Books Young Adult Spotlight Most Anticipated Young Adult SFF/H for July & August 2025 Twenty new summer titles full of dark magic, cozy meet cutes, and thorny mysteries… By Alex Brown | Published on July 8, 2025 Comment 0 Share New Share Lots of new young adult science fiction, fantasy, and horror coming at you this summer. Teens battle dark magic, have cozy meet cutes, survive violent and diseased worlds, and untangle thorny mysteries. If you’re looking for something to entertain you during these long, hot, summer days, look no further than my twenty most anticipated titles. Queer Delights Coffeeshop in an Alternate Universe by C.B. Lee(Feiwel & Friends; July 1, 2025) Brenda has a 19-step plan for using science to save the world, even if it means she doesn’t get to have a social life. Ever since her mother’s death, Kat has skirted her duties as a diligent student, a respectable daughter, and the prophesized Chosen One. Kat and Brenda have a meet cute at Kat’s father’s coffeeshop…which comes as quite a surprise given that they are both from different universes. Fantasy and reality collide as Kat learns her mother had more secrets than anyone realized and Brenda has to put her DND skills to the test. Hit Me With Your Best Charm by Lillie Vale(Viking Books for Young Readers; July 15, 2025) It’s been seven years since Nova’s father vanished in the forest searching for his friend. Nova hasn’t stopped looking for him, but her mother seems to have given up. Nova deals with her trauma in unhealthy ways, mostly by fixating on Kiara, the girl who snags away from her every other person Nova crushes on. At the town’s Fall Festival, Nova’s frustration gets the better of her and she unintentionally hexes Kiara with bad luck. To fix it, the two girls must follow in Nova’s father’s footsteps into the woods. Verity Vox and the Curse of Foxfire by Don Martin(Page Street YA; August 5, 2025) Verity’s witchcraft apprenticeship sends her from town to town, spending a year in each place practicing her craft and helping people. Her latest gig takes her to Foxfire, a small town nestled in the Appalachian Mountains. Earl, a strange and strangely powerful man, has cut the town off from the rest of the world through dangerous magical deals with locals. Verity not only has to help the townsfolk with their problems but convince them magic isn’t all bad. But her biggest challenge will be facing off with Earl.  Science Fictional Climate of Chaos by Cassandra Newbould(Peachtree teen; July 15, 2025) Over the last couple years, we’ve had a spate of YA books about teens surviving in an apocalyptic near future decimated by plagues and climate crises (I wonder why…). The latest installment in this mini subgenre is set in a dystopian Seattle where everyone ekes by in biodomes. Fox, disabled and orphaned, and her little sister Rabbit run afoul of the corporation who controls their dome, Aegis, and Rabbit is locked in the Harvest House to work off their debt. When Aegis claims Rabbit is the key to developing a cure to a terrible new virus, Fox and her new friends will do whatever it takes to rescue her.  The L.O.V.E. Club by Lio Min(Flatiron Books; August 5, 2025) Liberty, O, Vera, and Elle, are the founding and only members of the L.O.V.E. Club. When Elle vanished three years ago, the group splintered. A mysterious video game called Morning Glory reunites the girls by sucking them into the game. With its botanical theme and Easter eggs referencing the girls’ IRL lives, it’s clear the game is connected to Elle, but what does it have to do with her disappearance?  Here Be Dragons Lady Dragon by A.M. Strickland(Feiwel & Friends; August 26, 2025) A tentative peace has been brokered between the rulers of humans and dragons, putting princesses Samansa and Kirek in line for the thrones. Kirek must shift into human form and visit the human princess Samansa to gain state secrets, but the more time the girls spend together, the harder it gets to keep their relations strictly diplomatic. The queendoms are on the verge of tipping back into war, Samansa is cursed, and Kirek realizes she’s not what she thought she was. Folklore & Mythology Predatory Natures by Amy Goldsmith(Delacorte Press; July 8, 2025) Welsh mythology comes to life in this train-set botanical mystery. During her gap year, Lara gets a job on the luxury train The Banebury. Eager for adventure and to get away from her unpleasant homelife, she hops aboard…even though it means having to work with Rhys, her former friend. On the way to their final destination of Estonia, the train collects some new plant-based cargo, and things get weird.  