It was a stellar year for books for teens. I read so many amazing titles. If you need some great books to read in 2018, check out to my Best Books of 2017 page to find out my favorites.
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Renegades by Marissa Meyer The Renegades are a group of humans with super-human abilities. They rose up to protect society when anarchy, led by Ace Anarchy super villain, threatened to destroy everything. To most, the Renegades are heroes, but to Nova, they are the enemy. When a prodigy gang slaughtered her family, the Renegades couldn't save them, but Ace Anarchy, her uncle, protected her. Raised by Anarchists, Nova has spent her life planning revenge. In order to fulfill her plans, she must befriend Adrian, a Renegade who is honest and just and makes her question everything she believed to be true about the Renegades. As her plans progress, Nova has to decide whether Anarchists or Renegades are the greatest evil and how far she is willing to go to avenge their deaths. Author of the amazing Lunar Chronicles series, Meyer has once again created a world and characters that will mesmerize you. Adrian's earnest quest for justice is a good foil to Nova's jaded outlook on all Renegades, and I was pulled into the tale as they tried to find their true paths. The only bad thing is that I have to wait another year for the next book! Highly recommended! American Street by Ibi Zoboi Fabiola Toussaint and her mom are leaving Haiti in hopes of moving to America for a better life. When Fabiola's mom is detained by immigration, Fabiola is forced to go alone to live with her aunt and cousins in Detroit. This sheltered, studious, and poor girl from Haiti is shocked to discover that her aunt and cousins are not who she thought they were. They are part of the fierce, dangerous, and broken part of Detroit's underbelly. As Fabiola struggles to fit in at her new home, the only person she can look to for wisdom is Papa Legba, a homeless man who Fabiolo believes has been sent to her for advice. When the police offer her a way to free her mom, Fabiolo must decide how much she is willing to give up for her American dream. This gorgeously written tale of the destruction of the American dream will leave you haunted. Fabiola is a strong girl who loves deeply, and you will dream with her as she fights to do what is right and protect the people she loves. Highly recommended! Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor Dreams are powerful things. Since he was five years old, Lazlo Strange, orphan and jr. librarian, has dreamed of finding the mythical city of Weep. He has spent his life collecting every scrap of evidence to understand the city and prove its existence - in hopes of someday traveling there. The only problem is the orphaned, penniless Lazlo has no chance of securing funds for such an expedition. Then, one day his dream comes to him. A group of legendary heroes, the Taizerkane Warriors from Weep, arrive at his library looking for brave souls willing to travel with them to face Weep's greatest problem. They are led by a man known as the Godslayer, and Lazlo can't believe his dream is within his grasp. With all the learned people competing to be a part of the select team, Lazlo knows he doesn't stand a chance of being selected. However, if he doesn't speak up for his dream now, he will regret it all of his days. For now, he has a chance of visiting the city of his dreams and learning from the warriors he always revered. Dreams are powerful things, and Lazlo's dreams will change the world forever. The secrets of Weep are many, and Lazlo is willing to do anything to understand them. Once again, Taylor's master of language, world-building and character come together to create a tragic and magical story that will haunt you. Lazlo is an unlikely hero, but you will root for him and the blue girl from his dreams. It is a book that grows in depth and beauty with each page, and at the end, you will cry out for the next installment. Highly recommended! Undefeated: Jim Thorpe and the Carlisle Indian School Football Team by Steve Sheinkin When football was in its infancy, it was wildly different than today's game. A forward pass was illegal, no one wore pads or helmets, and players were known to die due to injuries sustained on the field. For a while, football was getting so dangerous that the government was threatening to ban the game. Sheinkin tells the story of how Jim Thorpe, one of America's greatest athletes, and the Carlisle Indian Football Team helped football transform into today's game. Not only is this football's story, but It is also the story of how despite being stripped of their family and culture, the Jim Thorpe and the Carlisle Indian Football Team fought its way to football glory. Jim Thorpe's life was marked by the most amazing victories and the most terrible defeats, and you will cheer for him and his team as they attempt the impossible. I could not put this book down! It is my new favorite sports book. Filled with great sports action and a fascinating slice of history, sports fans and history buffs will love this book. Highly recommended! Warcross by Marie Lu Warcross is more than a game; it is a way of life. Struggling to pay her bills, Emika Chan takes a risk and hacks into the International Warcross Championships and accidentally glitches herself into the game. Instead of getting arrested, the creator of Warcross, billionaire Hideo Tanaka, requests a meeting. Hideo reveals that Warcross is getting attacked, and he wants Emiko to discover who is doing it and why. As she follows the clues, Emiko is realizing that the consequences to this Warcross game will not only change the game but her world forever. This action-packed video game adventure is impossible to put down. This is my favorite Lu series, and I can't wait to see what will happen next! Highly recommended! |
AuthorMs. Smith has been the librarian at Washington HS in Sioux Falls, SD, since 2005. She enjoys reading, watching K-Dramas, Harry Potter and hanging out with her family. Archives
October 2021
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