"Some people have lives; some people have music."
~ from John Green and David Levithan's Will Grayson, Will Grayson |
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New and Recently Released!
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The impossible knife of memoryby Laurie Halse AndersonRealistic Fiction. Hayley's high school is filled with freaks and zombies -- or at least that how it seems to her. For years, she's lived on the road with her father, a trucker and a military veteran, but now his increasingly severe PTSD has forced them to settle down. Between taking care of her unpredictable dad and struggling with memories of her messed-up childhood, Hayley feels unable connect with anyone at school…until she meets Finn, a guy with issues of his own. If you like realistic, heartbreaking stories with unforgettable characters, don't miss this "exploration of the lingering scars of war" (Kirkus Reviews) from the award-winning author of Speak.
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These broken starsby Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner Science Fiction. After the interstellar voyage of a luxury spaceship ends in a horrific crash, the only survivors -- Lilac, daughter of the richest man in the galaxy, and Tarver, a lower-class war hero -- find themselves stranded on a harsh, bewildering alien planet. The two drastically different teens can't stand each other at first, but as the need for survival breaks down the barriers between them, they forge a powerful (and steamy) bond. The 1st in an upcoming trilogy, this thrilling adventure will tantalize fans of romantic science fiction. Want more epic love in outer space? Try Beth Revis' Across the Universe trilogy.
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Ketchup cloudsby Annabel PitcherFiction. Fifteen-year-old Zoe can't help but blame herself when her stormy relationship with two brothers -- Max, whom she dated, and Aaron, whom she loved -- ends in a tragic death. Unable to contain her grief and guilt, she pours out her heart in a series of letters to the only person she thinks might understand: a murderer on Death Row. Clues about who died and how Zoe was involved are revealed at a deliberate, deliciously suspenseful pace in this wry, insightful, and deeply felt page-turner. For another intriguing confession laced with doomed romance, check out The Tragedy Paper by Elizabeth LaBan.
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Hollow cityby Ransom RiggsFantasy. Though Jacob and the other "peculiar children" have managed to escape the destruction of their island refuge, the supernaturally gifted group is still far from safety: they're being hunted by monstrous hollowgasts, and their shape-shifting guardian Miss Peregrine is trapped in the form of a bird. Desperately seeking a cure for Miss Peregrine as well as a new home, the children travel to 1940s London, "the peculiar capital of the world." If you like the eerie atmosphere and spine-chilling vintage photos in this sequel to the bestselling Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, you might also enjoy In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters.
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Roomiesby Sara Zarr and Tara AltebrandoFiction. In the summer before their first year of college, Jersey girl EB and California native Lauren are assigned to be roommates in the fall. What begins as a simple email introduction turns into a summer-long emotional roller coaster for both girls as they overcome their initial awkwardness, open up about their complicated families, and stumble through misunderstandings and personality clashes. Will their shaky online friendship survive once they're living together in a dorm room? You'll have to read this "authentic and drama filled" (Booklist) dual-perspective story to find out.
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Brooklyn, burningby Steven BrezenoffFiction. In this "intimate yet wonderfully open rock 'n' roll love story" (Publishers Weekly), 16-year-old drummer Kid, who, according to Kid's father, "doesn't know whether to be straight or gay or a girl or a boy or what," finds love, tragedy, and music on the streets of Brooklyn. After being kicked out by judgmental parents, Kid lived for a while with an older junkie named Felix -- but Felix is gone now, and Kid is alone again. Until Scout moves to town... Told in a style that allows the author to keep the main characters' genders ambiguous, Brooklyn, Burning is a "moving, personal story of friendship, loss, and love" (Horn Book).
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Where she wentby Gayle FormanFiction. It's been three years since the tragic car accident that landed Adam Wilde's girlfriend, Mia, in a coma. In the meantime Mia has recovered, cut ties with Adam, and fulfilled her dream of attending The Juilliard School to study cello. Adam has stayed on the West Coast and risen to stardom with his band, but his grief over losing Mia has dulled his love of music and left him bitter. When Adam and Mia have a chance reunion in New York City, it's painful -- and electric. Told by Adam instead of Mia, who narrated the previous, bestselling book If I Stay, this emotionally intense and deeply romantic story unfolds in the course of a single night. Read with tissues nearby.
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Will Grayson, Will Graysonby John GreenFiction. Two different guys named Will Grayson narrate this sarcastic, hilariously profound novel about friendship, love, and musical theater. One Will Grayson is the long-suffering best friend of Tiny Cooper, "the world's largest person who is really, really gay and also the world's gayest person who is really, really large" -- and "large" refers not just to Tiny's size, but also his personality. The other will grayson (he doesn't bother with capital letters) is cynical and depressed, and lives for his late-night chat sessions with a guy named Isaac. In a stunning coincidence, the two Will Graysons meet...and then things really get interesting.
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The Disenchantmentsby Nina LaCourFiction. With high school finally over, Colby joins his best friend (and long-time crush) Bev and her all-girl band, The Disenchantments, for one last tour. Then Bev and Colby will finally set off on the European adventure that they've been planning for years. Once they hit the road with the band, however, Bev reveals that she's abandoning the Europe trip -- and Colby -- in favor of going to art school. Stung and confused, Colby spends the rest of the tour learning to let go of old dreams and embrace unexpected possibilities. Quirky characters and musical references (both popular and obscure) round out this this vibrant, exciting, coming-of-age story.
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Lament : the faerie queen's deceptionby Maggie StiefvaterFantasy. Throwing up due to stage fright isn't usually a great way to meet people, but when handsome Luke helps talented harpist Deidre through a bout of performance anxiety, the connection between them is undeniable. But as Deidre's feelings for Luke increase, so do the strange, apparently magical occurrences that lead Deidre to the truth: she is a cloverhand -- a person who can see faeries -- and Luke is an assassin sent by the faerie queen to kill her. This haunting, "beautiful and out-of-the-ordinary debut novel" (Booklist) from the author of Shiver is sure to enchant readers who can't get enough paranormal romance.
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