up some of the wonderful Young Adult covers revealed during the month of July!

1. Afterlove by Tanya Byrne

Revealed through the author’s Twitter on July 1, this UKYA contemporary is pitched as “the lesbian love story you’ve been dying to read.” The story follows Ash Persaud who is about to become a reaper in the afterlife. But, she’s determined to see her first love Poppy Morgan again, with only death separating them.

Cover designer is Sarah Maxwell. Afterlove is set to be released June 10, 2021!

Car headlights.

The last thing Ash hears is the snap of breaking glass as the windscreen hits her and breaks into a million pieces like stars.

But she made it, she’s still here. Or is she?

This New Year’s Eve, Ash is gets an RSVP from the afterlife she can’t decline: to join a clan of fierce girl reapers who take the souls of the city’s dead to await their fate.

But Ash can’t forget her first love, Poppy, and she will do anything to see her again … even if it means they only get a few more days together. Dead or alive …

NOT EVEN DEATH CAN TEAR THEM APART.

2. Roaring by Lindsey Duga

On July 7, Duga revealed the cover to her upcoming Paranormal/Historical Fantasy set during the 1920s on Twitter. The story focuses on monster hunter and a siren who cross paths.

Roaring released today on August 3, 2020!

Colt Clemmons is an agent in a specialized division within the Bureau of Investigation—one that hunts down not just mobsters, but also monsters.

For reasons that are kept top secret, Colt is the only person who can resist a siren’s voice. But he’s never had a chance to test this ability. The last siren left in the world mysteriously disappeared years ago.

Then one night, with a single word, she reveals herself. It seems too good to be true.

And it is. Because nothing about this siren—her past, her powers, or her purpose—is what it seems… 

3. Lore by Alexandra Bracken

As of July 8, Entertainment Weekly revealed the cover (and excerpt) to Alexendra Bracken’s upcoming fantasy-mythology standalone pitched as “a sweepingly ambitious, high-octane tale of power, destiny, love and redemption.” Inspired by Greek mythology, Bracken’s new novel will follow gods who are forced to walk the earth as mortals.

Cover designer is Marci Senders and artist is Bill Elis. Lore is set to be released January 5, 2021!

Every seven years, the Agon begins. As punishment for a past rebellion, nine Greek gods are forced to walk the earth as mortals, hunted by the descendants of ancient bloodlines, all eager to kill a god and seize their divine power and immortality.
Long ago, Lore Perseous fled that brutal world in the wake of her family’s sadistic murder by a rival line, turning her back on the hunt’s promises of eternal glory. For years she’s pushed away any thought of revenge against the man–now a god–responsible for their deaths.

Yet as the next hunt dawns over New York City, two participants seek out her help: Castor, a childhood friend of Lore believed long dead, and a gravely wounded Athena, among the last of the original gods.

The goddess offers an alliance against their mutual enemy and, at last, a way for Lore to leave the Agon behind forever. But Lore’s decision to bind her fate to Athena’s and rejoin the hunt will come at a deadly cost–and still may not be enough to stop the rise of a new god with the power to bring humanity to its knees. 

4. The Cost Of Knowing by Brittney Morris

Revealed through Entertainment Weekly on July 20, was the cover to Morris’s upcoming sophomore novel pitched as Dear Martin x They Both Die At The End where 16-year-old Rufus struggles to keep up with the demands of his part-time job, girlfriend, and little brother. And he can see into the future. After seeing a vision of his brother’s death, he now has to grapple with what it means.

Cover designers are Laura Eckes and Sarah Creech. The Cost Of Knowing is set to be released March 16, 2021!

A gripping, evocative novel about a Black teen who has the power to see into the future, whose life turns upside down when he foresees his younger brother’s imminent death, from the acclaimed author of SLAY.

Sixteen-year-old Alex Rufus is trying his best. He tries to be the best employee he can be at the local ice cream shop; the best boyfriend he can be to his amazing girlfriend, Talia; the best protector he can be over his little brother, Isaiah. But as much as Alex tries, he often comes up short.

It’s hard to for him to be present when every time he touches an object or person, Alex sees into its future. When he touches a scoop, he has a vision of him using it to scoop ice cream. When he touches his car, he sees it years from now, totaled and underwater. When he touches Talia, he sees them at the precipice of breaking up, and that terrifies him. Alex feels these visions are a curse, distracting him, making him anxious and unable to live an ordinary life.

