11 thrilling new YA releases hitting shelves this October

October 2021 release: We Light Up the Sky – Lilliam Rivera

The latest novel from award-winning writer Lilliam Rivera, We Light Up the Sky is a War of the Worlds-style alien invasion story centered on three Latinx teens in Los Angeles.

Pedro, Luna, and Rafa don’t have much in common besides the fact that they all attend Fairfax High School. They don’t run in the same circles and their experiences of high school life are very different. Pedro is a flashy social media influencer who struggles with a difficult home life. Popular Luna is still quietly grieving the death of a beloved cousin from COVID-19 two years earlier. And Rafa is an outsider who is determined to hide the fact that his family is homeless.

Their lives intersect when a group of aliens known as the Visitors lands on Earth, one of whom takes on the appearance of Luna’s dead cousin Tasha. As the teens struggle to warn others about what’s coming, the novel asks difficult questions about our contemporary society and who we trust to save us.

The official synopsis has more details about the story.

"Pedro, Luna, and Rafa may attend Fairfax High School together in Los Angeles, but they run in separate spheres. Pedro is often told that he’s “too much” and seeks refuge from his home life in a local drag bar. Luna is pretending to go along with the popular crowd but is still grieving the unexpected passing of her beloved cousin Tasha. Then there’s Rafa, the quiet new kid who is hiding the fact that his family is homeless. But Pedro, Luna, and Rafa find themselves thrown together when an extraterrestrial visitor lands in their city and takes the form of Luna’s cousin Tasha. As the Visitor causes destruction wherever it goes, the three teens struggle to survive and warn others of what’s coming–because this Visitor is only the first of many. But who is their true enemy–this alien, or their fellow humans? Can Pedro, Luna, and Rafa find a way to save a world that has repeatedly proven it doesn’t want to save them?"

We Light Up the Sky is available on October 26.

What are you planning on reading this October? Let us know in the comments!