Staff Picks for Teens
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Such Charming Liars
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • When mother-daughter grifters set out on their final job, the heist turns deadly—and dangerously personal—in this twisty thriller from the #1 bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying!
For all of Kat’s life, it’s just been her and her mother, Jamie—except for the forty-eight hours when Jamie was married and Kat had a stepbrother, Liam. That all ended in an epic divorce, and Kat and Liam haven’t spoken since.
Now Jamie is a jewel thief trying to go straight, but she has one last job—at billionaire Ross Sutherland’s birthday party. And Kat has figured out a way to tag along. What Kat doesn’t know, though, is that there are two surprise guests at the dazzling Sutherland compound that weekend. The last two people she wants to run into. Liam and his father—a serial scammer who has his sights set on Ross Sutherland’s youngest daughter.
Kat and Liam are on a collision course to disaster, and when a Sutherland dies, they realize they might actually be in the killer’s crosshairs themselves. Somehow Kat and Liam are the new targets, and they can’t trust anyone—except each other.
Or can they? Because if there’s one thing both Kat and Liam know, it’s how to lie. They learned from the best. -
Stay Dead
New York Times bestselling author April Henry delivers a thrilling murder mystery featuring a teen with an assassin on her trail fighting to uncover the truth behind a government cover up, perfect for fans of Karen McManus.
"A page-turning cat-and-mouse survival story." --Kirkus Reviews
Sometimes, the only way to live is to make sure the world thinks you're dead . . .
In the aftermath of a car accident that claimed the life of her senator father, sixteen-year-old Milan finds herself adrift, expelled from her third boarding school. Milan's mother, who has assumed the senate seat, diverts her private plane to pick up her daughter. But on their way home, a bomb rips off a wing and the plane crashes in the mountains. In her final moments, Milan's mother entrusts her with a key. She reveals it will unlock the evidence that so many people have already died for--including Milan's father. The only way Milan can survive, her mom tells her, is to let everyone believe she died with the other passengers.
Milan is forced to navigate a perilous descent in freezing conditions while outwitting everything from a drone to wild animals. With relentless assassins on her trail, she must untangle the web of deceit and save herself and countless others. Will she piece together the truth in time?
And don't miss these other chilling thrillers from April Henry including In the Blood, When We Go Missing, Girl Forgotten, and Two Truths and a Lie. -
The House of Quiet
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Hide comes a dark fantasy about a girl who will risk everything—posing as a maid, confronting powerful enemies, and unraveling deadly secrets—all to save her missing sister from the enigmatic House of Quiet.
“A brilliant, imaginative fantasy.” —Allison Saft, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wings of Starlight
"A chilling, dystopic world enclosed in a locked-room mystery." —Chloe Gong, #1 New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights
To save her sister, she must enter the House.
In the middle of a deadly bog sits the House of Quiet. It’s a place for children whose Procedure triggered powers too terrible to be lived with—their last hope for treatment. No one knows how they’re healed or where they go afterward.
Birdie has begged, bargained, and blackmailed her way inside as a maid, determined to find her missing sister, Magpie. But what she discovers is more mysteries. Instead of the destitute children who undergo the Procedure in hopes of social advancement, the house brims with aristocratic teens wielding strange powers they never should have been burdened with.
Though Birdie wants to ignore them, she can’t help being drawn to stoic and silent Forest, charmed by clever River, and concerned for the youngest residents. And with fellow maid Minnow keeping tabs on everything Birdie does, danger is everywhere.
In her desperate search for Magpie, Birdie unearths terrifying threats and devastating truths, forcing her to confront just how much she’s willing to sacrifice to save her own sister. Because in the House of Quiet, if you find what’s lurking beneath . . . you lose everything.
Unravel the mystery. Ignite the rebellion. -
Mystery James Digs Her Own Grave
Abandoned in a cemetery and raised in a funeral home, a girl who can see and smell the supernatural must solve the mystery of a priceless heirloom stolen from her family's business. Perfect for fans of Netflix’s Wednesday and Beetlejuice!
"A new middle grade heroine you’re going to love."—BookRiot
EDGAR AWARD NOMINEE
13-year-old Mystery—who was abandoned in a cemetery and raised in a funeral home—is plagued by sleep paralysis and the smell of ghosts, but she's used to that. Even though her life might seem "strange" on the outside, she loves it.
That is until a priceless heirloom goes missing and her family's funeral home is in danger of being shut down. To clear her Tia's good name, Mystery embarks on an adventure to figure out what really happened to the misplaced necklace.
