Graphic Novels at HMCPL

A young adult graphic novel that captures the complexities of the war in Ukraine, focusing on the siege of Mariupol (Feb ’22 – May ’22) and the brave people who stayed to defend their city against Russian forces as well as the resulting effects on global politics. A city ruined. In once quiet residential streets, two armies battle, driving people into cellars and basements with little food or water. No lights or heat. Dwindling medical supplies. Shells and bullets deliver cruel, random death to the young and old, men, women, and children. This is Mariupol, a Ukrainian city and early target of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Bordering Russian-occupied territory, the coastal city seemed doomed to a defeat that would come within days, if not hours. Could Mariupol, and Ukraine, survive? As Russian rockets threatened the city, Ukrainians resisted, and with a heroic combination of sacrifice and bravery, the besieged city endured . . . for months. But it all came at a steep cost. With compassion and his keen journalist’s eye, Sibert Honor creator Don Brown illuminates the horrors of Mariupol and the depredations of its people not seen in the city since World War II. He also shows that outside of Mariupol, the city’s agonies were mirrored by similar events occurring in towns and cities across Ukraine. 83 Days in Mariupol reminds us that the bloody defiance shown at the Alamo, Dunkirk, Leningrad, and Thermopylae isn’t confined to the past but has a violent, modern presence. It is the story of senseless destruction, patriotism, and grit against long odds—a brutal battle whose consequences still reverberate across Ukraine and continue to reshape the global political landscape.

A riveting graphic novel adaptation of the award-winning nonfiction book, Bomb ―the fascinating and frightening true story of the creation behind the most destructive force that birthed the arms race and the Cold War. In December of 1938, a chemist in a German laboratory made a shocking When placed next to radioactive material, a Uranium atom split in two. That simple discovery launched a scientific race that spanned three continents. In Great Britain and the United States, Soviet spies worked their way into the scientific community; in Norway, a commando force slipped behind enemy lines to attack German heavy-water manufacturing; and deep in the desert, one brilliant group of scientists, led by "father of the atomic bomb" J. Robert Oppenheimer, was hidden away at a remote site at Los Alamos. This is the story of the plotting, the risk-taking, the deceit, and genius that created the world's most formidable weapon. This is the story of the atomic bomb.

Thien's first memory isn't a sight or a sound. It's the sweetness of watermelon and the saltiness of fish. It's the taste of the foods he ate while adrift at sea as his family fled Vietnam. After the Pham family arrives at a refugee camp in Thailand, they struggle to survive. Things don't get much easier once they resettle in California. And through each chapter of their lives, food takes on a new meaning. Strawberries come to signify struggle as Thien's mom and dad look for work. Potato chips are an indulgence that bring Thien so much joy that they become a necessity. Behind every cut of steak and inside every croissant lies a story. And for Thien Pham, that story is about a search-- for belonging, for happiness, for the American dream.

Deborah (Jung-Jin) Lee knows she's different. Ever since her family emigrated from South Korea to the United States, she's felt her Otherness. For a while, her English isn't perfect. None of her teachers can pronounce her Korean name. Her face and her eyes—especially her eyes—stand out. As the pressures of high school ramp up, friendships change and end, and everything gets harder. Even home isn't a safe place, as fights with her mom escalate. Deb is caught in a limbo, with nowhere to go, and her mental health plummets. But Deb is resilient. She discovers art and self-care, and gradually begins to start recovering. And during a return trip to South Korea, she realizes something that changes her perspective on her family, her heritage, and herself.

An intimate graphic memoir about an American girl growing up with her Egyptian father's new family, forging unexpected bonds and navigating adolescence in an unfamiliar country."--
"It's hard enough to figure out boys, beauty, and being cool when you're young, but even harder when you're in a country where you don't understand the language, culture, or social norms. Malaka doesn't feel like she fits in when she visits her dad for her annual summer vacation abroad- she sticks out in Egypt and doesn't look anything like her fair-haired half siblings. But she adapts. She learns that Nirvana isn't as hip as pop queen Nancy Ajram, that the desert is most beautiful at dawn, and that her new stepmother, Hala, isn't so different from Malaka herself. It Won't Always Be Like This is a touching time capsule of Gharib's memories- each summer a fleeting moment in time- and a powerful reflection on identity, relationships, values, family, and what happens when it all collides.

