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| This Time It's Real by Ann LiangThe set-up: Aspiring writer Eliza Lin's essay about her devoted boyfriend gained her internet fame and a paid internship at a popular literary website.
The problem: Eliza made the guy up. So she offers her classmate, famous actor Caz Song, help with college essays if he'll pretend to be her boyfriend. And maybe he's a little too good at pretending.
For fans of: fake dating romances like Jenny Han's To All the Boys I've Loved Before and David Yoon's Frankly in Love. |
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| Chaos Theory by Nic StoneWhat it is: an emotionally raw and realistically messy story tracing the blossoming relationship between Shelbi, whose past trauma is entwined with her bipolar disorder, and Andy, who copes with grief for his deceased younger sister by drinking.
What happens: Andy texts Shelbi accidentally, and the two strike up an unlikely friendship. Despite their honesty and their written friendship agreement, escalating challenges threaten to sever their bond.
Who it's for: anyone who's wondered how to support someone in need. |
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| She Is A Haunting by Trang Thanh TranMeet: Jade Nguyen, who's in Vietnam helping her father restore a French colonial home in exchange for college tuition.
Her worst nightmares: Jade's unsettling experiences inspire her to fake a haunting with a local named Florence, hoping it'll scare off her family. But Florence and Jade's budding romance is real, and Jade's father might withhold his money if he finds out.
What sets it apart: This satisfying novel weaves true horrors from Vietnamese history into an eerie haunted house tale. |
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| Always the Almost by Edward UnderhillThe New Year's resolutions: 16-year-old Miles will achieve victory at the Tri-State Piano Competition and also win back the ex he dated before he came out as trans.
The complications: First, Miles must learn to deeply connect to his music if he wants to stand out. Second is new guy Eric, whose enthusiasm for Miles might make him forget his goals altogether.
Why you might like it: This optimistic queer story celebrates the joy of being truly understood. |
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| Stateless by Elizabeth WeinStarring: Stella North, the only female pilot in a 1937 air race meant to promote peace across Europe as it teeters on war. Representing Britain, Stella keeps her past as a Russian refugee secret.
What happens: Stella witnesses a plane crash after a near in-air collision, and she believes it was murder. With every contestant a suspect, can she identify the murderer?
Author alert: Fans of author Elizabeth Wein's Code Name Verity series should check out this thrilling historical mystery. |
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| When You Get the Chance by Emma LordMamma Mia: When Millie Price's father rejects her plan to attend a musical theater program in Los Angeles, she decides to seek out her birth mother. According to his early aughts LiveJournal, there are three possible candidates.
Here we go again: Meanwhile, Millie is competing for a summer internship against her longtime rival Oliver. And their bickering may be turning to flirting.
For more theatrical romances: check out Alex Flinn's Love, Jacaranda or Marisa Kanter's As If On Cue. |
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| The Chandler Legacies by Abdi NazemianWelcome to: the Circle, the exclusive writing workshop at Chandler Academy, an elite Connecticut boarding school. For five lucky students, it's a safe haven from the toxic campus culture.
Their mission: to follow the school's motto "veritas vos liberabit," meaning "the truth will set you free." Together they expose and seek justice for the hazing, abuse, sexual assault, and other trauma suffered by students.
How it's told: with alternating perspectives from each Circle student, peppered with 1990s pop culture references. |
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| Dealing in Dreams by Lilliam RiveraWhat it is: a dystopian novel set in Mega City, where people are either enslaved, hooked on a drug called sueño, or members of girl gangs enforcing leader Déesse's warped vision for a women-ruled society.
What happens: Déesse asks 16-year-old Chief Rocka and her crew to leave city limits and infiltrate a potentially threatening group. The mission makes Chief Rocka question everything, including her own memories.
Read it for: imaginative world-building and characters defying the role of hero or villain. |
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| The Other Merlin by Robyn SchneiderDestiny calls: When King Uther summons the next Merlin to Camelot, Emry Merlin shows up, disguised as her brother, since girls can't practice magic.
At Camelot: Emry launches into a forbidden romance with bookish Prince Arthur. And while befriending (or offending) people like Lancelot, Gawain, and Guinevere, she discovers her place in Camelot.
Who it's for: This witty Arthurian fantasy is ideal for fans of Cynthia Hand's Lady Janies series and A.R. Capetta's Once and Future duology.
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| How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the Universe by Raquel Vasquez GillilandIn her shadow: 17-year-old Mexican American Moon feels inferior to her twin sister Star, a beautiful social media influencer. Star is light-skinned, thin, and their mother's favorite.
On the road: Moon agrees to sell merchandise for Star during a summer-long influencer bus tour. As a slow burning romance with fellow merch slinger Santiago unfolds, Moon begins to understand her own beauty and power.
Read it for: a poignant coming-of-age story that touches on topics like grief, trauma, disability, and sisterhood. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books for age 14 and up!
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Atlantic County Library System | 40 Farragut Avenue, Mays Landing, NJ 08330
Phone: (609) 625-2776 | www.atlanticlibrary.org
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|  | Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson
Atlantic County Board of Commissioners, Maureen Kern, Chairwoman |
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