In The Doubt Factory by Paolo Bacigalupi, Alix Banks lives the fine life of an upper class girl. She does everything that is expected of her: goes to a nice private school, has an SAT tutor, and gets all of her homework done. But none of that matters when a strangers tells her that her father works for multiple corporations that are letting innocent people die. Alix finds herself wondering who to believe. Her own father or a ragtag team of teen activists.

Written almost poetically, The Doubt Factory has great twists and turns that will keep you guessing. The character Alix is a true individual doing what she thinks is right. It is an extraordinary adventure that will grab you and force you to turn the pages.

To what lengths would you go to remember a night you’ve been forced to forget? Emily Bird, the main character of the book Love is the Drug, would risk it all. After waking up in the hospital several days from the night of a party, Bird only recalls snapshots of the evening: fragments of conversations, her boyfriend’s car wheels turning, a strange boy chasing after her. However, an odd government official named Roosevelt is determined to keep her memories at bay. He fears that she knows more than she should about her parents’ secret work, and about the flu virus that is spreading over the world and sending everyone into havoc. As Bird juggles the stress of relationships, school, and the danger of the virus, she and a drug-dealer named Coffee work desperately to find out why Bird cannot remember that night of the party, and why Roosevelt wants to keep that night a secret.

Mystery and suspense fill this story, making it an engaging and thrilling piece of fiction. The author, Alaya Dawn Johnson, writes in a manner that really sparked my curiosity. I loved the complexity of the plot and the emotion I felt while reading. However, there is a lot of information you have to follow all at once in this book, which makes some things hard to understand. On the other hand, this aspect actually makes it more interesting and engaging, because there’s always something new to discover. In total, Johnson stunningly weaves together a variety of characters with a thought-provoking plot that keeps you guessing.

For anyone who enjoys suspense and love stories, or for those who simply want a fascinating book to pass the time, Love is the Drug is a great choice. The story will definitely capture your attention.

In Anatomy of a Misfit by Andrea Portes, all Anika Dragomir wants is to keep her status as third most popular girl in school. To do this she must stay on the good side of her friend Becky Valhir who is the first most popular girl in school. Which means following Beckys lead and definitely not falling for Logan, a major nerd who over one summer turned hot. Anika falls for Logan more everyday and so her popularity drops through the eyes of Becky. Anikas personality drastically changes in a way she never imagined. Anika finds that it does not matter what others think about you as long as you are happy. She learns that if you love freely and unconditionally your status at school doesn’t matter. Portes portrays the hilarity and devastation of being a teenager perfectly. She explains dealing with dealing with sibling rivalry, crazy parents, (your friends’ and your own), true friendships, and sudden love. Recommended for fans of Eleanor and Park, and Looking for Alaska. This book will make you laugh, crave, and think.

By Tenaya DeWitt

The reader is introduced to Danielle, the heroine of our thrilling tale, as she types out her frustration in an effort to avoid an OCD induced panic attack. Her mother had completely disorganized her library, which she had spent all summer carefully arranging on the floor of her bedroom; how is she supposed to get to school on time now? Danielle likes to keep her life like she keeps her books, alphabetized, sorted and compartmentalized. And she is very good at keeping it neat. But things will get messy for Danielle, whether she’s prepared for it or not. As she starts her senior year at her alternative high school she carefully catalogues her descent into madness in a series of essays, “me-moirs”, and letters – all kept in a locked binder, wrapped in a pillowcase, under bed. Over the course of the year the reader will follow Danielle as she navigates everyday life in high school, comes to terms with tragic events of her past, and re-learns what it means to have a friend.
Brutally honest, raunchy and unapologetic, Lauren Roedy Vaughn’s debut novel will have you laughing hysterically one moment and sobbing the next. She writes with the honesty and unique voice of someone who knows what it means to abide. I would HIGHLY recommend this book, to readers of all ages, though it would be most appropriate for high schoolers. While there is a brief discussion of violence and drugs, it is done tactfully and I don’t think it should discourage anyone from reading this book.

In a mysterious town called Fairfold, within a mythical forest, a glass coffin containing a sleeping boy rests on the earth. His unimaginable beauty, his sharp horns and ears, and his unexplainable existence draw numerous townsfolk and tourists to visit the coffin, and to investigate other magical creatures in the woods. The people who seem to be the most fascinated by the creatures are two townsfolk: Hazel and her brother, Ben. Ever since they were children, they spent their time admiring the horned boy and dreaming about slaying monsters that harmed innocent humans. But on the brink of Ben and Hazel’s transition into adulthood, the horned boy awakes. As Hazel sets out to be the savior of the town, she questions if she has what it takes to return the town to the way it once was, as well as to manage her own tangled and drama-filled life.

