From secret prisons to a modern-day Othello, here are the June YA releases we’re most excited about.

Young Adult Book of the Month

One Would Think The Deep by Claire Zorn

It’s 1997, and after the sudden loss of his mother, seventeen year old Sam finds himself alone in the world. His father is long gone, and the only other family he has is the aunt he cut ties with years ago. But desperate times call for desperate measures, and so Sam packs his few belongings and moves in with the less-than-welcoming Aunty Lorraine and his cousins, Shane and Minty.

Sam is determined not to let his grief show through the cracks, but his sorrow quickly turns to anger. In his moment of need, it’s Minty who comes to his aid: his irrepressible cousin shows him how to heal by introducing him to a surfboard.

“Zorn has captured 1997, the year in which the story is set, perfectly. The music references, especially, help to shape and give a strong sense of the characters and their world. Zorn’s portrayal of Aunty Lorraine as the nicotine-ravaged, world-weary single mum to two teenage boys was so real that I’m sure she must exist, and that I’ve met her in my past. It is very clear why, with such talent, Claire Zorn won the Prime Minister’s Literary Award for her previous novel, The Protected.” Read our full review here.

Great June YA

• Game Theory by Barry Jonsberg – After maths-wiz Jamie uses game theory to help his sister predict the winning lottery numbers, his family is thrown into the midst of a kidnapping plot. A gripping whodunit.
  
  
• Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys – Fans of The Book Thief will love this fictional retelling of the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff, which follows four young people haunted by their pasts and the horrors of war.
  
  
• Book of Pearl by Timothy De Fombelle – History meets magic in this tale of a boy from another world searching for his lost love. Our reviewer called this elegant translation from the original French a “…charming and absorbing read that will be enjoyed by sophisticated younger readers, teens and adults.” Read the full review here.
  
  
• The Fall of Butterflies by Andrea Portes – Willa is already struggling with her lack of popularity, and when her mother decides to send her to the exclusive Pembroke Prep, she decides she’d rather end it all than suffer another moment longer. But then she meets Remy: popular, rich and rebellious. She’s everything that Willa isn’t, and Remy has set her sights on befriending her. But can Willa sit back and watch Remy take control of her life? An accomplished read on the complexities of friendships and life choices.
  
  
• Lifers by M.A. Griffin – After Preston’s friend disappears, he and a group of vigilante teens set out to uncover the truth. A chilling tale of political systems gone wrong, sinister institutions and murderous plots in this tale where gritty reality meets dystopia.
  
  
• The Last Star by Rick Yancey – The third and final instalment in this gripping series which started with The 5th Wave. Can earth and its inhabitants survive an invasion from the Others, or is humanity destined to be its own worst enemy?
  
  
• Exposure by Mal Peet – A national soccer icon is living the high life, but scandal lurks just around the corner. This modern retelling of Othello by the late Mal Peet deserves to be on every bookshelf.
  
  
• Black Arts by Andrew Prentice and Jonathan Weil – After picking a pocket he shouldn’t have picked, young Jack finds himself thrust into a world of demons and devilry. This dark adventure set in Elizabethan England is perfect for fans of Charlie Higson’s The Enemy series.

CBCA Award Shortlist for Older Readers

The Children’s Book Council of Australia has announced their shortlisted titles for their Older Readers Award:

• The Flywheel by Erin Gough
• The Pause by John Larkin
• Freedom Ride by Sue Lawson
• A Single Stone by Meg McKinlay
• Inbetween Days by Vikki Wakefield
• Cloudwish by Fiona Wood

These awards celebrate excellence in Australian youth literature, so any one of these books is guaranteed to be a great read. The winner will be announced on 19 August.

Holly Harper