And when Alex touches a photo that gives him a vision of his brother’s imminent death, everything changes.

With Alex now in a race against time, death, and circumstances, he and Isaiah must grapple with their past, their future, and what it means to be a young Black man in America in the present. 

5. House Of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland

Penguin Teen revealed the cover to Sutherland’s upcoming dark, twisty, modern fairytale about three sisters and the disappearance that left some of them “unquestionably strange.” Alongside the cover was a Q&A with the author.

Cover artist is Aykut Aydoğdu. House Of Hollow is set to be released April 6, 2021!

Seventeen-year-old Iris Hollow has always been strange. Something happened to her and her two older sisters when they were children, something they can’t quite remember but that left each of them with an identical half-moon scar at the base of their throats.

Iris has spent most of her teenage years trying to avoid the weirdness that sticks to her like tar. But when her eldest sister, Grey, goes missing under suspicious circumstances, Iris learns just how weird her life can get: horned men start shadowing her, a corpse falls out of her sister’s ceiling, and ugly, impossible memories start to twist their way to the forefront of her mind.

As Iris retraces Grey’s last known footsteps and follows the increasingly bizarre trail of breadcrumbs she left behind, it becomes apparent that the only way to save her sister is to decipher the mystery of what happened to them as children.

The closer Iris gets to the truth, the closer she comes to understanding that the answer is dark and dangerous – and that Grey has been keeping a terrible secret from her for years.

6. A Universe Of Wishes edited by Dhonielle Clayton

As of July 23, Teen Vogue revealed the cover to Clayton’s upcoming fantasy anthology with a wonderful line-up featuring authors like: Nic Stone, VE Schwab, Anna-Marie McLemore, Libba Bray, Mark Oshiro, Tara Sim, and more! Alongside the cover reveal was also an excerpt.

Cover artist is Katt Phatt. A Universe Of Wishes is set to be released January 5, 2021!

In the fourth collaboration with We Need Diverse Books, fifteen award-winning and celebrated diverse authors deliver stories about a princess without need of a prince, a monster long misunderstood, memories that vanish with a spell, and voices that refuse to stay silent in the face of injustice.

This powerful and inclusive collection contains a universe of wishes for a braver and more beautiful world.

AUTHORS INCLUDE: Samira Ahmed, Libba Bray, Dhonielle Clayton, Zoraida Córdova, Tessa Gratton, Justina Ireland, Kwame Mbalia, Anna-Marie McLemore, Tochi Onyebuchi, Mark Oshiro, Natalie C. Parker, Rebecca Roanhorse, Victoria Schwab, Tara Sim, Nic Stone, and a to-be-announced debut author/short-story contest winner.

7. Together Apart: Anthology about finding love during lockdown

On July 31, it was announced through Twitter that authors: Erin A. Craig, Auriane Desombre, Erin Hahn, Bill Konigsberg, Rachael Lippincott, Brittney Morris, Sajni Patel, Natasha Preston, and Jennifer Yun will be part of a a YA Contemporary anthology releasing this fall! Authors revealed some hints to their stories via Twitter.

The publisher will be donating to Active Minds, an organization dedicated to mental health awareness.

Together, Apart will be released October 20, 2020!

A collection of original contemporary love stories set during life in lockdown by some of today’s most popular YA authors.

Erin Craig “delivers” on a story about a new girl in town and the cute pizza delivery boy, Auriane Desombre captures our hearts with teens communicating through window signs, and Bill Konigsberg takes us along on daily walks with every step bringing us closer to love. There’s flirting and romance from Rachael Lippincott, a tale of a determined girl with a mask-making business from Erin Hahn, and a music-inspired love connection from Sajni Patel. Brittney Morris turns enemies to lovers with the help of a balcony herb garden, Jennifer Yen writes an unconventional romance that starts outside a hospital, and Natasha Preston’s teens discover each other–and their love story–in a storybook oak tree.

Romantic, realistic, sweet and uplifting, TOGETHER, APART is a collection of finding love in unexpected places during an unprecedented time . . . each with the one thing we all want: a guaranteed happy ending.

Additional cover reveals ↷ 

Shadow And Bone Collector’s Edition (UK Cover)

Payback by Kristen Simmons (Book 3 to the Vale Hall series)

Yolk by Mary H.K. Choi Cover Reveal

On July 23, Entertainment Weekly revealed the cover to New York Times Bestselling author Mary H.K. Choi’s newest contemporary titled, Yolk.

