The Midnight Library

 The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, 2020 Viking

     Nora Seed wants to die. She doesn't feel like her mediocre life is worth living anymore after her cat dies, she loses her job, and she doesn't have a clear way to achieve any of her dreams. Late on that fateful Tuesday night, Nora takes too many pills and finds herself in the Midnight Library. 

     In the midnight library it is always midnight: it is a place between life and death, a sort of Schrodinger's Cat in the plurality of worlds where the Librarian helps Nora chose a book--a life--to try out while she's in between. Nora begins with lives where she made the other choice: stayed with swimming and became an Olympic champion; continued on to study glaciers and join a research team in the Arctic; stayed with her ex, got married, and lived out his dream of owning a pub; or joined her best friend on an adventure in Australia. 

     Each life shows her a new way she could have lived, but there's always a sense of displacement - as if she's joined the race partway through. When she becomes disappointed in her life Nora returns to the Midnight Library and the Librarian. With each new life comes the possibility of perfection, but each life is shown to have it's own disappointments. When Nora experiences motherhood in one of her lives she discovers she does want to live. 

     But is the desire to live enough to keep her alive? Haig's thought experiment about what happens after death is a poignant look into regret, despair, and hope. With suicide at the center of the tale this story is appropriate for adults and mature readers. 

Shadow & Flame

Shadow & Flame by Mindee Arentt - 2019 Balzer & Bray

     Kate lost her brother and love during a failed rescue attempt in Rime's neighboring country, Seva. She fears her hesitation in using her Sway was what caused her losses, but she had to return to Rime and the fight to survive the inquisition of Wilders. 

     A year after her return to Rime, Kate and her wilder supporters have carved out a place on the edges of their homeland. Edwin has declared himself king in Corwin's absence and the shaky armistice protects them in the wilder city. Kate is swamped in self-doubt but holds up for her followers. 

     In the prison mines of Seva a young man called Clash has a secret even he doesn't remember. High Prince Corwin has retreated into his own mind to survive the brutal reality of the mine. A personal rebellion on behalf of his only friend leads to a traitor from Rime who shares Kate's power of Sway discovering his identity. 

     Lord Gavril introduces Corwin to Seva's Godking and his children. Using the man's power the Godking forces Corwin's marriage to his only daughter. The ploy is a bid for Rime and the riches--the magic--it harbors. Corwin refuses to allow a relationship to grow with his farcical wife, Eravis. And she schemes with the captive prince to hide from her father and his lackey. 

     The announcement of Corwin's marriage stuns Kate--not only is he alive but married to their greatest enemy's only daughter. This doesn't sound like the Corwin Kate has known for most of her life. 

     Lord Gavril has kept Corwin under his thumb through a mixture of his power and a drug made from magical deposits found in Seva's mines. The prince is unable to prevent himself from becoming complicit in the Godking's plans to destroy Rime. 

     Captured wilders and Sevan forces attack a war-torn Rime. Still reeling from a civil war between wilder and mages the invading army has little difficulty subduing the country. Their attempts to escape leads Corwin and the captured wilders to Kate and the wilder leaders captured by Edwin. 

     The invasion reveals more to the story than Kate or Corwin imagined when their old enemy Rendborne appears on the scene. Kate questions everything she believed of the Rimish conflict and magic in Rime. Corwin questions his own ability to lead and his right to the throne amid problems his people face. 

     Kate and Corwin repeatedly face tragic losses as the war for Rime rages between various forces. They hope to find each other in the end, but it appears the Goddess Noralah has her own requirements of the two aim to lead her chosen country. 

     Shadow & Flame is intended for older teen and young adult readers with graphic violence and complex manipulation. The classic struggle of good versus evil is mirrored in the question of control against free will. Kate is a flawed character who readers can identify with while Corwin is a respectable character fighting for something larger than himself. 

The Invisible Library

The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman, 2015 Roc

     As a Librarian sworn to the Library, Irene deals with everything from magic to science-fiction-become-reality. Her latest assignment has her taking an apprentice on a journey into a chaos-infested world much like nineteenth-century London. 

     Kai has his own history, but it's been five years in the library studying and preparing for his practical, and Kai is ready to take the next step. Irene has been told their mission is a simple retrieval, but elements of the story don't match up with what she's experienced. 

     Irene and Kai enter the alternate world in search of a unique copy of a dangerous book, but it's already been stolen. To top it off the world seems to have too much chaos for the level of the alternate. Irene questions the information the Library has provided as the danger escalates. 

     Chaos-infested worlds risk the appearance of Dragons who have the ability to restore order to chaos-ridden alternates. Irene doesn't necessarily want to meet the dragons and the job of the Library is to keep the balance. An unexpected, and relatively drastic, warning from the Library itself seems to indicate there's more to the chaos than Irene was briefed. 

