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Red
Alison Cherry
Synopsis: Contemporary teen fiction with a twist!
Felicity St. John has it all: loyal best friends, a hot guy, and artistic talent. And she's right on track to win the Miss Scarlet pageant. Her perfect life is possible because of just one thing: her long, wavy, coppery red hair.

Having red hair is all that matters in Scarletville. Redheads hold all the power--and everybody knows it. That's why Felicity is scared down to her roots when she receives an anonymous note:
I know your secret.
Because Felicity is a big fake. Her hair color comes straight out of a bottle. And if anyone discovered the truth, she'd be a social outcast faster than she could say strawberry blond. Her mother would disown her, her friends would shun her, and her boyfriend would dump her. And forget about winning that pageant crown and the prize money that comes with it--money that would allow her to fulfill her dream of going to art school.

Felicity isn't about to let someone blackmail her life away. But just how far is she willing to go to protect her red cred?

Praise for RED:

"As thought-provoking as it is enchanting."--Rae Carson, author of the FIRE AND THORNS trilogy
 
 "Smart, funny, and full of Awesome Ladies Behaving Awesomely, Alison Cherry's RED is everything I look for in a book. It will make you laugh, it will make you think, and it will make you book an appointment with your colorist immediately."--Rachel Hawkins, New York Times bestselling author of the Hex Hall series

"Clever, wickedly funny and with so much heart."--Melina Marchetta, author of the Printz-award winning Jellicoe Road
Publication Date: 10/08/13
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Chick Lit
The Winter of the Robots
Kurtis Scaletta
Synopsis: Seven feet of snow, four science-fair nerds, one creepy junkyard.
Get ready for the ultimate robot battle.

Jim is tired of being the sidekick to his scientific genius, robot-obsessed, best friend Oliver. So this winter, when it comes time to choose partners for the science fair, Jim dumps Oliver and teams up with a girl instead. Rocky has spotted wild otters down by the river, and her idea is to study them. 

But what they discover is bigger—and much more menacing—than fuzzy otters: a hidden junkyard on abandoned Half Street. And as desolate as it may seem, there's something living in the junkyard. Something that won't be contained for long by the rusty fences and mounds of snow. Can Jim and Rocky—along with Oliver and his new science-fair partner—put aside their rivalry and unite their robot-building skills? Whatever is lurking on Half Street is about to meet its match.
Publication Date: 10/08/13
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fiction
Shifter
Kunrong Yap, Brian Holguin, Skip Brittenham, Brian Haberlin
Synopsis: How would you like to be a T-Rex for the day? Be able to fly? Or inhabit your worst enemy’s body just for a day?

Imagine being able to become any animal in the world – you taste what they taste, feel what they feel, see what they see. Now imagine being able to be any animal from history.

Great, right? But there’s a catch: Someone just tried to kill you and frame you for murder, and you don’t know who or why. Join us on a thrilling ride to meet the coolest creatures ever to have lived.

The art and story will hook readers of all ages.
Publication Date: 10/08/13
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Manga/Graphic Novel
Once We Were Brothers
Ronald H. Balson
Synopsis:

The gripping tale about two boys, once as close as brothers, who find themselves on opposite sides of the Holocaust.

"A novel of survival, justice and redemption...riveting." ―Chicago Tribune, on Once We Were Brothers

Elliot Rosenzweig, a respected civic leader and wealthy philanthropist, is attending a fundraiser when he is suddenly accosted and accused of being a former Nazi SS officer named Otto Piatek, the Butcher of Zamosc. Although the charges are denounced as preposterous, his accuser is convinced he is right and engages attorney Catherine Lockhart to bring Rosenzweig to justice. Solomon persuades attorney Catherine Lockhart to take his case, revealing that the true Piatek was abandoned as a child and raised by Solomon's own family only to betray them during the Nazi occupation. But has Solomon accused the right man?

Once We Were Brothers is Ronald H. Balson's compelling tale of two boys and a family who struggle to survive in war-torn Poland, and a young love that struggles to endure the unspeakable cruelty of the Holocaust. Two lives, two worlds, and sixty years converge in an explosive race to redemption that makes for a moving and powerful tale of love, survival, and ultimately the triumph of the human spirit.

