Books with category 🌱 Coming of Age
Displaying books 145-192 of 452 in total

Reason to Breathe

2013

by Rebecca Donovan

No one tried to get involved with me, and I kept to myself. This was the place where everything was supposed to be safe and easy. How could Evan Mathews unravel my constant universe in just one day?

In the affluent town of Weslyn, Connecticut, where most people worry about what to be seen in and who to be seen with, Emma Thomas would rather not be seen at all. She’s more concerned with feigning perfection while pulling down her sleeves to conceal the bruises - not wanting anyone to know how far from perfect her life truly is. Without expecting it, she finds love. It challenges her to recognize her own worth - but at the risk of revealing the terrible secret she’s desperate to hide.

Reason to Breathe is an electrifying page turner from start to finish, a unique tale of life-changing love, unspeakable cruelty, and one girl’s fragile grasp of hope.

Tell the Wolves I'm Home

Tell the Wolves I'm Home is a heartfelt story of love, grief, and renewal set in 1987. The narrative revolves around two unlikely friends who discover that sometimes you don't know you've lost someone until you've found them.

The only person who has ever truly understood fourteen-year-old June Elbus is her uncle, the renowned painter Finn Weiss. Shy at school and distant from her older sister, June can be herself only in Finn’s company; he is her godfather, confidant, and best friend. So when he dies, far too young, of a mysterious illness her mother can barely speak about, June’s world is turned upside down.

But Finn’s death brings a surprise acquaintance into June’s life. At the funeral, June notices a strange man lingering just beyond the crowd. A few days later, she receives a package in the mail containing a beautiful teapot she recognizes from Finn’s apartment, and a note from Toby, the stranger, asking for an opportunity to meet. As the two begin to spend time together, June realizes she’s not the only one who misses Finn, and that this unexpected friend just might be the one she needs the most.

Monument 14

2013

by Emmy Laybourne

Your mother hollers that you're going to miss the bus. She can see it coming down the street. You don't stop and hug her and tell her you love her. You don't thank her for being a good, kind, patient mother. Of course not-you launch yourself down the stairs and make a run for the corner.Only, if it's the last time you'll ever see your mother, you sort of start to wish you'd stopped and did those things. Maybe even missed the bus.But the bus was barreling down our street, so I ran.Fourteen kids. One superstore. A million things that go wrong.When Dean raced out the door to catch the school bus, he didn’t realize it would be the last time he’d ever see his mom. After a freak hailstorm sends the bus crashing into a superstore, Dean and a group of students of all ages are left to fend for themselves. They soon realize the hailstorm and the crash are the least of their worries. After seeing a series of environmental and chemical disasters ravage the outside world, they realize they’re trapped inside the store. Unable to communicate with the ones they love, the group attempts to cobble together a new existence. As they struggle to survive, Dean and the others must decide which risk is greater: leaving… or staying. Monument 14 is a post-apocalyptic YA novel that transcends age barriers.

The Book of Broken Hearts

2013

by Sarah Ockler

Jude has learned a lot from her older sisters, but the most important thing is this: The Vargas brothers are notorious heartbreakers. She's seen the tears and disasters that dating a Vargas boy can cause, and she swore an oath—with candles and a contract and everything—to never have anything to do with one.

Now Jude is the only sister still living at home, and she's spending the summer helping her ailing father restore his vintage motorcycle—which means hiring a mechanic to help out. Is it Jude's fault he happens to be cute? And surprisingly sweet? And a Vargas?

Jude tells herself it's strictly bike business with Emilio. Her sisters will never find out, and Jude can spot those flirty little Vargas tricks a mile away—no way would she fall for them. But Jude's defenses are crumbling, and if history is destined to repeat itself, she's speeding toward some serious heartbreak…unless her sisters were wrong?

Jude may have taken an oath, but she's beginning to think that when it comes to love, some promises might be worth breaking.

Winger

2013

by Andrew Smith

Ryan Dean West is a fourteen-year-old junior at a boarding school for rich kids in the Pacific Northwest. He's living in Opportunity Hall, the dorm for troublemakers, and rooming with the biggest bully on the rugby team. And he's madly in love with his best friend Annie, who thinks of him as a little boy.

With the help of his sense of humor, rugby buddies, and his penchant for doodling comics, Ryan Dean manages to survive life's complications and even find some happiness along the way. But when the unthinkable happens, he has to figure out how to hold on to what's important, even when it feels like everything has fallen apart.

Filled with hand-drawn info-graphics and illustrations and told in a pitch-perfect voice, this realistic depiction of a teen's experience strikes an exceptional balance of hilarious and heartbreaking.

