Warcross by Marie Lu

In a world of virtual reality, the video game Warcross has become more than just a game--it is a way of life. For Emika Chen, a bounty hunter who catches people betting illegally, Warcross provides the meager income that helps her scrape by. Until the day Emika hacks into the International Warcross Championships and her whole world changes. Suddenly she is a professional player and meeting Hideo Tanaka, the young billionaire who created the game.

Emika has the life she has always dreamed of, but she finds herself in more danger than she ever imagined. Warcross is a fast-paced science fiction story, perfect for gamers and lovers of Ready Player One. Lu excels at world building and creating relatable characters that will capture teen audiences. Her story does deal with some teen issues, but stays appropriate for a teen audience.

Sex: Mentioned, but not graphic Violence: Video Game violence Profanity: mild

Recommended for ages--13 and up.

Finding Mighty by Sheela Chari

Peter’s older brother Randall disappears and Peter is determined to find him. He knows that Randall’s disappearance is related to some distinctive graffiti tags that are showing up in local subway stations. Myla recognizes those tags are connected to a symbol on her necklace. Together, Myla and Peter are drawn into the mystery of the symbol and find themselves facing more danger than they expected.

Alternating between Peter and Myla’s perspective, Finding Mighty is a mystery filled with plenty of action. It also includes parkour, graffiti, and local New York history. It is a fun read for middle school lovers of mystery and adventure. Its diverse cast of characters will resonate with a variety of readers.

Recommended ages--11-14 years old

Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Tyler Jones is graduating top of his class at the Aurora Academy. This should give him first pick for his future Aurora Squad. However, an unexpected rescue mission puts him late to the pick and now he is stuck with all the Academy misfits. On top of that, Tyler is also stuck with Aurora Jie-Lin O’Malley, the girl he just rescued from a spacecraft abandoned over 200 years ago.

As Tyler’s squad attempts to complete their first mission, it becomes apparent that there is much more to Auri than they know. Many people are trying to keep her presence a secret and possibly destroy her altogether. Soon it is the misfit team pitted against what feels like the entire galaxy. With humor, mystery, action, and great character development, Aurora Rising is one amazing ride through space. It is an exciting start to a new science fiction series perfect for tweens and teens.

Recommended ages--11 and up