Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan

A book review by Madeline Soucie

Will Grayson and Will Grayson live rather close to each other but have never crossed paths until one day they do. Coming from different worlds, one Will Grayson lives a nice life and has his best friend Tiny. The other Will Grayson lives in another part of Chicago with only his mom and sort of friend.

        

The two Wills meet in unusual circumstances one night and befriend each other through Tiny, their not-so-tiny football player of a friend and his struggle to put on the musical he created.

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

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

A book review by Madeline Soucie

Taking place in the '80s, Eleanor & Park is about two high school students who both stand out and as a result become an unlikely couple. It's a sweet story.

     

Eleanor's new to the high school. She's big and has crazy, unruly red hair. Plus she doesn't try to fit in -- she dresses outside the norm.

     

Park is Asian and isn't quite at the bottom of the social ladder where he gets picked on so survives when others are targeted instead of him.

     

When Eleanor needs a seat on the bus and the only one available is Park's, the two will slowly bond over comic books and music and come  to share a love story neither thought they'd be able to have.

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

Trust Me, I'm Lying by Mary Elizabeth Summer

A book review by Madeline Soucie

Julep Dupree is a con artist. It's how she pays her tuition at St. Agatha's, the private school she attends. She runs little jobs for the students.

       

When she comes home one day to a trashed apartment and her father missing, things take a turn for the worst. Add to her stress, Tyler Richland -- a senior and the guy every girl wants.  Tyler takes an interest in Julep and wants to help her in any way possible. Following a trail of secrets and clues and stalkers won't be easy, but when is life ever easy.

       

Julep will soon find that she may be in over her head this time and that no amount of tricks will help her.

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

The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson

 A book review by Madeline Soucie

               

Haley has spent the second half of her life on the road with her dad, Andy, trucking from place to place and learning as she went. Then her dad decides to move back to the town where he grew up so that Haley can have a normal senior year and prepare for college and the rest of her life.

But her dad's past haunts him and Haley can't do anything about it but watch. She struggles to fit in and get by. Soon the past will come out for all to see.

      

When Finn comes into the picture -- a sweet boy who cares about Haley -- he makes her think about the future for the first time in a way she has never been able to see it.

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

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

A book review by Madeline Soucie

Dante and Aristotle (Ari) become friends the summer of their 15th year over swimming lessons. Dante is very open, into drawing and poetry and introduces Ari to poetry. Ari is quiet and angry about a brother in jail he can barely remember and no one will talk about.

    

As Ari and Dante spend the summer hanging out, they will learn new things and Ari will come to terms with his feelings and things about his brother's past that he didn't know will be revealed.

Find it in APL TEEN Fiction YA FIC Saenz, B.

The Night She Disappeared by April Henry

A book review by Madeline Soucie


Gabie and Kayla work together at Pete's Pizza. Gabie drives a Mini Cooper. One night when Kayla and Gabie switch shifts, Kayla borrows Gabie's car, goes out on a delivery, and never comes back.  Now Gabie is convinced that she was the one who was supposed to be kidnapped. She would have been if she hadn't agreed to switch shifts.

Gabie teams up with her fellow worker, Drew, to do some investigating of their own -- before it's too late.

This is a quick read and a good mystery for anyone who likes mysteries which involve kidnapping. And if you like The Night She Disappeared, try some of April Henry's other books! 


Find it in APL TEEN Fiction YA FIC Henry, A.

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

A book review by Madeline Soucie

We Were Liars is a mystery in its own way, unwound by a girl as she regains her memories after a traumatic event from two years ago. And, of course, everyone is not as they seem.

I cannot tell you anymore, least I ruin the story for you. But I will say this; The Sinclairs are a rich family who spends their summers on a private island off the coast of Massachusetts, and they are liars.

Find it in APL TEEN New Books YA FIC Lockhart, E.

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

A book review by Madeline Soucie

               

   

A good summer book for summer.

    

Taylor Edwards used to spend her summers with her family at their old lake house until five years ago when their lives became too busy. Taylor never thought they'd be back until her father received some bad news and the family goes up to spend one last summer together on the lake.

    

Up at the lake, Taylor is confronted by memories and people from her past like her former best friend and first crush, who she ran away from before leaving for five years.

    

Taylor soon finds that this summer is all about second chances to fix mistakes and make things right with her old friends and family before its too late.

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

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

A book review by Madeline Soucie

Samantha Kinston has it all -- she's popular and has great friends, a great boyfriend, and she is at the top of the school social ladder. 

