The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian / Sherman Alexie, art by Ellen Forney
Junior is a teenage American Indian who decides to carve a future for himself by leaving his school on the Spokane reservation for a public one that is predominantly white. He chronicles his new experiences in a diary complete with personalized cartoons. His journey is both parts hysterically funny and heartbreaking, as he deals with relationships, race, and self-identity.
Recommended by Melissa N.
Akata Witch Akata Witch / Nnedi Okorafor
Twelve-year-old Sunny Nwazue, an American-born albino child of Nigerian parents, moves with her family back to Nigeria, where she learns that she has latent magical powers which she and three similarly gifted friends use to catch a serial killer. Recommended for fans of Harry Potter.
Recommended by Ashley
Book | eBook | eAudiobook
All the Walls of Belfast All the Walls of Belfast / Sarah J. Carlson
This historical fiction follows teenagers Fiona and Danny as they navigate the murky waters of their families' pasts. Set in Belfast Ireland after the time of the Troubles - a period when religion and poverty constructed dangerous walls, literally, dividing socioeconomic classes and defying those boundaries often came with fatal consequences. They must decide if they will let their personal histories and those of their families dictate their futures or will they decide to live for what they hope the world will be.
Recommended by Krysti
Allegedly Allegedly / Tiffany Jackson
Unsettling. Violent. Relevant. These words portray Mary's life as detailed in this terrific novel; Mary was 9 years old when she was convicted of murdering a white baby that she and her mother were caring for. Mary is now 16 and living in a group home. She has a secret boyfriend and becomes pregnant. Since Mary wants to keep her baby, she decides to tell the truth--allegedly--about what really happened on the night she is supposed to have killed baby Alyssa. This is a stunning book and I wasn't sure what was going to happen until the very last page
Recommended by Sue-Ellen, Teen Services Librarian
American Street American Street / Ibi Zoboi
Author Ibi Zoboi draws on her own experience as a young Haitian immigrant, infusing this lyrical exploration of America with magical realism and vodou culture.
On the corner of American Street and Joy Road, Fabiola Toussaint thought she would finally find une belle vie—a good life. But after they leave Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Fabiola’s mother is detained by U.S. immigration, leaving Fabiola to navigate her loud American cousins, Chantal, Donna, and Princess; the grittiness of Detroit’s west side; a new school; and a surprising romance, all on her own. Just as she finds her footing in this strange new world, a dangerous proposition presents itself, and Fabiola soon realizes that freedom comes at a cost. Trapped at the crossroads of an impossible choice, will she pay the price for the American dream?
This is an excellent mix of magical realism and social commentary. This gripping story kept me glued until the end!
Recommended by Kindra
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe / Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Fifteen-year-old Ari Mendoza is an angry loner with a brother in prison, but when he meets Dante and they become friends, Ari starts to ask questions about himself, his parents, and his family that he has never asked before.
Recommended by Anne and Kristen
Book | eBook | Audiobook | eAudiobook | Book Club Kit
Awkward Awkward / Svetlana Chmakova
After shunning Jaime, the school nerd, on her first day at a new middle school, Penelope Torres tries to blend in with her new friends in the art club, until the art club goes to war with the science club, of which Jaime is a member. Representing the best of what graphic novels can offer, this graphic novel is endearing and true to middle school life, with lessons on forgiveness and friendship.
After reading Awkward, try the other books in the Berrybrook Middle School series: Brave and Crush.
Recommended by Erin L.
Baba Yaga's Assistant Baba Yaga's Assistant / Marika McCoola, art by Emily Carroll
The fearsome witch of Russian folklore mentors a brave teen who draws on her grandmother's wisdom to pass a series of tests, outfox a territorial bear, and make dinner for her child-eating host.
Recommended by Nicole, Teen Services Librarian
Beautiful Music for Ugly Children Beautiful Music for Ugly Children / Kirstin Cronn-Mills
Gabe has a secret. He used to be called Liz. Assumed a girl at borth, he is cautiously beginning to ltransition to living as male. Only his parents and his lifelong best friend, Paige, know. But when a girl at school, where he is callously called “that lesbo chick,” discovers the truth and outs Gabe, things become difficult, if not downright dangerous. In the meantime, Gabe is a part-time DJ on the local community radio station, where his show, “Beautiful Music for Ugly Children,” is fast becoming an underground hit. Will his fans reject him when they, too, discover the truth? What, as Gabe thinks in difficult circumstances, would Elvis do?
Recommended by Kristen
Beauty Queens Beauty Queens / Libba Bray
When a plane crash strands thirteen teen beauty contestants on a mysterious island, they struggle to survive, to get along with one another, to combat the island's other diabolical occupants, and to learn their dance numbers in case they are rescued in time for the competition.
Recommended by Melissa N.
The Black Kids The Black Kids / Christina Hammonds Reed
"Los Angeles, 1992
Ashley Bennett and her friends are living the charmed life. It’s the end of senior year and they’re spending more time at the beach than in the classroom. They can already feel the sunny days and endless possibilities of summer.
Everything changes one afternoon in April, when four LAPD officers are acquitted after beating a black man named Rodney King half to death. Suddenly, Ashley’s not just one of the girls. She’s one of the black kids.
As violent protests engulf LA and the city burns, Ashley tries to continue on as if life were normal. Even as her self-destructive sister gets dangerously involved in the riots. Even as the model black family façade her wealthy and prominent parents have built starts to crumble. Even as her best friends help spread a rumor that could completely derail the future of her classmate and fellow black kid, LaShawn Johnson.
With her world splintering around her, Ashley, along with the rest of LA, is left to question who is the us? And who is the them?"
- from the publisher's website
Recommended by Jillian
The Blood Spell The Blood Spell / C. J. Redwine
Blue de la Cour has her life planned: hide the magic in her blood and continue trying to turn metal into gold so she can help her city’s homeless. But when her father is murdered and a cruel but powerful woman claims custody of Blue and her property, one wrong move could expose her—and doom her once and for all. The only one who can help? The boy she’s loathed since childhood: Prince Kellan.
Recommended by Kindra
Bone Gap Bone Gap / Laura Ruby
Finn knows that Roza was kidnapped. He saw it happen. But no one believes him. They think that Roza simply left Bone Gap - left his brother - as quickly and as mysteriously as she arrived. That's just the way things are in Bone Gap, where people and things often seem to slip through cracks in the very universe itself. But Finn knows she's out there somewhere, and probably needs his help, if only he could figure out how to find her.