If anyone out there wants to read an astounding fantasy novel, I can honestly say that The Darkest Part of the Forest is a book you should dive into. With the non-stop adventure, the sensational love stories, the incredible story-line, and just the overall creativity of the book, Holly Black has crafted an original journey that I’m sure so many readers will love to experience. Some people may not be happy about the references to sexual activity and alcohol, but in most cases this comes in small and minor doses. Still, this book made me crave more each time I read it. Black is definitely worthy of being a bestselling author.

For those of you wanting a novel blended with plenty of creativity and fantasy, keep your eyes open for this book, as well as for other works by Holly Black.

All Amy Fields expected on her summer vacation was to endure her family trip on a yacht with her father and her stepmother. At first, everything is normal, or at least as normal as the situation could be for a disconnected family attempting to get along during their vacation. However, when a group of Somali pirates takes over the yacht and holds Amy’s family and the crew members hostage, the family’s hope for serenity is replaced with the hope for survival. As if this is not hectic enough, Amy finds herself falling into a forbidden love with someone aboard the ship. Each day sends a new wave of confusion among the hostages. Despite this, Amy eventually finds that even when everything feels broken, you can eventually piece yourself back together again, no matter how difficult.

Both the excitement of the action and the depth of the emotion within Hostage Three were compelling aspects throughout the book. Moreover, the book is told from the perspective of seventeen-year-old Amy, which makes the book both easy to read and relatable for teenagers. I thought her language was somewhat repetitive at times, but this is a minor flaw for such an interesting book. I was drawn to Hostage Three after reading another novel by the same author, and I have to say, Nick Lake does not disappoint. Along with this book, I suggest checking out any of Lake’s work.

If you’re looking for a book with an engaging plotline or a story filled with emotion, this would be a great book for you to get your hands on.

A private island of hope and deception, a group of four friends, secrets, lies, accidents – all of these things appear in the unique and unforgettable novel We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. There is love, there is loss, there is uncertainty. While I would love to tell you more, this dramatic and suspenseful novel is best experienced if you simply read it, with as little spoilers as possible. Overall, it’s a heartbreaking read with a dark plot, a distinct writing style, and a haunting ending.

I’ve read many young adult novels in my life, but this book is definitely not like anything I have ever read before. It’s a quick read, and the plot initially starts out slow, but I loved watching the story unwind. It’s writing is poetic, the content is raw and deep, the ending is powerful. The unique writing style is rather choppy, which may not be appealing to some readers, but even if the writing style isn’t your favorite, I still think the story is worth reading. E. Lockhart has woven together a remarkable novel, and I highly recommend that you read it to see what all the hype is about. Oh, and the blurb says to lie about the ending, so for all you know this could end up being a tragic story about circus clowns. You’ll never know unless you read it.

To conclude, if you ever want to read a thrilling mystery novel, or if you just want a fascinating yet short read, We Were Liars is a great choice.

House of Ivy and Sorrow is set in Willow’s End, Iowa, a town with a lot of rumors of witchcraft floating around. Josephine Hemlock has heard many of these rumors, after all, those rumors are about her and her family. Well, the rumors are mostly about her grandma. Josephine’s mother died awhile back from a mysterious Curse. This Curse was like getting a magic-sucking tick stuck to your body that you can’t get off.  The curse would cause you to slowly lose your magic until you were sucked sick and dry. Your blood would turn black, and you would grow sicker and weaker, until even lifting your head was a chore. Then you would die. Josephine thought that only her mother was cursed and that she was safe. However, the Curse has returned and is ready to take her life the very same way it took her mother’s. Since Josephine is the last of the Hemlocks falling victim to the curse will mean the end of her bloodline.

House of Ivy and Sorrow is great because there are secrets at every corner! Right when you think the story’s over, the book says, ”BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!” At every turn you’re questioning who’s good? Who’s bad? The beauty is you’ll never really know until the end. It entices you by giving you subtle hints that a person is good, or normal, when in fact they might be evil, or a witch. Or maybe they’re not. You’ll just never know.

House of Ivy and Sorrow shows a struggle between life and death, as well as good and evil. It’s a book that I honestly couldn’t put down. It shows the struggle of a high school girl trying to balance her home life with another unexpected supernatural life, all the while trying to avoid Death in the process. It’s a beautifully written book with a heart wrenching story that will keep you guessing until the very end!