11 New Releases in New Adult

And What is New Adult, You Might Ask

What is New Adult Fiction?

Many readers between the ages of about eighteen and thirty report struggling to make the leap between the Young Adult and Adult categories. They’re used to reading about protagonists who are around their same age and having similar experiences to them. They are often dealing with huge life changes, like living independently, developing sexuality, and negotiating education and career choices. In response to this need, the New Adult category was created. Here are eleven great New Adult new releases representing several different genres.

Romance

The Seat Filler by Sariah Wilson

The meet-cute award goes to dog groomer Juliet Nolan. It's one of Hollywood’s biggest nights when she volunteers as a seat filler and winds up next to movie heartthrob Noah freaking Douglas. Sparks fly, but don’t roll the credits just yet. The new couple face some hurdles ahead.

Like You Love Me by Adriana Locke

To save her Tennessee bed-and-breakfast, Sophie needs a fast-cash miracle. Holden, her childhood best friend, needs to prove to a prospective employer that he’s a committed man. Their fortunes on the line, Holden propose . . . a solution. He'll take care of the bills if she agrees to a temporary marriage of convenience.

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

When his mother becomes President, Alex is thrown into the spotlight and his rivalry with Prince Henry of Wales is deemed a PR problem. A staged truce is arranged and soon Alex finds himself falling for a surprisingly unstuffy Henry. Will this secret romance upend two nations or can love save the world after all?

Fantasy/Horror

A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas (#4 in the A Court of Thorns and Roses series)

This sexy, richly imagined series continues with the story of fiery Nesta who has struggled to find her place within the Cauldron. She can’t seem to move beyond the past. Her tumultuous relationship with battle-scarred warrior Cassian takes center stage as they face a world seared by war and plagued by uncertainty.

Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses by Kristen O’Neal

Teen Wolf meets Emergency Contact in this debut novel about friendship and the hairy side of chronic illness. Priya has premed dreams, but a bout of Lyme disease during her sophomore year derails her plans. Thankfully, she has her online pen pal, Brigid, who is dealing with a mysterious condition of her own.

Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin

Book one of a series, this tale of witchcraft and forbidden love is perfect for fans of Kendare Blake. Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned.

Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

Book two in The Locked Tomb series kicks up a storm of murder, magic, and mayhem. Nothing is as it seems and the fate of the galaxy rests on one woman's shoulders. Harrowhark Nonagesimus, last necromancer of the Ninth House, has been drafted by her Emperor to fight an unwinnable war.

Drama

Yolk by Mary H. K. Choi

Estranged sisters Jayne and June couldn’t be more different. Jayne is struggling her way through fashion school, saddled with a deadbeat boyfriend and an eating disorder. June, on the other hand, has never struggled a day in her life—until she’s diagnosed with uterine cancer.

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

With empathy and piercing social commentary, this page-turning novel explores the stickiness of transactional relationships, what it means to make someone "family," the complicated reality of being a grown up, and the consequences of doing the right thing for the wrong reason.

Remember Us by Layne James and Lindsey Blake

When 25-year-old Ben calls his twin sister, Reese, to tell her their father has cancer, she drops everything and comes home to Nebraska. A few days later— thirteen years after walking out on them—their mother, Bernice turns up on the doorstep.

Luster by Raven Leilani

Edie is stumbling her way through her twenties—sharing a subpar apartment in Bushwick, clocking in and out of her admin job, and making a series of inappropriate sexual choices. She is also haltingly, fitfully giving heat and air to the art that simmers inside her.

A caveat: Readers looking specifically for books labeled New Adult may be somewhat frustrated because, unfortunately, the category hasn’t really taken off quite yet. So, for whatever reason, some of these great new books are not technically labeled New Adult, but they fit the brief—and we love them!

Read more by Ashly Moore Sheldon