Pedro Martín has grown up hearing stories about his abuelito—his legendary crime-fighting, grandfather who was once a part of the Mexican Revolution! But that doesn't mean Pedro is excited at the news that Abuelito is coming to live with their family. After all, Pedro has 8 brothers and sisters and the house is crowded enough! Still, Pedro piles into the Winnebago with his family for a road trip to Mexico to bring Abuelito home, and what follows is the trip of a lifetime, one filled with laughs and heartache. Along the way, Pedro finally connects with his abuelito and learns what it means to grow up and find his grito.

Sarah has always struggled to fit in. Born in South Korea and adopted at birth by a white couple, she grows up in a rural community with few Asian neighbors. People whisper in the supermarket. Classmates bully her. She has trouble containing her anger in these moments--but through it all, she has her art. She's always been a compulsive drawer, and when she discovers anime, her hobby becomes an obsession. Though drawing and cosplay offer her an escape, she still struggles to connect with others. And in high school, the bullies are louder and meaner. Sarah's bubbling rage is threatening to burst.

Muhammad Najem was only eight years old when the war in Syria began. He was thirteen when his beloved Baba, his father, was killed in a bombing while praying. By fifteen, Muhammad didn’t want to hide anymore—he wanted to act. He was determined to reveal what families like his were enduring in Syria: bombings by their own government and days hiding in dark underground shelters. Armed with the camera on his phone and the support of his family, he started reporting on the war using social media. He interviewed other kids like him to show what they hope for and dream about. More than anything, he did it to show that Syrian kids like his toddler brother and infant sister, are just like kids in any other country. Despite unimaginable loss, Muhammad was always determined to document the humanity of the Syrian people. Eventually, the world took notice. This tenderly illustrated graphic memoir is told by Muhammad himself along with CNN producer Nora Neus, who helped break Muhammad’s story and bring his family’s plight to an international audience.

Kindra Neely never expected it to happen to her. No one does. Sure, she’d sometimes been close to gun violence, like when the house down the street from her childhood home in Texas was targeted in a drive-by shooting. But now she lived in Oregon, where she spent her time swimming in rivers with friends or attending classes at the bucolic Umpqua Community College. And then, one day, it happend: a mass shooting shattered her college campus. Over the span of a few minutes, on October 1, 2015, eight students and a professor lost their lives. And suddenly, Kindra became a survivor. This empathetic and ultimately hopeful graphic memoir recounts Kindra’s journey forward from those few minutes that changed everything. It wasn’t easy. Every time Kindra took a step toward peace and wholeness, a new mass shooting devastated her again. Las Vegas. Parkland. She was hopeless at times, feeling as if no one was listening. Not even at the worldwide demonstration March for Our Lives. But finally, Kindra learned that—for her—the path toward hope wound through art, helping others, and sharing her story.

Darrin Bell was six years old when his mother told him he couldn’t have a realistic water gun. She said she feared for his safety, that police tend to think of little Black boys as older and less innocent than they really are. Through evocative illustrations and sharp humor, Bell examines how The Talk shaped intimate and public moments from childhood to adulthood. While coming of age in Los Angeles―and finding a voice through cartooning―Bell becomes painfully aware of being regarded as dangerous by white teachers, neighbors, and police officers and thus of his mortality. Drawing attention to the brutal murders of African Americans and showcasing revealing insights and cartoons along the way, he brings us up to the moment of reckoning when people took to the streets protesting the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. And now Bell must decide whether he and his own six-year-old son are ready to have The Talk.

On October 16, 1968, during the medal ceremony at the Mexico City Olympics, Tommie Smith, the gold medal winner in the 200-meter sprint, and John Carlos, the bronze medal winner, stood on the podium in black socks and raised their black-gloved fists to protest racial injustice inflicted upon African Americans. Both men were forced to leave the Olympics, received death threats, and faced ostracism and continuing economic hardships.

Deep within the forest resides a curious pair―Mira, a girl with an affliction that calls forth the night, and Rei, a kindly doctor searching for the cure. Their days pass peacefully, until an old acquaintance of Rei’s appears...This book is recommended for teens and adults.