February 12th is just another day to go to school with her friends and enjoy life. Or so Sam thought. Then she dies and wakes up to a second chance at life. Then another and another; seven chances actually. Seven redo days, no one else knows about, to change her life and death and to realize little things she never noticed.

Read this page-turning book to find out how Sam chooses to change her life and, in doing so, realizes how much the little things really mean. 

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

Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira

A book review by Madeline Soucie

Laurel is just starting high school and her first English assignment is to write a letter to a dead person. She ends up writing to a lot of people- Kurt Cobain, Amy Winehouse, Amelia Earhart, and more. She tells them about high school and her life growing up. How her sister died, and the trouble she has been having with her divorced parents. New friends and crushes and such.

   

As Laurel writes her letters and the year progresses, she slowly starts to come to terms with what happened to her. As she comes to terms, she can finally accept her sister's death. Laurel also accepts that she's not mad at her sister, and can move on and find her own path to discover who she is.

   

In this nice and sweet story the reader is introduced to Laurel through her letters. This is a good book for anyone who liked The Fault in our Stars.

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

I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

A book review by Madeline Soucie                           

Jasper just wants to be normal -- hang out with his girlfriend and survive high school -- but can't because he is held back by his father's past. Jasper's father was one of the world's most notorious serial killers, whose murders numbered in the triple digits. Not to mention he took Jasper along with him sometimes and showed Jasper the ropes.

Now, four years later, Jasper is still looked at as his father's son and feels like the town is waiting for him to turn into his father. Sometimes, Jasper himself feels like he is going to crack. It isn't exactly easy having your serial killer father to raise you to be the next best serial killer.

Recently, bodies have been showing up in Jasper's small town. Jasper believes it could be a serial killer, but the police aren't sure at first. As the bodies pile up, Jasper is determined to find and stop the killer -- whether the police ask for his help or not. It's a test of faith on whether a son can overcome his father's legacy.

This is a good series for anyone who likes horror stories and doesn't mind a bit of blood. Nothing too graphic, though.

Find it in: APL Teen Fiction YA FIC Lyga, B.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

A book review by Madeline Soucie


Hazel is a sixteen year old girl fighting cancer. She's had cancer for most of her life -- it's what she knows. She doesn't have many friends because when you miss as much school as she does, it's hard to keep up with friends and have a social life. Her main friends are her parents and her favorite book. Her oxygen tank is also something that never changes. She's used to it.

Augustus Waters is a cancer survivor. He used to play basketball before the cancer hit him, now he doesn't. He's a bright star with a big heart. 

One day while going to support group for cancer kids with his friend Isaac, he meets Hazel.  The friendship is almost instant and soon turns into more as the two hang out more and more. The one thing holding Hazel back is that she believes she is a grenade, about to go off at any time and doesn't want to hurt anyone she can avoid hurting. Augustus shows her differently and the pair struggle to overcome the cancer looming around their shoulders and enjoy living now. 

This is an exceptionally good book that will tug at your heart strings, but is a great read nonetheless.


With the movie's release on June 6, the book is currently in high demand.  To place it on hold, click here.

The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen

A book review by Kat Seevers

The Moon and More doesn’t contain that much romance. It’s more about change, family relationships, and figuring out who you are in the midst of all of that.  As a general rule, Emaline doesn’t like change, but she’s forced to deal with it over and over again.  I really enjoyed her character because while she’s struggling, she’s still very focused and true to herself.  She’s trying to balance her mom holding on to her -- and not wanting her to make the same mistakes she did -- along with new friendships and her biological father visiting for the summer.  Emaline's character stood out in different ways depending on who she was dealing with.  She’s patient with her mom and sisters, she’s pretty strong with her biological father, she’s tough around Ivy, and she’s trying out a different version of Emaline with Theo.  All of it connects and changes as the story progresses.

Find it in APL Teen New Fiction YA FIC Dessen, S.

If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch

A book review by Kat Seevers

 

This book is a very compelling and poignant novel. The heroine is a very strong but bruised -- physically and mentally -- character who is not a vampire or shape-shifter, or a fallen angel. Because she is none of those is another reason I found this novel refreshing. That is not to say that horrible things do not happen -- and they do -- retold in flashbacks and memories, but it also shows that things can work out. That a path can be changed, and for the good. That a family can be made up of many different parts and still work.

Find it in APL Teen Fiction YA FIC Murdoch, E.