2016 Texas Lone Star Reading List
Get summaries, videos, etc all about this year's list!
The Battle of Darcy Lane by Tara Altebrando
What was supposed to be a fun summer turns nasty when new girl Alyssa moves in and immediately steals Julia's best friend. Alyssa says awful things about people and is just plain mean--why can't Taylor see it? And now that Julia's figured out that she has a crush on Peter, it looks like Alyssa's going to try to steal him too. How can you hold on to what you have without being mean too? Clue: it could have something to do with Russia!
Read Alikes:
- My Life in Dioramas by Tara Altebrando
- The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler by E.L. Konigsburg
- Shug by Jenny Han
Author Website: http://www.taraaltebrando.com/
How Lunchbox Jones Saved Me from Robots, Traitors, and Missy the Cruel by Jennifer Brown
All Luke Abbott really wants is to hang around, play Alien Onslaught with online friend Randy, and keep his brother from going into the Marine Corps and possibly getting killed. Is that so much to ask? Dad says "Yup" and forces him to join the robotics team at Forest Shade Middle School, famous for never having won anything EVER. Could Luke and the team start a new trend? Unlikely, with the group of losers assembled here. But Luke's going to have to figure out how to take charge of his own life if he ever hopes to keep out of the clutches of Missy the Cruel--and giant Lunchbox Jones may be just the guy to help him. Stranger things have happened.
Read Alikes:
- Ungifted by Gordan Korman
- Worst Class Trip Ever by Dave Barry
- I Represent Sean Rosen by Jeff Barron
Author Website: www.jenniferbrownya.com
Undertow by Michael Buckley
Lyric Walker has been living with a secret for years--but now that secret has surfaced and is about to change her life forever. Three years ago, the Alpha walked out of the sea and set up camp at Coney Island. Lyric's mother, sent as an advance guard and spy by the Alpha two decades ago, is trying desperately to keep her betrayal of the sea people a secret--exactly at the time Lyric is assigned as a tutor to the Alphas' flaming-hot prince. There's no way this is going to end well.
Book 2: Raging Sea
Book 3: Heart of the Storm (coming February 7th, 2017)
Read Alikes:
- The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey
- The Testing series by Joelle Charbonneau
- Enclave by Ann Aguirre
Author Website: https://michaelbuckleywrites.com/
Ink and Bone by Raichel Caine
The Library controls all knowledge in Jess's world, and his family makes their living on by the black-market smuggling of books to those who can pay. When Jess is sent to be spy in the Library's training school, he learns exactly how much a person's life is worth when they go up against the power and authority of the people who run things. Little does he know that those same people know all his secrets, and they're planning to use him to control and destroy his friends. Can Jess trade everything he's ever wanted just to make good?
Book 2: Paper and Fire (coming July 5th, 2016)
Read Alikes:
- Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
- The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima
- Blythewood series by Carol Goodman
Author Website: http://www.rachelcaine.com/
Moving Target by Christina Diaz Gonzalez
Cassie Arroyo, an American studying in Rome, has her world ripped apart when someone tries to kill her father, an art history professor at an Italian university. Is she their next target?
Cassie sets out to uncover what is happening, only to learn that she is a member of an ancient bloodline that enables her to use the Spear of Destiny--a legendary object that can alter the future. Now running from a secret organization intent on killing those from her bloodline, Cassie must--with the help of some friends--decipher the clues that will lead her to the Spear.
Book 2: Return Fire (coming September 27, 2016)
Read Alikes:
- Persefone series by Michelle Gagnon
- Scarlett Undercover by Jennifer Lantham
- Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter
Author Website: http://www.christinagonzalez.com/
Lost in the Sun by Lisa Graff
That pick-up hockey game changed Trent's life, and everyone else's around him, too. But they're the lucky ones--Jared Richardson is dead from a freak heart attack when Trent's wild shot sent a puck slamming into his chest. Now Trent is trying to deal with the fallout--distancing himself from his friends, fighting with his dad, even purposely failing at school. So why doesn't that weirdo Fallon Little get that he doesn't want to be friends with her? (Even if he kind of does?!?!)
Read Alikes:
- A Question of Miracles by Elana K. Arnold
- The Thing about Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin
- Counting by 7s by Holly Sloan
Author Website: http://www.lisagraff.com/
The Boys Who Challenged Hitler: Knud Pedersen and the Churchill Club by Phillip Hoose
Feeling that his homeland had caved in to the Nazis without any kind of fight at all, Knud Pederson and a group of friends organized the first group of resistance fighters in Denmark during World War II. This is the true story of the Churchill Club--a group of teen boys whose daring exploits challenged the rest of the country to stand up to the German war machine.