Cast dreams of being a SMITH , and though she’s rather handy with her tools, no one in her small town ever realizes their dreams. Besides, these legendary warrior engineers haven’t been seen in years and were never known for having female members. Fortunately, Cast meets one surviving member named Ms. Philomena Clock, who agrees to take her on as her apprentice, or striker. Now Cast is thrust into one deadly adventure after another! From cybernetic desperadoes to technology thieves and more, Cast has to use her mind and her remodeled robotics-lab prosthetic hand , which offers unfathomable offensive power in the form of scientific experiments. Need lightning? Cast can generate it from her hand! Cast’s mentor seeks to uncover an ominous mystery that explains what happened to the SMITHS and shines a light on a hidden power that may be within Cast herself . Can Cast become a new member of the SMITHS? More importantly, can Cast survive the process to become a SMITH? This book is recommended for teens and adults.

Donají is a fearless Zapotec girl who, even though she's only fifteen, is heralded as a hero by her village. In Codex Black, Donají sets out on an adventure--accompanied by the god that lives inside of her poncho--to find her missing father. Along the way, she meets an 18-year-old winged Mexica warrior named Itzcacalotl, and over time their temporary partnership blooms into an incredible friendship. The search brings the young pair closer to danger and deeper into mystery than either could have predicted. What exactly was Donají's father involved with? And how did a simple search for a missing relative lead Donají and Itzcacalotl into a fight with a terrifying bat monster to defend an entire village?! This book is recommended for teens and adults.

Fourteen-year-old Zaha Sanko is the most wanted man in the universe. Wherever he goes, everybody tries to kill him, but things got unusually dire when his enemies send an immortal “photonuclear man” to try and snuff him out. Somehow, Sanko and company survive, and decide to make a pit stop at Darknest, the mysterious planet of darkness. Darknest holds all sorts of secrets, but the biggest of all might be Hajime Damemaru, one of Sanko’s companions. Just who is Damemaru, and how does he keep coming back to life? This book is recommended for older teens and adults.

From New York Times bestselling author Molly Knox Ostertag and critically acclaimed illustrator Xanthe Bouma comes an all-new Dungeons & Dragons graphic novel series! Middle school is a dungeon… At least, that’s how Jess sees it. Luckily, she and her best friend Olivia know how to escape into the sprawling worlds of their own imaginations. The two friends have always loved making up stories, first with little kid games of make-believe, and more recently with the fantasy roleplaying game, Dungeons & Dragons. When they play, Olivia runs the game as Dungeon Master and Jess is the solo party member, playing a take-no-prisoners, lone-wolf fighter of her own design named Sir Corius. But when Olivia wants to add new players to their group, Jess finds herself struggling to share their game—and her best friend. Will their epic campaign withstand all this change, or has their adventure—and their friendship—finally come to an end?

The Justice League has long protected Earth from all manner of foreign and alien invaders over the years, always keeping a vigilant eye to the skies for the next threat. But what if the threat was already walking the Earth...hiding in plain sight...watching...waiting for their moment to strike...A mysterious new vampire lord has already put a plan in motion to conquer the Earth, and his horde are hunting on the streets of Gotham. Can Batman save his city--or will he succumb to the undead plague? This book is recommended for teens and adults.

Pockets of humanity can still be found, and they struggle to live but hope fades with every darker day. The leaders of the last surviving resistance force-Green Arrow, Batgirl, and Supergirl-hatch a desperate plan to save the world...or die trying! This book is recommended for teens and adults.

Being a teenage witch—or rock star—is tougher than it looks! But maybe enemies can become friends…or more? Flying brooms and electric guitars set hearts aflame in this fantastically fizzy graphic novel. When Margot meets Elena, emotions run high, magic is in the air, and doughnuts...float? One is a stressed-out witch trying to get her potions business off the ground, the other is a struggling rock musician whose band is going nowhere. Neither of them are having a good time! No wonder things quickly escalate from words to literal sparks flying when they first meet. Could this be the start of a delicious new relationship...or is a bad-luck curse leading them to certain doom? This book is recommended for teens and adults.

