Grades 9-12, fiction
The Space Between Here and Now by
Perfect for fans of They Both Die at the End and You've Reached Sam, this gripping, atmospheric YA novel follows a teen with a mysterious condition that transports her to the past when she smells certain scents linked to specific memories. Seventeen-year-old Aimee Roh has Sensory Time Warp Syndrome, a rare condition that causes her to time travel to a moment in her life when she smells something linked to that memory. Her dad is convinced she'll simply grow out of it if she tries hard enough, but Aimee's fear of vanishing at random has kept her from living a normal life. When Aimee disappears for nine hours into a memory of her estranged mom--a moment Aimee has never remembered before--she becomes distraught. Not only was this her longest disappearance yet, but the memory doesn't match up with the story of how her mom left--at least, not the version she's always heard from her dad. Desperate for answers, Aimee travels to Korea, where she unravels the mystery of her memories, the truth about her mother, and the reason she keeps returning to certain moments in her life. Along the way, she realizes she'll need to reconcile her past in order to save her present. From acclaimed author Sarah Suk comes an aching, powerful exploration of memory, grief, and the painful silences we must overcome to discover our truest selves.
Pieces of Me by
The next gut-punching, compulsively readable Kate McLaughlin novel, about a girl finding strength in not being alone. When eighteen-year-old Dylan wakes up, she's in an apartment she doesn't recognize. The other people there seem to know her, but she doesn't know them - not even the pretty, chiseled boy who tells her his name is Connor. A voice inside her head keeps saying that everything is okay, but Dylan can't help but freak out. Especially when she borrows Connor's phone to call home and realizes she's been missing for three days. Dylan has lost time before, but never like this. Soon after, Dylan is diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder, and must grapple not only with the many people currently crammed inside her head, but that a secret from her past so terrible she's blocked it out has put them there. Her only distraction is a budding new relationship with Connor. But as she gets closer to finding out the truth, Dylan wonders: will it heal her or fracture her further? Kate McLaughlin's Pieces of Me is raw, intimate, and surprisingly hopeful. "Pieces of Me is a chilling, yet empathetic, look into Dissociative Identity Disorder. With her calm, pure, voice, Kate McLaughlin delves deep into the crevices of this misunderstood disorder and a young woman's mind. I had to keep reading not only to understand Dylan, the main character--but to understand all of the people inside Dylan's head." - Hayley Krischer, author of Something Happened to Ali Greenleaf and The Falling Girls
Daughter by
Kate McLaughlin's Daughter is a young adult novel about trying to right deadly choices that were never yours to begin with.Scarlet's life is pretty average. Overly protective mom. Great friends. Cute boy she's interested in. And a father she's never known - until she does.When the FBI show up at Scarlet's door, she is shocked to learn her father is infamous serial killer Jeffrey Robert Lake. And now, he's dying and will only give the names and locations of his remaining victims to the one person, the daughter he hasn't seen since she was a baby.Scarlet's mother has tried to protect her from Lake's horrifying legacy, but there's no way they can escape the media firestorm that erupts when they come out of hiding. Or the people who blame Scarlet for her father's choices. When trying to do the right thing puts her life in danger, Scarlet is faced with a choice - go back into hiding or make the world see her as more than a monster's daughter.
What Unbreakable Looks Like by
"Raw, unflinching, and authentic, Kate McLaughlin's thoughtful What Unbreakable Looks Like carefully crafts a story exposing the vulnerability of underage trafficked girls and what it takes to begin the process of healing from sexual trauma."-Christa Desir, author, advocate, and founding member of The Voices and Faces Project Lex was taken-trafficked-and now she's Poppy. Kept in a hotel with other girls, her old life is a distant memory. But when the girls are rescued, she doesn't quite know how to be Lex again. After she moves in with her aunt and uncle, for the first time in a long time, she knows what it is to feel truly safe. Except, she doesn't trust it. Doesn't trust her new home. Doesn't trust her new friend. Doesn't trust her new life. Instead she trusts what she shouldn't because that's what feels right. She doesn't deserve good things. But when she is sexually assaulted by her so-called boyfriend and his friends, Lex is forced to reckon with what happened to her and that just because she is used to it, doesn't mean it is okay. She's thrust into the limelight and realizes she has the power to help others. But first she'll have to confront the monsters of her past with the help of her family, friends, and a new love. Kate McLaughlin's What Unbreakable Looks Like is a gritty, ultimately hopeful novel about human trafficking through the lens of a girl who has escaped the life and learned to trust, not only others, but in herself.
