05/18/2026
Stuck on what to read for this year's Summer Reading Program? These two YA novels were standout reads for our teen volunteer NK, who read them before publication as Advance Reader Copies (ARCs) from the publishers.
NK enthusiastically recommends, "They Want Us Dead" by CL Montblanc for all teens for its prose and characters. NK says the story's modern language immerses readers in a world that feels familiar, like a teen really wrote it. They also say the story does a good job handling big issues in true crime.
Next, we have "Beth is Dead" by Katie Bernet, which is a murder mystery retelling of the classic "Little Women." NK enjoyed the characters in this novel, as well, and was drawn to the story's recurring theme that things are not quite as they seem. They were also impressed by how social media was handled in "Beth is Dead," calling it "one of the most well done parallels" they've seen.
According to NK, if you loved reading "One of Us is Lying" and "A Good Girl's Guide to Murder," then you will have a good time with these two new releases - borrow one (or both) in physical or digital copy today!
Thank you to Wednesday Books and Simon Teen for continuing to support our ARC reader program.
