YA Friday: YA of 2016

As this year begins, here's a list of all the books I'm looking forward to this year! Not all of the release information is available for every book, but there's more than enough great books here for a full year of YA reading. 

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys 

Release Date: February 2nd, 2016
Publisher: Philomel Books
Other YA novels: Between Shades of Grey, Out of the Easy

The author of the widely-acclaimed Between Shades of Grey, Sepetys' much-anticipated third novel is slated to be published this February, three years after her last novel (Out of the Easy) was released. Keeping with Sepetys' penchant for historical tragedy, the novel focuses on the Wilhelm Gustloff maritime distaster during WWII.

Stars Above by Marissa Meyer

Release Date: February 2nd, 2016
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Other YA novels: The Lunar Chronicles: Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, Winter, and Fairest

While the Lunar Chronicles series was nicely wrapped up this past November with the release of Winter, Marissa Meyer's latest is a collection of short stories set throughout the series - perfect for those fans who just can't yet let go. And a little birdie (*cough* GoodReads *cough*) has told us one of the stories involves a wedding...
 

Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard

Release date: February 9th, 2016
Publisher: HarperTeen
Other YA novels: Red Queen

Victoria Aveyard's exciting debut, Red Queen, was one of the best and certainly one of the most successful YA books of 2015....but Mare Barrow's story has hardly begun. Continuing the story of magic and revolution is Glass Sword, the second book in the series (which, according to GoodReads, has at least two more novels set to be published (in 2017 and 2018). 

Kingdom of Ashes by Rhiannon Thomas

Release date: February 23rd, 2016
Publisher: HarperTeen
Other YA novels: A Wicked Thing

In A Wicked Thing, Rhiannon Thomas used the emotional (and political) conflict faced by Sleeping Beauty after she wakes up to set the stage for an explosive conflict with the new political leaders in Kingdom of Ashes. The second novel in the series, Kingdom of Ashes promises a much more exciting and magic-filled story than its predecessor (which stylistically and thematically differs from most fantasy, but in an original and thematically impactful way). 

The Skylighter by Becky Wallace

Release date: March 22nd, 2016
Publisher: Farrar Straus & Giroux
Other YA novels: The Storyspinner

Becky Wallace wove an increasingly complex story in The Storyspinner, but after the discoveries made by each faction, it'll be interesting to see how Johanna juggles everyone's various agendas to protect herself...and her heart. Not sure if this is the last book in the Keeper's Chronicles, but I'm definitely hoping for a third book in 2017.

The Winner's Kiss by Marie Rutkoski

Release date: March 29th, 2016
Publisher:
Other YA novels: The Winner's Curse, The Winner's Crime

While The Winner's Curse saw Kestrel torn between duty and love, and The Winner's Crime saw Kestrel throw away everything she had for her love, I'm fascinated to see how Kestrel will fare in The Winner's Kiss. Something tells me she's not going to be exiled quietly...

Journey to Munich by Jacqueline Winspear

Release date: March 29th, 2016
Publisher: Harper
Other novels: Maisie Dobbs novels: Maisie Dobbs, Birds of a Feather, Pardonable Lies, Messenger of Truth, An Incomplete Revenge, Among the Mad, The Mapping of Love and Death, A Lesson in Secrets, Elegy for Eddie, Leaving Everything Most Loved, A Dangerous Place 

While the Maisie Dobbs novels have all dealt with the repercussions of WWI,  it's now the late 1930s, which means that an entirely new World War is brewing on the horizons... and our favorite lady detective (well, perhaps she's a close tie with Miss Fisher) is working with the government (namely, the Secret Service) against the fermenting fascism in Germany.

Lady Renegades by Rachel Hawkins

Release date: April 5th, 2016
Publisher:  G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Other YA novels: Rebel Belle series: Rebel Belle, Miss Mayhem; the Hex Hall novels:  Hex Hall, Demonglass, Spell Bound; School Spirits 

 The brilliantly hilarious Rebel Belle books have managed to merge old-fashioned Southern traditions with ancient mystical orders to create this fantastically unique series thus far, and I have every confidence that the as the stakes rise in the third book, so will the hilarity (and the hair). 

