List

Type
Category
Audience
Tags

The Uncertainty Principle

Joshua Davis

After a public meltdown and her best friend's betrayal lead her family to move onto a sailboat at sea, seventeen-year-old Mia struggles with isolation and her mental health until she meets Alby and Nisha, prompting Mia to navigate new romantic feelings, family tensions, and her own personal growth.

View Details >>

Fateless

Julie Kagawa

Book 1 in the Fateless series

When seventeen-year-old Sparrow joined the Thieves Guild she made a vow of binding loyalty to their cause. What ensues is a death-defying adventure that has Sparrow and her band of thieves venturing into the heart of the forgotten city of the Deathless King. 

View Details >>

The Invisible Wild

Nikki Van De Car

When sixteen-year-old Emma finds a mysterious boy in the woods, she unlocks memories of magical Hawaiian spirits and works with the legendary menehune to break his curse and protect the sacred forest on the Big Island.

View Details >>

A Most Perilous World

Kristina R. Gaddy

Kristina R. Gaddy tells the story of America's tumultuous years leading up to the Civil War and of the war itself from the viewpoints of four children of famous abolitionists, including those of Frederick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison.

View Details >>

Always Be My Bibi

Priyanka Taslim

Sixteen-year-old Bibi Hossain's summer plans for romance take an unexpected turn when her sister gets engaged, sending her to Bangladesh for the wedding, where she experiences major culture shock and a possible romance with the groom's younger brother.

View Details >>

Among Ghosts

Rachel Hartman

On the run from a mercenary dragon, among other dangers, thirteen-year-old Charl seeks refuge in an abandoned abbey haunted by an assemblage of ghosts.

View Details >>

Under the Neon Lights

Arriel Vinson

Sixteen-year-old Jaelyn Coleman falls in love for the first time at her local, beloved roller-skating rink, just as news hits it is shutting down amidst her neighborhood quickly gentrifying.

View Details >>

Home Has No Borders

Samira Ahmed

From first crushes to first heartbreaks, complicated family dynamics to community relationships, this powerful collection of stories explores race, class, culture, language, and the very idea of home as both a place and a feeling. Edited by Samira Ahmed and Sona Charaipotra and featuring some of the most acclaimed, bestselling South Asian authors writing for teens today--this is an essential collection of captivating stories about what it means to be South Asian.

View Details >>

The Floating World

Axie Oh

An amnesiac sword-for-hire and a village girl with a strange magical power become entangled in worlds-altering events, and each other's destinies.

View Details >>

The Yomigaeri Tunnel

Kelly Murashige

Grieving the loss of her classmate and childhood friend, eighteen-year-old Monika searches for a legendary tunnel, said to resurrect one soul from the dead for anyone brave enough to face their inner demons.

View Details >>

Soulmatch

Rebecca Danzenbaker

In a world where past lives determine your future, a sharp-witted girl confronts a major twist of destiny, embroiling her in a high-stakes game of danger, corruption, and heartbreak.

View Details >>

And the Trees Stare Back

Gigi Griffis

1989, Soviet Estonia. In sixteen-year-old Vik's village -- and the cursed forest that looms beyond -- danger is everywhere. Deep in the heart of the wood, a lantern-eyed spirit lies in wait to disappear those who wander too far past the trees. Vik knows because five years ago, she led her little sister Anna over that invisible line -- and never saw her again. The only thing Vik has wished for since then is her sister's safe return. So when Anna stumbles back through the tree line on the anniversary of her disappearance, it's a miracle... Or is it a lie? Whoever she is, one thing is clear: she was never meant to escape the trees. 

View Details >>

Lady's Knight

Amie Kaufman

Gwen is sick of hiding--hiding the fact that she's taken over her father's blacksmithing duties, hiding her attraction to girls, hiding her yearning for glory as a knight. Meanwhile, Lady Isobelle of Avington, queen bee of the castle, has never once considered hiding who she is--until now. She's been chosen as the grand prize in the Tournament of Dragonslayers, to be given to whichever knight can claim her hand. And for the first time in her life, she can't talk her way out of trouble. When Isobelle discovers Gwen's knightly ambitions, they hatch a scheme together--Gwen will joust in the tournament, disguised as Sir Gawain. Winning means freedom for Isobelle, and glory for Gwen. Losing means ... well, let's not go there. One thing's for sure: Falling in love was never the plan. But the best laid plans ... are often trampled all over by dragons.

