The Darkest Evening by William Durbin

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In the early 1930s, Russian recruiters visited Finnish-American communities all across the northern United States and Canada and convinced some 6,000 North American Finns to migrate to the province of Karelia, Russia. Motivated by political idealism, the spirit of adventure, and the promise of full employment and free education, the Finns willingly sold their possessions and boarded ships for Russia. This novel tells the story of one family who set out on that bold journey. Jake Maki's life is turned upside down when his dad decides to move their family to the Soviet Union. His father thinks that they will be living in a worker's paradise, but when they arrive, they find only disappointment and danger.

Heat by Mike Lupica

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Papi was the first to tell Michael Arroyo he had the arm.  He once knocked out a thief throwing a baseball from the pitcher’s mound to dead center field.  He and Papi dreamed about going to the Little League World series, shown on ESPN, the worldwide leader in sports.  Michael is so close to his dream now. He just needs to get his team through the district finals, but there is a problem.  Michael is good – too good.  Rival coaches and players can’t believe a boy could be this good and only be twelve years old.  They ask to see his birth certificate, but it’s back in Cuba, Michael’s homeland.  If the people from social services find out his secret, he’ll be separated from the only family he knows, his older brother Carlos.

Surviving Bear Island by Paul Greci

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“You never know, son, but in case something happens and you get into a pinch, it doesn’t hurt to be prepared.  It’s unlikely, but in case we find ourselves separated from each other or from our gear, at least you’ll have something.”  This is what Tom’s dad says as he gives him a survival kit.  Tom groans and complains, but shoves it into his pocket anyway.  Little does he know that it’ll be his saving grace after he and his father are in a kayak accident and Tom is stranded on Bear Island, in the remote Alaskan wilderness, alone.

The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin

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When Suzy’s best friend dies unexpectedly, she is struck speechless.  There aren’t any words to make your best friend alive again.  The only thing Suzy thinks she can do is to make things better is to prove that Franny’s death didn’t happen for no reason.  To prove that there’s an actual villain in her death.  Even if it means traveling the world alone.

Popular by Maya Van Wagenen

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Where would you turn if you decided you wanted to become popular?  To teen movies?  To popular friends?  To a 1950s guide to teenage popularity?  No? That’s what Maya did.  She picked up Betty Cornell’s Teenage Popularity Guide and decided to give Betty’s advice a whirl for a year and see if it would take her from the bottom of the social ladder all the way to the top.

The Living by Matt de la Pena

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Shy's summer job involves being on a cruise ship for four different eight day voyages. Trust me, it sounds much more glamorous than it really is. Shy hands out towels and water bottles to rich cruise passengers. He's making good money and the work is not too hard, but one night everything changes. He tries to prevent a passenger from jumping over the side of the ship, but fails. That night starts to haunt his dreams and life on the ship doesn't improve much, especially since he knows that someone is following him.

Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon

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Have you heard of the boy in the bubble?  The boy who was allergic to everything, so allergic that he couldn’t even live outside; he had to live in a bubble where his air was filtered and he couldn’t touch anyone or anything.  Rachel has SCID - severe combined immunodeficiency - which renders her defenseless against germs. As such, she's lived in her home her entire life, breathing filtered air, seeing only her mother and her nurse, and watching the world go by through her window. Her life starts to change, however, when a new family moves in next door. As Rachel watches them out her window, she becomes increasingly curious about Olly. He notices her watching and they start up an online friendship.  Even though Rachel knows Olly’s secrets from spying on his family, she isn’t sure if she wants to tell him her secret.  

Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

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There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve.  Either you are his true love, or you killed him.  For Blue Sargent, that could be one in the same.  As long as Blue can remember, she has been warned that she will cause her true love to die.  But the boy she sees on the Corpse Road on St. Mark’s Eve isn’t anyone she knows.  How can she be both his true love and his murderer?

Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

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Imagine you've been willed thirteen little blue envelopes from your dead aunt.  The first one has specific instructions.  And one thousand dollars cash.  Go to London.  Don't take any money.  Don't take any electronics.  Just bring a backpack and these thirteen little blue envelopes.  I'll handle the rest.  What would you do?

Final Four by Paul Volponi

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Trojans vs. Spartans.  Only one team advances.  The last time the Spartans and Trojans met for stakes this high was in the Trojan War.  One and Done Malcolm McBride wants to prove himself worthy and get into the NBA stat.  Things are not so simple for Roko.  Roko was born in Croatia and emigrated to the United States to escape war.  He just wants to famous enough to tell the world his story.  Only one team will leave the Superdome victorious.  Trojans or Spartans?

The Luxe by Anna Godbersen

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Have you ever seen My Super Sweet Sixteen?  Those girls get everything they've ever wanted.  Expensive cars, expensive clothes, expensive celebrites to entertain them, expensive everything.  And ponies too.  The Luxe is My Super Sweet Sixteen of the 1890s.  Elizabeth Holland rules Manhattan's social scene, but when Elizabeth dies suddenly, everyone starts to wonder whether life at the top was too much for her.  Maybe someone wanted to see Manhattan's most celebrated daughter disappear.  Scandal, luxury, deception and intrigue are front in center in this title.  

Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry

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If you lived through First Night, you might collect trading cards.  No, not baseball or football cards.  Cards like this.  Cards with bounty hungers and famous zoms.

Maybe I should back up a bit.  First Night was when the dead rose up.  Zombies took over.  Fast zombies.  That was fourteen years ago.  Now humans have kept safe by living in small settlements with massive fences.  Benny Imura just turned fifteen, which means he has to get a job.  He could be an erosion artist, a spotter, a carpet coat seller, or a fence tester.  Too bad he isn't good at any of those things.  The only thing he can do is join the family business. Zombie hunting.

Winger by Andrew Smith

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Ryan Dean West does not have it all. He doesn’t have a single room at boarding school. He doesn’t have a girlfriend. And he does not have the three years that would make him the same age as his classmates. What he does have is junior status at 14, the biggest bully on the rugby team for a roommate, and a huge crush on his best friend Annie. His rugby buddies and Annie can help him through this year, right?

Swagger by Carl Deuker

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Jonas is on top of his game – with the help of a charismatic new coach, he is all set to go play college ball at the school of his choice.  But when something unthinkable happens, Jonas is faced with two choices – either turn a blind eye to what he knows is going on and get everything he’s ever wanted, or confront the problem at hand and lose a chance at his dreams.

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The Roar by Emma Clayton

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For fans of Divergent, The Hunger Games, and Ender’s Game.  How many of you had pets?  Or know someone with pets?  Imagine what you would do if one day all of the animals on Earth went insane and started attacking humans?  Your dog, your cat, your rabbit.  In The Roar, the people pack up and pack in, everyone has to move into the top third of the planet, the only place surrounded by a wall the keeps the animals out and the people in.  Mika and Ellie were part of the first generation born behind the wall.  As twins, they had a deep connection.  So when a policeman came to tell Mika that Ellie is dead, he knows that it’s a lie.  He will do everything to find his sister.  Luckily she is already doing the same.