September 2018
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The applications for the 2019 Teen Board are open! And our reviews of IMPOSTORS, WILDCARD and more. No Images? Click here  September 24, 2018 Quick Links to Features on Teenreads.com Buying a book online? Use these links and support Teenreads.com!
 To All the Newsletters I've Sent BeforeWe're kicking off this newsletter with a reminder: We are now accepting applications to join the 2019 Teenreads Teen Board! If you are between the ages of 12 and 18 and love reading, writing and talking about new YA books, you should definitely apply! Click here or read on in this newsletter to learn more. In other really exciting news, the National Book Awards longlist for Young People's Literature was recently announced, and several amazing young adult authors made the cut! Congratulations to Elizabeth Acevedo (THE POET X), Bryan Bliss (WE'LL FLY AWAY), Jarrett J. Krosoczka (HEY, KIDDO), Tahereh Mafi (A VERY LARGE EXPANSE OF SEA), Joy McCullough (BLOOD WATER PAINT), Elizabeth Partridge (BOOTS ON THE GROUND: America’s War in Vietnam) and Vesper Stamper (WHAT THE NIGHT SINGS). We are also delighted to be kicking off Banned Books Week this week, a time when we celebrate our right and freedom to read and share ideas through books. The books we champion during Banned Books Week have all been removed or restricted from libraries and in schools, often very unfairly. Banned Books Week reminds us of the harms of censorship and allows us to highlight books from HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE all the way to THE HATE U GIVE, one of 2017's most banned books. If you are a librarian or educator who would like to share information about Banned Books Week with your teens, please click here for materials. ICYMI, the Netflix adaptation of Jenny Han's TO ALL THE BOYS I'VE LOVED BEFORE was a smash hit, and you can still barely scroll through Twitter (or read this newsletter) without seeing people talking about the film, using the fun "to all the ____ I've ____ before" format or swooning over Peter Kavinsky. If you're not ready to let go of one of the best YA rom-coms out there, don't miss this great interview with Jenny about seeing her book come to life. In other book adaptation news, the film based on THE HATE U GIVE has a new trailer and a new release date! The film will now open in limited release on October 5th, then expand the following week and go wide, which means it is in LOTS of theaters, on October 19th. The buzz around The Hate U Give has been incredible, and the book is getting new life from all of the interest. This week, Barnes & Noble announced that it will hold a Young Adult Book Club discussion of the book in select stores on October 4th. Click here to find out if your local B&N is participating and sign up. While you get ready for the B&N discussion or movie release, click here to see a discussion guide we recently added to the site for THE HATE U GIVE. Whether you'll be joining a group to talk or watch, or just can't stop thinking about this incredible book yourself, these questions will definitely help you wrap up your thoughts on Angie Thomas' acclaimed debut. If you heard screaming last week, it was me reacting to news that the BBC adaptation of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials not only has been given a second season (before the first one even aired!) but also has been acquired by HBO for worldwide distribution. In other words, THIS IS GOING TO BE AMAZING! In our last newsletter, I talked a lot about SADIE by Courtney Summers, which is finally in stores. I've been raving about this book for months now, and it is so exciting to see it release into the world. Yesterday, we learned that SADIE is officially a New York Times bestseller, so if you haven't checked it out yet, don't wait! In celebration of the release of SADIE, we interviewed Courtney about writing about missing girls, found families and podcasts. Click here to see her answers, and read on to see this book in our latest Ultimate Reading List update. ICYMI check out the podcast inspired by the book here. I am so excited that fall is finally here, and my reading list proves it: I started the month with A ROOM AWAY FROM THE WOLVES, a luscious, vivid ghost story from the brilliant Nova Ren Suma, which we'll be reviewing in our next newsletter. Then I read THE GOOD DEMON by debut author Jimmy Cajoleas, which tells the story of Clare, a girl who has been exorcised from a demon and now will do anything to get her demon back. Now I am reading both THE LANTERN'S EMBER by Colleen Houck, (Halloweenworld meets The Legend of Sleepy Hollow in a steampunk world; sooooo good) and WHAT THE WOODS KEEP by Katya de Becerra (VERY scary story about a girl who is forced to revisit her childhood home and uncover its dark secrets). If you're sensing a theme here, you're right, I'm desperately witching for it to be Halloween! One of our Teen Board members, Grace P., had a great bookish month as she attended the Decatur Book Festival in Decatur, Georgia. You can read her write-up of the event here. For those of you who also enjoy going to book festivals, here are some happening from now until the end of October: September: Fredericksburg, VA: Fredericksburg Independent Book Festival Chattanooga, Tennessee: YA-hoo Fest Costa Mesa, CA: Orange County Children’s Book Festival October: Austin, TX: Texas Teen Book Festival Fairfax, VA: Fall for the Book Festival Morristown, NJ: Morristown Festival of Books Nashville, TN: Southern Festival of Books Sheboygan, WI: Sheboygan Teen Book Festival Bowling Green, Kentucky: YAS Book Con Greenville, SC: Read Up, Greenville Cincinatti, OH: Books by the Banks Naperville, Illinois: Anderson’s Young Adult Literature Conference Las Vegas, NV: Las Vegas Book Festival Pickerington, Ohio: Pickerington Teen Book Festival Austin, TX: Texas Book Festival Be sure to check out the latest additions to our Ultimate Reading List and this month's Books on Screen and Guy-Brary features below. Note: We will only be sending out one newsletter this month. We'll be back in your inbox in October. Happy reading, --- Rebecca Munro (rebecca@bookreporter.com)  Apply to Join the 2019 Teenreads Teen Board!We are looking for 50 teens between the ages of 13 and 18 years old who are passionate about books and committed to contributing to Teenreads.com to be a part of our January 2019 - December 2019 Teen Board! This year, we would especially like to hear from teens who are active on social media, especially through Bookstagram, BookTube or their own personal book blogs. Please note that our application is only open to US residents at this time. Applications are due by 9:00 AM EST on Friday, October 12th to apply to be on the Teen Board from January to December 2019. 