High school student Vicky lives a secret life. To most, she is a meek pushover, often in the shadow of her e-sports superstar of a brother, Virgil. Unknown to anyone, however, she dons a secret identity when she logs on to play Xenith Orion, the multiplayer game dominating the e-sports scene. She knows firsthand the harassment female gamers often experience, but when an opportunity arises in a local tournament, Vicky—mask in hand—cannot resist the challenge. Sneaking around and hiding only works for so long, and once the truth comes out, what will it mean for Vicky and those who trusted her? This book is recommended for teens and adults.

Perfectly normal couple Sam and Maggie live in a perfectly normal neighborhood, with their perfectly normal dog Winston. All the houses look the same. The people sound and look the same. On the outside, everything is fine. But is it? Winston, their sweet dog, has been dead for some time now, and Sam and Maggie begin to struggle to keep up the facade of their idyllic suburban life. The mystery continues as the couple, despite being as “fine” as they can be, reckon with heavy surveillance by outside cameras, and question their every decision. While both emotionally repressed and eerily disconnected, Sam and Maggie are one wrong move away from something much more sinister. Their neighbor, Charlie, catches on to this strange and manipulative force and attempts to escape from the watchful eyes of those in power, starting Sam and Maggie on a path of resistance. But rebels are heavily punished in this society, and deemed “red-status” — swiftly erased from memory. What happens when everything isn’t fine? This book is recommended for older teens and adults.

Caroline Kim is feeling the weight of sophomore year. When she starts tutoring infamous senior Kimberly Park-Ocampo--a charismatic lesbian, friend to rich kids and punks alike--Caroline is flustered . . . but intrigued. Their friendship kindles and before they know it, the two are sneaking out for late-night drives, bonding beneath the stars over music, dreams, and a shared desire of getting away from it all. A connection begins to smolder . . . but will feelings of guilt and the mounting pressure of life outside of these adventures extinguish their spark before it catches fire? This book is recommended for teens and adults.

From New York Times bestselling author Gale Galligan, a fun, high-energy graphic novel about friendship, family, and the last hurrahs of middle school. Cory's dance crew is getting ready for a major competition. It's the last one before they graduate eighth grade and go their separate ways to high schools all over New York City, so they have to make it count! The group starts to have problems as their crew captain gets increasingly intense about nailing the routine, and things go from bad to worse when Cory's parents ground him for not taking his grades seriously. He gets stuck with a new tutor, Sunna, who he dismisses as a boring nerd… until he catches her secretly practicing cool yo-yo tricks. Cory wants to learn the art of yo-yo, and as his friendship with Sunna grows, he ends up missing practice and bailing on his crew -- and they are not happy about it. With mounting pressure coming from all sides, how is Cory supposed to balance the expectations of his parents, school, dance, and his new friend?

Dani and Dorian Wytte have been through everything together--including joining forces with trouble maker Nico, Princess Monica, and golden boy Mark to sneak into the witch's sabbath, spring hostages from prison, and defend the castle when it was attacked by witches. With witches like their parents out for power and blood and non-magical people increasingly threatened by them, Dani and Dorian don't know whose side they're on . . .or if anyone's on their side. That includes their brother, Damien, who disappeared after being crowned King of Witches. But since Monica's father, the king, and her fiance, Prince William disappeared, too, Dani and Dorian know they must set out to find their lost allies. Luckily, they aren't alone.

The thrilling, heartfelt finale to the New York Times bestselling Hooky series, based on the beloved WEBTOON comic. Reeling from three years of anti-magic rule under the king—and three years disconnected from twin witches Dani and Dorian—Princess Monica, Nico, Damien, and Prince William know that it is now their responsibility to save the kingdom, and their friends, before darkness prevails. Determined to uncover the circumstances of Dorian’s disappearance and rescue reigning Queen of the Witches Dani from her mysterious curse, the group comes together for one final, epic adventure. On a mission that takes them across the kingdom, friendships are tested, romances bloom, and the past holds the key to their future. Dorian, Dani, and all the witches and non-magical people of the kingdom must decide once and for all: Who will they be, and will they use their power and influence for good?

Valerie Chu is quiet, studious, and above all, thin. No one, not even her best friend Jordan, knows that she has been binging and purging for years. But when tragedy strikes, Val finds herself taking a good, hard look at her priorities, her choices, and her own body. The path to happiness may lead her away from her hometown and her mother's toxic projections―but first she will have to find the strength to seek help. This book is recommended for teens and adults.

