WHAT ROUGH BEAST de Mindy McGinnis

Long-held grudges and ancient evils come to roost in this psychological, speculative horror that’s Don’t Let the Forest In meets Stranger Things.

WHAT ROUGH BEAST
by Mindy McGinnis
HarperCollins, October 2026

In a small town like Bethington, nothing stays buried forever…

Ava Germaine has learned her lesson: see something, don’t say something. Cast out at school, the only place she can find peace is Restoration Acres, the town’s animal sanctuary. Though the place sometimes seems more like an animal graveyard than a rehabilitation center, Ava’s job there is at least a constant distraction from the night everything went wrong—and the boy she still holds responsible.

Micah Harding is always prepared for the worst. As the sheriff’s son, he tries not to do things that reflect poorly on his family, especially since his dad helped him cover up his worst mistake yet. But he knows his secret is bound to come out.

Hailey Wagner is sick of being judged. And finally, things are going according to plan—until Ava Germaine starts talking. So if Hailey has to shut her up…she will.

As a strange entity begins to stir, ready to awaken—Ava, Micah, and Hailey find themselves wrapped in a centuries-old exchange, while barreling towards the truth of what ties their fates together.

Mindy McGinnis is the author of several young adult novels, including How Girls Are Made, Under this Red Rock, A Long Stretch of Bad Days, The Last Laugh, The Initial Insult, Heroine, The Female of the Species,and A Madness So Discreet, winner of an Edgar Award. She writes across multiple genres, including postapocalyptic, historical, thriller, contemporary, mystery, and fantasy. While her settings may change, you can always count on her books to deliver grit, truth, and an unflinching look at humanity and the world around us. Mindy lives in Ohio. You can visit her online at mindymcginnis.com.

MATCHA & MATCHES de Cara Tanamachi

Love & Gelato meets the cozy café romance trend in this irresistible opposites-attract summer fling story set on an idyllic trip to Japan.

MATCHA & MATCHES
by Cara Tanamachi
Avon A/HarperCollins, April 2027

THE VACATION FLING COLLIDES WITH THE CAFÉ CRUSH: Matcha & Matches serves up a new swoony, contemporary romance where a girl unexpectedly find love—and herself—in charming café aboard, proving that sometimes the best romance comes with splash of matcha foam.

TIKTOK-FRIENDLY TROPES: Combining forced proximity and rivals, MATCHA & MATCHES might hook BookTokers with the tropes they crave, but they’ll stay for Rina and Takashi’s unmistakable chemistry.

LAYERS BENEATH THE ROMANCE: The novel gains extra emotional heft by diving headfirst into Rina’s complex family dynamic: growing up with divorced parents, trying to bond with a father who’s lives an ocean away, and navigating cultural gaps she’s only just beginning to understand.

MORE TO COME: Readers won’t have long to wait for a new Brewed with Love book—next stop is Mexico! Horchata & Hearts is planned for Summer 2027.

Cara Tanamachi is the USA Today bestselling author of The Takeover, and the Diverse Writers and Readers International romance book literary award winner, The Second You’re Single. She also writes under the name Cara Lockwood, authoring 40 books, including I Do (But I Don’t), which became an original Lifetime Movie. She wrote the novelization of The Dater’s Handbook, a Hallmark movie starring Meghan Markle.

THIS DREAM WILL DEVOUR US de Emma Clancey

The Inheritance Games meets Caraval in this YA contemporary fantasy debut about a girl thrust into the intoxicating and dangerous world of magical high society.

THIS DREAM WILL DEVOUR US
by Emma Clancey
Amulet Books, April 2026
(via Dystel, Goderich & Bourret)

Sometimes you have to kill a dream to escape a nightmare.

Nora is the opposite of lucky. She’s still wrangling her late father’s debts when a mysterious illness lands her brother in the hospital. But her fortunes take an unexpected turn when she wins the lottery to attend the Lamour family’s exclusive, magical Dream Gala.

If Nora can win over the Lamour heirs, she’ll get a coveted spot on their magical training program—and the money she needs to save her brother.

