Avon Lake Public Library: Teen Scene: December 2025

Recent Releases

Hazelthorn
by CG Drews

After his guardian suddenly dies, Evander is freed from his bedroom prison at the Hazelthorn mansion. Now he must contend with the heir, Laurie, who tried to kill Evander once but fascinates him nonetheless. With a lush, carnivorous garden, this thriller is a gothic twist on The Secret Garden.

Coldwire
by Chloe Gong

The alternative to a harrowing world of extreme weather and disease is NileCorp’s virtual reality service. Eirale and Lia, soldiers in NileCorp’s military, risk it all to expose injustice in their worlds, real and virtual. Fans of Marie Lu's Warcross and Marissa Meyer's Renegades will enjoy this action-packed cyberpunk trilogy opener.

A Time Traveler's History of Tomorrow
by Kendall Kulper

At the 1934 Chicago World’s Fair, Genevieve and Ash misuse their scientific powers and accidentally travel to 1893. If they return to their own time, will it even be the same? This inventive romp is a standalone story with companion novels Murder for the Modern Girl and A Starlet’s Secret to a Sensational Afterlife.

The House Saphir
by Marissa Meyer

Armand hires Mallory, who can talk to ghosts, to exorcise his ancestral estate. Mallory plans to swindle him out of his money, but instead she finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation, and Armand is a suspect. This creepy novel is a witty retelling of the Bluebeard myth.

Never Ever After
by Sue Lynn Tan

When Yining, adopted as a child, discovers her magical heritage, she leaves her impoverished mountain village to change her fate. Tempted into a lavish world by a ruthless prince, Yining must unlock her full powers to fight for a better future for everyone. Read-alikes: June CL Tan’s Jade Fire Gold; Intisar Khanani’s The Theft of Sunlight.

2025 Debuts

As 2026 draws closer, check out these books by authors who published their first books in 2025.

All the Noise at Once
by DeAndra Davis

Star quarterback Brandon is happy to have his autistic brother Aiden on the team. When a post-game fight results in Brandon’s unjust arrest, it’s up to Aiden to prove his older brother’s innocence. Read-alikes: Sonora Reyes’ The Luis Ortega Survival Club; Christina Hammonds Reed’s The Black Kids.

Needy Little Things
by Channelle Desamours

Seventeen-year-old Sariyah, who can sense people's immediate needs, must use her ability to solve her friend's mysterious disappearance while dealing with family challenges and avoiding the same danger that befell her friend.

If We Were a Movie
by Zakiya N. Jamal

Rochelle 'The Shell' Coleman is laser focused on only three things: becoming valedictorian, getting into Wharton, and, of course, taking down her annoyingly charismatic nemesis and only academic competition, Amira Rodriguez. However, despite her stellar grades, Rochelle's college application is missing that extra special something: a job. When Rochelle gets an opportunity to work at Horizon Cinemas, the beloved Black-owned movie theater, she begrudgingly jumps at the chance to boost her chances at getting into her dream school. There's only one problem: Amira works there--and is also her boss. ... Horizon's in trouble, and when mysterious things begin happening that make Horizon's chances of staying open slimmer, it's up to the employees to solve the mystery before it's too late--but will love also find its way into the spotlight?--Provided by publisher.

Honeysuckle and Bone
by Trisha Tobias

Despite Carina’s mother forbidding travel to her home island of Jamaica, Carina takes a temporary job there nannying for a wealthy family. As strange things start happening in the house, Carina fears a tormented spirit may be after her. Read-alikes: Kyrie McCauley’s All the Dead Lie Down; Trang Thanh Tran’s She Is a Haunting.

A Language of Dragons
by S.F. Williamson

After accidentally fanning the flames between the government and the rebels, Vivian makes a bargain. She’ll exchange her knowledge of dragon languages for her parents’ freedom. This gripping historical fantasy, set in an alternate London in 1932, reimagines dilemmas code breakers faced during World War II.

Contact your librarian for more great books for ages 14 and up!