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The Living
Matt de la Peña
Synopsis: Newbery Award-winning author Matt de la Peña's The Living is "a rare thing: a plot-driven YA with characters worthy of a John Green novel.” [Entertainment Weekly, A-]

   Shy takes the summer job to make some money. A few months on a luxury cruise liner--how bad can it be? Bikinis, free food, maybe even a girl or two . . . every cruise has a fresh crop of passengers, after all. He'll rake in the tips and be able to help his mom and sister out with the bills.  
  But then, an earthquake more massive than any ever recorded hits California and Shy's life is changed forever.
The earthquake is only the beginning. Twenty-four hours and a catastrophic chain of events later, Shy is lost at sea, fighting to survive--and stuck with her.
  She's blond and she's rich, and never in her life would she have dreamed she'd be adrift in the Pacific Ocean, surrounded by death and completely dependent on a guy like Shy.
  And Shy hasn't even faced the worst yet.
  Look for the thrilling sequel, The Hunted, in bookstores now!

Praise for The Living:

“De la Peña has created a rare thing: a plot-driven YA with characters worthy of a John Green novel.”-Entertainment Weekly, A-
 
“Action is first and foremost. . . . De la Peña can uncork delicate but vivid scenes.” —The New York Times

“[The Living] is special because of its extraordinary protagonist, Shy, who I haven’t been able to shake from my mind in the weeks since I read the book.”-John Green, author of The Fault in Our Stars

"There's no way to classify The Living. It's everything I love mixed into one fantastic, relentless, action-packed story. As always with Matt, the characters are the best part. So real. I loved this book."-James Dashner, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Maze Runner series

[STAR] "An addictive page-turner and character-driven literary novel with broad appeal for fans of both."-Kirkus Reviews, Starred

[STAR] "An excellent, enthralling ride...a great read for those looking for adventure and survival stories."-VOYA, Starred

A Pura Belpré Author Honor Award Winner

An ALSC Notable Children's Book Pick
Publication Date: 01/06/15
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure
Love or Something Like It (Mostly Miserable Life of April Sinclair)
Synopsis: As summer approaches, April is conflicted about going to camp and missing time with new boyfriend Matt and her friend Sophie, who'll be visiting, and wonders if her flame with Matt is strong enough to survive a long absence.
Publication Date: 01/01/15
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Taking Sides
Patrick Jones
Synopsis: At odds with his sister, Tina, fourteen, who says their father murdered their mother, Todd, fifteen, who claims it was self-defense, begins to lose faith in their father when he pressures Todd to get Tina to change her story, and being in separate fosterhomes only makes things harder.
Publication Date: 01/01/15
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Returning to Normal
Patrick Jones
Synopsis: When Xavier's father returns to Boston after serving ten years in federal prison, tensions quickly mount and Xavier's anger explodes on the baseball field, making it less likely that he will achieve his dream of playing in the major leagues than that he will follow his father's path.
Publication Date: 01/01/15
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Give It Up
Stephanie Perry Moore
Synopsis: When five girls at Jackson High School find themselves on a nasty list, they must join together and face the rest of their school. But will their struggles be too much to bear?
Publication Date: 01/01/15
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Guarding Secrets
Patrick Jones
Synopsis: Since her mother went to prison to await execution, eleventh-grader Camila Hernandez has been shuffled from one aunt to another, avoiding friendships and keeping to herself in hopes no one will learn her secret, and worrying that she will turn out to be a criminal, too.
Publication Date: 01/01/15
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Back That Thing
Stephanie Perry Moore
Synopsis: When relationship, family, and friend problems make life rough, the swoop-list girls must examine their lives and make positive changes. But can they handle the challenge of confronting their own mistakes?
Publication Date: 01/01/15
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
On Your Knees
Stephanie Perry Moore
Synopsis: When a gang shooting causes tensions to rise, the swoop-list girls must discover how to keep their cool and have faith in each other. Can they maintain their friendship under these stressful circumstances?
Publication Date: 01/01/15
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
The First Principle
Marissa Shrock
Synopsis:

In the not-too-distant future, the United Regions of America has formed. Governors hold territories instead of states, and while Washington, DC, is gone, the government has more control than ever before. For fifteen-year-old Vivica Wilkins, the daughter of a governor, this is life as usual. High school seems pretty much the same--until one day, that controlling power steps right through the door during study hall.

When Vivica speaks out to defend her pregnant friend against the harsh treatment of Population Management Officer Marina Ward, she has no idea she's sowing the seeds of a revolution in her own life. But it isn't long before she discovers her own illegal pregnancy. Now she has to decide whether to get the mandatory abortion--or follow her heart, try to keep the baby, and possibly ruin her mother's chances at becoming president.