There’s just one problem: Nora never bought a lottery ticket.

Determined to discover who wants her at the gala—and why—Nora plunges headfirst into magical high society. Caught up in a decadent world of brutal billionaires and cutthroat celebrities, Nora is soon in over her head and entangled in a messy love triangle.

When her search for answers uncovers a sinister conspiracy, will Nora stay silent or risk the wrath of a family powerful enough to get away with murder?

“Debut author Clancey’s unusual, perfectly paced, queer-centered narrative will leave readers struggling to find a good place to put the book down and stop reading…A page-turner that shows what our reality would be if magic were a drug in our capitalist society.” ―Kirkus Reviews

“The high society of morally bankrupt profiteers and social- media driven celebrity make a perfect backdrop to a mystery dripping with bad actors, false leads, and wicked fast pacing. The development and use of levic indicts a healthcare system built on addiction and profit, adding a timely and emotional facet to this cleverly crafted page-turner.” ―The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

Emma Clancey is a fantasy writer and medical student living in Sydney, Australia. In 2024, she was awarded the Ray Koppe/Australian Society of Authors Young Writers Fellowship. When not writing or horrifying her friends with unsolicited medical facts, she’s likely jabbering about her latest reads on Instagram @emma.clancey.

STAGTOWN de Punko

A young woman investigates the strange events terrorizing her hometown in this heart-pounding horror graphic novel.

STAGTOWN (Volume #1)
by Punko
Ten Speed Graphic/Crown Publishing Group, September 2026

Something mysterious is happening all around Stagtown: Cameras are appearing everywhere on the streets, and even in the corners of apartments and homes. Cutting one down only spawns more in its place. Someone is surveilling the residents and now that Frankie is back home from college, she is going to discover who—or what—is behind this.

After the shocking death of her neighbor Jeremy, Frankie becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth behind these occurrences. Armed with Jeremy’s box of cryptic clues, a loyal cat companion, and the help of Jeremy’s friend Felix, Frankie embarks on a perilous journey through town. Her quest leads her to a sinister marble house, a blood-stained carousel, a dark underground cellar filled with traps, and more. Each encounter brings her closer to the horrifying truth, culminating in a desperate attempt to escape Stagtown once and for all.

With beautifully haunting illustrations and a terror-filled story, Stagtown is a masterpiece of psychological horror. This volume includes the complete first season of the Webtoon comic, along with exclusive interactive puzzles and never-before-seen sketches.

 

Punko is an alternative comics artist. They won runner-up in publisher Tokyopop’s Rising Stars of Manga competition and published their popular gothic, dark fantasy graphic novel series Bizenghast with the publisher.

LOOK WHAT YOU DID de Kaitlin Reilly

A page-turning debut thriller for fans of Kathleen Glasgow and Megan Lally about a teen who must confront her own buried trauma to clear her friend’s name of murder and expose the dark secrets of her small town.

LOOK WHAT YOU DID
by Kaitlin Reilly
Sourcebooks Fire, September 2026

« I know about Will….I know what he did that night »

After the tragic death of golden boy Will Ashford, everyone in town is in mourning. Or almost everyone. Seventeen-year-old Mackenzie couldn’t be more relieved. Because she knows Will’s veneer of perfection hid something dark and dangerous. It was a truth she learned one night at the Ashford house and swore never to tell.

But her plan is threatened when she starts receiving texts from an unknown number. Someone knows the secret Mackenzie has tried so hard to hide—and they are determined to reveal it.

When Mackenzie’s former best friend is found dead, she is convinced the anonymous texter is connected to her murder, and she will stop at nothing to find them. But doing so will mean confronting the trauma she’s fought so hard to suppress and exposing the dark secrets her town has tried to keep buried—or risk being the next girl dead.

The author is a screenwriter, which shows in the voice, cinematic storytelling, and propulsive pacing that keeps readers eagerly turning pages.

Kaitlin Reilly is a journalist and screenwriter who grew up on Long Island and has called Los Angeles home for more than a decade. Her first film, the YA rom com How to Lose a Popularity Contest, is heading to Tubi in 2026.