12 must-read new YA books to cool off with this July

Burn Our Bodies Down by Rory Power

The author who brought us the bestselling YA debut Wilder Girls is back with a second novel this month, this time offering readers an in-depth exploration of family under the guise of yet another horror story. Rory Power’s Burn Our Bodies Down sees a young girl returning to her mother’s hometown to find answers about her mysterious past.

Despite growing up with just her mother around, Margot doesn’t know much about their past or her family. They’ve struggled to get by, all while Margot wishes for the sort of family one sees on television. And when she finds a photograph with clues about where her mother grew up, she jumps on the opportunity to learn more.

Unfortunately, the things Margot learns may not be what she anticipated. In fact, they may point to a more sinister reason for her mother’s disapperance and for her silence all those years. The synopsis for Burn Our Bodies Down teases family secrets that Margot won’t be able to escape once she’s uncovered them:

"“The only thing Margot knows for sure is there’s poison in their family tree, and their roots are dug so deeply into Phalene that now that she’s there, she might never escape.”"

Whatever Margot discovers, it sounds like it’s going to be intense. This is the sort of summer thriller that’s perfect to bring to the beach or binge by the pool, and it’ll be available to do so in print, ebook, and audiobook formats starting July 7.