The first of a series, Throne of Glass by Sara Maas is a fantasy about an 18-year old assassin Celaena Sardothien who spent a year of hard slave labor in the salt mines of Endovier under harsh treatment.  She is offered her freedom by the Crown Prince if she will be his champion in a competition to find a new assassin for his King.  If she can win she must serve in the position for three years and then have her freedom at last.  She has no choice, bound in shackles and chains and let back to Adarian by gruff Captain Westfall.  The training is hard and exhilarating.  Both men show an interest in her but it is the Captain who seems to understand her best.  Her competition includes thieves, warriors, champions and other assassins from all over the empire; however some are murdered one by one before each new test.  Can Celaena discover who is murdering the other contestants?  She discovers myths and power from the ancient past and a destiny greater than she ever dreamed. You will want the sequel!

Reviews:
The Guardian
Fantasy Book Critic
Good Reads
Parental Book Reviews
Wikipedia
Barns and Nobel

After the disintegration of the USA to the dystopian RSA, Remaining States of America, the world changes with melted glaciers and rising oceans.  The world is cold, even icy as the new ice age has descended.  Oceans have crept inland covering cities, spreading trash, possessions, man made things all over.  Nat is a 16 year old blackjack dealer in New Vegas and very good at the game.  The house system usually wins but not always. One minute Nat is handing out winnings to a newly wed couple and next is thrown against a wall by an explosion.  Security officers start the drill, retinal scans and security checks.  Those with unusual eye color are executed or put in lock downs to await their fate.  They have mutated unusual powers.  Nat hides her eyes with specially made grey contact lenses that fool the sensors.  She must earn enough money to leave RSA and find the Blue, a distant mysterious isolated island with a normal clear climate, clean water and vegetation; is this place real or the stuff of legend?  Enter Wes, former military, bounty hunter, runner and loyal to his band of misfits, who gambles at Nat's table earning money to feed his guys.   Through an interesting set of deals at the blackjack table Nat later hires Wes and his gang to take her to the coast.  The adventure, danger, and action will leave you guessing and waiting to read Stolen the sequel.
Reviews:
Planet Print
Kate Ormand, YA author
Good Reads
Barns and Noble

For Freedom

This historical fiction novel tells the true story of Suzanne David Hall, an opera singer and spy for France during World War II.  The story begins May 29th, 1940 in Cherbourg when 13 year old Suzanne and friend Yvette go to the beach to enjoy a beautiful sunny day near the Place Napoleon, near the Gare Maritime where trains can unload directly to ships in the harbor.  Suddenly the skies fill with aircraft dropping bombs. The beach, the square explode with craters everywhere.  Soon the Nazis move into Cherbourg.  Suzanne's family must move out so troops can use their house.
Life is hard. Suzanne continues her music and voice lessons striving to become an opera singer.  She travels for lessons, costume fittings, rehearsals with her voice teacher and a French Resistance organizer notices and recruits her.  This is very dangerous and once committed she can never go back.  She becomes #22 spy passing coded messages all over.  The authenticity, excitement, suspense and bravery of this tale are real and a great addition to any book club or history unit about WW II, Nazis, or the Resistance efforts.
Reviews:
LibrisNotes
http://librisnotes.blogspot.com/2011/04/for-freedom-story-of-french-spy-by.html
Semicolon
http://www.semicolonblog.com/?p=16324
Google Books
http://books.google.com/books/about/For_Freedom.html?id=1tgqTEaym_UC

As the Nazi war machine devours Europe, young Jacob Weisz must flee Germany and join the underground Resistance in Belgium.  Meanwhile in occupied France, assistant pastor Jean-Luc Leclerc and his wife find themselves organizing a relief movement that involves the entire town (characters are from true stories and events) and must operate in secret.  All characters are pushed to their limits of human endurance.  Jacob and Jean-Luc will come together to risk one of the most daring and dangerous acts possible...escape from Auschwitz.  This will keep you on the edge of your seat while reading excellent historical fiction based on real events.  I recommend this book for both teens and adults; this is a great addition to any WWII unit. Published in 2014 there are no study guides yet.

New York Times best selling author uses real historical information in a spellbinding novel about what happened to those who were captured, sent to the death camps and actually escaped.  Inspired by true stories, Joel Rosenberg gives the reader a realistic glimpse of the events that happened behind those prison walls and the courage needed to survive, escape and tell the world the truth.  Rosenberg has worked with some of the world's most influential leaders including Benjamine Netanyahu.

Reviews:
The Blackfive: The Auschwitz Escape
Barnes&Noble

 These are excellent thrillers by a master writer who can set the stage, use the details of characterization, theme, mood, etc. for realistic portrayals of World War II and the Cold War. The suspense will grab you and the atmosphere is well created. These are great books not just for adults but teens also. This is character driven drama by an expert who shows you how people act, psychologically think and respond with out all the high tech gadgets. These books will go well with history and social studies classes.

The Salzburg Connection  begins in 1945 with the Allies invading Germany.  The Nazis hide a sealed chest in the deep dark lake of Finstersee, surrounded by the high Austrian Alps. A British agent decides to try to find it. Bill Mathison, a New york attorney looking for a missing colleague, finds himself drawn into the shadow world of intrigue and international espionage. Two beautiful women enter the scene. Which one           can he trust? If you like mysteries and suspense these books are for you.

Reviews:
Macolm Noble on fiction classics discusses The Salzburg Connection
Good Reads: The Salzburg Connection
Google Books: The Salzburg Connection

Study Guide:
eNotes: The Salzburg Connection

Film:
Wikipedia: review of the film
You Tube movie clip of the film with Barry Newman and Anna Karina

This is the first of a science fiction series of books dealing with gaming and the future.  Intense is a word for this world of gaming. The population of this future world is controlled and to have more than two children parents must get permission. With permission Ender is the last of three children, bred to be a genius.  His brother and sister are also very smart.  Ender Wiggin is over the top and must learn how to survive is a school of geniuses.  He is selected for a special military training school, leaving his family behind.  He is close to his sister Valentine, who is a genius in other ways such as knowing how people think and plan before they do.   Peter is a bully and can be dangerous.   The Battle school takes up all of Ender's time once he moves there with no vacations.  Will he learn enough skills to save the planet from the next encounter with the aliens?  This is a great read for boys in middle school.
Reviews:
Spark Notes
RealDetroitWeekly
Good Reads
Study Guide for Ender's Game