Book picks similar to
The Art Kids by Kate Spofford


young-adult
america
contemporary-with-a-twist
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Shaken


Susan Hatler - 2012
    When she touches people’s hands, she’s able to see their deepest thoughts. As if that’s not freaky enough, her dad sends her to help hottie detective, Sam Williams, track down a missing girl. Way too much pressure, especially for a girl who can’t watch Scream without getting nightmares. Then, finding the missing girl leads to much more than Kylie’s prepared for. Like discovering that her dad has been lying to her. That she has a family she never knew about. That the girls have powers similar to hers. Oh yeah, and that someone is out to get her. When the detective’s teenage wanna-be-cop cousin, Trip Williams, approaches Kylie at school insisting she help him solve the case, she discovers Trip might be the only one she can trust, and the only one to help her unravel the secrets behind her mysterious gift.

Tesla


Mark Lingane - 2013
    The planet has slowly been getting hotter and water is becoming a rare resource. Out of the ruins of a civilization that has collapsed in on itself, have arisen a new breed of people - those with the power to control magnetism.Seb, a young orphan boy from a quiet rural town, is being hunted by strange part-machine, part-human people. His only hope is Melanie, an angry, dying teenage girl who is dragged into the adventure and sets out to deliver him to the Steam Academy, even if it’s just to stop him talking. Seb must confront an unknown past and fight against everything he believed in. And occasionally wash his hair.Aimed at a teen audience.*** From the Author ***When writing this, I wanted to produce something that would compete against the "console" generation, where plot is delivered by cut scenes. The question was how do you write for an Assassin's Creed fan? Something that a teenage boy could enjoy.My list became: Short, sharp, constantly evolving, ridiculous amounts of action where no one important ever seems to get hurt, and make fun of current pop culture, social media, adults and technology.And, of course, an easy way to explain quantum mechanics, and turn science into magic - or the other way around.This is an exploration of that challenge.

Repatriate Protocol


Kelli Kimble - 2016
    But she soon learns that there is another path she can follow.In nearly a thousand years, only a few have seen the outside world, and virtually everyone inside is terrified of it. When Hillary is offered the chance to see it herself, she can’t help but want to jump into the adventure.But it isn’t just a matter of opening a door. Hillary must endure a rigorous education and brutal physical training to get outside. Can she pass through the grueling gauntlet to get outside? And what does she risk if she makes it?Part coming-of-age adventure, part survival horror, and part science fiction, REPATRIATE PROTOCOL is the gripping first installment in THE REPATRIATE PROTOCOL series by Kelli Kimble.

Atlantis: Revelation


Marcus Blake - 2013
    Within hours the crew are dead, the final entry of the captain's log the only evidence of their find. It seems they have stumbled upon a remarkable and ancient secret.2012, a young man is found, washed up on the shore of Cuba. He has no idea who he is, or where he is from. But soon he will find himself at the centre of a deadly game between two civilizations.Meanwhile, a classified governmental agency launches a top-secret manhunt. Their target: the young man. And so begins a clash of worlds.This is Atlantis Rising.A stunning action adventure thriller revealing the secrets of Atlantis - this is The Bourne Identity meets The Da Vinci Code.Marcus Blake is the pen name of a critically acclaimed best-selling novelist. He lives in the UK.

Broken


Dean Murray - 2011
    At least she thought so until the two most intriguing guys in her new school take an interest in her.Both boys are gorgeous and blessed with obscene amounts of money. They should have the emotional depth of note cards, but instead display undercurrents she doesn't fully understand. Rumors the pair destroys peoples' livelihoods seem ludicrous until she gets caught in the crossfire and her family almost loses their home. She's increasingly unsure either boy is really human, and their rivalry is rapidly turning deadly.

Scary Mary


S.A. Hunter - 2006
    When a new boy starts school, he surprises Mary by befriending her. That's a rare thing for the school freak, but her unusual abilities put a rift in their budding friendship when Mary has to tell Cy that his home is haunted and not by Casper, the friendly ghost. Mary has to get rid of the ghost, thwart the school bully, do her homework, and not get detention. Mary's sure she can do all of that except for the last part.

Confessions of a Queen B*


Crista McHugh - 2015
    After years of being the subject of ridicule, she revels in her ability to make the in-crowd cower via the exposés on her blog, The Eastline Spy. Now that she's carved out her place in the high school hierarchy, she uses her position to help the unpopular kids walking the hallways. Saving a freshman from bullies? Check. Swapping insults with the head cheerleader? Check. Falling for the star quarterback? So not a part of her plan. But when Brett offers to help her solve the mystery of who’s posting X-rated videos from the girls’ locker room, she’ll have to swallow her pride and learn to see past the high school stereotypes she’s never questioned—until now.

Silence


Natasha Preston - 2012
    At the age of five, she stopped talking, and no one seems to know why. Refusing to communicate beyond a few physical actions, Oakley remains in her own little world. Bullied at school, she has just one friend, Cole Benson. Cole stands by her, refusing to believe that she is not perfect the way she is. Over the years, they have developed their own version of a normal friendship. However, will it still work as they start to grow even closer? When Oakley is forced to face someone from her past, can she hold her secret in any longer?

Dying to Forget


Trish Marie Dawson - 2010
    The Station books are part of a YA/NA Fantasy series that follow teenage anti-heroine, Piper Willow, after she dies and wakes up in the afterlife at a place called the Station, and is offered redemption – in the form of a job. After Piper dies, she gets two choices: enter her own personal hell, or go back to Earth and become the voice of conscience inside a boy’s head. Can she save Sloan from meeting the same fate? A tale of hope that will warm your heart.