Clementine Chang moves from Earth to Mars for a new start and is lucky enough to land her dream job with Dr. Marcella Lin, an Artificial Intelligence pioneer. On her first day of work, Clem meets Dr. Lin's assistant, a humanoid AI named Kye. Clem is no stranger to robots--she built herself a cute moth-shaped companion named SENA. Still, there's something about Kye that feels almost too human. When Clem and Kye begin to collaborate, their chemistry sets off sparks. The only downside? Dr. Lin is enraged by Kye's growing independence and won't allow him more freedom. Plus, their relationship throws into question everything Clem thought she knew about AI. After all, if Kye is sentient enough to have feelings, shouldn't he be able to control his own actions? Where is the line between AI and human? As her past and Kye's future weigh down on her, Clem becomes determined to help him break free--even if it means risking everything she came to Mars for. This book is recommended for teens and adults.

Unable to sleep at night, Ganta Nakami is cranky in class and unpopular with his classmates. He discovers that the school observatory, once used by the now-defunct astronomy club, may be the perfect place for a nap—but he’s not alone. Fellow insomniac Isaki Magari is willing to share the observatory with Nakami, and a friendship between the two begins as they bond over the most unlikely of things. Dark rumors about what befell the members of the astronomy club keep people away from the school observatory, and that’s what makes it the perfect sanctuary for Nakami and Magari to get some much-needed rest. Unfortunately, the school faculty can’t allow its unsanctioned use. But if there were a new astronomy club, maybe these two insomniacs could have a place to call home! This book is recommended for teens and adults.

The school forces the insomiacs’ re-formed astronomy club to operate as a proper club. The problem is, neither Nakami—its new president—nor the club’s adviser know a thing about astronomy. Yui Shiromaru, once a prize-winning astrophotographer, now the manager of a small-town video arcade, might just be the person they need. This book is recommended for teens and adults.

With the highest kaiju-emergence rates in the world, Japan is no stranger to attack by deadly monsters. Enter the Japan Defense Force, a military organization tasked with the neutralization of kaiju. Kafka Hibino, a kaiju-corpse cleanup man, has always dreamed of joining the force. But when he gets another shot at achieving his childhood dream, he undergoes an unexpected transformation. How can he fight kaiju now that he’s become one himself?! The raid on the Defense Force’s Tachikawa base continues as the officers expend their efforts to fend off the yoju. Meanwhile, Hoshina unleashes his full combat power and takes on the daikaiju—the mightiest kaiju of the group. Just when the battle seems to be over, the daikaiju transforms and Kafka’s detection ability reacts to it! Will Kafka make it in time to save the day?! This book is recommended for teens and adults.

The Defense Force has taken Kafka into custody and plans to dispose of him. To save himself, Kafka attempts to plead his humanity to Director General Shinomiya, wielder of the mighty Kaiju No. 2’s power and the person lauded as the strongest in Defense Force history. When Kafka’s pleas fail to move the director general, he winds up facing him in combat! Can Kafka keep his kaiju form together long enough to save his own skin? This book is recommended for teens and adults.

Rosa dreams of taking up arms as a courageous knight! To be one, she must first be a squire. Those duties around the castle are much less glorious. One moment she’s caring for the horses in the stable. Next she’s battling the task of chopping firewood or conquering a mountain of laundry. She must be ever-ready to assist the knight she serves! Her role may seem small and the tasks mundane, but each is an important step to becoming a knight. Rosa will face every challenge with the heart of a hero! This book is recommended for teens and adults.

Excitement fills the air! The jousting tournament has everyone energized. Rosa’s knight training continues. She’s learning to handle a bow and navigate the dense forest nearby. Her life in Castle Claustra is hectic, yet peaceful…until dangerous brigands threaten the community. The lord and knights head off to face their foes, leaving the unwavering Lady Viola to take charge of the castle. These two young nobles have got to work hard to protect their home! This book is recommended for teens and adults.

The Monkey Meat company made a fortune selling cans of…well, monkey meat. They’re now ruling over a corporate empire and an island where they run all sorts of wacky supernatural experiments in a hyper-capitalist landscape. Follow the adventures of the citizens of Monkey Meat Island in this five-story anthology. This book is recommended for teens and adults.