Read Alikes:
- The Nazi Hunters by Neal Bascomb
- I am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed the World by Malala Yousafzai
- Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Author Website: http://www.philliphoose.com/
Pennyroyal Academy by M.A. Larson
Evie leaves a mysterious family behind to learn the skills needed to fight witches, only to find that doing so could also cause her to betray the ones she loves. At Pennyroyal Academy, boys are trained to become knights and fight dragons; girls become princesses as they learn the skills needed to overcome the witches' dark magic. In this new place, Evie will find friends, a boyfriend...and maybe even herself.
Book 2: The Shadow Cadets of Pennyroyal Academy (coming in 2016)
Read Alikes:
- The Flame of Olympus series by Kate O'Hearn
- Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica George
- Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
Author Website: http://www.malarson.com/
When by Victoria Laurie
Maddie has seen people's death dates for as long as she can remember--tiny numbers written across their foreheads. The first person to die was her father, but he wasn't the last: now, ten years later, when she tries to warn a mother of her son's impending death, she finds herself a suspect in his murder. But Tevon Tibbolt isn't the only one marked for death, and unless Maddie can help find the murderer, she and her best friend may find themselves taking the rap for it.
Read Alikes:
- The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
- Forget Me by K.A. Harrington
Author Website: http://victorialaurie.com/
Sweet by Emmy Laybourne
How far would you go to be perfectly thin? Celebrities and rich folks have gathered on a deluxe cruise ship, eager to try the new food additive Solu. Viv's dad has paid for Laurel and Viv to be there too--maybe they can both lose a few pounds by the end of the trip. They never imagined that instead of being a dream come true, Solu will become a living nightmare that turns a holiday for the rich-and-famous into a cruise from hell..
Read Alikes
- In the After by Lunetta
- Rot and Ruin series by Jonathan Maberry
- The Knife of Never Letting Go series by Patrick Ness
Author Website: http://www.emmylaybourne.com/
Ink and Ashes by Valynne Maetani
Claire never realized that before he died, her father knew the man who became her stepfather--but there's a lot about him she and her brothers haven't been told. When they start snooping around to try to figure out the connection, they discover things they never expected...things they'd be better off not knowing. Things that will not only endanger them, but the close-knit group of boys who are the Takata siblings' best friends...and especially Claire's longtime BFF Forrest, who just might make the change from best friend to boyfriend.
Read Alikes:
- Shelter by Harlan Coben
- The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
- The Silence of Murder by Dandi Daley Mackall
Author Website: http://www.valynne.com/
A Night Divided by Jennifer Nielsen
The Berlin Wall goes up overnight, trapping Greta's father and brother in the west, and the rest of the family in East Berlin. In a desperate attempt to reunite with their loved ones, Greta and her brother race against time as they start digging a tunnel under the wall. Discovery means death. The tunnel could collapse at any moment. The Stasi could find and execute them at any time. Is there any way this will turn out well?
Read Alikes:
- The Boy Who Dared by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
- Chasing Secrets by Gennifer Choldenko
- Going Over by Beth Kephart
Author Website: http://www.jennielsen.com/
We are All Made of Molecules by Susin Nielsen
Two kids who would never be friends in the real world end up in the same house when their parents move in together. Stewart's a geek still trying to deal with his mother's death, as well as with Ashley's total lack of smarts; Ashley is a fashionista who finds Stewart a total freakazoid. And then there's her dad, whose boyfriend just moved in with him next door--what a social disaster! When Stewart tries to save Ashley from the clutches of the totally-hot-but-totally-evil Jared, her reaction is just about what you'd expect. How will they ever figure each other out?
Read Alikes:
- Goodbye Stranger by Rebecca Stead
- Word Nerd by Susin Nielsen
- Wonder by R.J. Palacio
Authro Website: http://susinnielsen.com/
I am Princess X by Cherie Priest
May and Libby created Princess X in 5th grade, and her adventures grew up with them--right until the time Libby drowned, May's parents divorced, and May moved away. Now back in Seattle for summer break, May is stunned to find Princess X everywhere she looks--on stickers attached like graffiti to vacant stores, on walls, on lampposts. Even more mysterious--there's a web comic detailing Princess X's adventures. May knows that Libby must be alive--but where is she, and why is she hiding the details of her life in obscure riddles that only May can solve? Teaming up with Patrick, the downstairs hacker guy, May sets out to find Libby...and ends up finding a whole lot more than she expected. None of it good.
