New Young Adult Book Releases 2016: Science Fiction and Fantasy

I love to find new young adult sci-fi and fantasy books to read! This is a list of exciting new teen books that are coming out in 2016 that I cannot wait to read! This list is organized by release date and links to Barnes & Noble, so you can easily pre-order these new YA books now.

The Year of Lightning (The Time Shift Trilogy Book 1) by Ryan Dalton (Science Fiction, release date: January 12, 2016)
15-year-old twins Malcolm and Valentine Gilbert moved to a new town. Inside a house across the street, there is a secret machine with the power to pierce time. Meanwhile, lightning storms are breaking out all over town, and there is a mysterious connection to the house.

The Rule of Three: Will to Survive by Eric Walters (Science Fiction, Dystopian, release date: January 19, 2016)
Will to Survive is the thrilling conclusion in the YA trilogy The Rule of Three.

The Ward by Jordana Frankel (Science Fiction, Dystopian, release date: January 19, 2016)
In the future of New York City, a flood has wiped out Manhattan, leaving entire neighborhoods underwater. With the rivers polluted, an outbreak of a deadly disease known as the Blight has emerged. The government leads a secret mission to search for the cure with the help of sixteen year old Ren.

The Abyss Surrounds Us by Emily Skrutskie (Fantasy, Science Fiction, release date: February 8, 2016)
Cassandra Leung is a Reckoner trainer-in-training. She trains sea monsters. The pirate queen Santa Elena kidnaps her and forces Cas to train her monster.

Calamity (The Reckoners Book 3) by Brandon Sanderson (Fantasy, Science Fiction, release date: February 16, 2016)
After Regalia turned Prof into an enemy, David must face the most powerful High Epic there is to get his friend back in this thrilling series.

Firstlife by Gena Showalter (Fantasy, Science Fiction, Dystopian, release date: February 23, 2016)
Tenley Lockwood is a seventeen-year-old girl who has spent the last year locked inside the Prynne Asylum because she won’t let her parents choose where she will live after she dies. There, firstlife is just practice. After you die is the real thing.

Burning Glass by Kathryn Purdie (Fantasy, release date: March 1, 2016)
Sonya has the gift to feel what everyone around her feels, both physically and emotionally. After a mistake wipes out everyone else with the same ability, she is sent to serve under the king’s rule.

Future Shock by Elizabeth Briggs (Science Fiction, release date: April 1, 2016)
Elena Martinez has an eidetic memory that has been kept a secret until now. Aether Corporation sends her on a top secret mission to the future. However, once she looks at her own fate, she only has 24 hours to get back home.­

Consider by Kristy Acevedo (Science fiction, Dystopian, release date: April 19, 2016)
Holograms suddenly appear in the sky, saying that they are from the future, and warn everyone that a comet is going to destroy Earth. They offer the choice to step into a portal to safety.

The Last Star (The Fifth Wave Book 3) by Rick Yancey (Science Fiction, Fantasy, Dystopian, release date: May 24, 2016)
The Last Star is the third and final book in the award winning trilogy, The Fifth Wave. The movie of The Fifth Wave comes out in theaters on January 22, 2016.

The Fever Code (Maze Runner Series Book 5) by James Dashner (Dystopian, Science Fiction, release date: September 27, 2016)
In the fifth book in the popular Maze Runner Series, this book reveals everything about how Thomas and the WICKED built the maze. 


I am most excited to read Consider and The Ward. Which YA new release are you excited to read? Do you have any others to add?

  

Lost Boy by Tim Green

Lost Boy is a middle grade realistic fiction book with a touch of mystery. On Ryder’s way home from baseball practice, he and his mom are arguing about visiting a friend. After Ryder accidentally pushes his mom into the street, she is hit by a truck and has only weeks to live. In order for Ryder's mom to survive, they would need $200,000 to give her an important heart surgery. With the help of his neighbor Mr. Starr and a firefighter, he goes on a quest to find his father, the only hope for finding the money to pay for the surgery. The problem is that Ryder knows nothing about his father whatsoever, and only has a baseball and a letter.