Hunted by the Sky by
"A riveting story of discovery, forbidden romance and idealism against all odds, set in a fantasy world inspired in part by Indian history and myth. For fans of Sabaa Tahir and Tomi Adeyemi." - Provided by publisher.
Sadie by
Sadie's been raising her sister Mattie in an isolated Colorado town, trying her best to provide a normal life and keep their heads above water. When Mattie is found dead, and the police investigation is botched, Sadie is determined to bring her sister's killer to justice. She hits the road following a few meager clues. When West McCray, a radio personality working on a segment about small, forgotten towns in America, hears Sadie's story, he becomes obsessed with finding the missing girl. He starts his own podcast as he tracks Sadie's journey, trying to figure out what happened, hoping to find her before it's too late. -- Adapted from jacket.
The Agony of Bun O'Keefe by
It's Newfoundland, 1986. Fourteen-year-old Bun O'Keefe has lived a solitary life in an unsafe, unsanitary house. What she's learned about life comes from the random books and old VHS tapes that she finds in the boxes and bags her mother brings home. Bun and her mother rarely talk, so when Bun's mother tells Bun to leave on day, she does. Hitchhiking out of town, Bun ends up on the streets of St. John's, Newfoundland. Fortunately, the first person she meets is Busker Boy, a street musician who senses her naivety and takes her in. Together they live in a house with an eclectic cast of characters: Chef, a hotel dishwasher with culinary dreams; Cher, a drag queen with a tragic past; Big Eyes, a Catholic school girl desperately trying to reinvent herself; and The Landlord, a man who Bun is told to avoid at all cost. Through her experiences with new roommates, and their sometimes tragic revelations, Bun learns that the world extends beyond the walls of her mother's house and discovers the joy of being part of a new family -- a family of friends who care.
Everything Beautiful is Not Ruined by
Ingrid traveled all over Europe with her opera star mother, Margot-Sophia. Life was beautiful and bright, and every day soared with music. Now she is on a summertime wilderness retreat for at-risk teens. She's fighting to survive crushing humiliations and physical challenges that push her to her limits. Ingrid is never going to make it through this summer if she can't figure out why she's here, what happened to Margot-Sophia, who is dealing with depression after losing her singing voice, and why the music really stopped.
Fifteen Lanes by
"Noor has lived all of her fourteen years in the fifteen lanes of Mumbai's red light district. Born into a brothel, she is destined for the same fate as her mother: a desperate life trapped in the city's sex trade. She must act soon to have any chance of escaping this grim future. Across the sprawling city, fifteen-year-old Grace enjoys a life of privilege. Her father, the CEO of one of India's largest international banks, has brought his family to Mumbai where they live in unparalleled luxury. But Grace's seemingly perfect life is shattered when she becomes a victim of a cruel online attack. When their paths intersect, Noor and Grace will be changed forever. Can two girls living in vastly different worlds find a common path?" -- provided by publisher
The Bodies We Wear by
After a powerful new drug causes havoc and deadly addiction, seventeen-year-old Faye trains to take revenge on those who took her future and murdered the boy she loved.
Rush by
Rochester, New York, high schooler Miki Jones is pulled into a sort of game in which she and other teens battle real-life aliens, and the consequences of each battle could be deadly.
