The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost-Kiss

The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost-Kiss
Author: Amy Noelle Parks
Publisher: Abrams
Total Pages: 368
Release: 2021-01-05
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 1683357159

Now in paperback, a heartfelt YA rom-com about smart girls, love-struck boys, and quantum theory Seventeen-year-old Evie Beckham has never been interested in dating. She’s fully occupied by her love of math and her frequent battles with anxiety. Besides, she’s always found the idea of kissing to be kind of weird and pretty unsanitary, when you think about it. But with the help of her therapist and her support system, she’s feeling braver. Maybe even brave enough to enter a prestigious physics competition or to say yes to the new boy who’s been flirting with her. Evie’s best friend, Caleb, has always been a little in love with Evie, and though he knows she isn’t ready for romance, he hopes that when she is, she’ll choose him. So Caleb is horrified when he is forced to witness Evie’s meet-cute with a floppy-haired, mathematically gifted transfer student. In desperation, Caleb decides to use an online forum to capture Evie’s interest. When it goes better than he could’ve wished for, he wonders if it’s possible to be jealous of himself. And Evie wonders how she went from eschewing romance to having to choose between two—or is it three?—boys.

Summer of Brave

Summer of Brave
Author: Amy Noelle Parks
Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
Total Pages: 202
Release: 2021-03-01
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0807576611

Kirkus Best Middle-Grade Family Stories of 2021 School Library Journal Best Middle Grade Books 2021 The Best Children's Books of the Year 2022, Bank Street College STARRED REVIEW! "With compassion, wry humor, and pinpoint accuracy, Parks weaves the multiple challenges facing adolescent girls into a compelling, seamless narrative. Timely, insightful, and highly recommended."—Kirkus Reviews starred review STARRED REVIEW! "A first purchase for middle grade collections as well as book clubs for this age range."—School Library Journal starred review A heartfelt coming-of-age story set in the time of academic pressure, divorce, and the #MeToo movement. Twelve-year-old Lilla Baxter-Willoughby doesn't lie. She's just a little bit...selective. So when Vivi dares Lilla to start telling the truth as part of their Summer of Brave, Lilla hesitates. Because if she says out loud what she really wants, her whole life might crash down around her. And she doesn't need that. Except maybe she does.

Lia and Beckett's Abracadabra

Lia and Beckett's Abracadabra
Author: Amy Noelle Parks
Publisher: Abrams
Total Pages: 275
Release: 2022-07-05
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 164700246X

A star-crossed YA rom-com that has the charm of Love and Gelato and the magic of Now You See Me Seventeen-year-old Lia Sawyer is thrilled to get a mysterious invitation from her grandmother to compete in a stage magic contest––even though her parents object. But she’s going to be judged by a bunch of old-school magicians who think that because she’s a girl, her only magical talents lie in wearing sparkly dresses, providing distractions, and getting sawed, crushed, or stretched. And Lia can’t ask her grandmother for help because she’s disappeared, leaving behind only her best magic tricks, a few obscure clues, and an order to stay away from Blackwell boys, the latest generation of a rival magic family. Lia totally plans to follow her grandmother’s rule––until the cute boy she meets on the beach turns out to be Beckett Blackwell, son of the biggest old guard magical family there is. Witty and romantic, Lia and Beckett’s Abracadabra is a YA rom-com with a magical twist!

Girls with Razor Hearts

Girls with Razor Hearts
Author: Suzanne Young
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Total Pages: 400
Release: 2020-03-17
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 1534426167

It’s time to fight back in this second novel in a thrilling, subversive near future series from New York Times bestselling author Suzanne Young about a girls-only private high school that is far more than it appears to be. Make me a girl with a razor heart… It’s been weeks since Mena and the other girls of Innovations Academy escaped their elite boarding school. Although traumatized by the violence and experimentations that occurred there, Mena quickly discovers that the outside world can be just as unwelcoming and cruel. With no one else to turn to, the girls only have each other—and the revenge-fueled desire to shut down the corporation that imprisoned them. The girls enroll in Ridgeview Prep, a private school with suspect connections to Innovations, to identify the son of an investor and take down the corporation from the inside. But with pressure from Leandra, who revealed herself to be a double-agent, and Winston Weeks, an academy investor gone rogue, Mena wonders if she and her friends are simply trading one form of control for another. Not to mention the woman who is quite literally invading Mena’s thoughts—a woman with extreme ideas that both frighten and intrigue Mena. And as the girls fight for freedom from their past—and freedom for the girls still at Innovations—they must also face new questions about their existence…and what it means to be girls with razor hearts.

All These Monsters

All These Monsters
Author: Amy Tintera
Publisher: HarperCollins
Total Pages: 463
Release: 2020-07-07
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 0358011701

From New York Times best-selling author Amy Tintera, a high-stakes sci-fi adventure about a teen girl who will do anything to escape her troubled home—even if that means joining a dangerous monster-fighting squad. Perfect for fans of Warcross and Renegades. Seventeen-year-old Clara is ready to fight back. Fight back against her abusive father, fight back against the only life she’s ever known, and most of all, fight back against scrabs, the earth-dwelling monsters that are currently ravaging the world. So when an opportunity arises for Clara to join an international monster-fighting squad, she jumps at the chance. When Clara starts training with her teammates, however, she realizes what fighting monsters really means: sore muscles, exhaustion, and worst of all, death. Scrabs are unpredictable, violent, and terrifying. But as Clara gains confidence in her battle skills, she starts to realize scrabs might not be the biggest evil. The true monsters are the ones you least expect.

