Only 13 years late on this book. My students are doing a deep dive into dystopia, so I figured I should check this one out since so many kids have mentioned it. Loved the book and now may just need to check out the movie!

Barbara has had a big accident and is now rehabilitating at the Arkham Centre for Independence. She quickly discovers that unusual things are happening there and patients are disappearing. She decides to use her hacking skills to solve the mystery of the disappearing patients. A suspense-filled YA graphic novel that teens will enjoy.

I have had this book in my TBR pile for ages and I had no idea what I was missing! “Danny” (Danielle) is 17 and is afraid of everything from headaches to falling to meeting new people. Much of her fear comes from an accident as a young child where she lost one of her eyes, and has felt the precariousness of the world ever since. Her parents are separated and she could not be more different than her adventure-loving-TV-star father. He invites her to join him on his next production in Peru. Danny is terrified but decides to do it anyway, despite every fear she knows she will face, in hopes of connecting more with her dad. On their flight to the show location, deep in the Amazon jungle, the plane crashes. Despite grave injuries among the crew and no help in sight, her dad decides they must record their journey to being found. In this amazing, Hatchet-esque story, Danny must braver and stronger than she ever thought possible, in hopes of surviving.

Love this book so much. Fun, twisty, and mysterious, this book keeps you guessing at every turn, and hanging on til the very last page. Avery is a teen facing the recent death of her mother, having no money, a sister in an abusive relationship and very little to look forward to. She is then shocked to learn that a billionaire, who she doesn’t know, has left her his fortunes. This confuses not only her but his family as well, who have been left relatively nothing. Avery, with some help from the billionaire’s grandsons, sets off to discover why this fortune was left to her. This will be going on my list of best books of the year.

This book deserves all the praise and awards it has received. A powerful novel in verse that would be an important addition to any junior high or high school library

Canadian author Jen Ferguson's debut YA novel is remarkable and powerful. Set in Lloydminster, Alberta, this is the story of Lou, a Metis teen who breaks up with her boyfriend, and receives a letter from her biological father who has been in jail for years. He has never been a part of her life but now that he is out of jail he is demanding that he get to be. Working the summer at her family's ice-cream shack, she must face her ex-boyfriend daily, increasingly threatening letters from her father, racism and intolerance from people around her, generational traumas, and potential feelings towards someone from her past. This story is told with brutal honesty and captures the life of a Metis teen on the prairies facing harsh realities eloquently and without apology.

A wonderful book for upper-elementary-aged kids. Full of adventure and mystery, this great story hooks readers from the beginning. Corinne lives with her father on a small Caribbean island where she has unintentionally awoken the Jumbies in the forest near her town. Now she must fight to keep her island safe and figure out her connection to these creatures. Even better, it’s the first in the series.

A fun retelling of Princess and the Pauper set at a Sci-Fi convention. Truly nerdy fun with clever banter.

Sinister, tragic and captivating are words I would use to describe this book. I saw this book listed on a "Best YA audiobook" somewhere and downloaded it, and it ended up being one of those books you stay in the car listening to even though you've arrived at your destination. Based around horrific events at a small town prom, eyes are on one teen who everyone believes committed this heinous act. As the reader learns more about her, we see the impact a lifetime of abuse and bullying has had on her. *mature content warning*