     Kai has his own secrets, but the trust and partnership between the two help Irene and Kai move forward together to solve the mystery of their assignment. As they chase the unique book they were sent for, Irene and Kai make connections in this alternate world. 

     Irene is offered the chance to join a movement that counters the solid and rigid Library in a way that still allows her the joy of discovery and exploration. The temptation is strong, but the offer comes from a man feared and vilified for his counter-societal ideas. 

     The first of her Invisible Library series, this tale weaves together a new universe of worlds where the amount of chaos energy determines how closely it aligns with the world of the reader. Older teens and adults will be better able to unravel the new laws of time and space as Irene and Kai develop their partnership and decide their individual paths forward. 

Conceal, Don't Feel

Conceal, Don't Feel by Jen Calonita, 2019 Disney-Hyperion

     Arendale's Princess Elsa has magic--she can create ice and snow out of thin air. She and her younger sister, Anna, love to play with Elsa's magic, but when Elsa accidentally hits Anna with a blast of her magic something goes wrong.
     Their parents take the two princesses to the trolls on the Great Mountain. Grandpappy Troll reveals that the accident could result in Anna's death if they cannot remove the magic. Grandpappy proposes to remove all memory of magic--but Elsa cannot stand the thought of losing the joy Anna finds in her gift.
     Elsa's interference has catastrophic consequences for the sisters: If Anna and Elsa are physically too close together the ice magic would spread to consume Anna's entire body. The king and queen must make a choice and request the trolls work a memory spell across the kingdom until a solution can be devised.
     Years later Arendale believes Elsa is an only child, heir to the throne, and an excellent successor to her father. The princess applies herself to her studies, but she is lonely. A sudden shipwreck brings Elsa to the throne far earlier than anyone expected, but at eighteen the crown Princess must have a regent and the magic of her past comes shuddering back under the stress of leadership and her new role: a magical snowman named Olaf becomes the reclusive young queen-to-be's best and only friend.
     Elsa struggles to keep her magic under control as she prepares for her looming coronation and Olaf is more audacious. When a visiting dignitary begins to court her, Elsa finds a slow, comfortable courtship until he attempts to badger Elsa and her regent to announce their betrothal. The stress causes her magic to break free and Elsa releases winter across Arendale in the heart of summer.
     Anna has grown up in a comfortable cottage at the base of the mountain. Regular visits from her adoptive mother's best friend are the highlight of Anna's memories. Both women insist Anna stay in the small village until the time is right, but the vivacious Anna dreams of opening her own bakery in the big city. The lovely court lady brings Anna stories of her family and gifts too fine for the daughter of a humble baker. Anna's most treasured moments are the stories of the crown princess Elsa. She feels an affinity for the girl and, after the loss of the king, queen, and her courtly visitor, deep sympathy for the princess.
     Elsa's sudden winter means destruction for the people outside the capital city -- summer crops are hidden beneath feet of snow and people lack basic supplies. Anna somehow knows she is meant to find the princess and help her, but she can barely walk to the barn without help. Accompanied by the handsome, but not-so-charming Kristoff and his reindeer friend, Sven, Anna sets off to find the princess and the secrets she hides.
     What if Elsa's fear of her own magic and losing her beloved sister caused the spell to save Anna to curse both girls to be separated their entire lives? This take on the blockbuster Disney story is a vivid re-imagining of two sisters struggling to find themselves and finding each other. Conceal, Don't Feel is written at a middle- to high-school level and readers will enjoy this Twisted Tale.

Crimson Bound

Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge, 2015 Balzer + Bray

     Rachelle trained with her aunt to become the village's woodwife--to protect people from the Forest and the evil Forestborn. But Rachelle also dreamed of adventure and when a chance encounter with a Forestborn leads to her being marked as blood-bound--fated to kill or die within three days--she cannot help but murder to survive.
     Her will to live is stronger than her willingness to give up all she knows and Rachelle discovers the Foresborn will not allow her to fight that survival instinct. He brutally mutilates her aunt causing Rachelle to end her suffering. The mercy killing sets Rachelle on the path to become Forestborn herself. The fifteen-year-old escapes to the king's city and becomes one of his guards to survive.
     Rachelle becomes one of the king's best fighters. Her sworn duty is to protect the citizens from the Forestborn. But along the journey, a single crimson thread ties her to the Foresborn who marked her. The young woman doesn't know what it means or how to escape it, but no one else seems to be able to perceive this ever-present leash.
     In the course of her duties, Rachelle catches the notice of the king and is assigned to protect his son Armand. A revolution seems to be building around the young man though he doesn't seem to want to be a part of it. Armand enjoys poking fun at Rachelle and her hesitance to do anything which may offend the upright sensibilities of those who raised her. 

     The Forestborn returns to bring about the end of the world. The king and his overzealous court are mired in their debauchery, the king's mistress leading their parties into eternal damnation. Rachelle depends on her aunt's woodwife teachings to find a way to prevent the Endless Night. 

