Best Summer Reads for Teens

Patch checked in with for its picks for best reads for teens.

Lori Gerbasi, of the library's Young Adult Services, shared this list:

2012 Best Fiction for Young Adults

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson. A fearful princess Elisa discovers her heroic destiny after being married off to the king of a neighboring country in turmoil and pursued by enemies seething with dark magic.

Leverage by Joshua. Cohen. An unlikely friendship between a stuttering football player and a short, competitive gymnast, creates a bond that may help them stand up to three football bullies.

Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King. Overburdened by his parents' bickering and a bully's attacks, Lucky Linderman begins dreaming of being with his grandfather, who went missing during the Vietnam War, but during a visit to Arizona, his aunt and uncle and their beautiful neighbor, Ginny, help him find a new perspective.

Under the mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia McCall. Throughout her high school years, as her mother battles cancer, Lupita takes on more responsibility for her house and seven younger siblings, while finding refuge in acting and writing poetry.

Shine by Lauren Myracle. When Cat's friend is brutally beaten in a hate crime, Cat feels driven to find out the truth about the assault and the attackers.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness. Illus. by Jim Kay. The monster comes for Conor just after midnight. That is, until he’s ready to share how he feels about his mom’s cancer.

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys. In 1941, Lina and her family are taken from their home in Lithuania and sent to Siberia where, despite horrific conditions, Lina maintains hope that she will survive.

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater. Sean and Puck fall in love when each is desperate to win the Scorpio Races,  in which wild meat -eating water horses race on the beach.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor. Karu questions how she came to be raised by the chimaera Brimstone. When she meets the seraph Akiva, events unfold that could answer her questions but at great costs.

How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr. Jill, who is grieving the death of her father, is appalled that her mother is adopting a baby and giving the pregnant mother, Mandy, a home… but Mandy’s got a story of her own.