Breathe by Sarah Crossan

A book review by Madeline Soucie

Bea has been friends with Quinn for ages. Despite the fact that he's a premium and she's not, they've stuck together. When Quinn invited her on a camping trip outside the pod, she was excited and hoped he'd finally see her and realize that she likes him.

        

Quinn should be worried about Alina -- and himself for that matter -- she's dangerous. Imagine how much trouble he could get in... But she wants him to help save her and he likes her...when does that ever happen?

       

Alina has been stealing for a long time. She's part of a resistance group that wants to regrow trees. Right now all she needs to focus on is staying low and not getting caught.

       

Everything has died in the world -- the plants, trees, animals  -- gone. As is the oxygen. The surviving humans live in a pod that is generated by Breathe - a corporation that generates oxygen-rich air for people to breathe.

Find it in APL TEEN Fiction YA FIC Crossan, S.

The Young Elites by Marie Lu

A book review by Madeline Soucie

If you have read Marie Lu's Legend series or are reading it, try this book next. The Young Elites is a good book that looks like the beginning of a series that could go in multiple directions if you know what I mean.

     

Adelina Amouteru survived the blood fever that swept through her land a decade ago, killing many people, but like so many children, she was left with a unusual markings. Her black hair turned silver and she lost an eye. Her father believes she is no good and wants her gone. Some children who survived the fever are rumored to have mysterious powers and call themselves the Young Elite.

     

Teren works for the King as part of the Inquisition Axis hunting down the Young Elites and will stop at nothing until he sees them all put to death.

     

Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society, a group of Young Elites who look for others like them and try to save them before the Inquisition Axis gets them, which is how he finds Adelina. Adelina, whose powers are unlike any he has ever seen before, could be the group's demise if they aren't careful.

Find it in APL TEEN New Books YA FIC Lu, M.

Hungry by H.A. Swain

A book review by Madeline Soucie

In the future, there is no food. Only special medication that hides the feeling of hunger. Thalia's parents helped developed the system that ended hunger and fighting, so as a result they are living pretty well off. Until one day Thalia starts feeling these pangs in her stomach that no one else feels.  Then she meets a poor boy working with an underground resistance who opens her eyes to the world.

   

Together the two work to discover real food -- the only thing that will quell their hunger -- and embark on a journey that will reveal new worlds to them.

Find it in APL TEEN New Books YA FIC Swain, H.

Proxy by Alex London

A book review by Madeline Soucie


Knox is a wealthy boy in one of the wealthiest families of the Upper City. He has everything he could ever want or need. If he gets into trouble, well, he has a proxy who can take the blame -- that's what they're there for.

Syd is a proxy -- Knox's proxy to be exact. His whole life has been about taking punishments for his patron's crimes. He lives in the Lower City, just barely scraping by.  When Knox crashes into a car, killing one of his friends, Syd is sentenced to death.  When the boys meet and realize the consequences, they make a run for it hoping to make it to a secret society across the country. If they succeed, it could reset society and make everyone equal. But as the boys later find out, not all debts can be repaid.

This book is set in the future and is a really good sci fi for anyone who likes this genre. This book was interesting in how it took on servitude and a futuristic society gone wrong. 

For those who read and like Proxy try it's sequel Guardian.


Find it in APL TEEN New Books YA FIC London, A.

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

A book review by Madeline Soucie

Love is a disease. It kills and drives people crazy. In order to prevent this, all citizens -- at the age of eighteen -- must undergo the cure, a process that prevents this disease.

This is the society that seventeen-year-old Lena is growing up in and used to believe in until recently. Now, everything has changed -- that's what love does to a person. Love changes people, only it's amazing, not bad like society says it is.

Find it in APL TEEN Fiction YA FIC Oliver, L.

The Eternity Cure by Julia Kagawa

A book review by Madeline Soucie

This is the second book in the Blood of Eden series, the first being The Immortal Rules.

Allison Sekemoto was turned into a vampire as a last resort to dying. Now her life is threatened again as a new strain of the Red Lung -- a disease that almost wiped out the human race once before -- has been released.

    

Allison must also hunt down the psychotic vampire Sarren who is torturing her sire in hopes of finding a cure for the virus before time runs out. But while looking for Kanin, Allie runs into some trouble and people she didn't expect to see.

    

In the Eternity Cure all the rules Allison learned in the first book are enforced like she never knew they could be and she learns just how blood calls to blood.

Find it in APL TEEN New Books YA FIC Kagawa, J.

The Fifth Wave by Rick Yancey

A book review by Madeline Soucie

                 

The first wave knocked out all the lights and electronics. The second wave brought in tsunamis that wiped out the coasts. The third wave brought in disease. In the fourth wave they killed. Now the fifth wave is coming and very few are left.

    

Trust no one. That's what the alien invasion has taught sixteen year old Cassie. The aliens look like humans, so one can't be sure who's alien and who's human. What's left of the world is in chaos. Over seven billion are dead and the survivors are struggling. Cassie is one of those on the run from place to place trying to find some temporary place to rest, always looking over her shoulder.

    

Then she meets Evan Walker -- a mysterious boy who she befriends against her better judgment. Evan may just be the key to finding Cassie's brother.

    

This was a really good page-turner about an alien invasion of a different kind and humanity's fight to overcome the intruders.

Find it in APL TEEN Fiction YA FIC Yancey, R.

The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

A book review by Kat Seevers

(Book 2 of The Maze Runner series)

Thrown into the action right from page one, The Scorch Trials is far better than The Maze runner. The main character, Thomas, can’t catch a break even when he thinks he’s safe. Although this book reads more like a zombie story with the ‘Flare‘ disease, I enjoyed the action after the slow, easy pace of life in the Maze.  

