Graceling (Graceling Realm, #1)

Kristin Cashore

Lady Katsa is the best fighter in the realm – and the tool of her uncle, a cruel and corrupt king. Graced by extraordinary skills, Katsa rejects her role of royal thug and dedicates her protection to a vulnerable young princess instead. This original fantasy, the first in a trilogy, will be particularly appreciated by readers seeking strong female characters. Author Kristin Cashore skilfully blends romance and adventure in this emotionally satisfying novel.

violence; sexuality

The Girl with All the Gifts

M.R. Carey

Melanie is the smartest girl in the class, but she doesn’t understand why she and her fellow students are kept locked in their wheelchairs all the time. She doesn’t know why they never go out into the world they read about in books. Dr. Caldwell sees Melanie as the key to saving what is left of a ruined world, but she expects to find her truths on an operating table – and Melanie has other ideas. This postapocalyptic thriller was written for adults, but mature teen readers will find it an exciting, engrossing read.

violence; emotionally disturbing

The Diviners (The Diviners, #1)

Libba Bray

It’s the ‘Roaring Twenties’ and Evie O’Neill can’t wait to trade her small Ohio hometown for the bright lights of New York City. People tend to write off Evie as a flighty party girl, but she is tormented by bad dreams and a big secret. When a rash of occult murders strike the city, Evie is persuaded to use her powers as a seer to track down the killer. Author Libba Bray draws upon some disturbing and fascinating aspects of American history to create this richly detailed supernatural fantasy.

The Maze Runner (Maze Runner, #1)

James Dashner

In this dystopic thriller, Thomas awakens in a metal lift to discover that his memory has been erased. His new home is the Glade, a community populated and governed by teenage boys. None of them know how they got there, or who sent them, but those answers seem to be bound up with a dangerous Maze. Tomas is determined to solve the mystery of the Maze and quickly emerges as a controversial leader. But when a strangely familiar girl emerges from the lift, Tom suspects that he may have been here before. The first in a popular series, The Maze Runner is also a major a feature film.

violence; emotionally disturbing

Rooftoppers

Katherine Rundell

Twelve year old Sophie is perfectly happy living with her eccentric guardian Charles, but the National Childcare Agency feels otherwise. When they threaten to remove Sophie to an orphanage, she must prove her own long-held belief – that she isn’t an orphan after all. Aided by Matteo, a boy who lives on the roof tops of Paris, Sophie embarks on a quest to find her missing mother. This recently published novel reads like a classic. It will definitely appeal to younger teens who appreciate old-fashioned charm and whimsy.

iBoy

Kevin Brooks

Sixteen year old Tom Harvey nearly dies when an iPhone, thrown from a tower block, pierces his brain. He emerges from his coma to discover that his brain has been rewired – with unlimited information, surveillance ability and electrical power at his command. Tom, a super-hero for the digital age, will use his new powers to seek justice in a community plagued by drugs, guns and violence. Author Kevin Brooks is a well-known writer of mature YA fiction, and this inventive blend of fantasy and gritty realism will appeal to readers beyond his fan base.

strong language; violence; drugs/alcohol

Echo Boy

Matt Haig

In this futuristic version of the UK, the robots have grown so life-like that they are nearly indistinguishable from the humans. When Audrey’s Castle’s parents are killed by their household Echo, she suspects foul play – but whose? Is the technology or its creator to blame? Audrey doesn’t know who to trust: her powerful uncle or the mysterious Echo boy who keeps coming to her aid. This unique love story is a psychological thriller that raises some topical questions about our increasing reliance on technology and what really makes us human.

After Tomorrow

Gillian Cross

Matt and his little brother become asylum seekers in France after life in the UK becomes unbearable. Life in a refugee camp requires a new set of survival skills.

Banished (The Blackheart Legacy, #1)

Liz De Jager

This debut novel will delight readers who prefer strong female protagonists as their action heroes. In this fast-paced story, the action kicks off with the heroine rescuing the fae prince – not the other way around. Author Liz De Jager takes the traditional elements of epic fantasy and gives them a modern, female-powered twist.

A Discovery of Witches (All Souls Trilogy, #1)

Deborah Harkness

This best-selling adult novel has been described as ‘Twilight’ for the thinking reader, but really it is so much more than a paranormal romance. When Diana Bishop discovers an enchanted manuscript in the Bodleian Library all sorts of creatures start coming out of the woodwork – including Matthew Clairmont, fellow Oxford academic and vampire. The enchanted book of origins seems to hold the key to all sorts of mysteries, including the brutal deaths of Diana’s parents and the nature of her own strange magic. Packed with references to history, literature and genetics, this compelling novel will appeal to readers who want some intellectual substance with their fantasy.

violence; sexuality