Ultimate Reading List: Our MUST-Reads for September:
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September's Books on Screen roundup includes the feature films God Bless the Broken Road, Unbroken: Path to Redemption, The House with a Clock in its Walls, Little Women and The Old Man & the Gun; the TV film The Bad Seed; and the DVD releases of Adrift.
September's Books to Add to Your Guy-Brary Bookshelf
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Our September Guy-Brary selections include Sara Farizan's HERE TO STAY, which follows high school basketball star Bijan Majidi, who is bullied because of his ethnicity; AMERICAN ROAD TRIP by Patrick Flores-Scott, a heart-wrenching coming-of-age story about three siblings who embark on a road trip; and the first book of Alex London's Skybound Saga, BLACK WINGS BEATING, a fantasy story about a falconer and his twin sister who must undergo a treacherous journey to find the greatest bird of all, the Ghost Eagle.
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More New Reviews
ESCAPING FROM HOUDINI (Stalking Jack the Ripper) by Kerri Maniscalco (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, narrated by Nicola Barber.
Audrey Rose Wadsworth and her partner-in-crime-investigation, Thomas Cresswell, are en route to New York. Embarking on a week-long voyage across the Atlantic on the opulent RMS Etruria, they're delighted to discover a traveling troupe of circus performers, fortune tellers and a charismatic young escape artist entertaining the first-class passengers nightly. But then, privileged young women begin to go missing, and a series of brutal slayings shocks the entire ship. It's up to Audrey Rose and Thomas to piece together the gruesome investigation. But with clues to the next victim pointing to someone she loves, can Audrey Rose unravel the mystery before the killer's horrifying finale? Reviewed by Caitlyn K., Teen Board Member.
STRANGE GRACE by Tessa Gratton (Fantasy)
Audiobook available, narrated by Amy McFadden.
Long ago, a village made a bargain with the devil: to ensure their prosperity, when the Slaughter Moon rises, the village must sacrifice a young man into the depths of the Devil’s Forest. Only this year, the Slaughter Moon has risen early. Bound by duty, secrets and the love they share for one another, Mairwen, a spirited witch; Rhun, the expected saint; and Arthur, a restless outcast, will each have a role to play as the devil demands a body to fill the bargain. But the devil these friends find is not the one they expect, and the lies they uncover will turn their town --- and their hearts --- inside out. Reviewed by Maya Gittelman.
THE GOOD DEMON by Jimmy Cajoleas (Horror)
Audiobook available, narrated by Reba Buhr.
It wasn’t technically an exorcism, what they did to Clare. When the reverend and his son ripped her demon from her, they called it a “deliverance.” But they didn’t understand that Clare and her demon --- known simply as Her --- were like sisters. She comforted Clare, made her feel brave, helped to ease her loneliness. They were each other’s Only. Clare will do anything to get Her back, even if it means teaming up with the reverend’s son and scouring every inch of her small, Southern town for answers. But if she sacrifices everything to bring back her demon, what will be left of Clare? Reviewed by Olivia W., Teen Board Member.
THE DEEPEST ROOTS by Miranda Asebedo (Fantasy)
For the past century, every girl in Cottonwood Hollow has been born with a special talent, like the ability to Fix any object, Heal any wound or Find what is missing. To best friends Rome, Lux and Mercy, their abilities often feel more like a curse. Rome may be able to Fix anything she touches, but that won’t help her mom pay rent. Lux’s ability to attract any man with a smile has always meant danger. And although Mercy can make Enough of whatever is needed, even that won’t help when her friendship with Rome and Lux is tested. Reviewed by Ilona K., Teen Board Member.
MARY SHELLEY: The Strange True Tale of Frankenstein's Creator by Catherine Reef (Biography)
On the 200th anniversary of the publication of FRANKENSTEIN, comes a riveting biography of its author, Mary Shelley, whose life reads like a dark gothic novel, filled with scandal, death, drama and one of the strangest love stories in literary history. Mary ran away to Lake Geneva with the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley when she was just 16. It was there, during a cold and wet summer, that she first imagined her story about a mad scientist who brought a corpse back to life. Success soon followed for Mary, but also great tragedy and misfortune. Reviewed by Olivia W., Teen Board Member.