Bone Gap takes readers along a path that's anything but straight. It's full of heartache, but never loses hope.
Recommended by Jenny, Teen Services Librarian
By The Book By The Book / Amanda Sellet
15-year-old Mary Porter-Malcolm is more comfortable in the pages of her favorite 19th century novels than she is with anyone in the "real world", so she's surprised when a group of girls at her new school befriend her and look to her for relationship advice. Mary creates the Scoundrel Survival Guide to help other girls avoid boys who aren't worthy of being boyfriends, but when she meets bad boy Alex, she might not be able to follow her own advice. Recommended if you love stories about love, friendship, books, chaotic families, and trivia. A total delight that I couldn't put down!
Recommended by Miranda, Teen Services Librarian
Challenger Deep Challenger Deep / Neal Shusterman, art by Brendan Shusterman
A brilliant but troubled high school boy pretends to engage in sports activities and uses his artistic talents to document his voyage to the world's most southern point while his friends observe his increasingly unbalanced behavior, leading to a diagnosis of schizophrenia. This is the story of his deep challenge to get a normal life back.
Recommended by Diane, Teen Services Librarian
Book | eBook | eAudiobook
Chasing Shadows Chasing Shadows / Swati Avasthi, art by Craig Phillips
"Before: Corey, Holly, and Savitri are one unit-- fast, strong, inseparable. Together they turn Chicago concrete and asphalt into a freerunner's jungle gym, ricocheting off walls, scaling buildings, leaping from rooftop to rooftop. But acting like a superhero doesn't make you bulletproof.
After: Holly and Savitri are coming unglued. Holly says she's chasing Corey's killer, chasing revenge. Savitri fears Holly's just running wild-- and leaving her behind.
Friends should stand by each other in times of crisis. But can you hold on too tight? Too long?
In this intense novel, told in two voices, and incorporating comic-style art sections, Swati Avasthi creates a gripping portrait of two girls teetering on the edge of grief and insanity." - provided by the publisher
I really liked the characters and the format, which makes the sad yet compelling story come alive.
Recommended by Diane, Teen Services Librarian
Clown In A Cornfield Clown In A Cornfield / Alex Cesare
"Quinn Maybrook and her father have moved to tiny, boring Kettle Springs, to find a fresh start. But what they don’t know is that ever since the Baypen Corn Syrup Factory shut down, Kettle Springs has cracked in half.
On one side are the adults, who are desperate to make Kettle Springs great again, and on the other are the kids, who want to have fun, make prank videos, and get out of Kettle Springs as quick as they can.
Kettle Springs is caught in a battle between old and new, tradition and progress. It’s a fight that looks like it will destroy the town. Until Frendo, the Baypen mascot, a creepy clown in a pork-pie hat, goes homicidal and decides that the only way for Kettle Springs to grow back is to cull the rotten crop of kids who live there now."
- from the publisher's website
Recommended by Sara
Code Name Verity Code Name Verity / Elizabeth Wein
Dear Martin Dear Martin / Nic Stone
Amazingly challenging book about race and growth and framed by 17 year old, Justyce McAllister's journal entries to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. A must read and so well written.
Recommended by Amy
Book | eBook | Audiobook | eAudiobook
Divergent Divergent / Veronica Roth
A dystopian novel with the intriguing premise that society is divided into 5 factions based on the values they admire most - honesty, intelligence, bravery, selflessness and peacefulness. Raised in your parents’ faction, once you turn 16 you have the choice of which faction you will devote the rest of your life to… For some their original faction was a perfect fit, but for others this begs the question: do you deny who you are to stay with your family and friends, or should you be true to yourself and switch, and in doing so leave everything you’ve ever known? That is the question Beatrice has to ask herself, and sets her off on a great journey in this book, the first in a series that continues with Insurgent and Allegiant.
Recommended by Drew and Laurel
Book | eBook | Audiobook | eAudiobook
The Dogs The Dogs / Allan Stratton
Cameron is used to moving at a moment's notice because he and his mother are always running away from his supposedly violent father, but he is disturbed by their latest refuge, a creepy, deserted farmhouse, haunted by bloodthirsty dogs--and when he sees a boy hiding in the barn, and finds an old picture of the same boy, he starts wondering about the possibility of human ghosts.
Recommended by Nicole, Teen Services Librarian
Don't call me a hurricane Don't call me a hurricane / Ellen Hagan
Told in verse, seventeen-year-old Eliza, an environmental activist, is navigating the after-effects of a hurricane that devastated her coastal town while falling for Milo, a rich tourist who is at the center of a redevelopment that could put her community in danger--again.
Recommended by Jace
Dragon and Thief Dragon and Thief / Timothy Zahn
Great teen sci-fi series with a very unique premise and two wonderful main characters.
The Dragon back series continues with Dragon and Soldier.
Recommended by Bethany
The Edge of Anything The Edge of Anything / Nora Shalaway
One is a star volleyball player who finds out something that will end her future career, but she loves it so much she will risk anything. One suffers from something she doesn't understand that makes her feel like she's going crazy. After a chance encounter, loner photographer Len and volleyball star Sage develop an unlikely friendship that enables them to begin facing their inner demons.
Recommended by Nicole, Teen Services Librarian
Emmy & Oliver Emmy & Oliver / Robin Benway
When sheltered, seventeen-year-old Emmy's childhood best friend, Oliver, reappears after suddenly being kidnapped by his father ten years ago, they reconnect as friends, confidants, and fall in love. But love is not easy when you harbor secrets and secret feelings about a past that was not your fault, and Emmy & Oliver must learn through tough times and tougher choices how to find themselves as they move forward in their lives.
Recommended by Diane, Teen Services Librarian
Enchantée Enchantée / Gita Trelease
This was a super fun trip through French revolution era Paris! There's magic, hot air ballooning, aristocrats, printing presses, Marie Antoinette (of course!), the Palace of Versailles, and even a little romance. Highly recommend for historical fiction fans interested in a little magic thrown in for some spice.
Recommended by Nicole, Teen Services Librarian
Etiquette & Espionage Etiquette & Espionage / Gail Carriger
In an alternate England of 1851 full of vampires and werewolves, spirited fourteen-year-old Sophronia is enrolled in a finishing school where, she is surprised to learn, lessons include not only the fine arts of dance, dress, and etiquette, but also diversion, deceit, and espionage. A fast-paced adventure with lots of wry humor.
