A YA fantasy/queerplatonic love story that is Red Wolf by Rachel Vincent meets Loveless by Alice Oseman. Perfect for younger YA readers and set against a dark fairytale landscape of wolves, witches, and danger behind every tree, this debut brings deep emotional resonance and high narrative stakes to a story of a young woman discovering that love doesn’t need to mean romance.

GIRLS WALKING WITH WOLVES
by Jenna Baner
Page Street YA/St. Martin’s Press, October 2026

Arden Hood, blind since birth, is not afraid of witches. Despite the cautionary tales of evil witches in the forest, every day she walks alone deep into the woods to care for her beloved, ailing grandmother. One day Arden’s small, simple life is changed by two encounters: a chance meeting with the Queen’s Hunter, who develops an interest in her that she isn’t entirely sure she likes; and being rescued from a wolf attack by a mysterious young woman named Myra, the last witch still living in the woods. The two girls form a fast friendship, but the Hunter was sent to these woods for a reason. He won’t leave until he’s captured a witch. When the Hunter imprisons Myra, Arden will have to leave home, learn magic, and discover what “love” truly means for her to save her dearest friend.

Jenna Baner is a debut author who specializes in character-driven, emotionally wrenching Young Adult and New Adult fiction, with a particular passion for spotlighting queer, ace-spec, and disabled female characters. Her years of serving as both a judge and participant in writing contests such as the Young Adult Romance Writers of America Rosemary Contest and Voyage YA have allowed Jenna to hone her craft while collaborating with fellow authors.