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| Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger; illustrated by Rovina CaiWhat it's about: In a modern-day U.S. infused with magic, aspiring paranormal investigator Ellie looks into her cousin's murder. Using both her know-how and her ability to wake the ghosts of animals (a power inherited from her Lipan Apache ancestors), Ellie uncovers something truly sinister.
Art alert: Intricate illustrations by Rovina Cai heighten the atmosphere of this suspenseful read.
You might also like: Akwaeke Emezi's Pet, another own voices fantasy that's absolutely outside the box. |
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| We Are Not Free by Traci CheeWhat it's about: the changing bonds between 14 Japanese American teens in the 1940s as they and their families are forced out of their San Francisco homes and into prison camps.
How it's told: through the voices of all 14 characters (both separately and together), as well as through poetry, drawings, postcards, maps, and more.
Why you might like it: From family discord to enduring friendship, the wide variety of relationships in this story offer powerful insights into a horrific moment in U.S. history. |
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| Raybearer by Jordan IfuekoWhat it's about: Tarisai was raised by The Lady with a specific destiny: to become one of the eleven elite councilors to the Crown Prince of Aritsar, gain the Prince's trust, and assassinate him.
What happens: Tarisai's love for the Prince contradicts her deadly mission, but how can she declare her true loyalty when she's bound by The Lady's magic?
Try this next: Roseanne A. Brown's A Song of Wraiths and Ruin, another lush Afrofantasy about the tension between desire and duty. |
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| Grown by Tiffany D. JacksonStarring: Enchanted Jones, whose singing dreams come true when R&B superstar Korey Fields takes her under his wing.
What happens: As Korey's behavior becomes disturbing, Enchanted begins to fear the price of fame -- and that's before she wakes up with Korey's blood on her hands.
Is it for you? While Grown's unflinching look at abuse and exploitation might not be for everyone, readers in search of an intense, socially aware thriller won't be able to put it down. |
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| Cemetery Boys by Aiden ThomasWhat it's about: While trying to prove to his magically gifted family that he's a true brujo, gay trans guy Yadriel accidentally awakens the spirit of rebellious Julian, who wants Yadriel's help in finding his murderer.
Read it for: spellbinding urban fantasy, smoldering paranormal romance, an inclusive cast of characters, and an own voices perspective on growing up trans and Latinx.
For fans of: Zoraida Cordova's Brooklyn Brujas series. |
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New at Berkeley Public Library
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Early Departures
by Justin A. Reynolds
When the estranged best friend he blames for a fatal accident drowns, Jamal is given an unexpected chance to reconnect with his best friend and find closure through a temporary reanimation technology that allows his friend to come back to life for a short duration.
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Miss Meteor
by Tehlor Kay Mejia
A teen who secretly arrived with the meteor that gave her small hometown its name discovers that she is turning back into stardust and teams up with her best friend in an effort to secure her human existence by entering a local beauty pageant that has always been won by thin, blonde, white girls.
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I Kissed Alice
by Anna Birch
Fiercely competing for a coveted scholarship, Alabama Fine Arts Academy rivals Rhodes and Iliana discover unexpected feelings for one another while unknowingly collaborating on a graphic novel for an anonymous fan-fiction website.
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Girls Save the World in This One by Ash ParsonsLooking forward to the panels, photo ops and celebrity appearances at the ZombieCon fan convention, June and her girl-power friends discover that real zombies have taken over the event, prompting a daring plan to save the world. By the award-winning author of Still Waters.
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Facing the Sun
by Janice Lynn Mather
Weighing a terrible choice, four girls—including the daughter of a cancer patient, a talented dancer from a broken home, a rule-breaking poet and an oppressed artist—team up when a hotel developer purchases their beloved Caribbean beach.
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Watch Over Me
by Nina Lacour
A follow-up to the award-winning We Are Okay finds a newly graduated Mila emerging from foster care to accept a job on an isolated Northern California Coast farm where she confronts haunting memories and the traumas of her fellow residents.
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Smash It!
by Francina Simone
Challenging herself to overcome long-held insecurities at the beginning of her junior year, Liv lands an unexpected role in her high school’s hip-hopera production of Othello that helps launch her journey of self-empowerment.
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Every Body Looking
by Candice Iloh
A debut novel in verse follows the story of a mixed-heritage poet whose coming of age within the African diaspora is shaped by abuse at the hands of a cousin, her mother’s descent into addiction and her father’s efforts to create a Nigerian-inspired home in America.
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| City of Saints & Thieves by Natalie C. AndersonRevenge is mine: Tina lives by a strict set of self-imposed rules while working as a thief for a Kenyan street gang and planning the takedown of her mother's killer.
A risky partnership: When her plans go awry, Tina breaks a rule ("thieves don't have friends") in favor of a partnership that might reveal the truth about her mother's death.
Why you might like it: Smart, suspenseful, and gritty, City of Saints & Thieves will keep you riveted from the first page. |
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| The Gilded Wolves by Roshani ChokshiWelcome to: 1889 Paris, where the ancient, magical Order of Babel calls the shots, and disinherited Order member Severin is gathering a crew of talented misfits to pull off a heist that could change everything.
Read if for: high stakes, luxe settings, an inventive blend of magic and science, and richly drawn characters with intersecting identities.
For fans of: Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows. |
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| Invictus by Ryan GraudinWhat it's about: Born outside of time and rejected from the Corps of Central Time Travelers, 17-year-old Farway "Far" Gaius McCarthy has his work cut out for him as captain of the Invictus, traveling back in time to steal antiquities from history.
Who it's for: Told in the alternating voices of Far's diverse crew of friends, this "rollicking, bombshell-laden adventure" (Kirkus Reviews) is sure to hook fans of quirky, Doctor Who-style science fiction. |
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| Death Prefers Blondes by Caleb RoehrigStarring: unruly heiress and paparazzi darling Margo Manning, who moonlights as a cat burglar with a talented crew of drag queens -- until an especially risky job threatens to destroy the whole team.
Read it for: biting humor, clever pop culture references, high drama, and even higher stakes.
For fans of: Ally Carter's Heist Society series, as well as Oceans 11-style heist movies. |
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| Lies I Told by Michelle ZinkStarring: 17-year-old Grace, adopted into a family of con artists.
What happens: Grace loves her family, and is a talented participant in their long cons and complicated heists. Recently, though, her brother's doubts -- not to mention her steamy romance with her latest mark -- are leading her to question her loyalty.
Don't miss: the sequel, Promises I Made -- you'll want to have it on hand after finishing this twisty, character-driven thriller. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books for age 14 and up!
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