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| The Gilded Ones by Namina FornaWhat it's about: In the kingdom of Otera, intuitive 16-year-old Deka discovers that her blood runs gold, a sign of impurity that marks her as one of the alaki, near-immortal women warriors who must battle the fearsome deathshrieks and defend the society that shuns them.
Read it for: breathless action, a twisty plot, and a bold, fierce heroine.
For fans of: the Afrofantasy world-building of Jordan Ifueko's Raybearer or the feminist themes of Tracy Banghart's Grace and Fury series. |
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| A Complicated Love Story Set in Space by Shaun David HutchinsonFeaturing: Noa, Jenny, and DJ, three Earth teens who wake up on a deserted spaceship with no memories of how they got there.
What happens: The ship's Quantum Fold Drive keeps catapulting the trio randomly across space and into outlandish situations, leaving Noa and DJ doubting the reality of their romance, and leaving all three wondering if they'll ever get home.
Who it's for: Simultaneously funny and profound, this love story will resonate with readers who prefer offbeat science fiction. |
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| Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda LoWelcome to: San Francisco's Chinatown, 1954, where 17-year-old Lily Hu dreams of space travel, but finds a different kind of exhilaration at a lesbian bar called the Telegraph Club.
What happens: Even as she finds herself and falls for her new friend Kath, Lily faces strict parental expectations at home and racism outside of her Chinese American community.
Why you might like it: Packed with immersive historical details and heartfelt emotion, this own voices story offers a complex look at identity and belonging. |
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| The Project by Courtney SummersThen: Recently orphaned, Bea Denham abandoned her sister Lo and joined The Unity Project, a charitable organization led by magnetic miracle-worker Lev Warren.
Now: Lo, scarred and suspicious, won't stop trying to expose The Unity Project as a cult -- not even if it means getting close to Lev, who challenges her understanding of reality.
Is it for you? Similar to the author's previous book, Sadie, this thriller uses shifting perspectives to reveal the unsettling side of love and loyalty. |
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| Love is a Revolution by Renée WatsonWhat it's about: Nala's plans to spend her summer watching movies and trying new ice cream flavors evaporate when she meets charismatic teen activist Tye. Hoping to impress, Nala claims to be an activist herself, a lie that seems innocent enough -- until things get serious between her and Tye.
Why you might like it: This refreshingly realistic romance focuses on Nala's efforts to be loved for who she really is...once she figures it out herself. |
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| The Speed of Falling Objects by Nancy Richardson FischerStarring: anxious Danny Warren, who's pushing her limits by joining her estranged father as he films an episode of his reality TV survival show with young Hollywood heartthrob Gus Price.
What happens: Instead of mere entertainment, survival becomes a necessity when the show's plane crashes in the Peruvian rainforest, forcing Danny to face her fears if she wants to make it out alive.
Try this next: Kate Alice Marshall's I Am Still Alive, which also blends psychological exploration with a gripping tale of endurance. |
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#murdertrending
by Gretchen McNeil
In a world... where prison is livestreamed and executions are a popular public spectacle, wrongly convicted murderer Dee Guerrera is determined to survive Alcatraz 2.0 and prove her innocence.
Is it for you? While the inventive violence and campy tone in this Black Mirror-style tale might be too much for sensitive readers, fans of horror and dark comedy will be riveted.
Series alert: For further gruesomely funny social commentary, check out the sequel, #murderfunding, and the prequel, #noescape.
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Rogue princess
by B. R. Myers
Princess Delia must marry in order to secure an alliance and save her failing planet but, hoping for true love, she steals a spaceship and finds Aidan, a handsome stowaway.
Who is it for? Are you a fan of fairytale retellings, gender-myth busting tales, priates, rebel conspiracies and space-opera? Then this one is for you!
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| The Gravity of Us by Phil StamperStarring: 17-year-old social media journalist Cal, who has to abandon his dream internship when his family moves across the country so that his dad can be an astronaut for NASA’s Mars mission.
What happens: While a reality TV crew follows the astronauts and their families, Cal hangs on to his ambition even as he starts falling for neighbor and fellow “Astrokid” Leon.
About the author: This quietly charming own voices romance is the 1st book by author Phil Stamper. |
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Hard Wired
by Len Vlahos
What it's about: Fifteen-year-old Quinn is stunned and bewildered when he discovers that he's not the typical human guy he thought he was, but is actually the QUantum INtelligence Project, the world's first self-aware artificial intelligence.
Why you might like it: As Quinn is wrenched from his familiar virtual reality and plunged into the real world, he grapples with relatable questions about identity and belonging, while also dealing with wild sci-fi situations (like being installed in a killer robot body).
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Looking for more ideas? Request a custom booklist or book bundle HERE! |
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