Biblio File

NYPL Recommends: New YA Fiction

Our Best Books for Teens committee has been busy reading and reviewing 2016 titles. Here are a few of their favorite new fiction titles. Previous lists of 2016 fiction favorites can be viewed here: Vol. 1 and Vol. 2

SCIENCE FICTION, FANTASY & MAGICAL REALISM

 

The Head of the Saint
Where Futures End
The Lie Tree

The Head of the Saint by Socorro Acioli

Set in Brazil, fourteen-year old Samuel is newly orphaned and homeless. He takes refuge in a giant hollowed out head of a St. Anthony statue. Soon afterward, he begins hearing the prayers and longings of the villagers.

Magical realism, culturally diverse, atmospheric, lyrical

Where Futures End by Parker Peevyhouse

Using an experimental structure, this sci-fi novel follows five teens on five interconnected trajectories into a future with eerily plausible consequences for society and culture.

Science fiction

The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge

In attempting to solve the mystery of her father’s murder, Faith Sunderly discovers a tree that bears fruit when you lie to it—and the fruit, when eaten, reveals a hidden secret.

Fantasy mysteries, historical fantasy, creepy, haunting, suspenseful

REALISTIC FICTION

 

Silence is Goldfish
 A Tale of Angst and Wigs
Ask Me How I Got Here

Silence is Goldfish by Annabel Pitcher

Tess discovers a family secret and elects to go mute rather than deal with it head on.

Coming of age, realistic fiction, character-driven, offbeat

Drag Teen: A Tale of Angst and Wigs by Jeffery Self

JT Barnett enters the Miss Drag Queen contest in hope of winning a scholarship that will take him away from his job at the gas station and Clearwater, Florida.

Realistic fiction, LGBTQ, character-driven

Ask Me How I Got Here by Christine Heppermann

A novel in verse written in the aftermath of an abortion.

Coming of age, novel in verse, realistic fiction, character-driven

HISTORICAL FICTION

 

Outrun the Moon
Burn Baby Burn
 Smell of Other People's Houses
The Dark Days Club

 

Outrun the Moon by Stacy Lee

Fifteen-year old Mercy Wong is living in Chinatown, San Francisco when the 1906 earthquake displaces her from her home and school and she is forced to live in a temporary encampment. 

Historical fiction, strong female

Burn Baby Burn by Meg Medina

Nora Lopez is growing up in NYC circa 1977. The city is overrun with arson, blackouts, and the Son of Sam is killing couples in cars. Nora’s family is only slightly less chaotic.

Coming of age, historical fiction, culturally diverse, character-driven, strong sense of place

The Smell of Other People’s Houses by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock

Four interconnected characters and their stories set in 1970s Alaska.

Historical fiction, multiple perspectives, culturally diverse, character-driven, lyrical

The Dark Days Club: A Lady Helen Novel by Alison Goodman

Regency London, and Lady Helen Wrexhall is on the eve of her debut when one of the family maids mysteriously disappears.  

Historical fantasy, historical romance, atmospheric

LOVE STORIES

 

Love & Gelato
A Walk in the Sun
The Unexpected Everything
When We Collided

 

Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch

Lina is spending the summer in Italy, after her mother’s death, getting to know her estranged father. When Lina is given a diary her mom kept while living in Italy, the trip turns into a mystery with a splash of romance.

Realistic fiction, character-driven, romantic

A Walk in the Sun by Michelle Zink

Rose Darrow reluctantly moves to the family farm to help out after a family tragedy, but she didn’t anticipate the cowboy she might meet…

Contemporary romance, strong female

The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson

Andie has definite plans for her future that include a top-tier medical school and do not include her father. When things go awry, she must learn to live with the loss of control.

Realistic fiction, character-driven, romantic

When We Collided by Emery Lord

Jonah is in mourning over the loss of their father when the irresistible Vivi moves in next door. Things take a turn from manic to dangerous and Jonah and Vivi’s relationship is put to the test.

Realistic fiction, love stories, ability-diverse, character-driven

Summer Days and Summer Nights: Twelve Love Stories by Stephanie Perkins

An anthology of summer love stories by twelve YA authors.

Love stories, essays, short stories

MYSTERY

 

With Malice

With Malice by Eileen Cook

The last thing Jill remembers is being on her senior trip in Italy, when she wakes up in the hospital back in the US and six weeks later. This is an addicting psychological thriller that will keep you guessing to the end.

Mystery

 

 

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Staff picks are chosen by NYPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We'd love to hear your ideas too, so leave a comment and tell us what you’d recommend. And check out our Staff Picks browse tool for more recommendations!