Teen Scene
December 2025

Recent Releases
Cruel Is the Light by Sophie Clark
Cruel Is the Light
by Sophie Clark

When high-ranking exorcist Selene and mysterious soldier Jules form an alliance despite their forbidden attraction, they uncover a terrible conspiracy about the centuries-old war between demons and the Vatican.
Coldwire
by Chloe Gong

The alternative to a harrowing world of extreme weather and disease is NileCorp’s virtual reality service. Eirale and Lia, soldiers in NileCorp’s military, risk it all to expose injustice in their worlds, real and virtual. Fans of Marie Lu's Warcross and Marissa Meyer's Renegades will enjoy this action-packed cyberpunk trilogy opener.
 
A Time Traveler's History of Tomorrow
by Kendall Kulper

At the 1934 Chicago World’s Fair, Genevieve and Ash misuse their scientific powers and accidentally travel to 1893. If they return to their own time, will it even be the same? This inventive romp is a standalone story with companion novel Murder for the Modern Girl .
 
The House Saphir
by Marissa Meyer

Armand hires Mallory, who can talk to ghosts, to exorcise his ancestral estate. Mallory plans to swindle him out of his money, but instead she finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation, and Armand is a suspect. This creepy novel is a witty retelling of the Bluebeard myth.
 
Never Ever After
by Sue Lynn Tan

When Yining, adopted as a child, discovers her magical heritage, she leaves her impoverished mountain village to change her fate. Tempted into a lavish world by a ruthless prince, Yining must unlock her full powers to fight for a better future for everyone. Read-alike: June CL Tan’s Jade Fire Gold.
 
2025 Debuts
As 2026 draws closer, check out these books by authors who published their first books in 2025.
 
All the Noise at Once
by DeAndra Davis

Star quarterback Brandon is happy to have his autistic brother Aiden on the team. When a post-game fight results in Brandon’s unjust arrest, it’s up to Aiden to prove his older brother’s innocence. Read-alikes: Sonora Reyes’ The Luis Ortega Survival Club; Christina Hammonds Reed’s The Black Kids.
 
Salvación
by Sandra Proudman

The magical sal negra Lola’s mother uses to cure maladies draws travelers to their home, but it also attracts threats. That’s why Lola adopts the guise of Salvación, a masked vigilante protecting her people from colonizers and deadly magic. This swashbuckling tale takes inspiration from the character Zorro.
 
The Last Bookstore on Earth by Lily Braun-Arnold
The Last Bookstore on Earth
by Lily Braun-Arnold

Ever since acid rain storms decimated civilization, Liz has been sheltering alone in the bookstore where she used to work, occasionally trading supplies with visitors. Maeve, who needs a place to stay, shatters Liz’s solitude while also opening her to true human connection. Read-alike: Rory Power's Wilder Girls
First Love Language
by Stefany Valentine

Although Catie loves her adoptive mother, she is curious about her biological mother’s Taiwanese culture. Given the chance to learn Mandarin from her coworker Toby, she’ll happily provide him dating advice, despite her own inexperience. This sweet, thoughtful romance delves into the complexities of transracial adoption.
 
A Language of Dragons
by S.F. Williamson

After accidentally fanning the flames between the government and the rebels, Vivian makes a bargain. She’ll exchange her knowledge of dragon languages for her parents’ freedom. This gripping historical fantasy, set in an alternate London in 1932, reimagines dilemmas code breakers faced during World War II.
 
Contact your librarian for more great books for ages 14 and up!
Yolo County Library
226 Buckeye St.
Woodland, California 95695
530-666-8005

www.yolocountylibrary.org