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The Blood Curse
Emily Gee
Synopsis: Those who drink the water shall thirst for blood. They shall be as wild beasts.

A curse is ravaging the Seven Kingdoms. Fugitive Osgaardan prince, Harkeld, is the one person who can destroy it. Guarded by Sentinel mages, pursued by Fithian assassins, he begins the final―and most dangerous―stage of his quest: entering the cursed kingdom of Sault, where drinking even one drop of water means madness and death.

But the mages aren't the only travelers heading east. Princess Brigitta, abducted by the Fithians, is also bound for Sault―unless she can escape. And in close pursuit is her loyal armsman, Karel.

Young orphan, Jaumé, is also headed for Sault―where he will be forced to make decisions that will change the fate of the Seven Kingdoms forever.


"Dark and compelling. Emily Gee is a storyteller to watch." ~ Nalini Singh, author of the Psy-Changeling and Guild Hunter series

"Her haunting prose reads like Hans Christian Andersen for twenty-first century adults." ~ Mindy Klasky, author of the Glasswrights series

Books in the Cursed Kingdoms Trilogy:1. The Sentinel Mage
2. The Fire Prince
3. The Blood Curse             
Publication Date: 06/23/15
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure
Goblins on the Prowl
Bruce Coville
Synopsis: The stone toad is back! From the author of the upcoming Diary of a Mad Brownie, this follow-up to the bestselling Goblins in the Castle blends laugh-out-loud humor with fantasy and edge-of-your-seat adventure.

In the year since William and Fauna freed the goblins from imprisonment in Toad-in-a-Cage Castle, peace has reigned over both the human and goblin kingdoms. Then one cold night William receives a strange book from an unknown visitor, a book that leads him and Fauna to the mysterious stone toad that sits in the castle’s Great Hall. When an accidental spell brings the stone creature to life, the giant toad hops away—with William between its jaws!

Fauna is no match for a ten-foot-tall frog made of rock, but she has magic—and a good amount of grit—on her side. Determined to save her friend, Fauna ventures forth on a journey through dangerous lands filled with fearsome giants, talking bears, and packs of rogue goblins. And in order to save William and reveal the mystery behind the stone toad, Fauna might have to divulge a secret that could turn her friends against her forever.
Publication Date: 06/16/15
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Adventure
The Glass Sentence
S. E. Grove
Synopsis: For fans of The Golden Compass, this New York Times bestseller will take you on a fantastic journey across worlds and time.
 
Boston, 1891. Sophia Tims comes from a family of explorers and cartologers who, for generations, have been traveling and mapping the New World—a world changed by the Great Disruption of 1799, when all the continents were flung into different time periods. Eight years ago, Sophia's parents left her with her uncle Shadrack, the foremost cartologer in Boston, and went on an urgent mission. They never returned.

Then Shadrack is kidnapped. Sophia must search for him with the help of Theo, a refugee from the West. Together they travel over rough terrain and uncharted ocean, encounter pirates and traders, and rely on a combination of Shadrack’s maps, common sense, and Sophia's unusual powers of observation. Little do they know that their lives are in as much danger as Shadrack's.


A New York Times Bestseller!

“I am in no doubt about the energy of S.E. Grove as a full-fledged, pathfinding fantasist. I look forward to the next installment to place upon the pile. Intensely.”—Gregory Maguire, The New York Times Book Review

* “Wholly original and marvelous beyond compare.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review 

Publication Date: 06/16/15
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure
The Stars Never Rise
Rachel Vincent
Synopsis: A girl must join forces with rogue exorcists to save her sister and, ultimately, humanity, in the first in a must-read paranormal duology from New York Times bestselling author Rachel Vincent.
 
The Church is everywhere.It runs the city. It defends the populace from the demons beyond the wall. But what if it's the church that should be feared?
Sixteen-year-old Nina Kane should be worrying about her immortal soul—hers is a world where they’re in short supply—but only she can protect her younger sister, Mellie, and Mellie’s unborn child, a child that the Church believes shouldn’t exist.
There are only two options. Mellie can pledge her life—and her baby’s life—to the Church. Or she and Nina can go on the run. They choose the latter. Because it's kill or be killed. To save her sister, Nina will need to put her trust in Finn, a fugitive and rogue exorcist. What they’ll do together will change the face of the world.
Holy hellfire, indeed.

And don't miss the spellbinding sequel, The Flame Never Dies.

