Transitioning from high school to college, finding forever friends…turning into a vampire? All of these life-changing experiences have us thinking about what it means to choose your own path. Our August #TBR is all about the books that take us on adventures where staying true to what they believe in might be the only thing that keeps a character safe from complete disaster whether that means losing a friendship or becoming a monster. Could you handle the pressure?
If you like: Fantasy, mystery, high school, friendships, coming of age
The Devil’s in the Dancers by Catherine Yu
For Mars Chang, achieving her dreams is all about knowing the right people. A scholarship student at the Allegra Academy summer intensive, Mars knows that befriending Alex Bechler, daughter of the big pharma family that owns and runs the intensive, is a step toward achieving her goals.
When Mars finds herself rooming with Alex, it seems like things are falling into place. If she befriends Alex and dances her heart out, getting into an Ivy League school might be within reach. But things start to get complicated when Alex’s aunt, headmistress of the program, offers Mars admission to the school if she swaps Alex’s supplements with a new Bechler product.
Turns out Alex isn’t exactly the Bechler golden child, and she doesn’t even love ballet. Knowing that Alex doesn’t need the competitive edge the product will give her, Mars decides to give it to another student. At first, the girl thrives, but things quickly take a turn for the worse, and Mars is left to deal with the side effects of her choices and the danger they might pose to her roommate and her own future.
If you like: Contemporary, dance, ballet, horror, school drama
Check out our interview with Catherine Yu for an inside look at The Devil’s in the Dancers.
The Good Vampire’s Guid e to Blood & Boyfriends by Jamie D’Amato
Brennan is just trying to piece his life back together when a walk turns into a life-changing experience. Now, Brennan is a vampire.
When something starts to blossom between Brennan and the campus librarian, Cole, things get a little less lonely. Cole is willing to keep brennan’s secret, despite Brennan’s new cravings and a friend group with the same particular tastes.
Things are looking up until a missing student on campus and increasing numbers of “animal attacks” leave Brennan a target of growing suspicion. Balancing his new life and the reputation of all the vampires on campus isn’t going to be easy, but Brennan is going to have to get to the bottom of the mystery if he ever wants to feel “normal.”
If you like: Fantasy, paranormal, vampires, college life
Salvación by Sandra Proudman
Following the rules, just isn’t working for Lola de La Peña. She doesn’t want to be a delicate 19th century young lady. Lola wants the power to make a difference. This means learning the healing magic of sal negra (black salt) during the day and taking matters into her own hands as the vigilante Salvación by night. As a masked heroine, Lola can defend Coloma.
Things seems to be falling into place until one night a woman comes to Coloma, gravely injured by sal roja (red salt), a deadly new magic. She made it out alive, but her town suffered a much worse fate. The next day, Damien Hernández, the man responsible for the massacre, arrives, and he’s not alone. Damien wants to return Alta California to Mexico, but Lola knows that just means cementing his own power over the region, using dark magic to get what he wants.
Salvación is ready to stand up for her people, but Lola might not be ready for the connection she finds in an unexpected ally from Damien’s camp.
If you like: Fantasy, historical fiction, magic, secret identities,
Out of Air by Rachel Reiss
Six months ago, Phoebe “Phibs” Ray and her four best friends—Will, Gabe, Isabel, and Lani—hit the jackpot during a cave dive. The ancient gold coins they found give them unexpected social media fame and a dangerous curiosity. What else might they find?
It’s the summer after their senior year, and the girls are heading back out to see for a diving adventure in Australia. During a reef dive, Phibs discovers an underwater cave that might be home to their next treasure, but something more sinister is happening beneath the surface. Phibs and her best friend Gabe are changing.
Their supernatural cave encounter only gets more complicated when treasure hunters looking for the cave hold the group for ransom, not knowing that something terrifying lurks beneath the surface.
If you like: Horror, thriller, mystery, fantasy, summer adventures, treasure hunts, ocean stories