For book lovers, the fall season is like one big holiday. Publishers release their best and most-anticipated titles just when the weather turns and readers are in the mood to stay in and curl up on the couch. Maybe it’s the back-to-school vibes that creep in each September, or maybe it’s the onset of cozy sweater weather that brings out our inner bookworms, but either way, when the fall comes, there’s no better accessory than a brand-new book.
This fall, right on schedule, Random House is releasing two new young adult titles that will change the teen lit game: The Babysitters Coven, a witchy, action-packed novel by Kate M. Williams, and Jackpot, a big-ticket love story from the bestselling author of Dear Martin Nic Stone. While different in genre, both books pack the mystery, suspense, and eye-popping detail that all book lovers crave.
We're thrilled to offer a sneak preview of both books before they go on sale (The Babysitters Coven is out on September 19 and Jackpot will be released on October 15). Read on to discover why these two titles are among the most anticipated books of the season.
The Babysitters Coven by Kate M. Williams
Let’s face it: the best part of fall is the witchy Halloween vibe that sets in the minute the first leaves begin to fall. Lucky for you, The Babysitters Coven has got witchy vibes in spades. Plus, it hearkens back to all the witchy shows you were obsessed with in the '90s. Ah, nostalgia.
The Babysitters Coven centers on our luckless protagonist, seventeen-year-old Esme Pearl. Her biggest bankable skill is babysitting, and thanks to the small amount of entrepreneurial energy she’s able to muster, she manages to launch a babysitters club to maximize profits. Much to her surprise, her little club attracts a big fish. Cassandra Heaven, a suspicious bad girl who takes a mysterious and intense interest in joining the club — even if it means taking on the club’s toughest kids.
Spooky twist by shocking turn, the book slowly reveals how Esme and Cassandra’s fates are intertwined, and how a mysterious note left by Cassandra’s mom leads them to uncover their true calling: saving the kids from some seriously evil forces.
Jackpot by Nic Stone
The other book that’s changing the YA game this fall is Jackpot by the highly acclaimed and best-selling author Nic Stone. Jackpot centers on Rico, a hard-working, high school senior and afternoon-shift cashier at the Gas 'n' Go, who after school and work races home to take care of her younger brother. Every. Single. Day.
One day, Rico sells a lotto ticket that, against all odds, carries a jackpot-winning prize. There’s only one problem: Rico’s luck can only change if the jackpot winner claims the prize. Just when it seems that all hope is lost, Zan, Rico’s popular and uber-wealthy classmate, takes pity on her and decides to help her track down the lotto winner. Together, the duo set out on an adventure that will test the limits of what is possible when two teens from very different social classes unite in common cause. This book is a smart, ultra-timely story of class privilege, how one moment can change your entire life, and, most importantly, when it comes to love, all bets are off.
This article is sponsored by Random House.
