As we launch into the new year, we recommend eleven of the best and most popular new novels for teens.
In Aisle Nine, by Ian X. Cho, Jasper spends his life recovering from a head injury that left him with deep amnesia and working for a retail store where, in aisle nine, there is a portal to Hell that frequently erupts with vicious demons. But at least he is able to work closely with his crush, Kyle, even if she doesn’t seem to know he exists at all.
In The Art Thieves, by Andrea L. Rogers, Cherokee girl Stevie is working in an art museum gift shop in 2052, trying to make enough money for college in a world facing the worst consequences of climate change. When Adam arrives, telling her he’s Native too (but won’t reveal his tribal affiliation) and also from her future, she must decide whether to believe him and follow him in his mission to save their communities.
Ruta Sepetys’s latest historical thriller, The Bletchley Riddle, tracks two quarrelsome siblings, Jakob and Lizzie, as they try to help the Allies crack the German code machines and uncover the fate of their mother, who disappeared when the Nazis invaded Poland. When they start receiving coded messages themselves, they must unite to find the truth.
Helga, by Catherine Yu, tells how a scientist’s experiment in reanimation goes just slightly wrong when his experiment, the titular Helga, follows her curiosity and discovers the wonders and pleasures of the city around her, including clubs, delicious food, and cute boys.
Caitlin Schneiderhan’s debut novel Medici Heist follows teen thief Rosa in 1517 Florence, where she plans to steal a huge sum of money from the corrupt new pope. As she recruits new hires to her band of thieves, the ruthless Medici guard tighten their grip on the city, making the challenge nearly impossible.
In Ruin Road, by Lamar Giles, football star Cade has his life mapped out, but when his plans go awry, he wishes on a Super Bowl ring that everyone would stop feeling so scared around him. Unfortunately, the wish comes true, and no one feels any fear at all.
Wendy Wunder’s Mysterious Ways follows Maya, whose stay at a psychiatric hospital leads to her realization that her omniscient abilities may mean she kind of, maybe, is god? When she meets a cute boy at her new school, he helps her learn how to cope with knowing far more than she can handle.
Jason Reynolds has crafted a teen romance for the ages with his latest book, Twenty-four Seconds From Now, which goes backwards in time to explore the love between Neon and Aria as they approach having sex for the first time.
Diana Urban’s newest thriller, Under the Surface, follows four American teens in Paris as they attend a party in the city’s underground catacombs and quickly discover that a group of armed men are pursuing them. How long will they survive in the dark?
When Haru Was Here, by Dustin Thao, tells the story of aspiring filmmaker Eric as he grieves the loss of his best friend and secret crush, Daniel. When he unexpectedly meets Haru, who he had met in Japan a year earlier, he finds he can face his grief much easier. But why is Eric the only one who sees Haru?
Jandy Nelson’s latest book, When the World Tips Over, follows siblings Miles, Dizzy, and Wynton as they struggle with their father’s abandonment, but when Cassidy enters their lives, they begin to see a path forward.
~posted by Wally B.
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