THE UNWANTED: Stories of the Syrian Refugees by Don Brown (Nonfiction Graphic Novel)
Starting in 2011, refugees flood out of war-torn Syria in Exodus-like proportions. The surprising flood of victims overwhelms neighboring countries, and chaos follows. Resentment in host nations heightens as disruption and the cost of aid grows. By 2017, many want to turn their backs on the victims. The refugees are the unwanted. Don Brown depicts moments of both heartbreaking horror and hope in the ongoing Syrian refugee crisis. Shining a light on the stories of the survivors, THE UNWANTED is a testament to the courage and resilience of the refugees and a call to action for all those who read. Reviewed by Marco M., Teen Board Member.
TWICE DEAD (The Necromancer's Song) by Caitlin Seal (Fantasy)
Naya, the daughter of a sea merchant captain, nervously undertakes her first solo trading mission in the necromancer-friendly country bordering her homeland of Talmir. Unfortunately, she's struck down in the streets of Ceramor. Murdered. But death is not the end for Naya. She awakens to realize she's been resurrected in order to become a spy for her country. Reluctantly, she assumes the face and persona of a servant girl named Blue. She never intended to become embroiled in political plots, kidnapping and murder. Or to fall in love with the young man and former necromancer she is destined to betray. Reviewed by Ilona K., Teen Board Member.
SUMMER BIRD BLUE by Akemi Dawn Bowman (Contemporary Fiction)
Audiobook available, narrated by Em Eldridge.
There is one thing Rumi Seto is absolutely sure of --- she wants to spend the rest of her life writing music with her younger sister, Lea.Then Lea dies in a car accident, and her mother sends her away to live with her aunt in Hawaii while she deals with her own grief. With the help of the “boys next door” --- a teenage surfer named Kai, who smiles too much and doesn’t take anything seriously, and an eighty-year-old named George Watanabe, who succumbed to his own grief years ago --- Rumi will attempt to find her way back to her music, to write the song she and Lea never had the chance to finish. Reviewed by Jessica Cozzi.
THE LANTERN'S EMBER by Colleen Houck (Fantasy)
Five hundred years ago, Jack made a deal with the devil. Now he must fulfill his sentence as a Lantern, one of the watchmen who guard the portals to the Otherworld, a realm crawling with nightmarish creatures. Jack has spent centuries jumping from town to town,but then he meets Ember O'Dare. Seventeen, stubborn and a natural-born witch, Ember feels a strong pull to the Otherworld. When she crosses into the forbidden plane with the help of a mysterious and debonair vampire, Jack must do everything in his power to get her back where she belongs before both the earthly and unearthly worlds descend into chaos. Reviewed by Caitlyn K., Teen Board Member.
ATTACK OF THE 50 FOOT WALLFLOWER written by Christian McKay Heidicker with illustrations by Sam Bosma (Science Fiction)
Phoebe Lane is a lightning rod for monsters. She and her mom are forced to flee flesh-eating plants, blobs from outer space, and radioactive ants. They survive thanks to Phoebe’s dad --- an invisible titan, whose giant eyes warn them where the next monster attack will take place. All Phoebe wants is to stop running from motel to motel and start living a monster-free life in New York or Paris. But when her mom mysteriously vanishes, Phoebe is left to fend for herself in small-town Pennybrooke. That's when Phoebe starts to transform… Reviewed by Lauren C., Teen Board Member.
KINGDOM OF ASH AND BRIARS by Hannah West (Fantasy)
Bristal, a 16-year-old kitchen maid, finds herself in a gritty fairy tale gone wrong when she discovers she has elicromancer magic in her blood. Elicromancers are an ancient breed of immortal people, but only two remain in Nissera after a bloody civil war. Bristal joins their ranks without knowing that one of them, Tamarice, is plotting a quest to overthrow the realm's nobility. Together, Bristal and Brack must guard the three kingdoms of Nissera against Tamarice's black elicromancy. There are princesses to protect, royal alliances to forge and fierce monsters to battle --- all with the hope of preserving peace. Reviewed by Ilona K., Teen Board Member.
THE KNIFE OF NEVER LETTING GO (Chaos Walking) by Patrick Ness (Science Fiction)
Audiobook available, narrated by Nick Podehl.
Todd Hewitt is the only boy in a town of men. Ever since the settlers were infected with the Noise germ, Todd can hear everything the men think and they can hear everything he thinks. Todd is just a month away from becoming a man, but he knows that the town is hiding something from him --- something so awful that Todd is forced to flee with only his dog, whose simple, loyal voice he hears too. With hostile men from the town in pursuit, the two stumble upon a strange and eerily silent creature: a girl. Who is she? Why wasn't she killed by the germ like all the other females on New World?
PEOPLE KILL PEOPLE by Ellen Hopkins (Contemporary Fiction/Novel-in-Verse)
A gun is sold in the classifieds after killing a spouse, bought by a teenager for needed protection. But which was it? Each has the incentive to pick up a gun, to fire it. Was it Rand or Cami, married teenagers with a young son? Was it Silas or Ashlyn, members of a white supremacist youth organization? Daniel, who fears retaliation because of his race, who possessively clings to Grace, the love of his life? Or Noelle, who lost everything after a devastating accident, and has sunk quietly into depression? One tense week brings all six people into close contact in a town wrought with political and personal tensions. Someone will fire. And someone will die. But who? Reviewed by Gabby B., Teen Board Member.
