Dayton Metro Library: Teen Scene: May 2026

Recent Releases

To Steal a Throne
by Gabi Burton

Although Luc leads the council ruling over Virdei, his sister Mira uses magic to keep him in power. When someone challenges Luc for his role, Mira decides to help her brother win, so she can steal the seat for herself. This unputdownable, intricately plotted fantasy is full of court intrigue.

The Faraway Inn
by Sarah Beth Durst

Calisa is mending her broken heart with a summer job at Auntie Zee’s quirky, supernatural inn in Vermont. When Auntie Zee goes missing, Calisa teams up with Jack, the groundskeeper’s son, to unravel the magical mystery. Read-alikes: Katrina Leno’s Persephone’s Curse; Catherine Bakewell’s Flowerheart.

Someone to Daydream About
by Sydney Langford

Deaf teen Natalie might be able to save her family’s business by teaching American Sign Language to annoying boy-band heartthrob Felix. Going on tour with his band DAYDREAM also gives her time to discover he’s not so bad after all. Read-alikes: Anna Sortino’s On the Bright Side; Stefany Valentine’s Love Makes Mochi.

The Escape Game
by Marissa Meyer

Despite the fact that a contestant died on the fourth season of reality show The Escape Game, ruthless producers have greenlit a fifth season. Sierra joins the cast to solve high-stakes escape rooms...and find out who murdered her sister. Fans of puzzle-filled mysteries will devour this exhilarating thriller.

Piper at the Gates of Dusk
by Patrick Ness

The New World is threatened by an epidemic of nightmares and giant flaming gods. Many people blame the planet’s indigenous humanoids, but teen brothers Ben and Max seek the truth. This thought-provoking dystopian novel takes place twenty years after the events of author Patrick Ness’ popular Chaos Walking trilogy.

Ancient Lives and Hidden Places

What the River Knows
by Isabel Ibañez

With Egyptomania on the rise in the 1880s, Inez travels from Buenos Aires to Cairo, hoping to uncover the truth behind her parents’ deaths. There, she finds her archaeologist uncle, who’s hiding something, and his alluring but aggravating assistant Whitford. This suspenseful historical fantasy blends mystery, romance, and adventure.

Into the Sunken City
by Dinesh Thiru

Five hundred years ago, an apocalyptic weather event led to constant rainfall, submerging the world’s cities. Jin could earn a fortune diving for the lost treasures of Vegas-Drowned, if not for her fear of diving -- not to mention the pirates and monstrous sea creatures in her way. Read-alikes: Tanvi Berwah’s Somewhere in the Deep; Joan He’s The Ones We’re Meant to Find.

How to Excavate a Heart
by Jake Maia Arlow

Recently heartbroken, Shani is spending winter break doing an paleontology internship at the Smithsonian. She intends to stay focused on fish fossils, but when she gets snowed in with prickly May on Christmas Eve, the two Jewish girls begin to connect. This cozy, character-driven rom-com is perfect for fans of Casey McQuiston and Kelly Quindlen.

The Seventh Sun
by Lani Forbes

Thrust into leadership upon the death of his emperor father, young Prince Ahkin feels completely unready for his new position. Though his royal blood controls the power of the sun, he's now responsible for the lives of all the Chicome people. And despite all of Ahkin's efforts, the sun is fading--and the end of the world may be at hand. For Mayana, the only daughter of the Chicome family whose blood controls the power of water, the old emperor's death may mean that she is next. Rich in imagination and romance, and based on the legends and mythology of Mesoamerica The Seventh Sun brings to vivid life a world of adventure.

Contact your librarian for more great books for age 14 and up!