“The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly” by Stephanie Oakes, is about a 17 year old named Minnow  who has twelve years of her life taken away by a cult leader called the Prophet. After many years of seclusion in the woods  with no hands from her father cutting them off, and with no communication to the outside world, Minnow starts to realize that everything she has learned and gone through may not be what they seem. Slowly everything in her worlds starts to crumble as she escapes from the cult’s camp and ends up in a juvenile detention center for beating a boy almost to death. When she meets Angel, her roommate, she starts to see that maybe this world may not be as bad as it could be. The way Stephanie Oakes writes in this book is incredible and very descriptive so that you feel as if you are living in Minnow’s shoes. Will Minnow learn how to live outside of the cult and learn to deal with her inner demons? Or will her past get the best of her? Find out more in “The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly".

Dorothy must die, by Danielle Paige, is a new and inventive way at creating the tale of The Wizard of Oz. A girl from Kansas, named Amy Gumm, never suspected that her life would literally be swept up by a tornado and turned upside down. She also never suspected that she may be the only one to help stop the mayhem that Dorothy has caused. In a book where the wicked could be the good, and the good could be the wicked, who can you trust? All she truly knows is that she has a mission, a mission to remove the Tin Woodman’s heart, to steal the Scarecrow’s brain, to take the Lion’s courage, and then to kill Dorothy. In this exciting series by Danielle Paige, you will be sitting on the edge of your seat from the first moment you pick this book up all the way to the very last page. Will Amy complete the tasks that she must do? Or is Oz doomed to ever become a free land again? Find out in the amazing series of Dorothy must die.

Orbiting Jupiter, by Gary Schmidt, is about the story of two young boys who are complete opposites, but manage to be the ones to have each other’s backs. Jack didn’t know what to suspect when his foster brother, Joseph, came into his life. Jack only knew 3 things about him being that he almost killed a teacher, he was incarcerated at a place called Stone Mountain, and that he has a daughter named Jupiter. Jack never suspected how urgently he would want to help, or even how involved he would be in this Joseph’s life. Through the twist and turns, a bond becomes formed at how desperate Joseph is to find his daughter Jupiter. But while new bonds are formed, old wounds will reopen as you read throughout this book. While I was reading this book I couldn’t even put it down.  It is a fast read, but the way that the author creates the story into a heartbreaking and tender novel left me stunned. Will Jack and Joseph be able to find Jupiter, or will certain circumstances keep them away? Find out more in the book, Orbiting Jupiter.

Darkly Dreaming Dexter

Not your classic blood splatter analyst, Dexter Morgan is an emotionless anti-villain in the Miami Metropolitan area. He is a vigilante who is pushed to the brink when a serial killer starts to become infatuated with Dexter and his ways. Dexter is not alarmed but intrigued with how the killer executes his kills and how much the killer seems to know about Dexter. However, Dexter’s inner strength is tested when things become more personal and he is forced to make a life changing decision.

            I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a plot twisting crime fiction book. Dexter gains our respect by his slightest actions and words even if he is committing a felony. Darkly Dreaming Dexter keeps you on your toes and makes it impossible to guess what will happen next. 

This book has a very strong female role;Audie’s independence was never an option. For years she has had to provide for herself, and that means needing to make fast-cash. Selling her body to science seemed to be her best option, however the pain that comes with the gain starts to take a major toll on her body. She is willing to put herself through this physical and mental stress to not only maintain her lifestyle but to earn enough money to take her boyfriend, Dylan, on the vacation of his dreams. However, her window of time is closing due to Dylan’s terminal illness so Audie must throw herself into an overwhelming amount of test trials; in this book one will discover which overcomes the other – Audie’s love for Dylan or the wear and tear of being a test subject. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a little risk with their romance.

Saint Anything

Saint Anything, by Sarah Dessen is one of those books that you get invested in. It follows the life of a young girl named Sydney. Her brother Peyton, the outgoing one that everyone loves, starts to go on a downward spiral. One night he ends up driving drunk and hits a kid crippling him. Peyton gets sentenced to some serious jail time and still with Peyton in jail Sydney’s parents focus all their attention on him. She struggles with doing things on her own and feeling noticed. That is until she meets that Chatham family who she soon grows close with. She befriends Layla the youngest Chatham and slowly Sydney’s life begins to change. She experiences things that’s she’s never done before and starts to confide in Layla about her feelings towards her brother Peyton and her parents. As she grows closer to Layla, Sydney starts to also grow closer to Layla’s older quiet brother, Mac. Through all the ups and downs that Sydney has faced, Mac sees her, and she doesn’t feel invisible for once in her life. Through the new strong friendships that are formed, and the ones that are slowly falling apart, Saint Anything is a book that you will never want to put down.

-KT

Zeroes by Scott Westerfeld

In the book Zeroes, by Scott Westerfeld a group of six teens living in California come together and are able to do things that ordinary people should not be allowed to do, from having a voice that will say whatever you want to hear, being able to see from other people’s eyesight, being able to take down a whole system of networks, and even more. When a whirlwind of encounters start coming their way putting multiple people in danger, and also finding another person who has powers too, they need to overcome and become the team that they wished to be in the first place. The second I opened this book I was so captivated by it and could not put the book down for even a second. The way that Scott Westerfied, Margo Lanagan, and Deborah Biancotti collaborated all their unique qualities into this one book is astonishing. Will the Zeroes be able to overcome all the events that are bound to happen, or will they crash and burn from their differences? Find out what happens in, Zeroes. 

Eternal (#2) by C.C. Hunter

In the book Eternal, the second book in the Shadow Falls: After Dark series, by C.C. Hunter, Della Tsang has always felt like an outsider when it came to the human world, but that all changes when she first arrived at Shadow Falls. Now after many events have occurred, her world has taken on a whole other turn of crazy when an infuriating tall, dark, and mesmerizing vampire named Chase becomes bonded to her. What is even worse is that while she is investigating her latest case, she discovers some shocking evidence about her father’s sinister past that makes her question everything she has ever believed to be true. When I picked up the second book to this series I instantly could not put the book down just like with the last book as well. Will Della find out more about her dad’s mysterious past or will Della actually find out if she genuinely likes Chase or if it is because of their bonding? Find out what happens in, Eternal the second book in the series.