There was not enough of a plot or action for me to get into it. I also did not like how dramatic the events were, and also how undramatic Ryder was. He blamed himself for the accident, but as a character he was isolated, and didn't really connect with me. He just struck me as another character in another book, nothing really special. For me, being able to connect with a character is important when a character is injured or has an internal conflict.

Another thing is that it was really predictable. I easily guessed who the father was and what was going to happen. I did like, however, that at the end there was an epilogue that was a couple months later.

I do not recommend that you read this book.

Title: Lost Boy
Author: Tim Green
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 304 pages
Series: No
Rating: 2 Stars
Goodreads

The Rule of Three by Eric Walters

The Rule of Three is the first book in this incredible dystopian young adult trilogy. It was just a usual day in Eden Mills for Adam Daley until the power went out. At first, it was just thought of as a standard thing that would resolve itself. However, it soon became clear that the problem was much more severe. Everything relying on computers was useless, including cars, airplanes, phones, appliances, and water filtration. Fear starts to get the best of people, and they start to turn on each other in violence, and desperation creates chaos as resources start to run out.

Luckily, Adam's neighbor, Herb, is a retired government spy who was stationed in foreign countries. He has seen first hand these types of things, and knows exactly what could happen, and knows how to survive and plan ahead. Adam's mother is the police captain, and with the two of them working together, there is a great chance for survival.

There are no words good enough to describe how amazing this book was! What I really liked was that even though it is dystopian, it seemed a little more realistic, seeing that the communities did not completely fall apart, and there was still some order. I found The Rule of Three easier to believe. Even though there is this huge problem, the community of Eden Mills really came together, which you do not see in a dystopian novel, or really any type of book. 

Every second of this book kept me hooked. The plot kept going and going, reaching new conflicts and solutions. In a modern day world with so much technology, it was amazing to see how they survived without technology. It is just like going back in time when there were no computers, and things needed to be done by hand. It really made me think about what would happen if that happened here. The only thing I didn't like was how suddenly it ended, but that just only makes me want to read the next book even more!


I cannot wait to read the next book in this series, Fight for Power!


Title: The Rule of Three
Author: Eric Walters
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Pages: 405 pages
Series: Yes, Book 1
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads

Renegade (Elemental Trilogy Book 3) by Antony John

Renegade is the thrilling conclusion to the dystopian trilogy, Elemental. After Thom realizes that his mother is still alive, Thom is determined to return home to Roanoke. However, the island is still under pirate control, and a mysterious boy appears in possession of controlling the rats that give the Plague. Thom struggles with the fact that he can take over people's elements, and now his friends are scared of him. But if he wants to save their home, Thom must summon the full extent of his power.

What I did not realize until now is that Roanoke Island is actually a real place! I would never have guessed that, and it made me like the series even more. I also liked Thom's internal conflict. He can take over his friend's elements whenever he wants, and it scares his friends, and him as well. Whenever he touches someone, he hurts them or their element which prevents him from having the relationship with Rose that he wants.

However, I did not like all the secrecy. Its like, oh, by the way, the stuff we have told you since you were born was wrong! Geez. I think it was a little extreme. It was the adults that were lying all the time which confused me, and annoyed me. It still wrapped up the series really well, and there was an ending that showed what happens later. There was still some wiggle room for another book, but only enough to think about it.

I think that you will find this science fiction fantasy trilogy an interesting read for teens!

See my reviews of the other books in this series:

• Elemental by Antony John

• Firebrand (Elemental Trilogy #2) by Antony John

Title: Renegade (Elemental Trilogy #3)
Author: Antony John
Publisher: Dial Books
Pages: 304 pages
Series: Yes, Book 3
Rating: 4 Stars
Goodreads

Firebug by Lish McBride

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Firebug is the first book in this young adult fantasy series. Ava is a firebug, which means she can start fires with her mind. Filled in a world with many, many other magical beings, firebugs are rare and powerful, which makes them desirable. The mafia agency Coterie has had her in a contract since birth. Ava's mother died from orders from Venus, who is now her boss.

