Staff Picks

Earlier Picks

Bloom, by Elizabeth Scott

Lauren is conflicted. She has the perfect boyfriend, Dave, who’s gorgeous, popular, and sweet. They’ve been going out for over a year, and she’s the envy of all the other girls at school. But then Lauren meets Evan, and suddenly he’s all she can think about. She feels reckless and impulsive when she’s with him, though, and that scares her—especially because with Dave she feels so safe and secure. Plus, she feels like she's a better person around Dave. So what should she do? This sounds like a pretty normal plot, but instead of being boring, this book is mesmerizing. If you like Sarah Dessen, you will love this.
- Beth @ Southeast Branch

Top Ten Uses for an Unworn Prom Dress, by Tina Ferraro

What would you do if you, a mere sophomore, were asked to the prom by the hottest junior in the world?  You’d hunt down the most absolutely, most beautifully perfect dress you could find, right?  Well…what would you do if right before the prom he dumped you?  You’d probably scream a little, cry a lot, and lament forever the dress you never got to wore.  Well, all this and more happens to Nicolette, but she’ll get through it, right?  But just what is she going to do with the beloved prom dress (besides stare at it every day and secretly sometimes wear it and dance around her bedroom)?
- Abby @ Green Hills Branch

Twisted, by Laurie Halse Anderson

Intense does not begin to describe what happens to Tyler Miller.  A probation officer, ripped muscles, and a bad boy reputation are just some of the things he experiences after ‘the incident.”  Once considered a nerd and a nobody, Tyler is now being pursued by Bethany Miller—uber-popular tennis goddess (and daughter of his Dad’s boss.)  And now he is in trouble again, for something he didn’t do, but everyone assumes he did.  What happens when gossip, parents, hormones, and school collide with a search for your own moral integrity?  One thing’s for sure—Tyler doesn’t fade into the background anymore.
- Abby @ Green Hills Branch

Tyrell, by Coe Booth

Hands down, this is the best teen book I’ve read this year. It’s about a week in the life of Tyrell, a 15-year-old from the Bronx whose dad is in jail and whose mom is, sadly, not a lot of help. When the book starts, Ty, his mom, and his little brother Troy are living in a shelter. Ty dropped out of school about a month ago, and is spending his time trying to pull together a party by Saturday that will make him enough money for a down payment on an apartment for his family. On top of that, he’s got to take care of Troy, keep an eye on his mom, deal with his girlfriend Novisha, and try to resist a new girl named Jasmine that he meets at the shelter. If you want a realistic teen voice and a fast-paced story, this is it.
- Beth @ Southeast Branch

Defining Dulcie, by Paul Acampora

Dulcie isn’t doing too well. Her dad just died, and afterwards her mom decided to move them from Connecticut to California. The problem is, Dulcie’s lived her whole life in Connecticut, and California just feels wrong. So she steals her mom’s car and treks back across the country, hoping her grandfather will take her in when she gets there. This is a surprisingly funny story about what it sometimes takes to get over a big loss.
- Beth @ Southeast Branch

Silent Echoes, by Carla Jablonski

Lucy hears a voice.  Lindsay hears a voice.  Lucy’s life gets better.  Lindsay’s life gets worse.  Lucy learns to care about other people.  Lindsay learns to ask for help.  Would you tell someone if you heard voices in your head? What would happen if you did?
- Abby @ Green Hills Branch

The Taker, by J.M. Steele

Smart girl dates jock guy, screws up on SATs, gets yelled at by parents, freaks out, gets tutored by geeky guy, falls in love with geeky guy, gets ridiculed by jock guy, snubs geeky guy, confides in best friends, gets cheated on by jock guy, makes up with geeky guy, dumps jock guy, kisses (not so) geeky guy…life goes on, right?  You may think you’ve read this story before, but you have no idea.
- Abby @ Green Hills Branch