Chinese American twins, Milly and Billy, are having a tough time. On top of the multiple failures in their personal and professional lives, they’re struggling to keep their restaurant afloat. Luckily their parents, Ipo and Keon, are in town for their annual visit. Having immigrated from Hong Kong before the twins were born, Ipo and Keon have supported their children through thick and thin and are ready to lend a hand—but they're starting to wonder, has their support made Milly and Billy incapable of standing on their own? When Ipo forces them to help her clean up the house next door—a hellish and run-down ruin that was the scene of a grisly murder—the twins are in for a nasty surprise. A night of terror, gore, and supernatural mayhem reveals that there is much more to Ipo and her children than meets the eye. This book is recommended for adults.

The second volume in the graphic novel horror trilogy The Night Eaters from Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda—the creative team behind the New York Times bestselling series Monstress. It’s been four months since the night of gore, chaos, and the failed demonic summoning that revealed the Ting twins’ unusual family background. Since then, Milly and Billy have tried to explore their new powers, but their parents, Ipo and Keon, haven’t been much help. Despite the lack of explanations, one thing is abundantly clear: The Ting family is part of a much larger supernatural world and something in that world is very, very wrong. As Ipo and Keon are reluctantly drawn back into the treacherous high society of supernatural elites, their children find that dealings with the spirit world comes at a steep price—when the dead have unfinished business with the living, only blood can balance the scales. To save humanity and themselves, the Tings will have to embrace their inner demons. This book is recommended for older teens and adults.

Welcome to Bolingbroke. It's a small town just like any other . . . or so eighth graders Val and Lanie think. They’re the best of best friends—they love the same comics, they watch the same shows, and they’re always there for each other. Which is important when you’re queer, like Lanie, or on the spectrum, like Val, and just don’t seem to fit in anywhere. When a school project about their hometown’s supernatural history leads to a for-real ghost sighting, Val and Lanie realize Bolingbroke might not be as boring as they’d always thought. But after a run-in with the resident middle school queen bee (who also happens to be Lanie’s former friend), they decide to take things to the next level . . . and accidentally summon the Ojja-Wojja, a demonic presence connected to a slew of mysterious tragedies throughout Bolingbroke’s sordid history. Now all heck has broken loose. With the whole town acting weird and nowhere left to turn, it’s going to be up to Val, Lanie, and their small group of friends to return things to normal—if “normal” is even something they want to return to.

Super serious Asahi Suzumura and laidback, easygoing Mitsuki Sayama might seem like an odd couple, but they made a deal; they'll vacation around the world and when they get back to Japan, they'll get married. As they travel from country to country, the different people, cultures and cuisine they encounter begin to bring them closer together. After all they're not just learning about the world, but about themselves too. This book is recommended for teens and adults.

Pamela Isley has been a lot of things in her life. A living god, a super-villain, an activist, a scientist, and dead. In a new body that she didn’t ask for and with a renewed sense of purpose, Ivy leaves Gotham and sets out to complete her greatest work—a gift to the world that will heal the damage dealt to it...by ending humanity. On her journey to doom humankind, a heartbroken and betrayed Poison Ivy encounters obstacles (plant assassins!) and dodges the law along the way, in a body horror-infused character-defining epic from the visionary creative team of writer G. Willow Wilson and artist Marcio Takara. This book is recommended for teens and adults.

15-year-old Corinth was just trying to clean up the beach; she never expected to meet a mermaid, let alone be nearly drowned by one. It was the start of a very strange friendship! After Skylla, the deadly fanged mermaid, mysteriously lets Corinth live, they grow closer through a cautious exchange of stories, gifts, jokes, and sign language. Mermaids, it turns out, eat people, but however terrifying Skylla may look, she’s a little younger, a little smaller, and perhaps a little too soft for all that. Bewitched by Corinth and their growing bond, she learns about all the best things in life on books, burgers, donuts, and this strange chattering human sound called laughter. But a storm is brewing – both at sea and in Corinth’s increasingly dangerous relationship with her obsessively jealous boyfriend – and a magical bargain may be the only thing that can save her, at a tremendous cost. A whimsical dark fantasy retelling of “The Little Mermaid,” The Sea in You upends everything you thought you knew about magical creatures of the deep, on a whirlwind journey to a whole new world you’ve only dreamed of before! This book is recommended for teens and adults.

