Outside it might be a cold, winter wonderland, but what if that doesn’t fit your mood? Maybe you’d rather enjoy some indoor adventures by snuggling up with a good book to keep you warm; and what better way to do that than with one of these fire-themed young adult books?! Grab a hot beverage, a comfortable seat, and get reading! Stay warm and well read, my friends!
Lies Like Wildfire by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez (thriller, 9th & up)
YA F ALVAREZ
Five life-long friends who have recently graduated from high school celebrate with a relaxing day at a local lake. When one of the teens accidentally starts a fire in a no-burn area, things quickly grow out of control and a deadly wildfire is soon devastating the area. Making a pact to keep the truth of the fire’s origins a secret, the lies build, tensions mount, and with the disappearance of one of the friends in the group, Hannah fears she might be the next to get burned.
Ring of Fire (Young Samurai series) by Chris Bradford (historical/action, 6th & up)
YA F BRADFORD
Thanks to a fierce snowstorm, English orphan Jack Fletcher is forced to seek shelter in a little village where he discovers that the people are in need of a hero to protect
them from raiding mountain bandits. Using the Ring of Fire and his samurai training, can he defeat the villagers' enemies?
Fire by Kristin Cashore (fantasy, 9th & up)
YA F CASHORE
In the Dells, there are many monsters, animal and human alike. Fire is the last of the human monsters, as breathtaking and deadly as they come. With her beautiful appearance and her mind control skills, you would think she would be on top of the food chain, but even she cannot escape the danger that is threatening her world.
City of Heavenly Fire (Mortal Instruments series) by Cassandra Clare (fantasy, 8th & up)
YA F CLARE
In this final volume of the Mortal Instruments series, Clary, Jace, Simon, and all their Shadowhunter friends must band together to face their deadliest foe yet- Clary’s brother, Sebastian. This is an unputdownable conclusion to an action packed fantasy series. Start from the first volume, City of Bones, for maximum enjoyment.
Jumper by Melanie Crowder (adventure, 8th & up)
YA F CROWDER
Blair Scott loves her role as a wildland firefighter, so when the opportunity to become a smokejumper (one of the elite who parachutes into the front line defense against the deadliest wildfires) arises , she…well…jumps at the chance. But being relatively new, young, and female shades many people’s perception of her capabilities, and Blair finds herself taking more and more risks to prove her worth. If she doesn’t take care, Blair might end up taking one risk too many.
Playing for the Devil’s Fire by Phillippe Diedrich (murder mystery, 7th & up)
YA F DIEDRICH
It seems that Boli’s life went from that of an average thirteen year old to a complete nightmare the moment drug cartels moved into his small Mexican town. Suddenly, in the area there is an influx of dangerous looking people with too much money, tensions are high, and murder becomes almost commonplace. When Boli’s parents don’t return from a trip, he fears the worst and seeks the help of a local luchador to investigate the truth.
Trial By Fire by Norah McClintock (mystery, 7th & up)
YA F MCCLINTOCK
When Riley, the new kid in town, saves a neighbor from a suspicious fire, she is shocked at the townspeople’s reaction. They turn against the victim, accusing her immigrant neighbor of setting the fire himself, and they try to harass her into backing off on her defense of him. Never one to be bullied, RIley is determined to figure out who is really responsible and stay strong against the prejudice and corruption that seems to have infected her new hometown.
We Are the Ashes, We Are the Fire by Joy McCullough (verse novel, 9th & up)
YA F MCCULLOUGH
After her older sister is brutally attacked at a frat party, the rapist, a fellow student at the sister’s college, is found guilty on all counts. Em is elated that justice will prevail- until the judge decides to sentence him to no jail time. Filled with intense anger that cannot be contained, Em must decide how to proceed: should she move forward and put her rage behind her, or seek justice and revenge?
Burn by Patrick Ness (fantasy, 8th & up)
YA F NESS
In the mid 1950s, only the poorest citizens needed to stoop so low as to hire a dragon to help work their farm, but Sarah and her father definitely qualify for that dubious honor. The dragon Kazimir surprises Sarah, though. Supposedly soulless and unworthy, this dragon at least seems to have some secrets- he is protective of Sarah, and soon reveals that a prophecy has brought him to her little farm, a prophecy that foretells danger, adventure, and so much more than Sarah could ever predict.
Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott (scifi, 8th & up)
YA F SCOTT
Tella would do anything to save the life of her brother, who is dying from a mysterious illness, so when she is invited to compete in the Brimstone Bleed (think of a mash up between The Hunger Games and The Amazing Race), she doesn’t hesitate. It will take all her skill, and some unexpected help, to survive- and hopefully win a cure for her brother.