Yolk is pitched as a “funny and emotional story about two estranged sisters switching places and committing insurance fraud to save one of their lives.”

Alongside the cover reveal, both of the cover and full dust jacket, there was also an interview discussing the process that went into designing the cover and direction for the art.

According to the article Choi mentioned that when it came to design it, what she had in mind was “two black haired girls in white dresses are holding hands and falling.” Choi stated that there was an edition of The Little Prince that was in her head as she was envisioning the cover direction.

Cover artist is gg (@/ohgigue on Instagram), whose designed the covers to Choi’s previous standalone novels Emergency Contact and Permanent Record.

Jayne Baek is barely getting by. She shuffles through fashion school, saddled with a deadbeat boyfriend, clout-chasing friends, and a wretched eating disorder that she’s not fully ready to confront. But that’s New York City, right? At least she isn’t in Texas anymore, and is finally living in a city that feels right for her.

On the other hand, her sister June is dazzlingly rich with a high-flying finance job and a massive apartment. Unlike Jayne, June has never struggled a day in her life. Until she’s diagnosed with uterine cancer.

Suddenly, these estranged sisters who have nothing in common are living together. Because sisterly obligations are kind of important when one of you is dying.

All Boys Aren’t Blue Optioned For TV

Revealed exclusively through Deadline on June 10, it was announced that George M. Johnson’s debut memoir All Boys Aren’t Blue was optioned for television. Gabrielle Union and her production company, I’ll Have Another Productions are attached to the project.

Johnson’s memoir features a series of personal essays that follow his account of growing up Black and Queer.

Alongside Union’s production company, the novel will also be adapted through Sony Pictures TV.

According to the article, Johnson is “incredibly excited” to be working with Union. He also stated that “she’s someone who is not only a champion in the fight for supporting marginalized communities of color but the work she’s doing as a storyteller and producer is lifting every voice who hasn’t had the opportunity to be heard.”

Union is the parent to a Queer-identifying daughter, so the “subject matter is personal” to her, according to Deadline.

In a series of personal essays, prominent journalist and LGBTQIA+ activist George M. Johnson explores his childhood, adolescence, and college years in New Jersey and Virginia. From the memories of getting his teeth kicked out by bullies at age five, to flea marketing with his loving grandmother, to his first sexual relationships, this young-adult memoir weaves together the trials and triumphs faced by Black queer boys.

Both a primer for teens eager to be allies as well as a reassuring testimony for young queer men of color, All Boys Aren’t Blue covers topics such as gender identity, toxic masculinity, brotherhood, family, structural marginalization, consent, and Black joy. Johnson’s emotionally frank style of writing will appeal directly to young adults.

All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson is out now!

Watch Over Me by Nina LaCour Cover Reveal

The follow-up to Nina LaCour’s 2017 contemporary We Are Okay titled Watch Over Me, recently had its cover reveal through Penguin Teen on May 1.

Alongside the cover reveal on Penguin Teen’s blog, there was also a trailer via Twitter showcasing the cover art and tagline which states: “I came to live in a haunted place.”

Watch Over Me is pitched as “another stunner from Printz Award-Winning author Nina LaCour, whose empathetic, lyrical prose is at the heart of this modern ghost story of resilience and rebirth.”

“I’m so thrilled to introduce my next novel, WATCH OVER ME, to you! I’m in awe of its cover, painted by @PippaYoungArt. Thank you to @PenguinTeen for everything!…”

NINA LA COUR VIA TWITTER

The cover artist is Pippa Young who is based in Cornwall.

Mila is used to being alone. Maybe that’s why she said yes to the opportunity: living in this remote place, among the flowers and the fog and the crash of waves far below.

But she hadn’t known about the ghosts.

Newly graduated from high school, Mila has aged out of the foster care system. So when she’s offered a job and a place to stay at a farm on an isolated part of the Northern California Coast, she immediately accepts. Maybe she will finally find a new home, a real home. The farm is a refuge, but also haunted by the past traumas its young residents have come to escape. And Mila’s own terrible memories are starting to rise to the surface.

Watch Over Me by Nina La Cour is set to be released September 15, 2020!

A Neon Darkness by Lauren Shippen Cover Reveal

Over at Den Of Geek on April 17, the cover was revealed for Lauren Shippen’s second installment in The Bright Sessions series, inspired by her science fiction podcast of the same name titled, A Neon Darkness.