When Venus asks Ava to hurt someone she loves, she snaps, this being the last straw. Everyone knows you can't say no to them and get away with it, at least, not with Venus. Ava and her friends run away, knowing that one mistake could result in death.

The story moves really fast. It appears to take place over the span of about a week, which made me doubt a little bit how much could happen in that timeline. I loved how black and white it was. All the characters were either good or bad, and all the characters thought that of each other. There was a huge lesson about that.

However, I did not like the setting. There was really no explanation for where you were most of the time, and that was really confusing. There was not much background information, and it was hard to picture what was going on most of the time with all the commotion of running away.

The second book, Pyromantic, is supposed to be coming out in March 2016. I will read the second to see how it is. I sort of recommend this book.

Title: Firebug (Firebug #1)
Author: Lish McBride
Publisher:  Henry Holt and Co
Pages: 368 pages
Series: Yes, Book 1
Rating: 3 Stars
Goodreads

Endangered by Eliot Schrefer

After reading Threatened by Eliot Schrefer, I was excited to read Endangered, since it is also a realistic fiction book about animals and survival by the same author. Sophie's parents are divorced. She lives with her dad in Miami, and visits her mom in the summer in Congo. She has a sanctuary for bonobos (apes), and Sophie wants nothing to do with it. That is, until a baby bonobo named Otto comes into her life. However, the fun and games don't last as long as she hoped. When a civil war erupts in Kinshasa and the president dies, Sophie and Otto escape into the jungle with the bonobos in an effort to stay alive.

Sophie is a very sophisticated teenager, and her thoughts and words seem like they should come out of an adult, which I liked. I thought that she handled herself very well in the complex situation that she was in.

Even though the majority of the book took place in a war, it was not scary or upsetting, since there were animals in it, too. I liked that this book had the right amounts of sadness and happiness, creating a perfect blend of emotions. Endangered helped teach me about bonobos, as I previously had no idea what they were, and about the Congo. The deep visual of the setting made me feel like I was really there. The pace of the story also sped up and slowed down, appropriately depending on what the characters were doing. The story is very suspenseful and full of emotion.

I recommend that you read this book.

See my review of Eliot Schrefer's other book, Threatened.

Title: Endangered
Author: Eliot Schrefer
Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks
Pages: 288 pages
Series: No
Rating: 4 Stars
Goodreads

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

The Maze Runner is the first book in this sci-fi mystery series. The only thing Thomas can remember when he wakes up in the lift is his name. He is in the Glade, a maze that nobody can figure a way out of, with other people his age who don't remember anything either. Soon after Thomas arrives, a girl in a coma named Teresa arrives, and has a special connection to him. With their help, maybe they can discover a way out- before there is nobody left to escape. 

I loved how easy it was to connect with the characters, especially Thomas. Furthermore, I think the author did a good job at describing how Thomas and the other boys felt without their memories, and the desperation that Thomas felt. Another thing I loved about Thomas was that from the start he had hope, and nobody else did. The others kept trying to convince him that there is no way out, but he kept going. That is the type of character that I love to read about.

The setting was painted really clearly. I could picture everything that was written. What was great was that very little was revealed, which makes me curious to read the others in this series. 

I cannot wait to read the next book in this young adult series, The Scorch Trials!

Title: The Maze Runner
Author: James Dashner
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pages: 384 pages
Series: Yes, Book 1
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads

The Dangerous Days of Daniel X by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge

The Dangerous Days of Daniel X is the first book in its young adult science fiction fantasy series. Daniel has the power to create. He can create anything he wants, and can become anything he wants. He is the protector of Earth, the Alien Hunter. When he was three years old, his parents died from one of the aliens on The List. Now, he is carrying out his father's wishes, and starts defeating the aliens on the list, one by one.