View Details >>

Vesuvius

Cass Biehn

In the final days of Pompeii, two boys--Felix and Loren--must grapple with closely-guarded secrets and untangle myth, magic, and memory to escape the burning city alive

View Details >>

In Case You Read This

Edward Underhill

Underhill's trans romantic comedy follows the separate moves of two teenage boys, Arden and Gabe. Arden is reluctant to leave his supportive queer community in Los Angeles for Winifred, Michigan, while Gabe is eager to start anew and openly express his identity in Pasadena, California, away from his small Illinois hometown. The two meet unexpectedly in Nebraska and connect over their shared love for the band Damaged Pixie Dream Boi. After spending an evening together, they part ways knowing only each other's first name. As they navigate their new environments, both find themselves thinking about their brief encounter, raising the question of whether their connection was significant enough to bring them together again.

View Details >>

Skipshock

Caroline O'Donoghue

After the death of her father, Margo is on her way to a new boarding school in a new city. But when Margo suddenly appears one day on Moon's train, their fates become inextricably linked. If Margo wants to survive, she has to pass as a traveling salesman, too--except it's not that easy. Move north on the train line and time speeds up, a day passing in mere hours. Move south and time slows down--a day can last several weeks. As Margo moves between worlds and her attachment to Moon intensifies, she feels her youth start to slip between her fingers. But is Moon everything he seems? Is Margo?

View Details >>

A Girl Walks Into the Forest

Madeleine Roux

The beautiful Valla travels through dangerous Gottyar Wood to get to Count Leonid's castle, but her face is torn to shreds en route and the Count is unhappy, in a female-forward narrative that borrows from horror, fairy tales and folklore.

View Details >>

Top Heavy

Rhonda Dechambeau

A talented dancer, fifteen-year-old Esme struggles to regain her sense of self after an assault, as she navigates the complexities of friendship, first love, family problems, and the emotional challenges of growing up.

View Details >>

It's You Every Time

Charlene Thomas

When Sydney Michaels stops for breakfast in order to put off scholastic ruin a little longer, she never expected to--quite literally--bump into cute-boy stranger, Marcus Burke. After a magical day together in, Sydney is finally willing to believe that maybe, after years of loss and heartache, she's finally reached the good part. But when it comes time to say goodbye, as they linger in a crosswalk, something happens. An accident? Sydney isn't sure--all she knows is that she opens her eyes and is back in her bed. On September 24--the morning of her big exam--again.

View Details >>

Wake the Wild Creatures

Nova Ren Suma

Sixteen-year-old Talia delves into her memories of the hidden feminist commune she grew up in and plots her way back to it after her mother is arrested for murder.

View Details >>

Not for the Faint of Heart

Lex Croucher

Mariel, the granddaughter of Robin Hood, tries to prove herself to her father while suspecting a mole in the Merry Men's ranks but mistakenly kidnaps cheerful healer Clem, and together they embark on a dangerous rescue mission and grow closer along the way.

View Details >>

Come Home to My Heart

Riley Redgate

Gloria and Xia, two very different high school seniors in a small South Carolina town, form an unexpected friendship that blossoms into more intense feelings and challenges their identities, forcing them to confront their hidden truths.

View Details >>

Kill Creatures

Rory Power

One year after Nan's three best friends disappear, no one is more surprised than her when one of them returns--because she is the one who killed them.

View Details >>

Best of All Worlds

Kenneth Oppel

Xavier Oaks doesn't particularly want to go to the cabin with his dad and his dad's pregnant new wife, Nia. But family obligations are family obligations, and it's only for a short time. So he leaves his mom, his brother, and his other friends behind for a week in thewoods. Only... one morning he wakes up and the house isn't where it was before. It's like it's been lifted and placed... somewhere else. When Xavier, his dad, and Nia go explore, they find they are inside a dome, trapped. And there's no one else around... Until, three years later, another family arrives. Is there any escape? Is there a reason they are stuck where they are? Different people have different answers -- and those different answers inexorably lead to tension, strife, and sacrifice

View Details >>

Just Another Meet Cute

Jenn P. Nguyen

When seventeen-year-old Nina Riley is saved by a cute guy, she doesn't get his number, and after tracking him down, she finds he's different than remembered, and a few dates later, she meets his family, including his twin brother.