The Bright Sessions is told through the therapy session recordings of everyday people with superpowers called Atypicals. However the show also discusses mental health, alongside delving deep into each character of the series and their story. There’s conspiracy, romance, and its a show celebrated not only for its stellar representation of mental health, but for featuring a lot of Queer characters and diverse cast.

A Neon Darkness is a standalone which will follow who listeners know as Damien, but whose real name is Robert Gorham and his life at 18 years old. He has the ability to manipulate people’s minds and impose his want onto others.

Alongside the cover reveal was also an excerpt of the prologue and first chapter. The artwork is done by Victor Ngai and cover design is done by Esther Sarah Kim.

Los Angeles, 2006. Eighteen-year-old Robert Gorham arrives in L.A. amid the desert heat and the soft buzz of neon. He came alone with one goal: he wants to see the ocean. And Robert always gets what he wants.

At a very young age, Robert discovered he had the unusual ability to make those close to him want whatever he wants. He wanted dessert instead of dinner? His mother served it. He wanted his Frisbee back? His father walked off the roof to bring it to him faster. He wanted to be alone? They both disappeared. Forever.

But things will be different in L.A. He meets a group of strange friends who could help him. Friends who can do things like produce flames without flint, conduct electricity with their hands, and see visions of the past. They call themselves Unusuals and finally, finally, Robert belongs.

When a tall figure, immune to their powers, discovers them, the first family that Robert has ever wanted is at risk of being destroyed. The only way to keep them
all together is to get his powers under control.

But control is a sacrifice he might not be willing to make.

A Neon Darkness by Lauren Shippen is set to be released September 29, 2020!

To see what you can expect in the first book, The Infinite Noise you can check out my full review Here!

Angie Thomas Reveals Her Third YA Novel: Concrete Rose

An exclusive announcement from People on March 30, revealed not only the title, but also cover to Angie Thomas’s upcoming YA Contemporary titled:

Concrete Rose

Thomas is an award-winning, #1 NYT Bestselling author, who’s debut The Hate U Give was originally published in February of 2017. Her third novel Concrete Rose is connected to The Hate U Give in which its a prequel taking place 17 years before.

According to the article, it will tell the story of Maverick Carter, Starr’s father. The novel will “[track] Mavericks beginnings as he navigates becoming a father to Starr’s older brother, Seven, when he’s just 17…”

It also mentioned that its “a fast-paced, moving story about what it means to be a young black man—and father— in America.” According to Thomas, Maverick  was one of the characters that stayed with her the most.

The exclusive announcement not only revealed the cover and title, but also an interview in which Thomas delves more into not only what readers can expect, but also her inspirations and the themes she explores in her novels.

When asked about whether she expects Concrete Rose to get banned like The Hate U Give, she stated, “I absolutely do. This is a book about a 17-year-old young man who just found out he’s a father…Nobody wants to talk about teen sex, nobody wants to talk about teen pregnancy or teen parents. But he’s amongst us every single day and it’s something that we cannot ignore…It saddens me already, but I’m expecting it. And I’m going to keep writing it and my publisher is still going to publish it. Why? Because there are young people who need this story… Your discomfort is not my problem. My concern is for those young people who need this [book].”

“After months of waiting (and trolling on my part), I can finally reveal my third novel, CONCRETE ROSE. Set 17 years before THE HATE U GIVE, it follows the story of young Maverick Carter…”

ANGIE THOMAS VIA TWITTER

The cover artist is Cathy Charles.

Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.

Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.

But what Starr does—or does not—say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life. 

Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas is set to be released January 12, 2021!

Spring 2020 Young Adult Debuts For Your TBR!

There’s so many fantastic books releasing in 2020, especially from debut authors! Its also an especially important time to support debut authors with the virus going around and tours being cancelled!

Today on The Booked Shelf I’m highlighting some recent and upcoming YA debuts you don’t want to miss this spring!

1. Anna K. by Jenny Lee

Every happy teenage girl is the same, while every unhappy teenage girl is miserable in her own special way.

