Historical Fantasy. With her twin sister Persephone happily married, 18-year-old Penelope (Pen) Leland has come to Ireland, where she hopes to hone her magical skills to at least match Persy's. But the amorous attentions of debonair Niall Keating prove distracting--and dangerous, not only to Pen, but to the young Queen Victoria. Blending magic with plenty of 19th-century historical detail and a heady romance, this 2nd book in the Leland Sister series (after Bewitching Season) will enchant readers who love the Victorian romances of Amanda Quick and Johanna Lindsey.

Nonfiction. This collection of very short life stories written by teenagers--some of whom you may have heard of--is powerful, funny, shocking, sad, clever, and at times inspiring. You'll be amazed by how much only six words can get across: "We are banned from Wal-Mart forever." "Found out I had cancer. Damn." "Contemplated joining circus. Foolishly chose college." Whether browsing for choice entries or reading straight through, fans of poetry and true stories will be succinctly entertained by this thought-provoking and emotionally charged book.

Realistic Fiction. Marcus Jordan wants to join his new school's undefeated football team, so he's spending every spare moment of his summer practicing in a local park. It's there that he meets Charlie, a mischievous and slightly odd middle-aged guy who plays football better than anyone Marcus has ever seen. As it turns out, Charlie is a former NFL linebacker--and the father of Marcus' rival, Troy Popovich. And Troy and the rest of Charlie's family are desperate to keep the reason for Charlie's strange behavior a secret. If you like stories about friendship and family--especially ones with great football action included--you'll love Pop.

Fiction. Micah is an admitted compulsive liar--and a suspect in the case of her alleged boyfriend's murder. Now she says she wants to come clean and tell the whole, true story of her family, her special talents, and what happened to Zach. But when someone lies all the time, about everything, it can take a while to get to the real story...and you may not recognize it when you hear it. Fans of thrillers and psychological horror novels will be riveted by the dark and winding path that this tale takes. Think you can tell the truth from a lie? Try your luck with Liar.

Fantasy. Shimmering with magic and "heart-pounding lesbian romance" (Booklist), Ash is a retelling of the Cinderella story like no other. Orphaned and forced to live with her cruel stepmother and wicked stepsisters in the city, Aisling ("Ash" for short) visits her beloved woods--and her mother's grave--for solace. There she meets Sidhean, a mysterious and dangerous fairy who could whisk her away from her troubled life, and Kaisa, the king's huntress, who teaches her how to track and hunt...and how to really live. Lushly detailed description, complex relationships, and entrancing dark-fairy folklore make Ash a perfect fit for fans of both paranormal romance and fantasy.

Science Fiction. In The Knife of Never Letting Go, author Patrick Ness created a uniquely horrifying human society on an alien planet, set his story's heroes on the run from some very nasty characters, and left readers gasping for resolution with a cliffhanger ending. In this 2nd volume of the Chaos Walking trilogy, Todd and Viola are taken prisoner, separated, and subjected to their captors' ruthless attempts to make them enemies. Delving deep into the factions and characters driving a brutal war, this volume is less frenetic than the first--but it's still a riveting and provocative read. Don't even attempt to step into the world of The Ask and the Answer without having read the first book--you'll be hopelessly lost if you do.

Fiction. Berry Morgan was never her father's favorite--that was her older sister, Laura--but since their parents' divorce, she's hardly seen him at all. Now, a year and a half after Laura was murdered while volunteering at a school in Cape Town, South Africa, Berry's dad wants her to accompany him on a two-week trip to the place where Laura died. This wrenching book that VOYA calls "an ode to the grieving process" deftly parallels the struggle for forgiveness of a father and daughter with that of post-apartheid South Africa. If you were riveted by the disintegration of Susie Salmon's family after her death (in The Lovely Bones), you'll appreciate the similar psychological complexity of Many Stones.

Fiction. Hal Ditton and his family have always spent blissful summers at their Brackinton beach house. This year's trip, however, will only intensify the pain the whole family has suffered since Hal's older sister Charley's late-night surfing accident last summer. She's been comatose ever since, but when the Dittons go to Brackinton without Charley, Hal is overwhelmed by thoughts that seem to belong to her. Is Charley sending Hal her thoughts? And if she is, why? This suspenseful book should especially appeal to readers who like Jodi Picoult's stories about families in crisis, or the supernatural narration of Alice Sebold's The Lovely Bones.

Adult Fantasy. What if you were stolen from your family...but you never knew it? That's what happens when the fey are about. Set in a mid-20th century American suburb, The Stolen Child features two boys adapting to life with each other's families. Taken by faeries, seven-year-old Henry Day is given the name Aniday and lives in the forest with other stolen ones, but he misses books and clean sheets. The new "Henry Day," a changeling, tries to adapt to life with the Days, even as his persistent memories of life in another place surface. If you liked the haunting quality of The Lovely Bones and the idea of characters who don't quite fit in the worlds that they inhabit, give this mesmerizing debut novel a try.

Fiction. Jane Culvert was the perfect big sister to Lily when they were little girls--Jane taught Lily how to play make-believe, and it seemed that Jane's imagination made the whole world enchanted. But as the sisters grew older, Jane stayed rooted in unreality while Lily started making friends and dating. Soon after this story begins, we learn that Jane has died in a tragic accident. Lily, however, continues to feel her presence, and fears that she may never be able to move forward with her own life. The two sisters, separated by death but still connected, narrate alternating chapters of this poignant story about letting go of loss and guilt.

Fiction. While trying to get his hair combed just right in the men's room of Club Estrella, 17-year-old Chuy offhandedly compliments the shoes of the guy standing next to him--and gets stabbed to death in return. Chuy's spirit leaves his body and, like Susie Salmon in The Lovely Bones, he wanders his hometown, looking in on family and friends as they grieve over his untimely death. He even has a chance to do some good and to fall in love before his "ghost body" fades away. The Afterlife vividly depicts the richness of barrio life in Fresno, California, and shows how precious Chuy's seemingly average life was.

Fiction. Liz Hall is nearly 16 when she is hit by a taxicab while riding her bike to the mall. The next thing she knows, she's on a boat headed to Elsewhere, the place where people go when they die. After learning that everyone in Elsewhere ages backward and, upon reaching infancy, returns to Earth, Liz is distraught and angry about everything she missed by dying so young. She becomes utterly preoccupied with watching her family and friends from Elsewhere's special observation deck and nearly misses her chance at finding peace, love, and fulfillment...in the afterlife. Author Gabrielle Zevin's fully imagined and intriguing version of the hereafter will have fans of The Lovely Bones on cloud nine.