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| With the Fire on High by Elizabeth AcevedoStarring: high school senior Emoni Santiago, who has "magic hands" in the kitchen, but worries that becoming a chef won't help her build a future for herself and her two-year-old daughter.
Read it for: clear, vivid writing; mouth-watering food; and characters so realistic that you'll miss them when you close the book.
Book buzz: If you loved The Poet X, Elizabeth Acevedo's multi-award-winning debut, be sure to read this highly anticipated follow-up. |
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| Love from A to Z by S.K. AliWhat it's about: When they meet on the spring break trip to Qatar, Adam and Zayneb discover that they have a lot in common: both Muslim, both mourning, and both harboring big secrets. Soon, they're taking turns sharing from their journals, leading to clashes and connection alike.
Why you might like it: this realistic romance captures not only the exhilaration and heartache of love, but also offers an insider's perspective on growing up Muslim. |
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| We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah FaizalWhat it is: a captivating, detail-rich fantasy inspired by the history and mythology of ancient Arabia.
Featuring: Zafira, aka the Hunter, who disguises herself as a man and braves a cursed forest in order to feed her people; and Nasir, aka the Prince of Death, who assassinates anyone who threatens his ruthless father, the sultan.
What happens: When both begin a quest to restore the magic that could save their kingdom, these adversaries become uneasy allies. |
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| Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman and Jay KristoffWhat it's about: As the highest-achieving cadet at Aurora Academy, Tyler Jones expects to lead an elite squad, but winds up with a crew of diverse misfits and a stowaway who holds the key to starting -- or preventing -- intergalactic war.
Why you might like it: Evolving relationships, adrenaline-pumping action, and multiple perspectives will keep you on your toes in this futuristic series opener from the authors of the Illuminae Files. |
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Something You Might Have Missed |
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A Curse So Dark and Lonely
by Brigid Kemmerer
What it is: a gripping and detail-rich fantasy inspired by Beauty and the Beast.
What happens: Harper, a girl with cerebral palsy and a difficult family situation, finds herself trapped in Emberfell, a magical kingdom where Prince Rhen is cursed to repeatedly relive his 18th birthday -- and his transformation into a bloodthirsty beast -- unless a girl falls in love with him.
For fans of: Marissa Meyer or Rosamund Hodge.
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A Very Large Expanse of Sea
by Tahereh Mafi
What it's about: When Shirin (16, loves break-dancing, wears a hijab) starts at a new school the year after 9/11, she's unsurprised by the anti-Muslim hostility she faces. She knows better than to let her guard down -- not even for Ocean James, a classmate who seems genuinely into her.
Author alert: Tahereh Mafi, author of the popular Shatter Me series, drew on her own teen experiences when crafting this sharp, honest story.
You might also like: Samira Ahmed's Love, Hate & Other Filters.
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At the Edge of the Universe
by Shaun David Hutchinson
What it's about: Ozzie's boyfriend, Tommy, has been erased from existence and memory, and only Ozzie knows it. The problem of how to get Tommy back, however, is just the most urgent of many: Ozzie's also dealing with his parents' divorce, his brother's decision to join the military, and his own feelings for his physics partner, Calvin.
For fans of: Adam Silvera's speculative stories, which ask similarly painful yet intriguing questions about the nature of relationships and reality.
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| Song of the Current by Sarah TolcserWhat it's about: Though she's never heard the river god speak, Caro comes from a long line of wherrymen, and she's sure that sailing the river is her destiny. Destiny takes a turn, however, when her father's arrest forces Caro to transport a mysterious crate -- a crate which contains a frustrating boy named Tarquin.
Series alert: packed with world-building so vivid you can almost hear the rushing water, this fantasy duology concludes in Whisper of the Tide. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books for ages 14 and up!
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Richmond Public Library
101 East Franklin Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
(804) 646-7223rvalibrary.org/ |
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