View Details >>

Roll for Love

M. K. England

Harper Reid's summer is not off to a great start. After the death of her grandpa, she moves across the country, leaving her friends and Dungeons & Dragons group behind. She wasn't exactly planning to start her senior year on the farm where she spent her childhood summers, but running into Ollie Shifflet--former best friend and first crush--makes things much better. When Harper discovers Ollie and her friends are starting a new D&D campaign, she quickly joins the group. As Harper and Ollie reconnect in the real world, romantic tension begins to build between Harper's brash barbarian and Ollie's proud paladin, but it's all just part of the game...right? Ollie's future depends on keeping her bisexuality private while Harper's dreams include an out-and-proud life in their rural town, but as their feelings continue to grow with each gaming session, their relationship begins threatening everything they've worked so hard to build. As the school year comes to a close and the campaign's final boss looms on the horizon, Harper and Ollie must decide: are their feelings more than just a fantasy? Because if they want a second chance at love, they'll have to fight for it, both in-game and in real life.

View Details >>

His Face Is the Sun

Michelle Jabès Corpora

Book 1 of Throne of Khetara series

Four strangers connected by a forgotten oracle must work together to save their divided kingdom from destruction amidst the brewing conflict and struggle for the pharaoh's throne.

View Details >>

We Are Villains

Kacen Callender

After taking time off from Yates Academy to grieve his best friend Ari's death, Milo returns to school, only to find himself drawn into a dangerous web of secrets involving the school's most popular student, Liam, who is accused of murdering Ari.

View Details >>

Amelia, If Only

Becky Albertalli

Amelia Applebaum thinks she is in love with Walter Holland, a moderately famous, chaotically bisexual YouTuber, so she drags her friends, including newly single, always-cynical, guitar-toting best friend Natalie, on a road trip to meet Walter.

View Details >>

When the Bones Sing

Ginny Myers Sain

The past three years have been tough for Lucifer's Creek, Arkansas, a small town quietly tucked away in the Ozark mountains. More than two dozen people have disappeared on the local hiking trails; there one moment, gone the next, not a trace left behind, until their buried bodies are discovered. 17-year-old Dovie doesn't believe in magic even though she comes from a long line of women who can hear the bones of the dead sing, and for the past few years the bones have been crooning nonstop, calling out to Dovie to dig them up. Dovie doesn't believe her best friend Lo when he tells her he is being haunted by dark shadows. The shadows follow him everywhere. He soon learns they're the murdered hikers and they want answers. But the truth of their deaths isn't buried with their bones; it's hidden somewhere deep in the hills. And Lo and Dovie must unearth it before anyone else is killed.

View Details >>

Death in the Cards

Mia P. Manansala

When a high school tarot reader's latest client goes missing after a troubling reading, she must apply everything she has learned from her private investigator mother to solve a case of her own

View Details >>

Eliza, from Scratch

Sophia Lee

Eliza Park's senior year will be perfect: She's going to be salutatorian, give a tear-jerking graduation speech in front of her parents, and enjoy her last year with her equally ambitious best friends. But when a scheduling mishap enrolls her in Culinary Arts, Eliza is suddenly the most clueless person in the class. Her typical title of star student belongs to the aggravatingly arrogant Wesley Ruengsomboon, a charming Thai American boy whose talent in the kitchen leaves Eliza both awed and annoyed. With her rank on the line, Eliza's only hope is to snatch the midterm cooking contest win from Wesley. 

View Details >>

Let Them Stare

Jonathan Van Ness

When Sully's fashion internship goes up in smoke, they're trapped in Hearst, Pennsylvania with no cash and no car. Desperate, they go to the thrift store, their personal sanctuary and discover a vintage bag--like "put this baby in an airtight case at the MET" vintage. If Sully can authenticate it, the resale value would be enough for a new life in the city. But when they begin to investigate, Sully finds themself haunted with the ghost of Rufus, a drag performer from the fifties with no memory of how he died. Sully's summer has a new purpose: 1) help this ghostly honey unlock his past and move on and 2) make bank.

View Details >>

Snowglobe 2

Soyoung Park

Book 2 in Snowglobe duology

Seventeen-year-old Chobahm's discovery of the truth behind the Yibonn Media group sets off a chain of events that exposes dark secrets and raises the temperature, and when she is framed for murder, she must fight to clear her name with the help of Bonwhe, the disgraced Yibonn heir.

View Details >>

Shampoo Unicorn

Sawyer Lovett

After a hit-and-run leaves Greg, a closeted jock, unconscious, Brian, the secret host of a popular podcast, uses his platform to investigate the crime and reveal harsh truths about their small town, which inspires others to show support and organize a pride festival that gains national attention.