Publication Date: 10/08/13
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Historical Fiction
The Eye of Minds (The Mortality Doctrine)
Synopsis: Q&A with James Dashner (Interviewed by Brandon Sanderson)

Q. The Eye of Minds is quite the edge-of-your-seat cyber adventure. How did you come up with the idea to write such a different type of book compared to the Maze Runner series?

A. Well, my good sir, first of all, thanks you for saying that. When I started brainstorming what I wanted to do next, I didn’t really think much about The Maze Runner books, or try too specifically to be different. I just wanted an engaging story, something that I’d love to write for several books. Two of my favorite movies ended up serving as an inspiration: The Matrix and Inception. Readers will see a lot of influence from those stories. In fact, I kept thinking a certain something would happen in The Matrix, and it surprised me when it never did. It happens in my book!

Q. Recently, privacy, online security, and online warfare have been featured prominently in the headlines. Did that influence your fiction at all? If not, do you think it’s a coincidence that those issues are cropping up right when you were inspired to write this particular book?

A. I think everything in the news influences me without my realizing it. It chills me to the bone when I think of what hackers can do to the stability of so many things that we take for granted. I’m also fascinated by the realm of virtual reality, and what happens when you can no longer tell the difference between what is real and what is not. But, mainly, really I just set out to write a great story.

Q. There’s a lot of great buzz surrounding next year’s release of the film version of The Maze Runner. As the author, you must have the world completely imagined in your head. How close do you think the movie will be to that vision? What are you most looking forward to seeing on the big screen? How do you feel your readers will respond to the transformation from page to movie screen?

A. Of all the things in my career so far, I have to admit this is the one I’m most excited about. I’ve been a movie buff all my life, and to see something I wrote being turned into one . . . It’s just surreal and hard to believe. It was scary at first to place something so close to you in the hands of someone else, but luckily for me, I’m in very, very good hands. I’ve been blown away by how much Director Wes Ball and the producers have captured the vision of the book. Also, at how true they’re being to the spirit and tone and story. I think my readers are going to love it. Personally, the scene I’m most excited to see is the one where Thomas gets stuck in the maze for the first time, with Alby and Minho.

Q. Tell us about The Eye of Minds!

A. It’s in the future, but I really don’t want people to think of this as dystopian. It’s not. The world is basically in fine shape. But virtual reality technology has gone through the roof and most people are obsessed with it. Like I said earlier, the line between what’s real and what’s not gets blurred, which sets the stage for some fun twists and mind-bendy stuff. I think my fans will have a good time with it.

Publication Date: 10/08/13
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
Season of the Witch
Mariah Fredericks
Synopsis: Like Fredericks's The Girl in the Park, here is a page-turner that perfectly captures the world of New York City private schools, as it explores the notion of power among teenage girls. Publisher's Weekly, in a starred review, raves, "Fredericks again proves her gift for conveying the intensity of adolescence, while exploring the ways girls’ sexuality is used against them and asking why 'we all have to be predators and prey.'"

Queen Bee Chloe is going to make Toni suffer for whatever transpired between Toni and Chloe's boyfriend, Oliver, over the summer. From day one of eleventh grade, she has Toni branded as a super slut, and it isn't long before things get so ugly that Toni fears for her safety. What's a scared, powerless, and fed-up teenager to do? Guided by Cassandra—a girl with some serious problems of her own—Toni decides to stop playing the victim and take control. Cassandra has been experimenting with witchcraft, and together they cast a spell on Chloe that may actually cause her death. Could Toni have really made such an awful thing happen?
Publication Date: 10/08/13
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Fiction
Canyon of Danger (Goldtown Adventures)
Synopsis:

Jem Coulter’s pa, the sheriff of Goldtown, is away on a trip to deliver a prisoner to Sacramento, and he has left Jem in charge of the ranch—along with Aunt Rose, that is.

No sooner is the sheriff gone then trouble starts—a dead calf, a mysterious stranger, and then Pa’s horse, Copper, and his prize rifle are stolen. And Pa’s deputies seem unconcerned.

