As usual, my information comes from the Teens Read Too website, and the blurbs are from Amazon, Goodreads, the publishers, etc. I haven't read all these books, so sometimes I'm guessing about whether a book is sci fi/fantasy or not--please let me know if I've made a mistake, or left a new release out.
(I'm giving up on pictures, for the moment at least--too much work, too little time, and blogger gives me conniptions with layout. If you think that these lists are worth nothing without pictures, let me know so that I might find it worthwhile to make the effort again in the future!)
The Books for Middle Grade Readers (9-12 years old)
ALIENS ON VACATION by Clete Barrett Smith Scrub isn’t happy about leaving Florida and his friends to summer with his crazy grandmother in “Middle-of-Nowhere,” Washington. Arriving at her Intergalactic Bed & Breakfast, he isn’t surprised by its the-60’s-meets-Star-Wars décor, but he is surprised by the weird-looking guests. It turns out that each room in the inn is an off-earth portal and his grandma the gate-keeper, allowing aliens to vacation on Earth. Grandma desperately needs Scrub’s help monitoring the visitors, shopping for cartloads of aluminum-foil for dinner, and taking rambunctious alien kids, that glow-in-the-dark and look like trees, camping. The problem is, the town sheriff, already suspicious about Granny, is a scout leader camping in the same spot. Will Scrub blow Granny’s cover, forcing the B&B to shut down for good, or will the intergalactic police have to intervene?
BETWEEN TWO ENDS by David Ward When Yeats and his parents visit his grandmother's creepy old house, Yeats reunites a pair of pirate bookends and uncovers the amazing truth: Years ago, Yeats's father traveled into The Arabian Nights with a friend, and the friend, Shari, is still stuck in the tales. Assisted by the not-always-trustworthy pirates, Yeats must navigate the unfamiliar world of the story of Shaharazad--dodging guards and tigers and the dangerous things that lurk in the margins of the stories--in order to save Shari and bring peace to his family.
THE CHALICE OF IMMORTALITY: MAGICKEEPERS by Erica Kirov "Harry Houdini stole it from his best friend. Shakespeare used it to kill Macbeth. And it's the secret to Rasputin's terrifying existence.
The Chalice of Immortality has been missing for nearly a hundred years. Nick Rostov has only a few days to find it-or his father will die. What would you do for a goblet with the power to control life and death?"
FALCON QUINN AND THE CRIMSON VAPOR by Jennifer Finney Boylan "Falcon Quinn survived the first term at the Academy for Monsters along with his monstrous friends Max, Pearl, Mortia, and the rest. He has finally discovered his monster nature and is working hard to embrace it. But what does it mean to be an Angel, exactly? Having wings is great, when Falcon can remember to use them, but with parents who are the leaders of two warring groups—the monsters and the guardians—Falcon still feels torn in half.When his monster friends begin to doubt his loyalty to the monster world and his only option is flight to Guardian Island, where his mother rules and he is a prince, he'll see the guardians as well as his monster friends in a whole new light. He will also have to decide if Jonny Frankenstein can be trusted and find a way to save his friend Megan from her imprisonment on Guardian Island, not to mention find a way to stop the monsters and guardians from fighting, once and for all."
FOREST OF SECRETS: GRIM HILL by Linda DeMeulemeester "After nearly losing Sookie to a coven of witches during their student exchange to Sweden, Cat Peters has vowed to keep her sister as far from magic as possible. But when Cat and her friends are taken hostage and find themselves stranded in Headless Valley, it's clear they will need a miracle to get back home. Although they find an abandoned cabin for shelter, their supply of food and water is running out fast, their kidnappers are hot on their heels, and a sinister threat lurks in the loft of the cabin. Cat has to make an impossible choice—risk the group's chances of survival, or risk her sister, who may be able to summon help using her magical skills. But if Sookie opens the door to Fairy, what will be the cost?"
THE FRIENDSHIP DOLL by Kirby Larson "I am Miss Kanagawa. In 1927, my 57 doll-sisters and I were sent from Japan to America as Ambassadors of Friendship. Our work wasn't all peach blossoms and tea cakes. My story will take you from New York to Oregon, during the Great Depression. Though few in this tale are as fascinating as I, their stories won't be an unpleasant diversion. You will make the acquaintance of Bunny, bent on revenge; Lois, with her head in the clouds; Willie Mae, who not only awakened my heart, but broke it; and Lucy, a friend so dear, not even war could part us. I have put this tale to paper because from those 58 Friendship Dolls only 45 remain. I know that someone who chooses this book is capable of solving the mystery of the missing sisters. Perhaps that someone is you."
