Staff Picks Young Adult
May 2023
The Rise of Kyoshi
by F. C. Yee
A humble Earth Kingdom-born girl is left to fend for herself in a world where nations have succumbed to tyranny and greed. Every day the nations become more corrupt and violent, but the Avatar is nowhere to be found. Jianzhu and Kelsang grow more desperate in their attempts to find this era’s Avatar and having lost one of the avatar toy relics to an orphan girl they’re at their wits end. Will they be able to recover the relic and find the Avatar in time? Or will the world be destroyed by countless mass murders? This first volume in the Chronicles of the Avatar series is great for fans of Avatar: The Last Air Bender looking to learn more about previous legendary Avatars.
This book is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby as an e audiobook and Hoopla as an ebook.
Recommended by: Ayla Franco, Youth Services Assistant
Posted in: Young Adult Fiction
April 2023
Chaos and Flame
by Tessa Gratton
The House of Dragon has captured the House of Kraken’s leader during battle and his adoptive daughter, Darling Seabreak, will not stop until he is saved like he once saved her long ago. Darling isn’t his direct descendant but rather was taken in as a child from the sewers after the entire House of Spinx was wiped out one night. Talon is just trying to protect what remains of his family after losing his mother and is currently losing his brother to madness. Being from the House of Dragon he will stop at nothing to keep his family from crumbling and captures Darling after an attempt to attack them. But something odd happens, his brother, Caspian the High Prince Regent, recognizes Darling from his madness and things take a different turn. Are they all a part of something bigger than this war? Will they be able able to change fate?
Recommended by: Ayla Franco, Youth Services Assistant
Posted in: Young Adult Fiction
Spin
by Rebecca Caprara
Posted in: Young Adult Fiction
Geekerella
by Ashley Poston
Elle loves the show Starfield. It was her favorite thing to watch with her late father, who was also the founder of Excelsi Con. When she sees an add for a cosplay contest she has to win. Between the money she saved working at the Pumpkin Food Truck, and the money she could win at the contest, she’d finally be able to get away from her evil stepmother and her daughters. Darien plays Carmindor in the new Strafield movie. Many people think that he does not fit as the character, while others just see him as a heartthrob. When Elle and Darien meet at the Con, will it be love at first sight? Will they be able to save each other and live happily ever after?
This book is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby as an ebook and e audiobook.
Recommended by: Erin Faxel, Youth Services Teen Librarian
Posted in: Young Adult Fiction
Now Entering Addamsville
by Francesca Zappia
Zora is special, just like her mom was before she disappeared. She can see ghosts. She is also being accused of setting a fire that killed the local school janitor. With evidence piling up against her, she starts the search for the real killer. She finds out that her town has a history of tragic fires and the arsonist was never caught. She teams up with her cousin Artemis, only to have their efforts blocked by a popular ghost hunting show that is filming in their town. Will Zora and Artemis be able to solve the mystery? Or are they doomed to become ghosts themselves?
This book is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby as an ebook.
Recommended by: Erin Faxel, Youth Services Teen Librarian
Posted in: Young Adult Fiction
March 2023
Everything You Need to Ace American History in One Big Fat Notebook
by Lily Rothman
Posted in: Young Adult Nonfiction
We Hunt the Flame
by Hafsah Faizal
Zafira is a girl disguising herself as a male Hunter in order to feed her people. Nasir is an assassin, known as the Prince of Death, who is sent to kill anyone who defies his Tyrant father, the Sultan. They are known as legends in Arawiya, but neither wanted to be one; they were forced due to duty and responsibility over the people and the Sultan. The Arz aren’t relenting and war is looming over the kingdom but an ancient lost artifact could change things for the kingdom. Both Zafira and Nasir are on the quest to find it but who will find it first? And will either be able to stop the Arz from engulfing the entire kingdom in shadow?
This book is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby as an e audiobook.
Recommended by: Ayla Franco, Youth Services Assistant
Posted in: Young Adult Fiction
Dark and Shallow Lies
by Ginny Myers Sain
Despite being the psychic capital of the world, no one in La Cachette, Louisiana knows what happened to Elora the night she went missing. When Grey comes home for the summer, she is determined to find out the events that led to the vanishing of her best friend. As she begins to uncover the story, she finds that everyone in the town is hiding something, even herself. Grey grapples with all the possibilities in Elora’s story, while grappling with the power that is beginning to show itself within her. Try to piece together the puzzle of what happened to Elora alongside Grey, and discover for yourself what dark and insidious secrets are hiding in this small swamp town.
This book is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby as an e audiobook.
Recommended by: Stephanie Visser-Rodriquez, Youth Services Assistant
Posted in: Young Adult Fiction
The Summer of Bitter and Sweet
by Jen Ferguson
Lou will be working in her family’s ice cream shack this summer with her best friend, former best friend and ex-boyfriend. That is the perfect recipe for drama. When she starts receiving letters from her biological dad (who has just gotten out of prison) things go from manageable to horrible. She knows that he’s dangerous and that she can’t meet him, no matter how much he asks. Will her friends be able to help protect her? Or will her father come after her and her loved ones? Check out this book and find out.
Recommended by: Erin Faxel, Youth Services Teen Librarian
Posted in: Young Adult Fiction
Azar on Fire
by Olivia Abtahi
Azar loves music, especially writing songs. The only problem is that her voice has been damaged since she was a baby and she has trouble speaking. When an accident happens and she is forced to make a band to participate in the cities Battle of the Bands, her life changes forever. Can she learn to work with the band to create something amazing? Will they be able to win the Battle of the Bands? Pick up this book and find out.
Recommended by: Erin Faxel, Youth Services Teen Librarian
Posted in: Young Adult Fiction