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What's On Your Bookshelf?
Summer Reading Suggestions For Teens

As soon as school lets out for the year, teens everywhere should hit the bookstore for a few good books to keep their summer interesting. With the long warm days and abundant free time, summer is the perfect time to catch up on your personal reading goals while keeping your skills sharp for the coming school year. Whether you’re looking for the perfect beach read to enjoy while relaxing by the shore or a spooky story to curl up with in the evening, PBteen has a few suggestions to stock your bookshelf for the summer ahead.

Adventure

Grab your backpack and head out with your friends to explore and have fun. During your downtime, let a good story take to your faraway places. For example, even if you already saw the movie, Cheryl Strayed's Wild is worth a read. This New York Times bestseller combines a real-life tale with once in a lifetime adventure. Other titles to check out include:

• Marie Lu's New York Times bestselling Legend trilogy: a dystopian story that brings a military prodigy and a notorious criminal together to save thousands of lives.

• The Mortality Doctrine trilogy from James Dashner, author of The Maze Runner. If you loved The Matrix, you’ll love this nail-biting adventure, which immerses you in the world of advanced technology and takes you on a mind-bending journey that leaves you wondering what is "real."

• Rook, by Sharon Cameron. This romantic adventure keeps you on the edge of your seat from the first few pages until the very last page as main characters Sophia and René get caught in a game of cat and mouse with the notorious Red Rook.

• Classic adventures such as Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson. This popular pirate story takes you on the high seas in search of riches and thrills.

Drama

There's nothing like a powerful dramatic tale to take you away from it all and immerse you in a whole other world. Stock up on amazing dramatic novels to tuck in your beach tote or read while you relax poolside. Some must-haves for the summer include:

• The jaw-dropping 2015 American Library Association winner for the Alex Award for the Best Adult Books That Appeal to Teen Audiences: Confessions, by Kanae Minato. If you haven't read this psychological thriller yet, now is the time. This story follows teacher, Yuko Moriguchi after her four-year-old daughter is killed in what seems to be an accident on school grounds.

• I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson is a heartbreaking story about twins Jude and Noah whose lives are fractured by tragedy.

• We Were Liars, by E. Lockhart delivers a shocking twist at the end, along with a stellar story that keeps you engrossed from start to finish. This suspenseful novel follows the friendship of the Liars as the truth unfolds and everything changes.

• Sarah Farizan's If You Could be Mine. This novel takes you to the little-known pockets of Iranian culture as you follow Sahar and her love for her best friend Nasrin.

Science Fiction

If you're a fan of fantasy and Sci-Fi, there are plenty of weird and wondrous tales to choose from this summer while you’re lounging on your beanbag or traveling to a far-off destination. Whether you're looking for a trilogy or a single novel, some of the titles to keep you occupied include:

• Rick Yancey's Fifth Wave trilogy, which takes readers on journey with Cassie as she survives the first of four waves before meeting up with the mysterious Evan Walker who may help her save her brother and stay alive in spite of what the Others have planned.

• Burning Midnight by Will McIntosh, a story of a fantastical world that's changed instantly when gemlike sphere appear across the globe, giving their owners wonderful gifts and fortune with a dark side.