HAILEY TWITCH AND THE CAMPGROUND ITCH by Lauren Barnholdt "Hailey Twitch wants to have fun, fun, FUN!
Hailey has a secret. She has a friend named Maybelle that no one else can see. Hello, long weekend! Hailey is going camping with her best friend and her magical sprite. They will get to eat delicious ooey-gooey marshmallows. It will be the best weekend ever! Only one thing can ruin their fun: Maybelle's out of control magic. Can Hailey stop Maybelle from giving them itch, itch, itchy poison ivy?"
HAUNTINGS AND HEISTS: THE MYSTERIOUS FOUR by Dan Poblocki "Can you crack the case with six clues or less?
Welcome to Moon Hollow, where mystery lurks around every corner--and four kids have come together to solve crimes and puzzles big and small.
Whether they're debunking sea monsters, thwarting bullies, or revealing who threw out mom's asparagus, Viola, Sylvester, Rosie, and Woodrow will figure out the truth in six clues or less. And readers are invited to guess alongside them each step of the way.
Each book comes with an exclusive code so that readers can download a FREE copy of the e-book . . . which includes an extra mystery unavailable anywhere else!"
HORTON HALFPOTT; OR, THE FIENDISH MYSTERY OF SMUGWICK MANOR; OR, THE LOOSENING OF M'LADY LUGGERTUCK'S CORSET
by Tom Angleberger Tom Angleberger's latest, loopiest middle-grade novel begins when M'Lady Luggertuck loosens her corset (it's never been loosened before!), thereby setting off a chain of events in which all the strict rules of Smugwick Manor are abandoned. When, as a result of "the Loosening," the precious family heirloom, the Luggertuck Lump (quite literally a lump), goes missing, the Luggertucks look for someone to blame. Is it Horton Halfpott, the good-natured but lowly kitchen boy who can't tell a lie? Or one of the many colorful cast members in this silly romp of a mystery.
I SO DON'T DO FAMOUS by Barrie Summy "Having a boyfriend in eighth grade makes me kind of a celebrity at school. I'm also known throughout the spirit world--I've helped my ghost mom solve some tough cases. And now I'm on my biggest one of all . . . in Hollywood!
Everyone is so famous here. But there's no time for stargazing. Somehow I managed to stumble upon a mystery right on Hollywood Boulevard. Homes of young celebs are being burglarized, and it's up to me to figure out who's behind the million dollar crimes--and prove it to the Beverly Hills police. And to complicate things? The ghost of a teen star is dying to help me. One thing you never hear in the land of glitz & glamour? I so don't do famous."
The first book in debut author Nathan Bransford's hilarious space adventure series has dynamite friendships, peculiar planets, and nonstop action. You'll never look at the stars the same way!"
JAKE RANSOM AND THE HOWLING SPHINX by James Rollins "Using his father's watch as a key, Jake intends to return to Calypsos. Instead he's thrust into a strange desert land where he's joined by his friends Marika, Pindor, and Bach'uuk and his sister, Kady. As they try to figure out what to do next, a surprise attack by the beautiful young Princess Nefertiti takes them all captive.
Soon even she is battling the Skull King's minions. For Jake has something the Skull King wants—a prize that will give its owner awesome power, including control of the fearsome Howling Sphinx. In a new pounding adventure, Jake races against time to outfight and outwit Kalverum Rex, knowing that if the Skull King wins, he'll be unstoppable."
LILU'S BOOK: THE FAIRY GODMOTHER ACADEMY by Jan Bozarth "When Lilu Hart wakes to discover herself in Aventurine—the place where girls train to become fairy godmothers, keepers of the earth and all its inhabitants—her mission is to travel across a dangerous marshland to the Castle on Stilts, where she has to rescue a special bird's egg before a devastating magical hurricane hits. If Lilu is to succeed, she must first master her family's talent for weaving the elements. But how can Lilu braid moonbeams? And will she be able to succeed without her twin sister's help?"MERRY-GO-HORSES: WIND DANCERS by Sibley Miller "The Wind Dancers—Kona, Brisa, Sumatra, and Sirocco—are back with four more full-color illustrated titles sure to delight the imaginations of horse-loving little girls everywhere.
When the Wind Dancers find themselves at a county fair, they are enchanted by everything there is to see (from the show jumping horses to the English pleasure rides) and do (riding horses that, astonishingly, look just like them). Carousel rides, anyone?"
