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| Internment by Samira AhmedThe setting: a frightening near-future U.S. in which Muslim Americans are forced into internment camps.
What happens: Wrenched from her home after she and her family are imprisoned, strong-willed 17-year-old Layla Amin becomes a leader for the resistance, risking everything to take down the camp and shatter the silence that allows violent injustice to go unchecked.
Is it for you? While some readers might find the premise too disturbing, others will be riveted by the brave, authentic heroine. |
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| We Rule the Night by Claire Eliza BartlettWhat it’s about: Linnâe is a general’s daughter who disguised herself so she could join the army. Revna is a so-called traitor’s daughter who was caught using illegal magic. Their dislike is mutual, but when they’re both recruited to an all-female regiment that flies living metal planes into battle, their lives depend on their ability to share a cockpit.
Read it for: An unlikely but powerful friendship and an imaginative, Russian-inspired fantasy world. |
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| In the Neighborhood of True by Susan Kaplan CarltonWhat it’s about: In 1958, after her father dies and her mother moves the family from New York City to Atlanta, Ruth Robb quickly learns the ways of privileged, popular Southern girls: become a debutante, find a nice boyfriend in the Christian club, and don’t tell anyone you’re Jewish.
Why you might like it: Inspired in part by real events, this detail-rich historical read captures the tension between fitting in and staying true to family and faith. |
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Brawler
by Neil O Connelly
Starring: High school champion wrestler Eddie MacIntyre, who does not mind his well-earned reputation as a loose cannon.
What it's about: When Eddie punches a referee, he not only loses his chance at the state championships, he gets expelled from school--facing the strong possibility of joining his father in prison. Eddie runs away and joins an illegal underground fighting ring, where he and a girl fighter named Khajee find themselves trapped in a violent world, run by bad people...
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The Last Voyage of Poe Blythe
by Allyson Braithwaite Condie
What it’s about: Seeking to avenge the murder of her true love while on a dredge ship searching for gold, fifteen-year-old captain Poe Blythe becomes the architect of new defenses designed to destroy her enemies.
Who it's for: Fans of dystopian fiction, strong heroines, and introspective characters.
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| Avalon by Mindee ArnettWhat it’s about: Mercenary Jeth Seagrave is determined to buy back his parents’ spaceship from a ruthless crime boss -- so determined that he and his renegade crew take a job in the dangerous, unpredictable Belgrave Quadrant.
Who it’s for: Bursting with high-octane action, this series opener (followed by Polaris) will grab readers who love space westerns, heist stories, and chosen families.
Try this next: M.K. England’s The Disasters. |
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| Empress of a Thousand Skies by Rhoda BellezaStarring: Crown Princess Rhee, sole heir to the galaxy’s dynasty, now undercover and out for revenge after an assassination attempt; and Aly, a refugee turned reality TV star who becomes a fugitive after he’s accused of Rhee’s murder.
Read it for: compelling characters, interstellar world-building, and intertwining storylines that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Series alert: catch the conclusion to this duology in Blood of a Thousand Stars. |
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| Contagion by Erin BowmanFeaturing: microbiology intern Thea, former military pilot Nova, and their teammates on the rescue ship sent to answer a distress call from a mining crew on the planet Achlys.
What happens: By the time the team arrives on Achlys, there's nothing left but piles of corpses and an ominous note. Can they discover what killed the drill crew without meeting the same fate? Multiple perspectives heighten the suspense in this horror/science fiction hybrid.
Look for: the sequel, Immunity, on shelves this July. |
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| Defy the Stars by Claudia GrayWhat it’s about: While fighting to protect her home planet from Earth colonizers, pilot Noemi discovers Abel, an abandoned, highly advanced Earth mech who might prove to be a crucial ally.
Why you might like it: Alternating narration allows you to see both sides of Noemi and Abel’s evolving relationship -- and the complicated moral dilemma that comes with it.
Series alert: this gripping science fiction story continues in Defy the Worlds and Defy the Fates. |
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The Diabolic
by S. J Kincaid
What it's about: Growing up alongside a galactic senator's daughter she is sworn to protect, Nemesis is forced to assume her charge's identity when a power-mad Emperor attempts to thwart a rebellion against his corrupt forces.
For fans of: Over-the-top futuristic worlds like Jupiter Ascending and Leviathan Wakes will love the set pieces and glamour of the court,
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Contact your librarian for more great books for age 14 and up!
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