13 Enchanting Young Adult Books to Read in April

Don’t judge us too harshly, but we're already falling a bit behind on our reading goal for 2018. Luckily, with nine months left in the year, we still have plenty of time to catch up and read all the cool books in our ever-growing to-read pile. So to help inspire us to making reading a regularly scheduled everyday thing, here are 13 brand new young adult books that we're pre-ordering in time for their April release.

Defy the Worlds by Claudia Gray ($18): After binge-reading Defy the Stars in a 2am reading haze, we're so excited for Gray's thrilling sequel. After the outstanding interstellar adventure that unfolded in the last novel featuring Abel (the most advanced cybernetic man ever created), Noemi Vidal yearns to travel through the stars one more time. Now that a deadly plague arrives on Genesis, it looks like she's going to get that chance — as the only soldier to have ever left the planet, the fate of Genesis now rests solely in her hands. When Noemi falls into a dangerous trap, Abel risks being captured by his frightening creator to get to her. With romance, adventure, and thrills abounding, Gray's awesome new novel is definitely on the top of our to-read list. Publishing Date: April 3

Losers Bracket by Chris Crutcher ($18): Annie is one of the lucky kids whose foster parents are actually pretty great, but her birth family isn't exactly picture perfect. Despite trying to write them out of her life multiple times, Annie always manages to find a way to get pulled back into their chaotic drama. One day, a family argument breaks out at Annie's swim meet and her nephew goes missing. Knowing that she's the only person who can bring him back, Annie investigates her nephew's disappearance and works tirelessly to finally get him into a safe home, all while struggling to find her own identity in her unstable world. Publishing Date: April 3

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland ($18): Jane McKeene was born into a new America — one where the undead are trying to eat the living, where racial and societal prejudices are abundant, and where minority children are required to attend combat schools to learn to put down the dead for the elite. Almost finished with her classes at Miss Preston's School of Combat, Jane is beyond ready get out of this hell and return to her Kentucky home. But when families around Baltimore County begin to go missing, Jane can no longer ignore the politics bubbling in the eastern cities. One of the most highly anticipated young adult books of 2018, Justina Ireland's beautiful, provocative, and important novel should definitely be on your to-read list. Publishing Date: April 3

As She Fades by Abbi Glines ($19): Fans of Nicholas Sparks novels will swoon for this heartbreaking young adult romance by rockstar author Abbi Glines. Vale McKinley and her boyfriend Crawford were supposed to spend the entire summer planning for college. But on the night of their high school graduation, they get in a terrible car accident that leaves Crawford in a coma. Spending long days in the hospital praying that Crawford will wake, Vale meets Slate Allent, a college friend of Vale's brother who is visiting his dying uncle at the hospital. The illicit attraction between them should be broken when Crawford wakes up, but when he returns with no memory of their relationship, Vale decides to call it quits and move to college solo — which just so happens to put her right smack in the middle of Slate's territory. With twists and turns aplenty, this young adult romance is definitely worthy of being binge-read. Publishing Date: April 3

The Frontman by Ron Bahar ($17): Chock full with fun '80s references, this coming-of-age story is actually a fictionalized memoir of author Ron Bahar's life. Insecure 17-year-old Ron Bahar is trying to accomplish the impossible task of both pleasing his Israeli immigrant parents while still remaining true to his own non-traditional passions. Along with trying to hide that he's involved in a "forbidden" relationship with non-Jewish Amy Andrews, Ron struggles to choose between risking a career in music or sticking to his original plan to pursue a steady job in medicine. Publishing Date: April 3

Picture Us in the Light by Kelly Loy Gilbert ($17): Danny Cheng has always been an artist, and with a scholarship to Rhode Island School of Design and his family's blessing, he's all set to pursue the career he's always wanted. But a future without his best friend, Harry Wong, seems nearly impossible — especially since that unspeakable tragedy occurred just one year ago. When Danny discovers a sealed box in his father's closet filled with old letters and a mysterious file on a powerful Silicon Valley family, he begins to wonder if there's more to the Cheng's past than he realized. Tackling big topics like immigration, sexuality, and suicide with care and finesse, Kelly Loy Gilbert's contemporary novel is a clear winner. Publishing Date: April 10

The Fates Divide by Veronica Roth ($22): Bestselling author of the Divergent series Veronica Roth returns to the YA world once again, to reveal the exciting destinies of Cyra and Akos in the final installment in the Carve the Mark duology. Cyra and Akos's lives are ruled by their fates ever since they were spoken by the oracles at their births. While Cyra thought him dead, Cyra's father returns, reclaims the Shotet throne, and ignites a barbaric war. Now both Cyra and Akos must risk everything to stop Cyra's father's terrifying reign in Roth's highly anticipated young adult fantasy novel. Publishing Date: April 10

For Every One by Jason Reynolds ($15): Written by National Book Award finalist Jason Reynolds, this outstanding poem was originally performed at the Kennedy Center for the unveiling of the Martin Luther King Kr. Memorial. Speaking primarily to young adults who dare to dream big dreams, Reynolds' heartwarming verse is the perfect April pick-me-up to help anyone find the courage to pursue their passions. Publishing Date: April 10

Suitors and Sabotage by Cindy Anstey ($18): Anyone obsessed with Jane Austen will love this highly entertaining and cheeky Regency romance. Aspiring artist Imogene Chively meets a suitor during her successful season in London that her father greatly approves of. But, if she's being totally honest, Imogene isn't too enthused about the idea of being betrothed to him. Yet when the suitor comes to visit her at the Chively estate, Imogene finds herself immediately smitten… unfortunately, it's with the suitor's brother. Publishing Date: April 17

I Was Born for This by Alice Oseman ($8): Angel Rahimi is an 18-year-old Muslim girl who is obsessed with the pop-rock trio The Ark. So when circumstances occur that thrust Angel together with The Ark's frontman Jimmy Kaga-Ricci, she couldn't be more excited. As they begin a once-in-a-lifetime friendship, the duo explores the depths of contemporary fan culture and learn what it really means to face your own reality. While the intriguing story line will keep you up until the wee hours of the morning anxious to know what happens next, it's the complex and diverse set of characters that really makes this book stand apart. Publishing Date: April 23

Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli ($18): Have you booked your tickets to see Love, Simon yet? Well if you loved  Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda as much as we did, you're going to swoon for Albertalli's outstanding sequel that follows Simon's best friend Leah as she goes through the eventful senior year. Publishing Date: April 24

Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young ($18): Seventeen-year-old Eelyn's life involves two things: fighting alongside her Aska clansman and surviving at all costs. On one seemingly uneventful day on the battlefield, Eelyn sees that her brother, whom she watched die five years ago, is now fighting alongside the enemy. As she tries to survive the winter in enemy territory, the village is raided by a ruthless clan and she has no choice but to trust her brother's friend Fiske. In a grand story of shaken family loyalty and gruesome war, Eelyn and Fiske must unite the rival clans to fight together if they have any chance of survival. Publishing Date: April 24

Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian ($19): If you've already binge-read all of Victoria Aveyard's Red Queen, Laura Sebastian's epic new royal fantasy should definitely be the next book on your YA radar. When Theodosia was six, her country was invaded and her queen mother was murdered in front of her. With the Kaiser now in control, he shamefully crowns Theo as the Ash Princess and locks her as a prisoner in her own palace to endure abuse and ridicule. But when the Kaiser forces her to do the unthinkable, Theo begins to see a new future — one that involves a heroic attempt to reclaim her stolen throne. Publishing Date: April 24