Steal My Sunshine

2013

by Emily Gale

Steal My Sunshine is a poignant tale set against the backdrop of a sweltering Melbourne heatwave. The protagonist, Hannah, finds her family life warping into something unrecognizable, filled with fear and uncertainty. The story delves deep into Hannah's struggle to address the issues plaguing her family, a task that seems monumental for someone who feels invisible and powerless.

Hannah's journey for solace leads her to two people who appear to have a grasp on the true essence of life: her rebellious best friend, Chloe, and her unconventional grandmother, Essie. Hannah's faithfulness to both is put to the test as she grapples with her growing attraction to Chloe's older brother and a harrowing secret from Essie that casts a new light on the family's disarray.

Amidst the personal turmoil, Steal My Sunshine also uncovers a distressing chapter of Australia's history—the enforced adoptions that compelled 'wayward girls' and single mothers to relinquish their babies. This practice, sanctioned by churches and hospitals, continued for many years, and its devastating effects are only now being recognized.

With a narrative that intertwines Hannah's personal conflicts and the broader societal issues, the novel is a testament to resilience and self-belief in the face of adversity and historical injustice.

The Interestings

2013

by Meg Wolitzer

The summer that Nixon resigns, six teenagers at a summer camp for the arts become inseparable. Decades later the bond remains powerful, but so much else has changed.

In The Interestings, Wolitzer follows these characters from the height of youth through middle age, as their talents, fortunes, and degrees of satisfaction diverge. The kind of creativity that is rewarded at age fifteen is not always enough to propel someone through life at age thirty; not everyone can sustain, in adulthood, what seemed so special in adolescence. Jules Jacobson, an aspiring comic actress, eventually resigns herself to a more practical occupation and lifestyle. Her friend Jonah, a gifted musician, stops playing the guitar and becomes an engineer. But Ethan and Ash, Jules’s now-married best friends, become shockingly successful—true to their initial artistic dreams, with the wealth and access that allow those dreams to keep expanding.

The friendships endure and even prosper, but also underscore the differences in their fates, in what their talents have become and the shapes their lives have taken. Wide in scope, ambitious, and populated by complex characters who come together and apart in a changing New York City, The Interestings explores the meaning of talent; the nature of envy; the roles of class, art, money, and power; and how all of it can shift and tilt precipitously over the course of a friendship and a life.

What Happened to Goodbye

2013

by Sarah Dessen

Who is the real McLean? Since her parents' bitter divorce, McLean and her dad, a restaurant consultant, have been on the move—four towns in two years. Estranged from her mother and her mother's new family, McLean has followed her dad in leaving the unhappy past behind. And each new place gives her a chance to try out a new persona: from cheerleader to drama diva.

But now, for the first time, McLean discovers a desire to stay in one place and just be herself, whoever that is. Perhaps Dave, the guy next door, can help her find out. Combining Sarah Dessen's trademark graceful writing, great characters, and compelling storytelling, What Happened to Goodbye is irresistible reading.

Wait for You

Some things are worth waiting for... Traveling thousands of miles from home to enter college is the only way nineteen-year-old Avery Morgansten can escape what happened at the Halloween party five years ago--an event that forever changed her life. All she needs to do is make it to her classes on time, make sure the bracelet on her left wrist stays in place, not draw any attention to herself, and maybe—please God—make a few friends, because surely that would be a nice change of pace.

The one thing she didn’t need and never planned on was capturing the attention of the one guy who could shatter the precarious future she’s building for herself. Some things are worth experiencing... Cameron Hamilton is six feet and three inches of swoon-worthy hotness, complete with a pair of striking blue eyes and a remarkable ability to make her want things she believed were irrevocably stolen from her. She knows she needs to stay away from him, but Cam is everywhere, with his charm, his witty banter, and that damn dimple.... Getting involved with him is dangerous, but when ignoring their simmering tension becomes impossible, he brings out a side of her she never knew existed.

Some things should never be kept quiet... But when Avery starts receiving threatening emails and phone calls—forcing her to face a past she wants silenced—she has no other choice but to acknowledge that she will not be allowed to let go of that night when everything changed. When the devastating truth comes out, can she resurface this time with one less scar? And will Cam be there to help her or will he be dragged down with her?

Purple Hibiscus

Purple Hibiscus is an exquisite novel about the emotional turmoil of adolescence, the powerful bonds of family, and the bright promise of freedom. Fifteen-year-old Kambili and her older brother Jaja lead a privileged life in Enugu, Nigeria. They live in a beautiful house, with a caring family, and attend an exclusive missionary school. They're completely shielded from the troubles of the world.