Meet Anna K. At seventeen, she is at the top of Manhattan and Greenwich society (even if she prefers the company of her horses and Newfoundland dogs); she has the perfect (if perfectly boring) boyfriend, Alexander W.; and she has always made her Korean-American father proud (even if he can be a little controlling). Meanwhile, Anna’s brother, Steven, and his girlfriend, Lolly, are trying to weather a sexting scandal; Lolly’s little sister, Kimmie, is struggling to recalibrate to normal life after an injury derails her ice dancing career; and Steven’s best friend, Dustin, is madly (and one-sidedly) in love with Kimmie.

As her friends struggle with the pitfalls of ordinary teenage life, Anna always seems to be able to sail gracefully above it all. That is…until the night she meets Alexia “Count” Vronsky at Grand Central. A notorious playboy who has bounced around boarding schools and who lives for his own pleasure, Alexia is everything Anna is not. But he has never been in love until he meets Anna, and maybe she hasn’t, either. As Alexia and Anna are pulled irresistibly together, she has to decide how much of her life she is willing to let go for the chance to be with him. And when a shocking revelation threatens to shatter their relationship, she is forced to question if she has ever known herself at all.

2. Salty Bitter Sweet by Mayra Cuevas

Seventeen-year-old aspiring chef Isabella Fields’ family life has fallen apart after the death of her Cuban abuela and the divorce of her parents. She moves in with her dad and his new wife in France, where Isabella feels like an outsider in her father’s new life, studiously avoiding the awkward, “Why did you cheat on Mom?” conversation.

The upside of Isabella’s world being turned upside down? Her father’s house is located only 30 minutes away from the restaurant of world-famous Chef Pascal Grattard, who runs a prestigious and competitive international kitchen apprenticeship. The prize job at Chef Grattard’s renowned restaurant also represents a transformative opportunity for Isabella, who is desperate to get her life back in order.

But how can Isabella expect to hold it together when she’s at the bottom of her class at the apprenticeship, her new stepmom is pregnant, she misses her abuela dearly, and a mysterious new guy and his albino dog fall into her life?

3. Run, Rebel by Manjeet Mann

I am restless, my feet need to fly.

When Amber runs, it’s the only time she feels completely free – far away from her claustrophobic home life. Her father wants her to be a dutiful daughter, waiting for an arranged marriage like her sister Ruby.

Running is a quiet rebellion. But Amber wants so much more – and she’s ready to fight for it.

It’s time for a revolution.

4. Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko

Nothing is more important than loyalty.
But what if you’ve sworn to protect the one you were born to destroy?

Tarisai has always longed for the warmth of a family. She was raised in isolation by a mysterious, often absent mother known only as The Lady. The Lady sends her to the capital of the global empire of Aritsar to compete with other children to be chosen as one of the Crown Prince’s Council of 11. If she’s picked, she’ll be joined with the other Council members through the Ray, a bond deeper than blood.

That closeness is irresistible to Tarisai, who has always wanted to belong somewhere. But The Lady has other ideas, including a magical wish that Tarisai is compelled to obey: Kill the Crown Prince once she gains his trust. Tarisai won’t stand by and become someone’s pawn—but is she strong enough to choose a different path for herself? With extraordinary world-building and breathtaking prose, Raybearer is the story of loyalty, fate, and the lengths we’re willing to go for the ones we love.

5. Elysium Girls by Kate Pentecost

In this sweeping Dust Bowl-inspired fantasy, a ten-year game between Life and Death pits the walled Oklahoma city of Elysium-including a girl gang of witches and a demon who longs for humanity-against the supernatural in order to judge mankind.

When Sal is named Successor to Mother Morevna, a powerful witch and leader of Elysium, she jumps at the chance to prove herself to the town. Ever since she was a kid, Sal has been plagued by false visions of rain, and though people think she’s a liar, she knows she’s a leader. Even the arrival of enigmatic outsider Asa-a human-obsessed demon in disguise-doesn’t shake her confidence in her ability. Until a terrible mistake results in both Sal and Asa’s exile into the Desert of Dust and Steel.

Face-to-face with a brutal, unforgiving landscape, Sal and Asa join a gang of girls headed by another Elysium exile-and young witch herself-Olivia Rosales. In order to atone for their mistake, they create a cavalry of magic powered, scrap metal horses to save Elysium from the coming apocalypse. But Sal, Asa, and Olivia must do more than simply tip the scales in Elysium’s favor-only by reinventing the rules can they beat the Life and Death at their own game.

6. The Silence Of Bones by June Hur

I have a mouth, but I mustn’t speak;
Ears, but I mustn’t hear;
Eyes, but I mustn’t see.