“Haunting, unsettling and eerily beautiful.”
--Rachel Caine, author of the New York Times bestselling Morganville Vampires series

"Un-put-down-able."--Kirkus Reviews

“A hugely fun and entertaining read."--SLJ

"Vincent (the Soul Screamers series) carves out an intriguing niche in the post-apocalyptic landscape . . . plenty of reasons for readers to look forward to the next installment."--PW

“Eerily reminiscent of Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale . . . fans of Divergent and The Hunger Games will love the complexity of the setting and characters.”--VOYA

"The gritty world is compellingly presented . . . much to consider."--The Bulletin

“A devil of a thriller.”—Booklist




Publication Date: 06/09/15
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure
Crown of Three
J. D. Rinehart
Synopsis: Family secrets combine with fantasy in this epic tale of battle, magic, strange creatures, power, and fate—a Game of Thrones for a younger audience.

Toronia, a kingdom composed of three realms, is wracked with civil war. King Brutan rules with an iron fist. Cruelty and suffering abound. The kingdom’s only hope comes in the form of Brutan’s illegitimate triplets, prophesied to kill the king and rule together in peace. But the road to the throne is long and bloody. Separated at birth and scattered throughout the realms, the triplets face a desperate fight to secure their destiny. Will they survive long enough to rule?
Publication Date: 06/02/15
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Adventure
A Pigeon's Tale
Deborah Mahan, S. A. Mahan
Synopsis: A Blue Ink Starred Review Best Book of 2016.  Walter is a pigeon living with his parents in a rancher's coop when a deranged wildcat attacks and sends them scrambling for their lives. Barely escaping with his life, Walter finds himself in a city where kindly street pigeons teach him about language, philosophy, and politics.
A venture south to find a human family for the winter sees him face more desperate peril as a flock of snow geese help him finish the journey. Finding solace in a dorm room with two young college students, Walter heads home with one of them to a ranch in Texas where he is adopted by the close-knit family and their quirky pets.
Walter forms a quick bond with the scientist grandfather who spends every day with Walter, working on a project in a mysterious tiny shack behind the house. This secret work soon becomes the center of Walter's life--and his fate--when he is thrust into an epic struggle for survival against cosmic forces that threaten to destroy the world.
For fans of Watership Down and The Secret of NIMH, A Pigeon's Tale is a mind-bending sci-fi adventure tale about friendship, loyalty, and destiny.
Publication Date: 05/29/15
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Adventure
The Originals: The Resurrection
Synopsis: Family is power. The Original Vampire family swore it to each other a thousand years ago. They pledged to remain together always and forever. But even when you're immortal, promises are hard to keep. 

Klaus, Elijah and Rebekah Mikaelson had won it all, only to lose it again by 1788. Control of New Orleans is split between the vampires and the werewolves, much to Klaus's displeasure. In a dangerous attempt to reclaim his home, Klaus decides to build a vampire army to take out the werewolves once and for all. If he can't have love, then he'll settle for power. Elijah lets his brother take the reins as he turns his attentions to a beautiful and mysterious woman. But Rebekah has had enough of her brothers' love of bloodshed and begins a journey to find her first home and the key to her family's immortality. As the battle rages on, the siblings must come together and fight for what they believe in most: family.
Publication Date: 05/26/15
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure
Enter the Realm of Flesh
Synopsis: "The blade seemed to cut the air itself apart. Before he could stop, he had created a strange, ineffable crack in the air. Then, an arm reached through ... and shortly afterwards, a body followed."

Michael Phoenix is just your ordinary misfit teenager. He lives in a New England small town, his father ran off a year ago, and he falls asleep in school every now and then. However, one night, Michael accidentally opens a portal to another world, and an alien creature invades his home. All he thought he knew about the world is shattered when he is plunged into a world of darkness, a world that's strange and alien--a world that once was home to him. Michael embarks on a journey to the darkest corners of the Earth in search for purpose, home, and vengeance. He is ready to do all it takes, even if he must go to the source of his nightmares--even if he must enter the Realm of Flesh. Along the way, he gains supernatural abilities and learns to cope with loss.
A horror journey that ramps up towards a climactic showdown in the end. There's gore, twists, and violent action galore in this dark coming-of-age story. By the end of the day, each of the three main characters will have shed their fair share of blood and learned their lesson--if they live to see the end of the day.
Publication Date: 05/23/15
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Adventure
The Nightsiders: The Orphan Army
Synopsis: Milo’s Louisiana bayou is overrun with alien bug invaders and magical creatures in this start to a breathtaking series from bestselling author Jonathan Maberry.