THE MIDNIGHT GATE by Helen Stringer "It’s been two months since Belladonna Johnson discovered she was the Spellbinder, and she’s full of questions about her powers. When a ghost finds Belladonna and her classmate, Steve, and gives them a mysterious map, the friends don’t know if they should be looking for or hiding from the one person who holds the answers to Belladonna’s powers: the Queen of the Abyss. Throw into the mix that Belladonna’s parents, who are ghosts, have disappeared and that her brand-new and maybe even sinister foster family seems to know more than they’ll let on, and you have a sequel made of high adventure and intrigue, seasoned with affecting characters and topped with a dollop of wit."
NO PLACE LIKE HOLMES by Jason Lethcoe "When Griffin is sent to stay with his detective uncle at 221A Baker Street for the summer, he is certain that his uncle must be the great Sherlock Holmes! But Griffin is disappointed to discover that Holmes lives at 221B Baker Street and his uncle lives unit 221A. His uncle is a detective, just not a very good one. But when Griffin meets a woman with a case that Holmes has turned away for being too ridiculous, he and his uncle team up to help her. Along the way, Griffin shows his uncle just what it means to have true faith in God, even when the case challenges that. The woman claims that her husband was eaten by the Loch Ness Monster, but monsters aren't real-or are they?"
NOAH BARLEYWATER RUNS AWAY by John Boyne "Eight-year-old Noah's problems seem easier to deal with if he doesn't think about them. So he runs away, taking an untrodden path through the forest.
Before long, he comes across a shop. But this is no ordinary shop: it's a toyshop, full of the most amazing toys, and brimming with the most wonderful magic. And here Noah meets a very unusual toymaker. The toymaker has a story to tell, and it's a story of adventure and wonder and broken promises. He takes Noah on a journey. A journey that will change his life."
QUILLBLADE: VOYAGES OF THE FLYING DRAGON by Ben Chandler "Twin brother and sister, Lenis and Missy, are slaves aboard the powerful airship Hiryu—but when the airship is stolen on its maiden voyage, they find themselves working for a captain whose noble quest seems to make no sense. Relentlessly pursued by the emperor's own airships, they fly over the perilous Wasteland, where corrupted demons lie in wait. When Lenis dreams of Apsilla, the blue dragon of the east, the captain decides to help the twins find Apsilla's daughter. The survival of the last totem may be their only hope—but will they find Apsilla's egg in time, or will their enemies find them first?"
THE RELIC HUNTERS: GREY GRIFFINS, THE CLOCKWORK CHRONICLES
by Derek Benz & J. S. Lewis "In just one semester at Iron Bridge Academy, The Grey Griffins have already had quite an education-clockwork robots, students with super powers, and a hidden land beyond our world where mystical creatures and incredible inventions exist. But as second semester begins, their friendship is put to the test-Max, Ernie, Natalia, and Harley are growing apart. When their arch nemesis Otto Von Strife reemerges with another evil plan, the Griffins must learn to set aside their differences and reunite to save the world. And each other."
THE ROGUE CREW: A TALE OF REDWALL by Brian Jacques "Redwall Abbey has never seen a creature more evil or more hideous than Razzid Wearat. Captain of the Greenshroud, a ship with wheels that can sail through water as well as the forest, this beast is a terror of both land and sea, traveling Mossflower Country, killing nearly everything-and everyone- in his path. And his goal? To conquer Redwall Abbey.
From Salamandastron to the High North Coast, the brave hares of the Long Patrol team up with the fearless sea otters of the Rogue Crew to form a pack so tough, so rough, only they can defend the abbey and defeat Razzid Wearat once and for all."
SEVEN SORCERERS by Caro King "Nin Redfern wakes up one Wednesday to
discover that her little brother, Toby, has vanished and no one -- not her mother, not her grandparents -- can remember him. Only Nin can, and she's going to get him back. But when Bogeyman Skerridge (who always gets his child) comes for Nin too, she realizes that finding Toby is going to be a lot harder then she thought. Toby is trapped in the House of Strood, which is located in another land called The Drift, and Skerridge can't -- or won't -- help her find him. Left with no choice, Nin heads into The Drift with her new friend Jonas. The Drift is filled with the fabulous and the terrible, but a plague is slowly killing all the magical things. The Seven Sorcerers who ruled there might have been able to prevent it, but in the end, even they have succumbed. Can Nin find Toby before he falls victim to a terrible fate in the House of Strood and before the plague makes it impossible for them to get home? Can she and Jonas avoid the tombfolk, mud men, and various creatures who want to stop them? And what is the secret of the Seven Sorcerers?"
