We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Cadence doesn't remember the accident she had the summer she was 15. She's trying to piece things together, but her family members won't talk about it and there is a sense of uneasiness hanging over the private island where her wealthy family spends every summer. Cadence, her two cousins, and a family friend, are "the liars" from the title and for years they have enjoyed their privileged existence brought about by their well-to-do grandfather and his three daughters who will inherit his wealth. Now that Cadence is 17, she is desperate to know the truth and you, the reader, must also try to figure out who is telling the truth and who is a liar. This is essentially a really good mystery that will likely surprise you in the end. A great book for grades 7-up.

The Martian by Andy Weir

This book was recommended to me by several high school boys. It's not something I normally would pick up, but I listened to it as an audiobook, and found it very compelling. It is hands-down the most science-filled science fiction book I have ever read, and as a matter of fact, it's almost nothing but science. The plot is simple. Mark Watley, an American astronaut, is left for dead during a mission to Mars. He's not dead, though, and he must figure out a way to survive on Mars for as long as it takes NASA to rescue him. Things go wrong. He almost dies. He fixes the problems. Then more things go wrong. There's not a lot of characterization or dialogue, but his survival story kept me hooked and all the science sounded believable to me. I'm pretty sure this will appeal to people who don't like novels dripping with symbolism and emotion and deep meaning. Highly recommended to boys from grades 7-up (not that girls won't like it but it definitely has strong guy-appeal).