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Fangirl

by Rainbow Rowell

Fangirl (novel) - Wikipedia

When Cath and Wren’s mother walked out on them as children, they both found solace in the Simon Snow series. Together, they obsessed over the books, movies, and became immersed in the fanfiction world.

When Cath and Wren move away to university, they find themselves drifting apart: Wren partying every weekend and Cath still involved with the Simon Snow fandom. As the year progresses, Cath struggles to find her place at the school, and struggles to keep hold of her relationship with her sister.

In the end, the sisters connect again over Simon Snow and their love for each other.

With a background romance story, this coming of age novel is romantic, quirky, and engaging. Rainbow Rowell has created flawed characters who are authentic and easy to love. Fangirl is a book about fandom, life and learning to love.

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Sleeper

Eric Walters

Sleeper is the sequel to Eric Walter’s coming of age novel, Between Heaven and Earth. Sleeper is one of the seven sequels to Seven, The Series. Read the seven books in any order you like and join a different grandson in each of the stories. In this book follow DJ and his cousins as they chase the mysteries of their grandfather’s past and join them in uncovering the truth. DJ, who is very proud of being seen as a younger version of his grandfather, hence the name David Junior, is shocked when he finds fake passports, bundles of cash in foreign currencies, and a gun in a secret compartment in his grandfather’s cottage. DJ finds himself thousands of kilometres away, racing a vintage E-Type Jag around London, England! And then there’s Charlie, the gorgeous granddaughter of DJ’s climbing partner, from the book Between Heaven and Earth, who joins DJ as his tour guide, but she gets swept into all of DJ’s missions as well. With double and triple agents, spies, guns, M16 agents, and traitors around every corner, can DJ discover the truth about his favourite person? Spy or a traitor? Who was David McLean really?

Sleeper is a phenomenal book by Eric Walters, and it is one that you will thoroughly enjoy. Although you can read the seven sequels in any order you choose, I recommend reading Sleeper first, as it provides the most background information and starts with the scene at the cottage. This thrilling book is filled with suspense, action and excitement. Join DJ, Carlie, and the double agents seeking up behind them, as they enter the thrilling world of British espionage. -Ananya M.

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Between Heaven and Earth

Eric Walters

Between Heaven and Earth is a book part of Seven, The Series. These are the stories of seven grandsons and their quests, which have been given to them by their lawyer after their grandfather’s death. They each must complete their challenge and must not reveal it to anyone else but their fellow cousins. In Eric Walters’s Between Heaven and Earth, we join 18-year-old DJ in climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro and scattering his grandfather’s ashes at the top. DJ has always been perfect at sports, a true leader and on top of his game, so he thinks that a small hike up a mountain is easy. But what really bugs him is that he gets stuck with an inexperienced porter and an old lady in his climbing group. He thinks that at this rate he’ll never reach the top. And what’s worse is that his stuff was stolen. Fast-paced DJ must learn that sometimes you have to go “pole pole” (slowly slowly).

This is a beautiful coming of age book in which we can really see the characters develop. DJ is shaped by the lessons he learns, the people he meets, and the challenges he has to face. Learn important lessons along with DJ while he tries to climb a mountain that his grandfather did himself. This book has action, adventure, drama, and a sense of family. It is a perfect book for teens as it teaches them to slow down once in a while and not to judge people by their appearances. Eric Walter does an amazing job of conveying his story and leaves us searching for answers. Will DJ reach the top? -Ananya M.

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Divergent

Veronica Roth

Beatrice Prior, a 16-year-old girl, is no different from other teenagers in her city, except that she is hiding a terrible secret. In her world, all who turn 16 must undergo the choosing ceremony to settle on one of five factions. Bravery, selflessness, honesty, kindness, and knowledge are what each value and whatever you chose you must defend before your blood and family. Beatrice’s deadly secret that she is divergent could destroy her and her family, she doesn’t fit in one faction, but multiple! Her choices are what is keeping her alive, and she must adjust to the new life she chooses. But this can be difficult when evil is being planned right behind your back. Everything has changed in this new life of hers, even her name. Tris, her new set of friends, and a mysterious instructor named Four must join together before all they know and love is lost.

When you start reading you will be swept away into this new world. Veronica Roth has done a great job captivating her readers and truly enveloping them into the text. This extraordinary YA novel has it all, from an intriguing dystopian plot, thrilling action, intense suspense, and touching love. You’ll have no trouble forming a connection with Tris as she battles for the truth of her divergence and unlocks the secrets that have caged them all. Unravel the true meaning of family, sacrifice, bravery, and love through this phenomenal dystopian novel and the mysterious world created by Veronica Roth. – Ananya M.

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Divergent

Veronica Roth

Written by Veronica Roth, Divergent is a captivating science fiction and dystopian fiction book filled with believable characters and exciting events. The book focuses on Tris (the main character) and the struggles she faces trying to discover her true identity and fight for the truth in the dystopian, futuristic city she lives in, where everything is very structured and aimed to be a certain way, even the people. The story takes place in future Chicago, where society is divided into five factions; each of those factions values a certain trait/quality above anything else. Candor values honesty, Abnegation values selflessness, Amity values kindness, Dauntless values bravery and Erudite values knowledge. In Chicago, until you are 16, you are a part of the faction your parents are in, then when you turn 16 you choose a faction for yourself. Choosing a faction is the choice of your life, it decides your entire future. Beatrice/Tris Prior the main character was born into Abnegation, but she transferred to Dauntless to seek out a new exciting lifestyle and identity. With the help of her new friends, Tris tries to stop the impending war started by the leaders of Erudite and Dauntless for control of the government that is currently being run by Abnegation. Will she succeed or will the city of Chicago face hard times? Just read this enthralling novel to find out.

