KING, A. S. Reality Boy. 353p. Little, Brown. Oct. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-316-22270-9.

Gr 9 Up–When 16-year-old Gerald was 5, his parents made a contract to appear on a reality television show where a stage nanny offered techniques to mend their beyond-repair family. Gerald was targeted as the problem child when it was actually his psychopathic sister, Tasha, who was the true menace. His parents turned a blind eye, repeatedly allowing their firstborn to torment and threaten the lives of Gerald, sister Lisi, and even the mother while the edited television broadcasts skewed the truth. At first, readers will be taken aback when they learn that little on-camera Gerald defecated on Tasha’s and his mother’s belongings, earning him the infamous nickname “Crapper,” but they will soon realize that in his young mind it was his only weapon of defense in a desperate situation. The horror and injustice of it all follow insecure, agry Gerald into his teens. So does fearsome, unemployed Tasha when she moves into the family’s basement with her boyfriend, has loud and regular sex, and is still enabled by their parents. When Gerald warily falls in love with Hannah, a schoolmate and coworker with family troubles of her own, “kidnapping” themselves by running away together seems their only recourse to wake up their parents. King’s trademarks–attuned first-person narrative, convincing dialogue, realistic language, and fitting quirkiness–connect effectively in this disturbing, yet hopeful novel. Not since Norma Fox Mazer’s disquieting When She Was Good (Scholastic, 1997) has an emotionally and mentally deranged sibling and dysfunctional parents wreaked such havoc on a main character who still manages to survive and grow beyond it.–Diane P. Tuccillo, Poudre River Public Library District, CO

SAX, Aline. The War Within These Walls. tr. from Flemish by Laura Watkinson. illus. by Caryl Strzelecki. 176p. Eerdmans. Oct. 2013. Tr $17. ISBN 978-0-8028-5428-5.

Gr 8 Up–Told from the point of view of a Jewish teen, this short, illustrated novel begins with the invasion of Poland in 1939 and goes on to describe the limits placed on the Jewish population and their eventual incarceration in the Warsaw Ghetto. The narrator describes the daily humiliations, depravations, despair, and deaths at the hands of the Nazis. When his family runs out of food, the narrator descends into the sewer system to cross to the Polish side of the Ghetto walls, where he is able to buy or steal food. When the Nazis employ flame throwers to kill those in the sewers, he loses his nerve. Unfortunately, he isn’t able to stop his younger sister from traveling the sewers, and one day she doesn’t return. When it becomes clear that everyone in the Ghetto is going to be resettled in the East, the narrator is ready, when approached by Mordechai Anielewicz, one of the actual leaders of the uprising, to join the resistance. The last portion of the book describes the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising from the narrator’s point of view. The pen, ink, and pencil artwork serves to extend and clarify the story. The combination of the illustrations and the author’s spare prose make this a good choice for reluctant readers and an outstanding example of Holocaust fiction.–Nancy Silverrod, San Francisco Public Library

STIEFVATER, Maggie. The Dream Thieves. Bk. 2. 448p. (The Raven Cycle Series). Scholastic. 2013. Tr $18.99. ISBN 978-0-545-42494-3; ebook $18.99. ISBN 978-0-545-57717-5. LC 2013018731.

Gr 9 Up–Beginning the same summer in which The Raven Boys (Scholastic, 2012) ended, The Dream Thieves is a little less about Blue Sargent and more about Gansey. Richard Campbell Gansey III (don’t call him Dick), Ronan, Adam, ghostly Noah, and Joseph Kavinsky are (or were) raven boys–students at posh Aglionby Academy in the small Virginia town of Henrietta. The writing style maintains a dark and brooding tone as Gansey continues to investigate the existence of a ley line, an invisible channel of energy, recently awakened, that may lead them to the ancient Welsh king Glendower. The complicated relationships and plot points are difficult to follow without the background from The Raven Boys. Even with the background, new characters appear: the deadly (perhaps) Gray Man, Greenmantle, and the idea of a Greywaren. Blue comes from a family of women with psychic gifts, but her gift isn’t “sight” itself but a talent for magnifying the presence of magic around her–a significant contribution where finding the ley line is concerned. Readers looking for answers won’t find them in this book. Readers who want a moody chill and appreciate an atmospheric turn of phrase (keys hang from the ignition like “ripe fruit,” a farm yard is populated with “deceased pick-up trucks”) will want to spend more time in Henrietta. Purchase where the first book is popular, and suggest the series to fans of Holly Black’s “Curse Workers” books (S & S) or to readers of grittier works such as Andrew Smith’s The Marbury Lens (2010) and Passenger (2012, both Feiwel & Friends).–Maggie Knapp, Trinity Valley School, Fort Worth, TX

WEIN, Elizabeth. Rose Under Fire. 368p. bibliog. further reading. glossary. websites. Hyperion/Disney. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-4231-8309-9; ebook $17.99. ISBN 978-1-4231-9869-7. LC 2013010337.

