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| Saints and Misfits by S.K. AliFiction. According to Janna Yusuf, there are three kinds of people. Sarah, her brother's pious fiancée, is the first kind: a saint. Farooq, the guy who assaulted Janna at a party, is the second kind: a monster, even if he acts saintly at the mosque. And Janna – a Flannery O'Connor-loving, hijab-wearing Muslim girl with divorced parents and a crush on a non-Muslim guy -- is the third kind: a misfit, never quite feeling like she belongs. If Janna's authentically angsty struggle to find her place and her voice resonates with you, you may also want to try Sheba Karim's That Thing We Call a Heart. |
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| The Leaf Reader by Emily ArsenaultParanormal Suspense. Since people at her small-town high school assume that she's just as strange as her family, Marnie Wells decides to lean into her odd reputation. She starts offering tea-leaf readings to her classmates only to discover a real talent for fortune-telling. That talent attracts the attention of basketball star Matt, who wants to know why he's receiving messages from someone claiming to be his missing (presumed dead) best friend. Even as her readings get more disturbing, Marnie finds herself irresistibly drawn toward Matt and his mystery. Hints of the supernatural add to the feeling of creeping unease in this page-turning tale of suspense. |
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| Be True to Me by Adele GriffinHistorical Fiction. Jean is ready to take on the summer of 1976. Settling into her family's summer home in an upper-class New York beach community, she sets her sights on winning this year's tennis tournament, as well as the heart of handsome newcomer Gil. Her only obstacle is Fritz, a working-class girl who, despite being an outsider on the island, threatens Jean's tennis standing and effortlessly captures Gil's attention. In alternating narration, Jean and Fritz describe how their fierce competition veers toward tragedy in this high-drama story of ruthless rivalry and twisted romance. |
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| The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi LeeHistorical Fantasy. A "Grand Tour" of 18th-century Europe offers Lord Henry Montague's one last chance to cut loose. Once he returns, Monty will have to abandon his scandalous life of drinking and dallying with young ladies (and gentlemen) and take over his family's British estate. The Tour is barely underway when Monty -- who's accompanied by his sharp-minded sister Felicity and his best friend (and secret love) Percy -- makes a powerful enemy, turning the journey into a life-or-death mission involving highwaymen, pirates, and alchemy. Blending snarky humor with passionate emotion and savvy social observations, this "guide" is a must-read for fans of inclusive historical adventure. |
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Ten miles one way
by Patrick Downes
Fiction. In the wake of a near-fatal car accident, Isaac Kew, twenty, recalls a very long walk he took three years earlier with his bipolar girlfriend, Nest. A metaphorical novel about the meaning of loving and being loved in the face of mental illness follows the relationship between bipolar Nest, who imparts painful stories about her family and life, and Q, who loves Nest unconditionally in spite of the challenges of their journey together.
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Fig
by Sarah Elizabeth Schantz
Fiction. Love and sacrifice intertwine in this brilliant debut of rare beauty about a girl dealing with her mother's schizophrenia and her own mental illness. Fig's world lies somewhere between reality and fantasy. But as she watches Mama slowly come undone, it becomes hard to tell what is real and what is not, what is fun and what is frightening. To save Mama, Fig begins a fierce battle to bring her back. She knows that her daily sacrifices, like not touching metal one day or avoiding water the next, are the only way to cure Mama. The problem is that in the process of a daily sacrifice, Fig begins to lose herself as well, increasingly isolating herself from her classmates and engaging in self-destructive behavior that only further sets her apart. Spanning the course of Fig's childhood from age six to nineteen, this deeply provocative novel is more than a portrait of a mother, a daughter, and the struggle that comes with all-consuming love. It is an acutely honest and often painful portrayal of life with mental illness and the lengths to which a young woman must go to handle the ordeals--real or imaginary--thrown her way.
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Killing time in Crystal City
by Chris Lynch
Fiction. Crystal City called for him, and Kevin answered. And why wouldn't he? His relationship with his father is broken--as is his arm. With barely anyone to miss him or care if he's gone, it seemed like the perfect time for Kevin to run away to his estranged uncle and create an entirely new identity. New name. New attitude. New friends. Maybe even a new girl. From the first moment of adventure, Kevin's life takes a turn for the exciting. Making friends seems easy with his new persona, especially when a group of homeless beach bums instantly includes him in their crew. But do they like the real Kevin, or the guy he's pretending to be? And will this new lifestyle help Kevin escape from the misery of his former life--or will it drag him right back into the reasons he left home?
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| Hold Me Like a Breath by Tiffany SchmidtThriller. Even the lightest touch could damage sheltered, 17-year-old Penelope Landlow -- she has a rare disorder that causes easy bruising and requires frequent blood transfusions. These treatments are funded by the family business: the Landlows are major players in the black market for human organ transplants. Yet the business that enables Penny's safety also makes her family a target, and after a shocking tragedy shatters her protective bubble, Penny discovers that independence is hazardous…and that she's more resilient than anyone suspected. If you relish the pulse-pounding suspense and unexpected romance in this thriller, you won't want to miss the follow-up, Break Me Like A Promise. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books! |
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