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Young Adult Books (Ages 14+)
New Releases
A.S. King
A.S. King is quickly becoming one of our favourite Young Adult authors thanks to the amazing books Everybody Sees the Ants and Please Ignore Vera Deitz. Lucky (from Ants) and Vera are narrators dealing with unbelievably crazy situations. With dark humour, a twisted sense of surreal and compelling topics, these books cannot be put down! Ages 13+.
John Green
Beloved author John Green (Looking For Alaska) tackles love and cancer in this bold new novel. Sixteen-year-old Hazel lives with terminal thyroid cancer and has just been further diagnosed with depression. Now she's been put in a support group for children suffering from similar illnesses, but that's where she meets seventeen-year-old Augustus Waters, and he just might change her life forever. Melancholy, philosophical and elegant, this book has the potential to be a modern classic. Ages 12+.
Jess Rothenberg
Shortly before her sixteenth birthday, Brie Eagan dies of a broken heart, literally. Now she's stuck in limbo (at a pizza place in the sky no less) faced with the prospect of watching her friends and family move on from her death. But luckily for Brie, there's the mysterious resident lost soul and guide to all things D & G (Dead & Gone), Patrick, who takes up the task of helping her move through the five stages of grief so she can be at peace once and for all. With (and sometimes without) Patrick's help, Brie gets to go back to earth to find out the truth behind the boy who broke her heart, and learn more about love and life than she ever imagined. Tragic and laugh-out-loud funny, this is a must read for anyone who has ever lost a loved one. Ages 12+
Laini Taylor
One of our first YA picks of the year, Daughter of Smoke and Bone is a dark and compellingly mysterious love story. Karou is an unusual girl: she speaks many languages (including several that are not human), has bright blue hair that grows out of her head this way, and possesses an impeccable talent for avoiding any personal questions. Bridging two worlds, Karou does not understand her place in either. An unforgettable winged stranger will have the key to her mysterious past and the answers to present questions. Ages 12+
Moira Young
This thrilling dystopia is a finalist for the 2012 Sheila A. Egoff Children’s Literature Prize. Set in a bleak and lawless future, Blood Red Road tells the story of Saba, a strong and quick-tempered heroine. When her twin brother Lugh is taken by mysterious strangers, Saba vows to free him whatever the cost. Her quest takes her through a disfigured landscape to a city where drugs and blood sports reign, and into battles against hopeless odds. With every step Saba faces a vicious struggle to free herself so she might find her brother - and she finds a growing ring of supporters that includes Jack, a cocky thief with eyes the colour of moonlight. Ages 14+.
Marissa Meyer
Book #1 in the Lunar Chronicles, Cinder is a futuristic re-telling of Cinderella as a cyborg. Set in the future plague-ravaged city of "New Beijing", Lihn Cinder's status as a cyborg means she is considered a second-class citizen. With the emperor on his death bed, and the country on the brink of an intergalactic war, Cinder may play a bigger part in all this than she could have ever imagined. Complete with an evil step mother and the forbidden attraction to Prince, Cinder is a gripping dystopia with classic fairy tale roots. Ages 11+.
Veronica Roth
This is the closest thing we've found to the Hunger Games! Set in an unknown future, at the age of 16, every citizen must choose in which faction of society to spend the remainder of their lives practicing: The Honest, The Selfless, The Intelligent, The Peaceful or The Brave. Tris was born among The Selfless but chooses to join The Brave, and as part of her initiation she must learn to embrace danger and control her fears. The biggest risk she takes by far however, is the secret she keeps--one that could have her killed or worse... If you loved the Hunger Games, give this trilling dystopia a try! Ages 14+.
Book #2 : Insurgent out now!
Abby McDonald
Green Teen Activist Jenna from the New Jersey 'burbs is psyched to get to spend her summer connecting with nature in BC's interior. Armed with a survival guide, she sets out in search of activist peers, but run ins with a wild Moose and some nearly wild boys, who think that her vegetarianism is a joke, teach her that saving the planet isn't as easy as she thought. This delightful romance will have you laughing out loud. Ages 14+.
Kenneth Oppel
This is the story of the apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein, the doctor who creates the monster in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. The book is a prequel to Shelley's classic, and tells the story of Victor's childhood in the palatial Frankenstein chateau. He spends his days fencing and horseback riding and exploring the hidden passageways and rooms of the castle. The only room he's never entered is the Dark Library, which houses ancient tomes written in strange languages and filled with forbidden knowledge. Victor has promised never to enter the library, but when his brother becomes deathly ill, Victor goes inside looking for the Elixir of LIfe. This novel is enchanting, fast-paced and filled with engaging characters. And we're not the only ones who loved it--the producers of the Twilight movies are already developing a film based on the novel! Ages 13+.
Anna Sheehan
In this futuristic retelling of Sleeping Beauty, Rosalinda Fitzroy awakes after sixty-two years in a chemically induced coma to find that everyone she ever knew is dead. As the heir to her parent's empire, she must discover not only how to run the company, but also who sent the assassin to kill her. Ages 12+.
Cat Patrick
Every night at precisely 4:33a.m., London Lane's memory "resets." A routine of careful note taking and a strange ability to remember things from her future are what help London get by, but when handsome Luke Henry enters her life, she needs to find a way to remember him because he doesn't seem to be in her future. One of our staff favourites! Ages 12+.