View Details >>

This Could Be Forever

Ebony LaDelle

Told in alternating voices, African American Deja and Nepali American Raja fall in love the summer before Deja starts college, diverging from their parents' expectations for their futures.

View Details >>

The Art of Exile

Andrea Max

Ada Castle finally has the chance to prove her worth: she just needs to gain access to a hidden school that her family has been trying to locate for generations. After securing an invitation, Ada goes undercover at the Genesis Institute to steal their innovations for the rest of the world. But Genesis nurtures her creativity and challenges her views, and she can't help but fall for the school. Ada's tangle of lies starts to unravel when one of her new friends goes missing. And when the information she's shared with her family puts her missing friend and all of Genesis in peril, she'll have to choose whom to betray: the family she loves or the school that has helped her find herself.

View Details >>

This Moth Saw Brightness

A. A. Vacharat

High schooler Wayne and his best friend Kermit participate in a university health study that turns out to be riddled with conspiracies pointing to a sinister government plot.

View Details >>

These Vengeful Gods

Gabe Cole Novoa

Crow, a teen descended from the god of Death, must keep their true identity hidden while navigating a dangerous gladiator-style competition, fighting to win freedom for their family and challenge the gods who killed their ancestors.

View Details >>

Titan of the Stars

E.K. Johnston

Book 1 in Titan of the Stars series

Celeste knows every inch of this ship. She's proud of her work as apprentice engineer. And as the maiden voyage of the Titan launches, she's optimistic for the promises of this new journey from Earth to Mars -- this new life. Dominic arrives at his suite where his valet is busy unpacking his things. His chest is tight, already feeling anxious inside his dad's precious new ship. Once it launches, he's trapped, inside the ship and inside the life his father has chosen for him -- a life that will leave his dreams of art school behind. Discovered under melted ice caps, ancient aliens have been brought onto the Titan as well, and stored in display cases for the entertainment of the passengers until an act of sabotage releases them into the ship, with zero discrimination for class, decks or human life.

View Details >>

Time After Time

Mikki Daughtry

Against her parents' wishes, nineteen-year-old Libby uses her college savings to buy an old Victorian house and teams up with Tish to fix it, but as they navigate their own struggles with family, they uncover a journal revealing a forbidden love story from a century ago that mirrors their growing connection.

View Details >>

Hick

Sarah Miller

Set against the backdrop of the Great Depression, this riveting YA traces Lorena Hickok--or Hick's-- rise from devastating childhood to renowned journalist, and follows the most significant friendship and romantic relationship of her life with first lady, Eleanor Roosevelt

View Details >>

The Survivor Wants to Die at the End

Adam Silvera

Book 3 in They Both Die at the End series

Paz Dario stays up every night, waiting for the Death-Cast call that would mean he doesn't have to keep faking his way through this lonely life. After a devastating day, Paz decides he's done waiting around for Death-Cast. If they say he's not dying, he'll just have to prove them wrong. But right before Paz can die, a boy saves his life. Alano Rosa is heir to the Death-Cast empire that encourages everyone to live their best lives, but he doesn't feel in control of his own existence thanks to his father. And with a violent organization called the Death Guard threatening Alano, his End Day might be closer than he thinks. It's time to live. Fate brings Paz and Alano together, but it's now up to the boys to survive the tragic trials ahead so no one dies at the end.

View Details >>

This Thing of Ours

Frederick Joseph

Ossie Brown's entire future is in jeopardy when atorn ACL ends his promising basketball career. Now Ossie . . . must navigate his new place in the social and academic ecosystems of his affluent, predominantly white school. When a Black teacher encourages him to join her highly regarded writing program, Ossie begins to find a new purpose . . . Everything changes when some students' viral 'anti-woke' video puts the teacher's job, the writing program, and even Ossie's friends' safety at risk--and Ossie must find his true voice.

View Details >>

If I Could Go Back

Briana Johnson

Struggling with anxiety and feelings of abandonment, Aaliyah secretly contacts her parents who left her as a toddler, upsetting her grandfather and the family who has always supported her.

