The Young Adult books our staff loved best this year include graphic novels, fantasy, and coming of age novels. See other Staff Picks for 2019 here.
The Adventure Zone: Murder on the Rockport Limited by Clint McElroy (Graphic Novel)
The Adventure Zone is a bright and colorful world of Dungeons and Dragons brought to life, following three unlikely friends and the even more unlikely cast of characters they meet as they (attempt to) complete their quest, with a few choice comments from Griffin– your dungeon master, your best friend. If you’re looking for some off-the-rails fun, this book is for you. – Olivia W., Customer Service Associate, Levittown Branch
Call Down the Hawk by Maggie Stiefvater
Featuring doppelgangers, art forgery, the mortifying ordeal of being known, and the occasional floating cow, this book is a curiosity and a catastrophe, just like its protagonist, and that’s what makes it so entirely enjoyable. While this is a spin-off of her previous The Raven Cycle series, this book stands firm on its own and promises the following series will be an adventure worth waiting for. – Olivia W., Customer Service Associate, Levittown Branch
Come Find Me by Megan Miranda (Mystery, Thriller, Sci-Fi)
Two teens who have undergone family tragedies become connected in an unexpected way by a mysterious signal. Told in alternating perspectives, their stories intertwine, and together they uncover the truths about the uncanny events of their past in this edge-of-your seat Sci-Fi mystery. – Kathleen L., Librarian, Collection Management Department
A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer (Fantasy)
A new take on old fairy tale! Harper’s life has been anything but easy. Her father is gone, her mother is dying, and Harper herself has cerebral palsy. Ripped from her modern day life to the Kingdom of Emberfall to help break the curse of man who turns into a vicious beast, she doesn’t know what to believe. Is there a curse? Is the prince actually a kind-hearted young man or vicious beast? But as she spends more time in this enchanted land, she realizes powerful forces stand against Prince Rhen and his kingdom, and it will take more than a broken curse to save them all. – Holly A., Director, Collection Management Department
The Grace Year by Kim Liggett
With a mixture of the “Handmaid’s Tale” and “Lord of the Flies,” this book is great for anyone looking for a spooky read. In their sixteenth year, girls are sent away to a remote island to lose their magic but not all of them make it back alive. This book has you questioning who to trust and what really lies in the dark. – Ashleigh H., Customer Service Associate, Bensalem Branch
House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig
The twelve dancing princesses is retold in this gothic telling. Ghosts haunt this manor by the sea and Annaleigh must find out what curses her family before another one of her sisters meets their demise. Get swept away by magic and intrigue as you try to figure out the mystery that plagues Annaleigh’s family. – Ashleigh H., Customer Service Associate, Bensalem Branch
The Lost by Natasha Preston (Thriller)
This book is a psychological thriller that merges the ideas of the Saw movies with the current trend of escape rooms. Piper and her friend meet some boys at a party, who take them to an abandoned building. Little do they know that they will soon become prisoners and every room in the building holds a life or death test to overcome. Will the two girls escape this nightmare alive? – Kathleen L., Librarian, Collection Management Department
On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
A compelling story about a teenage girl fighting for her right to use her voice and also learning how she wants to use it. Angie Thomas is so great at writing families, and I love her complex but still easy to root for characters. – Katherine G., Customer Service Associate, Levittown Branch
The Rest of the Story by Sarah Dessen (Romance, Contemporary, Coming of Age)
In this coming of age drama, Emma Saylor spends a summer away from her dad, visiting her mother’s side of the family. She learns key lessons about life, love, and how family history can forever change a person. When her trip is about to end, she makes some bad decisions that prove to teach her life lessons about just how valuable her relationships are. Perfect for fans of John Green and Gayle Forman. – Kathleen L., Librarian, Collection Management Department
Teen Titans: Raven by Kami Garcia (Graphic Novel)
You may know the Teen Titan’s superhero, Raven, from the live-action television show, from several animated series, or from the original DC comic. If not, you may still enjoy this new approach to her origin story. Kami Garcia reimagines Raven as a vulnerable teen who loses her foster mother and her memory in a car accident and must start over with a new foster family, a new school, and the growing awareness that she has powers that make her different. Gabriel Picolo’s art is energetic and very different from the various animated versions of the character. He uses a blue/purple palette, which helps to establish a connection to the superhero, but he also incorporates some trendy visuals. The story is fast-paced and very different from earlier versions of the character, but it is a promising lead-in for other Teen Titans books from the publisher (the next book, Teen Titans: Beast Boy, will be published in 2020). – Mary Catherine B., Youth Services Consultant, District Services
They Called Us Enemy by George Takei (Graphic Novel)
George Takei (of Star Trek: The Original Series fame) shares his first-hand account of his years behind barbed wire as a child during Japanese internment in America and describes how this changed his relationship with his country, his family, and himself throughout his life. Any history lover (or Star Trek fan) will love this truthful and eye-opening look into Mr. Takei’s childhood. – Olivia W., Customer Service Associate, Levittown Branch
Ziggy, Stardust and Me by James Brandon
Loaded with David Bowie quotes and coming-of-age/coming-out teenage angst, this debut novelist is on my to-watch list and should be on yours too. – Brian W., Assistant Library Manager, Quakertown Branch