SMELLS LIKE TREASURE by Suzanne Selfors "When Homer Pudding receives a mysterious note emblazoned with the letters L.O.S.T., he knows the moment he has been waiting for has arrived. It is time to meet the society of Legends, Objects, Secrets, and Treasures, take his Uncle's place, and become a true adventurer.
With his best friend, Dog, at his side, everything seems to be going as planned...until an unexpected opponent challenges Homer's spot, and they are tasked with a dangerous quest. Only the one who can solve the clues and reach the treasure first will be given membership.
Homer is counting on Dog's hidden ability to smell treasure to help him along the way -- but someone is trying to hinder his quest and keep him out of L.O.S.T. And who is plotting to steal Dog? From the sleepy goat fields of Milkydale to fantastical mansions and hidden islands, Dog and Homer are off on another page-turning adventure!"
A TALE OF TWO CASTLES by Gail Carson Levine "Newly arrived in the town of Two Castles, Elodie unexpectedly becomes the assistant to a brilliant dragon named Meenore, and together they solve mysteries. Their most important case concerns the town’s shape-shifting ogre, Count Jonty Um: Someone is plotting against him. Elodie must disguise herself to discover the source of the threat amid a cast of characters that includes a greedy king, a giddy princess, and a handsome cat trainer."
THE THRONE OF FIRE: THE KANE CHRONICLES by Rick Riordan "In this exciting second installment of the three-book series, Carter and Sadie, offspring of the brilliant Egyptologist Dr. Julius Kane, embark on a worldwide search for the Book of Ra, but the House of Life and the gods of chaos are determined to stop them."
TILL DEATH DO US BARK: 43 OLD CEMETERY ROAD by Kate Klise "When a dog arrives at Spence Mansion, Seymour is overjoyed. His adoptive parents, Ignatius B. Grumply and Olive C. Spence, are less enthusiastic—especially when Secret, the dog, begins barking all night long. Is it possible Secret just misses his old companion, the late Noah Breth, whose children are fighting like cats and dogs over their father’s money? Or does Secret have a secret that, in the end, will make the entire town of Ghastly howl with delight?
This third book in the 43 Old Cemetery Road series, a runaway mystery told in letters, limericks, a last will, and loose change, is guaranteed to please anyone who’s ever tried to keep a secret."
TROUBLETWISTERS by Garth Nix & Sean Williams "A spectacular new middle-grade fantasy series from NYT bestselling authors Garth Nix and Sean Williams, in which two twins find that they must act as wards against a threatening evil.The Evil has been trying to break into our dimension and dominate the earth for centuries. Unbeknownst to most of us, there are Wardens all over the globe, who protect humanity from the Evil that asserts itself at the Portals, which are the only places through which the Evil may pass into our world.
Jaide and Jack Shield don't know that the world is under attack. They don't know that their dad and their Grandma X, who they move in with, are Wardens, or that they themselves are troubletwisters, young Wardens just coming into their powers."
Young Adult books (for teenagers)
AFTER MIDNIGHT: THE YOUNGBLOODS by Lynn Viehl "Ever since the death of their parents, Catlyn Youngblood and her two older brothers have shared a nomadic existence, always moving from place to place. When they at last settle for good in the sleepy backwoods town of Lost Lake, Florida, Cat thinks she might finally have a normal life. While riding her horse late one night, Cat meets an enigmatic boy named Jesse Raven. Even more strange than her overpowering attraction to him is Jesse's apparent aversion to daylight. Only under the cover of darkness can they meet. As Cat and Jesse's bond grows stronger, Cat discovers an incredible secret about the Ravens' and her own family's pasts—a secret that could destroy their love. Their families, knowing the truth, conspire to keep them apart. But Cat and Jesse will risk everything to be together . . . including death."
ALMOST FINAL CURTAIN: A VAMPIRE PRINCESS NOVEL by Tate Hallaway "Ever since high school student Anastasija Parker discovered she was vampire royalty, her life has been sort of crazy. The half-vampire- half-witch just wants some normalcy, and trying out for the spring musical seems like the perfect fix.
But when the ancient talisman that stands between vampire freedom and slavery to witches is stolen, Ana has to skip rehersal and track down the dangerous artifact before someone uses it to make this year's curtain call her last..."
ANGEL KISS by Laura Jane Cassidy "Jacki King is fifteen and adjusting to her new life in a small village. She’s missing Dublin but she’s making new friends: artistic Colin, feisty Emily – and Nick, gorgeous yet unavailable.