A rebel group called the Emancipation Warriors, who are fighting to restore freedoms once held unalienable, offer her asylum. Can Vivica trust these rebels to help her or will they bring everything crashing down around her? Accepting their help may come with consequences she isn't ready to face.

Marissa Shrock's debut novel crafts a chilling story of what may be to come if we allow the economic and moral crises currently facing our country to change the foundations on which we built our independence--and of the difference one person can make when they choose to trust God's lead.

Publication Date: 01/01/15
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Faith-based
Aaden BlueStar: The Awakening
Synopsis: An ordinary teen discovers his connection with an extraterrestrial here to save our planet, his Senator father running for President, as they battle a dark entity intent on controlling our world. Never feeling quite at home in this world, an ordinary boy discovers his extraterrestrial heritage and superhuman powers when he is confronted by an alien foe. Discovering he is here on a time travel mission, his grip on reality is stretched when he realizes his father, who is running for President, is also not of this world. His best friend Fleur and his sister Tiffany are the only two he can confide in. Together with their extraterrestrial friends, they not only have to combat their alien foe, they also have to convince humanity to change their ways to prevent destroying their home through an environmental disaster. With climate change and extreme weather issues increasing in frequency and intensity, the clock is ticking! Footnote: The Aaden BlueStar series of books, initially written for teen and young adult readers of science fiction action adventure time travel stories, has attracted readers of all ages, young and old.
Publication Date: 12/28/14
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
Vampire Addiction: The Vampires of Athens, Book One
Synopsis: Some call them "tramps." In Greek, they are called vrykolakas, or "vryks," which sometimes gets translated to "freaks." They are the vampires of Athens, created centuries ago by the Maenads. They live in caves beneath the acropolis, without economic resources and according to rules imposed on them by the Olympians. They are forbidden from turning humans into vampires, which happens when all of the blood is drained; however, they are allowed to drink from a willing mortal. Some mortals are willing because a vampire bite will infect the body for six hours, and, during that time, the mortal has the powers of flight, invisibility, strength, speed, x-ray vision, and mind control. Such great power can become irresistible, though dangerous and addicting to mortals. As seventeen-year-old Gertie, studying abroad from New York, uncovers the unfathomable secrets of this ancient city, she unwittingly becomes a catalyst in an uprising led by Dionysus, the god of wine and lord of the vampires.
Publication Date: 12/26/14
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure
Absorb
Melissa Gavazzi
Synopsis: Emotions are a powerful thing, but Xoe Rose Smith is about to learn just how powerful they can be. Have you ever experienced other people's feelings and emotions? Xoe does. As she and her friends face the trials and tribulations of being teenagers, they must also face something much darker. Something that puts Xoe and everyone she loves in danger. For Xoe her empathy could mean either the destruction or saving of all the people she loves. Along with preppy, logical Simon and eccentric, believer Kayla; Xoe must figure out just how powerful emotions are and how they effect the lives of her and everyone around her. To help herself and her friends, Xoe must learn to use the power of emotions before they destroy her.
Publication Date: 12/24/14
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Science Fiction
Seraphina
Rachel Hartman
Synopsis: Lyrical, imaginative, and wholly original, this New York Times bestseller with 8 starred reviews is not to be missed.  Rachel Hartman’s award-winning debut will have you looking at dragons as you’ve never imagined them before…
 
Seraphina is a half-dragon, descended from a dragon mother who took human form and a father who has no particular fondness for Seraphina’s kind.
 
Not that anyone else does either. Hers is a world where dragons and humans live and work side by side—but below the surface, tensions and hostilities are on the rise. Seraphina guards her true self with all of her being, but when a member of the royal family is brutally murdered, she’s suddenly thrust into the spotlight, drawn into the investigation alongside the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian.
 
As the two uncover a sinister plot to destroy the wavering peace of the kingdom, Seraphina’s struggle to protect her secret becomes increasingly difficult . . . and its discovery could mean her very life.
 
"Will appeal to both fans of Christopher Paolini’s Eragon series and Robin McKinley’s The Hero and the Crown."—Entertainment Weekly

“[A] lush, intricately plotted fantasy.”—The Washington Post

"Beautifully written. Some of the most interesting dragons I've read."—Christopher Paolini, New York Times bestselling author of Eragon


Meet Seraphina’s sister, Tess, in Rachel Hartman’s brand new fantasy adventure, Tess of the Road.
Publication Date: 12/23/14
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
Now That You're Here
Amy K. Nichols
Synopsis: In a parallel universe, the classic bad boy falls for the class science geek.
 
One minute Danny was running from the cops, and the next, he jolted awake in an unfamiliar body--his own, but different. Somehow, he's crossed into a parallel universe. Now his friends are his enemies, his parents are long dead, and studious Eevee is not the mysterious femme fatale he once kissed back home. Then again, this Eevee--a girl who'd rather land an internship at NASA than a date to the prom--may be his only hope of getting home.
 
