Teen Scene
February 2019
Recent Releases
Damsel
by Elana K. Arnold

The backstory: The rite has existed for as long as anyone can remember: when the prince-who-will-be-king comes of age, he must venture out into the gray lands, slay a fierce dragon, and rescue a damsel to be his bride. This is the way things have always been.

What it's about: When Ama wakes in the arms of Prince Emory, she has no memory of what came before she was captured by the dragon, or what horrors she has faced in its lair. She knows only this handsome prince, the story he tells of her rescue, and her destiny to sit on the throne beside him. Ama soon realizes that not all is as it seems, that there is more to the legends of the dragons and the damsels than anyone knows.
The Gilded Wolves
by Roshani Chokshi

Welcome to: 1889 Paris, where the ancient, magical Order of Babel calls the shots, and disinherited Order member Séverin is gathering a crew of talented misfits to pull off a heist that could change everything.

Read if for: high stakes, luxe settings, an inventive blend of magic and science, and richly drawn characters with intersecting identities. 

For fans of: Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows.
Two Can Keep a Secret
by Karen M. McManus

What it's about: Ellery is new to Echo Ridge, Vermont, but she knows its grim history of missing and murdered girls. When a fresh crime wave begins, Ellery is compelled to investigate the sinister secrets beneath the small-town charm. 

Book buzz: Thriller fans won't want to miss this latest book from the author of One of Us Is Lying.

Try this next: For another twisty, atmospheric tale about an amateur sleuth solving crimes both past and present, try Maureen Johnson's Truly, Devious.
In Sight of Stars
by Gae Polisner

Starring:  Seventeen-year-old Klee, whose father was the center of his life. He introduced Klee to the great museums of New York City and the important artists on their walls, he told him stories made of myths and magic. Until his death.
 
What it's about: Forced to live in the suburbs with his mom, Klee can't help but feel he's lost all the identifying parts of himself-- his beloved father, weekly trips to the MoMA, and the thrumming energy of New York City. That is until he meets wild and free Sarah in art class, with her quick smiles and jokes about his brooding. Suddenly it seems as if she's the only thing that makes him happy. But when an act of betrayal sends him reeling, Klee lands in what is bitingly referred to as the Ape Can, a psychiatric hospital for teens in Northhollow. 
The Light Between Worlds
by Laura E. Weymouth

What it's about: Sisters Evelyn and Philippa escape the London blitz into a magical kingdom called the Woodlands, only to return sixteen years later to find nothing has changed--except themselves. Now, Evelyn will do anything to go back. Philippa, on the other hand, is determined to find a place in this world. But when Evelyn goes missing, Philippa must confront the depth of her sister’s despair and the painful truths they’ve been running from. 
Collect The Clues 
Truly Devious
by Maureen Johnson

What it's about: Sixteen-year-old true-crime enthusiast Stevie Bell arrives at Ellingham Academy (an unusual school for exceptional students) with one goal: to solve a kidnapping that took place there in 1936. Cracking the cold case proves complicated, however, when a present-day murderer begins targeting Ellingham students.

Series alert: Hold on tight and prepare for some cliffhangers in this atmospheric, multilayered mystery: Truly Devious is just the 1st in a trilogy.
Stalking Jack the Ripper
by Kerri Maniscalco

Starring: Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth, who was born a lord's daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life.
 
What it's about: Against her stern father's wishes and society's expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle's laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world.
There's Someone Inside Your House
by Stephanie Perkins

The backstory: It's been almost a year since Makani Young came to live with her grandmother in landlocked Nebraska, and she's still adjusting to her new life. And still haunted by her past in Hawaii.
 
What happens next: One by one, the students of Makani's small town high school begin to die in a series of gruesome murders, each with increasing and grotesque flair. As the terror grows closer and the hunt intensifies for the killer, Makani will be forced to confront her own dark secrets.
 
For fans of: If you love slasher flicks, you don't want to miss this thrilling new direction from a popular author.
The Amateurs
by Sara Shepard

The backstory: Five years ago, high school senior Helena Kelly disappeared from her backyard in Dexby, Connecticut, never to be heard from again. Her family was left without any answers—without any idea who killed Helena, or why.
 
Starring: Eighteen-year-old Seneca Frazier, Maddy, Brett, and Helena's sister Aerin. These four are about to cross paths thanks to Case Not Closed, a cold case message board. 
 
Read it to: Unravel the secrets Helena kept in the weeks before her disappearance. But the killer is watching…and determined to make sure the case stays cold.
The Darkest Corners
by Kara Thomas

Welcome to: Fayette, Pennsylvania, where there are ghosts around every corner. Tessa left when she was nine and has been trying ever since not to think about it after what happened there that last summer. 
 
What it's about: Consumed by questions about a fateful, ghostly night that resulted in a cousin's demise, a death-row conviction and her move to a distant town, Tessa reunites with childhood friend Callie to confront the demons of their shared past and uncover a haunting truth.
Contact your librarian for more great books for ages 14 and up!
Patchogue-Medford Library
54-60 East Main Street
Patchogue, New York 11772
(631) 654-4700

www.pmlib.org/