The Finishing School series continues with Curtsies and Conspiracies, Waistcoats and Weaponry, and Manners and Mutiny
Recommended by Tova
Book | eBook | eAudiobook
Exit, Pursued by a Bear Exit, Pursued by a Bear / E. K. Johnston
Hermione Winters and her best friend Polly Oliver have their senior year all planned out. As co-captains of the cheerleading squad for their rural school, a squad that wins more competitions than the teams they cheer for, how could their last year of high school be anything but great? But before the year even begins, Hermione is drugged and assaulted, and left with no memory of the attack. In a small town like theirs, this isn't the kind of news that can be kept quiet. Yet all Hermione wants is to have the senior year she expected to have.
This is not a book about how things should be - because "should" doesn't include the kinds of things that happened to Polly. But it is a story in which the majority of the people around Polly are supportive and helpful and are focused above all on making sure she has what she needs, which is how it should be, but all too often isn't.
Recommended by Jenny, Teen Services Librarian
The Eye of Minds The Eye of Minds / James Dashner
"Michael is a skilled internet gamer in a world of advanced technology. When a cyber-terrorist begins to threaten players, Michael is called upon to seek him and his secret's out"-- Provided by publisher.
This is a creepy, edge-of-your-seat read that makes you think and keeps you turning pages until you get to the surprising conclusion!
Recommended by Diane, Teen Services Librarian
Book | eBook | eAudiobook
The False Princess The False Princess / Eilis Oneal
At the age of 16 Princess Nalia finds out that she is not a princess at all, but the substitute for the true princess. A prophecy of danger 16 years earlier had the King and Queen send the real princess away to be raised in a convent, while they brought up a fake princess as their own. When the prophecy does not come true they bring the real princess to the palace and send Nalia off to her aunt, all that remains of a family she has never known. Thrust into a life that courtly manners and skills never prepared her for, she will discover an aptitude for magic, the difference between false and true friends, and that the girl who now lives at the palace in her place is also not the real princess, but another pawn in a generations long plot for revenge on the royal family. Full of twists, this is this fairytale will keep you guessing until the very end.
Recommended by Drew
Fangirl Fangirl / Rainbow Rowell
Cath has a secret..she is the writer of a famous fan fiction blog: Carry On Simon. When her twin loses interest in both the blog and hanging out with Cath just as they are starting college, Cath is feeling as isolated as ever. Rainbow Rowell has a magical way with writing and this book is no exception. Fangirl will have you laughing, tug at your heart strings, and leave you in such anticipation that will make it difficult to put it down. Highly recommend!
Recommended by Monique and Melissa N.
Book | eBook | Audiobook | eAudiobook
The Fault in Our Stars The Fault in Our Stars / John Green
Sixteen-year-old Hazel, a stage IV thyroid cancer patient, has accepted her terminal diagnosis until a chance meeting with a boy at cancer support group forces her to reexamine her perspective on love, loss, and life. What a great book!
Recommended by Kathie
Felix ever after Felix ever after / Kacen Callender
Felix Love has never been in love, and, yes, he's painfully aware of the irony. He desperately wants to know what it's like and why it seems so easy for everyone but him to find someone. What's worse is that, even though he is proud of his identity, Felix also secretly fears that he's one marginalization too many--Black, queer, and transgender--to ever get his own happily-ever-after. When an anonymous student begins sending him transphobic messages, after publicly posting Felix's deadname alongside images of him before he transitioned, Felix comes up with a plan for revenge. What he didn't count on: his catfish scenario landing him in a quasi-love triangle. But as he navigates his complicated feelings, Felix begins a journey of questioning and self-discovery that helps redefine his most important relationship: how he feels about himself.
Recommended by Jace
Firekeeper's Daughter Firekeeper's Daughter / Angeline Boulley
"...Eighteen-year-old Daunis Fontaine has never quite fit in, both in her hometown and on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. Daunis dreams of studying medicine, but when her family is struck by tragedy, she puts her future on hold to care for her fragile mother.
The only bright spot is meeting Jamie, the charming new recruit on her brother Levi’s hockey team. Yet even as Daunis falls for Jamie, certain details don’t add up and she senses the dashing hockey star is hiding something. Everything comes to light when Daunis witnesses a shocking murder, thrusting her into the heart of a criminal investigation."
Recommended by Ashley
Flora Segunda Flora Segunda / Ysabeau Wilce
Flora Segunda, last of the fierce Fyrdraaca line, is late. Too-hastily navigating through the shifting maze of her childhood home, Crackpot Hall, she stumbles upon the house's banished butler, a book of magic - and a snarl of intrigue. Flora's dearest wish is to become a Ranger - wily, worldly and full of tricks - and the ensuing action takes all her skill (and some she must learn) to survive. With her mother off fighting battles and her mad father confined to the attic, Flora has only one friend, a dog, and her wits to fall back on.
Brimming with challenge, intelligence and mayhem, and set in a fascinatingly original world. The first book of three, the story continues in Flora's Dare and Flora's Fury.
Recommdend by Erin
Book | eBook | eAudiobook
Freakboy Freakboy / Kristin Elizabeth Clark
From the outside, Brendan Chase seems to have it pretty easy. He's a star wrestler, a video game aficionado, and a loving boyfriend to his seemingly perfect match, Vanessa. But on the inside, Brendan struggles to understand why his body feels so wrong? why he sometimes fantasizes having long hair, soft skin, and gentle curves. Is there even a name for guys like him? Guys who sometimes want to be girls? Or is Brendan just a freak?
In razor-sharp verse, Kristin Clark folds three narratives into one powerful story: Brendan trying to understand his sexual identity, Vanessa fighting to keep her and Brendan's relationship alive, and Angel struggling to confront her demons.
Recommended by Kristen
The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue / Mackenzi Lee
What a hilarious book! It's like a mad crazy road trip only there aren't any actual cars. I listened to the Overdrive audiobook and I could not stop.
Henry "Monty" Montague was bred to be a gentleman. But, all his shenanigans have earned the disapproval of his father. Monty, his best friend and crush Percy, and Monty's sister Felicity begin a Grand Tour of Europe. When a reckless decision turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt, it calls into question everything Monty knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.
The adventure continues in The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy, and The Gentleman's Guide to Getting Lucky.
Recommended by Nicole, Teen Services Librarian
Girl in Pieces Girl in Pieces / Kathleen Glasgow
17-year old Charlie (Charlotte) Davis, an artist and also a serious cutter, goes from homelessness to a rehab center in Minnesota to a new life in Arizona. But with little money, hiding terrible physical scars from self-harm, and no one to turn to except a friend who lives there, it's tough. Yet Charlie manages to take herself from a girl in pieces to a girl pieced back together by learning the hard way to stand on her own two feet.
