After the End

by Amy Plum

Summary:
Growing up in a commune in the Alaskan wilderness, Juneau never had any reason to doubt what her elders told her. That there was a world wide war that wiped out everyone. That they were lucky to have survived. But that was a lie. When Juneau returns to camp after being out hunting she finds her entire commune gone, and now she'll have to find them in a world she's been told doesn't exist.

Review:
Most dystopian novels start with the end of the world, and After the End is no different. But from here it changes. Instead of the world actually being over, it has thrived. It's an interesting twist that Plum pulls off. The novel is told in alternating perspectives between Juneau and Miles, the boy who becomes her companion. It's the first in a series, so don't expect it to be resolved in this one book.

Genre: Dystopian Fiction
Age Level: 7th Grade

Conversion

by Katherine Howe

Summary:
When girls at Colleen's high school in Danvers start having seizures, losing their hair, developing tics, and more, it starts off a panic. At first it's just a few girls, but as more and more develop symptoms that can't be explained by any disease, it becomes clear that maybe something else is at work. What few people remember is that Danvers wasn't always called Danvers. It used to be Salem. And maybe the witchcraft that once infected Salem village is back.

Review:
Told in alternating perspectives by Colleen and Ann Putnam from Salem village in 1706, Howe's story is remarkable because it is based on true events. Ann's story is told verbatim from her confession about the accusations from the Salem Witch Trials. Colleen finds herself in the middle of a modern day bewitching, and while she doesn't believe that the girls are really ill, falls prey to the illness herself. It's a shocking tale because it's based on a story that actually happened just a few years ago, but it's also a cautionary tale about just how much pressure high schoolers are under. Great for slightly older teens, or those who have an interest in the Salem Witch Trials.

Genre: Fiction
Age Level: 9th Grade

We Were Liars

by E. Lockhart

Summary:
If Cadence could remember her 15th summer, maybe things would make more sense. If she could remember, maybe her cousins would stop acting so odd. Maybe her aunts and mother would be ok. She had hoped spending the summer with everyone on their island would make things better. But remembering might just be worse than anything she could imagine. Maybe it's better to remain a liar.

Review:
I had read a lot of really positive reviews about We Were Liars, and as a result wasn't too optimistic about it being as good as everyone said. However I found myself pleasantly surprised by the title, and unable to put it down once I started. Lockhart has created a title with a shocking twist at the end. A great read for teens who like realistic mysteries, and who don't mind a tragic tale.

Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 9th Grade