summer reading

Scythe by Neil Shusterman
In the futuristic dystopian world of Scythe, humanity has conquered death and disease, but a new form of death is introduced through Scythes, who are tasked with gleaning (killing) people to control the population. Two teens, Citra and Rowan, become apprentices to Scythe Faraday, initially resisting the idea of being a Scythe, but eventually finding the more idealistic aspects of the work rewarding. However, their training is disrupted by the corrupt Scythe Goddard, who abuses his power and forces them into a competition for the position of apprentice. 

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
When a plane crash strands thirteen teen beauty contestants on a mysterious island, they struggle to survive, to get along with one another, to combat the island's other diabolical occupants, and to learn their dance numbers in case they are rescued in time for the competition. 

 
Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley
Daunis Fontaine, a Native Ojibwe teenager, as she navigates her identity between her Ojibwe and white heritage. When a shocking murder thrusts her into an FBI investigation into a new drug affecting her community, Daunis reluctantly agrees to go undercover, drawing on her knowledge of Ojibwe traditional medicine and chemistry to track down the source.  

Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy

Willowdean "Dumplin'" Dixon, a confident and self-proclaimed "fat girl," decides to enter her town's beauty pageant to challenge beauty standards.Initially, she embraces her size and is comfortable in her own skin, but her relationship with a new crush, Bo Larson, makes her question her self-assurance and her place in the world. She uses the pageant as a means to reclaim her confidence and demonstrate that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes.  

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Linh Cinder, a 16-year-old cyborg mechanic is ostracized by her stepmother and stepsisters. Cinder's life changes when she meets Prince Kai, the heir to the throne, and becomes entangled in a plague outbreak and the conflict between Earth and the Lunars, a race of highly-evolved humans living on the moon.  

The Lake by Natasha Preston
Esme and Kayla, childhood friends, return to Camp Pine Lake as counselors-in-training. A decade prior, a terrible incident occurred at camp, and they've kept it a secret. As they enjoy the summer, a series of threatening messages resurface, forcing them to confront the past and the possibility of someone wanting to make them pay for what they did.   

All Your Twisted Secrets by Diana Urban
In this locked-room thriller, a group of teenagers are invited to a scholarship dinner and find themselves trapped in a room with a bomb, a poison syringe, and a note demanding they kill one of their group within an hour to avoid the bomb detonating.

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
Two teenage sisters, Yahaira in New York City and Camino in the Dominican Republic, lives are irrevocably changed when their father dies in a plane crash. Separated by distance and secrets, the girls must grapple with their grief, the unexpected death of their father, and the discovery of their shared heritage.  

I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys

Cristian Florescu, a young Romanian boy living under the communist regime of Nicolae Ceaușescu in 1989. Blackmailed into becoming an informant for the secret police, he must choose between betraying everyone he loves or using his position to undermine the regime and fight for freedom.  

 
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
Vianne, the older sister, is a married schoolteacher raising her daughter in a small French town. She struggles to protect her family during the Nazi occupation, facing the challenges of scarcity, fear, and the presence of a Nazi soldier in her home. Isabelle, the younger sister, defies expectations and joins the resistance, risking her life to help stranded allied airmen escape across the Pyrenees. Both sisters, despite their differences, demonstrate courage and resilience as they navigate the horrors of war and make sacrifices to protect their loved ones and their country.   

Where the Crawdad Sings by Delia Owens
When a man is found dead, a woman who lives by herself in the dangerous marshlands of North Carolina becomes the main suspect. As the case unfolds, the verdict as to what happened becomes increasingly unclear, threatening to reveal many secrets.