Teen Scene
June 2025
Recent Releases
On Again, Awkward Again
by Erin Entrada Kelly and Kwame Mbalia

Sparks fly when Pacy and Cecil meet in the nurse’s office, of all places. Despite mishaps plaguing these two characters who don’t fit in with their boring classmates, their connection continues to deepen. Read-alikes: James Ramos’ The Wrong Kind of Weird; Elise Bryant’s Reggie and Delilah’s Year of Falling.
One Step Forward
by Marcie Flinchum Atkins

Set amid World War I, a historical fiction novel in verse follows Matilda's coming-of-age journey as she fights for suffrage and becomes the youngest American suffragist imprisoned for picketing the White House to demand women's right to vote. 
The Last Bookstore on Earth
by Lily Braun-Arnold

Ever since acid rain storms decimated civilization, Liz has been sheltering alone in the bookstore where she used to work, occasionally trading supplies with visitors. Maeve, who needs a place to stay, shatters Liz’s solitude while also opening her to true human connection. Read-alikes: Rory Power's Wilder Girls; Joan He’s The Ones We’re Meant to Find.
The Corruption of Hollis Brown
by K. Ancrum

Hollis Brown believes he’s destined for a grim small-town life, until he meets Walt, a mysterious boy promising him a better future. Then Walt possesses Hollis, and even more unexpectedly, they start falling for each other. Read-alikes: Jimmy Cajoleas’ The Good Demon; Ryan Douglass’ The Taking of Jake Livingston.
Death in the Cards
by Mia P. Manansala

Shortly after Danika deals the death card to a classmate during a tarot reading, that classmate vanishes. Luckily, Danika is the daughter of a private investigator and a mystery novelist, so she has the skills to crack the case. This story rooted in Filipino American culture will draw fans of unputdownable mysteries.
For Fans of Death-Cast
Whether the characters are dealing with the inevitability of death, pondering the meaning of life, or just making the most of 24 hours, these thought-provoking books will appeal to fans of Adam Silvera's Death-Cast series. 
 
I Loved You in Another Life
by David Arnold

Reeling from family tragedies, teens Evan and Shosh meet and form an immediate bond. Have their souls connected in the past? Their story, interspersed with others from 1832 Paris, 1953 Tokyo, and 2109 Oslo, is a poignant romance threaded with magic.
The Cost of Knowing
by Brittney Morris

Cursed with the ability to see the future of anything he touches, 16-year-old Alex is horrified by a vision of his brother Isaiah's impending death. But to challenge that future, he'll have to dig into his ancestral past. For another layered sibling story that confronts generations of racism, try Maika and Maritza Moulite's One of the Good Ones.
The Darkness Outside Us
by Eliot Schrefer

What happened before Ambrose and Kodiak were launched into space to rescue Ambrose’s sister? Despite being from countries engaged in a cold war, Ambrose and Kodiak warm up to each other as they solve the mystery behind their mission. Read-alikes: Robbie Couch’s If I See You Again Tomorrow; Shaun David Hutchinson’s A Complicated Love Story Set in Space.
You've Reached Sam
by Dustin Thao

Knowing Sam died in a car accident, Julie dials her boyfriend’s phone number anyway, hoping to hear his voicemail message. When Sam answers, deceased but existing “somewhere,” the two work together to move on from tragedy. This moving paranormal story paints a hopeful portrait of coping with death.
Nothing Burns as Bright as You
by Ashley Woodfolk

Two unnamed girls meet at a coffee shop and become friends. Before long, they are everything to each other and literally partners in crime. Can a relationship this intense ever last? This lyrical novel in verse explores the final 24 hours of a messy and passionate first love.
Contact your librarian for more great books for age 14 and up!
Forsyth County Public Library
770-781-9840 | ForsythPL.org