BURIED BENEATH THE BAOBAB TREE written by Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani with an afterword Viviana Mazza (Contemporary Fiction)
Audiobook available, narrated by Robin Miles.
A new pair of shoes, a university degree, a husband --- these are the things that a girl dreams of in a Nigerian village. And with a government scholarship right around the corner, everyone can see that these dreams aren’t too far out of reach. But the girl’s dreams turn to nightmares when her village is attacked by Boko Haram, a terrorist group, in the middle of the night. Kidnapped, she is taken with other girls and women into the forest where she is forced to follow her captors’ radical beliefs and watch as her best friend slowly accepts everything she’s been told. Still, the girl defends her existence. As impossible as escape may seem, her life --- her future --- is hers to fight for. Reviewed by Ilona K., Teen Board Member.
NOT EVEN BONES by Rebecca Schaeffer (Fantasy/Horror)
Nita doesn’t murder supernatural beings and sell their body parts on the internet --- her mother does that. Nita just dissects the bodies after they’ve been “acquired.” Until her mom brings home a live specimen and Nita decides she wants out; dissecting a scared teenage boy is a step too far. But when she decides to save her mother’s victim, she ends up sold in his place --- because Nita herself isn’t exactly “human.” She has the ability to alter her biology, a talent that is priceless on the black market. Now on the other side of the bars, if she wants to escape, Nita must ask herself if she’s willing to become the worst kind of monster. Reviewed by Jena Brown.
WHEN ELEPHANTS FLY by Nancy Richardson Fischer (Contemporary Fiction)
Audiobook available, narrated by Caitlin Davies.
When Lily Decker was seven, her mother, who had paranoid schizophrenia, tried to kill her. A secret has revealed that Lily’s odds for inheriting the disorder are even worse than she thought. Still, there’s a chance to avoid triggering the mental health condition, if Lily can live a careful life from ages 18 to 30, when schizophrenia most commonly manifests. But when a newspaper internship results in Lily witnessing a mother elephant try to kill her three-week-old calf, Swifty, Lily can’t abandon the story or the calf. With Swifty in danger of dying from grief, Lily must choose whether to risk everything, including her sanity and a first love, on a desperate road trip to save the calf’s life, perhaps finding her own version of freedom along the way. Reviewed by Rachel R., Teen Board Member.
IGNITE THE STARS by Maura Milan (Science Fiction)
No one realizes that notorious outlaw Ia Cōcha is a 17 year-old girl. A criminal mastermind and unrivaled pilot, Ia has spent her life terrorizing the Olympus Commonwealth, the imperialist nation that destroyed her home. When the Commonwealth captures her and her identity is exposed, they see Ia’s age and talent as an opportunity: by forcing her to serve them, they will prove that no one is beyond their control. Soon, Ia is trapped at the Commonwealth’s military academy, desperately plotting her escape. But new acquaintances cause Ia to question her own alliances. Can she find a way to escape the Commonwealth’s clutches before these bonds deepen? Reviewed by Jessica K., Teen Board Member.
MEET THE SKY by McCall Hoyle (Romance)
Audiobook available, narrated by Morgan Fairbanks.
It all started with the accident. The one that caused Sophie’s dad to walk out of her life. The one that left Sophie’s older sister, Meredith, barely able to walk at all. With nothing but pain in her past, all Sophie wants is to plan for the future. But when a hurricane forms off the coast of North Carolina’s Outer Banks and heads right toward their island, Sophie realizes nature is one thing she can’t control. After she gets separated from her family during the evacuation, Sophie finds herself trapped on the island withthe reckless and wild Finn Sanders. He may be the perfect person to remind Sophie how to embrace life again, but only if their newfound friendship can survive the storm. Reviewed by Grace P., Teen Board Member.
OH MY GOTH by Gena Showalter (Fantasy)
Audiobook available, narrated by Katie Koster.
Years ago, a tragic accident robbed me of my mother and emotions. Because I find beauty in darkness and thrive outside social norms, I’ve been labeled a “freak” at school. I know my continued apathy hurts my loved ones, but I’m not about to change. Then I wake up in an alternate reality…and Goth is in. I’m considered cool, and my archenemy is the freak. But my real friends won’t talk to me...and the new boy is getting under my skin. As my world spins out of control, I’m desperate to return to normal. But the more time that passes, the less I’m sure what “normal” really is. Reviewed by Becky N., Teen Board Member.
THE OPPOSITE OF INNOCENT by Sonya Sones (Novel-in-Verse)
Lily was only 12 when Luke, a family friend, left. But now, at 14, she feels transformed. She can’t wait to see how Luke will react when he sees the new her. And when her mother tells her that Luke will be staying with them for a while, in the bedroom right next to hers, her heart nearly stops. Having Luke back is better than Lily could have ever dreamed. But then, when they’re alone, he kisses her. Then he kisses her again. Lily’s friends think anyone his age who wants to be with a 14-year-old must be really messed up. Maybe even dangerous. But Luke would never do anything to hurt her...would he? Reviewed by Tejaswi S., Teen Board Member.