But no sooner is Jacki settled than the torturous headaches and nightmares begin – followed by strange visions, voices and signs…Jacki refuses to believe that something paranormal is happening. But then she discovers the unsolved murder that occurred in the village years before . . ."
BEHIND THE GATES: TOMORROW GIRLS by Eva Gray "In a terrifying future world, four girls must depend on each other if they want to survive.Louisa is nervous about being sent away to a boarding school -- but she’s excited, too. And she has her best friend, Maddie, to keep her company. The girls have to pretend to be twin sisters, which Louisa thinks just adds to the adventure!
Country Manor School isn’t all excitement, though. Louisa isn’t sure how she feels about her new roommates: athletic but snobby Rosie and everything’s-a-conspiracy Evelyn. Even Maddie seems different away from home, quiet and worried all the time.
Still, Louisa loves CMS -- the survival skills classes, the fresh air. She doesn’t even miss not having a TV, or the internet, or any contact with home. It’s for their own safety, after all.
Or is it?"
BITE CLUB: THE MORGANVILLE VAMPIRES by Rachel Caine "After discovering that vampires populate her town, college student Claire Danvers knows that the undead just want to live their lives. But someone else wants them to get ready to rumble.
There's a new extreme sport getting picked up on the Internet: bare- knuckle fights pitting captured vampires against each other-or humans. Tracking the remote signal leads Claire- accompanied by her friends and frenemies-to discover that what started as an online brawl will soon threaten everyone in Morganville.."
On top of everything, she may also be the key to saving Mistolear from a terrifying spell. The nefarious faerie prince Nezeral has pitted two kingdoms against each other in a life-or-death chess match, in which people are the game pieces. As a pawn, Willow now glows with the light of the game and must find the courage and cleverness to battle Nezeral before her loved ones fall. Could a meager pawn really be the most powerful piece on the board?"
THE CELLAR by A.J. Whitten "Meredith Willis is suspicious of Adrien, the new guy next door. When she dares to sneak a look into the windows of his house, she sees something in the cellar that makes her believe that Adrien might be more than just a creep—he may be an actual monster.
But her sister, Heather, doesn’t share Meredith’s repulsion. Heather believes Adrien is the only guy who really understands her. In fact, she may be falling in love with him. When Adrien and Heather are cast as the leads in the school production of Romeo and Juliet, to Heather, it feels like fate. To Meredith, it feels like a bad omen. But if she tries to tear the couple apart, she could end up in the last place she’d ever want to be: the cellar. Can Meredith convince her sister that she’s dating the living dead before it’s too late for both of
them?"
THE CRAVING: THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, STEFAN'S DIARIES by L.J. Smith "After his brother, Damon Salvatore, betrays him in New Orleans, Stefan starts over in Manhattan. Vowing never to harm another human, he roams the streets, trying to disappear into the city’s chaos. But just when he thinks he’s left his past behind, Stefan discovers that he can never escape his brother. Damon has grand plans for the vampire Salvatore brothers—whether Stefan likes it or not. Together, they take New York by storm. When their exploits end up on the society pages, an old enemy resurfaces—one hell-bent on revenge."
THE DARKENING: THE DIVIDED REALMS by Maggie L. Wood "Life is returning to normal since Willow defeated the faerie prince who had ensnared Mistolear in a deadly game. She is refining her skills at Mage School and spending time with her new friends, especially Brand, the handsome knight who has sworn to protect her. Unfortunately, he also drives her mad with his old-fashioned rules about "proper courtship."
The peace does not last, however, as a misstep in Clarion dooms Willow to play another twisted faerie game. If she loses, faeries will once again be free to wreak havoc in the realms of Mistolear and Earth. The Game Master, King Jarlath of the Unseelie Court, throws Willow and Brand into the Goblin's Gauntlet where goblins, phookas and a host of bloodthirsty creatures are on the hunt. In a surprising move, Jarlath sends his own children into the game as well. Dacia, the female twin, is ruthless and cunning. Theon, the male, is clever, flirtatious and, like all faeries, devastatingly beautiful. Willow struggles to resist Theon's charm, while Brand's jealousy simmers—but with the fate of two realms hanging in the balance, both must push their emotions aside. Can Willow and Brand trust the faerie siblings, or is there more than one game being played?"