1800, Joseon (Korea). Homesick and orphaned sixteen-year-old Seol is living out the ancient curse: “May you live in interesting times.” Indentured to the police bureau, she’s been tasked with assisting a well-respected young inspector with the investigation into the politically charged murder of a noblewoman.

As they delve deeper into the dead woman’s secrets, Seol forms an unlikely bond of friendship with the inspector. But her loyalty is tested when he becomes the prime suspect, and Seol may be the only one capable of discovering what truly happened on the night of the murder.

But in a land where silence and obedience are valued above all else, curiosity can be deadly.

7. Don’t Call The Wolf by Aleksandra Ross

A fierce young queen, neither human nor lynx, who fights to protect a forest humans have long abandoned.

An exhausted young soldier, last of his name, who searches for the brother who disappeared beneath those trees without a trace.

A Golden Dragon, fearsome and vengeful, whose wingbeats haunt their nightmares and their steps.

When these three paths cross at the fringes of a war between monsters and men, shapeshifter queen and reluctant hero strike a deal that may finally turn the tide against the rising hordes of darkness. Ren will help Lukasz find his brother…if Lukasz promises to slay the Dragon.

But promises are all too easily broken.

8. A Breath Too Late by Rocky Callen

Seventeen-year-old Ellie had no hope left. Yet the day after she dies by suicide, she finds herself in the midst of an out-of-body experience. She is a spectator, swaying between past and present, retracing the events that unfolded prior to her death.

But there are gaps in her memory, fractured pieces Ellie is desperate to re-assemble. There’s her mother, a songbird who wanted to break free from her oppressive cage. The boy made of brushstrokes and goofy smiles who brought color into a gray world. Her brooding father, with his sad puppy eyes and clenched fists. Told in epistolary-like style, this deeply moving novel sensitively examines the beautiful and terrible moments that make up a life and the possibilities that live in even the darkest of places.

Graphic Novels For Your TBR That Released In 2019!

Though the year is not yet over, its no surprise there have been many fantastic graphic novels released in 2019, both captivating and immersive! From the diversity of stories being told and the fantastic art that accompanies it, graphic novels continue to go above and beyond in the world of publishing!

Today on The Booked Shelf I’m recommending a list of some graphic novels from 2019 that you should add to your TBR!

Aladdin

The Okay Witch by Emma Steinkellner
Release Date: September 3, 2019

Summary: Magic is harder than it looks.

Thirteen-year-old Moth Hush loves all things witchy. But she’s about to discover that witches aren’t just the stuff of movies, books, and spooky stories. When some eighth-grade bullies try to ruin her Halloween, something really strange happens. It turns out that Founder’s Bluff, Massachusetts, has a centuries-old history of witch drama. And, surprise: Moth’s family is at the center of it all! When Moth’s new powers show up, things get totally out-of-control. She meets a talking cat, falls into an enchanted diary, and unlocks a hidden witch world. Secrets surface from generations past as Moth unravels the complicated legacy at the heart of her town, her family, and herself.

Boom Studios

I Moved To Los Angeles To Work In Animation by Natalie Nourigat
Release Date: January 1, 2019

Summary: The story of one woman’s quest to move to Los Angeles and got a job in animation…and how you can too. 

When artist Tally Nourigat left her life in Portland to move to Los Angeles and pursue a job in animation, she realized that despite her research, nothing truly prepared her for the wild world that awaited in the studios of Southern California. From grinding on storyboard test after storyboard test to getting a job at a major studio to searching for an apartment in…the Valley…this autobiographical how-to graphic novel explores the highest highs and lowest lows of pursuing a dream in animation. Brushed with a dose of humor and illustrated advice about salaries, studio culture, and everything in between, I Moved to Los Angeles to Work in Animation is the unique insider experience you won’t find anywhere else.

Hotel Dare by Terry Blas, Claudia Aguirre (artist), & Mike Fiorentino (letterer)
Release Date: June 11, 2019

Summary: It’s not your typical family vacation when Olive, and her adopted siblings Darwin and Charlotte find themselves falling into other worlds as they explore Grandma Lupé’s strange hotel.

OPEN THE DOOR. ADVENTURE AWAITS. 

