Young Adult

I Must Betray You book cover

I Must Betray You

Ruta Sepetys

OverDrive Audiobook
Historical Fiction, Young Adult

A #1 New York Times and National Bestseller!   A gut-wrenching, startling historical thriller about communist Romania and the citizen spy network that devastated a nation, from the #1 New York Times bestselling, award-winning author of Salt to the Sea and Between Shades of Gray. Romania, 1989. Communist regimes are crumbling across Europe. Seventeen-year-old Cristian Florescu dreams of becoming a writer, but Romanians aren’t free to dream; they are bound by rules and force.   Amidst the tyrannical dictatorship of Nicolae Ceaușescu in a country governed by isolation and fear, Cristian is blackmailed by the secret police to become an informer. He’s left with only two choices: betray everyone and everything he loves—or use his position to creatively undermine the most notoriously evil dictator in Eastern Europe.   Cristian risks everything to unmask the truth behind the regime, give voice to fellow Romanians, and expose to the world what is happening in his country. He eagerly joins the revolution to fight for change when the time arrives. But what is the cost of freedom?   Master storyteller Ruta Sepetys is back with a historical thriller that examines the little-known history of a nation defined by silence, pain, and the unwavering conviction of the human spirit.   Praise for I Must Betray You:   “As educational as it is thrilling...[T]he power of I Must Betray You [is] it doesn’t just describe the destabilizing effects of being spied on; it will make you experience them too.” –New York Times Book Review   “A historical heart-pounder…Ms. Sepetys, across her body of work, has become a tribune of the unsung historical moment and a humane voice of moral clarity.” –The Wall Street Journal * "Sepetys brilliantly blends a staggering amount of research with heart, craft, and insight in a way very few writers can. Compulsively readable and brilliant." –Kirkus Reviews, starred review * "Sepetys once again masterfully portrays a dark, forgotten corner of history." –Booklist, starred review   * "Sepetys’s latest book maintains the caliber readers have come to expect from an author whose focus on hidden histories has made her a YA powerhouse of historical ­fiction…Sepetys is a formidable writer, and her stories declare the need to write about global issues of social injustice. For that reason and her attention to detail, this is a must-read." –School Library Journal, starred review * "Cristian’s tense first-person narrative foregrounds stark historical realities, unflinchingly confronting deprivations and cruelty while balancing them with perseverance and hope as Romania hurtles toward political change." –Publishers Weekly, starred review   “Sepetys keeps readers riveted to this vivid, heartbreaking and compelling novel, locked into every meticulously researched detail. I Must Betray You demands a full investment from its audience—through poetic writing, sympathetic characters, revolutionary plot and pacing, it grips the heart and soul and leaves one breathless.” –Shelf Awareness, starred review "A master class in pacing and atmosphere." –BookPage  

Angie's picture

I would recommend listening to this wonderfully detailed, young adult, historical fiction novel. Edoardo Ballerini does an excellent job narrating the story and conveying the language and pronunciations. At the end is an enlightening afterword from the author., which I always appreciate getting more information about the writing of a story that deals with history. Sepetys shows us all about a little known, taught or remembered part of communism in Romania in 1989 and the fall of the regimen. All of this and more through the eyes of teenage Cristian, in historical accuracy. Cristian's story is intense, beautiful, tragic, and heartbreaking and Sepetys brings his life and fight and those during this time in Romania, out in the open. -Angie

May the best man win book cover

May the best man win

Ellor, ZR (Zabé R.), author.

YOUNG ADULT FICTION Ellor Zr
LGBTQ+, Young Adult, Romance

"Jeremy Harkiss, cheer captain and student body president, won't let coming out as a transgender boy ruin his senior year. Instead of bowing to the bigots and outdated school administration, Jeremy decides to make some noise--and how better than by challenging his all-star ex-boyfriend, Lukas for the title of Homecoming King? Lukas Rivers, football star and head of the Homecoming Committee, is just trying to find order in his life after his older brother's funeral and the loss long-term girlfriend--who turned out to be a boy. But when Jeremy threatens to break his heart and steal his crown, Lukas kick starts a plot to sabotage Jeremy's campaign. When both boys take their rivalry too far, they jeopardize the entire dance. To save Homecoming, they'll have to face the hurt they're both hiding--and the lingering butterflies they can't deny"--Provided by publisher.

Bailey's picture

This spin on the cheerleader/football player trope was so much fun to read, featuring two messy teens trying to survive senior year homecoming. I loved the autistic representation we see in Lukas and the fun antics that ensue as these two boys battle it out for homecoming king. -Bailey

The many half-lived lives of Sam Sylvester book cover

The many half-lived lives of Sam Sylvester

MacGregor, Maya, author.

YOUNG ADULT FICTION MacGregor, Maya
LGBTQ+, Young Adult, Thriller, Suspense

An autistic nonbinary eighteen-year-old moves to a new town and school with the support of their loving father and finds friends in an LGBTQ-plus club, but they all must come together to solve the decades-old murder of a teenage boy and confront the demons lurking in Sam's past.