Libba Bray
A plane full of beauty-pageant contestants crashes on a deserted island. Stranded with giant snakes and no Wi-Fi, the girls have to survive and face their own brutally competitive natures. Libba Bray's satire mixes Lord of the Flies with a critique of consumer culture to give us an empowering story of self-discovery, complete with sexy pirates and evenings gowns. A subversive and hilarious beach read. Ages 12+.
All-Time Favourites
Y.S. Lee
In this new and thrilling nineteenth-century mystery, we are introduced to Mary Quinn, a former street urchin and thief. Mary was rescued at age twelve from the gallows by Miss Scrimshaw's Academy for Girls. Five years later, Mary is now poised to join the stop secret, all-female spy organization, The Agency. However, even these top investigators don't know the true secrets of Mary's past. Full of intrigue and romance, The Agency combines gritty historical detail with a fun sense of "what if?" Ages 12+.
Check out the other books in this series:
Jennifer Echols
Meg has something to prove. She wants everyone to know that she won't be tied down to this backwater town by anything; school, her parents, or the law. So when one night out with some friends turns into a dangerous (and illegal) game of truth or dare, Meg plays along against her better judgement. Barely out of high school himself, John is the cop on duty that night. During the course of his obsessive routine patrol in the area, he stumbles upon these reckless teens playing chicken on the train tracks. John thinks it's time to scare these kids straight once and for all, and Meg's punishment means riding along with John on the graveyard shift. Meg and John push each other to the limit and discover what happens when you let your guard down and let someone in. Ages 14+.
Pittacus Lore
Book one of the Lorien Legacies, I Am Number Four tells the story of a teen with no real name, and no real home except a devastated planet millions of miles away. Originally there were nine children sent to earth - the only survivors of an invaded planet, who were protected by a phrophecy that keeps them from being killed "out of order". Ten years later, the first three are dead, and Number Four is the next target for the enemies who relentlessly hunt them. Ghost written by the famous author of A Million Little Pieces, the action in this novel will drive you on from beginning to end! Ages 12+.
Alexandra Adornetto
Halo is the first book in a new trilogy by teenaged author Alexandra Adornetto. Three angels are sent to the small town of Venus Cove: Gabriel, the warrior; Ivy, the healer; and Bethany, the youngest and least experienced of the trio. Though it is forbidden, Bethany falls in love with a human boy. Will Behtany's love for Xavier leave Venus Cove vulnerable to the Dark Forces that threaten it - or be the key to it's survival? Perfect for fans of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Saga! Ages 14+.
John Green and David Levithan
In this novel by two of our favourite authors, John Green (An Abundance of Katherines) and David Levithan (Boy Meets Boy), two teenagers, both named Will Grayson, find their very different lives overlapping in ways that will challenge their perspective of the world. A fun, heart-wrenching read that features musical theatre, embarrassing friends, football and, of course, romance Ages 14+.
Suzanne Collins
In punishment for an uprising against the capital almost 75 years ago, Panem (once known as North America) must provide 24 teenagers to participate in the yearly live broadcasts of the Hunger Games. Brave Katniss volunteers to replace her sister in these cruel and deadly games. Don’t miss this unbelievably thrilling series! Ages 12+
Sherman Alexie
Like Greg Heffley (Diary of a Wimpy Kid), Junior is an aspiring cartoonist who discovers the humour of the most unlikely situations. As if growing up poor on an Indian reservation wasn't hard enough, Junior is a shrimp with a host of medical problems and only one best friend to stand up for him. When he decides to attend an all-white school in the neighbouring town, Junior's problems only get worse. Blending genuine tragedy with outrageous humour, this is a must-read. Ages 12+.
Kenneth Oppel
Set here in Victoria, Kenneth Oppel's new novel is a wrenching story about a family who adopts a chimpanzee as part of a language experiment. Although he is less than pleased by the new addition to his family, thirteen-year-old Ben soon grows to love his new hairy brother, Zan. When the project's funding is suddenly cut, Ben knows he must find a way to save Zan, the ape who has become an essential part of his family. From the bestselling author of The Silverwing Saga. Ages 11+.
Robert Muchamore
What an exciting read for boys – and girls! Three children are trying to escape France during World War II just as the Germans are invading. Their only hope lies with Charles Henderson, a British spy who is kind but deadly! In book 2, Eagle Day, the children continue to help Mr. Henderson sabotage German invasion plans. A prequel to the bestselling Cherub series. Ages 12+.
Sarah Harvey
Teenage Royce has been dragged by his mother all the way across Canada from Nova Scotia to Victoria. Not only has he left all his friends and plans, he is soon saddled with the care of his ninety-five-year-old grandfather. Arthur is not your average grandfather either. A former concert cellist, he is cantankerous, crafty, and stubborn. However, over months of afternoon coffee and ice cream and cruising in Arthur's vintage T-bird, the two learn a lot about each other, and themselves. Ages 12+.
Scott Westerfeld
Leviathan is the first book in a new steampunk trilogy by the ever popular Scott Westerfeld, author of The Uglies series. Westerfeld has re-imagined the events of WWI to be a world where alternate science has created animal machine hybrids and walking tanks. The book follows the story of two children on opposite sides of the war. Alek, a prince on the run from his own people, must trust Deryn, a girl disguised as a boy in the British Air Service, if they are both to survive. Ages 12+.
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