Olive and her adopted siblings Charlotte and Darwin are spending the summer with their estranged grandma at her creepy hotel and it’s all work and no play. They’re stuck inside doing boring chores but they soon stumble upon an incredible secret… Behind each room door of the hotel lies a portal to a different strange and mysterious place. The simple turn of a knob transports them to a distant magical world filled with space pirates. Behind the next door are bearded wizards. Down the hall is a doorway to a cotton-candied kingdom. But once the doors are opened, worlds start colliding, and only one family can save them before they tear themselves apart. 

The Avant-Guards Vol. 1 by Carly Usdin, Noah Hayes (artist), Rebecca Nalty (colorist), and Ed Dukeshrire (letterer)
Release Date: September 3, 2019

Summary: When Charlie transfers to the Georgia O’Keeffe College of Arts and Subtle Dramatics, she struggles to find her feet, but winds up exactly where she belongs…in the school’s (terrible) basketball team.

As a transfer student to the Georgia O’Keeffe College for Arts and Subtle Dramatics, former sports star Charlie is struggling to find her classes, her dorm, and her place amongst a student body full of artists who seem to know exactly where they’re going. When the school’s barely-a-basketball-team unexpectedly attempts to recruit her, Charlie’s adamant that she’s left that life behind…until she’s won over by the charming team captain, Liv, and the ragtag crew she’s managed to assemble. And while Charlie may have left cut-throat competition in in the dust, sinking these hoops may be exactly what she needs to see the person she truly wants to be.

Image Comics

Blackbird by Sam Humphries, Jen Bartel (artist), and Triona Farrell (colorist)
Release Date: May 14, 2019

Summary: Nina Rodriguez knows a hidden magical world run by ruthless cabals is hiding in Los Angeles. When a giant magic beast kidnaps her sister, Nina must confront her past (and her demons) to get her sister back and reclaim her life.

Don’t miss the first collection of the smash-hit neo-noir fantasy series!

Ophiuchus by Alexis Leriger de la Plante and Natasha Tara Petrović (artists and writers)
Release Date: August 27, 2019

Summary: OPHIUCHUS is the story of the lone sentry of an ancient, inactive gate.

One day, a strange being breaks through and infects her with a virus. And shortly after, she is approached by two machines, who implore her to follow them to the center of the universe to put an end to that virus—a malevolent being which rots all worlds.

Lerner Publishing Group (Graphic Universe)

Stage Dreams by Melanie Gillman
Release Date: September 3, 2019

Summary: In this rollicking queer western adventure, acclaimed cartoonist Melanie Gillman (Stonewall Award Honor Book As the Crow Flies) puts readers in the saddle alongside Flor and Grace, a Latinx outlaw and a trans runaway, as they team up to thwart a Confederate plot in the New Mexico Territory. When Flor–also known as the notorious Ghost Hawk–robs the stagecoach that Grace has used to escape her Georgia home, the first thing on her mind is ransom. But when the two get to talking about Flor’s plan to crash a Confederate gala and steal some crucial documents, Grace convinces Flor to let her join the heist.

Lion Forge

Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker and Wendy Xu (artist)
Release Date: October 15, 2019

Summary: A story of love and demons, family and witchcraft.

Nova Huang knows more about magic than your average teen witch. She works at her grandmothers’ bookshop, where she helps them loan out spell books and investigate any supernatural occurrences in their New England town.

One fateful night, she follows reports of a white wolf into the woods, and she comes across the unexpected: her childhood crush, Tam Lang, battling a horse demon in the woods. As a werewolf, Tam has been wandering from place to place for years, unable to call any town home.

Pursued by dark forces eager to claim the magic of wolves and out of options, Tam turns to Nova for help. Their latent feelings are rekindled against the backdrop of witchcraft, untested magic, occult rituals, and family ties both new and old in this enchanting tale of self-discovery.

Nobrow Press

Skip by Molly Mendoza

Summary: A colorful, unpredictable postapocalyptic world comes alive in Skip, when two unlikely friends, Bloom and Gloopy, find themselves tossed from dimension to dimension.

Gloopy is running toward adventure, and away from their home and friends who don’t understand their creative talent. Bloom is desperately trying to return home to their lake, and avoid the terrible violence of the city. Instead, both Bloom and Gloopy find what they need in each other, and bravely return home to challenge their fears and create beauty in their own worlds.

As Bloom and Gloopy skip through dimensions and encounter weeping giants, alligator islands, and a topsy turvy 2D world, they find comfort in each other and learn that sometimes, your greatest fear reveals where your strengths lie.

