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.

No One Else Can Have You by Kathleen Hale

A book review by Madeline Soucie

    

Friendship, Wisconsin, is a small town, population now 688. Everyone knows everyone else, no one locks their doors at night, and people are always smiling. Even the police cars have smiley faces on them. In the town of Friendship, there aren't many problems besides missing pets until high school student Ruth Fried turns up dead in a cornfield.

    

Since the police are convinced they have the case closed and the suspect locked up, best friend Kippy Bushman takes it upon herself to find her friend's real killer. The only problem is in a town this small, everyone seems innocent, even the killer.

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

The Eye of Minds by James Dashner

A book review by Madeline Soucie

          

If you read and liked the Maze Runner or are reading it then I recommend you either put this book on your list or start reading it. By the same author, The Eye of Minds takes place in the future and the virtual gaming world -- the VirtNet -- is a huge part of human life.

   

Like everyone else, Michael is an avid gamer and spends most of his time on the VirtNet paying virtual games that feel real thanks to the stimulations and technology that it uses. He can do just about anything -- hang with friends, play fantasy worlds -- the possibilities are endless, especially if you're a hacker and can get around the rules like Michael and his friends.

   

Rules that are there for a reason, as Michael soon finds out when he is recruited by VirtNet Security. They want him on their side to catch a hacker who has figured out how to blur the line between reality and games and is using it to his advantage. 

Book 1 of the Mortality Doctrine series.

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

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.

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.

The Christopher Killer by Alane Ferguson

A book review by Madeline Soucie

       

A forensic mystery for anyone who likes forensic or murder mysteries.

   

Cameryn Mahoney is finally going to work with her dad, the town's only coroner, as his assistant to get some hands on experience. This way she'll be ready when she goes into the field as a professional.  But this isn't what she expected. Cameryn's second case with her father is a victim of a serial killer- a friend of hers. 

Cameryn has to watch her back before she becomes the next victim of The Christopher Killer.

Find it in APL TEEN Fiction YA FIC Ferguson, 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 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.

All the Truth That's In Me by Julie Berry

A book review by Madeline Soucie


Judith lives in Roswell Station as an outcast. Four years ago, she and her friend were taken, days apart. Her friend was killed. Judith was held captive, but released after two years, and returned to her home with her tongue cut out. She could talk, but her words were garbled and near impossible to understand. Because of this, her mother told Judith not to speak, ever. Her mother was too ashamed to want Judith to speak, and so she became the mute outcast of the town; everyone knew she existed, but refused to acknowledge her.

Life went on like this for two years until ships were spotted downstream, coming to invade Roswell Station. Judith is now faced with a choice -- keep silent and let people die and her town be taken over, or speak up and face her old captor, the only person who knows how to save the town and more importantly, Judith's family and the boy she loves.

This book is captivating from page one, and I hated having to put it down. It is unlike the historical fiction I have read before and is such a good read! I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a good book to read.

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