Staff Picks

Bravely

by Maggie Stiefvater

This is a sequel of the Disney movie Brave. Merida saved her Mom and brothers from living the rest of their lives as bears and changed her fate. Years later she feels like she’s experienced everything and is stuck. In steps two gods. One a creator, one a destroyer. They’ve come to the conclusion that DunBroch is stuck in it’s ways and needs to change otherwise it is lined up for destruction. Merida is given a year to help her family and the home she loves change, or else it will all be gone forever. Will Merida be able to save everyone? Will she realize in time that the person who needs to change the most is herself?

This book is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby and Hoopla as an ebook and e audiobook.

Recommended by: Erin Faxel, Youth Services Teen Librarian

Posted in: Young Adult Fiction

Yonder

by Ali Standish

Jack is a hero to Danny, especially after Danny’s dad leaves to serve in World War II and Danny witnesses Jack saving two small children from drowning. When Jack disappears, Danny is left to try to figure out what happened to him. Did he drown? Did his abusive father go too far? When the police don’t seem to take him seriously, he takes matters into his own hands. As Danny deals with all the changes around him, in his town and in the world, he is slowly growing and maturing. 

Recommended by: Becky McCormack, Youth Services Assistant Manager

Posted in: Young Adult Fiction

The Girl in the Lake

by India Hill Brown

If you are looking for a ghost story, The Girl in the Lake is for you. Celeste is not looking forward to spending the summer at her grandparents’ lake house. Her brother and cousins will be there, but all they will want to do is swim in the deep, dark lake. Celeste hates the water and to make things even worse, she failed her swimming class. It is particularly important to Celeste’s grandparents that all the grandchildren learn to swim. Especially because segregation did not allow her grandparents and their siblings the opportunity to safely learn to swim in a public pool. As Celeste is settling in to her stay, she sees a picture of her grandmother’s sister who died when she was right around Celeste’s age. At first Celeste thinks it is a photo of herself, that is how similar Celeste looks to her great aunt. The similarity creeps Celeste out. Unfortunately, the photo is just the start of creepy things that happen in her grandparents’ old house and at the lake. Dangerous pranks, lost time, and strange dreams all start to take over Celeste’s summer. Will Celeste lose her summer to fear? The Girl in the Lake is just scary enough to keep you reading.

This book is available in the library and on Hoopla as an e audiobook.

Recommended by: Malorie Carpenter, Youth Services Assistant

Posted in: Youth Fiction

When the Sky Falls

by Phil Earle

Joseph is absolutely miserable when his grandmother sends him away to the country during World War II. His mother has left him, his father is off to fight, and his grandmother can no longer be bothered with him so Joseph is shipped off to a friend of his grandmother’s who owes her a favor. To make matters even worse, it turns out this friend is taking care of what’s left of the zoo and needs Joseph’s help mostly with clearing out the dung. Joseph meets a friend and becomes more comfortable in his new surroundings only to be confronted with bullies. This historical fiction novel is action packed and heart wrenching. 

Recommended by: Becky McCormack, Youth Services Assistant Manager

Posted in: Youth Fiction

She Gets the Girl

by Rachael Lippincott

Molly is obsessed with Cora while Alex is smitten with Natalie. When Molly and Alex meet in college, Alex hatches a plan to help Molly get her girl while simultaneously proving to Natalie that she’s trustworthy and a good person. As the plan moves forward, Molly and Alex can’t deny the attraction that’s growing between them. This is an engaging story involving believable characters.

This book is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby as an ebook and e audiobook.

Recommended by: Becky McCormack, Youth Services Assistant Manager

Posted in: Young Adult Fiction

The Hideaway

by Pam Smy

If you are a fan of The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, you will love The Hideaway. Billy Mckenna refuses to live in his home for one more day. The abuse his mother must endure, living with his manipulative stepfather, is unbearable. Billy never knows when his stepfather’s mood will become violent. Therefore, his only choice is to run away. He knows the perfect place too, a remote, overgrown cemetery. While hiding away in the graveyard, Billy remembers happier times with his mother, before she met his stepfather. Billy and his mother used to be happy together in their cozy apartment. He knows he must do what it takes to get that happiness back. Billy’s mother is distraught over the disappearance of her son. She will do whatever it takes to get Billy back, even if that means putting herself in danger. While hiding away, Billy makes unexpected friends with the groundskeeper who is sympathetic to Billy’s situation and agrees to keep his stay a secret. But when Billy starts witnessing paranormal activity in the graveyard, he questions who the groundskeeper really is and why he is helping him. The Hideaway is a face paced read with black and white sketches throughout.

Recommended by: Malorie Carpenter, Youth Services Assistant

Posted in: Youth Fiction

The Drowning Summer

by Christine Lynn Herman

Posted in: Young Adult Fiction

Forging Silver into Stars

by Brigid Kemmerer

Return to Emberfall and Syhl Shallow in Brigid Kemmerer’s newest book. This time the book follows Tycho (you might remember him as one of Gray’s friends) and two new characters Callyn and Jax. Callyn and Jax live in a small town in Syhl Shallow. They’re just trying to do what they can to pay off the tax collector, so when a wealthy Lady shows up one day and asks them to hold a letter for a large amount of money, they take it. Little do they know that the letter will lead them in to a traitorous plot to rid the kingdom of magic and the royal family. Pick up this spin off book to A Curse So Dark And Lonely today. It can be read and enjoyed without reading the first series.

This book is available at the library and on OverDrive and Hoopla as an ebook.

Recommended by: Erin Faxel, Youth Services Ten Librarian

Posted in: Young Adult Fiction

White Smoke

by Tiffany D. Jackson

A great psychological horror novel. Mari and her family leave their old lives and problems behind to move into a free house on the other side of the country that her mother wins. When they arrive at the house it’s beautiful, but there’s nothing else on their street except empty run down abandoned homes. The people in the town don’t step foot on their street, and rumors are that Mari’s new home is haunted. Mari thinks that’s crazy until things start going missing, and her little step sister has an invisible friend. The house has secrets, but so does the new town. Will Mari be able to figure them out before someone gets hurt? Check out this 2023 Read For A Lifetime book today!

This book is available in the library and on OverDrvie and Hoopla as an ebook.

Recommended by: Erin Faxel, Youth Services Teen Librarian

Posted in: Young Adult Fiction

An Arrow to the Moon

by Emily X.R. Pan

Hunter and Luna are special, they just don’t know why. Hunter has perfect aim with everything. His family life, however is terrible. Luna on the other hand, has great parents, but strange things keep happening around her. Fireflies follow her, even in the winter and during the day. When she’s near fish, they follow her too. While their families hate each other, the two teens realize that they were meant to be together. As things start to fall apart will fate be able to keep them together? This book is Chinese mythology meets Romeo and Juliet.

This book is available in the library and on OverDrive and Hoopla as an ebook.

Recommended by: Erin Faxel, Youth Services Teen Librarian

Posted in: Young Adult Fiction