     Both the tools to defeat the Forestborn, the Forest, and the conspiracies ruling their nation and portal into danger--the Forest--are in the sun palace. Rachelle and Armand are unlikely and untrusting allies against the end of the world. 

    Rachelle is a relatable teen character: as a young teen she has a dream, but when she is tempted, like Little Red Riding Hood, to leave the path she makes a choice which changes the rest of her life. She must live with the consequences. Hodge creates a dark story filled with shades of gray as Rachelle learns how and who to fight to achieve her dream. 

Labyrinth Lost

Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Cordova, 2017 Sourcebooks Fire

     The three Mortiz girls are brujas--witches. Alex is the middle and hasn't developed her powers yet. And she's okay with that. Alex hates magic, has hated it since an incident resulted in their father's disappearance. Alex's older sister Lula is a healer, like their mother, and her younger sister Rose has spirit magic. 

     When Alex begins to show signs of her magic she fights it. Her Deathday celebration is the event of the decade designed to help Alex gain better control of her magic. She still fights the magic and it results in the expulsion of her extended family into another dimension. 

     Sending her family away tears a hole in reality allowing monsters from the other side into the human realm. Those monsters are hunting the most powerful witch in decades: Alex Mortiz. Alex cannot handle the consequences and follows with her best friend and the neighborhood outcast. 

     On the other side, Alex learns that her magic isn't the curse she's made it out to be in her mind since her father vanished. The anger she has harbored toward Mr. Ortiz's disappearance has been redirected to her uncontrolled power and the journey through the other side reminds Alex that her unharnessed power is a dangerous and unpredictable part of her. 

     When her traveling companions are endangered by the monsters in the realm Alex learns to harness her gift and her emotions as the only way to get them all out and save her family. Alex and her friends meet fae, escape from hellbeasts, and outwit minor deities. 

     Steeped in Latinx mythology, Labyrinth Lost explores family and community through a lens of self-acceptance. Alex learns to accept herself and tap into her magic--learning there is always a cost for magic. The cost to bring her family home may be more than her magic is able to handle. Teen readers who enjoy supernatural stories and the usual self-discovery arc will enjoy this cultural take on the self-realization and -acceptance. 

Ruby Red

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier, 2009 Henry Holt & Co

     All of her life Gwenyth's cousin has lorded it over her that Charlotte has been inducted into "the mysteries" and Gwen is a normal girl. But Gwen has no idea what the mysteries are and doesn't care. Charlotte has spent her entire childhood in music lessons, etiquette lessons, dancing lessons, and--most importantly--history lessons. 

     Gwen has enjoyed a normal childhood with her best friend Lesley. When she discovers she has inherited the family time-travel gene. Lesley is there to help her friend. Gwen's eccentric family drags her into the family secret and Charlotte is thrust into normal life and out of the secret society who has been training her for time travel. 

     Drama breaks out when it is discovered Gwen's mother lied about the facts surrounding her birth. The secret society questions Gwen and her mother, their decisions, and their motives. They refuse to accept Gwen's mother only wanted a normal life for her children. 

     On every mission, Gwen is shadowed by her counterpart, male time-traveler Gideon. He is overbearing and stuffy--and the hottest guy Gwen, or Lesley, has ever seen. But Gideon seems to be interested only in Charlotte until he kisses Gwen. She doesn't know how to handle the proximity to the guy every girl in her class has a crush on, and she doesn't know how to deal with the sudden time travel, and she doesn't know how to deal with the secret society intent on manipulating and managing her every move. 

     At first time travel seems like fun, but Gwen and Gideon's mission seems to take on a mind of its own. Gwen learns that the last two travelers to do the Secret Society's bidding veered from their mission and stole the Chronograph which allows travelers to control their travel. Lucy and Paul are Gwen's and Gideon's cousins (respectively) and their rebellion is the basis of the conflict--they stole the artifact before the circle could be closed so now the last two travelers must close the circle. 

     The Society tries to keep Gwenyth from her cousin and from the secret of their purpose causing her to rely on Lesley's help in solving their riddle. Gwen doesn't trust the society, but she doesn't trust the rogue travelers either. 

     Ruby Red is the first in a trilogy following Gwen as she learns more about history and travels in time. Readers who enjoyed the Agency quartet will enjoy the ever-questioning protagonist who follows the directions set before her until she decides to make her own way. Originally translated from German Ruby Red is funny and accessible for teen readers. 