Yet, as Kambili reveals in her tender-voiced account, things are less perfect than they appear. Although her Papa is generous and well respected, he is fanatically religious and tyrannical at home—a home that is silent and suffocating. As the country begins to fall apart under a military coup, Kambili and Jaja are sent to their aunt, a university professor outside the city, where they discover a life beyond the confines of their father’s authority. Books cram the shelves, curry and nutmeg permeate the air, and their cousins’ laughter rings throughout the house. When they return home, tensions within the family escalate, and Kambili must find the strength to keep her loved ones together.

Finding Freia Lockhart

2013

by Aimee Said

Finding Freia Lockhart is Australian author Aimee Said's debut novel, featuring an authentic and fresh voice that resonates with young adult readers. Freia Lockhart is struggling to fit in at her high school. Her best friend, Kate, is fixated on joining the popular clique known as the Bs: Belinda, Bethanee, and Brianna. Freia feels like a turkey surrounded by flamingos when she's with the Bs, but she's determined to keep her friendship with Kate.

When Kate persuades Freia to try out for the school play, promising it will be an opportunity to mingle with the cute guys and the Bs, things don't go as planned. Freia ends up working on production lighting alongside the rumored bad boy, Daniel. As she gets to know Daniel, Freia realizes that first impressions can be misleading. When Daniel needs a friend, Freia takes a stand, risking her reputation and her tenuous position with the Bs to support him.

Amidst the drama and complexities of teenage life, Freia discovers a surprising new group of friends. Her dry wit and insightful observations about her peers, her 'ancient' parents, and life in general, will strike a chord with readers. The story of Freia Lockhart is a journey of self-discovery, embracing one's true identity, and understanding what really matters in life.

Also Known As

2013

by Robin Benway

Maggie Silver has never minded her unusual life. Cracking safes for the world's premier spy organization and traveling the world with her insanely cool parents definitely beats high school and the accompanying cliques, bad lunches, and frustratingly simple locker combinations. But when Maggie and her parents are sent to New York City for her first solo assignment, her world is transformed.

Suddenly, she's attending a private school with hundreds of "mean girl" wannabes, trying to avoid the temptation to hack the school's elementary security system, and working to befriend the aggravatingly cute son of a potential national security threat... all while trying not to blow her cover.

Eleanor & Park

2013

by Rainbow Rowell

Eleanor is the new girl in town, and with her chaotic family life, her mismatched clothes and unruly red hair, she couldn't stick out more if she tried.

Park is the boy at the back of the bus. Black T-shirts, headphones, head in a book - he thinks he's made himself invisible. But not to Eleanor... never to Eleanor.

Slowly, steadily, through late-night conversations and an ever-growing stack of mix tapes, Eleanor and Park fall for each other. They fall in love the way you do the first time, when you're young, and you feel as if you have nothing and everything to lose.

Life in Outer Space

2013

by Melissa Keil

Life in Outer Space is a heartwarming tale that follows Sam Kinnison, a geeky sixteen-year-old with a passion for movies, games, and all things horror. He's content in his world of nerdy pursuits until the arrival of Camilla Carter, a girl who's not just beautiful and friendly but also seemingly out of Sam's league.

Despite Sam's determination to stick to his movie-guided life plan and ignore Camilla, she has her own agenda that surprisingly includes him. As they grow closer, Sam discovers the joys of true friendship and begins to question if he's been learning from the right movies. Melissa Keil's debut young adult novel is a sweet and humorous exploration of high school life, love, and the confusion that comes with growing up.

Prodigy

2013

by Marie Lu

Prodigy, the second book in Marie Lu's New York Times bestselling LEGEND trilogy, is a tale perfect for fans of THE HUNGER GAMES and DIVERGENT. June and Day arrive in Vegas at a time of turmoil: the Elector Primo has died, and his son Anden steps into a nation on the brink of chaos.

Joining forces with the Patriots—a group of rebels determined to overthrow the government—June and Day are tasked with a mission that could change everything: assassinate the new Elector. As they delve deeper into the plot, June faces a haunting decision. The new Elector is nothing like his tyrant father. Is a peaceful revolution possible, and are the Patriots right in their approach?

In this gripping sequel, Marie Lu delivers a thrilling narrative with high stakes and cinematic action. Prodigy challenges the characters and the reader to consider the complexity of revolution and the nuances of change.

Leaving Paradise

2013

by Simone Elkeles

Nothing has been the same since Caleb Becker left a party drunk, got behind the wheel, and hit Maggie Armstrong. Even after months of painful physical therapy, Maggie walks with a limp. Her social life is nil and a scholarship to study abroad—her chance to escape everyone and their pitying stares—has been canceled.