Gr 8 Up–This companion novel to Wein’s Code Name Verity (Hyperion, 2012) tells a very different World War II story, with a different pilot. Rose Justice, an American, has grown up flying, and when she is given the opportunity to ferry planes to support the war effort in England in 1944, she jumps at the chance. It is during one of her missions that she purposefully knocks an unmanned V-1 flying bomb out of the sky and is captured by Nazi airmen. Once on the ground, she is taken to the infamous women’s concentration camp, Ravensbrück. She is first treated as a “skilled” worker, but once she realizes that her job will be to put together fuses for flying bombs, she refuses to do it, is brutally beaten, and is then sent to live with the political prisoners. Once she’s taken under the wing of the Polish “Rabbits”–young women who suffered horrible medical “experiments” by Nazi doctors–she faces a constant struggle to survive. After a daring escape, she recounts her experience in a journal that was given to her by her friend, Maddie, the pilot from Code Name Verity, weaving together a story of unimaginable suffering, loss, but, eventually, hope. Throughout her experience, Rose writes and recites poetry, and it is through these poems, some heartbreaking, some defiant, that she finds her voice and is able to “tell the world” her story and those of the Rabbits. While this book is more introspective than its predecessor, it is no less harrowing and emotional. Readers will connect with Rose and be moved by her struggle to go forward, find her wings again, and fly.–Necia Blundy, formerly at Marlborough Public Library, MA

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ALPINE, Rachele. Canary. 288p. Medallion. 2013. pap. $9.99. ISBN 978-1-60542-587-0.

BERNARD, Romily. Find Me. 320p. HarperCollins/HarperTeen. Oct. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-222903-8.

CARSON, Rae. The Bitter Kingdom. Bk. 3. 433p. (The Girl of Fire and Thorns Series). HarperCollins/Greenwillow. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-202654-5; ebook $12.99. ISBN 978-0-06-223918-1. LC 2013011912.

CHERRY, Alison. Red. 320p. Delacorte. Oct. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-385-74293-1; lib. ed. $20.99. ISBN 978-0-375-99085-4; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-307-97991-9.

CLARK, Kristin Elizabeth. Freakboy. 448p. further reading. websites. Farrar. Oct. 2013. Tr $18.99. ISBN 978-0-374-32472-8.

CORNWELL, Betsy. Tides. 294p. Clarion. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-547-92772-5. LC 2012022415.

CROGGON, Alison. Black Spring. 288p. Candlewick. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-6009-3; ebook $16.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-6708-5. LC 2012950560.

DE LA CRUZ, Melissa & Michael Johnston. Frozen. Bk. 1. 336p. (Heart of Dread Series). Putnam. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-399-25754-4. LC 2012034138.

DE LA PEÑA, Matt. The Living. 320p. Delacorte. Nov. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-385-74120-0; lib. ed. $20.99. ISBN 978-0-375-98991-9; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-375-98435-8.

DURST, Sarah Beth. Conjured. 304p. Walker. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-8027-3458-7.

ELFGREN, Sara B. & Mats Strandberg. The Circle. tr. from Swedish by Per Carlsson. Bk. 1. 608p. (The Engelsfors Trilogy.) Overlook. 2013. Tr $18.99. ISBN 978-1-4683-0658-3.

FALLON, Leigh. Shadow of the Mark. 308p. HarperCollins/HarperTeen. 2013. pap. $9.99. ISBN 978-0-06-212800-3. LC 2012025333.

FIORE, Kelly. Taste Test. 336p. Walker. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-8027-2838-8. LC 2012027331.

FOXLEE, Karen. The Midnight Dress. 288p. Knopf. Oct. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-375-85645-7; lib. ed. $19.99. ISBN 978-0-375-95645-4; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-449-81821-3. LC 2012029108.

GARNER, Em. Contaminated. 330p. Egmont USA. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-60684-354-3; ebook $17.99. ISBN 978-1-60684-355-0. LC 2012024472.

GENSLER, Sonia. The Dark Between. 352p. Knopf. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-375-86702-6; lib. ed. $19.99. ISBN 978-0-375-96702-3; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-375-89733-7. LC 2012036208.

GRACE, Amanda. The Truth About You & Me. 264p. Flux. 2013. pap. $9.99. ISBN 978-0-7387-3624-2; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-7387-3957-1.

GRIFFIN, Bethany. Dance of the Red Death. 336p. HarperCollins/Greenwillow. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-210782-4. ebook available. LC 2013011910.

HAN, Jenny & Siobhan Vivian. Fire with Fire. 517p. (Burn for Burn Series). S & S. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-4078-4; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-4080-7. LC 2013000541.

HARRISON, Lisi. Pretenders. 288p. (Pretenders Series). Little, Brown/Poppy. Oct. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-316-22244-0; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-316-22234-1.

HART, Jeff. Eat Brains Love. 352p. HarperCollins/HarperTeen. Oct. 2013. pap. $9.99. ISBN 978-0-06-220034-1. ebook available.

HAZELGROVE, William. The Pitcher. 241p. Morgan James/Köehler. 2013. pap. $15.95. ISBN 978-1-938467-59-2.

HERBACH, Geoff. I’m with Stupid. 320p. Sourcebooks/Fire. 2013. pap. $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4022-7791-7.