The Love Curse of the Rumbaughs, by Jack Gantos

This is quite possibly the most bizarre teen book I’ve ever read. It’s a macabre blend of taxidermy, obsessive love, twins, and genetics, with a dash of mystery thrown in. Ivy lives with her mother in a small town hotel, and spends her afternoons across the street at the pharmacy with a pair of elderly twins. All is well until Ivy comes across the stuffed remains of the twins’ mother. If you liked the movie Psycho, give this a try.
- Beth @ Southeast Branch

Life As We Knew It, by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Miranda is pretty unconcerned when she first hears about the meteor that’s supposed to hit the moon. But when it happens, the moon gets knocked out of orbit, causing massive tsunamis, the total disappearance of coastal cities, loss of electricity and phone service, and other horrors. As the months stretch on, things get worse and worse until finally her family is simply struggling to survive. The story, told in Miranda’s increasingly desperate diary entries, is riveting.
- Beth @ Southeast Branch

Pretty Little Liars, by Sara Shepard

Something happened the summer before eighth grade and Aria, Hanna, Emily, and Spencer want nothing more than to forget it. Now in high school, these former best friends have gone their separate ways, but they all share a sinister secret from their past and each is now hiding dirty little secrets all their own. And just who is A.—sender of texts, emails, and letters who seems to know everything about them and threatens to expose them all? Are their perfect reputations safe or will A. reveal their secrets and ruin their lives?
- Abby @ Green Hills Branch

Desert Crossing, by Elise Broach

While on a spring break road trip, three teens get caught in a blinding rainstorm and run into something on the road. Worried that they’ve hit a dog, they go back—only to find a dead girl. This fast-paced thriller has some unexpected surprises, so be prepared.
- Beth @ Southeast Branch

Golden, by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Lissy James has inherited The Sight—a supernatural gift possessed by generations of women in her family—and her powers are growing greater each day. When she moves from California to a small town in Oklahoma she finds that fitting in with her new classmates will not be her biggest challenge. What can be worse than being snubbed by the Goldens and becoming a Non? Pure evil, that’s what. Now Lissy must learn to embrace her gift and find a way to save her friends and family before it’s too late.
- Abby @ Green Hills Branch

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, by M.T. Anderson

Just a warning: this is not an easy book. However, if you like a challenge, then this book is definitely worth the effort. It opens just before the American Revolution in New England, where we meet the slave Octavian and his mother being treated like royalty in a strange house of eccentric scientists. From there, the plot involves bizarre experiments, a three-week-long smallpox party, daring escapes, poisonings, and more. I promise: you will be glad you gave this one-of-a-kind book a chance.
- Beth @ Southeast Branch

Crunch Time, by Mariah Fredericks

What do you get when four students walk out of the SAT prep course junior year? A hilarious new study group. Meet Daisy, whose best friend is Max, Leo with the Ego, and shy Jane with the celebrity mom. These four students are determined to ace the SAT and get into the Ivy Leagues. But when someone is found cheating on the test, will the newfound bond these four share be strong enough to withstand the accusations? Or will the pressure cause the truth to come spilling out? Great for any teen who knows all too well the stresses of tests.
- Mamie @ Hermitage Branch

Devilish, by Maureen Johnson

How far would you go to be popular? And how far would you go to save your best friend? Jane doesn’t understand why her best friend, Allison, is acting so strangely. Or why she’s completely stopped talking to Jane, or how she could ever start dating Jane’s ex-boyfriend Elton. But when a geeky freshman from the boys’ school starts befriending Jane, the truth reveals itself. Can you really sell your soul? And at what cost?
- Mamie @ Hermitage Branch

What Happened to Cass McBride?, by Gail Giles

Would you scream if you were buried alive? Cass McBride, A-list popular girl, is buried underground. Plotting revenge on the person he thinks is the reason for his brother’s suicide, Kyle Kirby plans to torture Cass until she realizes and understands what she’s done. But what do you say when you’re buried alive-- will words be Cass’s way out or will they be her final mistake?
- Mamie @ Hermitage Branch

Notes from the Midnight Driver, by Jordan Sonnenblick

All he did was hit a gnome. While driving drunk. Without a driver’s license. And so begins the story of Alex Gregory, arrested junior, who is sentenced to community service at the old folk’s home where his mom works. Enter Sol, the angry old practical jokester at the home, and Laurie, Alex’s best friend (who he is beginning to see in a whole new light), and you’ve got yourself a hilarious turn of events.