Sky on Fire by E.K. Johnston (Aetherbound universe — Dutton Books for Young Readers; July 22, 2025) A few years ago, aether, the magic powering this science fiction world, disappeared briefly. Morgan, a scholar in the unstable Stavenger Empire, has no magical talent but hasn’t let that stop her from researching it. Her intellect puts her in the crosshairs of rebels looking to break what the aether disappearance cracked, and they try to recruit her to their cause. This blend of Space Opera and Arthurian mythology is set in the same universe as Aetherbound and is connected to that story, but has its own characters and can be read as a standalone. Dark Academia Bones at the Crossroads by LaDarrion Williams(Blood Riot #2 — Labyrinth Road; July 29, 2025) Malik is back at Caiman University in Louisiana after an intense summer term. In the fall, all sorts of chaos unfolds. Malik is offered membership in a secret society who may not have his best interests at heart. His mother, who he just got back after years apart, is still consumed by a power grab that may shatter what’s left of her relationship with her son. And, of course, there’s a girl he can’t stop thinking about. A Mastery of Monsters by Liselle Sambury(A Mastery of Monsters #1 — Margaret K. McElderry Books; July 29, 2025) Yet another book about a disappearing family member. In this book, a college sophomore goes missing (not long after their mother also vanishes without a trace) and his younger sister August is determined to track him down. Her hunt puts her face to face with a monster, but it also grants her access to a secret group called the Learner’s Society. With the help of Jules, a teen trying to control his monstrous nature, they work together to survive a deadly competition and find her brother.  A Theory of Dreaming by Ava Reid(A Study in Drowning #2 — HarperCollins; July 29, 2025) After the tumultuous events of the first book, Effy and Preston are back at the University of Llyr. He partners up with Master Gosse, the head of the literature department, while Effy becomes the first woman to enroll in the literature program after she transfers from architecture. Effy is bereft and mired in depression and anxiety. Preston, meanwhile, cannot stop dreaming about a fantasy world where he’s the king of the sea.  The Devil’s in the Dancers by Catherine Yu(Page Street YA; August 26, 2025) Allegra Academy’s intensive ballet program is everything Mars Chang has ever wanted. Now that she’s in—and with a hefty scholarship from the wealthy Bechler family in hand—she dreams of a future at an Ivy League university. But first she’ll have to survive the summer. Her roommate is Alex Bechler, the best dancer in the program. Alex’s aunt conscripts Mars into secretly dosing Alex with a new medication, and things quickly veer into horror territory. Thrills & Chills Tenderly, I Am Devoured by Lyndall Clipstone(Henry Holt & Co Books for Young Readers; July 1, 2025) After she’s expelled from Marchmain Academy, Lark is forced to return to her hometown of Verse, where her family owns a failing salt mine. Instead of following her dreams of becoming a curator, she gets engaged to Therion, the chthonic god of Verse, as a last bid to save the mine. The betrothal goes badly and Lark’s very existence begins to fray. Once again, she must make an unpleasant choice, this time to work with her former friends, siblings Alistair and Camille. Sparks fly between her and the siblings, but their relationship is tested by an angry god. Empty Heaven by Freddie Kölsch(Union Square & Co; August 26, 2025) It’s 2001 and the locals of the quaint New England town of Kesuquosh worships a scarecrow god they call Good Arcturus, much to the amusement of Darian. She loves visiting the town every summer with her friends, but sees a different side of it when she stops by during Halloween. Turns out Good Arcturus isn’t just some local legend but actually real. Also turns out someone terrible is in control of Good Arcturus. When one of Darian’s local friends, KJ, is given to the scarecrow as a human sacrifice, Darian intervenes and catches the attention of something seemingly unstoppable.  Roar of the Lambs by Jamison Shea(Henry Holt & Co Books for Young Readers; August 26, 2025) No one believes Winnie is a psychic who can see the future. It’s been a decade since her family home was destroyed by fire, and she’s spent the intervening years saving up to move out of Buffalo, New York, for good. Apollo, one of the wealthy Rathburn clan, wants to keep his tempestuous cousin Cyrus from becoming the leader of the family. It all converges on a strange, whispering box found in the ruins of Winnie’s childhood home. Whatever is inside the box will lead to the end of everything if Winnie and Apollo can’t stop Cyrus from getting his greedy mitts on it. Ghost Stories The Yomigaeri Tunnel by Kelly Murashige(Soho Teen; July 1, 2025) It’s the summer before college, and Monika is having a