Live to Tell by
It's a night she'll never remember. When Libby Thorne wakes up in the hospital, they tell her she was in a car accident. They tell her it was her fault, and that an innocent victim is clinging to life. And they tell her that criminal charges are going to be brought against her. The problem is, Libby can remember none of it. She can't remember the accident, the party, the drinking ... She can't even remember the guy who keeps sending her flowers and acts like he's her boyfriend. With the help of her best friend, Kasey, Libby pieces together the events of the evening that landed her in the hospital. As memories start trickling through, she begins to realize that something is not right, and what she's been told about that night may not be what happened at all. But is she prepared for a truth that might be darker than fiction? A riveting psychological thriller from Lisa Harrington, Live to Tell is filled with staggering twists and emotional punches.
Dark Inside by
After tremendous earthquakes destroy the Earth's major cities, an ancient evil emerges, turning ordinary people into hunters, killers, and insane monsters; but a small group of teens come together in a fight for survival and safety.
The Gathering by
Sixteen-year-old Maya suspects there may be a relationship between her paw-print birthmark, her connection with wild animals, and strange events occurring in her tiny Vancouver Island community, where a medical research facility harbours big secrets.
The Monkeyface Chronicles by
Philip Skyler learned early in his life that his face would get him into trouble and there was nothing he could do about it. Born with an extreme facial deformity, he became the object of attention. Though medical scientists named his condition Van der Woude syndrome, his classmates, especially the bullies, just called him "Monkeyface". Monkeyface Chronicles is his sweet story of revenge. Philip's aphorism-toting grandfather used to say, "Shallow men believe in luck. Strong men believe in cause and effect," and Philip Skyler is about to embark on a life journey of payback that has everything to do with cause and effect. Philip's journey ultimately takes him through the most unusual family circumstances, where no one was really who they seemed to be, whether it was his reclusive scientist father, or his Citizen Kane-like grandfather. While riding his father's motorcycle to Toronto to escape the dregs of Faireville, Philip has a life-changing experience that transforms him from the dupe he was as a kid into a conquering hero in his twenties. His unforgettable ride brings him to triumph over adversity and redeems him from the world of losers into which he was cast.
Mostly Happy by
Prissy Fallwell smoked Players Plain, played crib for money and drank Wild Turkey when she was between men. Prissy had a lot of boyfriends when I was growing up. I had a lot of crushes - Jack Lord from Hawaii Five-O, Hawkeye Pierce, Jerome the Giraffe and Jesus. Well, GOD actually. It was an on again off again sort of affair. This is our story _ So begins Bean E. Fallwell's life story in Mostly Happy. Caught in the tight space between love and fear, Bean gallops through her early life picking up shiny bits of beauty along the way and tucking them into a red Samsonite suitcase. This suitcase, a dominant metaphor in the novel, becomes Bean's touchstone that keeps her from spiralling into the dark worlds of her beautiful, screwed up mother and all the stray men she brings home; her sad, exhausted father; and her magnetic stepfather as he transforms from family saviour into drunken dragon. Without remorse or bitterness Bean moves forward, seeking her friendships where she can, casting spells to protect her younger sister, and seeking solace from whatever small sanctuaries her transient life offers. There are intense, cruel and terrifying moments in her family life that shred her innocence, but as Bean is battered and almost broken a few times by them, she also learns how to cope, recover and laugh. From engaging episodes as a religious-sponsored youth missionary in England and Europe, and the orchestrated pursuit of becoming an actress in Toronto, to the novel's road's end in Wyoming, Bean's life is as relentlessly whimsical as it is sad. And as she migrates from schoolgirl to teen, to young woman, and her dreams unfold from grill cheese sandwiches to self-sufficiency, she evolves into one of fiction's most memorable characters.
Little Brother by
Marcus, a.k.a "w1n5t0n," is only seventeen years old, but he figures he already knows how the system works-and how to work the system. Smart, fast, and wise to the ways of the networked world, he has no trouble outwitting his high school's intrusive but clumsy surveillance systems. But his whole world changes when he and his friends find themselves caught in the aftermath of a major terrorist attack on San Francisco. In the wrong place at the wrong time, Marcus and his crew are apprehended by the Department of Homeland Security and whisked away to a secret prison where they're mercilessly interrogated for days. When the DHS finally releases them, Marcus discovers that his city has become a police state where every citizen is treated like a potential terrorist. He knows that no one will believe his story, which leaves him only one option: to take down the DHS himself.