Beheld

Beheld by Alex Flinn, 2015 Harper Teen

     Kendra is a witch - ever since her family died of the plague she wandered immortal from town to town and country to country. When general opinion becomes fear of other the witch trials spread from culture to culture.
     The young woman appears as a teen, even after her entire world has aged and become history. Kendra finds herself in Salem, Massachusetts in the late 1600s. There she works as a servant for a prosperous family and meets James. Kendra and James share a worldliness which comes from age greater than their appearances -- and Kendra finds herself falling for this warlock.
     Before they can follow where their friendship and attraction might go, the young daughter of the family Kendra works for accuses her of witchcraft. Thus the Salem Witch Trials begin. Kendra is arrested and only freed through James's efforts in a Red-Riding Hood retelling.
     Though her young man is to meet her in Boston their plans fall through. Kendra worries James was a victim of the trials until she runs across him again. The witch is in Europe when she hears of James's survival. A magic mirror allows Kendra to find her young man and check in on him through the ages.
     Kendra discovers the mirror while helping a young woman ina Rumplestiltskin-like series of events. The miller's daughter uses the magic mirror to seek Kendra's aid as she chases her happy ending in feudal Germany. But Kendra loses sight of James.
     During the great wars, Kendra finds her way to England and is caught in the Blitz of London. She meets a young woman who lives out the fairytale: East of the Sun, West of the Moon. Kendra's new friend and her husband lead a lonely Kendra back to James as she helps them recover from their encounter with trolls.
     In modern time, Kendra has returned to the new world. After a stint in New York City where she helps a boy discover there's more to life than appearances, she moves to Florida where Kendra continues to pose as a teen.
     Another new high school leads Kendra to meet two friends who have always been together and have been best friends for years. In high school, Amanda begins to blossom but Christopher remains less than impressive. Kendra watches their friendship and gives a magical nudge as the Ugly Duckling plays out between the longtime friends.
     Throughout her long journey Kendra pines for her missing love, but maintains her own path and allows the mortals she's helping to carry the spotlight. Beheld is about 'otherness' and finding inner strength rather than beauty. Later middle and high school readers will enjoy Flinn's modern retells.

Lost Girl

Lost Girl by Chanda Hahn, 2016

     At ten years old Wendy and her friends were held by the Neverland corporation. Neverland has plans for the children they've been testing on, but Wendy is terrified of the shadows she sees. The quasi-government company which runs Neverland decides to restart the program and terminates the subjects.
     Dr. Barrie manages to sneak several of the boys out, but Wendy is the only girl who escapes. As they flee the island the military unit which acts as security chases the fleeing yacht. Wendy and her best friend nearly make it out until the Red Skulls catch up. Her friend is shot and Wendy falls from the boat. The boy nearly dies but assumes the girl has died.
     Seven years later Wendy has been adopted by a good family who has tried to help with her nightmares and visions. Wendy enjoys her life until the shadows begin to invade and take people. The Red Skulls appear - but she has no memory why the group causes her terror and nightmares. The group who seems to be battling the Red Skulls and shadow monsters are let by a young man named Peter.
     Despite her inexplicable terror of mere shadows, Wendy is drawn to Peter. She discovers the young men who make up Peter's group have new and extraordinary abilities. Peter leads his Los Boys and helps them evade Neverland and the danger it still poses. The boys discover Neverland has some sinister plans and continues to search for the missing children. The shadows and Red Skulls' activity take a turn which Peter, his best friend Tink, and the rest of the Lost Boys cannot explain.
     Wendy escapes her family when they try to send her to an asylum for her escalating nightmares and visions. She meets up with the Lost Boys as they work to solve the mystery of why the shadows have changed their pattern and what the Red Skulls and Neverland have planned. In a twist, Peter discovers his new friend in Wendy is the friend he thought he lost so many years before.
     The story of Neverland and the children's escape leads to the question of how far is too far in genetic modification. Neverland experimented on the children and Dr. Barrie helped them to create identities and a haven farm from the company's manipulation of a quasi-government research facility.
     Lost Girl is the story of a young woman trying to find her place in the world, influenced but not informed by her past. Teens will enjoy this spin on the Peter Pan tale with action, adventure, magic, and a touch of romance.

White Witch, Black Curse

White Witch, Black Curse by Kim Harrison, 2009 Eos

     Rachel is a demon, well, kind of. When Trent’s father altered her DNA to save her from Rosewood Syndrome he reversed the elf curse that made demons unable to reproduce. Rachel continues the agreed-upon lessons with Al, learning to become a demon in exchange for Trent’s life and release from the Ever After.

     When Glenn, a FIB officer, is sent to the hospital during an off-book investigation Rachel, Ivy, and Jenks are called in to figure out what happened. Rachel and Ivy discover the woman they’re searching for is a banshee, Mia Harbor, sucking the emotion from the people around her and feeding her banshee child.

     In between hunting down the banshee, searching for Kisten’s killer, and spending time with Robbie, Rachel’s brother, Rachel, Ivy and Jenks discover a ghost from Rachel’s past has been haunting the church for nearly a year. Jenks is irate at the discovery of a spy in their midst. Ivy is ambivalent, and Rachel is excited at the prospect of Pierce’s return.

     The FIB finds Mia and calls Rachel to help bring her in. Rachel is sent to the hospital when the child sucks her aura and life force away before Rachel can escape. While her aura is regenerating Al kidnaps Pierce from the ley line he’s talking to Rachel in and Rachel goes after him, or tries to.

