Family Secrets, Dark Histories, and More: New YA Books for September 23, 2026

# What's new this week

# The prominent titles to know

• A Dangerous Bargain (Erin Cotter): A Renaissance-set fantasy following 17-year-old artist Virgil in Florence. He bargained his life to an angel to support his family and continues to face shrinking time, a missing brother, and political forces trying to block him as he teams with Leonardo da Vinci.

• Death in Verse (Julie Lew): Marketed as a dual release (hardcover and paperback), this is a suspenseful, magical-poetry retreat story. Bronte Cade attends a secluded island retreat posing as her missing mother to find answers. The island has an unfinished poem, an anonymous host, and rising body counts—Bronte isn't magical, which raises stakes as she maintains a dangerous facade.

• To Our Untamed Core (Sonido Reyes): A fantasy that examines control and identity under a theocratic regime. The protagonist Temo lives under strict sacraments designed to suppress a so-called violent nature and hides that they are trans to avoid deadly punishment.

# Genre patterns and what to expect This week's lineup skews toward darker YA: multiple horror-leaning novels and psychological thrillers appear across the list. If you prefer lighter fare, there are still several choices: contemporary romance (including at least one holiday rom-com), historical fiction, and character-driven fantasy. Publishers are balancing special-edition hardcovers with more affordable paperback availability through dual releases.

# Why the dual-release detail matters Two books debuting in both hardcover and paperback this week reflects a practical shift. Dual releases give buyers a choice between collectible or durable hardcovers and cheaper paperback options, which can matter for budget-conscious teen readers, library purchasing, and wider accessibility.

# How to pick this week

• If you want scares and tension: look at the horror/thriller offerings, including Death in Verse for a locked-island puzzle with magical stakes.

• If you want character-focused fantasy about identity and control: To Our Untamed Core centers on personal risk and secrecy under authoritarian rules.

# Quick reading plan