But to do so, she must contend with the angry patriarch of the town’s wealthiest family, a sleep paralysis demon, a graverobber, and the ghastly half-vampire, half-ghost that’s lurking in the Olde Ellis Town Cemetery. -
Signed Sealed Dead
From the author of the BookTok sensation Win Lose Kill Die, comes an explosive mystery about a teenager whose true-crime obsession hits a little too close to home when she begins receiving cryptic messages after moving into a new house.
"Deliciously twisted fun!"—Karen M. McManus, #1 New York Times bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying
When true-Crime obsessed Paige, along with her family, move across the Atlantic to her father's eerie hometown, it's not long before she uncovers the town's dark history—a string of unsolved murders and disappearances in the 90s.
Soon after, notes start appearing at their home, about the secrets the old house is keeping. The clues lead Paige to a diary concealed in the walls that belonged to one of the missing girls.
Could this be the key to solving a quarter-of-a-century mystery . . . or will the diary make Paige the next target? -
Under the Surface
An epic survival-thriller about four teens who get lost in the Paris catacombs for days—a gripping and propulsive story of love, danger, betrayal, and hope… even when all seems lost.
"Tense and fast-moving, with a unique setting and compelling characters, Under the Surface is Diana Urban’s best yet."—Karen M. McManus, #1 New York Times bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying
Ruby is terrified to cave to her feelings for Sean and risk him crushing her heart.
Sean is pumped to spend a week with Ruby in Paris on their senior class trip, and he’ll wait however long until she’s ready to take things further.
But when Ruby’s best friend sneaks out the first night to meet a mysterious French boy, Ruby goes after her with two classmates, but caves to another temptation: attending mystery boy’s exclusive party in the Paris catacombs, the intricate web of tunnels beneath the city, home to six million long-dead Parisians. Only they never reach the party.
Underground, as something sinister chases them, they get lost in the endless maze of bones, uncovering dark secrets about the catacombs…..and each other. And if they can’t find a way out, they’ll die in the dark beneath the City of Light.
Aboveground, Sean races to find the girl he loves as a media frenzy over the four missing teens begins.
From award-winning author and rising YA star Diana Urban comes a twisty tale of four teens lost in the dark beneath the City of Light and the race to find them. -
Darkly
#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A powder keg of dark secrets and mind-bending puzzles, this must-read thriller is “addictively suspenseful” (The Washington Post) and “full of atmospheric thrills” (Los Angeles Times)—from the New York Times bestselling author of Night Film.
Your favorite game has come to life. And you don’t want to find out what happens if you lose…
“Pessl is gargantuan: wildly smart, extremely surprising, a wordsmith, a queen. Read her.” —E. Lockhart, #1 New York Times bestselling author of We Were Liars
A KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
Arcadia “Dia” Gannon has been obsessed with Louisiana Veda, the game designer whose obsessive creations and company, Darkly, have gained a cultlike following. Dia is shocked when she’s chosen for a highly-coveted internship, along with six other teenagers from around the world. Why her? Dia has never won anything in her life.
Darkly, once a game-making empire renowned for its ingenious and utterly terrifying toys and games, now lies dormant after Veda’s mysterious death. The remaining games are priced like rare works of art, with some fetching millions of dollars at auction.
As Dia and her fellow interns delve into the heart of Darkly, they discover hidden symbols, buried clues, and a web of intrigue. Who are these other teens, and what secrets do they keep? Why were any of them really chosen? The answers lie within the twisted labyrinth of Darkly—a chilling and addictive read by Marisha Pessl.
This summer will be the most twisted Darkly game of all.
“Complex and captivating.” —Erin A. Craig, #1 New York Times bestselling author of House of Salt and Sorrows -
A Fate Unwoven
A heretical storyteller partners with an ancient spirit to undo the magic that subjugates her to the crown, in this chilling debut fantasy filled with monsters, forbidden rituals, and corrupt deities.
This gorgeous hardcover edition features foiled elements on the dust jacket and case, with a beautifully detailed map inside!
The Emperor of Wyrecia is dying, and 17-year-old Lena has just gained the power to control fate itself, binding her to the young prince Dimas as the empire's next Fateweaver. Hunted by the empire's most ruthless soldiers, Lena escapes with a handsome smuggler toward enemy territory. But a former lover betrays Lena, and her magic becomes agony--compelling Lena to submit to a gilded cage.