Jem and his cousin Nathan find Copper’s tracks end at a dark canyon up in the hills. Jem remembers an old Indian legend Strike-it-rich Sam is fond of retelling about people disappearing and no one ever seeing them again. What is the real story of the canyon of danger? Have thieves found the perfect hideout?

Readers ages 8 to 12 will be entertained by the adventurous spirit and historical lure in this fast-moving series that teaches about life in the post–Gold Rush days of 1860s California. Quick-paced plots and unforgettable characters make these books fun for the whole family.

Publication Date: 10/07/13
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Series
Man Made Boy
Jon Skovron
Synopsis: Love can be a real monster.

Sixteen-year-old Boy’s never left home.  When you’re the son of Frankenstein’s monster and the Bride, it’s tough to go out in public, unless you want to draw the attention of a torch-wielding mob.  And since Boy and his family live in a secret enclave of monsters hidden under Times Square, it’s important they maintain a low profile.

Boy’s only interactions with the world are through the Internet, where he’s a hacker extraordinaire who can hide his hulking body and stitched-together face behind a layer of code.  When conflict erupts at home, Boy runs away and embarks on a cross-country road trip with the granddaughters of Jekyll and Hyde, who introduce him to malls and diners, love and heartbreak. But no matter how far Boy runs, he can’t escape his demons—both literal and figurative—until he faces his family once more.

This hilarious, romantic, and wildly imaginative tale redefines what it means to be a monster—and a man. 

Publication Date: 10/03/13
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Humor
Numbed!
David Lubar
Synopsis: When a robot at the math museum zaps their math skills, sixth-grader Logan and his mischievous friend, Benedict, must pass a series of math challenges to retrieve their knowledge.
Publication Date: 10/01/13
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
Stained
Cheryl Rainfield
Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old Sarah Meadows longs for "normal." Born with a port wine stain covering half her face, all her life she’s been plagued by stares, giggles, bullying, and disgust. But when she’s abducted on the way home from school, Sarah is forced to uncover the courage she never knew she had, become a hero rather than a victim, and learn to look beyond her face to find the beauty and strength she has inside. It’s that—or succumb to a killer.

Publication Date: 10/01/13
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Mystery
The Field
Tracy Richardson
Synopsis: Luminis Books presents this gripping tale that blurs the lines of reality and the supernatural, trust and deception, and staying safe or chasing one's passions.

Eric Horton finds himself plagued by terrible nightmares of explosions, fire, and someone screaming. The more they occur, the more real they seem, causing him to question whether they're just harmless dreams or foreshadowing of a dark and devastating future.

And that's not the only strange thing happening. On the soccer field, he's been in the zone, saving shot after shot with what feels like a supernatural awareness of where the ball is going to go next. Then there's the connection he feels with Renee, the hot new student from France. It's as if he's known her forever.
 
Still, all these wild visions and synchronicities pale in comparison to the strange experiments Renee's dad is cooking up in the University physics lab. When he asks Eric to serve as a test subject, Eric must again question whether what he's seeing and hearing is reality--or something far beyond it.
 
When his best friend Will starts drinking way too much and Renee has eyes for other guys, Eric loses the edge he's always had in the goal, and confidence in himself. If he's going to pull it together, Eric must tap into a part of himself that he never knew existed, and that might just be the part that connects us all.
Publication Date: 10/01/13
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Science Fiction
Second Verse
Jennifer Walkup
Synopsis: Bad things come in threes. In Shady Springs, that includes murder.

Murder Now
Lange Crawford's move to Shady Springs, Pennsylvania, lands her a group of awesome friends, a major crush on songwriter Vaughn, and life in a haunted, 200-year-old farmhouse. It also brings The Hunt: an infamous murder mystery festival where students solve a fake, gruesome murder scheme during the week of Halloween. Well, supposedly fake.  