DAWNBRINGER: FORGOTTEN REALMS by Samantha Henderson "Battle the forces of darkness in the Forgotten Realms®
Two angels given mortal flesh are sent to guard two star-crossed lovers, born scions of rival merchant houses. At first, it looks as though love will conquer all, and the rift will finally be mended. But there are those who hate the word peace with a passion so much that it poisons everything they touch, corrupting house to turn against house, mother to turn against child, and angel to turn against angel."
Dawnbringer is the perfect meld between classic and contemporary fantasy, with shades of Romeo and Juliet, told from the perspective of guardian angels, in a world where sorcery and monsters are commonplace.
DEAD IS NOT AN OPTION by Marlene Perez "It’s springtime of senior year, and psychic sleuth Daisy Giordano is preparing to say goodbye to Nightshade High. But no college acceptance letters have arrived yet, and she’s beginning to worry about where she’ll end up come fall—and if it will be anywhere near her boyfriend, Ryan. But that’s not the only uncertainty Daisy’s dealing with. There’s a vamps-versus-shifters war going on in Nightshade, and things are so tense that there is talk of canceling the prom. The conflict is carrying over to the Giordano home, since Rose and Daisy are both dating werewolves and Poppy’s new boyfriend is a vampire.
Can the paranormal community in Nightshade finally find peace? And will Daisy and her friends survive graduation? All of these questions and more are answered in the latest explosive installment in the Dead Is series."
DIE FOR ME by Amy Plum "In the City of Lights, two star-crossed lovers battle a fate that is destined to tear them apart again and again for eternity.
When Kate Mercier's parents die in a tragic car accident, she leaves her life--and memories--behind to live with her grandparents in Paris. For Kate, the only way to survive her pain is escaping into the world of books and Parisian art. Until she meets Vincent.
Mysterious, charming, and devastatingly handsome, Vincent threatens to melt the ice around Kate's guarded heart with just his smile. As she begins to fall in love with Vincent, Kate discovers that he's a revenant--an undead being whose fate forces him to sacrifice himself over and over again to save the lives of others. Vincent and those like him are bound in a centuries-old war against a group of evil revenants who exist only to murder and betray. Kate soon realizes that if she follows her heart, she may never be safe again."
THE DISCOVERY: GHOST HUNTRESS by Marley Gibson "After some time off, Kendall’s ready to begin ghost hunting again. But her life is still in flux. She misses Patrick, her new love. She needs to find a photographer to replace Taylor. Plus, she may have discovered who her real father is, but to be sure, she has to convince his family she’s not a fake. And then there’s a certain doll that seems to be out to get her and her friends. A doll? How could that be? Unless, perhaps, it’s not just a doll. Maybe it’s a vessel containing the soul of a man so evil in life, not even death could stop his reign of terror. This could be Kendall’s most terrifying and deadliest encounter yet."
DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth "In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves… or it might destroy her."
EVERFOUND: SKINJACKER by Neal Shusterman "While Mary lies in a glass coffin aboard a ghost train heading west, her minions are awaiting her re-awakening by bringing lots of new souls into Everlost to serve her. Meanwhile Jackin’ Jill has met Jix, a fur-jacker—a skin jacker who can take over the bodies of animals, most notably jaguars. Jix serves a Mayan god who collects Everlost coins, and has his own agenda. In the concluding volume of The Skinjacker Trilogy, Neal Shusterman reveals new sides of the characters of Everlost, who are pitted against each other in a battle that may destroy all life on Earth."THE GIRL WHO CIRCUMNAVIGATED FAIRYLAND IN A SHIP OF HER OWN MAKING by Catherynne M. Valente "Twelve-year-old September lives in Omaha, and used to have an ordinary life, until her father went to war and her mother went to work. One day, September is met at her kitchen window by a Green Wind (taking the form of a gentleman in a green jacket), who invites her on an adventure, implying that her help is needed in Fairyland. The new Marquess is unpredictable and fickle, and also not much older than September. Only September can retrieve a talisman the Marquess wants from the enchanted woods, and if she doesn’t . . . then the Marquess will make life impossible for the inhabitants of Fairyland. September is already making new friends, including a book-loving Wyvern and a mysterious boy named Saturday. With exquisite illustrations by acclaimed artist Ana Juan, Fairyland lives up to the sensation it created when the author first posted it online."
THE FORGOTTEN LOCKET: THE HOURGLASS DOOR by Lisa Mangum "The future is uncertain. The battle to control the past has begun. The final book in the riveting Hourglass Door trilogy begins when Abby steps through the black door, and she doesn t dare look back. Though it means leaving Dante wounded, bleeding, and possibly blind she knows it is the only way to save her family and stop Zo from manipulating the river of time and throwing the future into chaos. In the end, Abby must face a final confrontation that will take her to the very origins of the hourglass door."