Bailey's picture

This YA thriller blends mystery with contemporary as Sam navigates life at a new school and works with new friends to solve a decades-old murder. I adore the way Sam's autism is such an integral part of their life or experience without overshadowing their personality or driving the plot. The mystery was intriguing and left me guessing until the end! -Bailey

The Agathas book cover

The Agathas

Kathleen Glasgow

YOUNG ADULT FICTION Glasgow Kathleen
Mystery, Young Adult, Fiction

Alice Ogilvie's disappearance last summer is the biggest scandal at Castle Cove High School--until her ex-boyfriend is accused of murdering his new girlfriend, and Alice must pair up with her tutor Iris Adams to clear his name by relying on the wisdom of Agatha Christie.

Angie's picture

Give me a mystery any day, but one that pays homage to Agatha Christie and has total Veronica Mars and Nancy Drew vibes, say no more! Great whodunit storyline, that was well paced and kept you along for all the twists and turns. I was hooked and can't wait for the sequel to come out this summer. -Angie

Man O' War book cover

Man O' War

Cory McCarthy

YOUNG ADULT FICTION/Mccarthy Cory
Young Adult, LGBTQ+

On a field trip to SeaPlanet, seventeen-year-old Arab-American high school swimmer River McIntyre has a chance encounter with Indy, a happy, healthy queer person, which sets off a wrenching journey of self-discovery, from internalized homophobia and gender dysphoria, through layers of coming out, affirmation surgery, and true love.

Bailey's picture

This book is an exploration of internalized homophobia, dysphoria, and keeping your head above water. It follows a teenage swimmer struggling to explore themselves and remain competitive in the sport they love. -Bailey

The bone witch book cover

The bone witch

Chupeco, Rin, author.

YOUNG ADULT FICTION Chupeco Rin
Young Adult, Fantasy

Tea's gift for death magic means that she is a bone witch, a title that makes her feared and ostracized by her community, but when an older bone witch trains her to become an asha--one who can wield elemental magic--Tea will have to overcome her obstacles and make a powerful choice in the face of danger as dark forces approach.

Mykle's picture

In a high fantasy world where you can literally give your heart to someone, a young necromancer accidentally raises her dead brother. Taken to a faraway island, she must learn to control her power amidst the threat of mysterious villains. This book really introduces a series that gets better with each book. -Mykle

The drowned woods book cover

The drowned woods

Emily Lloyd-Jones

ON ORDER BOOK
Fantasy, Young Adult

"Mer, the last living water diviner in the isles of Wales, seeks revenge against the prince who used her powers for his own evil ends"--

Casey's picture

I'm halfway through listening to The Drowned Woods, and Moira Quirk's reading of this dark, ethereal fantasy is wonderful. Just right for Leigh Bardugo and Naomi Novik fans. -Casey

Queer : the ultimate LGBTQ guide for teens book cover

Queer : the ultimate LGBTQ guide for teens

Belge, Kathy, author.

306.766 /Belge
LGBTQ+, Nonfiction, Young Adult, Self Help

Belge and Bieschke give LGBTQ teenagers everything they need to know about dating, coming out, safe sex, dealing with queerphobia, and standing up for their rights. This revised edition is a must-have for all teens who think they might be queer, or know someone who is. -- adapted from back cover.

Candice's picture

Added by Candice

The ex-girlfriend of my ex-girlfriend is my girlfriend: Advice on queer dating, love, and friendship book cover

The ex-girlfriend of my ex-girlfriend is my girlfriend: Advice on queer dating, love, and friendship

Maddy Court

306.76/Court (NEW)
Nonfiction, LGBTQ+, Young Adult

Writer Maddy Court answers letters from queer women and people of marginalized genders about dating, friendship, and love.

Candice's picture

Added by Candice

Self-ish: A transgender awakening book cover

Self-ish: A transgender awakening

Chloe Schwenke

306.768/Schwenke
Nonfiction, LGBTQ+, Memoir, Young Adult

SELF-ish is a narrative drawn from an international life, beginning with some early glimpses out at the world by a girl in a boy's body. Chloe Schwenke was raised as Stephen in a Marine Corps family, and was sent off at age fourteen to "man-up" at a military academy. Later--and still embodied as a man--she ventured abroad to work in some of the roughest regions of Africa, the Gaza Strip, Turkey, and many other locales. Her far-flung global journey was matched in intensity by an inner identity and spiritual struggle and the associated ravages of depression, before she came to the revelation of being a transgender woman. At a time when many Americans are just waking up to the reality of the transgender phenomenon, this portrayal of Chloe's life, her challenging gender transition, and her many accomplishments and adventures along the way (including being among the first three transgender political appointees in U.S. history, under President Obama), creates a poignant story of authenticity, self-discovery, and the meaning of gender set against a fascinating international backdrop

Candice's picture

Added by Candice