In a world filled with Bugs—monsters that ceaselessly ravage the Earth—Milo Silk has a hard time keeping his dreams separate from reality. So he keeps them locked up in his dream journal and hopes they’ll never come to pass. But too often, they do—like when his father disappeared three years ago. Lately, the Witch of the World has been haunting his dreams, saying he is destined to be the hero who saves everyone. But all Milo can think about is how he fears the Bugs will attack his own camp, and bring something even more terrible than ever before.

What Milo doesn’t know is that the Earth is already fighting back with its own natural power in the form of Nightsiders, magical creatures who prefer shadows to sunlight and who reside in trees, caves, and rivers. And the Nightsiders are ready to find an ally in Milo…
Publication Date: 05/19/15
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Adventure
Off the Page
Yvonne Gilbert, Samantha van Leer, Jodi Picoult
Synopsis:

From #1 New York Times bestselling authors Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer, OFF THE PAGE is a tender and appealing YA novel filled with romance, humor, and adventure.
 
Delilah and Oliver shouldn’t be together. But they are together. And just as they’re getting used to the possibility that happily ever after may really, truly be theirs, the universe sends them a message they can’t ignore: they won’t be allowed to rewrite their story.
 
Delilah and Oliver must decide how much they’re willing to risk for love and what it takes to have a happy ending in a world where the greatest adventures happen off the page.
 

“Off the Page is just so sweet and magical. In high school, I would have given ANYTHING to crawl inside one of my favorite books to escape the real world. I wish!”—SARAH DESSEN, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Saint Anything

Publication Date: 05/19/15
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure
Out of Control
Sarah Alderson
Synopsis: A girl looking to escape her past in New York City ends up on the run from a dangerous conspiracy in this sizzling, high-stakes novel.

When seventeen-year-old Liva came to New York City, all she wanted was to escape the painful memories of her past and finally find a fresh start. Her hopes for a new future were dashed the moment she became the sole witness to a brutal murder. When she’s taken into police custody—supposedly for her own protection—she realizes something isn’t right, but it’s too late. Soon, bullets start flying, and Liva realizes that she is not just a witness, but the target—and she needs to escape before it’s too late.

With the help of a sexy car thief that she met at the station, Liva manages to get away from the massacre unharmed, but now the two of them are alone in New York, trying to outrun and outwit the two killers who will stop at nothing to find them. Liva and Jay are living on the edge, but when you’re on the edge, there’s a long way to fall.
Publication Date: 05/12/15
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure
The Hunted
Matt de la Peña
Synopsis: Newbery Medal-winning author Matt de la Peña’s The Hunted is a high-energy, action-packed survival story and the sequel to The Living.

“De la Peña has created a rare thing: a plot-driven YA with characters worthy of a John Green novel.”-Entertainment Weekly review of The Living, A-
 
   When the Big One hit, Shy was at sea in style. The Paradise Cruise luxury liner he worked on was a hulking specimen of the best money could buy. And now it's at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, along with almost all of its passengers.
   Shy wasn't the only one to survive, though. Addie, the rich blond daughter of a mysterious businessman, was on the dinghy he pulled himself into. But as soon as they found the rest of the survivors, she disappeared.
The only thing that filled the strange void of losing her was finding Carmen, his hot coworker, and discovering a way to get back home. But Shy's luck hasn't turned. Not yet.
   Back on the dinghy, Addie told him a secret. It's a secret that people would kill for--have killed for--and she has the piece that could turn everything on its ear. The problem? Shy has no idea where Addie is. Back home in California seems logical, but there are more ways to die back home then Shy could ever have guessed.
   And thanks to what Shy now knows, he's a moving target.

Praise for The Hunted:

“Readers will be drawn to the raw and gritty setting, fast-moving plot, and diverse characters worth rooting for.“—School and Library Journal

"Between [the] fast-paced plot and meaningful, diverse character development, this is a great crossover for fans of both thrillers and more character-driven novels."-Booklist

An International Latino Book Award Best Young Adult Fiction Honorable Mention Book

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

[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 2014 Notable Children's Book Pick
Publication Date: 05/12/15
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure
Ratscalibur
Josh Lieb
Synopsis: From the New York Times bestselling author of I Am A Genius of Unspeakable Evil and I Want to Be Your Class President

“A witty mash-up of favorite fantasy motifs.”—New York Times Book Review

“Ratscalibur is funny, it’s scary, and it’s sweet, like life. But it has talking rats and magic, so it’s better than life.”—Jimmy Fallon

“Full of clever dialogue and hilarious puns...Don’t be surprised if this novel achieves best-seller status.” —Booklist

“The only way I could’ve liked this more is if I were eleven.”—Ira Glass

“A charming take on an old favorite.”—Publishers Weekly
 

When Joey is bitten by an elderly rat, he goes from aspiring seventh-grader to three-inch tall rodent.

