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The Alliance
Gabriel Goodman
Synopsis: "One Down . . . You're Next." Or so said the note Carmen Mendoza found in her locker. Carmen is out, loud, and proud, so the threat doesn't faze her . . . much. But she knows other GLBT students at Southside won't be so fearless. Maybe she needs to do something.

Jamie Ballard is the "one down." Jamie was Scott King's best friend. Jamie was also gay. Scott never imagined Jamie would kill himself. Now Scott has to do something, even if it costs him his reputation.

If Carmen and Scott can figure out how to get along, they'll be an unstoppable alliance.
Publication Date: 01/01/13
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: For Reluctant Readers
Black Helicopters
Blythe Woolston
Synopsis: A teenage girl. A survivalist childhood. And now a bomb strapped to her chest. See the world through her eyes in this harrowing and deeply affecting literary thriller.

I’m Valkyrie White. I’m fifteen. Your government killed my family.
Ever since Mabby died while picking beans in their garden — with the pock-a-pock of a helicopter overhead — four-year-old Valley knows what her job is: hide in the underground den with her brother, Bo, while Da is working, because Those People will kill them like coyotes. But now, with Da unexpectedly gone and no home to return to, a teenage Valley (now Valkyrie) and her big brother must bring their message to the outside world — a not-so-smart place where little boys wear their names on their backpacks and young men don’t pat down strangers before offering a lift. Blythe Woolston infuses her white-knuckle narrative, set in a day-after-tomorrow Montana, with a dark, trenchant humor and a keen psychological eye. Alternating past-present vignettes in prose as tightly wound as the springs of a clock and as masterfully plotted as a game of chess, she ratchets up the pacing right to the final, explosive end.
Publication Date: 07/27/25
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Adventure
Dare You To
Katie McGarry
Synopsis:

"I dare you…"

If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn't get her, but does….

Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock—with secrets he can't tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn't be less interested in him.

But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams—and his life—for the girl he loves, and the girl who won't let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all….

Publication Date: 07/27/25
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Romance
Peanut
Paul Hoppe, Ayun Halliday
Synopsis:

Before you write me off as a delusional psycho, think about what it's like to be thrown into a situation where everyone knows everyone... and no one knows you. Sadie has the perfect plan to snag some friends when she transfers to Plainfield High—pretend to have a peanut allergy. But what happens when you have to hand in that student health form your unsuspecting mom was supposed to fill out? And what if your new friends want to come over and your mom serves them snacks? (Peanut butter sandwich, anyone?) And then there's the bake sale, when your teacher thinks you ate a brownie with peanuts. Graphic coming-of-age novels have huge cross-over potential, and Peanut is sure to appeal to adults and teens alike.


"A smart, affecting graphic young adult novel." —The New York Times

Publication Date: 12/26/12
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Fiction
Storm
Melissa Kline
Synopsis: 2013 NEXT GENERATION INDIE BOOK AWARD FINALIST (Young Adult Category)

2012 FOREWORD BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD FINALIST (Young Adult Category)

Sixteen-year-old Storm enjoys skateboarding, fixing broken electronics, and building things with his hands. They distract him from the tormented thoughts surrounding the circumstances of his mother’s death. But his problems can’t be avoided forever…

Since his mother’s death, tensions are high at home, the girl of Storm’s dreams is dating someone else, and an argument with his father lands him in the school counselors’ office.

Will Storm overcome his fears, let go of the feelings that have been haunting him, and reveal his long-held secrets? Can his dad ever forgive him? Will the girl of his dreams ever see him as more than a friend?

A true-to-life young adult novel teeming with mystery, romance and intrigue.

“Breathtaking. A powerful story of the heart ... Kline has the amazing talent of sharing a tragedy through the viewpoint of a young man.” ~ Elizabeth Mueller, YA Author of Darkspell

