Teen Scene
November 2019

Recent Releases
The Haunted
by Danielle Vega

Moving to a new town with his parents to start over, a teen with a traumatic past learns from his classmates that the home his family has moved into is believed to be haunted. By the author of the Merciless series.
Slay
by Brittney Morris

What it’s about: No one knows that honors student Kiera is the developer behind SLAY, an online role-playing game she created as a refuge for black gamers like herself. Her anonymity is threatened, however, when the murder of a SLAY player puts the game under fire from the media, and Kiera has to defend the world she’s created.

Why you might like it: Alongside immersive gaming scenes, this own voices debut features an authentic take on the diversity of black experiences.
Frankly in Love
by David Yoon

What it's about: Knowing that his strict Korean immigrant parents won't approve when he falls for a white girl, Frank Li tells his parents he’s dating fellow second-gen teen Joy, who does the same, freeing them both to pursue their real relationships At least, that's the plan...

Read it for: fake-dating romantic comedy; smart, geeky humor; an own voices perspective on identity, race, and family.

Did you know? Debut author Frank Yoon is married to Nicola Yoon, author of The Sun Is Also a Star.
We Are Displaced : My Journey and Stories from Refugee Girls Around the World
by Malala Yousafzai

The Nobel Peace Prize winner presents an urgent reminder about the plight of the world's refugees that draws on her own experiences and the stories of some of the remarkable refugee girls she has met through the course of her advocacy journey.
Pan's Labyrinth : The Labyrinth of the Faun
by Guillermo del Toro

An Oscar-winning writer-director and a New York Times best-selling author have come together to transform Guillermo del Toro’s hit movie, Pan’s Labyrinth, into an epic and dark fantasy novel, complete with haunting illustrations and enchanting short stories that flesh out the folklore of this fascinating world.
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.
Funny Fantasy
Kill the Farm Boy
by Delilah S. Dawson and Kevin Hearne

What it is: a quirky comedic fantasy adventure that riffs on classic genre tropes (think The Princess Bride).

Featuring: a farm boy (briefly), a talking goat, a seven-foot-tall warrior in a chainmail bikini, an enchanted rabbit bard, an alektorophobic assassin, a sand witch, and a dark lord.

Who it’s for: This series opener (written for adults) is sure to grab readers who love Terry Pratchett or Diana Wynne Jones. 
My Lady Jane
by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

What it is: the tragic tale of England’s Lady Jane Grey, reimagined as a historical fantasy packed with intrigue, crackling banter, and animal shapeshifters. 

Featuring: teenage King Edward VI, who’s weary of pesky usurpers; bookish Jane, who'll inherit the throne; and Gifford, Jane’s new husband, who's sometimes a horse. 

Try this next: My Plain Jane, by the same trio of authors, offers an equally irreverent spin on Jane Eyre.
Newt's Emerald
by Garth Nix

The crime: No sooner has 18-year-old Lady Truthful Newington inherited the Newington Emerald than the magical gem is stolen from her.

The investigation: Disguised as a man (complete with enchanted mustache), Truthful travels to London, where her search for the precious family heirloom leads to danger, sorcery, and maybe even love.

Read it for: Jane Austen-style wit mixed with lighthearted fantasy.
An Enchantment of Ravens
by Margaret Rogerson

What it's about: At first, fairy prince Rook is outraged by human artist Isobel's too-insightful portrait of him. Yet when the two are forced to become allies, hostility gives way to forbidden love.

What’s inside: a bold heroine, breathtaking romantic tension, thrilling action, and unexpected twists.

Why you might like it: Flashes of humor (such as Isobel’s kid sisters, who were transformed from literal goats) lighten this lush, gripping tale. 
The Epic Crush of Genie Lo
by F.C. Yee

What it's about: Genie is shocked to learn that Quentin, the new Chinese guy at school, isn’t just annoying and weirdly attractive -- he's also the not-so-mythical Monkey King, and Genie’s destined to help him send a horde of demons back to hell.

Why you might like it: You'll be pulling for snarky perfectionist Genie as she tries to balance academics with demon-fighting in this wildly entertaining fantasy.

Don't miss: the sequel, The Iron Will of Genie Lo, out in January 2020.
Contact your librarian for more great books for ages 14 and up!


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