At first, Joey is amazed by his new rat self. The city streets call to him at night. Smells that would have repelled him before are suddenly tantalizing. (A chicken bone? Yes! A squashed cockroach? Like perfume!) And wow, the freedom! But when a bout of hunger leads Joey to pull the spork from the scone, he finds himself at the center of a longtime rat prophecy.

Joey has unwittingly unlocked the sword Ratscalibur; and now, it is up to him to protect his new rat friends from the evil crows who seek to destroy their peaceful kingdom. But what does an eleven-year-old know about actual swordplay? And what happens when Joey no longer wants to be a rat?
Publication Date: 05/05/15
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Adventure
Vampire Affliction: The Vampires of Athens, Book Two
Synopsis: Gertie has become friends, and has possibly fallen in love, with both a demigod and a vampire, who happen to be at war. Although she sympathizes with the vampire uprising and has even become a vampire herself, she distrusts the leaders, especially when they plan to kill humans to cull out the demigods before ambushing them. As the three unlikely friends discover that neither side is perfectly good or evil or right or wrong, they work together to try to bring about the best outcome; but, when their parents and the gods undermine their efforts and hang them out to dry, the three teens realize they're on their own and no one will save them.
Publication Date: 04/29/15
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure
Deception's Pawn (Princesses of Myth)
Synopsis: Fortune favors the bold in this adventurous tale of broken friendships, forbidden love, and a fiery heroine’s journey to escape the role into which she was born. Perfect for YA fantasy fans of Shannon Hale, Malinda Lo, and Tamora Pierce.
 
Maeve, princess of Connacht, seems to have won her freedom. Her father, the High King, is finally allowing her to explore the world beyond his castle. But Maeve soon discovers that being the High King’s daughter doesn’t protect her from bullying or the attention of unwelcome suitors.
 
Struggling to navigate a new court, she must discourage the advances of her father’s rival, who is vying with her host’s son for her hand in marriage. Maeve is a pawn trapped between these two boys. Her bold defiance will bring her to the brink of disaster, but her clever gamble may also lead to her independence. Though she faces danger and intrigue, Maeve will also discover what kind of person—and queen—she’s destined to become.
 
Praise for award-winning author Esther Friesner:
 
“Fans of Disney’s Brave will be delighted to explore the Celtic landscape with another determined, redheaded princess.” —SLJ
 
“Bring on the adventure!” —Tamora Pierce, New York Times bestselling author
 
“A perfect blend of the historical and fantastic.” —Cindy Pon, author of Silver Phoenix
Publication Date: 04/28/15
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure
The League of Beastly Dreadfuls Book 1
Synopsis:

A creepy Victorian house, secretive aunties, and a great escape combine in this debut that is part Mysterious Benedict Society, part Roald Dahl, and all quirky, smart, hilarious storytelling. Join the League. . . .
 
Anastasia is a completely average almost-eleven-year-old. That is, UNTIL her parents die in a tragic vacuum-cleaner accident. UNTIL she’s rescued by two long-lost great-aunties. And UNTIL she’s taken to their delightful and, er, “authentic” Victorian home, St. Agony’s Asylum for the Criminally Insane.

But something strange is going on at the asylum. Anastasia soon begins to suspect that her aunties are not who they say they are. So when she meets Ollie and Quentin, two mysterious brothers, the three join together to plot their great escape!

"Marvelously inventive and utterly demented, THE LEAGUE OF BEASTLY DREADFULS is nasty good fun from beginning to end!" -- Bruce Coville, My Teacher is an Alien

"WONDERFULLY WITTY. It reminds me of Roald Dahl's The Twits only in an insane asylum."—Chris Grabenstein,  Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library

* “A yummy debut.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Just the right mix of humor, magic, maliciousness, and suspense"—Booklist

"Anastasia is anything but average, and her adventures are just beginning."—Publishers Weekly

"Enough mystery and humor to keep readers wondering what will happen next. A solid debut reminiscent of Lemony Snicket's "A Series of Unfortunate Events."--School Library Journal

"Abundant humor....Charmingly offbeat ...sure to entertain."--The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
 

Publication Date: 04/28/15
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Adventure

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