Charlie is one of the strongest, most courageous, and memorable characters I have met in YA lit. Glasgow tells her disturbing yet ultimately hopeful no-holds-barred story in realistic, raw language that makes you root for her, want to stop her when she makes bad decisions, and cheer for her when she is finally on the road to figuring it all out--and acting on what's right for her. The plot unravels bit by bit as Charlie tries hard, falters, tries again, and keeps trying until she gets it right. The story is unforgettable. Teens who relate to Charlie's battles with homelessness, addiction, cutting, and lack of self-esteem will come away from this book knowing more about themselves and personal survival. Teens who have not experienced these things personally will come away with compassion and understanding for friends and others whom they see battling the same problems and demons. This is powerful teen literature that can be appreciated on several levels. Fans of Ellen Hopkins will want to read this too.
Recommended by Diane, Teen Services Librarian
Glory O'Brien's History of the Future Glory O'Brien's History of the Future / A.S. King
As her high school graduation draws near, Glory O'Brien begins having powerful and terrifying visions of the future as she struggles with her long-buried grief over her mother's suicide. This is a unique story of one girl's struggle to come to grips with loss, the ups and downs of friendship, and figuring out where her life if leading her. Fans of A.S. King (Please Ignore Vera Deitz; Reality Boy; etc.) will not want to miss this addition to her outstanding list of titles for teens!
Recommended by Diane, Teen Services Librarian
Grounded: the Adventures of Rapunzel Grounded: the Adventures of Rapunzel / Megan Morrison
Rapunzel believes she is the luckiest person in Tyme, because Witch tells her so, but when Jack climbs into her tower to steal an enchanted rose, he hints that Witch is not telling the whole truth and Rapunzel, driven by her anger and fear, descends to the ground for the first time.
Recommended by Meg
Harley in the Sky Harley in the Sky / Akemi Dawn Bowman
This is a story about Harley who has grown up in the circus and loves it with all her heart. But, her parents want her to go to college instead of performing as an aerialist with the circus. The only thing that makes her truly feel happy is being on the static trapeze so she runs away and joins a different circus. Life in the new circus is not easy. Harley doesn't give up, and puts everything she has into this opportunity she has been given. She meets a boy, discovers who she is, and finds out what the color yellow feels like.
I was smiling from ear to ear at the end of this book!
Recommended by Nicole, Teen Services Librarian
The Hate U Give The Hate U Give / Angie Thomas
After witnessing her friend's death at the hands of a police officer, Starr Carter's life is complicated when the police and a local drug lord try to intimidate her in an effort to learn what happened the night Kahlil died.
Recommended by Erin L.
Book | eBook | Audiobook | eAudiobook
Hey, Kiddo Hey, Kiddo / Jarrett J. Krosoczka
This graphic novel presents the gritty reality of a broken family through the eyes and drawings of a child. Jarrett survives an addicted mom, absent dad, and dysfunctional grandparents, whose love sees him through to adulthood. Moving and compelling.
Recommended by Erin
Book | eBook | eAudiobook
The Hunt The Hunt / Andrew Fukuda
Think about being a vampire but not really a vampire. Pretend you are really a human living among vampires and doing your best to make them think you are a vampire. But then, wait...you are human...and they are really vampires. This exciting story is told from a human/vampire named Gene and a story you won't want to put down!
Recommended by Amy
I Will Always Write Back I Will Always Write Back / Caitlin Alifirenka and Martin Ganda, with Liz Welch
Caitlin's teacher gave her class an assignment to write to a pen pal. Caitlin was attracted to the country Zimbabwe and started to write to Martin Ganda. Martin's large family was so large and impoverished that they lived in half of a room meant for two people; he could barely afford postage for his letters but he promised that he would always write back. Then a wonderful thing happened: Caitlin and her family dedicated themselves to helping Martin and his family. This is a heartwarming, inspirational book that will appeal to adults as well as teens. A terrific read!
Recommended by Sue-Ellen, Teen Services Librarian
I Wish You All the Best I Wish You All the Best / Mason Deaver
"When Ben De Backer comes out to their parents as nonbinary, they're thrown out of their house and forced to move in with their estranged older sister, Hannah, and her husband, Thomas, whom Ben has never even met. Struggling with an anxiety disorder compounded by their parents' rejection, they come out only to Hannah, Thomas, and their therapist and try to keep a low profile in a new school.
But Ben's attempts to survive the last half of senior year unnoticed are thwarted when Nathan Allan, a funny and charismatic student, decides to take Ben under his wing. As Ben and Nathan's friendship grows, their feelings for each other begin to change, and what started as a disastrous turn of events looks like it might just be a chance to start a happier new life."
Recommended by Drew
Book | eBook | eAudiobook
If I Was Your Girl If I Was Your Girl / Meredith Russo
Amanda Hardy only wants to fit in at her new school, but she is keeping a big secret. When she falls for Grant, and he for her, Amanda finds herself yearning to share with him everything about herself—including her previous life as Andrew. Tough, poignant, and beautifully written, this story brings to life the challenges and emotional turmoil of a transgender teen.
Recommended by Diane, Teen Services Librarian
Book | Audiobook | eAudiobook
In the Shadow of the Sun In the Shadow of the Sun / E.M. Castellan
In 1661 France, seventeen-year-old Henriette of England must navigate her arranged marriage to Louis XIV's brother while keeping her magical abilities a careful secret from all at the Sun King's court. Magic, France, history, mystery, and love. What more could you want?
Recommended by Nicole, Teen Services Librarian
Keep This to Yourself Keep This to Yourself / Tom Ryan
"It’s been a year since the Catalog Killer terrorized the sleepy seaside town of Camera Cove, killing four people before disappearing without a trace. Like everyone else in town, eighteen-year-old Mac Bell is trying to put that horrible summer behind him—easier said than done since Mac’s best friend Connor was the murderer’s final victim.
But when he finds a cryptic message from Connor, he’s drawn back into the search for the killer—who might not have been a random drifter after all. Now nobody—friends, neighbors, or even the sexy stranger with his own connection to the case—is beyond suspicion. Sensing that someone is following his every move, Mac struggles to come to terms with his true feelings towards Connor while scrambling to uncover the truth." - provided by the publisher
Recommended by Sara
The Kiss of Deception The Kiss of Deception / Mary E. Pearson
Princess Lia can't stand the idea of being sold in royal marriage, so she runs away, only to find life is much more complicated than she thought.
