Staff Picks Young Adult Fiction
December 2019
Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World
by Ashley Herring Blake
This book begins with the destruction of the Aberdeen house by a tornado. It proceeds as a coming of age story with Ivy dealing with her family’s displacement, friend issues and her sexual awakening as a lesbian.
Recommended by: Becky McCormack, Youth Services Assistant Manager
Posted in: Young Adult Fiction
Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances
by John Green, Maureen Johnson, & Lauren Myracle
The three stories, all written by popular young adult authors, intertwine with one another throughout the different settings of Gracetown including a broken-down train, a Waffle House, and snow globe store. As you read the stories, the connections between the characters will surprise you. Not to mention, Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances is laugh out loud funny (seriously, I did quite often) and is sure to put you in the holiday spirit. Let It Snow is now also a movie on Netflix. Read this one before to watch the movie to compare the two.
Recommended by: Brandi Smits, Youth Services Manager
Posted in: Young Adult Fiction
Monday’s Not Coming
by Tiffany D. Jackson
When Claudia comes back from visiting family over the summer, she can’t wait to catch up with her best friend, Monday Charles. When Monday’s phone goes to voice mail, she senses something weird is going on. When Monday doesn’t show up for school, Claudia is really worried. Monday’s mom says she’s being homeschooled, but conflicting stories about her whereabouts throw up some more red flags. None of the adults seem worried about Monday’s bizarre disappearance, but Claudia will not stop trying to figure out where her best friend is. Told in a nonlinear fashion with trips to the past and the present, this mystery will keep you hooked with a satisfyingly thrilling ending.
Recommended by: Brandi Smits, Youth Services Manager
Posted in: Young Adult Fiction
October 2019
The Call
by Peadar O'Guilin
A long time ago, the people of Ireland banished the fae known as the Sídhe to another world. Now the Sídhe are back, and taking revenge by kidnapping teenagers to take part in a brutal hunt known as The Call. If they can survive twenty-four hours, these young men and women can return home. But if they’re caught, only horror awaits. Nessa Doherty knows she could be Called at any time, but unlike the others she is determined to survive. An engrossing mix of thrills, horror, mystery, and fantasy, this book is perfect for fans of dark fairy tales or those looking for a haunting read for Halloween.
Recommended by: DeAnna DeHoff, InterLibrary Loan Assistant
Posted in: Young Adult Fiction
August 2019
Letters to the Lost
by Brigid Kemmerer
An amazing realistic romance that will leave readers wanting to know more! Juliet writes letters to her mother and leaves them at her grave. Declan isn’t the sort of guy you want to cross. In the midst of his court-ordered community service at the local cemetery he reads a haunting letter left beside a grave, and can’t resist writing back. Soon, he’s opening up to a perfect stranger, and their connection is immediate. Neither Declan nor Juliet knows that they’re not actually strangers. When life at school interferes with their secret life of letters, sparks fly as they discover truths that might tear them apart.
Recommended by: Erin Faxel, Teen Librarian
Posted in: Young Adult Fiction
July 2019
Somewhere Only We Know
by Maurene Goo
Being a K-pop star is not as glamorous and some might think. For Lucky, she is the biggest K-pop star on the scene. After performing her hit song “Heartbeat” in Hong Kong to a crowd of adoring fans, she is about to debut in America on “The Tonight Show”. And even though she is hoping for a breakout performance for her career she is also dying for a hamburger. While Lucky is staying at a fancy hotel determined to find a hamburger Jack, on assignment for his tabloid job, sneaks in. When their worlds collide nothing will ever be the same.
Recommended by: April Balasa, Patron Services Clerk
Posted in: Young Adult Fiction
The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender
by Leslye Walton
Ava was born with a sparrow’s wings, but does not fly. Her twin does not speak and spends his life drawing maps. Ava initially remains within the house, but soon makes friends with a local girl and her brother. It is from there that she learns to embrace her identity and begins to understand the trials and values of humanity. The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender is a difficult book to describe, however Walton’s writing style is so inviting and comfortable that it feels like a warm blanket of words which is reason enough to give it a shot.
Recommended by: Brandi Smits, Youth Services Manager
Posted in: Young Adult Fiction
June 2019
Falling Kingdoms
by Morgan Rhodes
Four teenagers hailing for three different kingdoms in the land of Mytica encounter a disruption in the trajectory of their lives after incidents occur connecting them all together. Falling Kingdoms is the first book in a series that is perfect for readers looking for something to dive into after the “Game of Thrones” TV show. Don’t get too connected to characters because no one is safe in Mytica. Rhodes constructs a fascinating world that provides you with characters that you want to root for in the beginning and curse at the end.
Recommended by: Brandi Smits, Youth Services Manager
Posted in: Young Adult Fiction
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