12 New Young Adult Books to Add to the Top of Your Reading List in October

Even though most of our free time this month is going to be spent perfecting our DIY Halloween costume and planning an epic adult-only Halloween party, we can't forget to schedule in some much-needed me-time to combat all of the holiday's stresses. So to help us unwind this month, we're filling our bookshelves with 12 new young adult books that are being released this October. Read on, ladies and gents!

Turtles All the Way Down by John Green ($20): We all know that John Green is pretty much the unofficial king of young adult fiction, so it's no big surprise that people are psyched to read his latest literary pursuit coming out this October. In Turtles All the Way Down, 16 year-old Aza and her best friend Daisy set off to investigate the mystery of fugitive billionaire Russell Pickett for a $100,000 reward. We're already hooked!

Dear Martin by Nic Stone ($18): If you read a single young adult book this fall, this should be it. As confusion and chaos surrounds him, Ivy League student Justyce McAllister decides to start a journal to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to seek answers to his toughest questions about race, protest, and injustice. Now, one innocent car ride with his best friend Manny leads to a police shootout with an off-duty cop — and when the bullets stop, it's Justyce who is under attack.

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez ($18): This hilarious and important novel by Erika L. Sánchez needs to be on your fall reading list. When Julia's sister Olga has a tragic accident on the busiest street in Chicago, her family is beyond grief. Now Julia must fill her sister's shoes as the perfect Mexican-American daughter, despite believing she is highly unqualified and unmotivated for the job. But with the help of Olga's boyfriend, Julia learns that Olga might not have been as perfect as people thought and, in her search for answers, Julia will discover her own unique way of grieving and living on without her sister.

Mirror, Mirror by Cara Delevingne ($20): Actress and model extraordinaire Cara Delevingne is dipping her toe in the authorial waters with this brand new LGBTQ+ romance set to hit stores this October. When one of the high-school members of the band Mirror Mirror disappears and is found unconscious, the other misfit bandmates are shaken. Forced to deal with their dark secrets and worst fears, these four rebels embark on a journey to discover their identity in the ever-complicated world of high-school.

The Book of Dust by Philip Pullman ($23): If you're a fan of Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass series, get ready to have your mind blown all over again. The Book of Dust is set 10 years previous to his last series and is centered around the character of Lyra and her daemon Pantalaimon. But don't worry if you haven't caught up on the last trilogy, this new story can stand alone.

All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater ($19): Bicho Raro, Colorado isn't your normal American town. In fact, in the center of this mysterious place lives the Soria family who has the unique ability to perform miracles. Now the three Soria cousins are all set to grant miracles and change the future — Beatriz as the girl without feelings, Daniel as the Saint of Bicho Raro, and Joaquin as the one who runs a renegade radio station. Maggie Stiefvater's newest literary endeavor will illuminate what it truly takes to help others... while not forgetting to help yourself along the way.

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds ($18): This incredible novel, which is a National Book Award finalist, takes place in just 60 seconds — the time it takes for a 15 year-old boy to decide whether he's going to murder the person who killed his brother.

That Inevitable Victorian Thing by E.K. Johnston ($18): Despite the fact that princess Victoria-Margaret is destined to have a politically advantageous marriage via the imperial tradition of genetically arranged matchmaking, this young princess sets off on a single summer of freedom in Toronto before she becomes the queen everyone expects her to be. With high-society balls, teas, and romantic country dances, Victoria and her new American friends embark on a new story full of romance, duty, and adventure.

All the Wind in the World by Samantha Mabry ($18): Samantha Mabry's new magic realism fiction begs to be binge-read. Sarah Jac Crow and James Holt have fallen in love while working on a bone-dry field in the Southwest. In an effort to protect themselves, they work hard and keep their love a secret. But just when they thought their dreams were close to becoming reality, a horrible accident sends them on the run to a new, possibly cursed, ranch.

The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater ($18): Sasha, a white teen who attends a small private school, and Richard, a black teen who goes to a large public school and lives in the crime-plagued flatlands, spend eight minutes together every day on the 57 bus. But one day, a reckless act leaves Sasha severely burned and Richard facing life imprisonment. In this important novel, Slater tackles themes of hate crimes, community, and the complications that come with justice seeking with astonishing care and finesse.

The Nowhere Girls by Amy Reed ($18): Grace, Rosina, and Erin are all misfits in high-school. But when Grace learns that the former occupant of her new home was run out of town for accusing the popular guys at school of gang raping her, she decides to take action. The three girls come together to form the Nowhere Girls — a challenge to the misogynist culture of their high school. Timely and pointed, this awesome book is a must-read for misfits and rebels of any generation.

Lighter Than My Shadow by Katie Green ($20): This hand-drawn graphic memoir about eating disorders, abuse, and recovery is a must-read this October. Katie was a picky eater as a child, often hiding uneaten toast in her bedroom and refusing to eat her veggies. But unlike most children, this didn't go away with time. Now, Katie is being told that she only has two weeks to live in this harrowing and uplighting story of battling your fiercest demons.