Teens, school is out and you can read what you want. Here are a few good books to get your summer started. Ask at your local public library for more suggestions.
Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick: Alex's brain tumour isn't getting any better. She has left home and is taking some time to enjoy one last hiking trip in the Michigan wilderness. Suddenly, an electromagnetic pulse flashes across the sky. Billions of people and animals are killed. Computer systems and other electronic devices are destroyed. Somehow, Alex manages to survive. A few others do, too. Some turn into zombies. Some stay human. How can Alex tell the difference?
Across the Universe by Beth Revis: Amy is supposed to wake up on a new planet 300 light years away from Earth. But 50 years ahead of schedule, she's awake, a searing pain ripping through her body, melting gel clogging her lungs and the lid of her thawing cell clamped down. If Elder wasn't there to help her, Amy would have died. Amy is part the cryogenically frozen team of specialists aboard the spaceship Godspeed. Amy's parents and the rest of the 101 frozen experts are going to make sure the human inhabitation on the new planet is successful. Amy has woken up in a disturbing society. The 2,312 working passengers are ruled by Eldest, a tyrannical dictator. Elder, Amy's strange new friend, is the heir. Amy needs to find out who thawed her and stop them before the rest of the cargo, especially her parents, are thawed - or killed.
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews: Greg S. Gaines knows high school sucks - he's just trying to survive it. His first day of senior year is going OK. He has managed to chat with several social groups without committing to any particular one, and when someone hits him in the teeth with a ball, they apologize. Greg's good luck ends after school, when his mom tells him that a girl at his school, Rachel, has leukemia and he has to befriend her. This friendship thrusts Greg from the comfortable sidelines of high school right into the spotlight and results in his worst movie ever. Greg's hilarious take on life is brilliantly captured in this unique book.
The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour: Colby has been looking forward to graduation for a long time. He and his best friend Bev have a plan; first, they go on tour with Bev's girl band, The Disenchantments, then they go backpacking in Europe. But when Bev ruins everything and goes to college, Colby is left driving the members of The Disenchantments up the Northwest coast while he figures out what to do with the rest of his life. This is a coming-of-age story perfect for anyone who likes music, road trips and friendship.
Getting over Garrett Delaney by Abby McDonald: The minute Sadie sees Garrett, she knows he's the one for her. Cute, funny, smart and quirky, they are perfect for each other. Garrett likes Sadie, too - as a friend. Garrett dates a string of girls while Sadie quietly sits by as his best friend. She knows Garrett will eventually realize he's in love with her. This goes on for two years. When Garrett goes to a summer writing camp and calls her with news of another girlfriend, Sadie decides her unrequited love must come to an end. Her summer project: getting over Garrett Delaney. Her help: her co-workers at the coffee shop Totally Wired. Sadie's heartsick obsession wittily comes to life in this fun new novel.
A Good Read is a column by Tri-City librarians that is published every Wednesday. Dana Ionson works at Terry Fox Library in Port Coquitlam.