One thing I didn't like about the book was that it was really hard to understand. A lot of times it was hard to tell whether something was real or created. It also felt like there were a lot of things going on at once. I disliked the fact that I could not connect to Daniel at all. He was just another character, but I could not feel anything special about him, just his powers. I was drawn into the super powers, but there was not really much excitement with them.

On the bright side, The Dangerous Days of Daniel X got better as the book continued. I liked that it was very suspenseful, and some of the ways he chose to use his powers were very funny! The story is creative, but the writing needs improvement.

There are six books in this series. To be fair, I am going to try reading the next book to see if the writing and character development improves.


Title: The Dangerous Days of Daniel X (Daniel X #1)
Author: James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge

Publisher: Little Brown and Company
Pages: 238 pages
Series: Yes, Book 1
Rating: 2 Stars
Goodreads

iBoy by Kevin Brooks

iBoy is a young adult science fiction book that combines humans and technology. Before, Tom Harvey was just a normal teen living a normal life. But after someone threw an iPhone at his head from the 30th floor of his apartment building, pieces of an iPhone got stuck in his brain. Tom can now do everything a phone can do, plus the ability to shock things from up to three feet away. He becomes known as iBoy, a superhero protecting the violent local area. The same people who threw the phone at him were the same people who attacked his friend, Lucy. With his new powers, Tom will take the law into his own hands, and hunt down the gangsters who hurt her.

A huge lesson in this book is that revenge is never the answer, and it only creates more problems. iBoy shows that with having great power comes great responsibility. Tom also has a lot of self conflict. He is hacking into government stuff, and doesn't know if he should feel guilty.

The idea of iBoy is so original and interesting. I love that it made me think, and that I could picture myself in the book. Being able to connect to the audience is very important in a book. At the top of the first page in every chapter, there would be a quote or a fact that was relevant to the content in the chapter. 

I highly recommend that you read this original book!

Title: iBoy
Author: Kevin Brooks
Publisher: Chicken House
Pages: 288 pages
Series: No
Rating: 5 stars
Goodreads

Light (Gone Book 6) by Michael Grant

Light is the last book in the young adult dystopian series, Gone. It has been over a year since all the adults disappeared. They thought they were rid of the gaiaphage, but they are wrong. It has reborn into Diana's daughter, Gaia. She has every power, and wants to seriously harm everyone in the FAYZ. After long battles, Sam's people who live at the Lake and Caine's people at Perdido Beach must band together if they have any chance of survival. Gaia is ridding them one by one, and the number of kids are decreasing rapidly. In the end, one will make a sacrifice that will save the world.

The only thing I didn't like was the extremity of Gaia and the extreme amounts of violence that was showed forth by her. It was a little too graphic for me, as some of the other books, and I feel that the way some things ended were slightly more extreme than they needed to be.

There is a lot of good vs. bad in the series, and it seemed like just now they finally realized that there are shades of gray. In Light, this is the book where the lesson finally comes into play about coming together despite differences for a greater cause.

Ending the series was great. A lot of times the endings don't really sum up, and leave room for another book even though you know there is no other book and you are left hanging forever. Fortunately, this book was not the case. The ending was perfectly summed up with really no room to expand on, which is great. It fully showcases their lives after this whole disaster and sums the rest of their lives up completely.

Gone was a good series that kept me hanging until the end, and I recommend that you read this unique series!

See my reviews of the previous books in the Gone series:

• Gone by Michael Grant
• Hunger (Gone Book 2) by Michael Grant
• Lies (Gone Book 3) by Michael Grant
• Plague (Gone Book 4) by Michael Grant
• Fear (Gone Book 5) by Michael Grant 

Title: Light (Gone #6)

Author: Michael Grant

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Pages: 411 pages
Series: Yes, Book 6
Rating: 4 Stars

Goodreads