rough time. She recently lost her friend Shun to a drug overdose, and she can’t seem to move forward. She hears about an urban legend of magic tunnel that grants resurrection and knows what she has to do. At the tunnel, another girl, Shori, is about to try and bring her dead mother back. The two girls enter and face their ghosts. Songs for Ghosts by Clara Kumagai(Amulet Books; August 12, 2025) A century ago, a woman in Nagasaki wrote a journal in the style of letters to her late grandmother. Today, Adam, who is biracial Japanese and white, has discovered that diary. The girl writes about her life and the ghosts she encounters, and her stories get their hooks into Adam. After some finagling, he’s able to visit Nagasaki and walk in her footsteps. Finding out who the young woman was might give him the answers to his own family secrets. Outcasts, Outlaws, & Rebels Fateless by Julie Kagawa(Fateless #1 — HarperCollins; July 15, 2025) Sparrow was raised by the Thieves Guild, and now she has the chance to prove her worth. The Circle, the group that controls the guild, tasks her with fetching an object from the lost city of the Deathless King. Joining her on her quest is Raithe, an assassin sent to interfere but who finds himself drawn to Sparrow. To Sparrow, the Deathless King is nothing but an old story to scare children. Little does she know he’s very much real… and after her. The Last Tiger by Julia Riew and Brad Riew(Kokila; July 29, 2025) The Dragon Empire rules over the Tiger Colonies in this story inspired by the authors’ grandparents’ life in occupied Korea. Imperial forces are exterminating tigers due to their spiritual connection to their colonial subjects. Lee Seung works for Choi Eunji’s family. The Chois found wealth by aiding their oppressors, while Seung longs for true freedom. These two colonial teens set off to save the last tiger, and along the way fall into an enemies-to-lovers relationship. Once a Villain by Vanessa Len(Only a Monster #3 — HarperCollins; August 19, 2025) In this timeline-hopping trilogy-closer, Joan faces her greatest danger yet. Eleanor has set off an alternate timeline full of monsters and terror. Joan, Nick, and Aaron have a lot to sort out, based on the choice Nick made in the second book. To save the world, Joan must come to terms with her family secrets and her own power. [end-mark]

Vice President JD Vance is criticizing New York City Democrat mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani, accusing him of building a coalition of what Vance called “downwardly mobile, college-educated people” and carved-out ethnic blocs by pandering to shared hatreds. “This is a guy who won high-income and college-educated New Yorkers, and especially both young [and] highly educated New Yorkers, but he was weakest among black voters and those without a college degree,” Vance said of the 33-year-old New York state assemblyman in an acceptance speech Saturday for the Claremont Institute’s Statesmanship Award in San Diego, California. “That’s an interesting coalition. Maybe it works in the New York Democratic primary. I don’t think it works in the United States at large,” the vice president said. However, Vance expressed sympathy for disaffected wealthy voters. “I think that we should care about all the people in our country, particularly those downwardly mobile, college-educated people who feel like the American dream is not quite all that it’s cracked up to be. But we have to be honest about where [Mamdani’s] coalition is … It’s about elite disaffection and elite anger.” Vance noted that the other part of Mamdani’s coalition-building success is exploiting foreign ethnic conflicts that have little to do with American life. “That base was supplemented by carefully selected ethnic blocs carved out of the electorate using identity politics as the knife,” he said. “That … explains Mamdani’s bizarre appeals to foreign politics intended to signal to one particular group of New Yorkers or another.” New York state Assemblyman and NYC Democrat mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani. (Kyle Mazza/Anadolu via Getty Images) “Let us ask ourselves: Why is a mayoral candidate in our nation’s biggest city whining about banning [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu? … Why is a New York mayoral candidate attacking Narendra Modi, the prime minister of India, as a ‘war criminal?’ Why is he talking about ‘globalizing the intifada?’ In fact, what the hell does that even mean in Manhattan?” Vance suggested the answer lies in a weaponization of collective hatred. “They don’t need a unifying ideology of what they’re for, because they know very well what they’re against,” he said. “What unites Islamists, gender studies majors, socially liberal white urbanites, and Big Pharma lobbyists … it’s hatred.” Vance concluded his attack on Mamdani by suggesting that the New Yorker represents what separates the modern Democratic Party from the Republican Party. “The most important part of statesmanship is to be for something. And I think what was so different about President [Donald] Trump’s campaign compared to the 30 years of failed GOP politicians during my lifetime—it wasn’t just that he articulated what was bad … [Trump] was also offering a positive vision that people could get behind.” The post Vance Rips NYC Mayoral Candidate’s ‘Bizarre Appeals’ to Identity Politics appeared first on The Daily Signal.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Reuters’ main presence on X, along with its Reuters World account, was blocked for around a day over the weekend, which  X says was ordered by officials in India. Indian users attempting to access these accounts were instead met with a message declaring that the profiles have been “withheld in IN in response to a legal demand.” X has now disclosed that the Indian government had issued a sweeping order on July 3, directing the platform to block over two thousand accounts in the country, including those belonging to Reuters. “On July 3, 2025, the Indian government ordered X to block 2,355 accounts in India, including international news outlets like @Reuters and @ReutersWorld, under Section 69A of the IT Act,” the company said. It added that “non-compliance risked criminal liability,” and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology “demanded immediate action — within one hour — without providing justification.” Following public backlash, the company said officials appeared to walk back the decision. “After public outcry, the government requested X to unblock @Reuters and @ReutersWorld,” the platform stated. Still, X emphasized its broader concerns, warning that such directives reflect a disturbing trend: “We are deeply concerned about ongoing press censorship in India due to these blocking orders.” The company said it is “exploring all legal options available,” while pointing out that “unlike users located in India, X is restricted by Indian law in its ability to bring legal challenges against these executive orders.” It encouraged affected users to seek judicial remedies through the courts. Strikingly, officials in New Delhi deny any role in the move. A government representative told Reuters that no agency had requested such an action, leaving the reasons for the restriction shrouded in uncertainty. Reuters revealed that its team had previously been alerted in May that certain content would be withheld within India at the government’s request. That notification, however, failed to specify what material was being targeted or which government body had made the demand. X has been vocal in opposing demands to silence accounts or posts. The company took the Indian government to court in March, warning that a new official website had opened the door to “unrestrained censorship of information in India” by empowering numerous officials to block or take down content at will. If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post India Ordered Reuters Ban, X Says appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The United Nations has unveiled its first Global Risk Report, placing what it terms “mis- and disinformation” among the most serious threats facing the world. Tucked into the report is the announcement of a new task force, formed to address how unauthorized narratives might disrupt the UN’s ability to carry out its programs, particularly its centerpiece initiative, the 2030 Agenda. Rather than encouraging open discourse or transparency, the organization has taken a route that centers on managing what information gets seen and heard. While the language used suggests a concern for public welfare, the actual emphasis lies on shielding the UN’s agenda from interference. According to the report, survey respondents that included member states, NGOs, private companies, and other groups overwhelmingly called for joint government action and multistakeholder coalitions to deal with the highlighted risks. Yet there is no clear endorsement of more open communication or free expression. The dominant solution appears to be top-down control over public narratives. This newly established task force has a single focus. Its job is to assess how so-called mis- and disinformation affect the UN’s ability to deliver on its goals. The report does not describe how this benefits the public or strengthens democratic values. Instead, the team’s mission is about insulating UN operations from disruption, particularly as they pertain to the Sustainable Development Goals. The SDGs, which make up the foundation of the 2030 Agenda, touch nearly every