Lia's story continues in The Heart of Betrayal and The Beauty of Darkness.
Recommended by Laurel
Leah on the Offbeat Leah on the Offbeat / Becky Albertalli
Leah is a senior dealing with lots on her plate- e.g. graduation, friend drama, prom, being a drummer, and college plans. But her biggest problem of all is also one she has kept secret from her friends and her new bewildering crush.
This is the second book about the teens of Creekwood, published after Simon vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda, and before the novella Love, Creekwood. But it can be read as a stand alone.
Recommended by Melissa
Book | eBook | Audiobook | eAudiobook
In a future North America which has split into two warring nations, fifteen-year-olds Day, a long-sought renegade, and brilliant soldier June, who is hired to capture him, discover that they have a common enemy. They also discover that things in their world are not what they seem--and that they are falling in love.
This thrilling quartet continues with Prodigy, Champion, and Rebel.
Recommended by Diane, Teen Services Librarian
Book | Audiobook | eAudiobook
The Lightning Queen The Lightning Queen / Laura Resau
On the Hill of Dust, in the remote mountains of Mexico, an eleven-year-old Mixtec boy called Teo lives with his family and the animals that he has healed, but one day a Romany caravan rolls into town with a young girl who calls herself Esma, the Gypsy Queen of Lightning--it is the beginning of a life-long friendship that will change both their lives.
A wonderful local author and one of my favorites for children and teen literature! We are very lucky to have Laura in Fort Collins.
Recommended by Amy
Book | Audiobook | eAudiobook
Little Do We Know Little Do We Know / Tamera Ireland Stone
"Lifelong best friends and next-door neighbors Hannah and Emory have never gone a single day without talking. But now its senior year and they haven’t spoken in three months. Not since the fight, where they each said things they couldn’t take back.
Then one fateful night, Emory’s boyfriend, Luke, almost dies. And Hannah is the one who finds him and saves his life.
As Luke tries to make sense of his near-death experience, he secretly turns to Hannah, who becomes his biggest confidante. In Luke, Hannah finds someone she can finally talk to about all the questions she’s grappling with. Emory just wants everything to go back to normal–the way it was before the accident. She has no idea why her relationship is spiraling out of control. But when the horrifying reason behind Hannah and Emory’s argument ultimately comes to light, all three of them will be forced work together to protect the one with the biggest secret of all." - provided by the author
Recommended by Jillian
The Living The Living / Matt de la Pena
After an earthquake destroys California and a tsunami wrecks the luxury cruise ship where he is a summer employee, high schooler Shy confronts another deadly surprise. This book has everything--adventure, survival, romance, and suspense. It is a unique thriller that will keep you guessing and quickly flipping pages until the end. Also read the sequel, The Hunted.
Recommended by Diane, Teen Services Librarian
Lore Olympus Lore Olympus / Rachel Smythe
Persephone, young goddess of spring, is new to Olympus. Her mother, Demeter, has raised her in the mortal realm, but after Persephone promises to train as a sacred virgin, she's allowed to live in the fast-moving, glamorous world of the gods. When her roommate, Artemis, takes her to a party, her entire life changes: she ends up meeting Hades and feels an immediate spark with the charming yet misunderstood ruler of the Underworld. Now Persephone must navigate the confusing politics and relationships that rule Olympus, while also figuring out her own place--and her own power.
Recommended by Jace
Love in the Time of Global Warming Love in the Time of Global Warming / Francesca Lia Block
After a devastating earthquake destroys the West Coast, causing seventeen-year-old Penelope to lose her home, her parents, and her ten-year-old brother, she navigates a dark world, holding hope and love in her hands and refusing to be defeated.
Recommended by Erik R.
Love is the Drug Love is the Drug / Alaya Dawn Johnson
Emily Bird is an African American high school senior in Washington D.C., member of a privileged medical family, on the verge of college and the edge of the drug culture--then one day she wakes up in the hospital with no memory of what happened and in the midst of a pandemic world-wide rogue virus. A great mix of romance, science adventure, and medical mystery.
Recommended by Erin L.
Book | eBook | eAudiobook
Lumberjanes Vol. 1: Beware the Kitten Holy Lumberjanes Vol. 1: Beware the Kitten Holy / Grace Ellis and Noelle Stevenson
What happens when you gather together a bunch of brave, daring, and curious hardcore lady-types? Lots! This is a fun graphic novel for everyone. There is a lot of mystery, harrowing adventures, and also some good bonding.
Of course, if you read this one you won't want to stop here! The Lumberjanes' adventures continue in Vol. 2: Friendship to the Max.
Recommended by Nicole, Teen Services Librarian
March March / John Lewis and Andrew Aydin, art by Nate Powell
"March is a vivid first-hand account of John Lewis' lifelong struggle for civil and human rights, meditating in the modern age on the distance traveled since the days of Jim Crow and segregation. Rooted in Lewis' personal story, it also reflects on the highs and lows of the broader civil rights movement."- from the publisher.
The first in a three volume set of autobiographical graphic novels. March Book 2. March Book 3.
Recommended by Kristen
The Merciful Crow The Merciful Crow / Margaret Owen
"A future chieftain
Fie abides by one rule: look after your own. Her Crow caste of undertakers and mercy-killers takes more abuse than coin, but when they’re called to collect royal dead, she’s hoping they’ll find the payout of a lifetime.
A fugitive prince
When Crown Prince Jasimir turns out to have faked his death, Fie’s ready to cut her losses—and perhaps his throat. But he offers a wager that she can’t refuse: protect him from a ruthless queen, and he’ll protect the Crows when he reigns.
A too-cunning bodyguard
Hawk warrior Tavin has always put Jas’s life before his, magically assuming the prince’s appearance and shadowing his every step. But what happens when Tavin begins to want something to call his own?" - provided by the publisher
Recommended by Drew
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children / Ransom Riggs
Some of Jacob Portman’s earliest memories are his grandfathers’ stories of children with peculiar abilities like levitating or unusual physical characteristics like the girl with two mouths. His Jewish grandfather lost his entire family to concentration camps in Germany and it isn’t until he is sent to a children’s home on a remote island just off the coast of Wales that he feels completely safe from the monsters that threaten his and his friends’ world. Jacob is on the cusp of his 16th birthday and has decided that his grandfather’s tales are completely imaginary.