THE 48 by Donna Hosie (Historical Thriller)
Twins Charlie and Alex Taylor are the newest time travelers recruited to The 48, a clandestine military group in charge of manipulating history. The brothers arrive in 1536 feeling confident, but the Tudor court is not all banquets and merriment: it is a deep well of treachery, torture, lust, intrigue and suspicion. The boys' mission to prevent Henry VIII from marrying Jane Seymour is further complicated when Alice, a fellow trainee, appears under mysterious and brutal circumstances --- and when whispers of an uprising within the 48 reach their ears. Reviewed by Jena Brown.
TEN AFTER CLOSING by Jessica Bayliss (Fiction)
10PM: Closing time at Café Flores. The door should be locked, but it isn't, Scott Bradley and Winsome Sommervil are about to become hostages. TEN MINUTES BEFORE CLOSING: Scott's girlfriend breaks up with him in the café's basement storeroom. Meanwhile, Winny wanted one night to let loose, but instead she's stranded at the café after her best friend ditches her in a misguided attempt at matchmaking. TEN MINUTES AFTER CLOSING: The first gunshot is fired. Someone's dead. And if Winny, Scott and the rest of the hostages don't come up with a plan soon, they may not live to see morning. Reviewed by Ellie T., Teen Board Member.
MOXIE by Jennifer Mathieu (Contemporary Fiction)
Audiobook available, narrated by Suzy Jackson.
Vivian Carter is fed up. Fed up with an administration at her high school that thinks the football team can do no wrong. Fed up with sexist dress codes, hallway harassment, and gross comments from guys during class. But most of all, Viv Carter is fed up with always following the rules. Viv's mom was a tough-as-nails, punk rock Riot Grrrl in the '90s, and now Viv takes a page from her mother's past and creates a feminist zine that she distributes anonymously to her classmates. She's just blowing off steam, but other girls respond. Reviewed by Ansley K., Teen Board Member.
FOUR WEEKS, FIVE PEOPLE by Jennifer Yu (Contemporary Fiction)
Audiobook available, narrated by Carly Robins, Stephanie Einstein, James Fouhey, Jesse Einstein and Nick Banner.
Obsessive-compulsive teen Clarissa wants to get better, if only so her mother will stop asking her if she's okay. Andrew wants to overcome his eating disorder so he can get back to his band and their dreams of becoming famous. Film aficionado Ben would rather live in the movies than in reality. Gorgeous and overly confident Mason thinks everyone is an idiot. And Stella just doesn't want to be back for her second summer of wilderness therapy. As the five teens get to know one another and work to overcome the various disorders that have affected their lives. Reviewed by Lillian B., Teen Board Member.
THAT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENED by Kody Keplinger (Contemporary Fiction)
Audiobook available, narrated by Whitney Dykhouse, Megan Tusing, Almarie Guerra, Carly Robins, Ron Butler and Scott Lange.
It's been three years since the Virgil County High School Massacre. Three years since my best friend, Sarah, was killed in a bathroom stall during the mass shooting. Everyone knows Sarah's story --- that she died proclaiming her faith. But it's not true. I know because I was with her when she died. I didn't say anything then, and people got hurt because of it. Now Sarah's parents are publishing a book about her, so this might be my last chance to set the record straight...but I'm not the only survivor with a story to tell about what did --- and didn't --- happen that day. Reviewed by Olivia W., Teen Board Member.
MIRAGE by Somaiya Daud (Science Fiction)
Audiobook available, narrated by Rasha Zamamiri.
In a world dominated by the brutal Vathek empire, Amani is a dreamer. But when adventure comes for Amani, it is not what she expects: she is kidnapped and taken to the royal palace, where she discovers that she is nearly identical to the cruel half-Vathek Princess. The princess is so hated by her conquered people that she requires a body double. As Amani is forced into her new role, she can’t help but enjoy the palace’s beauty and her time with the princess’ fiancé. But Amani must play the princess to perfection...because one wrong move could lead to her death. Reviewed by Ilona K., Teen Board Member.
HIDDEN PIECES by Paula Stokes (Thriller)
Embry Woods has secrets. Some are small, like her complicated past. Others are bigger, like her feelings for best friend’s ex-boyfriend, Holden. But the biggest secret she carries is about what they did at the abandoned Sea Cliff Inn and the resulting terrible fire. Embry helps a homeless man escape from the flames and is immediately hailed as a hero. Wracked with guilt, Embry thinks she can take one last secret to her grave. But then she receives an anonymous note and must respond to a series of threatening messages asking her to make impossible choices. Someone is playing a high-stakes game with her life. And their last move is murder. Reviewed by Abigail D., Teen Board Member.
IN ANOTHER TIME by Caroline Leech (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available.