Oni Press

Pilu Of The Woods by Mai K. Nguyen
Release Date: April 16, 2019

Summary: Willow loves the woods near her house. They’re calm and quiet, so different from her own turbulent emotions, which she keeps locked away. When her emotions get the better of her one day, she decides to run away into the woods.

There, she meets Pilu, a lost tree spirit who can’t find her way back home—which turns out to be the magnolia grove Willow’s mom used to take her to. Willow offers to help Pilu, and the two quickly become friends.

But the journey is long, and Pilu isn’t sure she’s ready to return home yet—which infuriates Willow, who’s determined to make up for her own mistakes by getting Pilu back safely. As a storm rages and Willow’s emotions bubble to the surface, they suddenly take on a physical form, putting both girls in danger… and forcing Willow to confront her inner feelings once and for all.

The Tea Dragon Festival by Katie O’ Neill
Release Date: September 17, 2019

Summary: Rinn has grown up with the Tea Dragons that inhabit their village, but stumbling across a real dragon turns out to be a different matter entirely!

Aedhan is a young dragon who was appointed to protect the village but fell asleep in the forest eighty years ago. With the aid of Rinn’s adventuring uncle Erik and his partner Hesekiel, they investigate the mystery of his enchanted sleep, but Rinn’s real challenge is to help Aedhan come to terms with feeling that he cannot get back the time he has lost.

Vault Comics

Submerged Vol. 1 by Vita Ayala, Lisa Sterle (artist), Stelladia (colors), Rachel Deering (letters), and Tim Daniel (design)
Release Date: February 12, 2019

Summary: On the night of the biggest storm in New York City history, Elysia Puente gets a call from her estranged little brother Angel, terrified, begging for help. When the call cuts out suddenly, despite the bad feelings between them, Ellie rushes into the night.

Finding his broken phone in front of a barricaded subway station, Ellie follows echoes of her brother into the sinister darkness of the underground, desperate to find him before it’s too late.

Vagrant Queen Vol. 1 by Magdalene Visaggio, Jason Smith (artist), Harry Saxon (colors), Zaak Saam (letters), and Tim Daniel (design)
Release Date: February 26, 2019

Summary: Former child queen Elida was driven from her throne at age ten and forced to wander the galaxy, evading the revolutionary forces that wanted her dead.

When an old frenemy claims to know the whereabouts of Elida’s long-lost mother, she is forced to return to her former kingdom and stage a rescue. Vagrant Queen has also been adapted as a Syfy series, coming in 2020!

She Said Destroy Vol. 1 by Joe Corallo, Liana Kangas (artist/cover artist), and Harry Saxon (colors)
Release Date: November 26, 2019

Summary: Over millennia, Brigid, Goddess of the Sun, has conquered and converted the entire solar system into worshipping her and her alone, save one space colony.

The witches of Fey are the last believers of The Morrigan, Goddess of Death, Brigid’s sister and the only other God left. As Brigid’s forces prepare for one final battle, The Morrigan prepares to do what she does best: Destroy!

Viking Books For Young Readers

Sea Sirens by Amy Chu and Janet K. Lee (artist/illustrator)
Release Date: June 11, 2019

Summary: Trot, a Vietnamese American surfer girl, and Cap’n Bill, her cranky one-eyed cat, catch too big a wave and wipe out, sucked down into a magical underwater kingdom where an ancient deep-sea battle rages. The beautiful Sea Siren mermaids are under attack from the Serpent King and his slithery minions–and Trot and her feline become dangerously entangled in this war of tails and fins.

Inspired by The Sea Fairies, L. Frank Baum’s “underwater Wizard of Oz” It weaves Vietnamese mythology, fantastical ocean creatures, and a deep-sea setting.

Thank you for checking out this 2019 graphic novels list! Which have been on your to-read list?

I also wanted to share a 2019 manga (not officially part of this list) that I recently discovered and recommend checking out:

Cats Of The Louvre by Taiyo Matsumoto

A surreal tale of the secret world of the cats of the Louvre, told by Eisner Award winner Taiyo Matsumoto.

The world-renowned Louvre museum in Paris contains more than just the most famous works of art in history. At night, within its darkened galleries, an unseen and surreal world comes alive—a world witnessed only by the small family of cats that lives in the attic. Until now…

Published by Viz Media & released September 17, 2019 ┃Book Depository ┃Goodreads