aspect of governance and development, from climate to education to healthcare. This is not the UN’s first attempt to regulate the global conversation. In 2023, it issued the Voluntary Code of Conduct for Information Integrity on Digital Platforms. While promoted as a guide to promote factual accuracy, the document outlines an expansive system of content filtering and narrative enforcement. It encourages a wide range of actors, including governments, tech firms, news organizations, and advertisers, to work together in silencing content. Among its recommendations are stricter algorithmic control, refusal to advertise next to flagged content, and large-scale fact-checking programs. Training and capacity-building are suggested not to foster critical thinking but to reinforce a shared understanding of what constitutes unacceptable speech. If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post UN Launches Task Force to Combat Global “Disinformation” Threat appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The World Economic Forum (WEF), long known for promoting centralized influence over global governance, is now stepping into the heart of emerging technology regulation. In partnership with the United Arab Emirates, the WEF has launched the Global Regulatory Innovation Platform (GRIP), a two-year initiative aimed at shaping how artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and other advanced technologies will be governed worldwide. While framed as an effort to help governments keep pace with fast-moving innovation, GRIP positions the WEF to exert significant pressure over national regulatory demands. The project’s stated deliverables include a Global Regulatory Playbook, a Regulatory Future Readiness Index, and a Global Regulatory Innovation Hub, all of which are designed to influence how states craft their policies around new technologies. “Innovation moves fast. Regulation must too,” said Børge Brende, President of the World Economic Forum. “GRIP enables governments to co-create policy frameworks that are agile, anticipatory, and ready for the technologies shaping our future.” But behind the rhetoric of agility and inclusivity lies a deeper concern: the WEF’s expanding role in pushing specific regulatory frameworks that mirror its long-standing agenda of tightening control over digital speech. This is not a neutral facilitator stepping in to help governments. It is a well-connected body with a record of advocating for top-down approaches to information governance, particularly in the world of online content. In recent years, the WEF has frequently called for greater regulation of the internet, framing free expression concerns as secondary to the need to combat misinformation and “harmful content.” These calls have often aligned with proposals to give tech companies and governments more authority to define and suppress disfavored narratives. GRIP now offers the WEF another vehicle to embed those priorities into the very structures governing AI development and deployment. According to the initiative’s blueprint, GRIP will convene public and private stakeholders to pilot new regulatory models and develop scalable tools for governments. The UAE, already known for centralized state control and limited free expression, is being promoted as a regulatory role model, having previously launched a national AI ministry and fast-tracked startup licenses through government-managed channels. “Sustainable economies thrive only within forward-looking and agile regulatory ecosystems. The quality of life of our communities in the future exponentially depends on the work conducted by regulators,” said Maryam Al Hammadi, Minister of State and Secretary General of the UAE Cabinet. The WEF portrays this as a solution to outdated, fragmented governance models. However, detractors of centralized technocratic planning warn that the real danger lies in allowing unelected bodies to dictate what innovation-friendly regulation should look like, especially when those same bodies have a history of blurring the lines between governance and control. With Boston Consulting Group serving as a knowledge partner, and participation from legal and policy professionals embedded in WEF’s corporate networks, GRIP is poised to set standards that could influence national regulations far beyond its formal authority. In effect, this initiative creates a soft power mechanism for lobbying governments while bypassing democratic debate over core issues like surveillance, algorithmic bias, and digital rights. The initiative’s promotional materials speak of enabling blockchain-driven finance, AI healthcare diagnostics, and drone-based logistics, but fail to adequately address the civil liberties concerns that accompany these technologies when embedded