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Today’s post continues to highlight new adult fiction books at CA Library that have teen appeal. Look for them in the New Books section!
Many of these titles were reviewed on the Adult Books 4 Teens blog, moderated by Angela Carstensen, the Upper School Librarian at Convent of the Sacred Heart in New York City, and Mark Flowers, the Young Adult Librarian at the John F. Kennedy Library in Vallejo, CA.
The Girl With All The Gifts / M. R. Carey — A groundbreaking thriller, emotionally charged and gripping from beginning to end. “A thought-provoking postapocalyptic zombie novel…[that] goes beyond genre expectations thanks to its characters… and one doozy of a twist ending.” – Adult Books 4 Teens review
‘Girl With All The Gifts’ Is A Thriller With (Sharp, Scary) Teeth by Genevieve Valentine (NPR, June 11, 2014) — “Zombies, those perpetual-motion machines of horror, are enjoying a renaissance. It’s not hard to see why; in uncertain times, zombies offer the perfect pandemic backdrop for social and political upheaval amid encroaching terror.”
Mambo In Chinatown: A Novel / Jean Kwok — From the bestselling author of Girl in Translation, a novel about a young woman torn between her family duties in Chinatown and her escape into the world of ballroom dancing. “Kwok infuses her heartwarming story with both the sensuality of dance and the optimism of a young woman coming into her own.” – Booklist review
Moth And Spark: A Novel / Anne Leonard — A prince with a quest. A commoner with mysterious powers. And dragons that demand to be freed…at any cost. “Fantasy fans who enjoy books with a hefty dose of romance… will want to give this one a try.” – Library Journal review
Mr. Mercedes: A Novel / Stephen King – In a mega-stakes, high-suspense race against time, three of the most unlikely and winning heroes Stephen King has ever created try to stop a lone killer from blowing up thousands. “Teens who are King fans will of course already be reading this one, but it could also be a good starter novel for those new to him; the plot-driven story, the references to popular culture, and a minor—but important—teenaged character will draw them in.” – Adult Books 4 Teens review
My Name Is Resolute / Nancy E. Turner — The year is 1729, and Resolute Talbot and her siblings are captured by pirates, taken from their family in Jamaica, and brought to the New World. Sold into slavery in New England and taught the trade of spinning and weaving, Resolute finds herself alone in Lexington, Massachusetts, struggling to find her way in a society that is quick to judge a young woman without a family. “Many teens will not only admire this young woman, but will become enmeshed in the history that unfolds throughout the story.” – Adult Books 4 Teens review
The Queen Of The Tearling: A Novel / Erika Johansen — An untested young princess must claim her throne, learn to become a queen, and combat a malevolent sorceress in an epic battle between light and darkness in this spectacular debut — the first novel in a trilogy. “Johansen expertly incorporates magic necklaces, political intrigue, questions of honor, well-drawn characters, and a bit of mystery into a compelling and empowering story.” – Booklist starred review
Robogenesis: A Novel / Daniel H. Wilson – In this epic sequel to Wilson’s bestseller Robopocalypse, humankind had triumphed over the machines. The modern world was largely devastated, humankind was pressed to the point of annihilation, and the earth was left in tatters…but the master artificial intelligence presence known as Archos had been killed. In Robogenesis , we see that Archos has survived. “Teens who enjoyed the first book will find the tense action, fast pace, and the imaginatively clever robot creations totally satisfying.” – Adult Books 4 Teens review
Steal The North / Heather Brittain Bergstrom — Emmy is a shy, sheltered sixteen-year-old when her mom, Kate, sends her to eastern Washington to an aunt and uncle she never knew she had. Fifteen years earlier, Kate had abandoned her sister, Beth, when she fled her painful past and their fundamentalist church. Emmy goes reluctantly, but before long she knows she has come home. “The combination of emotional power and environmental and sociopolitical commentary might remind some readers of Barbara Kingsolver.” – Library Journal review
While Beauty Slept / Elizabeth Blackwell — Historical fiction at its best; the Brothers Grimm meets The Thirteenth Tale. “I am not the sort of person about whom stories are told.” And so begins Elise Dalriss’s story. When she hears her great-granddaughter recount a minstrel’s tale about a beautiful princess asleep in a tower, it pushes open a door to the past, a door Elise has long kept locked. “This beautiful, original reinterpretation of a classic story is engrossing and often surprising. Recommended for fans of fairy tale retellings or gothic historical fiction.” – Library Journal review
The Word Exchange: A Novel / Alena Graedon — A fiendishly clever dystopian novel for the digital age, The Word Exchange is a fresh, stylized, and decidedly original debut about the dangers of technology and the power of the printed word. “Well-read bibliophiles will recognize the literary connections, especially to Lewis Carroll and Samuel Johnson. Give this to teens who don’t mind a slower novel than Max Barry’s Lexicon and who like to explore the dystopian mind games of M.T. Anderson’s Feed.” – Adult Books 4 Teens review