After a year in juvenile jail, Caleb’s free... if freedom means endless nagging from a transition coach and the prying eyes of the entire town. Coming home should feel good, but his family and ex-girlfriend seem like strangers.

Caleb and Maggie are outsiders, pigeon-holed as "criminal" and "freak." Then the truth emerges about what really happened the night of the accident and, once again, everything changes. It’s a bleak and tortuous journey for Caleb and Maggie, yet they end up finding comfort and strength from a surprising source: each other.

Eighth Grade Bites

2013

by Heather Brewer

Junior high really sucks for thirteen-year-old Vladimir Tod. Bullies harass him, the principal is dogging him, and the girl he likes prefers his best friend. Oh, and Vlad has a secret: his mother was human, but his father was a vampire. With no idea of the extent of his powers, Vlad struggles daily with his blood cravings and his enlarged fangs. When a substitute teacher begins to question him a little too closely, Vlad worries that his cover is about to be blown. But then he faces a much bigger problem: he's being hunted by a vampire killer.

Just One Day

2013

by Gayle Forman

A breathtaking journey toward self-discovery and true love, from the author of If I Stay.

When sheltered American good girl Allyson "LuLu" Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there's an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left.

Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines.

Nobody's Boy

2012

by Hector Malot

DigiCat Publishing presents to you this special edition of Nobody's Boy (Sans Famille) by Hector Malot. DigiCat Publishing considers every written word to be a legacy of humankind. Every DigiCat book has been carefully reproduced for republishing in a new modern format. The books are available in print, as well as ebooks. DigiCat hopes you will treat this work with the acknowledgment and passion it deserves as a classic of world literature.

Bakuman, Vol. 17: One-Shot and Standalone

As the veteran manga artists start taking over Weekly Shonen Jump, the younger artists feel the pressure. But what is behind this sudden surge of older artists making a comeback in the magazine? And what is the connection between Azuma and Moritaka’s late uncle?

Bakuman, Vol. 13: Fans and Love At First Sight

Average student Moritaka Mashiro enjoys drawing for fun. When his classmate and aspiring writer Akito Takagi discovers his talent, he begs Moritaka to team up with him as a manga-creating duo. But what exactly does it take to make it in the manga-publishing world?

Struck By Lightning: The Carson Phillips Journal

2012

by Chris Colfer

Struck By Lightning: The Carson Phillips Journal follows the story of outcast high school senior Carson Phillips, who blackmails the most popular students in his school into contributing to his literary journal to bolster his college application; his goal in life is to get into Northwestern and eventually become the editor of The New Yorker. At once laugh-out-loud funny, deliciously dark, and remarkably smart, Struck By Lightning unearths the dirt that lies just below the surface of high school.

At a time when bullying torments so many young people today, this unique and important novel sheds light with humor and wit on an issue that deeply resonates with countless teens and readers.

Shut Out

2012

by Kody Keplinger

Lissa is done with the constant rivalry between the football and soccer teams at Hamilton High. Her quarterback boyfriend's attention is always divided, leading her to initiate a hookup strike among the players' girlfriends. The goal: to force the teams to make peace. But the strike sparks a new challenge, a girls-against-boys showdown, with tensions running high both on and off the field. As the battle of wills escalates, Lissa finds herself grappling with unexpected feelings for the leader of the boys, Cash Sterling, complicating her plan even further.

After Forever Ends

2012

by Melodie Ramone

Orphaned by her mother and brushed off by her dad, fifteen year old Silvia Cotton had lived a lonely life. That is until 1985 when her father moved the family from the Highlands of Scotland to the Midlands of Wales. It is there she was enrolled in Bennington, a private boarding school, met the charming and rebellious Dickinson twins, Oliver and Alexander, and her regrettable life was changed forever. Locked into a fierce friendship with Alexander and lost to a whirlwind romance with Oliver, Silvia found herself torn away from everything she thought she knew. Married too soon, she moved with Oliver to a rustic cabin deep in a Welsh wood and embarked upon a life she'd never planned for, surviving on hope she never knew existed and faith she never knew she had. She made her way through university and onto a career, only to surrender her ambition to raising her children and living a life that was strikingly "normal". But what is normal? Certainly not what ensued in the wood.

True love, faeries, friendship, loves lost and gained. Old magic, fate, doubt, strength and courage, Silvia's story could belong to anyone, but it is her own. Simple yet extraordinary, told in retrospect with wit and candor, Silvia recalls a life of joy and sorrow, laughter and tears. As she unravels the tangled web of her days, she reveals the secrets that exist in an ancient wood, how hearts given freely can become the stuff of magic, and how true happiness was never any further than her own back garden.