Still, an ancient spirit offers hope: to sever her bond to the throne, Lena must unroot a ritual hidden beneath the palace. As Prince Dimas struggles to forge friendship with Lena and bring his empire under peaceful rule, sinister cultists unveil a twisted plan to unleash an ancient evil that could tear the realm asunder. With every step Lena takes on her quest to freedom, she uncovers a troubling imperial past that tarnishes the nation's matron goddess. Perhaps the oral histories passed down to Lena are not foolish heresy, after all.
Written with captivating mystery, queer romance, and a dual point of view narrative, this first entry in the Threads of Fate dark fantasy duology roots its magic system in mythological lore. An enchanting selection for young adult readers who don't mind a little terror with their adventure! -
Just Another Meet Cute
A Junior Library Guild Selection
Boy saves girl stuck on a disastrous hike. What could go wrong? So. Much.
Just Another Meet Cute is the joyful and funny story about what happens when you realize you're dating the wrong twin.
When seventeen-year-old Nina Riley gets saved by a super cute Knight-in-Faded-Khakis just as she lands in an embarrassingly sticky situation during the most disastrous hike known to man, she wasn't exactly looking for a meet cute. She really just needed some peace and quiet from her complicated family. Unfortunately, he disappears before she can properly thank him or get his number. All she has is his name (Ian Nguyen) and a navy jacket with a dog keychain, a gym card, and laundromat receipt. But a meet cute is a meet cute. And armed with years of watching Veronica Mars and a techy cousin, it should be simple enough for Nina to find the boy of her dreams, right? But when she finally tracks him down, he's different than she thought --right down to his name. Ryan is just as cute as she remembers, but the chemistry isn't there like it was before. After a few dates, she meets Ryan's family: his sweet grandma, his enthusiastic sisters, and his twin brother ----Ian.
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Codebreaker
This original, interactive thriller from debut author Jay Martel follows a brilliant teenage girl as she races across D.C. to decode the clues her father left behind, which may just be the key to saving the country from a devastating tragedy.
Mia Hayes has peaceful plans for the summer—find a part-time job at a coffee shop and work on her college applications. Those plans are shattered one night when government agents arrive unannounced at her home seeking something they believe her father has taken. When the dust settles, her mother is dead and her father is gone, a fugitive on the run.
Three weeks later, and still reeling from her father’s betrayal, Mia spends her seventeenth birthday at a protest in the heart of D.C., where she meets Logan, a rebellious and charming hacker. Just as she’s enjoying her first happy moment since the night her world exploded, a voicemail from her father arrives to upend everything she believed about her family, her past, and what really happened that night three weeks ago. Even more, the voicemail hides another encoded message inside which, once Mia solves it, sets her and Logan off on a mission from her sleepy suburb straight into the heart of the federal government.
With the same agents now hot on their trail, Mia and Logan must navigate their way through American history’s most iconic sites and uncover its most well-hidden secrets to reveal the truth about her family and stop a deadly attack.
In this non-stop thrill ride, the reader has the chance to test their own codebreaking skills alongside Mia, lending an exciting interactive element to this page-turning thriller packed with action, romance, and life-changing revelations. -
We Are Villains
From bestselling and award-winning author Kacen Callendar comes a thrilling, dark academia YA about murder, blackmail, and the one person determined to discover the truth, no matter the cost
What happened to Arianna Reynolds?
Ari's death was ruled an accident, but for her best friend Milo, it's shrouded in mystery. Why was she in the woods on the night of the fire? Had she been alone? Figuring out what happened the night Ari died is the only reason Milo returns to Yates Academy, even knowing he'll be in constant danger. . .
Liam is the King of Yates, a role he keeps hold of through his family's old money--and the threat of violence. So when he begins receiving ominous letters from another student accusing him of murdering Ari, the suspect list is long.
Desperate to prove his innocence before the accusation ruins his reign, Liam enlists Milo's help to find the blackmailer. But the more Milo helps Liam, the more he becomes certain that Liam has something to hide.
As Milo comes closer to the truth, he uncovers secrets that everyone wants to keep buried . . .
Featuring a cast of queer characters of color, We Are Villains is an electrifying mystery that will keep readers guessing. -
Mistress of Bones
"Like stepping into one of my favorite RPGs." - Susan Dennard, New York Times bestselling author of the Witchlands series
An epic, multi-POV debut fantasy perfect for fans of The Bone Shard Daughter and Six of Crows, where a necromancer trying to resurrect her sister gets embroiled in bigger, world-ending plans instead
Necromancer Azul del Arroyo only wants one thing: to steal her sister back from Death by reclaiming her sister’s bones. But the Emissary of the Lord Death will do anything to stop her, no matter how alluring he finds her . . .
