Salvage

Reach for this book when your teenager is feeling suffocated by family expectations or is questioning the rigid social structures they were raised in. It is a powerful choice for a young person who needs to see that leaving a familiar but toxic environment, while terrifying, is the first step toward finding one's true voice and worth. The story follows Ava, a girl raised in a fundamentalist, male-dominated deep-space society, who must flee for her life and survive on a resource-depleted Earth. This is a story about the profound transition from being told who you are to deciding who you will become. It tackles heavy themes of systemic misogyny and survival with a gritty, realistic lens that honors a teenager's intelligence. Parents will appreciate the way it fosters conversations about consent, personal agency, and the resilience required to rebuild a life from the wreckage of the past. It is best suited for older teens due to its mature themes and intense survival situations.