But Jacob experiences a complete before and an after divide in his own life when he sees his grandfather torn apart by a monster eerily similar to the ones his grandfather told him about. Jacob decides to investigate the island in Wales for himself and learns that the line between reality and fantasy blurs all too easily.
The eerie, suspenseful mood of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is artfully enhanced by period photographs that may keep you up at night. The story of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children continues with Hollow City.
Recommended by Sue-Ellen, Teen Services Librarian
Book | eBook | eAudiobook
More Happy Than Not More Happy Than Not / Adam Silvera
"Sixteen-year-old Aaron Soto is struggling to find happiness after a family tragedy leaves him reeling. He's slowly remembering what happiness might feel like this summer with the support of his girlfriend Genevieve, but it's his new best friend, Thomas, who really gets Aaron to open up about his past and confront his future.
As Thomas and Aaron get closer, Aaron discovers things about himself that threaten to shatter his newfound contentment. A revolutionary memory-alteration procedure, courtesy of the Leteo Institute, might be the way to straighten himself out. But what if it means forgetting who he truly is?" - provided by the Goodreads
Recommended by Jillian
Book | eBook | eAudiobook
The Near Witch The Near Witch / V. E. Schwab
The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children. If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company. There are no strangers in the town of Near. These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life. But when an actual stranger, a boy who seems to fade like smoke, appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true. The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi's need to know about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy. Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab's debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won't soon forget.
Recommended by Kristen
Okay for Now Okay for Now / Gary D. Schmidt
“The Dump” is what 14-year-old Doug Sweiteck calls his new house in his new home town—stupid, boring Marysville, New York, where he goes to stupid Washington Irving Junior High School. It is the summer of 1968. The Apollo space missions are underway, Joe Peppitone is slugging for the NY Yankees, and the Vietnam War is raging. At home, Doug has a mean, troubled dad; a brother accused of robbery; another brother who returns home from Vietnam with his eyesight gone and his legs missing; and a sweet mother caught in the middle of it all. Doug doesn’t know how he can cope, until he gets a job delivering groceries; he meets a new friend, Lil Spicer, who might also be his first love; he discovers the amazing plates of original Audubon bird drawings at the local library, and gets the guidance of the artist librarian to draw the birds and learn to be a “young artist” himself.
Did you ever read a book with a main character who, by the end, seemed like someone you wished could be your best friend? Then read Okay for Now, and get to know Doug Sweiteck.
Recommended by Diane, Teen Services Librarian
Book | eBook | Audiobook | eAudiobook
The Perks of Being a Wallflower The Perks of Being a Wallflower / Stephen Chbosky
A haunting coming of age novel told in a series of letters to an unknown correspondent reveals the life of Charlie, a freshman in high school who is a wallflower, shy and introspective, and very intelligent, it's a story of what it's like to grow up in high school, tracing a course through uncharted territory in the world of first dates, family dramas and new friends.
Recommended by Melissa N.
Book | eBook | eAudiobook
Zuri Benitez has pride. Brooklyn pride, family pride, and pride in her Afro-Latino roots. But pride might not be enough to save her rapidly gentrifying neighborhood from becoming unrecognizable. When the wealthy Darcy family moves in across the street, Zuri wants nothing to do with their two teenage sons, even as her older sister, Janae, starts to fall for the charming Ainsley. She especially can't stand the judgmental and arrogant Darius. Yet as Zuri and Darius are forced to find common ground, their initial dislike shifts into an unexpected understanding.
Recommended by Kindra
Book | eBook | Audiobook | eAudiobook
The Realm of Possibility The Realm of Possibility / David Levithan
A variety of students at the same high school describe their ideas, experiences, and relationships in a series of interconnected free verse stories.
I don't even like poetry, but this is a fascinating work of intertwining narratives. Each poem is written from a different high schooler's viewpoint, and they don't always make direct references to each other. How many connections can you spot?
Recommended by Gurujoti K.
Red Queen Red Queen / Victoria Aveyard
Have we, as readers, ever looked for a book that is the perfect mix between Cinderella and Gladiator? I'm not sure we have, but author Victoria Aveyard's debut novel, "Red Queen" makes it clear that we should have looking for this unlikely pairing all along. In this post-apocalyptic story, Mare, our heroine, is stuck on the wrong side of a classically repressive dystopian society. She's got the hatred and sense of injustice to prove it. But soon she'll met a boy who will change her life forever, and not necessarily in a good way. After discovering that she has an ability to control electricity, an ability that someone as lowly as her shouldn't have, Mare is be whisked away to begin a new life as a princess. She'll have everything she wants, they say, but Mare wants none of it. All she wants is freedom and equality for herself and her people. She refuses to let her newfound feelings for a prince interfere. It's not going to be easy.
Fans of The Hunger Games, Cinder, and Graceling might want to give this book a try. It's a page-turner full of suspense, action, and romance.
Mare's saga continues in Glass Sword.
Recommended by Laurel
Book | eBook | eAudiobook
The Sea of Trolls The Sea of Trolls / Nancy Farmer
After Jack becomes apprenticed to a Druid bard, he and his little sister Lucy are captured by Viking Berserkers and taken to the home of King Ivar the Boneless and his half-troll queen, leading Jack to undertake a vital quest to Jotunheim, home of the trolls.
This is just the first in a rollicking, gripping, unique fantasy series which concludes with The Land of the Silver Apples and The Island of the Blessed, all written by the author of the classic book, House of the Scorpion.
Recommended by Diane, Teen Services Librarian
The Secret to Lying The Secret to Lying / Todd Mitchell
Fifteen-year-old James lies about himself to be considered "cool" when he gets into an exclusive boarding school, but soon unnaturally vivid dreams of being a demon-hunting warrior lead to self-destructive acts while he is awake.
Recommended by Diane, Teen Services Librarian
Serious Moonlight Serious Moonlight / Jenn Bennett
Romance galore with lots of fun mystery elements that culminate in a brilliant ending that will have you in tears (but in a good way.) This book explores the topic of suicide in a very respectful way, but love and mystery are the main focus of the story. I don't even usually like romance, but this one touched me.
Recommended by Nicole, Teen Services Librarian
Shatter Me Shatter Me / Tahereh Mafi
Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.
The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.
The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war – and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.
Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.
Juliette's journey continues in Unravel Me.
