CHPL Staff Picks: Best Books of 2025 - TeenLike this list

30 items

• Sisters in the Wind

  Boulley, Angeline,

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  From the New York Times bestselling author of 'Firekeeper's Daughter' and 'Warrior Girl Unearthed' comes a daring new mystery about a foster teen uncovering her past and claiming her heritage on her own terms.

• A Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe

  Browne, Mahogany L.,

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  In this poignant mixed voice, mixed form collection of interconnected prose, poems and stories, teen characters, their families, and their communities grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Sọmadịna

  Emezi, Akwaeke,

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  A novel set in a magical West African world, about a teen girl who must save her missing twin while learning to navigate her own terrifying new powers. National Book Award finalist Akwaeke Emezi masterfully weaves a tale of family, identity, and the…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Nobody in Particular

  Gonzales, Sophie, 1992-

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  Seventeen-year-old Princess Rosemary of Henland, working to restore her reputation after a scandal that caused the death of her best friend, falls for new student Danni at her all-girls boarding school, but their growing relationship risks…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• This Is Where We Die

  He, Cindy R. X.,

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  Six out of eight teens who made it out alive from a ski trip two years ago must fight for their survival again--this time from a lurking killer on a secluded island in this dark, twisty, page-turner.

• Love at Full Tilt

  Howe, Jenny L.

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  Eighteen-year-old Lia is determined to win a scavenger hunt at a world-renowned theme park, until rival contestant Mason upends her plans and sends her heart careening. In this joyful celebration of fandoms, whirlwind romance, and plus-size girls,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Titan of the Stars

  Johnston, E. K.,

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  Celeste is apprentice engineer on the maiden voyage of the Titan from Earth to Mars. Dominic is the wealthy son of the ship-owner. When an act of sabotage releases ancient aliens with onto the ship, the teens must work together to survive in in this…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Breath of the Dragon

  Lee, Shannon, 1969-

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  Sixteen-year-old Jun, determined to restore his father's honor despite not being breathmarked, secretly enters in the elite Guardian's Tournament, where he discovers he's fighting for the country's fate.

• A World Worth Saving

  Lukoff, Kyle,

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  After coming out as trans, fourteen-year-old A is forced to attend weekly Save Our Sons and Daughters meetings, where he uncovers the terrifying truth that the group is run by a demon feeding on their pain and is part of a larger, darker force…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Everything Is Poison

  McCullough, Joy,

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  Sixteen-year-old Carmela Tofana finally gains access to her mother's apothecary in early 17th-century Rome, where she discovers that alongside healing remedies are dangerous potions that can change women's lives.

• Skipshock

  O'Donoghue, Caroline,

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  In a universe where time is key to power and privilege, this dazzlingly inventive, genre-defying fantasy romance is the first in a duology involves characters traveling on trains through interconnected wolds where time moves at different speeds.

• Best of All Worlds

  Oppel, Kenneth, 1967-

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  Xavier, his dad and his dad's pregnant new wife head to a cabin for a week in the woods, only to wake up one morning and find the house isn't where it was before. It's like it's been lifted and placed somewhere else. When they go explore, they find…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Golden Boy's Guide to Bipolar

  Reyes, Sonora

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  A poignant and searingly honest novel that follows "gifted" Cesar Flores as he comes to terms with his sexuality, his new bipolar diagnosis, and more mistakes than he can count.

• The Unexpected Consequence of Bleeding on a Tuesday

  Toney, Kelsey B.,

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  Seventeen-year-old Delia's frustrating journey to find a diagnosis for her excruciating menstrual pain leads to a fateful decision to self-medicate with marijuana, putting her future in jeopardy.

• The Otherwhere Post

  Taylor, Emily J.,

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  In order to investigate her father's past crimes, eighteen-year-old Maeve poses as a scriptomancy apprentice allowing her to send letters between worlds in this stunning dark academic fantasy full of deadly magic and dangerous secrets.

• Love, Misha

  Aden, Askel

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  Mom (Audrey) and Misha take a road trip, make a wrong turn down a forest road, and wind up in the Realm of Spirits. They have to work together to find their way back home, and back to each other.

• Kirby's Lessons for Falling (in Love)

  Gao, Laura,

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  Rock climber Kirby suffers an injury that sidelines her for the rest of the season and is forced to join the newspaper club for extra credit, where she's recruited by crystal-wearing, tarot-reading Bex Santos for her astrology-based love advice…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• On Starlit Shores

  a Graphic Novel

  Glendining, Bex,

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  Alex Wilson hasn't been back to Indigo Harbor, the seaside village where she grew up, in years. But when her grandmother dies unexpectedly, Alex must return to unravel the magical mysteries her late grandmother left behind.

• The Books of Earthsea

  a Graphic Novel. Book One, A Wizard of Earthsea

  Fordham, Fred, 1985-

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  Ged was the greatest sorcerer in Earthsea, but in his youth he was the reckless Sparrowhawk and unleashed a terrible shadow upon the world. This is the tumultuous tale of his testing, how he mastered the mighty words of power, tamed an ancient…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Cat + Crazy. Volume 1

  Nadatani, Wataru,

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  High schooler Kensuke Fuji adores cats, but others in his family are allergic, so he's never really been able to spend time with any. When he meets a mysteriously skilled cat guru who seems to be able to understand everything about cats, Kensuke…Read moreRead more of this annotation