The Secret of Ella and Micha

Ella and Micha have been best friends since they were kids. But one tragic night shatters their friendship and their lives forever.

Ella used to be a rule-breaker with fiery attitude who wore her heart on her sleeve. But she left everything behind when she went to college and transformed into someone that follows the rules, keeps everything together, and hides all her problems. But now it's summer break and she has nowhere else to go but home. Ella fears everything she worked so hard to bury might resurface, especially with Micha living right next door. If Micha tries to tempt the old her back, she knows that it will be hard to resist.

Micha is sexy, smart, confident, and can get under Ella’s skin like no one else can. He knows everything about her, including her darkest secrets. And he’s determined to bring his best friend, and the girl he loves back, no matter what it takes.

The Giver

2012

by Lois Lowry

Twelve-year-old Jonas lives in a seemingly ideal world. Not until he is given his life assignment as the Receiver does he begin to understand the dark secrets behind this fragile community.

Because It Is My Blood

2012

by Gabrielle Zevin

"Every time I think I'm out, they pull me back in." - Michael Corleone, The Godfather

Freed from jail, Anya hopes that things will get back to normal. But life on the outside is even more dangerous than life behind bars. Some of her gangland family want revenge for the crime for which she has done time: the shooting of her uncle. Forced to flee the country, Anya hides out in a cacao plantation in Mexico. There she learns the secrets of the chocolate trade, a trade that is illegal and deadly in her native New York.

There too she discovers that seemingly random acts of violence carried out across the world have a single target: her family. As innocent bystanders get caught in the crossfire, Anya must act fast and decisively to stop it, no matter what the danger to herself.

The Raven Boys

There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark's Eve, Neeve said. Either you're his true love . . . or you killed him.

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive. Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can't entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he's looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she's not so sure anymore.

Where Things Come Back

Just when seventeen-year-old Cullen Witter thinks he understands everything about his small and painfully dull Arkansas town, it all disappears. In the summer before Cullen's senior year, a nominally-depressed birdwatcher named John Barling thinks he spots a species of woodpecker thought to be extinct since the 1940s in Lily, Arkansas. His rediscovery of the so-called Lazarus Woodpecker sparks a flurry of press and woodpecker-mania. Soon all the kids are getting woodpecker haircuts and everyone's eating "Lazarus burgers." But as absurd as the town's carnival atmosphere has become, nothing is more startling than the realization that Cullen’s sensitive, gifted fifteen-year-old brother Gabriel has suddenly and inexplicably disappeared.

While Cullen navigates his way through a summer of finding and losing love, holding his fragile family together, and muddling his way into adulthood, a young missionary in Africa, who has lost his faith, is searching for any semblance of meaning wherever he can find it. As distant as the two stories seem at the start, they are thoughtfully woven ever closer together and through masterful plotting, brought face to face in a surprising and harrowing climax. Complex but truly extraordinary, tinged with melancholy and regret, comedy and absurdity, this novel finds wonder in the ordinary and emerges as ultimately hopeful. It's about a lot more than what Cullen calls, “that damn bird.” It’s about the dream of second chances.

Seraphina

2012

by Rachel Hartman

Seraphina is a captivating tale set in a world where humans and dragons coexist precariously, with dragons capable of assuming human form. Seraphina, a young woman bearing a heavy secret, navigates through a life fraught with complexities following the death of her mother during childbirth. Amidst a climate of magical secrets and royal scandals, she battles with her identity while endeavoring to harness her exceptional musical abilities.

As the kingdom of Goredd approaches the anniversary of a peace treaty with the dragons, tension escalates. When a royal family member is found dead under mysterious circumstances, Seraphina finds herself embroiled in the investigation alongside the astute Prince Lucien. Their journey reveals a conspiracy threatening to shatter the fragile peace. Seraphina's struggle to protect her secret becomes a perilous endeavor, for its exposure could cost her everything.

With exquisite prose, Rachel Hartman weaves a story of self-discovery and intrigue, where the path to accepting oneself is as treacherous and complex as the political machinations that Seraphina must confront. This is a narrative of courage and the pursuit of identity in a world where survival often hinges on guarding one's truths.

Such a Rush

2012

by Jennifer Echols

Such a Rush is a poignant and thrilling tale of Leah Jones, a daring young pilot caught in a complex web of love, betrayal, and family dynamics. Growing up next to an airport in a South Carolina trailer park, Leah makes a life-changing decision at fourteen: rather than succumb to the difficulties of her environment, she chooses to learn to fly.

