January 2016 Young Adult Books: 5 Fresh Titles to Watch Out For Next Month

With 2016 fast approaching, readers should be preparing a brand new bookshelf to give room to more young adult books set to greet them next year. To get started, here are five titles to help start the year with a good story to tell.

1."Passenger" by Alexandra Bracken (Jan. 5)

The story follows violin wonder Etta Spencer, who one day finds herself on board Nicholas Carter's boat in the middle of the sea and far away from her home and family. Powerful and sinister clan Ironwoods, who Nicholas was once a part of and so desperately escapes from, is on the hunt for a stolen object that they believe only Etta can retrieve.

2. "Thief of Lies" by Brenda Drake (Jan. 5)

This book tells the tale of Gia Kearns who embarks on a quest to find the fetching leather-donning hottie named Arik, who happens to be the only boy he wants to kiss rather than fight after his inexplicable disappearance.

As she attempted to locate him, she stumbles upon a photograph tucked in the pages of the book of world libraries he left. Before she realizes, she and her friends were vacuumed in the same photograph that transported them into a Paris library, only to find Arik there with his sentinels.

3. "Underwater" by Marisa Reichardt (Jan. 12)

The synopsis of the book suggests that protagonist Morgan inadvertently took part in someone's death ironically as she tried to do something good during that one fateful day. Because of this, she cut herself off from the real world and has never moved on from the tragedy.

She felt like she was underwater, having secluded herself in the bottom of the sea that is her apartment. This changed when a boy named Evan reminded her of what it feels like above the surface.

4. "Front Lines" by Michael Grant (Jan. 26)

In this unique read, Grant re-imagines the Second World War with female soldiers at the vanguard. He focuses on three "average" girls Rio Richlin, Frangie Marr and Rainy Schulterman who volunteer to fight the Nazis for various reasons.

Rio aims to honor her sister while Rainy only dreams of being able to support her family. Rainy is in it for the simple reason of quenching her desire to kill Germans. Whatever it is that pushes them to fight, what's definite is that they are about to fight "the greatest war the world has ever known."

5. "The Year We Fell Apart" by Emily Martin (Jan. 26)

Martin's debut novel centers on Harper, who is having her roughest year yet in Carson High School having been kicked out by the swimming team and gradually becoming reputed as the girl that you won't have a hard time convincing to sleep with.

Most of all, her struggle comes from the fact that her mother just died of cancer and that her former best friend Declan, fresh from boarding school and is now all taller and more handsome, won't talk to her anymore.

While Declan tries his best to stay away, their rich history as friends continue to bring her closer to her.