I LOVE the way Jeff Zentner writes teenagers in the South. In his third book, best friends and high school seniors Josie and Delia host a public access show in their hometown of Jackson, Tenn. Every Friday night they screen low-budget horror films in the style of “Mystery Science Theatre 3000.” The friends are at a crossroad in their lives – Delia wants to continue the show after high school, but Josie is interested in going to college and interning at a television station. The girls take a trip to ShiverCon in Orlando and that’s when things get interesting and their future goals become more uncertain.

Ooooh, this book is perfect for fans of “Gone Girl” and similar psychological thrillers. Abbie wakes up with her husband, Tim, beside her – but she doesn’t remember what happened. Tim is the founder of a robotics company in Silicon Valley and slowly begins to tell Abbie that he created her as a first-of-its-kind AI. Was she created so Tim isn’t blamed for the real Abbie’s murder/disappearance? Or is she the next stage of robotics for Tim’s company, which is struggling to provide results? There are so many twists and turns that even if you think you know the ending, you’re not even close. Lots of suspense and a fun setup make this a “Black Mirror”-esque read.

I was so excited to get this advanced reader copy because it was recommended by Stephen King. This is a dark story in which fiction is eerily close to real life events. The book goes between 2000 and 2017 focusing on Vanessa Wye, who at 15 begins an affair with Jacob Strane, her English teacher.

In 2017, allegations against the teacher come to light and Vanessa is asked to testify against him. However, Vanessa doesn’t believe she is like the other girls – it was love between them, and they are still in contact now that she’s in her early 30s.

A powerful story about love, abuse and power. Lots of literary references throughout.

After I started watching the Hulu series based on this book, I realized I never read the book. And woah, is this powerful.

This is a near future in which the Republic of Gilead rules in an extreme fashion that does not give any power to women. Women are given their “jobs” but unable to have jobs or money, and are punished for reading.

The tale is told by Offred – of Fred – and her role as a Handmaid is to hope that each month the Commander can impregnate her during the impersonal Ceremony. Offred remembers a life before the Gilead ways and wants to get out in any way that doesn’t result in her death.

This debut novel from Vuong, a poet, is lyrically written as a letter from a Vietnamese American nicknamed Little Dog to his illiterate mother. Now 28 years old, Little Dog shares his struggle with assimilating in America, a boy with a father in jail, and his own sexuality. This is a heavy but beautifully written story about something that resonates with everyone: falling in love and fitting in.

I had really high hopes for this book. Jennifer, 43, has been told she has a terminal blood disorder that leaves her with less than 3 months to live. Rather than dwell on making a bucket list, she instead decides to tell three people who have hurt her the most and bare her soul. She writes letters to her estranged sister, her philandering ex-husband and her jerky ex-boyfriends. With lots of twists along the way, Jennifer clears her conscience and gets a second chance at life.

This YA series is recommended for those who enjoyed “Night Circus” and other magical fantasy YA stories. This the tale of two sisters – Scarlett and Donatella “Tella” Dragna, who have a dream of seeing Caraval, a once-a-year magical performance where the audience is part of the mystery and the winner of Caraval gets a wish granted. Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s organizer, Legend, and this game begins to feel very real. Even though Caraval is over with a seemingly happy ending, the second book picks up with Tella’s story and the deal she made to keep her sister safe. There’s love, royalty and magic as the final Caraval event begins and the sisters must work together to ensure that the evil Fates don’t take over the kingdom.

Ruta Sepetys is quickly becoming one of my favorite YA historical fiction authors. When I learned she had a new book coming out this fall, I quickly decided to read her backlist. This book follows the life of Josie Moraine, a 17-year-old who lives and works in a bookstore in the French Quarter of New Orleans in 1950. She dreams of attending Smith College in Massachusetts to get away from her mother, a prostitute who works for the well-known madam Willie Woodley. Josie is smart, resourceful and aided by unlikely role models. There’s a love triangle of sorts, and Josie’s mother derails her dreams with her relationship with a mob man. A fascinating read.