Leah has always acted as the adult in her family, with a mother who's unreliable and a life fraught with financial instability. Her job at the local airstrip and the thrill of flying provide a much-needed escape from her challenging reality. The sudden death of her flight instructor, Mr. Hall, thrusts everything into chaos when his teenage sons, Alec and Grayson, inherit the business.

Despite her longstanding crush on Grayson, Leah is wary of getting involved with the struggling business. But when Grayson uncovers Leah's deepest secret and uses it to coerce her into flying for him, she finds herself entangled in a dangerous dance with the two brothers. As the summer progresses and tensions rise, Leah must navigate her way through a maze of emotions and risks that could lead to dire consequences for everyone involved.

The End of Everything

2012

by Megan Abbott

Thirteen-year-old Lizzie Hood thought that she and her best friend Evie Verver shared everything, but when Evie disappears from their suburban Midwestern community, Lizzie's search uncovers secrets and lies that make her wonder if she knew her friend at all.

The Age of Miracles

"It’s never the disasters you see coming that finally come to pass—it’s the ones you don’t expect at all," says Julia, in this spellbinding novel of catastrophe and survival by a superb new writer. Luminous, suspenseful, unforgettable, The Age of Miracles tells the haunting and beautiful story of Julia and her family as they struggle to live in a time of extraordinary change.

On an ordinary Saturday in a California suburb, Julia awakens to discover that something has happened to the rotation of the earth. The days and nights are growing longer and longer; gravity is affected; the birds, the tides, human behavior, and cosmic rhythms are thrown into disarray. In a world that seems filled with danger and loss, Julia also must face surprising developments in herself, and in her personal world: divisions widening between her parents; strange behavior by her friends; the pain and vulnerability of first love; a growing sense of isolation; and a surprising, rebellious new strength. With crystalline prose and the indelible magic of a born storyteller, Karen Thompson Walker paints a breathtaking portrait of people finding ways to go on in an ever-evolving world.

Something Like Normal

2012

by Trish Doller

When Travis returns home from Afghanistan, he discovers that his life has fallen apart. His parents are on the brink of divorce, his brother has appropriated his girlfriend and car, and the haunting nightmares of his best friend's death persist.

Travis's world begins to brighten when he encounters Harper, a girl who has loathed him since middle school. As they spend more time together, Travis falls deeper in love and starts navigating through the chaos of family issues, post-traumatic stress, and the glimpse of a potentially normal future.

His sharp wit, profound sense of honor, and the journey towards healing make Travis an irresistibly compelling protagonist in this touching story.

Skagboys

2012

by Irvine Welsh

Mark Renton has it all: he's good-looking, young, with a pretty girlfriend and a place at university. But there's no room for him in the 1980s. Thatcher's government is destroying working-class communities across Britain, and the post-war certainties of full employment, educational opportunity and a welfare state are gone. When his family starts to fracture, Mark's life swings out of control and he succumbs to the defeatism which has taken hold in Edinburgh's grimmer areas. The way out is heroin.

It's no better for his friends. Spud Murphy is paid off from his job, Tommy Lawrence feels himself being sucked into a life of petty crime and violence - the worlds of the thieving Matty Connell and psychotic Franco Begbie. Only Sick Boy, the supreme manipulator of the opposite sex, seems to ride the current, scamming and hustling his way through it all.

Skagboys charts their journey from likely lads to young men addicted to the heroin which has flooded their disintegrating community. This is the 1980s: a time of drugs, poverty, AIDS, violence, political strife and hatred - but a lot of laughs, and maybe just a little love; a decade which changed Britain forever. The prequel to the world-renowned Trainspotting, this is an exhilarating and moving book, full of the scabrous humour, salty vernacular and appalling behaviour that has made Irvine Welsh a household name.

All These Things I've Done

2012

by Gabrielle Zevin

In 2083, chocolate and coffee are illegal, paper is hard to find, water is carefully rationed, and New York City is rife with crime and poverty. And yet, for Anya Balanchine, the sixteen-year-old daughter of the city's most notorious (and dead) crime boss, life is fairly routine. It consists of going to school, taking care of her siblings and her dying grandmother, trying to avoid falling in love with the new assistant D.A.'s son, and avoiding her loser ex-boyfriend.

That is until her ex is accidentally poisoned by the chocolate her family manufactures and the police think she's to blame. Suddenly, Anya finds herself thrust unwillingly into the spotlight--at school, in the news, and most importantly, within her mafia family. Engrossing and suspenseful, All These Things I've Done is an utterly unique, unputdownable read that blends both the familiar and the fantastic.