     The witch community decides to shun Rachel when Mia causes a riot between inderlanders at the mall in order to feed her child (the same incident that sent her to the hospital) and the media blames it on Rachel. Rachel discovers the Shunning when the FIB brings in another banshee, “The Walker”, to find and bring Mia in.

     Meanwhile Ivy and Rachel try to get Skimmer to reveal to whom Piscary sold Kisten, in order to find his killer. Skimmer is in jail for Piscary’s murder and won’t talk to Ivy unless Rachel is there. The visit becomes a power play, bringing some of Rachel’s memories to the surface and kicking Ivy’s hard-won control out of gear. However the memories that reappear after the incident lead to justice for Kisten.

     Ivy, Jenks and Rachel manage to find Mia and her child. After the child nearly kills Rachel again, Ford (the FIB psychologist) gets custody of the girl, who can keep him from experiencing every emotion from the people around him.

     Rachel, Ivy, and Jenks fight to complete the job, find the banshee child and bring her mother to justice through the many challenges in the way. Their friendship brings them through every obstacle they face; White Witch, Black Curse is about accepting and loving our friends and family through both the good and bad times. Rachel’s story flirts with her boundaries: what makes a black witch, how strongly does she care about Ivy and in what way, who is Rachel, and what do her decisions say about her?

     Some content of White Witch, Black Curse makes it a book better suited for older readers—sixteen and older. It is the eighth book in Harrison’s Hallows Series. 

Heir of Fire

Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas, 2014 Bloomsbury

     Adarlan's king has ordered Celaena to assassinate the royal family of Wendlyn based on his Captain of the Guard Chaol's suggestion. Chaol trades his future independence to his father to allow Celaena to escape the pit she's fallen into since Nehemia's death. In Wendlyn the King's Assassin has no intention of killing the royal family, instead Celaena drinks and gambles and fights the nights away until she can spend the days in an exhausted stupor.
     When her aunt, Maeve Queen of Fairies, sends Celaena's distant cousin, Rowan Whitethorn, to summon her to a demi-Fae outpost Celaena meets her aunt for the first time and realizes why her mother delayed the meeting. Maeve wants to see the Fae magic Celaena has hidden, but Celaena wants answers about the Wyrdkeys. The two come to an agreement: Celaena will come to the Fae city Doranelle when Rowan believes she has mastered her power and Maeve will share what she knows about the Wyrdkeys.
     Rowan begins to train Celaena - her magic so deeply buried she has difficulty even shifting from her human to Fae form. But mangled bodies of demi-Fae begin appearing around the fortress and the creatures in the forest become restless. As the most able investigative force Rowan and Celaena seek answers to the impending danger, driving Celaena to find and use her power.
    Back in Adarlan Chaol and Dorian are trying to understand their new dynamic. Dorian's magic has somehow persisted in a world where magic has been frozen. The pair work to discover why magic has gone, but Chaol refuses to hear about Dorian's power for fear the king might somehow use it against them. Dorian seeks companionship with a comely healer who has been attending the Crown Prince, Captain of the Guard and King's Assassin through their adventures. Sorscha promises not to tell, but may have an ulterior motive in gaining Dorian's trust.
     Far in the North, the Ironteeth Witches are made an offer too good to refuse. When magic died Manon Blackbeak and her kin in the Blackbeak, Yellowlegs and Bluebloods lost the ability to fly. Manon is the Blackbeak heir, considered one the cruelest beings in Elirea; the witches enjoy killing and maiming simply for the joy of the act. The King on the Throne of Glass offers the witches a place in his army and wyverns in exchange for their freedom after he's conquered the world. The Ironteeth wish to return to the Western Wastes where their enemies the Cochran Witches have cursed the land.
     Manon and her Blackbeak kin work to become the tip of the Ironteeth spear. They become the best fighters both on and off their wyverns. Manon develops a resounding rapport with her dragon-like beast and her wing discovers something in the mountain is rotting the humans - this drives the witches further afield for sustenance.
     While the King rallies his forces, the rebellion and discontent build within Adarlan. Aedion, cousin to the missing Queen Aelin Ashryver Galathynius of Terrasen, is the King's General in the North and summoned to Rifthold to attend the King. Chaol discovers Aedion has been subtly undermining the king's agenda in Terrasen; the resemblance between Aedion and Celaena suggests why. Aedion joins the rebellion, bringing hope to the movement.
     Action comes to a point when the King of Adarlan sends a force into Wendlyn lead by three Vlag princes. Celaena, Rowan, and the demi-Fae face the oncoming army and Celaena nearly gives in to the Vlag power reliving her worst memories, some so deeply repressed even she is surprised by their brutality. The Ironteeth compete and Manon with her Blackbeak clan becomes wing leader, creates a somewhat-alliance with the Bluebloods heir and confirms an enmity with the Yellowlegs heir. Chaol and Dorian's activities are discovered by the king with brutal results, but news that Aelin Ashryver Galathynius is alive and well begins to spread across Elirea as Celaena accepts her crown and demands answers from her aunt, Queen Maeve.
     Like the preceding books, Heir of Fire is a young adult read. Political intrigue, romantic entanglements, and brutal violence have shaped Celaena/Aelin's life and as she makes the decision to return to the world she was able to abandon as a child she revisits the darker side of what it means to be a political force. That said, Celaena is a multi-faceted character and Maas's story is rich in its own mythos making for a compelling read.