"A must read for teens, teachers, parents and anyone who would like to add to their understanding of how young people maneuver through their world.” ~Loyce Crawford, LCSW
Publication Date: 12/21/12
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
Thirteen Therapists
Russell J. Sanders
Synopsis: Senior Aaron Hardaway has a new bad boy lover and he wants his mother out of his hair---super therapist Thirteen warns eyes wide open, but will Aaron listen? He's the son of one of Chicago's richest families. He'll graduate from an exclusive Chicago prep-school. He cruises in a Benz SLK300, a grad present from his father. Aaron Hardaway has it all. But a boyfriend. And a loving mother. Sylvia Karnes Hardaway, evil Queen of Chicago society, long ago thrust her son into therapy hell. Twelve shrinks later, Thirteen enters Aaron's life. Thirteen's mantra is eyes wide open. Thirteen will transform Aaron's life. So will bad boy Derrick. Aaron hooks up with Derrick, and things will never be the same. Maybe he should have kept his eyes wide open.
Publication Date: 12/21/12
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Fiction
The Wanderers
Jessica Miller
Synopsis: What do you do when you learn your family is the one who's holding all the secrets. Secrets that could get you killed...Ella is looking forward to starting college in the fall with her best friend Josie. She’s looking for a place where she can get away from her overbearing parents and two older annoying brothers. Unfortunately Ella realizes that sometimes the past comes back to haunt you. Ella soon learns that the man who terrorizes her dreams is in fact real and coming after her. When one of her classmates is murdered, Ella slowly recognizes this is not some strange coincidence. Ella fears that the boy she’s falling in love with is the one who stalks her dreams and no longer knows who she can trust. When she finally learns the truth of her families deepest secret, Ella has to face her demons by taking out one of the people she thought she could trust…before they kill her.
Publication Date: 12/06/12
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Romance
A Red Sun Also Rises
Mark Hodder
Synopsis: An original psychological adventure from the the author of the Philip K. Dick award-winning Burton & Swinburne series.

A tale of Good and Evil, where neither is what it seems!

Aiden Fleischer, a bookish priest, finds himself transported to an alien world. With him is Miss Clarissa Stark, a crippled hunchback of exceptional ability, wronged by an aristocrat and cast out from society.

On the planet Ptallaya, under two bright yellow suns, they encounter the Yatsill, a race of enthusiastic mimics who shape their society after impressions picked up from Clarissa's mind. Creating a faux London, the alien creatures enroll Clarissa in their Council of Magicians and Aiden in the City Guard. But why does the peaceful city require guards? After a day that, in earthly terms, has lasted for months, the answer comes, for on this planet without night, a red sun also rises, and brings with it a destructive evil.

The Blood Gods! Hideous creatures, they cause Aiden to confront his own internal darkness while trying to protect his friend and his new home.

With a sharp eye for period detail and a rich imagination, Mark Hodder establishes a weirdly twisted version of Victorian London on a convincingly realized alien world, and employs them to tackle a profound psychological and moral question. This book breaks new ground by combining the "Sword & Planet" genre with Victorian steampunk while adding an edgy psychological twist.
Publication Date: 12/04/12
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Science Fiction
Dead To You
Lisa McMann
Synopsis: A powerful psychological thriller with a shocking twist from the New York Times bestselling author of the Wake trilogy.

Ethan was abducted from his front yard when he was just seven years old. Now, at sixteen, he has returned to his family. It’s a miracle…at first. Then the tensions start to build. His reintroduction to his old life isn’t going smoothly, and his family is tearing apart all over again. If only Ethan could remember something, anything, about his life before, he'd be able to put the pieces back together. But there’s something that's keeping his memory blocked. Something unspeakable...
Publication Date: 12/04/12
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Fiction
The Lucky Ones: A Bright Young Things Novel
Synopsis:

Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen, author of the bestselling Luxe series, introduced the girls of 1929, girls with big dreams and big secrets in the big city of Manhattan during the Jazz Age. Each girl had a different fate. One would marry. One would find fame. And one would die.
 
Lucky Ones, the thrilling conclusion to the glamorous Bright Young Things series, reveals the destinies of Broadway baby Letty Larkspur, bootlegger’s daughter Cordelia Grey, and flapper Astrid Donal.
 
Letty’s dream of fame is within her reach. Cordelia is the midst of a whirlwind romance with celebrity pilot Max Darby. Socialite Astrid is a new bride. But secrets and scandals could destroy their happiness as the last summer of the 1920s reaches its peak.

Publication Date: 11/27/12
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Chick Lit
Sacred
Elana K. Arnold
Synopsis: From National Book Award finalist, Elana K Arnold, comes a fantastical story full of hope and romance.
 
Growing up on Catalina Island, off the California coast, Scarlett Wenderoth has led a fairly isolated life. After her brother dies, her isolation deepens as she withdraws into herself, shutting out her friends and boyfriend. Her parents, shattered by their own sorrow, fail to notice Scarlett's pain and sudden alarming thinness. Scarlett’s only outlet is her horse with whom she escapes to the heart of the island on long, solitary rides. One day, as she races around a bend, Scarlett is startled by a boy who raises his hand in warning and says one word: "Stop."
 
The boy—intense and beautiful—is Will Cohen, a newcomer to the island. For reasons he can't or won't explain, he's drawn to Scarlett and feels compelled to keep her safe, and to keep her from wasting away. His meddling irritates Scarlett, though she can't deny her attraction to him. As their relationship blossoms into love, Scarlett's body slowly awakens at Will's touch. But just when her grief begins to ebb, she makes a startling discovery about Will, a discovery he's been grappling with himself. A discovery that threatens to force them apart. And if it does, Scarlett fears she will unravel all over again.
 