Recommended by Laurel
Book | eBook | eAudiobook
The Sky Is Everywhere The Sky Is Everywhere / Jandy Nelson
When her vivacious and beautiful sister Bailey dies unexpectedly, Lennie must learn to cope. But that is easier said than done when she feels as if she is falling apart. Lennie is a quiet band musician who adores Wuthering Heights and who has no idea how to deal with her grief. Especially confusing is the sudden passionate feelings she has toward her dead sister's fiancé at the same time she is falling in love with a new student at school, a handsome talented musician. Lennie must sort out her romantic feelings, learn to face complicated family issues, and most of all ultimately come to accept the loss of her precious sibling.
Recommended by Diane, Teen Services Librarian
Songs from the Deep Songs from the Deep / Kelly Powell
What's it like to be fascinated by a creature that is so dangerous? Dangerous enough to kill... Moira's father was killed by the Sirens that he loved and protected. And now the Sirens are about to be hunted again because a murder is being wrongly blamed on them. Moira teams up with her old friend Jude to find the real killer and save the sirens. It's a beautiful mystery set on a fictitious island off the coast of Ireland. I loved it!
Recommended by Nicole, Teen Services Librarian
Speak Speak / Laurie Halse Anderson
A traumatic event near the end of the summer has a devastating effect on Melinda's freshman year in high school. A powerful story that captures the effects of trauma on the individual and the people around her.
Recommended by Erin
Book | eBook | eAudiobook
Speaking Our Truth: A Journey of Reconciliation Speaking Our Truth: A Journey of Reconciliation / Monique Gray Smith
"Smith's book is an effort that returns, offering diverse voices that invite the world into the reconciliation experience.” - Kirkus Reviews
This excellent book clearly and honestly presents the findings of Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and explains how reconcilliation is a process that involves everyone. While the book is focused on Canadian history, there are valuable lessons here for Americans as well.
Reccommended by Jenny, Teen Services Librarian
Stepsister Stepsister / Jennifer Donnelly
Brilliant! The most amazing fairytale retelling I've yet to read. This is a kind of side story from the land of Cinderella. It's about one of the stepsisters and how she goes about changing her fate. I don't want to give away the ending, but I couldn't put it down. It also covers so many relevant topics like bullying, feminism, and independence. I LOVED it!!!
Recommended by Nicole, Teen Services Librarian
Book | Audiobook | eAudiobook
The Storyspinner The Storyspinner / Becky Wallace
The Keepers, a race of people with magical abilities, are seeking a supposedly-dead princess to place her on the throne and end political turmoil, but girls who look like the princess are being murdered and Johanna Von Arlo, forced to work for Lord Rafael DeSilva after her father's suspicious death, is a dead-ringer.
Don't miss the sequel, The Skylighter.
Recommended by Meg
Symptoms of Being Human Symptoms of Being Human / Jeff Garvin
With the upcoming election this is a timely book to read. It's about how to create the public face needed to support your dad's bid for political office. What it's like to try to be someone you are not. But, also how it feels when you can finally be yourself. A gender-fluid teenager who struggles with identity creates a blog on the topic that goes viral, and faces ridicule at the hands of fellow students. That's just the beginning.
Recommended by Nicole, Teen Services Librarian
Take Me to the River Take Me to the River / Will Hobbs
Fourteen-year-old Dylan travels alone to West Texas to meet his uncle and his cousin Rio for a boat trip down the Rio Grande. To his great surprise, Dylan learns his uncle had to leave for Alaska, so he and Rio decide to make the trip on their own. Dylan is learning to deal with scorpions and rattlesnakes when heavy tropical storm rain engulfs the region, making navigation extremely difficult. Even worse than that, they run into a cruel Mexican kidnapper who holds them at gunpoint so they will take him and a boy he holds captive downriver. Dylan and Rio must outsmart both the evil kidnapper and the dangerous river.
If you like Hobbs’ adventure and survival stories, you won’t want to miss this one!
Recommended by Diane, Teen Services Librarian
Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel / Sara Farizan
There's Something About Sweetie There's Something About Sweetie / Sandhya Menon
Sweetie Nair is many things: a formidable track athlete who can outrun most people in California, a loyal friend, a shower-singing champion. Oh, and she’s also fat. To Sweetie’s traditional parents, this last detail is the kiss of death. Sweetie loves her parents, but she’s so tired of being told she’s lacking because she’s fat. She decides it’s time to kick off the Sassy Sweetie Project, where she’ll show the world (and herself) what she’s really made of.
If you like There's Something About Sweetie, be sure to check out When Dimple Met Rishi, Love at First Fight, and 10 Things I Hate Aboout Pinky for some familiar faces.
Recommended by Kindra
The Thief The Thief / Megan Whalen Turner
Gen has done something no thief should ever do: get caught. Luckily for him, the King's scholar is in need a thief to help him steal a ancient treasure, and he chooses Gen. Which, for Gen, means a chance to get out of prison.
Good beginning to a favorite series, the next - The Queen of Attolia, The King of Attolia, A Conspiracy of Kings, and Thick as Thieves - are even better. A multi-dimentional protagonist, Kingdom politics, fantasy elements that become clear as it goes. Turner is great at weaving in little mysteries to surprise you.
Recommended by Bethany
Book | eBook | eAudiobook
Threatened Threatened / Eliot Schrefer
Luc is an orphan, living in debt slavery in Gabon, until he meets a Professor who claims to be studying chimpanzees, and they head off into the jungle--but when the Professor disappears, Luc has to fend for himself and join forces with the chimps to save their forest.
Recommended by Diane, Teen Services Librarian
Throne of Glass Throne of Glass / Sarah J. Maas
After she has served a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, Crown Prince Dorian offers eighteen-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien her freedom on the condition that she act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.
This book is Game of Thrones meets The Hunger Games if Katniss had to compete with grown men twice her size. I couldn't put it down!
Make sure to check out the rest of the series, starting with Crown of Midnight.
Recommended by Meg and Jessie
Through the Woods Through the Woods / stories by Emily Carroll
These are fairy tales gone seriously wrong, where you can travel to “Our Neighbor’s House”—though coming back might be a problem. Or find yourself a young bride in a house that holds a terrible secret in “A Lady’s Hands Are Cold.” You might try to figure out what is haunting “My Friend Janna,” or discover that your brother’s fiancée may not be what she seems in “The Nesting Place.” And of course you must revisit the horror of “His Face All Red,” the breakout webcomic hit that has been gorgeously translated to the printed page.
Recommended by Nicole, Teen Services Librarian
To All the Boys I've Loved Before To All the Boys I've Loved Before / Jenny Han
Lara Jean wrote love letters to all her crushes, and tucked them away in a box. Now they're mysteriously finding their way to all the boys she's ever loved. Including Josh, her sister, Margot's, ex-boyfriend. The boyfriend Margot only broke up with because she's headed to college in Scotland in a few days.
