Wolf by Wolf (Wolf by Wolf, #1)

Ryan Graudin

In this alternative historical novel, Germany has won World War II and divided up the world from London to Tokyo with their ally Japan. In the year 1956, the underground resistance is gaining momentum, and one of their most daring recruits is Yael - a young Jewish girl who has managed to survive both the concentration camp and extreme medical experimentation. If Yael can successfully impersonate Adele Wolf, and win the Axis Tour motorcycle race, she might get the chance to assassinate Hitler. This tense thriller skilfully combines its fascinating premise with nonstop action.

violence

Uprooted

Naomi Novik

Agnieszka never expects to be chosen as the Dragon’s companion; after all, her best friend Kasia is the beautiful and talented one. But when Agnieszka shows a gift for magic, she becomes the unwilling helpmeet of the frightening but necessary wizard. It’s only through his magic that the valley is spared from the dangerous Wood. When Kasia is taken into the Wood, the Dragon warns Agnieszka that her friend is lost forever. Stubbornly, Agnieszka refuses to accept that fate.

sexuality; violence

The Wolf Wilder

Katherine Rundell

Deep in the Russian woods, Marina and her daughter Feodora teach the pet wolves of decadent aristocrats to be wild animals again. When the cruel General Rakov invades their home, and drags Marina off to a St. Petersburg prison, Feo decides to rescue her mother. As she and the wolves make their way to St. Petersburg, Feo joins forces with Ilya (a former soldier) and Alexei (a budding revolutionary). This old-fashioned adventure story is illuminated by Gelrev Ongbico’s delicate, smoky illustrations and the atmospheric setting of pre-revolutionary Russia.

The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle, #1)

Maggie Stiefvater

Blue is the daughter of a psychic, and she is used to the world of strange, unexplainable things. She usually cannot see them herself, though. When Blue sees the ghost of an Aglionby boy on St. Mark’s Eve, it is notable for more reasons than one. All her life, Blue has been told that if she kisses her true love he will die. Is this ghost who calls himself Gansey destined to be Blue’s true love? Meanwhile, Gansey and his friends are on their quest and they need Blue’s help. The Raven King, the final novel in this beloved quartet, has just been published.

The Martian

Andy Weir

When an unexpected wind-storm causes the Ares Mission to abort, astronaut Mark Watney is abandoned on Mars – presumed dead. But the freak accident which knocks Watney out doesn’t actually manage to kill him. That’s the good news. The bad news is that Mark is alone on a planet with limited food, oxygen and water, and the next scheduled Ares Mission will not arrive in time to save him. Even if you have seen the film, this thrilling survival story is well-worth a read. The humour, resourcefulness and technological savvy of Mark Watney will appeal to even those readers who don’t usually like science fiction

strong language

Ready Player One

Ernest Cline

In the burnt-out, resource-deprived world of 2044, the only relief from grim reality is the online paradise of OASIS. When James Halliday dies, he leaves the key to his multi-billions hidden in the vast OASIS universe he created. Only the most dedicated gamer, with inside specialist knowledge of 1980s trivia, has a chance of cracking the secret code. After five years, teenager Wade Watts stumbles upon the first clue . . . now it’s game on.

Passenger (Passenger, #1)

Alexandra Bracken

Etta has trained for years to be a violinist, but on the night of her musical debut the sound of a gong destroys her concentration. When Etta falls through a wormhole of time, she finds herself on a ship in the Atlantic Ocean in the year 1776. The ship’s captain is Nicholas, a freed slave who is still indebted to the powerful Ironwood family. The Ironwoods want something that they believe Etta’s mother stole from them, and Etta and Nicholas will be forced to travel through time to find it. Fans of historical romance will be drawn into this time-traveling adventure.

Illuminae (The Illuminae Files, #1)

Arnie Kaufman

Kady Grant had just broken up with her boyfriend Ezra Mason when their world, the remote Kerenza settlement, was blasted by the BeiTech warship. They survive that disaster just to end up on different space vessels in the middle of an interstellar war. This incredibly creative sci-fi novel combines graphic elements with war games, mystery, paranoia, suspense, a post-apocalyptic virus and an operating system with a God complex.

An Ember in the Ashes

Sabaa Tahir

In the world of Martial Empire, no one is free. Laia’s family were once noted scholars; now they are reduced to slaves. When her brother is arrested for treason, Laia makes a dangerous bargain with the rebels and agrees to risk her life as a spy in the military academy. Elias is the top soldier in the academy, but he despises the brutality of the Commandant and her forces. Although their situations are different, both Laia and Elias are struggling against the extreme subjugation of an oppressive regime. The nonstop action and tension portrayed in this dystopic world, based on the Roman Empire, will appeal to both YA and adult lovers of fantasy.

violence; emotionally disturbing

A Darker Shade of Magic (A Darker Shade of Magic, #1)

V.E. Schwab

Kell is one of the last Antari – a magician, a messenger, and the adopted son of the King of Red London. But although his magic allows him to travel between the different London worlds, Kell’s obsession with collecting forbidden objects is drawing him into trouble. The safeguards between magical and non-magical worlds are breaking down. In Grey London, a thief called Delilah Bard manages to pick Kell’s pocket, and then she too is drawn into Kell’s dangerous adventure. The complex world-building and magical system have made this new series incredibly popular with fantasy fans of all ages. A Gathering of Shadows, the second book in the Shades of Magic series, has recently been published.

violence