Read Alikes:
- Don't Turn Around by Michelle Gagnon
- In Real Life by Cory Doctorow
- The Night She Disappeared by April Henry
Author Website: www.cheriepriest.com
The Boy in the Black Suit by Jason Reynolds
Matt Miller's mother is dead, his dad is using the bottle to drown his sorrows, and Matt can't seem to care about school even though it's his senior year. But then he stumbles into a job at the local funeral home, and somehow, going to strangers' funerals and sharing other peoples' pain seems to lessen his own. Maybe he'll be able to get his dad up and running again. Maybe he'll learn to let his mom go. Maybe...he'll even be able to find a little happiness of his own with the cute girl who works at the Cluck Bucket. Maybe.
Read Alikes:
- Miracle's Boys by Jacqueline Woodson
- Seeing Red by Kathryn Erskine
- House Arrest by K.A. Holt
Author Website: http://www.jasonwritesbooks.com/
Con Academy by Joe Schreiber
Will Shea can't resist a good con. He may have been discovered and kicked out of two top-drawer prep schools already, but he's figured out a way to get into Connaughton Academy and move on to Harvard from there. The only problem with a con man--it takes one to know one. Andrea Dufresne figures him out right away, and lets him know the school isn't big enough for both of them. So they make a bargain: the first one to get $50,000 out of super-rich jerk Brandt Rush gets to stay, and the other one has to pack it up. May the best con win.
Read Alikes:
- Loot by Jude Watson
- Trust Me, I'm Lying by Summers
- The Great Greene Heist by Varian Johnson
Author Website: http://joeschreiber.blogspot.com/
I Become Shadow by Joe Shine
Ren Sharpe disappears at the age of 14 a normal girl--and returns to the world at 18, a trained killer. A Shadow. Not that she's going to kill just anyone--only any bad guy who wants to get hold of Gareth Young, a Future Important Person bound to change the world in some profound way. Some day. But for now, Ren just has to keep him safe...which will almost certainly be harder than it sounds!
Read Alikes:
- W.A.R.P. series by Eoin Colfer
- Urban Outlaws by Peter Black
- Boy Nobody by Allen Zadoff
Author Website: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7340519.Joe_Shine/blog
Rebel Mechanics: All is Fair in Love and Revolution by Shanna Swendson
When Verity Newton set out for New York City in 1888, she never expected to witness a train robbery on the way, experience the first ride of a mostly-illegal steam car that could possibly put magical carriages out of business, or get hired as a governess by one of the most powerful magical families in the British American colonies. But then again, nothing's quite what you'd expect in this dashing alternative history featuring steampunk and swashbucklers!
Read Alikes:
- Curtsies & Conspiracies by Gail Carriger
- Mechanica by Betsy Cornwell
- The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson
Author Website: www.shannaswendson.com
The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B by Teresa Toten
Adam has OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder), which makes the life of a 15-year-old teen--already complicated enough!--even tougher. When Robyn walks into his support group one afternoon, Adam falls instantly in love with her, and vows that he's going to make himself better so he can help her...but that's a pretty tall order, especially as his own life is getting ready to spiral out of control. Half the people around him are "disordered" too, and the other half, though meaning well, just don't get it and can't help. But if Adam counts odd numbers, walks in circles, and performs all the other rituals correctly, things will work out. Right?
Read Alikes:
- Colin Fischer by Ashley Edward Miller
- Navigating Early by Claire Vanderpool
- Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella
Author Website: http://www.teresatoten.com/
The Truth About Twinkie Pie by Kat Yeh
When Gigi's much-older sister DiDi wins a million dollars in a cooking contest, two trailer park girls from South Carolina make their move to Long Island - to a prep school for Gigi (who now wants to be called Leia) and a super beauty salon job for DiDi. Along the way, Leia finds new friends, a couple of snooty new enemies, and finds most of all that changing your name doesn't change who you are deep inside. (But sometimes it takes a bit of help to figure out just who that is!) A wild midnight train ride leads Leia to the truth about her long-lost--and presumed dead--Mama, about her over-protective sister, and about how you can tell who's really your friend (and exactly who might be boyfriend material!).
Read Alikes:
- Genuine Sweet by Faith Harkey
- Footer Davis Probably is Crazy by Susan Vaught
- All the Answers by Kate Messner
Author Website: http://www.katyeh.com/