GETH AND THE RETURN OF THE LITHENS: BEYOND FOO by Obert Skye Book one in a new unFOOgettable trilogy! Geth has existed for hundreds of years. In Foo, the realm that allows us to hope, imagine, and dream, Geth is one of the strongest and most respected beings, a powerful and wise lithen. At the conclusion of the Leven Thumps series, the realm of Foo has once again found balance dreams can thrive and grow. With things in order, Geth and Clover set off to find a new adventure that leads beyond the guarded border of Foo and into an unknown land where dreams have been trapped and freedom has been crushed. Geth, always a defender of fate and truth, takes readers on a page-turning quest with many life lessons to be learned. What we want is often buried in what we fear. Geth I d like to imagine a world where there is nothing but happiness and purring, but I m not sure there d be much to cheer about if every day was nothing but sunshine and success. I suppose you can never know the good if you ve never been visited by the bad. Obert Skye, Geth and the Return of the Lithens."
ILLUSIONS by Aprilynne Pike "I don't do patrols, I don't go hunting, I just stick close to you. You live your life. I'll keep you safe," Tamani said, sweeping a lock of hair from her face. "Or die trying."
Laurel hasn't seen Tamani since she begged him to let her go last year. Though her heart still aches, Laurel is confident that David was the right choice. But just as life returns to normal, Laurel realizes that a hidden enemy lies in wait. Once again, Laurel must turn to Tamani to protect and guide her, for the danger that now threatens Avalon is one that no faerie thought would ever be possible. And for the first time, Laurel cannot be sure that her side will prevail."
JANE JONES: WORST. VAMPIRE. EVER. by Caissie St. Onge "For Jane Jones, being a vampire is nothing like you read about in books. In fact, it kind of sucks. She's not beautiful, she's not rich, and she doesn't "sparkle." She's just an average, slightly nerdy girl from an ordinary suburban family (who happens to be vampires.) Jane's from the wrong side of the tracks (not to mention stuck in the world's longest awkward phase), so she doesn't fit in with the cool vampire kids at school or with the humans kids. To top it all off, she's battling an overprotective mom, a clique of high school mean girls (the kind who really do have fangs), and the most embarrassing allergy in the history of the undead, she's blood intolerant. So no one's more surprised than Jane when for the first time in her life, things start to heat up (as much as they can for a walking corpse, anyway) with not one, but two boys. Eli's a geeky, but cute real-live boy in her history class, and Timothy is a beautiful, brooding bloodsucker, who might just hold the key to a possible "cure" for vampirism. Facing an eternity of high school pressure, fumbling first dates, or a mere lifetime together with Timothy, what's a 90-something year-old teen vampire to do?"THE MAGNOLIA LEAGUE by Katie Crouch "When her free-spirited mother dies in a tragic accident, sixteen-year-old Alexandria Lee is forced to leave her West Coast home and move in with a wealthy grandmother she's never known in Savannah, Georgia. By birth, Alex is a rightful if unwilling member of the Magnolia League-Savannah's long-standing debutante society. But white gloves and silk gowns are a far cry from the vintage t-shirts and torn jeans shorts she's used to.
Alex is the first in decades to question the Magnolia League's intentions, yet even she becomes entangled in their seductive world. The members enjoy youth, beauty and power...but at what cost? As Alex discovers a pact between the Magnolias and the Buzzards, a legendary hoodoo family, she discovers secrets-some deadly-hidden beneath the glossy Southern veneer."
THE NONSUCH KING: THE BAD TUESDAYS by Benjamin J. Myers "Splinter Tuesday is hungry for power, and he has a daring plan to get it - if he can stay alive! His brother, Box, is fighting for his life on a distant planet. His sister, Chess, is learning to walk between the worlds. Only then will she be ready to take on the evil Twisted Symmetry - and win. But the Twisted Symmetry has plans of its own. Time is running out. Splinter, Box and Chess have never been in more danger."
Strange things happen in Skeleton Creek - and when they do, Ryan writes them down and Sarah captures them on video. They've solved old mysteries. They've followed clues all over the country and underground. They've investigated secret societies. They've found their answers.
Or so they thought. Because there are still some secrets that Ryan and Sarah haven't uncovered yet. And there's still a shadowy figure standing in their path...someone who doesn't want Ryan and Sarah digging up any more of the past."