You’ll laugh along with Alex, Sol, and Laurie as the story of their time together unfolds in this unusual, funny and quirky new book.
- Mamie @ Hermitage Branch

Circle the Soul Softly, by Davida Wills Hurwin

New school, new stepdad, fresh start. Well, at least that’s what Kate O’Conner wanted—the fresh start part, at any rate. Starting her sophomore year at a fancy private school in Brentwood, California, Kate clings to the hope that this year will be better than the last. And while acting in the school play opens many doors for Kate, the nightmares that keep haunting her open a door she never expected. And one she’d like to close.

What does it mean when you can’t remember your childhood? And once you do, how do you make it go away?

A finely written look at teen life and what happens when a lost memory is finally found.
- Mamie @ Hermitage Branch

Wide Awake, by David Levithan

The time: The Near Future
The place: An America where being gay is ‘no big thing’
The people: Duncan and his boyfriend Jimmy
The situation: Keeping Abe Stein, the newest President (who is gay and Jewish), in office.

David Levithan creates a story of intrigue as Duncan and Jimmy, along with their friends, fight for Stein when the election results naming Stein as the next President are challenged. Of course, fighting means putting thoughts into action, standing up for what you believe, and sometimes risking everything for the sake of a greater good. But what is Duncan willing to risk? And is the greater good really all it’s cracked up to be?

This is a book that will question the norms and push readers past preconceived notions of democracy and America.
- Mamie @ Hermitage Branch

Forever In Blue: The Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood, by Ann Brashares

This last book of the series finds the Sisterhood entering the world of adulthood and gaining independence both from the pants and from each other. As they travel the world, develop new talents, and meet different people, they experience thoughts and emotions that are both overwhelming and exciting. Join Carmen, Tibby, Lena, and Bridget as they reflect on who they have been and find out just who they are—with or without the pants.
- Abby @ Green Hills Branch

Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn

This fast-paced and addictively readable novel takes place over the course of one wild night between a couple of music-obsessed teens at various NYC punk clubs. When Nick approaches Norah and asks her to pretend to be his girlfriend for a minute just to make his ex jealous, you know the two are headed toward some sparks. Getting to the point where they realize it, is a really great ride.
- Sarah @ Madison Branch

Keturah and Lord Death, by Martine Leavitt

Here is a unique, dark, and lushly written romantic fairy tale, perfect for those of you who like your romance with plenty of dark, gothic touches—after all, how often do you read a book where one of the romantic leads is Death himself?
- Sarah @ Madison Branch

The Rules of Survival, by Nancy Werlin

If you are looking for that perfect, edge-of-your-seat thriller where you can hardly put the book down, look no further. This completely shocking and devastating look at the lives of seventeen-year-old Matt and his younger sisters, trying to escape the vicious clutches of their abusive and unbalanced mother, will keep you up nights.
- Sarah @ Madison Branch

Good Girls, by Laura Ruby

Why do some girls get the “bad girl” label, and some girls get pegged “good girls”—and why do guys not seem to get labeled in this way at all? These questions and others are at the heart of this juicy and timely story about Audrey—she makes really good grades, goes to church and gets along with her parents. She’s a certified “good girl”—until she gets snapped with a camera phone in a very compromising situation with her hookup, and the photo makes it around to everyone at her school. Read this and find out what happens when one girl goes from good girl to bad girl, and lives to tell about it.
- Sarah @ Madison Branch

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