Pretty dead, by Francesca Lia Block

Charlotte Emerson is a startlingly beautiful 17 year old, and has been so for nearly 100 years. She became a vampire way back then while in mourning over the death of her twin brother Charles, while searching for a way to dull the pain of that devastating loss. But a hundred years of immortality has brought it's own loneliness and loss, and when Charlotte loses her mortal friend Emily to suicide, she is again devastated. She turns to Emily's boyfriend Jared seeking comfort. At first he is bitter and angry with her, but she opens up to him telling about her past, and they begin to fall in love. Then William, the vampire who originally turned Charlotte turns up, and Charlotte is forced to face a horrific mistake from her past that may cost her the future.

This is an original take on vampire stories, and a better story than that cover art might lead you to believe.

The book thief, by Marcus Zusak

The narrator of this story is Death, and if it seems strange and awkward at the opening of the book, just try to stay with it for a while till it starts to work. It's a Holocaust story, and Death plays a large role and his perspective is interesting as well. This is the story of Liesel Meminger, a young German girl trapped in the ever tightening noose of Nazi control. As her world becomes more dangerous she finds solace in books and the only way to get them is to steal them. Her books and her courage are haunting.

Wolves of Mercy Falls series

The 1st book of this trilogy is on this year's (2012) Abe list, and has been a favorite love story at CHS for a couple of years. Now the

whole trilogy is in print, and it was worth the wait. It's a solid story that keeps up the quality of the 1st book. The werewolves are very different from the Twilight variety, switching from human to wolf with no supernatural abilities. Sam and Grace's love story has the center stage as they struggle to stay together even as their wolf/human identities tear them apart. But new characters are introduced, and angry, disolute rock star/werewolf Cole is a great story line that starts in Linger and continues thru Forever.