Yang, Gene Luen. American Born Chinese. New York: First Second, (2006).
ISBN: 978-1596431522, e-book, $5.72.
America is known as a melting pot of cultures, yet there are still ruling stereotypes that keep ethnic cultures from feeling like they truly belong. American Born Chinese is the story of three characters who find themselves trying to eradicate those stereotypes from their lives while realizing they must still keep a hint of who they are as they try to assimilate.
Dashner, James. The Maze Runner. New York: Random House, (2009).
ISBN: 978-0385737951, Paperback, $9.99.
What if you found yourself in a strange place, not knowing your name or anything about your past? That’s what happened to Thomas. He woke up in an elevator, and when the doors opened he was greeted by a group of boys his age in the middle of a giant maze. These boys had already been searching for a way out, sending out the strongest to run the maze, but were unable to find an exit. Picking up clues and encountering vicious monsters, Thomas and the boys’ search becomes more frantic as they try to find out why they are in the maze, who they were before they got there, and what has happened to the rest of the world. Will they find there way through? Will the monsters that guard the maze catch them? What if you woke up one day and found yourself as the next Maze Runner?
Scott Card, Orson. Ender’s Game. New York: Tor Books, 1994. Print.
ISBN: 978-0812-55070-2. Paperback: $6.99
Isayama, Hajime. Attack on Titan, Vol.1. New York: Kodansha Comica, (2012).
ISBN: 978-1-61262-024-4, Paperback, $9.99.
For years, humanity has been living surrounded by walls to protect themselves from the monsters on the other side. During this time, soldiers have risked their lives going beyond the walls to learn how these monsters, these Titans, can be fought and eradicated so their people truly feel safe.
Despite their efforts, their home is ravaged, seemingly in seconds, and their hard work has gone in vain. Now, their friends and family are dying left and right; their homes in shambles.
Cabot, Meg. Victoria and the Rogue. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2003. Print.
ISBN: 978-0060753214, Paperback: $8.99
Sixteen and rich, Victoria gets sent to England in search of a husband. Along the way she meets Lord Malfrey and the two become engaged before she even sets foot on English soil. Unfortunately, the horrendous, albeit handsome, Captain Carstairs keeps interfering in Victoria’s matters. As annoying as she finds him, Victoria soon finds all is not as it seems…
“There were any of the other numerous gentleman with whom she’d become acquainted since arriving in London.
But Victoria had thought of one name and one name only when she’d determined that a gentleman must be sent for, and that name had been Jacob Carstairs.
And that was, purely and solely, because he was the only person Victoria knew who could be counted upon to keep his mouth shut about Lord Malfrey…”
During her stay, Victoria goes about helping others but soon finds that she must focus on herself if she is to make the right decision in who she is to wed.
Souljah, Sister. The Coldest Winter Ever. New York: Pocket Books, 1999. Print.
ISBN: 978-1416521693. Paperback, $7.99
Ghetto-born and bred, Winter’s family finally now lives on the wealthy side, what with her kingpin dad and all. Access to all the money and luxuries she could ever hope for, Winter develops a spoiled, privileged look on life and unhealthily uses it to her advantage.
“Now I realized that me and him were just alike. We were both born to win. And, when we were not winning, it was OK ‘cause we were busy planning to win.”
Unfortunately, what Winter must learn is that too much time on top doesn’t prepare you for the trip to rock bottom.
Riggs, Ransom. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. Philadelphia: Quirk Books, 2011. Print.
ISBN: 978-1594746031; Paperback: $9.99
What if you encountered something that wasn’t what it seemed? When Jacob’s grandfather suddenly dies, he is left with a confusing set of last words that lead him to an old World War II orphanage on a dreary-looking island in search for answers. However, everything Jacob’s grandfather ever told him about monsters, his family of orphans on the island, and sweet Miss Peregrine wasn’t exactly the truth, but it wasn’t exactly a lie either. Expecting a well-preserved orphanage and a sweet old lady to talk to, Jacob instead finds an empty, broken down house and an island of rude, unwilling civilians to ask for help. Relying on only a couple of clues, Jacob must explore the chilling remains of the orphanage for answers. What did Jacob’s grandfather mean by his last words? And what was the true story of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children?
Sáenz, Benjamin Alire. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. New York: Simon & Shuster, 2012. Print.
ISBN:978-14424-0892-0, Print. $9.99
The YA Starship 