in opaque, cross-border governance frameworks. Nor is there any meaningful examination of how so-called “agile” regulation could become a euphemism for arbitrary or corporate-friendly rulemaking with limited public oversight. If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post WEF and UAE Launch AI Regulation Platform appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The Supreme Court has once again reminded Americans that digital privacy is the kind of quaint notion best left in textbooks. With no explanation, no debate, and no visible effort, the justices decided they didn’t feel like dealing with Harper v. Faulkender. Become a Member and Keep Reading… Reclaim your digital freedom. Get the latest on censorship, cancel culture, and surveillance, and learn how to fight back. Email Subscribe Already a supporter? Sign In. If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post How Digital Convenience Becomes a Government Backdoor appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

They found a kitten outside and never stopped looking for his cat siblings so they could be reunited. Lori WhiteA kind neighbor spotted three kittens on their patio and reached out for help, hoping to get them to a safe place.When Lori White, a volunteer with ARPO (the Alliance for Responsible Pet Ownership), arrived, she found an orange tabby all alone. Despite waiting until nightfall, there was still no sign of his siblings or mother.Lori took him home since the area wasn't safe for such a tiny kitten, but she never stopped thinking about the rest of his feline family. ColbyLori WhiteWhen the neighbor found the feral mother cat under a storage shed, likely where the rest of the kittens were, a volunteer headed over with a humane trap to rescue them. Meanwhile, the orange tabby, Colby, was happily adjusting to the comforts of indoor life."Colby has been a super snuggle bug, is very sweet, loves to cuddle, and purr. He likes to bury himself under the stuffie momma cat," Lori shared. Lori WhiteA few days later, they secured Colby's siblings, Brie and Jack, but their mission didn't end there. They continued their efforts to find the feral mom and dad, determined to put a stop to the cycle of endless litters.Thanks to their dedication, they found the parent cats the following week and ensured they were spayed and neutered. "They have a feeder caring for them, which is wonderful." Jack and BrieLori WhiteJack and Brie quickly settled into their foster home and were over the moon to be reunited with Colby. "Jack's ears and tail are a bit lighter than Brie's. He also seems much more mellow and quiet compared to Brie."They were so happy to be back together that they wrapped their little arms around each other in the most adorable embrace. Colby was reunited with his siblingsLori WhiteWhile Jack and Brie thrived, Colby needed extra care to tackle a few health issues. He received medication, fluids, and plenty of supportive care, and he took everything in stride. "He is a trooper through all of it and just keeps purring.""Brie has assigned herself nurse duties, which I am not sure Colby is appreciating." Lori WhiteAs soon as he felt better, he rejoined his siblings, and the trio cozied up together, purring up a storm.Once they moved into a larger space, their adventurous and playful personalities truly blossomed. "They have been so excited to explore, run, and climb. We have been playing a few times a day by switching up different toys." Lori WhiteWhile Colby and Brie squabbled over who got to use the ramp, Jack was perfectly content perched on top, watching their playful antics."Colby loves playing with his siblings' tails and playing hide and seek under the furniture. He also has been loving having some upstairs time with our dogs and cats." Lori WhiteThe kittens can turn any household item, such as sandals, into an endless source of entertainment.Colby is constantly surrounded by the love of his siblings, and he eagerly joins them in all their adventures. The trio has grown by leaps and bounds and is now ready to embark on their next chapter. Lori White"It seems like just yesterday they came to our house after being found on a back patio."With the help of a kind neighbor and dedicated volunteers, Colby was reunited with his siblings. Now, this cuddly little clowder is flourishing and has a bright future ahead. Lori WhiteShare this story with your friends. More on Colby, Jack, Brie, and Lori's fosters on Instagram and ARPO on Instagram.Related story: Young Cat Roams Neighborhood for Food Until One Day Person Stops to Help

Judge Refuses to Dismiss Case Against Judge Hannah Dugan

Summer in the Northern Hemisphere will last 93 days, 15 hours, and 37 minutes, shorter than usual.

GSOH or GTFO? Not for your genome, it seems.