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Recommended for Teens

The Dead and the Dark

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The Dead and the Dark by Courtney Gould
Format: Book
Who it’s for: Teens

The Dead and the Dark alternates perspectives between Logan, the daughter of popular T.V. ghost hunters, the ParaSpectors, and Ashley, a small-town girl whose boyfriend just went missing, as they try to figure out what is plaguing the town of Snakebite, Oregon. Missing teenagers, ghosts, family secrets, and more keep this book entertaining from beginning to end.

I really enjoyed this book, it was completely captivating! The way that Gould writes makes the characters feel realistic, and the book overall just hard to put down. The twists and turns of the mystery keep readers guessing and curious until the end. I highly recommend this book if you’re in the mood for a small-town paranormal mystery!

Find The Dead and the Dark in the catalog

InuYasha

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InuYasha by Rumiko Takahashi
Format: Manga Series
Who it’s for: Teens

Kagome is a present-day high school student in Tokyo, but ends up getting sent back to Sengoku feudal era of Japan after she encounters a magical shrine. She meets a half-demon named InuYasha, who is stubborn but honest and loyal. After a treacherous event takes place where the powerful Shikon jewel shatters into a million pieces, the two heroes team up to find all of them before they slip into the wrong hands. Along the way, Kagome and InuYasha meet some amazing friends, go on great journeys, and try to protect the world from complete evil! This is a classic manga series that has so much depth and character development to it. The anime and movies that were based on this manga have been released, so if you love reading this series, give those a try! Find InuYasha in the catalog.

The Last Cuentista

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The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera
Format: Book
Who it’s for: Kids, Tweens, Teens

Halley’s Comet is on a collision course with Earth. Petra Peña, an aspiring storyteller, does not want to leave her abuelita behind, but she and her family are among the select few who have been chosen to take to the stars.  Petra, her parents, and her little brother will spend the next 380 years in stasis learning everything they need to know to survive on their new planet. They will be humanity’s last hope. When Petra is awakened from stasis, however, she finds that her ship has been taken over by the Collective. They have reprogrammed everyone and erased all memories of Earth.  Petra is the only one who still remembers her home world, her family, and all of their cuentos.  She must use her stories of the past in an attempt to secure mankind’s future.

The Last Cuentista was just selected as the winner of the John Newbery Medal as well as the Pura Belpré Award. It was one of TIME’s Best Books of the Year and the Wall Street Journal’s Best of the Year, among others. I understand why. This book was full of storytelling magic. Despite some unexpected dark twists and turns that were a bit shocking, this was a beautifully told story. It combines science fiction, Mexican folklore, and a dystopian future. It is definitely one to add to your reading list!

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Something is Killing the Children

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Something is Killing the Children by James Tynion IV
Format: Graphic Novel and eBook on Hoopla
Who’s it for?: Adults & Young Adults

Do you remember when you were a kid and that monster was hiding in your closet? Remember how your mind would run wild with thoughts of the most forbidding and insidious creature imaginable? Maybe it had sharp claws, long fangs, and garish yellow eyes. Now, imagine if this creature were real?

The children of Archer’s Peak, WI are being preyed upon by something brought to life by their most terrifying fears. The worst part? This is an evil only the children can see. The people of this small town can’t be expected to defeat an enemy they can’t even see. But the mysterious Erica Slaughter can see them and she kills monsters. Is there hope?

I recommend this enthralling and gruesome horror story to anyone who loves a good monster tale and doesn’t mind the carnage that comes with it. You can find Something is Killing the Children in the Library’s catalog or for instant download on Hoopla Digital.

Ouran High School Host Club

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Series Title: Ouran High School Host Club by Bisco Hatori
First Book: Ouran High School Host Club Volume 1
Who it’s for: Teens

A romantic comedy manga that had me adoring the characters and wanting to join in on their daily shenanigans. The series follows Haruhi, she’s a scholarship student at a school for rich kids. When she’s trying to find a quiet place to study, she stumbles into a music room that ends up being used by the school’s host club. In her attempt to leave she ends up breaking an expensive vase and is now indebted to the host club to pay it back by being a host. Haruhi is a very logical and no nonsense person among people that don’t tend to make much sense, especially Tamaki—the host club’s king. Haruhi soons learns that even rich kids have their issues and warms up to them and the club members begin to understand Haruhi more too. I love all of the characters in Ouran High School Host Club with my favorite being Tamaki—he’s always so over the top.

Find Ouran High School Host Club in the catalog!

Testimony from Your Perfect Girl

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Testimony from Your Perfect Girl by Kaui Hart Hemmings
Format: Book
Who’s it for: Young Adult

Annie is a wealthy teenager who has everything she could ever want. On the outside, her family seems to be perfect but their entire world comes crashing down when Annie’s father is accused of stealing investment funds from several clients. The entire town begins to shame the family, so Annie and her brother are sent to live in a smaller rural town with their aunt and uncle. Annie knows that her father is innocent, but a lot of others don’t seem to agree. She must come up with another identity to remain in hiding until the trial is over. Annie learns how to make new friends and live a completely different lifestyle, while trying to discover her passions in life. Will she tell her new friends about her true identity or keep it all a secret until she can go back home? This is a story that has new connections, inner conflict, and the ultimate realization that parents are perfectly flawed humans too. Find Testimony from Your Perfect Girl in the catalog!