A Horror Movie Themed Competition, Christmas Advent Reads, and More New YA Books for September 30, 2026

Holiday books are hitting fast and heavy right now, and this week, there are not one, but two, Christmas-themed romances hitting shelves. What makes these two YA Christmas romances stand out even more is that both are set up as advent-style. Instead of candy for the 24 nights before Christmas, you get to read one more chapter of the story. It’s creative, and it’s also interesting to see two of them publishing for teens, especially in the same week. But there are more than holiday romances hitting shelves this week. Your new YA book releases for the last week of September are, like they’ve been all month, full of a little bit of everything. We’ve got a debut YA novel from an author who has made a name for herself in adult horror, a new novel from an author who is not only talented as a writer but who serves as the book’s cover model, and a horror movie-themed overnight competition. If you’re looking for queer romance, that’s here, too, including a premise that actually made me laugh out loud (confusing Georgia the country with Georgia the state is a good one!). Lynn Painter fan? Her latest lands this week, too! Get 15% off annual All Access memberships for a limited time in celebrat...