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Young Adult Books You Want to Read

As you may or may not know, our company, The Book Report Network, has a number of websites about books and authors in addition to Bookreporter.com. Throughout the year, Bookreporter.com features adult books on Teenreads.com, our site for young adult readers, that we think will have definite appeal to a teen audience. In the spirit of sharing, we are now spotlighting a selection of titles each month from Teenreads.com that we believe are great reads that you might enjoy.

Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson

September 2013

Ten years ago, Calamity came. It was a burst in the sky that gave ordinary men and women extraordinary powers. But with incredible gifts came the desire to rule. Nobody fights these Epics but the Reckoners. A shadowy group of ordinary humans, they study Epics, find their weaknesses, and then assassinate them. And David wants in. He wants Steelheart, the Epic who killed his father.

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

September 2013

Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. The only problem is, once you pass through Coldtown's gates, you can never leave.

Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis

September 2013

Fans of classic frontier survival stories, as well as readers of dystopian literature, will enjoy this futuristic story in which water is worth more than gold. Teenager Lynn has been taught to defend her pond against every threat: drought, a snowless winter, coyotes, and, most importantly, people looking for a drink. She makes sure anyone who comes near the pond leaves thirsty or doesn't leave at all.

This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales

September 2013

Making friends has never been Elise Dembowski’s strong suit. All throughout her life, she’s been the butt of every joke and the outsider in every conversation. When a final attempt at popularity fails, Elise nearly gives up. Then she stumbles upon a warehouse party where she meets Vicky, a girl in a band who accepts her; Char, a cute yet mysterious disc jockey; Pippa, a carefree spirit from England; and, most importantly, a love for DJing.

Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan

August 2013

New York Times bestselling author David Levithan tells the based-on-true-events story of Harry and Craig, two 17-year-olds who are about to take part in a 32-hour marathon of kissing to set a new Guinness World Record --- all of which is narrated by a Greek Chorus of the generation of gay men lost to AIDS.

The Infinite Moment of Us by Lauren Myracle

August 2013

For as long as she can remember, Wren Gray’s goal has been to please her parents. But as high school graduation nears, she finds herself questioning what she truly wants. Charlie Parker, on the other hand, is painfully aware of his heart’s desire. He has loved Wren since the day he first saw her. But a girl like Wren would never fall for a guy like Charlie --- and yet certain things are written in the stars. And in the summer after high school, Wren and Charlie’s souls will collide.

If You Could Be Mine by Sara Farizan

August 2013

Seventeen-year-old Sahar has been in love with her best friend, Nasrin, since they were six. But Iran is a dangerous place for two girls in love. So they carry on in secret --- until Nasrin’s parents announce that they’ve arranged for her marriage. Nasrin tries to persuade Sahar that they can go on as they had before, but Sahar dreams of loving Nasrin exclusively --- and openly.

If I Ever Get Out of Here by Eric Gansworth

July 2013

Lewis "Shoe" Blake is used to the joys and difficulties of life on the Tuscarora Indian reservation in 1975: the joking, the Fireball games, the snow blowing through his roof. What he's not used to is white people being nice to him --- people like George Haddonfield, whose family recently moved to town with the Air Force. As the boys connect through their mutual passion for music, especially the Beatles, Lewis has to lie more and more to hide the reality of his family's poverty from George.

Contaminated by Em Garner

July 2013

After the Contamination --- an epidemic caused by the super-trendy diet drink SlimPro that turned ordinary citizens into shambling creatures unable to control their violent impulses --- the government rounded up the "Connies" to protect the remaining population. But now, two years later, the government has started sending the rehabilitated back home, complete with shock collars that will either stop the Connies from committing violent acts or kill them before they do any further harm.

Imperfect Spiral by Debbie Levy

July 2013

Danielle Snyder's summer job as a babysitter takes a tragic turn when Humphrey, the five-year-old boy she's watching, runs in front of oncoming traffic to chase down his football. Wanting only to mourn Humphrey, the sweet kid with whom she had a surprisingly strong friendship, Danielle tries to avoid the world around her. It's time for Danielle to face reality, but when the truth brings so much pain, can she find a way to do right by Humphrey's memory and forgive herself for his death?