Incomplete


Lindy Zart - 2013
    His existence was a mistake. 2. No one is good enough for his best friend, Lily Jacobs, especially not him. 3. He loves her anyway.

Black Box


Julie Schumacher - 2000
    At school, the only people who acknowledge Elena are Dora’s friends and Jimmy Zenk—who failed at least one grade and wears black every day of the week. And at home, Elena’s parents keep arguing with each other. Elena will do anything to help her sister get better and get their lives back to normal—even when the responsibility becomes too much to bear.

Every Little Piece


Kate Ashton - 2013
    A story of love, hope and healing.** Needing the truth… I wanted to spend the night before graduation making out with Seth, but one of my best friends had the whole night planned. Lucky for me, we ran into him and his friends playing pool where we made some silly bet over a game, and the losers had to run through town in nothing but their underwear. A year later, I wish more than ever we’d just made out at Raker’s Bluff instead, because maybe the night would’ve turned out differently. Now Seth’s back, the guy who broke my heart, the guy I’m still in love with…I just hope he doesn’t break me all over again. Desperate for redemption… No one wants to fess up to having a screwed-up family. When my parents dropped the big divorce bomb on me, I decided to keep it a secret. Just the thought of the pity-stares and pats-on-the-back made me feel sick. I’d tell Haley and my friends another time. Except, I never got the chance. Stuff happened. Stuff that totally sucked and changed our lives forever. Instead of telling my truth, I took the coward’s way out, and I’ve regretted it ever since. But I’m back, determined to tell Haley everything, down to the last gritty detail, if she’ll give me the chance…even if it means losing her forever.

Crazy Love


Emma Keene - 2013
    She is planning to attend State in the fall, with her boyfriend Mitch, and has her life all planned out. The only problem is that life has an entirely different plan for her. Excerpt: Dragging my feet as I walk, I leave my room and head downstairs to face the firing squad. I step into the kitchen and my parents stop mid sentence and look at me. It’s a weird feeling, almost like I’m a toy that is being inspected for faults. They are trying to decide if I pass and get to move on with my existence or I fail and get tossed to the bottom of a trash bin. Dad motions for me to take a seat across the table from him. My mom gets up and stands at the sink, looking out the window. I can already tell this isn’t going to be good. I hang my head and wait for it to begin. “Where were you?” I swallow and turn to my dad. He looks disappointed, but compared to the look on my mother’s face, he looks calm and collected. I shouldn’t be surprised, he’s always been the one who steadies the ship when the waves start. “I… I went to Mitch’s house.” My mom starts to cry. I instantly feel bad, even though I’m not sure why my sneaking out would cause her to be upset emotionally. I get that she’s mad, however, this is not the response I was expecting. Why would me going to Mitch’s house make her cry? It really makes no sense. My dad lets out a deep sigh and drums his fingers on the table. “What were you doing there?” I wrestle with telling them the truth. They are going to be pissed either way. Maybe I should just tell them about State. I take a deep breath and ready myself, emotionally, to deal with the slew of questions and judgment that is sure to follow.

Breathless


V.J. Chambers - 2009
    Her biggest issue is trying to figure out why her seemingly normal boyfriend won't sleep with her. Then Jason races into her life. He won't say where he came from or who's chasing him. He's a delicious puzzle, a boy who has no problem using his fists to solve arguments or quoting Plato to justify his actions. Azazel is drawn to him. She's obsessed with finding out his secrets. What she doesn't know is that Jason's secrets are entwined with her own town's secrets. Her friends and family have conspired to use her as a pawn in a violent scheme. Soon, she will have to choose between protecting Jason and staying loyal to everyone she's ever trusted. A story about forbidden love, fate, and free will, Breathless is Rosemary's Baby meets The Da Vinci Code.

Rule #6: You Can't Elevate the Outcast


Anne-Marie Meyer - 2021
    She was staring at my scar. The physical proof of my past. I turned to the side and raised my hand to cover my face. I needed to protect myself before I broke down the wall that I’d spent so long building up.“Get out,” I whispered.“Colten—”“I said leave,” I growled.She hesitated for a moment before she turned and raced toward the door.As soon as the door handle engaged, I pushed my hand through my hair, hating myself for acting like that. I hated that I’d treated her that way. But I knew it was the right thing.She needed to leave me alone before I hurt her.Pushing her from my mind, I headed into my bathroom. Once the room was full of steam, I slipped into the shower and let the water beat down on my back, on the scars that littered my body.It was a painful reminder of my past. Of who I was now. And of who I could never be.One thing was for sure, I could never be what Haley wanted.I thought I knew what I was getting into when I took the dare to elevate Colten Shaw.I thought wrong.I'm determined to make my senior year epic. I'd finally risen up in social rank and now, I'm ready to rule the school. Everything seems perfect until I find myself standing in front of Colten.My boyfriend's older brother and my once friend.After he caused the car crash that killed their mother, he retreated. He became the social outcast in our community.But he's back now and drumming up a lot of attention.Attention from the school's evil queen.And thus started the dare.It was my job to "tame the beast." To bring Colten to the homecoming dance as a "functioning member of society." And as much as I want to say no, everyone wants me to say yes. So I do.That's when I discover there is so much more to Colten. It's to the point where I can't ignore it.I thought I had everything figured out but now?Now I’m not sure.And that’s a scary place to be.Some Rules are Meant to be BrokenIf you love gruff heroes with a heart of gold and kisses that will curl your toes, you'll love Rule #6: You Can't Elevate the Outcast.