Kimberly Giarratano

At first glance, Oleander, Kansas, is a town like any other—small, isolated and full of secrets—until the “killing day,” when five citizens inexplicably murder 12 people before killing themselves. Only one teenage girl survives. Cassandra Porter is convicted and locked away without any answers as to how she could kill a person—let alone an infant.

A year after the killing day, the town is leveled by a Category 5 tornado, but that’s just the beginning of the destruction. Oleander is immediately quarantined, the town elders impose their own rule and violence ensues. Five teenagers—the closeted jock, the drug dealer’s daughter, the outcast’s son, the religious fanatic and Cassandra the baby killer—can see the evil plaguing their town, even if they don’t quite understand it. And only they can stop the madness or die trying.

The Waking Dark is a well-crafted, multi-narrative tour de force that explores weighty issues such as physical and sexual abuse, drug addiction, hypocrisy and homophobia with the chill of a Stephen King novel. Robin Wasserman cleverly uses science fiction and horror to explore themes of good and evil, and the choices people make to be one or the other. Are the townspeople driven to commit such violence because deep down that’s who they really are? Or is it because something sinister is turning them into monsters? Wasserman doesn’t tread lightly here: The violence is cringe-worthy and frequent, but it serves a narrative purpose. Fast-paced and engrossing, The Waking Dark has great crossover potential for adults as well as teens.

It’s summer in Echo, Maine, and 17-year-old Violet White and her brother are wondering how they are going to manage their crumbling seaside mansion. Violet’s beloved grandmother is dead, and her artist parents are spending what little remains of the family fortune in Europe. And so Violet decides to rent out the guesthouse to River West, a stranger who brings money and intrigue, but also lies. Violet is immediately drawn to River and finds herself trying to understand the strange boy who stirs in her both passion and contempt.

Don't trust the handsome stranger in Tucholke's Gothic debut.

Just when River arrives in town, strange things start happening: Children claim to see the devil; a man kills himself in the town square; and a woman is murdered nearby. Violet's grandmother always said to believe in the devil, and now Violet knows such evil exists. River isn't as innocent as he claims to be, but Violet doesn’t care, and that's the problem.

April Genevieve Tucholke's debut is a Gothic horror with a contemporary setting, although a major element of the story’s appeal is the sense that it could take place at any time in the past. There is no mention of cell phones or the Internet. Violet's neighbor never calls or texts; she just shows up at Violet’s door. Violet dresses up in her grandmother’s vintage clothes, and River drives a classic car.

There is also a sensual undercurrent throughout the book. Violet often catches her brother and pretty neighbor with their hands all over each other. Violet, too, is feeling uncontrollable passion for the first time, even though her affections are directed at a romantic lead who is not at all charming.

Atmospheric and sultry with phenomenal cover art, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea is as frightening as it is alluring.

The ghost of Jacob Grimm has been wandering the earth since 1863, searching for his beloved dead brother—and the other half of the famous fairy-tale-writing duo—Wilhelm. The endless search is what keeps Jacob from leaving the Zwischenraum, the ghost realm, and brings him to the door of 15-year-old Jeremy Johnson Johnson, an outcast in the backwards town of Never Better. Jeremy is the only one who can hear Jacob, and the Brother Grimm quickly becomes the boy’s only friend and protector. And Jeremy can use all the help he can get: His father is a heartbroken shut-in and the bank is ready to foreclose on their home.

Then one day Ginger, the town spitfire, takes a real interest in Jeremy. She invites him to the bakery where the locals claim the Prince Cakes are like a love potion. One bite and suddenly Ginger can't stay away from Jeremy. Is it a budding friendship or a magic spell? Either way, she's determined to help him save his home. But Jeremy needs more than Ginger's help, as an evil lurks in Never Better, and it's coming straight for Jeremy Johnson Johnson.

Far Far Away is an incredibly imaginative modern fairy tale told through the first-person narration of the ghost of Jacob Grimm. In rich language, Tom McNeal intricately weaves the collected tales of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm into Jeremy’s unusual world, thus giving readers the impetus to research the history of these dark fairy tales, far more than any Disney movie could. Suspenseful with a sinister villain, Far Far Away is equally heartwarming as it is scary.

Unlike many of her countrymen, 15-year-old Nina has no desire to leave her native Dominican Republic for the United States. She would much rather tend her garden and live simply with her overbearing mother. Unfortunately, when pretty Nina catches the eyes of some unsavory tourists, her mother sends her to New York City to live with her older brother, Darrio.

In Washington Heights, Nina discovers a world of gray concrete, a far cry from the tropical colors of her island. Despite being surrounded by fellow Dominicans, Nina feels strange and alone. Darrio does his best to make Nina feel at home—he enrolls her in high school, buys her new clothing and even helps her plant orchids on the fire escape—but he cannot hide that he’s in serious trouble. Things get emotionally confusing for Nina when she falls in love with a suspected drug dealer. This is not the America that Nina expected. Despite all the turmoil, Nina does make a life for herself.

