During the pandemic I’ve been working at different department stations in the Library than usual. So I field questions about book suggestions from grown-ups, rather than the kids and teens I usually see. While I can use great tools like Novelist to find ideas, nothing beats a personalized suggestion.
I’m pleased to report that I’ve had some luck with customers agreeing to try a title from our Teen Fiction stacks. A few of them have even come back for more!
If you’re a grown-up in search of rich stories with complex characters, big questions and twists, never count YA out! (FYI, books for teens have long been called “Young Adult” in libraries, so many of us—and some of our users—still think of them that way. Whatever we call them, though, many of them are really great reads.)
I’ve gathered some titles written for teens that have plenty of appeal for adult readers. You’ll find sci-fi, historical fiction, true crime and realistic fiction in this grab bag.
You can sign up for a free library card here. If you are new to our eResources, check out these tutorial videos on how to get started.
Looking for a good book, album, movie or TV show? We’re happy to recommend them to you! Use this Personalized Recommendations form to send us some information about what you like and we’ll curate a list just for you.
If you have any additional questions, you can contact a librarian through Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. You can also call us at 412-622-3114 or email us at info@carnegielibrary.org.
In a distant future, eighteen-year-old Lugh is kidnapped, and while his twin sister Saba and nine-year-old Emmi are trailing him across bleak Sandsea they are captured, too, and taken to brutal Hopetown, where Saba is forced to be a cage fighter until new friends help plan an escape. You can also check out this title as eBook on OverDrive/Libby, as eAudio on OverDrive/Libby or as eAudio on Hoopla.
Told through flashbacks, best friends Jule and Imogen are orphaned outcasts who will do almost anything to attain a happy, wealthy life. You can also check out this title as eBook on OverDrive/Libby, as eAudio on OverDrive/Libby or as eAudio on Hoopla.
Flynn’s girlfriend is missing, and people are suspecting him of knowing something, so he struggles to uncover her secrets as he must also face the truth about himself. You can also check out this title as eBook on OverDrive/Libby.
Loosely based on a school explosion that took place in New London, Texas in 1937, this is the story of two teenagers: Naomi, who is Mexican, and Wash, who is black, and their dealings with race, segregation, love, and the forces that destroy people. You can also check out this title as eBook on OverDrive/Libby, as eAudio on OverDrive/Libby or as eBook on Hoopla.
In a society determined to keep her under lock and key, Tavia must hide her siren powers. Meanwhile, Effie is fighting her own family struggles, pitted against literal demons from her past. Together, these best friends must navigate through the perils of high school’s junior year. You can also check out this title as eBook on OverDrive/Libby or as eAudio on OverDrive/Libby.