You will get hooked on “Divergent” once you start, it’s filled with thrilling events and relatable characters. I liked how the book included many different genres because while it was mostly a science-fiction book, it had action, adventure and even a little bit of humour and romance. While I was reading it, it had me wanting to keep reading more, and since finishing it has become one of my favourite books that I’ve read. I would definitely recommend this book to other teens. – Yara M.

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The Falls

Eric Walters

Fifteen-year-old Jay Hunter has but one goal in life: to get out of the Falls. Life in the blue-collar tourist town doesn’t hold much promise for a teenage boy. But all that begins to change when his mother reveals a remarkable family history: Jay’s great-grandfather was one of the most famous river men who ever lived, saving people who’d jumped into the Falls, even going over the Falls himself numerous times. Suddenly, life in Niagara Falls holds new meaning for Jay—and a new challenge.

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Iron Gold

Pierce Brown

A decade ago Darrow was the hero of the revolution he believed would break the chains of the Society. The Rising has shattered everything: Instead of peace and freedom, it has brought endless war. Now he must risk all he has fought for on one last desperate mission. Darrow still believes he can save everyone, but can he save himself?

And throughout the worlds, other destinies entwine with Darrow’s to change his fate forever.  A young Red girl flees tragedy in her refugee camp, and achieves a new life for herself, one that she could never have imagined.

An ex-soldier broken by grief is forced to steal the most valuable thing in the galaxy—or pay with his life. Lysander au Lune, the heir in exile to the Sovereign, wanders the stars with his mentor, Cassius, haunted by the loss of the world that Darrow transformed, and dreaming of what will rise from its ashes.

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The Girl in the Tower

Katherine Arden

Katherine Arden’s enchanting first novel introduced readers to an irresistible heroine. Vasilisa has grown up at the edge of a Russian wilderness, where snowdrifts reach the eaves of her family’s wooden house and there is truth in the fairy tales told around the fire. Vasilisa’s gift for seeing what others do not won her the attention of Morozko—Frost, the winter demon from the stories—and together they saved her people from destruction. However, Frost’s aid comes at a cost, and her people have condemned her as a witch.

Now Vasilisa faces an impossible choice. Driven from her home by frightened villagers, the only options left for her are marriage or the convent. She cannot bring herself to accept either fate and instead chooses adventure, dressing herself as a boy and setting off astride her magnificent stallion Solovey.

After Vasilisa prevails in a skirmish with bandits, everything changes. The Grand Prince of Moscow anoints her a hero for her exploits, and she is reunited with her beloved sister and brother, who are now part of the Grand Prince’s inner circle. She dares not reveal to the court that she is a girl, for if her deception were discovered it would have terrible consequences for herself and her family. Before she can untangle herself from Moscow’s intrigues—and as Frost provides counsel that may or may not be trustworthy—she will also confront an even graver threat lying in wait for all of Moscow itself. 

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The Edge of Seventeen

Nadine Franklin is an awkward 17-year-old who believes she has it worse than everyone. Her best friend Krista is the only human Nadine socializes with. The one person she goes to with all her problems is her teacher, Mr. Bruner. Nadine’s all time crush, Nick, hasn’t even spared her a glance, and her perfect brother Darian gets all of their mother’s attention. When Nadine finds out Krista and Darian have been seeing each other behind her back, Nadine feels neglected by her best friend. She replaces her with Erwin, a classmate, the one person who would listen to her rant endlessly. Little does Nadine know, Erwin has a huge crush on her but Nadine being so is oblivious towards his feelings, and doesn’t treat him with importance. One day, Nadine gets in contact with Nick and goes out with him, but comes home disappointed with his arrogant behavior. Nadine must learn what is really important in a friendship to save the ones that matter most.

The Edge of Seventeen is unique, funny and relatable in every way. The main character Nadine goes through numerous relatable situations that you will feel as if you’re playing Nadine’s part yourself. I would recommend this movie to everyone in high school though mostly to people who don’t step out of their comfort zone just like Nadine. There isn’t a moment in this movie that doesn’t seem true, this movie would definitely be my number one choice for a movie marathon. – Abrish Z.

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Maud

Melanie J. Fishbane

 

For the first time ever, a young novel about the teen years of L.M. Montgomery, the author who brought us ANNE OF GREEN GABLES.

Fourteen-year-old Lucy Maud Montgomery — Maud to her friends — has a dream: to go to college and become a writer, just like her idol, Louisa May Alcott. But living with her grandparents on Prince Edward Island, she worries that this dream will never come true. Her grandfather has strong opinions about a woman’s place in the world, and they do not include spending good money on college. Luckily, she has a teacher to believe in her, and good friends to support her, including Nate, the Baptist minister’s stepson and the smartest boy in the class. If only he weren’t a Baptist; her Presbyterian grandparents would never approve. Then again, Maud isn’t sure she wants to settle down with a boy — her dreams of being a writer are much more important. But life changes for Maud when she goes out West to live with her father and his new wife and daughter. Her new home offers her another chance at love, as well as attending school, but tensions increase as Maud discovers her stepmother’s plans for her, which threaten Maud’s future — and her happiness forever.

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