Second Chance Summer

2012

by Morgan Matson

Sandwiched between two exceptional siblings, Taylor Edwards never felt like she stood out—except for her history of running away when things get too complicated. Then her dad receives unexpected, terrible news, and the family makes the last-minute decision to spend the summer together in the cramped quarters at their old lake house.

Taylor hasn't been to the summerhouse since she was twelve, and she definitely never planned on going back. Up at the lake she is confronted with people she thought she had left behind, like her former best friend Lucy, and Henry Crosby, her first crush, who's all grown up...and a lot cuter. Suddenly Taylor is surrounded by memories she'd rather leave in the past—but she can't run away this time.

As the days lying on the beach pass into nights gazing at the stars, Taylor realizes she has a second chance—with friends, with family, maybe even with love. But she knows that once the summer ends, there is no way to recapture what she stands to lose. From Morgan Matson, the PW Flying Start author of Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour, this is a remarkable new novel about hope in the face of heartbreaking grief.

Bitterblue

Eight years have passed since the young Princess Bitterblue, and her country, were saved from the vicious King Leck. Now Bitterblue is the queen of Monsea, and her land is at peace.

But the influence of her father, a violent psychopath with mind-altering abilities, lives on. Her advisers, who have run the country on her behalf since Leck's death, believe in a forward-thinking plan: to pardon all of those who committed terrible acts during Leck's reign; and to forget every dark event that ever happened. Monsea's past has become shrouded in mystery, and it's only when Bitterblue begins sneaking out of her castle - curious, disguised and alone - to walk the streets of her own city, that she begins to realize the truth. Her kingdom has been under the thirty-five-year long spell of a madman, and now their only chance to move forward is to revisit the past.

Whatever that past holds.

Two thieves, who have sworn only to steal what has already been stolen, change her life forever. They hold a key to the truth of Leck's reign. And one of them, who possesses an unidentified Grace, may also hold a key to her heart.

A Prayer for Owen Meany

2012

by John Irving

Eleven-year-old Owen Meany, playing in a Little League baseball game in Gravesend, New Hampshire, hits a foul ball and kills his best friend's mother. Owen doesn't believe in accidents; he believes he is God's instrument. What happens to Owen after that 1953 foul is both extraordinary and terrifying. At moments a comic, self-deluded victim, but in the end the principal, tragic actor in a divine plan, Owen Meany is the most heartbreaking hero John Irving has yet created.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

Dante can swim. Ari can't. Dante is articulate and self-assured. Ari has a hard time with words and suffers from self-doubt. Dante gets lost in poetry and art. Ari gets lost in thoughts of his older brother who is in prison. Dante is fair skinned. Ari's features are much darker. It seems that a boy like Dante, with his open and unique perspective on life, would be the last person to break down the walls that Ari has built around himself.

But against all odds, when Ari and Dante meet, they develop a special bond that will teach them the most important truths of their lives, and help define the people they want to be. But there are big hurdles in their way, and only by believing in each other—and the power of their friendship—can Ari and Dante emerge stronger on the other side.

The Fine Art of Truth or Dare

2012

by Melissa Jensen

Pretty in Pink meets Anna and the French Kiss in this charming romantic comedy. Ella is nearly invisible at the Willing School, and that's just fine by her. She's got her friends - the fabulous Frankie and their sweet cohort Sadie. She's got her art - and her idol, the unappreciated 19th-century painter Edward Willing.

Still, it's hard being a nobody and having a crush on the biggest somebody in the school: Alex Bainbridge. Especially when he is your French tutor, and lessons have started becoming, well, certainly more interesting than French ever has been before. But can the invisible girl actually end up with a happily ever after with the golden boy, when no one even knows they're dating? And is Ella going to dare to be that girl?

Graffiti Moon

2012

by Cath Crowley

Graffiti Moon is an intense and exhilarating journey that unfolds over the course of a single night. It captures the story of four teenagers on the cusp of adulthood. Lucy is determined to find Shadow, a mysterious and elusive graffiti artist whose work she's fallen in love with. Ed, who Lucy has been avoiding since an awkward date that ended with a broken nose, might just know how to find him.

As the night progresses, Lucy and Ed embark on an all-night adventure through the city, searching for places where Shadow's art of heartbreak and escape reverberate on the walls. What Lucy doesn't realize is that the very thing she's looking for might be closer than she thinks.