Once Upon a Dream  and As Old As Time by Liz Braswell

Release date: Once Upon a Dream: April 5th, 2016; As Old As Time: September 6th, 2016
Publisher: Disney Press
Other YA novels: Twisted Tales: A Whole New World; Snow: A Retelling of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (under the pseudonym Tracy Lynn), The Nine Lives of Chloe King series (under the pseudonym Celia Thompson): The Fallen, The Stolen, The Chosen

Once Upon a Dream is the second in Braswell's line of Disney fairy tale retellings — the first being A Whole New World, a YA retelling of Aladdin that elegantly and effectively changed the story for a young adult audience without losing any of the charm of the movie. If Once Upon a Dream is anything like its predecessor, we can look forward to wonderful adaptation of Disney's Sleeping Beauty. According to GoodReads, we can also look forward to the third installment, As Old As Time, this year  - it's a retelling of Disney's Beauty and the Beast slated to be released this fall, though no cover is yet available. 

Let the Wind Rise by Shannon Messenger

Release date: April 26th, 2016
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Other YA novels: Sky Fall series: Let the Sky Fall, Let the Storm Break; Keeper of the Lost Cities series: Keeper of the Lost Cities, Exile, Everblaze, Neverseen

The third installment in the Sky Fall series was one of the books I hoped we'd be blessed with in 2015, but alas, it was never published this past year. Never fear, though — the sure-to-be thrilling final novel will be out this year.

Dream On by Kerstin Gier

Release date: May 3rd, 2016
Publisher: Henry Holt & Company Books for Young Readers
Other YA novels: The Silver Trilogy: Dream a Little Dream; The Precious Stone trilogy: Ruby Red, Sapphire Blue, Emerald Green 

Gier's enchanting first novel in the Silver series, Dream a Little Dream (translated from the original German) has all the plot points poised for a thrilling series, and the second novel is sure to not disappoint.

The Rose and the Dagger by Renée Ahdieh

Release date: May 3rd, 2016
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Other YA novels: The Wrath and the Dawn

Renée Ahdieh's amazing The Wrath and the Dawn brilliantly weaves a story of heartbreak, magic, duty, and revenge. While most of the first book centered on Shahrzad's (and by extension, the reader's) growing discoveries amidst her newfound situation, the story is now primed for the conflict slowly built up in the first novel. No matter the end result, Ahdieh is sure to keep readers equally entranced throughout her second novel.

Exile for Dreamers by Kathleen Baldwin

Release date: May 24th, 2016
Publisher: Tor Teen
Other YA novels: Stranje House series: A School for Unusual Girls

Baldwin's original storyline (Jane Austen meets espionage) was explored through Geogie's perspective on the first book, but the second novel will be told through a different perspective — and against the backdrop of a different international political crisis. If the second novel is half as charming and intriguing as the first, it'll still be a delight to read.

The Vanishing Throne by Elizabeth May

Release date: May 6th, 2016
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Other YA novels: The Falconer series: The Falconer 

US fans of The Falconer have been waiting for the second book in the reported trilogy since The Falconer was first released in the US in 2014, but while UK readers received The Vanishing Throne last year, US fans have had to wait an extra year — though it hasn't dampened my eager anticipation of the next installment in the series.

Black Widow: Red Vengeance by Margaret Stohl 

Release date: ? 2016
Publisher: Marvel Press
Other YA novels: Black Widow: Forever Red; The Castor Chronicles: Beautiful Creatures, Beautiful Darkness, Beautiful Chaos, Beautiful Redemption; Icons series: Icons, Idols

I can't wait to read Stohl's next installment in her Black Widow saga. While the shocking events of her first Black Widow novel, Black Widow: Forever Red are too spoiler-y to discuss, I think it's safe to say all of the readers want a second novel (and answers to our burning questions about Black Widow's secretive past).

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
Release date: September 22nd 2016
Publisher: Orion Children's Books
Other YA novels: The Grisha Trilogy: Shadow and Bone, Seige and Storm, Ruin and Rising; Six of Crows series: Six of Crows 

As a sequel to Six of Crows, Crooked Kingdom will continue the explosive story of Kaz and his ragtag crew. Unfortunately, neither the cover nor the release date has been revealed at this point.

Rose & Thorn by Sarah Prineas
Release date: September ? 2016
Publisher: HarperTeen
Other YA novels: Ash & Bramble

The sequel to Ash & Bramble, Rose & Thorn takes place 50 years after its predecessor. Unfortunately, neither the cover nor the release date has been revealed at this point.

Untitled sequels:

Some of my favorite novels of 2015 are listed as the first in a series on GoodReads...but don't list a pending next novel. So, here are some sequels I'm hoping will be published in 2016: 

What books are you looking forward to this year? Share in the comments or tweet me @YALitFrenzy on Twitter.

Carolyn is a teen blogger who shares her favorite YA reads and favorite book related finds with readers on Fridays.