To All the Boys I've Loved Before is sweet and funny, with lots of small surprises and lovely moments between Lara Jean, her crushes, and her family.
If you enjoy getting to know Lara Jean and all the boys she's loved before, be sure to check out P.S. I Still Love You and Always and Forever, Lara Jean
Recommended by Jenny, Teen Services Librarian
Book | eBook | eAudiobook
Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers / Deborah Heiligman
Amazing book based on actual letters between the two brothers and their respective journeys in life that revolved around Art, pain, joy, beauty, suffering, and unconditional love. My favorite read this year by far! Check out the movie "Lust for Life" after reading and of course, a book of Vincent's works.
Recommended by Amy
Book | eBook | eAudiobook
We Rise: the Earth Guardians Guide to Building a Movement That Restores the Planet We Rise: the Earth Guardians Guide to Building a Movement That Restores the Planet / Xiuhtezcatl Martinez
Xiuhtezcatl Martinez and his group, the Earth Guardians, believe that today's youth will play an important role in shaping our future. They know that the choices made right now will have a lasting impact on the world of tomorrow, and people— young and old— are asking themselves what they can do to ensure a positive, just, and sustainable future. We Rise tells the story of the environmental crisis we face and offers solutions to change our course in history. This important and powerful book, written by a dedicated and astute teenager, may be the key to changing our world's future from the spiraling, out-of-control climate change we are facing.
Recommended by Diane, Teen Services Librarian
When I Was the Greatest When I Was the Greatest / Jason Reynolds
Living in a Brooklyn neighborhood known for guns and drugs, Ali, his sister, and their neighbors stay out of trouble until they go to the wrong party, where one of them gets badly hurt and another leaves with a target on his back. - from the publisher.
As always, Jason Reynolds, weaves words for full impact and beautiful storytelling. One of my favorite authors!
Recommended by Amy
Wicked As You Wish Wicked As You Wish / Rin Chupeco
"Many years ago, the magical Kingdom of Avalon was left encased in ice when the Snow Queen waged war. Its former citizens are now refugees in a world mostly devoid of magic. Which is why the crown prince and his protectors are stuck in…Arizona.
Prince Alexei, the sole survivor of the Avalon royal family, is hiding in a town so boring, magic doesn’t even work there. Few know his secret identity, but his friend Tala is one of them.
A new hope for their abandoned homeland reignites when a famous creature of legend, the Firebird, appears for the first time in decades. Alex and Tala must unite with a ragtag group of new friends to journey back to Avalon for a showdown that will change the world as they know it." - provided by Goodreads
Recommended by Sara
Book | eBook | eAudiobook
Wolves, Boys, & Other Things That Might Kill Me Wolves, Boys, & Other Things That Might Kill Me / Kristen Chandler
No, this is not another book about werewolves!
Sixteen-year-old KJ Carson lives in a small town outside Yellowstone National Park with her widowed father. When KJ takes Journalism at her high school, she meets new-student Virgil who introduces her to his mother, a biologist studying wolf packs. With Virgil's help, KJ writes a column in the school newspaper about the reintroduced wolves in the park. KJ is amazed when she realizes she has stirred up the conflicting attitudes between the environmentalists and the local ranchers regarding wolves. Soon, violence erupts and KJ and Virgil must make a stand.
You’ll find romance and adventure in this book, but most of all it will make you think about the importance of our world’s ecological balance.
Diane, Teen Services Librarian
Woven in Moonlight Woven in Moonlight / Isabel Ibañez
Ximena is the decoy Condesa, a stand-in for the last remaining Illustrian royal. Her people lost everything when the usurper, Atoc, used an ancient relic to summon ghosts and drive the Illustrians from La Ciudad. Now Ximena's motivated by her insatiable thirst for revenge, and her rare ability to spin thread from moonlight.
When Atoc demands the real Condesa's hand in marriage, it's Ximena's duty to go in her stead. She relishes the chance, as Illustrian spies have reported that Atoc's no longer carrying his deadly relic. If Ximena can find it, she can return the true aristócrata to their rightful place. She hunts for the relic, using her weaving ability to hide messages in tapestries for the resistance.
But when a masked vigilante, a warm-hearted princesa, and a thoughtful healer challenge Ximena, her mission becomes more complicated. There could be a way to overthrow the usurper without starting another war, but only if Ximena turns her back on revenge and her condesa.
Recommended by Nicole, Teen Services Librarian
The Wrath & the Dawn The Wrath & the Dawn / Renée Ahdieh
A fantastic reimagining of One Thousand and One Nights with a main character, Shahrzad, who isn't afraid to take on anyone or anything, even the king of kings. An intense story of revenge, secrets, loyalty, friendship, and love.
Be sure the read the sequal, The Rose & the Dagger, as well.
Recommended by Jenny, Teen Services Librarian
The Year Of The Witching The Year Of The Witching / Alexis Henderson
"In the lands of Bethel, where the Prophet's word is law, Immanuelle Moore's very existence is blasphemy. Her mother’s union with an outsider of a different race cast her once-proud family into disgrace, so Immanuelle does her best to worship the Father, follow Holy Protocol, and lead a life of submission, devotion, and absolute conformity, like all the other women in the settlement.
But a mishap lures her into the forbidden Darkwood surrounding Bethel, where the first prophet once chased and killed four powerful witches. Their spirits are still lurking there, and they bestow a gift on Immanuelle: the journal of her dead mother, who Immanuelle is shocked to learn once sought sanctuary in the wood.
Fascinated by the secrets in the diary, Immanuelle finds herself struggling to understand how her mother could have consorted with the witches. But when she begins to learn grim truths about the Church and its history, she realizes the true threat to Bethel is its own darkness. And she starts to understand that if Bethel is to change, it must begin with her."
- from the author's website
Recommended by Sara
Zeroes Zeroes / Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan, and Deborah Biancotti
Told from separate viewpoints, teens Scam, Crash, Flicker, Anonymous, Bellwether, and Kelsie, all born in the year 2000 and living in Cambria, California, have superhuman abilities that give them interesting but not heroic lives until they must work as a community to respond to an unexpected crisis. Filled with high-stakes action and drama,
Zeroes unites three powerhouse authors for the opening installment of a thrilling series that continues with Swarm and Nexus.
Recommended by Diane, Teen Services Librarian
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