| True Life in Uncanny Valley by Deb CalettiEleanor, curious about the tech genius father who abandoned her, sneakily becomes the nanny for her own half-brother. While spinning a web of lies, she questions the ethics of her father’s artificial intelligence work. At the heart of this thoughtful story is Eleanor’s search for a true family. |
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| We Are Villains by Kacen CallenderMilo, a scholarship student at Yates Academy, returns to campus after the death of his best friend. When Liam, king of Yates, hires Milo to identify who’s accusing him of murder, secrets are bound to come out. This twisty thriller will draw fans of dark academia and morally gray characters. |
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| Hangry Hearts by Jennifer ChenFive years ago, the Hur and Wu families ended their friendship in a huge fight, making Randall and Julie mortal enemies. When a school project pushes them back together, they disregard the family feud and date in secret. Read-alike: Talia Hibbert’s Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute. |
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| When We Ride by Rex OgleAlthough Diego tries to avoid trouble, driving around his weed-dealing best friend Lawson helps keep a roof over Lawson’s head. As Lawson’s business expands into increasingly dangerous goods, more than their friendship is at stake. Fans of S.E. Hinton’s classic The Outsiders will appreciate this gritty novel in verse. |
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Run Away With Me
by Brian Selznick
Danny is spending a lonely summer in Rome while his mother works there. A hand-drawn map leads him to Angelo, and romance blossoms as they explore the city. Like author Brian Selznick’s middle-grade blockbusters Wonderstruck and The Invention of Hugo Cabret, his YA debut blends prose and intricate illustrations.
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| Artifice by Sharon CameronTo keep her family afloat during the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam, Isa sells a forged Rembrandt to the Nazis, pulling her into dangerous work smuggling Jewish babies to safety and forging more art. This immersive historical thriller is ideal for fans of Ruta Sepetys and Elizabeth Wein. |
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| Wings in the Wild by Margarita EngleSoleida flees Cuba alone when her parents are arrested for their artistic expression. In Costa Rica, she meets Daniel, a Cuban American boy escaping California’s wildfires and helping refugees. Together, they work to protect both artistic freedom and the environment. Read-alike: Laura Taylor Namey’s With Love, Echo Park. |
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| The Colliding Worlds of Mina Lee by Ellen OhWhile grappling with her family’s narrow vision for her future, Mina draws a webcomic inspired by K-dramas and superheroes. When a freak storm sends her into her own webcomic, she must defeat the villain she created and return to reality. This novel grounds its high-drama plot in sincere emotional growth. |
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| A Forgery of Roses by Jessica S. OlsonMyra is a Prodigy, able to heal people through portrait painting. Desperate for the money she would earn for bringing the governor’s son back from the dead, she puts herself in the path of a murderer. Read-alikes: Margaret Robinson’s An Enchantment of Ravens; Renee Ahdieh’s The Beautiful. |
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| Bunt! Striking Out on Financial Aid by Ngozi Ukazu & Mad RupertWhen Molly discovers her scholarship to her dream art school has fallen through, she assembles a ragtag softball team in hopes of getting an athletic scholarship instead. Fans of author Ngozi Ukazu’s popular Check, Please! series are sure to enjoy this heartfelt graphic novel. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books for ages 14 and up! |
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