Eevee tells herself she's only helping him in the name of quantum physics, but there's something undeniably fascinating about this boy from another dimension . . . a boy who makes her question who she is, and who she might be in another place and time.
 
And, coming soon, Duplexity, Part II: While You Were Gone flips this story on its head and tells the tale of the alternate Danny and the alternate Eevee, living in Danny's parallel world.

Praise for Now That You're Here:

"The perfect blend of sci-fi and swoons, Now That You're Here is like no other book I've read. Riveting, romantic and utterly original, it kept me up late!"  --Amie Kaufman, author of These Broken Stars

"Dynamic, dizzying, and downright daring, Now That You're Here kept me guessing until the end, and ready for the next." --Shannon Messenger, author of Let the Sky Fall

"Nichols infuses the story with a smattering of science fiction and science fact, while making a welcome departure from the stereotype of the book-smart outcast trying to fit in. These geeks own their intelligence like a badge of honor, using science to help a friend and explore strange new worlds. Riveting in its own right, the story sets the stage for a mirror-image sequel, which will follow the other Danny and Eevee." -- Publishers Weekly, STARRED

"While the world-jumping is fantastical, the personalities and characters (fully individual, without reaching trying-too-hard levels of quirkiness) ring true.... A debut with great characters and huge nerd appeal." -- Kirkus Reviews
Publication Date: 12/09/14
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Romance
Princess of Thorns
Stacey Jay
Synopsis:

Game of Thrones meets the Grimm’s fairy tales in this twisted, fast-paced romantic fantasy-adventure about Sleeping Beauty’s daughter, a warrior princess who must fight to reclaim her throne.
 
It’s been ten years since Princess Aurora’s mother, the Sleeping Beauty, sacrificed her life to give her daughter her magical powers. Aurora knows that magic is never free. The price for hers is that she will never know romantic love.
     Prince Niklaas is living on borrowed time. Unless he is able to convince a princess to marry him before his eighteenth birthday, he will meet the same terrible fate as his ten older brothers.
     When Niklaas and Aurora meet under unusual circumstances, they must race to prevent the fulfillment of an ogre prophecy foretelling the end of human life. But will they be able to break their curses?

“Compelling and action-packed. . . . The combination of adventure; lovable, complex characters; and a touch of romance make this a book that teens will be drawn to, especially those who appreciate strong female protagonists.”—School Library Journal

“The plotting is impeccable, the world building ample, and the resolution neatly done without feeling pat.”—Booklist 

“The banter between rakish Niklaas and feisty Aurora is crackling with chemistry and wit.”—The Bulletin

“We absolutely loved Stacey Jay’s Princess of Thorns, a riveting retelling of ‘Sleeping Beauty’ that's full of action, drama and romance.”—romantictimes.com

“Will appeal to fantasy lovers.”—VOYA

“Jay creates people with real flaws, but endows them with enough integrity to be characters to respect and want to know.”—examiner.com

Praise for Juliet Immortal
“The bones of the classic Beauty and the Beast story are all here, imaginatively fleshed out with tropes from science fiction, fantasy, even political drama. . . . Will please readers who like to believe that fairy tales can come true, even under dire circumstances.” —The Bulletin, Recommended

Praise for Of Beast and Beauty
“The romance is intense, and so is the horror in this strong reversal of the Romeo and Juliet story. . . . Teens will enjoy the macabre fantasy story of forbidden love.” —Booklist

Publication Date: 12/09/14
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
Little White Lies
Katie Dale
Synopsis: Fans of Pretty Little Liars will be ensnared in this tale of deceit. Christian is hiding terrible secrets from his girlfriend, Lou. But Lou has told lies as well. What if their accidental meeting wasn’t an accident?
 
The first time Lou meets mysterious Christian, she knows he is The One. But Christian is hiding a terrible secret. Why does he clam up every time Lou asks about his past? Why doesn’t he have any family photos, and why does he dye his blond hair black? When Christian’s house goes up in flames, his tires are slashed, and he flees for his life, Lou insists on going with him. But as Christian’s secret is unveiled in front of the whole world, it seems everything he’s ever told Lou is a lie. Can what the media are saying about him really be true? Should Lou trust him? Or is she in grave danger?
 
"Gripping whodunit."—Kirkus Reviews

"Spellbinding. . . . The amazingly well-thought-out plot and strong characters make this selection a great addition to any library, from junior high through young adult."—VOYA

"This edge-of-your-seat psychological thriller is painstakingly plotted and well paced, with twists around every corner that keep the reader guessing until the end."--Booklist

"This powerful suspense story succeeds . . . this well-crafted mystery-romance is sure to please the sophisticated young adult crowd."--The Bulletin 

Check out the book trailer!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_nn8Qzoqws&feature=youtu.be
Publication Date: 12/09/14
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Romance

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