Exit, Pursued by a Bear

Exit, Pursued by a Bear by E.K. Johnston, 2016 Dutton Books for Young Readers

     Cheerleading is the only sport worth anything at Palermo Heights High School and it means to world to Hermione Winters and her best friend Polly Oliver. The two friends kick off senior year with cheer camp - where they act as co-captains and the year looks to be off to a stellar start.
     Camp goes well, things get a little tense between Hermione and her boyfriend, Leon, but they figure it out. The last night of camp all the cheerleaders, male and female, attend a dance - pretty much a supervised party.
     At the dance Hermione spends time with her friends, but when she suddenly wakes up in the hospital all she can think is that an entire twelve hours of her life is gone. Polly is the one who tells her - someone slipped something in Hermione's drink at the party and raped her.
     Back at home Hermione has become "that raped girl" and their small town doesn't know how to handle her trauma, and Hermione isn't going to give her townsfolk an easy way out. Hermione continues to be cheer captain, she continues to focus on her friendships, she pushes herself through the examinations and the procedures  involved in the criminal investigation, she continues to focus on what she's always wanted and try to work through the trauma of her experience.
     Exit, Pursued by a Bear is the story of how we should deal with sexual assault and a story of friendship in changing lives. Polly and Hermione have always known they will make decisions at the end of Senior Year which will take them in their own directions, but Hermione's experience reminds the girls they will still need each other for life's sudden events. Parents may want to pre-read the book prior to allowing younger readers free rein.

Son

Son by Lois Lowry, 2012 Houghton Mifflin

     When she goes through her Ceremony of Twelve Claire is given the task of Birthmother. In her community, Birthmother is the task of young women selected to bring new lives into the community. When her first delivery is fraught with complications Claire is moved from the Birthmothers' Dormitory to the Fish Hatchery.
     Something keeps nagging at Claire, despite the good work she is doing for the community. When she takes the moment to stop and visit her Product. The child, like all others, is treated as a commodity, but Claire is attached. Unlike the other women in the community Claire has feelings.
     One night a commotion breaks out, Claire never quite remembers what happened, but a child, Jonas, escapes the community with Claire's son and she finds herself following. She is discovered in the ocean offshore of a fishing village on the edge of a sea she has never seen before. Claire grows and discovers a new world full of colors and animals, emotions and friends. She meets a young man: Fierce Einar who teaches her to climb the massive cliff keeping the people along the shore.
     Claire learns to love the young man and he is instrumental while she can no longer remember her life before the village. When Einar decides Claire is ready, he provides her with the courage and confidence which will lead her to her son. When she reaches the top of the cliff Claire meets the Trademaster who trades for what she most wants in the world: to find her son. He even gives her the first knowledge of his name: Gabriel.
     Gabriel escaped with Jonas at the end of The Giver and the two have aged in a refuge which has made its mark by becoming a shelter for those fleeing misfortune. Gabe has always had a desire and need to look to where he came from. He remembers vague moments of his mother holding him, loving him, but they are simply memories of a feeling Gabe hasn't felt in over ten years.
     The boy is preparing to search for his history when Trademaster returns and it is up to Gabe to save the town and people he loves. Claire has spent the last years watching her son from afar when the danger reappears, she must face the consequences of her choices and send him into danger where he can use his gift to save them all.
     In this evocative conclusion to the Giver quartet the reader follows Claire on her journey from a single sheep following dictates of her community to the individual who is willing to trade her chance at happiness to see her child grow into adulthood. Old characters reappear and the reader is rescued from the dangling cliffhanger. Written for middle school readers and older, there are some mature themes throughout the novel, with something for even adult readers to enjoy.