Season of the Bruja follows a young woman as she comes into her magical abilities and faces reemergent threats from the past. From a young age, Althalia knew she would someday be the last of her kind—a bruja, tasked with keeping the power and stories of the ancient ways from fading fully into history. Never alone, Althalia works in a paranormal museum with her friends, a real-life Chupacabra and a were-coyote, while living with and caring for her beloved abuela. Through these powerful connections, her skills and knowledge grow. But the prejudice her people have always faced continues, and after a seemingly random encounter with a priest, Althalia feels the weight of hundreds of years of religious oppression coming down upon her and her abuela. She must realize her destiny and grow into it quickly if she is to prevent the church from achieving its ultimate goal—destroying the last bruja. This book is recommended for teens and adults.

In 2115, Earth has been abandoned as a lost cause and mankind has moved on to space colonization. At a decrepit high school on the moon for underprivileged youth, Stab, Yuki and Una are three teenagers who try to keep their boredom and resentment at bay by fighting rival gangs and cliques, hanging out, sleeping their way through class, all while trying to avoid punishment from the Student Council. Fights over turf, respect and snacks lead to unearthing an exciting secret, but will their friendship be strong enough to forge a new future? This book is recommended for teens and adults.

Before Tegan and Sara took the music world by storm, the Quins were just two identical twins trying to find their place in a new home and new school. From first crushes to the perils of puberty, surviving junior high is something the sisters plan to face side by side, just like they've always faced things. But growing up also means growing apart, as Tegan and Sara make different friends and take separate paths to understanding their queerness. For the first time ever, they ask who one sister is without the other. This book is recommended for teens and adults.

Twenty-Fifth Bam must journey skyward in a mysterious tower if he has any chance of reuniting with his best friend Rachel, even if that means facing his own death. Before mysteriously disappearing into the tower gates before his very eyes, Rachel cautions Bam to forget all about her. Unwilling to lose her, Bam enters the Tower completely surrounded by Shinsu -- a divine and magical water, at his own peril. The Tower itself contains multitudes of floors as vast as continents, each one with its unique geography, language and culture. Confronted by skillful tests each step of the way, Bam meets powerful guardians and otherworldly environments, making his quest to the top no easy feat. Beginning his journey, Bam is met by Headon, the first floor guardian and caretaker of the Tower who explains the rules of the Tower. At each level Bam is constantly tested for his strength, dexterity and wit. With help from fellow travelers and unlikely villains, Bam makes both allies and enemies in order to find Rachel; however her intentions of reconnecting with him become unclear as misinformation about her whereabouts do not add up. Behind each ascension is a revelation about their friendship, revealing a much deeper, darker secret. This book is recommended for teens and adults.

After binge-watching beauty videos online, a shy, comic book fan masters the art of make-up, then sees her social standing skyrocket as she becomes her school’s prettiest pretty girl literally overnight. But will her elite status be short lived? How long can she keep her “real self” a secret? And what about that cute boy she likes? Could you imagine if he found out the truth? This book is recommended for teens and adults.

In this second book of the series, Jugyeong and Suho begin to develop feelings for each other. Does Jugyeong finally have a boyfriend? But then a new guy, Seojun, steps into the scene, and he's seen Jugyeong's true face! Will Jugyeong be able to keep Seojun from revealing her secret? This book is recommended for teens and adults.

Vi came to Arden High for a fresh start and a chance to wear beanies and button-ups instead of uniform skirts. And though doing it without her twin feels like being split in half, Vi finds her stride when she stumbles (literally!) into broody and beautiful poet-slash-influencer, Orsino. Soon Vi gets roped into helping plan the school’s Twelfth Grade Night dance, and she can’t stop dreaming about slow dancing with Orsino under the fairy lights in the gym. The problem? All Vi’s new friends assume she’s not even into guys. And before Vi can ask Orsino to the dance, he recruits Vi to help woo his crush, Olivia. Who has a crush of her own . . . on Vi. This book is recommended for teens and adults.