As their paths collide, they’re drawn into a deadly game of pawns and power with a count who begrudgingly works for a child king, a faceless witch who transforms the bones of gods into dreams she can peddle, and a long-lost half-brother with a secret of his own—and soon realize the fate of the lands is hanging in the balance.
For long ago the gods raised the continents, binding them with their own bones to keep humanity alive. But in an era when the gods’ sacrifice has been forgotten, Death might not be the only resentful god Azul must defy.
Swashbuckling, grand, and tragically romantic, Mistress of Bones is a can't-miss start to a duology about love, loss, and, of course, death. -
Shiny Happy People
A twisted and thrilling genre-bending novel that shines a light on the terrors of the U.S. opioid epidemic, Clay McLeod Chapman has written an instant classic about a mysterious new drug plaguing a small town and the haunting side effects.
At sixteen, Kyra is still haunted by the horrors she saw growing up with her drug-addicted mother. She doesn’t feel like she belongs anywhere—and disturbing dreams come to her at night.
When a new party drug makes its way to her high school, Kyra’s life becomes an actual nightmare. A video challenge spreads among the students—and though she doesn’t participate, Kyra can’t escape the inexplicable side effects.
Everyone around her seems to be mysteriously changing, including the people she loves the most. Her brother has a new personality overnight. Her best friend suddenly feels like a stranger. The only other person who seems to notice the eeriness is Logan, the new boy at school. Like Kyra, he has steered clear of the party scene.
When the strangeness begins to feel sinister—or unnatural—Kyra is determined to find out exactly what is behind the mysterious drug. As she and Logan get closer to the truth, the line between Kyra’s past and present blurs . . . and she will need to face the terrors inside herself, or lose everyone she loves.
“Clay McLeod Chapman is one of my favorite horror storytellers working today.”—Jordan Peele
“The most ambitious novel yet from a writer quietly redefining the emotional contours of contemporary horror.”—Vulture on Wake Up and Open Your Eyes -
A Spell to Wake the Dead
Two teen girls must uncover the dark, occult secrets lurking in their Cape Cod town to solve a series of murders—and save themselves from the same fate—in this twisty, witchy thriller.
“Steeped in uniquely New England coastal magic, A Spell to Wake the Dead kept me on the edge of my seat as the bodies and mysteries kept washing ashore. Lesperance weaves an enthralling, atmospheric thriller that pulls you in from the first page. Tense, twisty, and deliciously witchy, it was just about impossible to put down.” —Louangie Bou-Montes, author of Till the Last Beat of My Heart
When Mazzy and her best friend Nora sneak down to the beach one moonlit night to cast a spell, they don’t expect to find a dead body. But as the tide rolls in, it carries the remains of a woman who is missing her hands and teeth.
The girls know they should leave the investigation to the police, but they can’t shake the weird, supernatural connection they feel with the dead woman. Using spellwork and divination, they set out to find answers of their own. But after they uncover a rash of local disappearances stretching back years—and both girls start having occult visions and hearing ghostly, whispering voices—Mazzy worries that she and Nora are in danger.
Then, Nora finds a second body. And the whispering voice is telling her where to find more. With everything spiraling, Mazzy needs to figure out who to trust and how to sever this supernatural connection—or she and Nora might be the next bodies to wash up on the beach. -
The Obsession
AN INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • What if being famous was the most dangerous thing you ever did? #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Natasha Preston is back with a twisted tale of social media, secrets, and survival.
SOMEONE IS ALWAYS WATCHING.
Connie never asked to be famous—but thanks to her mother’s relentless vlogging, she and her sister Isla have spent their lives under a virtual microscope. Every smile, every moment curated for clicks. Every stranger online thinking they know them.
Then local girls—girls who look just like Connie—start dying. One by one. As the bodies pile up and the spotlight turns sinister, Connie is forced to confront the terrifying truth: someone isn’t just watching. They’re planning.
Library of Teen Things
Build and create with a 3D printer pen, an easy-to-use high tech toy for teens and adults. This simple device heats and extrudes plastic with the push of a button. Reservation required. Learn more about using Idea Box equipment.
Age Requirement: 14+
24" Apple iMacs running the newest OS & loaded with professional graphic design, sound, and video editing software. Reservation required. Learn more about using Idea Box equipment.
Age Requirement: 13+
Turn your concepts into tangible objects with this amazing device. Reservation required. Learn more about using Idea Box equipment.
Age Requirement: 14+
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