Ink and Bone

Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine, 2015 New American Library

     The year is 2025. The Great Library at Alexandria has survived the ages by amassing enough political, monetary and military power to escape kings and Popes and become the greatest power of the twenty-first century.
     Jess Brightwell is a young man from London, the son of a Black Market book smuggler, and lover of the written word. At nine years old he experiences an ink-licker who digests one of the oldest manuscripts known to man in front of the young bibliophile. At that moment Jess knows there is something more to the paper and leather Originals.
     At counterpoint to the Library and the thriving Black Market are the Burners; these men and women believe, like thinkers including Martin Luther, Thomas Paine, Benjamin Franklin, knowledge should be at the hands of the individual. Burners seem like religious fanatics who burn both themselves and their journal - seen as the individual's only vestige of immortality. They become the sworn enemy of the Library and their control of information.
     The Library manages every aspect of daily life and the flow of information. Jess's father has trained his boys in the family business, Jess's training has focused on getting him into the Library as a Postulant (potential initiate) and when the time comes Jess goes up against the most brilliant minds of his generation for one of six placements with the Library.
     He values the Library and all it stands for, but when Jess discovers something which could change the world forever he also discovers something about the Library which changes his world irrevocably. Jess stands for what he believes with new friends Thomas, Kalila, Glaine, and Morgan and their instructors Christopher Wolfe and Niccolo Santi. Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not watching you.
     Dealing and controlling information is a pattern throughout the tale. When there doesn't seem to be a leak Jess and his new friends find themselves in danger based on information no one could have known. Danger and competition stalk the Postulants as their number shrinks, older teens and adults alike will find parallels between modern media and the fantasy of a world where the Great Library of Alexandria has survived and evolved with society.

Our Happy Time

Our Happy Time by Gong Ji-Young, 2014 Marble Arch Press

     Privileged pop singer Yu-Jung Mao faces a round of therapy after her third suicide attempt. She is an angry woman and unwilling to undergo the battery of questions from doctors and nurses she sees as nothing but hypocrites. When her aunt, a nun with the Catholic Church, offers her an out Yu-Jung takes it.
     With Aunt Monica, Yu-Jung visits Seol's detention center and meets Yun-Soo. Yun-Soo is a death row inmate incarcerated for the rape and murder of a teenager, and the murders of her mother and their housekeeper. Yun-Soo is at first bitter and refuses to see Aunt Monica and the sweets she provides, but over time he begins to accept the kindness she brings.
     Yu-Jung is surprised that a man she sees as morally bankrupt and little more than an animal can make her reconsider how she views and interacts with the world. But as they spend more time together, both Yu-Jung and Yun-Soo come to understand no one is wholly good, nor wholly evil.
     When the expected comes unexpectedly Yu-Jung is transformed, but her choices will ultimately define her, just as Yun-Soo's have defined him.
     Meant for a mature audience, Our Happy Time addresses topics from murder and corporal punishment to what it means to be human. Young Adult readers can enjoy the unrepentant sarcasm of Yu-Jung as she challenges what she believes about herself and society surrounding her.

Dragon's Oath

Dragon's Oath by Kristin and P.C. Cast, 2011 St. Martin's Press

      When Anastasia, his wife, is killed Dragon Lankford is devastated. In Dragon's Oath readers understand his reaction.
     Dragon stands sentry over Jack's funeral pyre and opens a locket with a lock of Anastasia's hair. The wind picks up the hair and blows it over the pyre, initiating a spell that reveals her last wish: that Dragon temper his blade with mercy.
    The story continues when Dragon is still human, in England he is banished to America after a scandal with the neighbor's daughter. A vampyre labels Dragon Lankford a fledgling and takes him aboard a ship decorated with a dragon, inspiring his new name.
     In America, Anastasia is a spells and rituals professor at the Chicago House of Night speaking to the headmistress; she has been asked by several fledglings for love spells concerning Dragon. When she does a spell to show them his true self, she draws him to her and discovers she loves him.
     The headmistress worries about one of the local officials and his harassment of vampyre students. Anastasia offers to perform a peace spell, and takes Dragon as a Warrior, the opposite of her goal and a piece of the spell. But when they've done the spell the official chokes Dragon, fights and prepares to rape Anastasia before killing her, but Dragon manages to come to the rescue. Anastasia Changes him into a full vampyre and he swears his Warrior's Oath to her.
     The tale returns to present-day Dragon when Nyx and Anastasia appear to him. They try to convince him to move on, but when Nyx will not return Anastasia to him, Dragon renounces her, slowly turning to the dark side of Neferet.
     Dragon's story adds to the full novels through explaining how Dragon came to be who he is. His relationship with Anastasia is one of the strongest motivating factors of his being and her loss rocks him deeply. Dragon's history enriches the world of the House of Night.

13 Little Blue Envelopes

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson, 2005 HarperTeen

     Ginny has directions to England and an adventure to make her more interesting. Or so she thinks.
     Virginia Blackstone's crazy aunt disappeared to London and Ginny is having trouble accepting the news of what happened there. As long as she goes on this adventure Aunt Peg designed for her, Ginny doesn't have to accept her aunt's death.
     At first the trip is fun, but the envelopes keep coming and the adventures no longer make sense. Along the way Ginny makes new friends, finds romance, and finds herself; yet she still has trouble coming to terms with what awaits at the end of the stack of envelopes. When the thirteenth and final envelope vanishes, Ginny has a decision to make.
     In limbo this summer Ginny Blackstone struggles through her first loss, finds her first real love, and makes it back to herself. But the journey is only the beginning.
     Older teens will enjoy and identify with Ginny's adventures, and her story can be helpful for younger readers dealing with their first loss.

