Staff Picks Young Adult Fiction

A Door in the Dark

by Scott Reintgen

Ren has spent her whole life trying to prove that she is something more than a poor girl from the wrong side of town. She has perfected her magic and is one of the top students at school. The last thing she needs is for one of the “big” families to offer her a job. Yet, despite all of her efforts, she has no takers. Then a portal spell malfunctions, sending her and some of her classmates into the deadly wilderness. Upon arrival, one student is dead, and one of the other students is the cause. Will Ren be able to get herself and the other students to safety? Will they figure out which one of them is a killer before it’s too late? Everyone has secrets, but some of them are more deadly than others.

Recommended by: Erin Faxel, Youth Services Teen Librarian

Posted in: Young Adult Fiction

Survive the Dome

by Kosoko Jackson

Jamal only wanted to go to Baltimore to photograph a protest. He ended up becoming trapped in militarized dome instead. He meets Marco and Catherine, who both have special skills, and are more than they seem. Together they need to fight to survive and show the world what is really happening inside the dome.

This book is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby as an ebook.

Recommended by: Erin Faxel, Youth Services Teen Librarian

Posted in: Young Adult Fiction

Catching Jordan

by Miranda Kenneally

Jordan leads her High School Tennessee football team as their quarterback. She has big dreams of making it to a high ranked college team, and even being the first female pro player. She is one of the best players in Tennessee…. That is until a new boy shows up wanting to take her spot. Not only is Ty an amazing quarterback who wants to play on her team, but he’s also hot. He’s the first guy Jordan really likes. Will she be able to keep her head in the game and get on her number one pick college team? Or will she follow her heart?

This book is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby as an ebook.

Recommended by: Erin Faxel, Youth Services Teen Librarian

Posted in: Young Adult Fiction

We Are All So Good At Smiling

by Amber McBride

We all smile. We smile when we’re happy, but we can also smile when we want to hide our true feelings. As if wearing a mask. For Whimsy and Faerry smiling has been a way to conceal their feelings to the world. They find each other and bond through trauma that changed their lives as they embark on a journey through the magical dark forest at the edge of their town.

This book is in the library, on OverDrive/Libby as an ebook and e audiobook, and Hoopla as an e audiobook.

Recommended by: Ayla Franco, Youth Services Youth Services Assistant

Posted in: Young Adult Fiction

Lunar New Year Love Story

by Gene Luen Yang

Valentina is being raised by her single father. She has a best friend, Bernice, and soon she has a boyfriend as well. He seems perfect at first: handsome, from a wealthy family and full of compliments. However, Valentina is haunted by the idea that her family is unlucky in love. When she becomes a lion dancer, she learns much more than just dancing. After a very surprising climax, Valentina finally listens to her heart. 

Recommended by: Becky McCormack, Youth Services Assistant Manager

Posted in: Young Adult Fiction

Hope Ablaze

by SARAH MUGHAL Rana

Nida is the niece of famous Poet Mamou Abdul-Hafeedh. Just like her uncle she shares a passion for writing poetry but she’s very afraid of the insurgence of Islamophobia due to 9/11 that landed her uncle in federal prison for being “radical” with his poetry. When she falls victim to illegal frisking at a Democratic Senatorial candidate’s political rally, she takes all the feelings of injustice and anger and makes a poem that might attract more attention than she expected.

Recommended by: Ayla Franco, Youth Services Assistant

Posted in: Young Adult Fiction

The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich

by Deya Muniz

Lady Camembert disguises herself as Count Camembert in order to inherit her late Father’s money. Women after all, aren’t allowed to inherit that type of thing. She moves to the capital so that she can hide amongst the crowds. Keeping the disguise up is hard though, especially when she falls for the Princess who just happens to become one of her best friends. As the two grow closer, what will happen when the Princess discovers Camembert’s secret? Will the lie destroy the friendship? Or will love be in the air?

This book is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby as an ebook.

Recommended by: Erin Faxel, Youth Services Teen Librarian

Posted in: Young Adult Fiction

The Obsession

by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Logan is obsessed with Delilah. He learns everything he can about her by going through all of her social media posts, following her, and even putting up hidden cameras outside of her house. He thinks that he’s romantic and that he is her protector. When he catches Delilah killing her mom’s abusive boyfriend one day, he realizes that he can use that to keep Delilah close to him forever. After all, he knows her deepest darkest secret. Or does he?  Delilah is over men controlling her, and will do whatever it takes to make Logan stop stalking her. She has other secrets after all. Ones that even Logan doesn’t know about. And she will do whatever it takes to keep them.

Recommended by: Erin Faxel, Youth Services Teen Librarian

Posted in: Young Adult Fiction

Forestborn

by Elayne Audrey Becker

Shifters, those with the ability to change their physical characteristics to match any human as well as possessors of three unique animal forms, are feared. In the world of Alemara, there is a growing divide between magical beings and humanity. Rora, a spy for the Telyan king is given an unconventional task: to journey to find a cure for the “Fallow Throes,” a disease that is plaguing humanity. Alongside her beloved brother, Helos and mistrustful crown prince, Weslyn; Rora must return to the dangerous land she ran away from as a child. Elayne Audrey Becker weaves Rora’s journey with thrilling adventures, political intrigue and quiet self-discovery amidst a beautifully realized fantasy world. Readers will find through the well-written characters and their struggles and triumphs alike that magic is not to be feared, but cherished.

Recommended by: Alex Pappas, Youth Services Reference Librarian

Posted in: Young Adult Fiction

Creep: A Love Story

by Lygia Day Peñaflor

Lanny and Nico are the perfect popular couple. They seem to have everything…. Including a stalker. Rafi is obsessed with the couple. She follows them, photographs them, and sets up special events for them. She becomes their “friend”… at least in her mind she does. She even goes as far as becoming Nico’s little sister’s babysitter just so that she can be in his house. As she falls deeper and deeper into her obsession, what will happen if the perfect couple isn’t so perfect after all? What if they break up? Rafi will do anything to keep that from happening, but how far is too far?

Recommended by: Erin Faxel, Youth Services Teen Librarian

Posted in: Young Adult Fiction