THE ROAD'S END: ELF REALM by Daniel Kirk "In this action-filled conclusion to the Elf Realm trilogy, Matt, Tuava-Li, and Tomtar must reach the fabled elfin city of Hunaland at the North Pole. There they will plant the seed that will cause the Tree of Adri to grow anew and strengthen the invisible walls that separate the elfin world from the human.Meanwhile, Jardaine and Nick the troll have tricked Becky into joining them to supposedly rescue Matt from danger. In reality they wish to plant the Seed of Adri themselves, sacrifice Becky, and claim the glory and rewards from the elfin gods.
It is a fast-paced race to get to the North Pole first and plant the seed, but unexpected horrors await whoever journeys beyond the Gates of Vattar, where the fading tree grows and where the new seed must be relinquished. Who will get there first? Readers will eagerly seek to discover if Matt and Becky save the world from impending doom and destruction and forever separate the human world from the elf realm for the safety of them all."
THE ROYAL TREATMENT: PRINCESS FOR HIRE by Lindsey Leavitt "Desi Bascomb's job as a princess substitute has gotten a whole lot more glamorous now that she's advanced to Level 2 within the Facade Agency. Magical make-up, roller-skating celebrities, and the chance to see Prince Karl again are just some of the major perks. Not to mention, she's landed the role of Fairy Queen in her school's production of Midsummer's Night Dream (opposite her best friend's crush. Which is a little weird, but at least he wears a donkey head during their kissing scene). Life should be perfect, but Desi can't seem to shake the feeling that there is more going on with the agency's magic than she's told. Like why is this mind-bending power exclusive to royals? Is it possible that there could be a bigger way to make an impact in both parts of her life?"
RUBY RED by Kerstin Gier "Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era!
Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon--the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust."
But after an embarrassing incident involving his too-tight spandex costume, plus some signs that Phantom Justice may not be the good guy he pretends to be, Scott begins to question his role. With the help of a fellow sidekick, once his nemesis, Scott must decide if growing up means being loyal or stepping boldly to the center of things."
SHIFT: SHADE by Jeri Smith-Ready "Aura’s life is anything but easy. Her boyfriend, Logan, died, and his slides between ghost and shade have left her reeling. Aura knows he needs her now more than ever. She loves Logan, but she can’t deny her connection with the totally supportive, totally gorgeous Zachary. And she’s not sure that she wants to.
Logan and Zachary will fight to be the one by her side, but Aura needs them both to uncover the mystery of her past—the mystery of the Shift.
As Aura’s search uncovers new truths, she must decide whom to trust with her secrets…and her heart."
TIGHTER by Adele Griffin "When 17-year-old Jamie arrives on the idyllic New England island of Little Bly to work as a summer au pair, she is stunned to learn of the horror that precedes her. Seeking the truth surrounding a young couple's tragic deaths, Jamie discovers that she herself looks shockingly like the dead girl—and that she has a disturbing ability to sense the two ghosts. Why is Jamie's connection to the couple so intense? What really happened last summer at Little Bly? As the secrets of the house wrap tighter and tighter around her, Jamie must navigate the increasingly blurred divide between the worlds of the living and the dead."
THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO SURVIVAL HANDBOOK: PARANORMAL
by David Borgenicht & Ben H. Winters On hit TV shows, in best-selling books, blockbuster films, video games, and comics, pop culture has been overrun by hordes of vampires, zombies, werewolves, ghosts, wizards, and other paranormal creatures. Luckily, the authors of the Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook series are back with all-new, expert advice designed to help readers fend off the furry, fanged, freaky, and frightful. This classic handbook format is packed with new illustrated instructions for crucial scenarios ranging from the domestic (How to Host a Cocktail Party When Your House is Haunted) to the scary (How to Survive a Zombie Attack in the First Day, First Week, and Long Term) to the practical (How to Break Up with a Vampire).
ZOMBIES DON'T CRY: A LIVING DEAD LOVE STORY by Rusty Fischer "In the sleepy small town of Barracuda Bay, Maddy Swift leads the life of a fairly typical teenager, but while attending a party one night, Maddy is struck by lightning and awakens to realize she has been reanimated and turned into a zombie. While becoming acquainted with her new "lifestyle," Maddy stumbles upon two unexpected undead chaperones, fellow students Dane and Chloe, who begin to teach her the ways of zombie life, including defending the populace from Zerkers—the bad zombies. Together, on prom night, the three teens must ultimately defend Barracuda Bay High from an all-out zombie Armageddon."
I'm very excited about the new Levine book. I have it and the new Penderwick book on pre-order. When they come I may have to toss a coin to see which one I read first.
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