Mockingjay

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins, 2010 Scholastic Press

     After she's taken from the Arena in her second Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen is spirited to the long-lost District 13. There she recovers and learns she is to be the face of the revolution. The only problem is President Coin seems to want to maintain the status quo rather than improve the lives of Panem's people.
      When Peta appears to be supporting the government, Katniss is hard-pressed to protect him from the eradication Coin has planned. Only by agreeing to be the Mockingjay can she save him, and so begins Katniss's activism.
      She disobeys orders and fights for the people of her nation, district by district her honest actions win over the people. When Katniss is nearly killed during the siege of the Capitol's final stronghold the people rise to defend her--she has not challenged them, but given the dissatisfied a point to rally behind.
     When the time comes to battle the Capitol within its own bounds Katniss is held back. Haymitch notes that she is a tool, one with an expiration date if she does not support the new regime whole-heartedly. When given the chance to defect and take matters into her own hands the Mockingjay takes her tribe into the heart of battle and fights for the future.
     Like the books preceding it, Mockingjay is a bloody battle for supremacy, rather than subtle maneuvering and manipulation with the Hunger Games Panem breaks out into full-blown civil war and rebellion. The story is not meant for young children or readers who are uncomfortable with gore--it is more suited to older teens and young adults with its graphic violence.

Breaking Beautiful

Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf, 2010 Walker & Company

     In a small town in northern Washington a summer tragedy has the whole town reeling and one out-of-place high schooler shattered. Allie grew up all over the world with a military dad, but now that he's retired they live in her mother's hometown. Pacific Cliffs seems like a refuge and a place to call home, but when the hottest guy in school sets his sights on her, her summer friendship with Grandma's neighbor--her only real friendship--is torn away.
     Trip is the town's golden boy: his mom is the heir to the town's fortune, his dad brought the tourist industry in when the town's economy collapsed. He played football and was well-liked, at first his relationship with Allie was like a dream. But soon he either couldn't control his temper or didn't care and Allie became his plaything.
     What he called small gifts, like a cell phone and jewelry, became ways to isolate her from her friends and to keep her tied to him. Soon the gifts became attempts at apologies when he would bruise her and demean her. Allie didn't want to tell anyone--he made sure they didn't see the dark side--no one would believe her.
     But when Trip dies in an auto accident the night of Cotillion and Allie is found on the side of the road bleeding and bruised, Pacific Cliffs mourns its shining star. Everyone wants to know what happened that night: why they were on the cliff road? why Allie survived and Trip didn't? and most of all, why did Trip go over the edge? Allie tries and tries, but can remember nothing more than images of red swallowing her and trapping her.
     Allie struggles to escape the abusive patterns Trip beat her into--self-demeaning, refusal to bring attention to herself, refusal to create friendships and have him hurt the people she loves--and she struggles to remember what happened that night. What does her old friend have to do with it all? Why were they on that cliff road? And why won't the town let her move forward from the darkness?
     Breaking Beautiful is a story of intimate partner abuse, and one that isn't often told. Allie is only saved by the death of her abuser, but in turn trapped by the shell he created for her and the close-knit community he lived in. The story is not appropriate for younger readers, but older middle and high school students can easily relate to the story and will enjoy the mystery that keeps you guessing.

The Faerie Path

The Faerie Path by Allan Frewin Jones, 2007 Eos

     Anita Palmer is a normal almost-sixteen-year-old girl enjoying time with her boyfriend, practicing for her part as Juliet in the school play, and hanging out with friends from school. On the eve of her sixteenth birthday her boyfriend invites her on a motorboat ride down the Thames River in London where they crash into a bridge. In the hospital Anita waits for her boyfriend to wake up, but is stunned when magical things begin to happen.
     When she grows a pair of dragonfly-like wings Anita believes she is dreaming, but when she searches for the missing young man and follows a shadowy specter into the Faerie Realm the dream is reality. Anita discovers she is Princess Tania, the missing seventh daughter of King Oberon and Queen Titania of the Immortal Realms. She has been missing for five hundred years when she finally returns, and nearly everyone is overjoyed at her return.
     But Edric is here too, her boyfriend has betrayed her and dragged her from the Mortal Realms into a land where Anita has no memory of her past and no idea of a possible future. She allows the charming Lord Gabriel Drake to sway her memories and it isn't until too late that she finally realizes who she is and how the two halves of her soul fit together.
     Anita and Tania are separate halves that make up the whole young woman, able to walk between the Faerie World and Mortal Realm. She learns to trust herself and discover her own abilities while battling heartbreak and fighting to overcome Edric's betrayal. Teens and young adults will enjoy the fantasy of her story, with accessible language and smooth storytelling.