 
"Will appeal to many teens, especially fans of the Twilight series."—Booklist
 
"Filled with tension and angst. . . . Readers will be looking for the next installment."—School Library Journal
 
"A poignant novel of loss and grief, but also of hope."—VOYA
Publication Date: 11/13/12
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Fiction
The Pull
Chelsie Shakespeare
Synopsis: Evie Remington had always done what people expected of her. As a result, at twenty-six she finds herself the unhappy owner and manager of a Denver hotel. That is, until deep-rooted memories of a past life and the hidden knowledge of a promise she made in that other lifetime pulls her away from it all. Without knowing where it will lead, Evie sets out on a cross-country journey that will challenge what she believes about life, death, and love.
Publication Date: 11/10/12
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Romance
A Broken Heart is Never Broken
Synopsis: This is a young individuals' poetic journey, though the emotional roller coaster we call, love. The story this book tells is one that we all in some way experianced. The love and pain in this book we either directly or indirectly faced. A "Broken Heart is Never Broken", speaks to you and guides you to the path you already know to take,while walking you back to the questions in your heart. The is a poetic experiance like no other. This is a story about two divided back to one, about love found, troubled, and then lost. This is a rejuvenation, a "They don't miss it until it's gone", moment. This poetry book is a push and pull tug-a-war experiance that allows you to acknowedge that, "A Broken Heart is Never Broken", it's under reconstruction.
Publication Date: 10/26/12
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Poetry
Romeo Redeemed
Stacey Jay
Synopsis: All will be revealed for fans who have breathlessly awaited the sizzling sequel to Juliet Immortal. This time Romeo takes center stage and gets one chance, and one chance only, to redeem himself.

Cursed to live out eternity in his rotted corpse, Romeo, known for his ruthless, cutthroat ways, is given the chance to redeem himself by traveling back in time to save the life of Ariel Dragland. Unbeknownst to her, Ariel is important to both the evil Mercenaries and the love-promoting Ambassadors and holds the fate of the world in her hands. Romeo must win her heart and make her believe in love, turning her away from her darker potential before his work is discovered by the Mercenaries. While his seduction begins as yet another lie, it soon becomes his only truth. Romeo vows to protect Ariel from harm, and do whatever it takes to win her heart and soul. But when Ariel is led to believe his love is a deception, she becomes vulnerable to Mercenary manipulation, and her own inner darkness may ultimately rip them apart.
Publication Date: 10/09/12
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Romance
Edge of Oblivion: A Night Prowler Novel
Synopsis: 2013 RITA® Finalist for Best Paranormal Romance

A sensual, page-turning read that brings together two unlikely lovers in an explosive world of danger, beauty and supernatural forces.

There exists a world beyond our own. It is a world of ancient magic and well-guarded secrets, of strict laws and harsh punishments for those who betray them, inhabited by the Ikati, a race of gifted people with unimaginable powers. It is here where two people with dark pasts meet.

Morgan is beautiful, smart, sexy…and about to die. Convicted of treason against her shape-shifting kin, she is given one last chance at redemption; discover the hidden lair of the enemy intent on destroying every one of her kind, or forfeit her life.

Xander is ruthless, heartless, cold-blooded…and assigned to kill her if she fails in her task. Expecting to feel nothing but contempt for the traitor under his watch, the assassin accompanies Morgan on her search, but as the two race through the heart of Italy while the clock winds down to zero hour, he finds himself drawn into a dangerous web of desire as powerful as it is forbidden. Their passion will test everything they believe in, and endanger the future of the tribe itself.

Sensual, edgy, and action-packed, Edge of Oblivion is a must-read for lovers of dark paranormal romance in the vein of Laurell K. Hamilton and J.R Ward.

Publication Date: 10/02/12
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Romance
Sand Witches in the Hamptons
Synopsis: Successful graphic novelist Willow Tate is a Visualizer, able to draw beings from the Otherworld—home to trolls and elves, night mares and bird fish, and many other fantastical beings—and “draw” them into our world. Somehow they all seem to end up in the weird little town of Paumanok Harbor, nestled in the popular Hamptons region of Long I sland.

As if Willow didn’t have enough problems coping with all these Otherworld visitors, now she has a stalker, her doom-seer father has a secret, and Paumanok Harbor has Otherworld sand-stealers. Willow has bodyguards but absolutely no idea how to solve any of these problems in time for Halloween, when the local witches hold their annual gathering on the beach—if any beach is left by then. Good thing she has the handsome, loving, local vet Matt to come to her assistance.
Publication Date: 10/02/12
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Chick Lit

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