View Details >>

Run Like a Girl

Amaka Egbe

Dera Edwards knows her life is over when she's shipped off to live with her estranged father in the middle of White Suburbia. To make matters worse, Dera learns that her new school doesn't have a girls' track team, shattering her dreams of getting a track scholarship and, one day, competing in the Olympics. Not one to give up easily, Dera joins the boys' team instead. But while she has the school administration's blessing, her new teammates and classmates are less than welcoming. Between that and her frustratingly distant father, Dera is positive her junior year is ruined. Just as she starts to accept her status as an outsider, Dera's approached by her classmate Rosalyn, who wants to feature Dera's story in her blog. Eager to change the narrative and spend more time with Rosalyn's gorgeous cousin Gael-also known as one of the few teammates who will talk to her-Dera agrees. But when she goes viral and gains attention across the state, Dera's new notoriety opens the door for trolls both online and at school

View Details >>

The Summer I Remembered Everything

Catherine Con Morse

Sixteen-year-old Emily spends her summer as a companion to an elderly woman with Alzheimer's, and grapples with being both a loyal friend and a responsible caregiver. Struggling with family tensions, friendship fallout, and her mother's illness, Emily Chen-Sanchez finds solace in a summer job assisting the spirited but forgetful Mrs. Granucci. Their bond deepens--until a shocking accusation shatters Emily's trust, forcing her to confront hard truths and make a life-altering choice.

View Details >>

Cruel Is the Light

Sophie Clark

When high-ranking exorcist Selene and mysterious soldier Jules form an alliance despite their forbidden attraction, they uncover a terrible conspiracy about the centuries-old war between demons and the Vatican.

View Details >>

The Education of Kia Greer

Alanna Bennett

Growing up in the public eye, Kia would gladly give up her privileged life as the daughter of a reality star for the freedom to find her own way. Then she meets Cass, and he offers a glimpse at the ordinary life she craves. But Cass is a rising star in his own right, and what starts as something sweet and undefined soon becomes a magnet for rumor and speculation--as if first love wasn't messy enough on its own. The pressure of the spotlight takes its toll, chipping away at Kia's sense of self. Can her fragile new relationship survive the fallout?

View Details >>

I Can't Even Think Straight

Dean Atta

Kai knows who he is to others: the good grandson, the reliable best friend, the romantic back-up. But he doesn't quite know who he is to himself. Kai wants to come out at school, but his best friend there, Matt, stays closeted for fear of getting kicked out by his conservative parents--and wants Kai to do the same. Kai unhappily agrees, but when a rumor goes around that Kai and Matt are dating, Matt starts acting differently anyway. Kai's other best friend Vass is proudly nonbinary and thinks Matt is a negative influence--though maybe that's just their crush on Kai talking. Kai has always turned to writing to express his emotions, but when his on-page emotions erupt into the real world, he might just be putting the delicate balance of his life at risk

View Details >>

The Losting Fountain

Lora Senf

Told in alternating voices, three teens from different time periods are called to the world of the Fountain to restore balance and prevent its eldritch creatures from seeping into the real world.

View Details >>

A Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe

Mahogany L. Browne

In New York City, teens, their families, and their communities feel the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic. Amidst the fear and loss, these teens and the adults around them persevere with love and hope while living in difficult circumstances:

  • Malachi writes an Armageddon short story inspired by his pandemic reality.
  • Tariq helps their ailing grandmother survive during quarantine.
  • Zamira struggles with depression and loneliness after losing her parents.
  • Mohamed tries to help keep his community spirit alive.
  • A social worker reflects on the ways the foster system fails their children.
View Details >>

Meet Me at Blue Hour

Sarah Suk

Seventeen-year-old Yena Bae is spending the summer in Busan, South Korea, working at her mom's memory-erasing clinic. She feels lost and disconnected from people, something she's felt ever since her best friend, Lucas, moved away four years ago without a word, leaving her in limbo. Eighteen-year-old Lucas Pak is also in Busan for the summer, visiting his grandpa, who was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. But he isn't just here for a regular visit--he's determined to get his beloved grandpa into the new study running at the clinic, a trial program seeking to restore lost memories. When Yena runs into Lucas again, she's shocked to see him and even more shocked to discover that he doesn't remember a thing about her. He's completely erased her from his memories, and she has no idea why. As the two reconnect, they unravel the mystery and heartache of what happened between them all those years ago--and must now reckon with whether they can forge a new beginning together.

View Details >>

Our Infinite Fates

Laura Steven

Evelyn, who remembers each of her past lives in which she is always murdered before her eighteenth birthday by Arden, a supernatural being to whom she is tethered, must break their deadly curse to save her sister while resisting the pull of forbidden love.

View Details >>

Unwind

Neal Shusterman

Book 1 in Unwind Dystology series 

In a future world where those between the ages of thirteen and eighteen can have their lives "unwound" and their body parts harvested for use by others, three teens go to extreme lengths to survive until they turn eighteen.