The Heartbreak Bakery

The Heartbreak Bakery
Author: A. R. Capetta
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Total Pages: 353
Release: 2021-10-12
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 1536222372

Teenage baker Syd sends ripples of heartbreak through Austin’s queer community when a batch of post-being-dumped brownies turns out to be magical—and makes everyone who eats them break up. “What’s done is done.” Unless, of course, it was done by my brownies. Then it’s getting undone. Syd (no pronouns, please) has always dealt with big, hard-to-talk-about things by baking. Being dumped is no different, except now Syd is baking at the Proud Muffin, a queer bakery and community space in Austin. And everyone who eats Syd’s breakup brownies . . . breaks up. Even Vin and Alec, who own the Proud Muffin. And their breakup might take the bakery down with it. Being dumped is one thing; causing ripples of queer heartbreak through the community is another. But the cute bike delivery person, Harley (he or they, check the pronoun pin, it’s probably on the messenger bag), believes Syd about the magic baking. And Harley believes Syd’s magical baking can fix things, too—one recipe at a time.

The Silence Between Us

The Silence Between Us
Author: Alison Gervais
Publisher: Blink
Total Pages: 321
Release: 2019-08-13
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 0310766303

Faced with the challenges of transitioning from a Hard of Hearing School to a Hearing high school, Maya has more than a learning curve. But what if she has more to learn about herself and how far she is willing to push for what she believes in? Perfect for contemporary fiction fans, The Silence Between Us is a novel that doesn’t shy away from the real-life struggles of high school, heart break, and d/Deaf culture. Schneider Family Book Award, Best Teen Honor Book 2020 Torn from her Hard of Hearing school when her mother's job takes them across the country, Deaf teen Maya must attend a hearing school for the first time since her hearing loss. As if that wasn’t hard enough, she also has to adjust to the hearing culture, which she finds frustrating. When her new friends and classmates start pushing into Maya’s thoughts about what it means to be Deaf, it clashes with her idea of self-worth and values. Looking past graduation towards a future medical career, Maya knows nothing, not even an unexpected romance, will derail her pursuits or cause her to question her integrity. Wattpad sensation Alison Gervais writes a stunning portrayal of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing culture in this clean YA contemporary romance. Drawing from her own deaf experience and relationship with the HoH community, Gervais provides a personal interview and commentary on cochlear implants. The Silence Between Us mixes lighthearted romance with deeper social issues facing minority groups. “The Silence Between Us?is eminently un-put-down-able.” (NPR) “Gervais deftly renders both the nuanced, everyday realities of life with disability and Maya’s fierce pride in her Deafness, delivering a vibrant story that will resonate with Deaf and hearing audiences alike.” –?Booklist “A solid addition to middle/high school fiction that allows for deep discussion about stereotypes concerning disabilities.”?School Library Journal “This is a great YA contemporary (clean) romance that follows Maya as she navigates a new school and plans for her future. The addition of representation by a Deaf character was really beautifully done. Highly recommend for people looking for a sweet, engaging, and educational romantic read.” (YA and Kids Book Central)

Boltzmann's Atom

Boltzmann's Atom
Author: David Lindley
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 280
Release: 2001
Genre: Atomic theory
ISBN: 0684851865

Ludwig Boltzmann, an Austrian physicist is considered the forgotten genius who set the atomic revolution in motion. However, he was unaware his vision would lead to the greatest chain of scientific discoveries ever made. His story is presented in this combination of expert storytelling with a deep understanding of physics.

Incendiary

Incendiary
Author: Zoraida Córdova
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Total Pages: 384
Release: 2020-04-28
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 1368025331

Set in a lushly drawn world inspired by Inquisition Spain, Zoraida Córdova's fantasy is an epic tale of love and revenge perfect for fans of Sabaa Tahir and Sarah J. Maas. As a memory thief, the rarest and most feared of the magical Moria, Renata was used by the crown to carry out the King's Wrath, a siege that resulted in the deaths of thousands of her own people. Now Renata is one of the Whispers, rebel spies working against the crown. The Whispers may have rescued Renata years ago, but she cannot escape their mistrust and hatred—or the overpowering memories of the hundreds of souls she drained during her time in the palace. When Dez, the commander of her unit—and the boy she's grown to love—is taken captive by the notorious Principe Dorado, Renata must return to Andalucia and complete Dez's top secret mission herself. But as Renata grows more deeply embedded in the politics of the royal court, she uncovers a secret in her past that could change the fate of the entire kingdom—and end the war that has cost her everything.

Door of Bruises

Door of Bruises
Author: Sierra Simone
Publisher: Sierra Simone
Total Pages: 474
Release: 2020-11-30
Genre: Fiction
ISBN:

Twelve years ago, our fates were sealed with a kiss. We are all, for better or worse, doomed to love each other until death do us part. My heart belongs to Proserpina and St. Sebastian—even if he no longer wants it. Even if she has left it behind to follow him. Delphine’s fled back home, and Becket’s holy calling is in peril. And now only Rebecca and I remain at Thornchapel to face the unknown. The door is open. The door that shouldn’t exist; the door that people have died to close. I don’t feel like the lord of the manor. I don’t feel like a king or a wild god. I am a friend and a boyfriend and a brother—and a failure at being all of these things. But the door doesn’t care about my guilt. It only cares about the sacrifice I’ll make to close it. As the bruising dark of Samhain approaches, so does the fate of our circle, of Thornchapel and the village and the valley beyond it. And I must don the crown, because one thing is still true, even if I must face it alone. Here at Thornchapel, the kings must go to the door. Here at Thornchapel, all kings must die. Door of Bruises is Book Four of the Thornchapel series. Content warnings can be found at thesierrasimone.com/contentnotes