Told in Nina’s lyrical first-person narrative, Flowers in the Sky is a story about expectations and the pressure to succeed in the “land of opportunity.” Nina’s acclimation to New York is aided by those who came before her, especially her brother, whose criminal activities have provided Nina and her mother with a comfortable life in the Dominican Republic and even afforded Nina a visa to get to the U.S. Although readers might take issue with Nina’s dependent relationship with men, they still will be able to sympathize with her circumstances. It takes a strong person to leave one’s homeland for opportunities—both good and bad—in another country. Faced with numerous choices, Nina must decide what kind of woman she wants to be: naive or empowered.

The long-standing peace between the three kingdoms Auranos, Paelsia and Limeros is coming to an end. Two cruel despots capitalize on the murder of a poor Paelsian boy and form a treacherous alliance. At the center of the conflict are the royal descendents and rebellious youth of the three kingdoms.

Sixteen-year-old Princess Cleo of Auranos has lived a sheltered and frivolous life. She is second in line to the throne behind her much more responsible sister, but when her sister falls ill, Cleo enters into enemy territory, desperate to locate a cure. Eighteen-year-old Prince Magnus of Limeros doubts he has the stomach to rule like his cruel father. Protective of his sister, he harbors a disturbing secret that could be his undoing. At the start of it all is Jonas Agallon, a Paelsian peasant who seeks vengeance for his brother’s murder—but those he’s chosen to align himself with might be more dangerous than the one he’s after. Meanwhile, a powerful, dormant magic has reawakened. In the wrong hands, it could destroy everything. When battle lines are drawn, the kingdoms may be no longer.

The first in a planned quartet, Falling Kingdoms is a superbly written and character-driven narrative told from the viewpoints of several young people who are desperate to find their purposes within their respective kingdoms. Each character is complex and conflicted, making them largely sympathetic. It’s hard to know who to root for and who to root against. This is a perfect novel for fans of Game of Thrones and Graceling, but just as engaging for those who don’t typically read fantasy. Themes of belonging, honor and duty will resonate with everyone.

Seventeen-year-old Katharine Tulman, an orphan under the guardianship of her dreadful aunt, has been sent to her uncle’s country estate to have him committed to an insane asylum. Having never met her Uncle Tully, Katharine plans to carry out her assignment and return to London at once. However, she is unprepared for the people who await her: her uncle, an eccentric inventor who spends hours in his workshop tinkering with toys that exceed the imagination; his brooding yet handsome assistant; a secretive, mute boy; a resentful housekeeper; and a gossipy servant.

Uncle Tully’s estate holds more than just his workshop; it is responsible for the livelihood of 900 people, all of whom will do anything to stop Katharine from taking it away. She must weigh the lives of hundreds of people—including powerless women, poor families and others on the fringes of society—against her own. If she doesn’t want to see her uncle’s laborers sent back to London’s abysmal workhouses, she just might have to forfeit her own financial future.

Set in 1852 against the backdrop of England’s burgeoning Technological Revolution, The Dark Unwinding blends together elements of streampunk and Gothic literature. It is atmospheric and imaginative, rooted in a rich history and packed with well-drawn characters—and is a great crossover for adults.

In Seraphina’s world, dragons can take the shape of humans. Mathematical creatures by nature, dragons perceive the human world much like Mr. Spock on "Star Trek": logically and literally. While dragons and humans may coexist, their relationship is one of distrust and suspicion. Dragons’ speech and actions betray no human emotions, and they are forbidden from falling in love with humans.

A talented palace musician, Seraphina is half-dragon, a secret she must vehemently protect. Thus, her isolation is her greatest protector—until she befriends Prince Lucian Kiggs and gets caught up in the investigation of his uncle’s death. Prince Lucian is quick to see through Seraphina’s lies, and when she suspects a larger conspiracy, hiding her true identity becomes nearly impossible. Like her dragon mother, Seraphina must decide if she is willing to sacrifice self-preservation for love.

Debut novelist Rachel Hartman has created a unique and imaginative fantasy kingdom. Her world-building is so detailed and well-integrated, each character and place so well-drawn, one wonders if they truly exist somewhere. Seraphina is a strong heroine, a young woman who straddles both the dragon and human worlds but is welcomed by neither. Her talent and intellect are matched only by Prince Lucian, and yet she feels unworthy of him—a sentiment with which most readers will empathize. The novel ends with new conflict, so readers can expect more from the talented Hartman.

Endorsed by fantasy powerhouses such as Christopher Paolini and Tamora Pierce, Seraphina is an engaging and innovative fantasy that uses the plights of dragons and humans as an allegory for the real prejudices we all must face.