"I try not to change, but I keep changing, in all these tiny ways…And every freaking time, I have to reintroduce myself to the universe all over again."
~ from Becky Albertalli's Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda |
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| Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky AlbertalliFiction. Even though they've only communicated through email, 10th-grader Simon is falling fast for "Blue," an anonymous guy who understands Simon's wry humor, love of Oreos, and reluctance to come out at their suburban high school. When Martin, another classmate, discovers the emails, he blackmails Simon into helping him get closer to the new girl, Abby. Soon, drama is spreading throughout Simon's social circle, and Simon is scrambling to protect his friendships and his secret romance, all while trying to figure out Blue's identity. Diverse characters, witty dialogue, and pop culture references make this irreverent, upbeat story a good choice for fans of David Levithan and John Green's Will Grayson, Will Grayson. |
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| Undertow by Michael BuckleyUrban Fantasy. Coney Island teen Lyric Walker is just as shocked as everyone else by the arrival of the Alpha, a beautiful yet brutal race of undersea warriors. But for Lyric, the shocks keep on coming when she discovers that her own family isn't entirely human. As violent intolerance erupts between the humans and the Alphas, Lyric's secret becomes increasingly difficult to hide -- especially after she finds herself powerfully attracted to Fathom, the proud, fierce Alpha prince. Blending supernatural romance, pointed social commentary, and high-stakes action, this series opener introduces a "race-against-the-clock world that's waiting to implode" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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| Endangered by Lamar GilesSuspense. Lauren "Panda" Daniels doesn't attract much attention at school; it's her anonymous photoblog that's popular. As "Gray Scales," Panda photographs and publishes the scandalous secrets of the school's worst bullies. After she's caught in the act by someone who claims to be an admirer, Panda is drawn into a risky game of photographic dares. But when the subject of her latest post is murdered, Panda knows it's time to stop playing and find the killer, no matter what the consequences. Readers who enjoy this unpredictable, morally complex thriller about a vigilante blogger might also like Todd Strasser's Wish You Were Dead. |
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| The Truth Commission by Susan JubyFiction. To complete a "creative nonfiction" project for their Vancouver Island art school, Normandy Pale and her friends form the Truth Commission: each week, they ask students or faculty members to reveal the facts behind a piece of gossip. The results are both enlightening and unsettling, and Normandy realizes that there are times when she'd rather not know the truth -- especially if it involves her sister Keira, who's suddenly back from college and just as hostile as ever. "Hilarious, deliciously provocative and slyly thought-provoking" (Kirkus Reviews), The Truth Commission will remind readers that honesty is rarely as simple as it seems. |
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| All the Rage by Courtney SummersFiction. Labeled a liar, abandoned by her only friend, and bullied by her classmates, Romy Grey can barely contain her anger. All she did was tell the truth about being raped by Kellan, the popular son of the town sheriff, but no one believes her word against his. Then another local girl with ties to Kellan vanishes, and Romy has to decide which is more painful: dealing with the backlash of speaking out again, or living with the cost of her silence. For another intense, unflinching look at the devastating consequences of victim-blaming, pick up Kristin Halbrook's Every Last Promise. |
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| Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn BarnesParanormal Suspense. Every other day, Kali D'Angelo is a normal 16-year-old girl. But on the alternating days, she becomes something else entirely: a super-powered being with an overwhelming urge to track and kill hellhounds, dragons, zombies, and other monsters. When, on one of her normal days, Kali recognizes a demon mark on a popular cheerleader at school, she saves the girl by transferring the mark to herself...which gains her a sort of internal hitchhiker. Full of action, gore, suspense, and very dark secrets, this twisty blend of science fiction, urban fantasy, and horror is a genuine page-turner with a kick-butt heroine. |
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| Dangerous by Shannon HaleScience Fiction. Maisie Danger Brown is hardly the stereotypical superhero type: she's a frighteningly smart, homeschooled, half-Paraguayan science nerd who was born without a right hand. She longs to become an astronaut, so she's beyond thrilled to win a spot at space camp, where she and her team get to ride the cutting-edge space elevator. The trip, however, exposes Maisie and her friends to alien nanotechnology, giving them astonishing superpowers that they don't understand and might not be able to control. With fast pacing, nonstop action, and plenty of romantic tension, Dangerous is a great pick for readers of superhero comics as well as for Shannon Hale's devoted fans. |
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| The Twelve-Fingered Boy by John Hornor JacobsParanormal Fiction. Life in a juvenile detention center isn't particularly exciting for 15-year-old Shreve Cannon -- until a twelve-fingered boy named Jack Graves becomes his cellmate. Jack's telekinetic abilities, which include hurling people across rooms, draw the attention of the mysterious mind-reader Mr. Quincrux. When Shreve begins manifesting supernatural abilities too, the two boys break out of juvie and go on the lam, desperately hoping to stay one step ahead of detection. Fans of the X-Men should definitely check out this 1st suspenseful entry in the Twelve-Fingered Boy trilogy, which continues in The Shibboleth and The Conformity. |
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| Steelheart by Brandon SandersonAdventure. Ever since the Calamity gave them superpowers, the evil Epics have been using their abilities to oppress regular humans. Eighteen-year-old human David has been waiting ten years to avenge his father's murder by killing Steelheart, the most dangerous Epic. All he needs is to find the elusive Reckoners, a band of human rebels who dare to stand up to the Epics. If you love science fiction or comic books, this "ultraviolent yet playful" (Publishers Weekly) read will grab your attention and keep you riveted. For further cool tech, crazy plot twists, and relentless, high-adrenaline action, don't miss Firefight, the next book in the Reckoners trilogy. |
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| Blackout by Robison WellsScience Fiction. The U.S. Army wasn't invited to Jack and Aubrey's homecoming dance, but they show up anyway. They're rounding up students who've been infected with a strange new virus that gives them superhuman abilities -- abilities like Jack's mind-reading, or Aubrey's invisibility. Since the frightening attacks sweeping the nation are being carried out by super-powered young terrorists infected with the very same virus, the military needs an equally super-powered counter-terrorism team. But with all the teens quarantined together, it's hard to tell who's trustworthy and who's not. Want even more edge-of-your-seat action and paranormal paranoia? Try The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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