It’s 1942, and as the war rages in Europe, Maisie McCall is in the Scottish Highlands swinging an axe for the Women’s Timber Corps and relishing her newfound independence working alongside lumberjacks like John Lindsay. As Maisie and John work on felling trees together, Maisie can’t help but feel that they have more than a friendship, but every time she gets close to him, John pulls away. It’s not until Maisie rescues John from a terrible logging accident that he begins to open up to her about the truth of his past, and the pain he’s been hiding. Reviewed by Ellie T., Teen Board Member.
THE SACRIFICE BOX by Martin Stewart (Horror)
In the summer of 1982, five friends discover an ancient stone box hidden deep in the woods. They seal inside of it treasured objects from their childhoods, and they make a vow: Never come to the box alone. Never open it after dark. Never take back your sacrifice. Four years later, a series of strange and terrifying events begin to unfold: mirrors inexplicably shattering, inanimate beings coming to life, otherworldly crows thirsting for blood. Someone broke the rules of the box, and now everyone has to pay. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
THE PRODIGY by John Feinstein (Sports Fiction)
Audiobook available, narrated by John Feinstein.
Frank Baker is a golfing sensation. He’s set to earn a full-ride scholarship to play at the university of his choice, but his single dad wants him to skip college and turn pro. Frank knows he isn’t ready for life on the pro tour, so his swing coach enlists a professional golfer turned journalist to be Frank’s secret adviser. Pressure mounts when Frank wins an automatic invite to the Masters. Sponsors are lined up to throw money at him. But Frank’s entry in the Masters hinges on maintaining his standing as an amateur. Can he and his secret adviser keep Frank’s dad at bay to bring home the legendary green jacket? Reviewed by Alice D., Teen Board Member.
ACCESS RESTRICTED by Gregory Scott Katsoulis (Dystopian)
Audiobook available, narrated by Frankie Corzo.
On the day she went silent, Speth never meant for anyone to follow her lead in a rebellion of Silents. But after taking down the tyrant Silas Rog and freeing the city from his grasp, everyone is looking to Speth for answers. All she wants is to find her parents, who are shackled to a lifetime of servitude in exchange for a debt they can never repay. When the government threatens to restore the WiFi and take back the city, Speth is forced to flee with her friends. Together, they embark on a dangerous journey outside the dome they’ve lived in their entire lives. Reviewed by Jessica K., Teen Board Member.
LOSING THE FIELD by Abbi Glines (Fiction)
Audiobook available, narrated by Candace Thaxton and Cal Wembly.
Overweight and insecure, Tallulah Liddell preferred to fly under the radar so no one can hurt her. The only boy who did notice her was her longtime crush, Nash Lee. But when he laughs at a joke aimed at Tallulah the summer before their senior year, Tallulah’s love dissipates, and she becomes determined to lose weight. Nash is being scouted by division one colleges and on track to have a carefree senior year. But when an accident leaves him with a permanent limp, all of Nash’s plans are destroyed, leaving him bitter and angry. Facing a new school year with her new body, Tallulah is out to seek revenge on Nash’s cruelty. All does not go according to plan, though, and Tallulah and Nash unexpectedly find themselves falling for each other. But with all the pain resting in each of their hearts, can their love survive? Reviewed by Grace P., Teen Board Member.
THE RATTLED BONES by S. M. Parker (Horror)
Audiobook available, narrated by C.S.E. Cooney.
Maine-bred, independent Rilla Brae is no stranger to the deep. She knows the rhythms of hard work and harder seas. But when she experiences the sudden death of her father, the veil between the living and the dead blurs and she begins to be haunted by a girl on a nearby, uninhabited island. The girl floats a song over the waves, and it is as beautiful as it is terrifying. Familiar and distant. Then Rilla meets Sam, a University of Southern Maine archeology student tasked with excavating the very island where the ghostly girl has appeared. Reviewed by Maggie Dow.
TO BE HONEST by Maggie Ann Martin (Fiction)
Audiobook available, narrated by Eileen Stevens.
Savannah is dreading being home alone with her overbearing mother after her big sister goes off to college. But if she can just get through senior year, she'll be able to escape to college, too. What she doesn't count on is that her mother's obsession with weight has only grown deeper since her appearance on an extreme weight-loss show. But then she meets George, the cute new kid at school who has insecurities of his own. As Savvy and George grow closer, they help each other discover how to live in the moment and enjoy the here and now before it disappears. Reviewed by Brynn S., Teen Board Member.
THE TRUTH LIES HERE by Lindsey Klingele (Thriller)
In small town Michigan, Penny Hardjoy, an aspiring journalist, teams up with the nerdy boy next door and the town’s star quarterback to find her conspiracy theorist father after he goes missing and several other people turn up dead. The deeper she digs, the weirder things start to get. Townspeople repeat the same phrases. Men in black suits stroll around Main Street. Chunks of Penny's memory go missing. Pretty soon, her research leads her to the long-ago meteorite crash in Bone Lake’s woods, where she’s going to have to reconsider her definition of “real” to find answers. Reviewed by Bryn D., Teen Board Member.
