"But I have told the truth. Isn't that ironic? They sent me because I am so good at telling lies.
But I have told the truth."
~ from Elizabeth's Wein's Code Name Verity |
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New and Recently Released!
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| Guy in Real Life by Steve BrezenoffFiction. At first, metal head Lesh and artsy outsider Svetlana clash -- literally, since they meet when Lesh stumbles into Svetlana's bike. But soon their shared love of role playing games (Lesh is into multiplayer online gaming and Svetlana is dungeon master for the school's tabletop gaming club) leads to an unexpected but undeniable attraction. Narrated not only by Lesh and Svetlana, but also by their avatars, Guy in Real Life offers a smart, snarky look at the gaming world, as well as an endearing but realistic romance. For more authentically awkward stories of first love, pick up Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl or Pete Hautman's The Big Crunch. |
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| Buzz Kill by Beth FantaskeyMystery. After discovering the murdered corpse of the high school football coach, student reporter Millie Ostermeyer takes a cue from her literary idol, Nancy Drew, and decides to find the killer herself. (The fact that Millie's dad is the prime suspect is pretty good motivation, too.) Joining her in the investigation is Chase, the enigmatic and crush-worthy new student whose flirty banter and awesome vocabulary may be masking his real reason for getting involved in the case. Millie's wry humor and failure to live up to Nancy's impeccable manners (Nancy Drew would never eat pie with her hands) will charm readers of this clever, breezy mystery. |
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| Since You've Been Gone by Morgan MatsonFiction. The list arrives two weeks after Emily's best friend Sloane disappears without saying goodbye. Emily has always been the timid sidekick to adventurous, outgoing Sloane, so it's not surprising that Sloane has made Emily a list of challenges for the summer (though it would have been helpful if she included a return address). With the help of attractive overachiever Frank Porter, Emily tackles the challenges -- which includes "go skinny-dipping," "dance until dawn," and "ride a horse" -- in the hopes that they'll lead her to Sloane. Fans of Maureen Johnson's 13 Little Blue Envelopes will fall for this funny and sweetly romantic read. |
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| V is for Villain by Peter MooreFantasy. Even though his father and older brother are both well-known superheroes, 16-year-old Brad just can't hack it at Monroe Academy for Powered Teens. Since he hasn't shown any special abilities, Brad is moved to the school's program for non-powered students, where he discovers a group of fellow misfits who have some daring ideas about what really makes a hero…or a villain. If you love to root for antiheroes and underdogs, don't miss V is for Villian. And if you're looking for another twisty, high-octane action book that questions the behavior of so-called superheroes, try Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson. |
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| After the End by Amy PlumParanormal Suspense. As a member of a small Alaskan colony that survived the nuclear ravages of World War Three, Juneau is used to life in the remote wilderness. When her whole clan is kidnapped, Juneau goes after them, venturing outside of the colony for the first time. Though she's armed with mystical powers and a crossbow, her search can't succeed without help from rich, privileged Miles, whose powerful father wants to capture Juneau. Similar to Marie Lu's Legend trilogy, After the End uses alternating points of view to illuminate the characters' developing relationship. Fast pacing, staggering secrets, and a cliffhanger ending will leave you breathlessly awaiting the 2nd book in this thrilling new series. |
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If you think you can always trust fictional characters to tell you the truth, the characters in these gripping, mysterious, and psychologically intense reads might make you think again.
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| Chime by Franny BillingsleyFantasy. Plagued by guilt for harm that she believes she brought on her sister and stepmother, 17-year-old Briony Larkin is convinced that she's a witch who deserves to suffer, even to hang. But there are many dark secrets in Briony's village of Swampsea, and when a London engineer and his handsome son arrive to drain the marshes -- causing the supernatural Old Ones who live in the swamp to retaliate -- those secrets begin bubbling to the surface. Chime is sure to resonate with readers who crave luxuriant, unhurried writing; dark, tantalizingly magical settings; and stories that meld romance, fantasy, and mystery. |
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| White Cat by Holly BlackDark Fantasy. Cassel Sharpe comes from a family of criminals and "curse workers," people who practice magic illegally and can alter others' luck or memories -- or even kill them -- with a single touch. Cassel, who doesn't seem to have inherited his family's talents, tries very hard to convince his private-school classmates that he's just a regular guy. But he's haunted by a dirty secret from his past, a white cat that keeps appearing in his nightmares, and the odd way that his brothers have been acting around him lately. Right from the start, when Cassel awakens from a nightmare to find himself on the roof of his dormitory, this 1st volume in the Curse Workers series is an edgy, pulse-pounding read. |
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| Liar by Justine LarbalestierFiction. Micah is an admitted compulsive liar -- and a suspect in the case of her boyfriend's Zach'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 truth from lies? Try your luck with Liar. |
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| 17 & Gone by Nova Ren SumaPsychological Thriller. The missing girls are all different, except for two things: they all disappeared when they were 17, and they're all haunting Lauren Woodman. Lauren isn't sure why she's seeing visions of the girls, but she feels compelled to find out what happened to them. As she spirals deeper into obsession, and her own 17th birthday approaches, Lauren can't help but wonder: what if she's next? Can she trust that the spirits are telling the truth…or that they're even real? Readers looking for a "lyrical and riveting psychological mystery" (Horn Book) won't be able to resist the (possibly) paranormal intensity of 17 & Gone. |
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| Code Name Verity by Elizabeth WeinHistorical Spy Thriller. After crash-landing in France in 1943 and being captured by Nazis, a female wireless operator for the British (who goes by Queenie, Eva, Verity, and various other aliases) reveals bits of code in exchange for reprieve from torture...and to postpone her execution. Woven into Verity's confession is a powerful, gritty tale of war, friendship, espionage, and great courage -- one that reviewers describe as "gut-wrenching" (Booklist), "downright sizzling" (Horn Book), "heartbreaking" (VOYA), and "unforgettable" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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