This book kept me reading with its constant danger and lack of conveniences, which was something that had really annoyed me in the first book.

Find it in APL TEEN Fiction YA FIC Dashner, J.

The Lost Code by Kevin Emerson

A book review by Madeline Soucie

It is years into the future and the ozone layer that protects humans from the sun is slowly breaking down. Domes have been built to help block radiation, though they are few and fewer live in them -- mainly those who are privileged enough. No one can go out without protective lotion to help battle the awful effects of the radiation.

This was all caused by an ancient civilization who used their technology for what they thought was good and nearly destroyed the earth and its human population. They sacrificed three to stop their mistakes and save humanity. Those three left a legacy behind so that if someone ever found the technology to destroy the earth and its population again, three would be chosen to save the world. The time is quickly coming. Owen is one of the three, though he doesn't know it yet. Owen who seems least capable for the job, must unlock the code in his genes to unravel the hidden history.

Kevin Emerson writes a different and new spin on an ancient myth everybody knows and weaves it into a dystopian futuristic society that isn't what it says it is.    

Find it in APL TEEN Fiction YA FIC Emerson, K.

The Knife Of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

A book review by Kat Seevers

Ultimately, this book is like a study of gender through a science fiction point of view. 

Todd's fight with Viola forces him to rethink everything he has learned about women, as well as what it means to be a man. The knife of the title also plays a key role in Todd's journey as he tries to defend Viola from villainous townspeople. His conversations with her about faith, hope, and growing up will surprise anyone expecting a plain, old story of "good vs. evil." 

A great book for expanding horizons.

This is book one of the Chaos Walking series.

Find it in APL TEEN Fiction YA FIC Ness, P.

The Giver by Lois Lowry

A book review by Kat Seevers

Not what I expected. Not just for kids and teens, adults could learn a thing or two from this book. Its meaning goes way beyond the surface of a nice, easy-to-read story. 

The people in the community choose one of their own to absorb all their memories and pain. In doing so they create a false utopia for themselves, barren of everything – even color! The one chosen becomes 'The Giver'. The Giver's duty is to provide the people with wisdom. What actually happens is that The Giver takes all the pain and emotion away from society. I see it as ironic that The Giver is actually a 'taker' of sorts. Still, I find this to be a great read.

Find it in APL TEEN Fiction YA FIC Lowry, L.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

A book review by Kat Seevers

I absolutely loved The Maze Runner! 

The maturity of the characters despite their age and circumstances is astounding. They were organized and worked together to create a mini society in the middle of the Maze where they're trapped. Complete with a farm, canteen, and designated jobs, they still manage to keep searching for a way out. Why were the boys put in the Maze in the first place? Who created it? Is there an escape? Why just boys? 

The pace of the story is very slow at first but speeds up in some places, giving it a real-time quality. This suited me just fine as I’m not fond of stories with constant action that doesn’t give you time to really become aware of the situation and the setting. The pace gave me the time to ‘get to know’  the main characters and my way around the maze extremely well. There was, of course, added twists, which were generally unpredictable and unexpected. 

Overall, a great book!

Find it in APL Teen Fiction YA FIC Dashner, J.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

A book review by Kat Seevers

This is one of the most entertaining young adult books I’ve read in awhile. It’s fast paced, funny,  romantic, and there’s a lot happening. Cinder is a fascinating character with enough smarts and spunk to carry the story. The affection between her and Kai is real, even amidst secrets and betrayal. 

(This is book 1 of The Lunar Chronicles trilogy.  Look for book 2 -- Scarlett -- and book 3 -- Cress.)

Find it in APL Teen Fiction YA FIC Meyer, M.

Legend by Marie Lu

A book review by Madeline Soucie



The United States is no longer the United States. It is the Republic of America 
(west coast and "good guys") and the Patriots (east coast and "enemy/terrorists"). 

June is a prodigy of the Republic; at her trials, which are taken at ten and decide what career and or school children can attend, she scored a perfect 1500 out of 1500. She attended the best school in the country four years early, graduated a year early and is training to be one of the country's best soldiers. 

Day is the Republic's most wanted criminal and the police haven't been able to catch him. 

The two come from opposite worlds, but will meet when June has to hunt Day as he becomes the target of June's brother's murder. Together they will uncover startling secrets about their country that were meant to stay hidden. June and Day have to work together to stay alive and outsmart the government without
getting others hurt in the process. 

This dystopian fiction is a great read filled with action and some romance. It is also the first book in the
Legend series by Marie Lu.


Find it in APL TEEN Fiction YA FIC Lu, M.

THE HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins

A book review by Paige Boehk


The book is based in Panem, which has 12 districts, and is governed by the capitol. The people who live in the capitol do little to nothing and are concerned only with the latest fashions and entertainment.  Each district is responsible for something, whether it be mines, agriculture, seafood, energy, material goods, peacekeepers. 

The Hunger Games is an annual "game" in which every year tributes from each district are picked.  One boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 are selected at random and are forced to fight till the death against each other until one victor stands alone.  If one of your tributes from your district wins the Hunger Games, it's an honor.  The district gets more food and a few luxuries.  It's basically a big reality show that no one really wants to watch but is forced to until it is over.

The main characters are Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark.  They are the tributes from district 12.  Katniss is a miner's daughter whose father died in a mine explosion.  To get food, she and her friend, Gale, go out of district 12 to hunt and gather food for their families.  While Peeta is a baker's son who helps out in the bakery, frosting cakes and baking bread.  They are both sent to the capitol and are put together by their mentor, Haymitch, and are sent into the arena. 

The book has lots more twists and turns.  You are going to have to read it to find out more!


Find it in YA FIC Collins, S.