FIERCE LIKE A FIRESTORM by Lana Popovic (Fantasy)
Iris and Malina thought they knew how to reverse the spell that destines them to use their gleams to entice and enchant Death himself. But both sisters thought wrong. Instead of ending the wicked bargain, Iris is taken to an uncanny realm between this world and the next. Left behind, Lina searches for a way to save Iris. But as Lina unearths the dark secrets that bind her family and Iris tries to outwit Death on his own terrain, a power resurfaces that even Mara, the original witch mother, fears. Now both sisters must learn to fully embrace their gleams --- or else they’ll truly lose each other forever. Reviewed by Brianna Robinson.
NIGHTBLOOD by Elly Blake (Fantasy)
Audiobook available, narrated by Jennifer English.
Ruby is in love with a powerful Frost King, she's the heir to the Fire Throne and she may be a Nightblood --- the spawn of a vengeful deity hellbent on releasing an army of shadowy wraiths. Once freed, these beasts will devour the spirits of every last person until he or she is nothing but an empty husk. Ruby is able to control the shadows to a degree, even hosting one in her own body. But will this tenuous connection be enough to hold the beasts back? With time running out, she must bring Frostbloods and Firebloods together to make a stand against an immortal foe more deadly than any she's faced. Reviewed by Grace P., Teen Board Member.
GIANT DAYS by Non Pratt, BOOM! Studios (Contemporary Fiction)
GIANT DAYS follows the hilarious and heartfelt misadventures of three university first-years: Daisy, the innocent home-schooled girl; Susan, the sardonic wit; and Esther, the vivacious drama queen. They become fast friends during their first week of university --- and it’s a good thing they do, because a friend who has your back is key --- something Daisy discovers when she gets a little too involved in her extracurricular club, the Yogic Brethren of Zoise. When she starts acting strange and life around campus gets even stranger, Esther and Susan decide it’s up to them to investigate the weirdness and save their friend. Reviewed by Marco M., Teen Board Member.
FLING CLUB by Tara Brown (Romance)
Audiobook available, narrated by Jeremy York and Claire Kilpatrick.
For the young, rich and beautiful, summertime in the Hamptons means one thing: Fling Club. Only this time, Cherry Kennedy won’t be selecting a boy for a fleeting romance. Nope, this season, Cherry is out for revenge. Her target? The Fling Club founder and society darling who slept with Cherry’s now-very-ex-boyfriend. All Cherry needs is the perfect guy for her plan...and Ashley Jardine can’t afford to refuse. He scored almost a full ride to MIT. But that almost still costs a lot. Here, rich girls rule the shore, and everyone has a role to play. Reviewed by Juliette G., Teen Board Member.
FRESH INK edited by Lamar Giles (Anthology)
Audiobook available, narrated by Guy Lockard, Kim Mai Guest, Bahni Turpin and various others.
Careful --- you are holding fresh ink. And not hot-off-the-press, still-drying-in-your-hands ink. Instead, you are holding 12 stories with endings that are still being written --- whose next chapters are up to you. Because these stories are meant to be read. And shared. Thirteen of the most accomplished YA authors deliver a label-defying anthology that includes 10 short stories, a graphic novel and a one-act play from Walter Dean Myers never before in-print. This collection addresses topics like gentrification, acceptance, untimely death, coming out and poverty and ranges in genre from contemporary realistic fiction to adventure and romance. Reviewed by Lillian B., Teen Board Member.
BONNIE AND CLYDE: The Making of a Legend by Karen Blumenthal (Biography)
Audiobook available, narrated by Gabra Zackman.
Bonnie and Clyde: we've been on a first name basis with them for almost 100 years. Immortalized in movies, songs and pop culture references, they are remembered mostly for their storied romance and tragic deaths. But what was life really like for Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker in the early 1930s? How did two dirt-poor teens from west Texas morph from vicious outlaws to legendary couple? And why? Reviewed by Sheridan Nunnery.
HOW TO BREATHE UNDERWATER by Vicky Skinner (Fiction)
Kate’s father has been pushing her to be the best swimmer she can be. But when Kate finds her dad cheating on her mom, Kate is forced to leave home. Faced with the prospect of starting over, Kate isn't so sure that swimming is what she wants anymore. When she decides to quit, her whole world seems to fall apart. But then Kate gets to know Michael, the cute boy that lives across the hall, and she starts to think that starting over might not be so bad. There's only one problem: Michael has a girlfriend. Reviewed by Jessica K., Teen Board Member.
MY LIFE UPLOADED by Rae Earl (Contemporary Fiction)
Hello! Millie Porter here. I’m posting this from a garden shed, because three so-called adults are in the house arguing over whether you can train penguins. You see, I moved in with my dad, granddad, and aunty to escape my mum’s neat freak boyfriend. The point is, this reality thing is HARD, so my BFF Lauren and I are taking it online to tell you how to handle it. We are going to make a difference with this vlog. You get to see me juggling real life, online life, and a cat intent on my destruction as it happens --- IRL. This is my life. Uploaded. Reviewed by Becky N., Teen Board Member.
PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS: The Lightning Thief Illustrated Edition written by Rick Riordan with illustrations by John Rocco (Fantasy)
When Zeus's master lightning bolt has been stolen, Percy Jackson is the prime suspect. Percy and his friends have just ten days to find Zeus's stolen property and bring peace to Mount Olympus. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the true thief: he must come to terms with the father who abandoned him; solve an Oracle's riddle; and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods. This deluxe gift edition of the internationally best-selling first book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, lavishly illustrated by series artist John Rocco, is a must-have for Riordan fans. Reviewed by Katherine Szabo.
THE CRESCENT STONE (The Sunlit Lands) by Matt Mikalatos (Fantasy)
Madeline Oliver has never wanted for anything, but now she would give anything just to breathe. Jason Wu skates through life on jokes, but when a tragedy leaves him guilt-stricken, he promises to tell only the truth, no matter the price. When a mysterious stranger name Hanali appears to Madeline and offers to heal her in exchange for one year of service to his people, Madeline and Jason are swept into a strange land where they don’t know the rules and where their decisions carry consequences that reach farther than they could ever guess. Reviewed by Jena Brown.
ILLEGAL written by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin with illustrations by Giovanni Rigano (Graphic Novel)
Ebo is alone. His brother, Kwame, has disappeared, and Ebo knows it can only be to attempt the hazardous journey to Europe, and a better life --- the same journey their sister set out on months ago. But Ebo refuses to be left behind in Ghana. He sets out after Kwame and joins him on the quest to reach Europe. Ebo's epic journey takes him across the Sahara Desert to the dangerous streets of Tripoli, and finally out to the merciless sea. But with every step he holds on to his hope for a new life, and a reunion with his family. Reviewed by Liz Sauchelli.
THE POINT by John Dixon (Science Fiction)
Audiobook available, narrated by Brittany Pressley.
Scarlett Winter has always been an outsider, and not only because she’s a hardcore daredevil and born troublemaker --- she has been hiding superhuman powers. Now she’s been recruited by a secret West Point unit for cadets with extraordinary abilities. With the power to control pure energy, she’s a human nuclear bomb --- and she’s not sure she can control her powers much longer. When a threat that endangers her fellow students arises from the school’s dark past, Scarlett must make a choice between being herself and becoming something even greater. Reviewed by Caitlyn K., Teen Board Member.
LET ME LIST THE WAYS by Sarah White (Romance)
Mackenzie Clark has been best friends with Nolan Walker for as long as she can remember. She’s shared everything with him and her journey with type 1 diabetes. The only thing she hasn’t shared is the fact that she is in love with him. Now in their senior year, Mackenzie and Nolan know that in a few short months everything will change as they head off to different colleges. They come up with a list of things they want to do together before graduation. Mackenzie can’t help feeling that she’s left the most important thing off the list: telling Nolan how she feels. Reviewed by Ashley D., Teen Board Member.
SCREAM SITE by Justina Ireland (Mystery)
Sabrina Sebastian's goal in life is to be an investigative reporter. For her first big story, she researches Scream Site, where people post scary videos and compete for the most "screams." While Sabrina's friends and her sister, Faith, talk nonstop about the videos, Sabrina just hopes that covering this trend will get her the internship she's wishing for. But as she digs into the truth behind the website, she begins to suspect that these aren't only aspiring actors and videographers at work. And when Faith goes missing, Sabrina must race against time to save her sister from becoming the next video "star." Reviewed by Janine Chouinard.
THE FUTURE WILL BE BS FREE by Will McIntosh (Dystopian Fiction)
In a Putin-esque near-future America, Sam and his friends have been using their free time to work on a tiny, undetectable, utterly reliable lie detector. For Theo, their visionary, it's about creating a world where no one can lie, and the honest will thrive. Just when they finish the prototype, Theo is found dead. Greedy companies, corrupt privatized police and even the president herself will stop at nothing to steal the Truth App. Sam sets his sights on exposing all lies and holding everyone accountable. But he and his friends quickly realize the costs of a BS-free world: the lives of loved ones, and political and economic stability. Reviewed by Rachel D., Teen Board Member.
NYXIA UNLEASHED by Scott Reintgen (Science Fiction)
Audiobook available, narrated by Sullivan Jones, Alex Romashov and Carol Monda.
Emmett Atwater thought Babel's game sounded easy. But it didn't take long for him to learn that Babel's competition was full of broken promises, none darker or more damaging than the last one. Now Emmett and the rest of the Genesis spaceship survivors must rally and forge their own path through a new world. Their mission from Babel is simple: extract nyxia, the most valuable material in the universe, and play nice with the indigenous Adamite population. But Emmett and the others quickly realize they are caught between two powerful forces ---- Babel and the Adamites --- with clashing desires. Reviewed by Taylor F., Teen Board Member.
TO PIECES by Kati Rocky (Contemporary Fiction)
Jane has always known she was different inside, and not in a good way. And when she undergoes her first bipolar episode, she begins a campaign to revolutionize her high school and rise up against its stifling social norms. She becomes the most talked about student, and her mission culminates with an outrageous school presidential election speech and subsequent hospitalization. Jane crawls her way back from the ledge and begins the healing process, but she won't return to school, where she's certain she'll be an outcast. But, a chance encounter with a former schoolmate leads her to reassess that decision --- and her whole life. Reviewed by Lillian B., Teen Board Member.
