Told in separate narratives that can be read simultaneously or separately, Replica is a unique story about two girls with very different pasts, both trying to rediscover who they are after a startling revelation.
Gemma had a sheltered life. She was always sick, in and out of hospitals and thus her parents treat her like she’s made of glass. Her life is full of schedules, rules and homework. She has never broken a rule, never skipped class and never skipped town for spring break. But after she overhears her parents arguing about something called “Haven,” she knows that it is something to do with her past. As soon as her dad leaves, Gemma sneaks out of her home and sets off to find out more about the mysterious institute, Haven.
Lyra—or number 24 as she is known at Haven—has always known a life of procedures, experiments and unhappiness and doesn’t know what life is like on the mainland besides what she sees from the nurses’ or doctors’ scraps of magazines. When Haven is blown up by a suicide bomber, Lyra is thrown out into a world she knows nothing about. She runs into Gemma and together, they make it their mission to discover the secrets of Haven…and survive from the men trying to kill them.
Oliver’s dual narrative is a suspenseful read that proves there are two sides to every story.
Tumbling follows the perspectives of multiple elite gymnasts through the two-day period of the Olympic trials. It is a great read for gymnastics lovers and it is perfect timing for the upcoming Olympics!
(Isabella, Evanston Teen)
Nina Barrows is your typical high school senior getting ready for college, suffering from sleep deprivation and tracking a dangerous killer named The Thief. Nina fervently follows the Thief’s every move, she knows how and who he hunts and it is driving her crazy. After countless sleepless nights, Nina decides that it is time for her to end the killing by killing the Thief. She and her, skeptical and concerned friend, Warren follows the Thief’s trail and they find themselves face to face with Dylan Shadwell who appears to be nothing more than a loving son, father and boyfriend but who is Dylan really? Does the Thief really exist or is he just a figment of Nina’s wild imagination? This roller coaster ride filled with twists and turns entitled “The Killer In me” will leave you guessing and completely in awe of what will happen next. Will Nina and Warren be the Thief’s next victim or will the Thief be theirs?
Killer Instinct, sequel to The Naturals, was almost as thrilling as its precursor. A killer is on the loose with the same MO as Dean’s father, sending him spiraling into dark memories. The Naturals, operating outside the knowledge and rules of their supervisors, again set out trying to solve an active case. Full of twists and turns, half-truths and mind games, betrayals and new knowledge, Killer Instinct will have you questioning everything you know about the killer, the mastermind, and characters both old and new. A real page turner that I couldn’t put down! Recombined for anyone who likes mysteries and thrillers.
(Kelly, Evanston Teen)
This is not your mother’s Jem. Go ahead. Ask her. This Jem is different. Maybe nostalgia is what got this series off the ground, but, it is certainly not what is keeping it coming month after month. Jem and the Holograms follows a band of young women who are carving out a place for themselves in the world. They are doing it all: striving for a successful career, eating dessert first, and navigating it all with the help of a super-advanced AI that can generate fully life-like holographic images. Their story is our story! This is such a refreshing and empowering read (I mean the diversification of the cast from what it was? Throw away the receipt, I’m buying that), and the art is as vibrant and alive as the story. Do yourself a favor and pick this one up ASAP.
Follow Jem and the Holograms here:
Volume One: Showtime
Volume Two: Viral
Volume Three: Dark Jem
Divergent is one of those books that constantly keeps you on the edge of your seat, with action and adventure on every page. The dystopian setting helps set the mood, as the characters travel through Chicago. This book just keeps you wanting to read on, from start to end. I can honestly say that this book is one of the best books I’ve read. i also think that this book is the best of it’s series.
(Sophie, Evanston Teen)
Take Star Wars, Star Trek and The Walking Dead and mush them together and you have something close to the awesomeness that is Illuminae. Illuminae is a great read, but it a seriously excellent listen- I HIGHLY recommend the audio version. A bit of the story – it’s the many years in the future and the mining colony that Kady and Ezra live in is attacked by a rival company. Not only do does the rival company blow the colony to smithereens, but they unleash a bioweapon. Survivors from the attack are rescued, but Kady and Ezra find themselves on two different ships and they also find that things aren’t as peachy as some of the ship captains are trying to make it seem. There’s the Artificial Intelligence, AIDAN, who’s supposed to protect the fleet, but has gone a little mad and then there’s that bio weapon that was used on some of the rescued civilians. Illuminae is an epic piece of sci-fi filled with heart wrenching action, drama and lots of humor, plus it’s written in short IM conversations, journal entries, interviews and reports from investigating officers and AIDEN. Instead of sitting down to watch a movie, pick up or download this book instead for a great escape and make sure to check out the just released Gemina too.
(Renee, the Loft)
I am just going to have to get this off my chest now – I love this book. It may not be the perfect match for every reader but it was the perfect match for me.
This book follows Tretch a gay high school student as he navigates his life while being deeply in love with his straight best friend. The writing in this book is rich and complex the author was able to capture deep, complex emotions in a clear and beautiful way. One of my favorite quotes from the novel:
“That’s when he [Matt] slid his right hand along the edge of his seat, found mine, and squeezed. It sent this gentle buzzing feeling right up the back of my neck, and with it not a complete thought yet, but the essence of a thought, the kind that gets lost between bigger, louder thoughts. The kind of thought that’s barely louder than the feeling itself”
Beautiful, right? The whole book is like this, too. It’s a nuanced and thoughtful exploration of what it’s like to grow up gay and how to navigate feelings of love for your straight friends. It rings so profoundly truthful that I’d challenge any reader, gay or not, to not find kernels of themselves in Tretch.
With all of this being said, this novel isn’t quite a page turner. The plot takes time, and there are no big dramatic events or world-ending apocalypses so if that’s not your style it’d be wise to avoid this one. However if you are into thoughtful explorations of life and deep immersion into the thoughts and emotions of these characters then this is the book for you!
Lou Brown has been training for the Olympics her whole life. On the day of the Olympic trials, Lou swims what she assumes is one of her best times. But as she pulls herself up from the water and looks around, she is met with silence and awkward stares. Turns out Lou finished dead last, lengths behind everyone else and her best friend, Hannah, is headed to Olympic Trails camp without her.
Since the only thing Lou ever focused on was swimming, Lou is left aimless, friendless and wondering why she didn’t pay more attention in school. Though she doesn’t have the Olympics to look forward to anymore, Lou continues to swim at her local pool amidst jeers and snarky comments from her old teammates. One day she finds herself alone and begins sinking to the bottom of the pool where she dances a bit before resurfacing. When she does, she finds herself face-to-face with three of the most popular (and cute) boys from school.
Turns out the boys had just tried out for Britian’s Got Talent but didn’t make it past the crazy long audition line. They’d decide to spice up their break-dance routine with something more interesting and employ Lou’s underwater synchronized dancing as the thing to get them into the finals of the talent show. Lou hesitantly agrees and begins climbing the social ladder at school as she trains the boys in a sport she invented.
Nat Luurtsema’s Goldfish is a book about failure. We follow Lou through hilarious (and sometimes bittersweet) moments of honest defeat and watch as she struggles to find her way. Sometimes it’s okay to fail and fail again. We’re all human and the only way to learn is by trying new things.
Ransom Riggs created a phenomenal book, where the story fits beautifully around a collection of pictures. Pay close attention to details in the beginning, because everything gets revealed into a wild but wonderful ending! It will keep you wanting more in the end!
(Parker, Evanston Teen)