Keturah and Lord Death by
Martine Leavitt offers a spellbinding story, interweaving elements of classic fantasy and high romance in this National Book Award Finalist. Keturah follows a legendary hart into the king's forest, where she becomes hopelessly lost. Her strength diminishes until, finally, she realizes that death is near. Little does she know that he is a young, handsome lord, melancholy and stern. Renowned for her storytelling, Keturah is able to charm Lord Death with a story and thereby gain a reprieve--but only for twenty-four hours. She must find her one true love within that time, or all is lost. Keturah searches desperately while the village prepares for an unexpected visit from the king and Keturah is thrust into a prominent role as mysterious happenings alarm her friends and neighbors. Lord Death's presence hovers over this all until Keturah confronts him one last time in the harrowing climax.
Shattered by
In order to pass social studies, fifteen-year-old Ian must complete community volunteer service. Choosing to work at ‘The Club,’ sounds like fun, until he arrives at what turns out to be a soup kitchen for the homeless in an unsafe part of the city. After a near-mugging, from which he’s saved by a fierce, pipe-wielding homeless man, Ian figures this will probably be as depressing and scary an assignment as he’s ever had to complete.
When the man who saved him shows up at the soup kitchen, looking far less fierce and known to all as ‘Sarge,’ Ian begins to get to know him. Jacques was a soldier in the Canadian Armed Forces, and his last tour of duty was as a peacekeeper stationed in Rwanda, an African nation Ian knows little about.
In this gripping tale, Ian begins to learn truths not only about Rwanda, but about the world, for which he is not prepared. But what will he do with this new found knowledge? Can he do anything at all to help Jacques, a man who has lost everything but his nightmarish memories?
The Blue Girl by
This ALA Best Book for Young Readers is now available in paperback. When Imogene and her family move to Newford, she quickly gets to know two very different people. Maxine is a good girl following a strict life plan. Adrian is a bit more unusual--he's a ghost who has a huge crush on Imogene.
More Than You Can Chew by
Marty Black has retreated from a difficult family situation into the area she can best control, her own appetites. She may not be able to control her parents' behavior, but she can decide what she will and will not eat. Eventually, she stops eating altogether. Marty is close to death when she finally asks for help and finds herself in a psychiatric institution. But recognizing her need for help is only the first tenuous step on a long road to recovery. Marty's ability to find a way to live, despite the powerful lure of anorexia, is the core of this fine, insightful novel. Marnelle Tokio's semi autobiographical story will resonate with every teenager who faces issues of family, body image, and self-confidence.
The First Stone by
REEF IS AN EMBITTERED YOUNG OFFENDER, hardly able to contain his anger at the world over the death of his grandmother, the only person who had shown him any love. Seventeen-year-old Leeza is mourning the death of her older sister. A stone hurled in rage shatters both their lives and throws them together in the most unexpected way--and offers them a chance at healing.
A Foreign Field by
Life has been tough for 14-year-old Ellen Logan. With her country embroiled in the Second World War, she's forced to shoulder many family responsibilities. Life's even tougher for Stephen Dearborn, a young British pilot in training at the local airfield. As Ellen and Stephen are forced to grow up before their time, their friendship deepens -- and together they discover that sometimes falling apart is only steps away from falling in love.
Dancing Naked by
Kia is sixteen and pregnant. Her world crumbles as she attempts to come to terms with the life growing inside her and what she must do. Initially convinced that abortion is her only option, Kia comes to understand that for her, the answers are not always black and white. As the pregnancy progresses, Kia discovers who her real friends are and where their loyalties lie. It is through her relationship with the elderly Grace that she learns what it means to take responsibility for one's life and the joy that can come from trusting oneself. Faced with the most difficult decision of her life, Kia learns that the path to adulthood is not the easily navigable trail she once thought, but a twisting labyrinth where every turn produces a new array of choices, and where the journey is often undertaken alone.