Cath Crowley has woven a lyrical narrative that explores the themes of self-discovery, art, and the complexities of young love.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post

When Cameron Post's parents die suddenly in a car crash, her shocking first thought is relief. Relief they'll never know that, hours earlier, she had been kissing a girl. But that relief doesn't last, and Cam is soon forced to move in with her conservative aunt Ruth and her well-intentioned but hopelessly old-fashioned grandmother. She knows that from this point on, her life will forever be different. Survival in Miles City, Montana, means blending in and leaving well enough alone (as her grandmother might say), and Cam becomes an expert at both.

Then Coley Taylor moves to town. Beautiful, pickup-driving Coley is a perfect cowgirl with the perfect boyfriend to match. She and Cam forge an unexpected and intense friendship—one that seems to leave room for something more to emerge. But just as that starts to seem like a real possibility, ultrareligious Aunt Ruth takes drastic action to "fix" her niece, bringing Cam face-to-face with the cost of denying her true self—even if she's not exactly sure who that is. The Miseducation of Cameron Post is a stunning and unforgettable literary debut about discovering who you are and finding the courage to live life according to your own rules.

Indian Horse

Saul Indian Horse is a child when his family retreats into the woods. Among the lakes and the cedars, they attempt to reconnect with half-forgotten traditions and hide from the authorities who have been kidnapping Ojibway youth. But when winter approaches, Saul loses everything: his brother, his parents, his beloved grandmother—and then his home itself. Alone in the world and placed in a horrific boarding school, Saul is surrounded by violence and cruelty.

At the urging of a priest, he finds a tentative salvation in hockey. Rising at dawn to practice alone, Saul proves determined and undeniably gifted. His intuition and vision are unmatched. His speed is remarkable. Together they open doors for him: away from the school, into an all-Ojibway amateur circuit, and finally within grasp of a professional career.

Yet as Saul's victories mount, so do the indignities and the taunts, the racism and the hatred—the harshness of a world that will never welcome him, tied inexorably to the sport he loves. Spare and compact yet undeniably rich, Indian Horse is at once a heartbreaking account of a dark chapter in our history and a moving coming-of-age story.

Bakuman, Vol. 7: Gag and Serious

Average student Moritaka Mashiro enjoys drawing for fun. When his classmate and aspiring writer Akito Takagi discovers his talent, he begs Moritaka to team up with him as a manga-creating duo. But what exactly does it take to make it in the manga-publishing world?

The Red Badge of Courage

2011

by Stephen Crane

Henry Fleming has joined the Union army because of his romantic ideas of military life, but soon finds himself in the middle of a battle against a regiment of Confederate soldiers. Terrified, Henry deserts his comrades. Upon returning to his regiment, he struggles with his shame as he tries to redeem himself and prove his courage.

The Red Badge of Courage is Stephen Crane’s second book, notable for its realism and the fact that Crane had never personally experienced battle. Crane drew heavy inspiration from Century Magazine, a periodical known for its articles about the American Civil War. However, he criticized the articles for their lack of emotional depth and decided to write a war novel of his own. The manuscript was first serialized in December 1894 by The Philadelphia Press and quickly won Crane international acclaim before he died in June 1900 at the age of 28.

Tricks

2011

by Ellen Hopkins

Tricks explores the lives of five teenagers from different parts of the country. The group consists of three girls and two guys, with a mix of sexual orientations, socioeconomic backgrounds, and family situations. They are all navigating their lives the best they can, each searching for something: freedom, safety, community, family, love. However, what they do not anticipate is the complexity and potential danger that comes with saying "I love you" for all the wrong reasons.

The narrative begins with each story separate, but as the plot progresses, these stories intertwine to form a larger, powerful narrative. This book delves into the choices we make, the leaps of faith we take, the lows we fall to, and the process of growing up. It's a poignant exploration of what sex and love mean for young people, at all costs, while grappling with the question, "Can I ever feel okay about myself?"

My Brilliant Friend

Beginning in the 1950s in a poor but vibrant neighborhood on the outskirts of Naples, Ferrante’s four-volume story spans almost sixty years, as its protagonists, the fiery and unforgettable Lila, and the bookish narrator, Elena, become women, wives, mothers, and leaders, all the while maintaining a complex and at times conflictual friendship. Book one in the series follows Lila and Elena from their first fateful meeting as ten-year-olds through their school years and adolescence.

Through the lives of these two women, Ferrante tells the story of a neighborhood, a city, and a country as it is transformed in ways that, in turn, also transform the relationship between her protagonists.

Ferrante is one of the world’s great storytellers. With My Brilliant Friend she has given her readers an abundant, generous, and masterfully plotted page-turner that is also a stylish work of literary fiction destined to delight readers for many generations to come.

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