View Details >>

Run Away with Me

Brian Selznick

Danny is spending his sixteenth summer in Rome. As his mother spends the day at work in a mysterious museum, he wanders the ancient sites and streets. Soon after his arrival, he encounters Angelo. Soon Danny and Angelo are spending as much time as they can together, piecing together stories of the city while only gradually letting their own histories be shared. Attraction leads to affection, and affection leads to both an intimate closeness and a profound fear of what happens next. 

View Details >>

If We Were a Movie

Zakiya N. Jamal

Lights. Camera. Love? Rochelle "the Shell" Coleman is laser focused on only three things: becoming valedictorian, getting into Wharton, and, of course, taking down her annoyingly charismatic nemesis and only academic competition, Amira Rodriguez. However, despite her stellar grades, Rochelle's college application is missing that extraspecial something: a job. When Rochelle gets an opportunity to workat Horizon Cinemas, the beloved Black-owned movie theater, she begrudgingly jumps at the chance to boost her chances at getting into her dream school. There's only one problem: Amira works there...and is also her boss. Rochelle feels that working with Amira is its own kind of horror movie, but as the two begin working closely together, Rochelle starts to see Amira in a new light, one that may have her beginning to actually...like her? But Horizon's in trouble, and when mysterious things begin happening that make Horizon's chances of staying open slimmer, it's up to the employees to solve the mystery before it's too late, but will love also find its way into the spotlight?

View Details >>

The Family I'm in

Sharon G. Flake

John-John and Caleb, friends since childhood, have come face-to-face with the struggles and triumphs of growing into young men. They're living in a world where many Black boys are up against generational expectations, fears of the future, and how to navigate being 'nice' kids who just want to be seen for who they are. Together, Caleb and John-John work through family illness, divorced parents, teachers who ask hard questions, and girls who think they have all the answers.

View Details >>

Rebel Witch

Kristen Ciccarelli

Betrayed by the boy she loved, Rune Winters allies herself with a dangerous witch to survive, while Gideon, torn between his lingering feelings for her and his duty to stop the witches, faces an impossible choice between love and saving the world he fought for.

View Details >>

Wish Upon a K-Star

Kat Cho

Moon Minseok--or Moonster as this WDB fans know him--wasn't born to lead. Even as part of the world's most popular K-Pop group, he found comfort in his role as the jokester, the sidekick, the unserious one (with the cutest smile). But now WDB is drowning in dating scandals, and it's time for Moonster to take charge of the group's image. Shin Hyeri has been dealing with some scandals of her own. An up-and-coming K-Drama actress, she's been labeled a "nepo baby" (with a famous idol as a big brother) and now, a bully (which couldn't be further from the truth). Desperate to show the world that she's earned her spot, Hyeri is determined not to let her rising star crash and burn. When these two childhood enemies get caught up in yet another scandal while co-hosting a K-Pop festival, there's only one solution that will save both of their reputations: appear on one of Korea's most popular variety shows, Our Celebrity Marriage (where celebrities pretend to get married and compete in 'newlywed' challenges). The plan is simple--pretend to get along, win back the fans, then go their separate ways. But what happens when a fake marriage leads to real feelings? Will Moonster and Hyeri bow to the pressures of their famous realities, or will they decide their love is something worth fighting for?

View Details >>

What Comes After

Katie Bayerl

Mari never gave much thought to the afterlife before her untimely demise, but she certainly didn't think it would be an experimental wellness enclave called Paradise Gate--a place where the newly dead go to sort out the unfinished business of their lives. She also didn't think the biggest problem to plague her in life would follow her into the great beyond: her also recently deceased mother, Faye. Mari quickly realizes Faye is her unfinished business, and in order to move on to whatever's next, she'll have to find a way to forgive her dysfunctional mother for being no mother at all. But there's so much to forgive: never holding down a steady job, never having a stable home, and abandoning Mari in the end. It's a lot to sort through, but faced with the possibility of being turned out into the abyss, Mari gets to work. When a shocking revelation about Mari's death captures the attention of the afterlife media, Mari is suddenly in the spotlight, her messy history being judged by the whole realm. She finds escape in an equally troubled boy, who takes Mari to an obscure part of Paradise Gate and introduces her to rebels who show Mari that this "wellness center" is not all it pretends to be. With classmates disappearing and an afterlife revolution brewing, Mari must decide whether to play it safe or break the rules. At stake? Her eternal fate. Literally.

View Details >>