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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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With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo What it's about: Ever since she got pregnant freshman year, Emoni Santiago’s life has been about making the tough decisions—doing what has to be done for her daughter and her abuela. The one place she can let all that go is in the kitchen, where she adds a little something magical to everything she cooks, turning her food into straight-up goodness. Even though she dreams of working as a chef after she graduates, Emoni knows that it’s not worth her time to pursue the impossible. Yet despite the rules she thinks she has to play by, once Emoni starts cooking, her only choice is to let her talent break free.
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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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| Night Music by Jenn Marie ThorneStarring: classical pianist Ruby, who just bombed her audition for the music school where her famous composer father teaches, and musical prodigy Oscar, who just scored a chance to study with Ruby's dad for the summer.
What it’s about: Even though Ruby needs to figure out who she is outside of the music world, and Oscar shouldn’t risk his career by dating his mentor’s daughter, their connection is undeniable.
For fans of: thoughtful, captivating contemporary romance. |
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Descendant of the crane
by Joan He
"Princess Hesina of Yan is thrust into power when her beloved father is murdered, and she's determined to find his killer--whatever the cost"
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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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| Nyxia by Scott ReintgenWhat it’s about: To save his struggling family, Detroit teen Emmett Atwater accepts a high-paying offer from Babel Communications to join their expedition to the planet Eden, home to a miraculous substance called nyxia. The catch? He’ll have to fight the nine other recruits for a place on the final team.
Series alert: to find out what’s next for this page-turner's multicultural cast, pick up the sequels, Nyxia Unleashed and Nyxia Uprising. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books for age 14 and up!
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Tacoma Public Library
1102 Tacoma Avenue South
Tacoma, Washington 98402
(253) 292-2001
www.tacomalibrary.org
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