HOLLAND, L. Tam. The Counterfeit Family Tree of Vee Crawford-Wong. 357p. S & S. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-1264-4; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-1266-8. LC 2012014542.

HUDSON, Tara. Elegy. Bk. 3. 400p. (Hereafter Series). HarperCollins/HarperTeen. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-202681-1. ebook available.

JONES, Darynda. Death, Doom, and Detention. 306p. St. Martin’s Griffin. 2013. pap. $9.99. ISBN 978-0-312-62521-4. ebook available.

KATE, Lauren. Teardrop. 464p. Delacorte. Oct. 2013. Tr $18.99. ISBN 978-0-385-74265-8; lib. ed. $21.99. ISBN 978-0-375-99069-4; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-307-97631-4.

KINCAID, S. J. Vortex. Bk. 2. 390p. (Insignia Series). HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-209302-8. LC 2012051722.

KOCEK, Sara. Promise Me Something. 256p. Albert Whitman. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-8075-6641-1. ebook available.

KUEHN, Stephanie. Charm & Strange. 216p. St. Martin’s Griffin. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-250-02194-6. ebook available. LC 2013003247.

LANGE, Erin Jade. Dead Ends. 288p. Bloomsbury. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-61963-080-2; ebook $12.99. ISBN 978-1-61963-081-9.

MCCARRY, Sarah. All Our Pretty Songs. 224p. St. Martin’s Griffin. 2013. Tr $19.99. ISBN 978-1-250-04088-6; pap. $9.99. ISBN 978-1-250-02708-5. ebook available.

MARR, Melissa & Tim Pratt, eds.Rags & Bones: New Twists on Timeless Tales. 356p. illus. Little, Brown. Oct. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-316-21294-6; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-316-21292-2. LC 2012045583.

MYERS, Walter Dean. Invasion. 224p. Scholastic. Oct. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-545-38428-5; ebook $17.99. ISBN 978-0-545-57659-8.

MYRACLE, Lauren. The Infinite Moment of Us. 336p. Abrams/Amulet. 2013. Tr $17.95. ISBN 978-1-4197-0793-3. LC 2013017135.

NORRIS, Elizabeth. Unbreakable. 479p. HarperCollins/Balzer & Bray. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-210376-5.

PARKER, Amy Christine. Gated. 352p. Random. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-449-81597-7; lib. ed. $20.99. ISBN 978-0-449-81598-4; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-449-81599-1. LC 2012048123.

PARLATO, Steven. The Namesake. 288p. Merit. 2013. Tr $17.95. ISBN 978-1-4405-5457-5; ebook $17.95. ISBN 978-1-4405-5458-2.

PIERCE, Tamora. Battle Magic. 464p. glossary. Scholastic. Oct. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-439-84297-6; ebook $17.99. ISBN 978-0-545-52035-5. LC 2013013175.

POWELL, Laura. Witch Fire. Bk. 2. 336p. (Burn Mark Series). Bloomsbury. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-61963-006-2.

RICHARDS, Elizabeth. Phoenix. Bk. 2. 368p. (Black City Series). Putnam. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-399-15944-2. ebook available.

RICHARDS, Natalie D. Six Months Later. 336p. Sourcebooks/Fire. Oct. 2013. pap. $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4022-8551-6.

RUSSON, Penni. Only Ever Always. 160p. Delacorte. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-385-74352-5; lib. ed. $19.99. ISBN 978-0-375-99119-6; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-449-81668-4. LC 2012025063.

SANCHEZ, Jenny Torres. Death, Dickinson, and the Demented Life of Frenchie Garcia. 272p. Running Press/Teens. 2013. pap. $9.95. ISBN 978-0-7624-4680-3. LC 2013934992.

SPOONER, Meagan. Shadowlark. Bk. 2. 327p. (The Skylark Trilogy). Carolrhoda Lab. Oct. 2013. Tr $17.95. ISBN 978-0-7613-8866-1; ebook $12.95. ISBN 978-1-4677-1664-2. LC 2012047643.

SUTTON, Kelsey. Some Quiet Place. 360p. Flux. 2013. pap. $9.99. ISBN 978-0-7387-3643-3.

TERRELL, Heather. Relic. Bk. 1. 288p. (The Books of Eva Series). SohoTeen. Oct. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-61695-196-2; ebook $17.99. ISBN 978-1-61695-197-9.

VAN DIEPEN, Allison. Takedown. 288p. S & S/Simon Pulse. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-6311-0; pap. $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-6312-7. ebook available. LC 2012039237.

WATKINS, Steve. Juvie. 320p. Candlewick. Oct. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-5509-9. LC 2012955219.

WESTON, Paula. Shadows. Bk. 1. 384p. (The Rephaim Series). Tundra. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-77049-547-0; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-1-77049-549-4. LC 2012947613.

WOLF, Jennifer Shaw. Dead Girls Don’t Lie. 336p. Walker. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-8027-3449-5; ebook $17.99. ISBN 978-0-8027-3450-1.

ZHANG, Kat. Once We Were. Bk. 2. 352p. (The Hybrid Chronicles Series). HarperCollins/Harper. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-211490-7; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-0-06-211492-1.