From vampires kept in basements to encounters with murderers & new twists on the legend of King Arthur, The Curiosities is a quirky collection of brilliant short stories that has something for every taste. This book began as a website (www.merryfates.com) kept by its three authors, Maggie, Brenna and Tessa, all of whom have written great YA books like The Scorpio Races, The Replacement  and Blood Magic. The authors use the Merry Fates website as a way to explore new writing styles and experiment with how to approach writing. Besides the beautifully written stories, this collection also features introductions, side notes and illustrations by each of the authors, which give the reader insights into the thoughts behind each story. The reader also gains interesting tidbits that she might not know about each writer: like how one loves fairies, another olives and another loves offing characters in her stories. This collection is sure to pique and satisfy your curiosity.

(Renee, the Loft)

If you enjoy DIY projects, experimenting with science and working with youth and are between the ages of 18-22 then check out this awesome internship opportunity at EPL through Maker Corps. If you're selected as one of the interns you'll go through 8 weeks (5 hours per week) of online training through Maker Corps. Then you're set to work at the EPL for the summer (12 weeks, 10 hours per week).  Where you'll be putting your training to use planning and presenting DIY/Maker/STEM related programming for teens and youth at the Library. Plus you'll receive a $1000 stipend for all your work! Go to Maker Corps page to find out more information and make sure to apply by 3/1. You can read more about what you'll be doing at EPL as part of Maker Corps in this blog post on the Maker Corps site. 

Each night Jessica dreams of waking up with her dog and doing her morning run, but now she wakes up to the nightmare that her life has become. Jessica’s track team’s bus was hit a by a distracted driver on the way home from a meet. Jessica lost her leg below the knee in the accident and her teammate Zoe was killed. The Running Dream begins with Jessica in her hospital room coping with the idea of never being able run again, to feel the wind in her face or to cross the finish line. Jessica struggles with depression over her situation at the beginning, but her friends, family and her track team help get her moving forward and into a routine. Her track team surprises her with an idea that would allow Jessica to run again. That news helps get Jessica back on her feet and encourages her to move forward learning to walk and finding happiness with life again. Will her track team's surprise come through? The Running Dream is a great story of friendship, acceptance and inspiration - guaranteed to please. 

(Renee, the Loft)

A trip to Amsterdam with an eccentric boy was the last thing Hazel Grace expected in her life. She can't go to school due to the cancerous tumor inside her, so she spends her days reading her favorite book, An Imperial Affliction. Her life turns around when she meets Augustus Waters, an optimistic teen who lost a leg due to osteosarcoma. Soon, she finds herself on a plane to Amsterdam to meet her favorite author and on her journey she finds that there might be a reason for living.

Find The Fault in Our Stars in the Loft.

(Sofia, ETHS) 

Have you ever wondered what it would be like if you were visited at night by a monster? That's exactly what happens in the book, A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness. A Monster Calls is a book about a boy whose mom has breast cancer and not enough money for treatment and is expected to die. At night the boy is visited by a monster who tells him stories that eventually connect to the boy's life. The boy is pushed to the limits many times, such as when he beats school bullies near death. The plot of the story is engaging and draws the reader in. the characters and settings are fully developed in a way that makes the reader connect to it all. If you like horror, mystery, or drama I would recommend this book.

(Cyrus, ETHS) 

A girl speaks about what it's like to be bullied on tapes and sends them out after her death. Eye opening.  

-The Loft's Teen Advisory Board

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

When high school student Clay Jenkins receives a box in the mail containing thirteen cassette tapes recorded by his classmate Hannah, who recently committed suicide, he spends a bewildering and heartbreaking night crisscrossing town, listening to Hannah's voice recounting the events that lead up to her death. Packs an emotional punch.