Murder Then
Weeks before The Hunt, Lange and her friends hold a seance in the farmhouse's eerie barn. When a voice rushes through, whispering haunting words that only she and Vaughn can hear, Lange realizes it's begging for help. The mysterious voice leads Lange and Vaughn to uncover letters and photos left behind by a murdered girl, Ginny, and they become obsessed with her story and the horrifying threats that led to her murder.  

Murder Yet to Come
But someone doesn't like their snooping, and Lange and Vaughn begin receiving the same threats that Ginny once did. The mysterious words from the barn become crucial to figuring out Ginny's past and discovering how their own past is connected to hers. They must work fast to uncover the truth or risk finding out if history really does repeat itself.
Second Verse is the winner of a 2013 Moonbeam Children's Book Award. It won the Gold in its category: Young Adult Fiction - Horror/MysterySecond Verse is the winner of the 2013 Golden Leaf Award for Young Adult Romance.

PARANORMAL / MURDER MYSTERY / YOUNG ADULT / GHOSTS & HAUNTINGS / HALLOWEEN / ROMANCE
Publication Date: 10/01/13
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Mystery
Shadowlark
Meagan Spooner
Synopsis: Ever since she escaped the city within the Wall, Lark Ainsley's wanted one thing: to find her brother Basil. She's always believed he would be the one to put an end to the constant fear and flight. And now, hidden underground in the chaotically magical city of Lethe, Lark feels closer to him than ever.  But Lethe is a city cowering in fear of its founder, the mysterious Prometheus, and of his private police force. To get the truth about what happened to Basil, Lark has no choice but to face Prometheus. Facing her fears has become second nature to Lark. Facing the truth is another matter. Lark never asked to be anyone's savior. She certainly never wanted to be anyone's weapon. She might not have a choice.
Publication Date: 10/01/13
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Series
Trailing Tennessee
Cory Wheeler Mimms
Synopsis: Winner of:PubWest Book Design Award Trailing Tennessee is a novel about a teen’s journey on the Appalachian Trail. Eli Sutton isn’t your typical runaway. When tragedy befalls his family, he sets out on the Appalachian Trail, determined to follow in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps. With forest rangers close on his heels and his supplies running low, Eli soon discovers hiking through the Appalachian Mountains isn’t nearly as forgiving as trekking through the woods behind his home. He fights blisters, hunger, rain, and pain. But worst of all, he faces his own self-doubt and fear. The ghosts of his father and grandfather, and the spirits of the woods lurk in his mind. When Eli joins up with a group of young hikers in Virginia, his goal begins to slip further away. With his obstacles surmounting, there may not be enough trail magic to save him.
Publication Date: 10/01/13
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fiction
Dead City (Blue Moon)
James Ponti
Synopsis: Molly is ready for more nonstop, undead action in this follow-up to Dead City, which Kirkus Reviews described as “a fast-paced read for those who like their zombies with just a little fright.”

When Molly Bigelow discovered that zombies shared New York with humans, she didn’t think life could get more shocking. Then she learned that her mother was once one of the greatest zombie killers ever—and she discovered that her dead mother is not technically dead at all (although she isn’t alive, either).

Molly’s efforts to keep these secrets and to help her Omega team track down the identity of the original thirteen zombies will take her from the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade to New Year’s Eve in Times Square. Her loyalties to friends and family will be put to the test. And her life will be changed in ways she never could have imagined.
Publication Date: 10/01/13
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Adventure
Spaceheadz (SPHDZ 4 Life)
Shane Prigmore, Jon Scieszka
Synopsis: Don’t miss the stunning, riveting, hilarious, and 100% fresh conclusion to the interactive Spaceheadz saga!

The SPHDZ accomplished their goal of recruiting 3.14 million and one SPHDZ. But the brainwave has been stolen by the chief of the Anti Alien Agency, and it’s up to Michael K., the SPHDZ, and their allies to get it back.

With three potential Chief sightings, the team is spread around the world, leaving Michael K., Venus, TJ, and the SPHDZ to hold down the fort and finish fifth grade. But with a mysterious new principal and graduation fast approaching, will they be able to find the missing brainwave before the Chief uses it to destroy a planet?
Publication Date: 10/01/13
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Juvenile Fiction

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