Stuff for the Teen Age

Voting is open for YALSA's Teens' Top Ten!

Teens' Top Ten logo courtesy of YALSA

Big news! Voting opened this week for the Teens' Top Ten! The TTT is an annual teen choice award organized by the Young Adult Library Services Association, with books nominated by teen book clubs across the country and the winners chosen by you! Teen librarians everywhere use the annual top ten list to make recommendations and collection development decisions, so if you want to help the books you love get noticed, now's your chance. Read as many of the nominees as interest you and vote for your favorites now through the end of Teen Read Week (October 15). Check out this year's candidates below:

Bardugo, Leigh. Six of Crows. Ocean's Eleven meets high fantasy. A mismatched (and lovable) band of criminals forms an uneasy alliance to pull off the heist of a lifetime, only to find themselves the world's last chance to escape destruction.

Black, Holly. The Darkest Part of the ForestIf you're a fan of rich fantasy settings or gorgeous writing, this one's for you. A mysterious sleeper in the forest awakes, upending life for siblings Hazel and Ben.

Boecker, Virginia. The Witch Hunter. In this alternate-history thriller, witch hunter Elizabeth Grey is accused of witchcraft herself and has to turn to her worst enemy for help.

Brockenbrough, Martha. The Game of Love and Death. Lyrical and heartbreaking. Flora and Henry embark on an interracial romance in 1920s Seattle, but they are also  pawns in a larger game being played by the personifications of Love and Death.

Childs, Tera Lynn, and Tracy Deebs. Powerless. In an alternate universe where everyone is either a superhero or supervillain, Kenna is the lone civilian, working in a lab on research that might help her become a hero too. After a break-in, though, she finds herself swept up by — and falling for — the mysterious villain who saves her.

Cornwell, Betsy. MechanicaA fractured fairy tale where Cinderella has an engineering textbook instead of a fairy godmother, and the prince may not be so charming.

Dinnison, Kris. You and Me and Him. Misfits Nash and Maggie are best friends, but find their bond tested when they both fall for the same boy.

Doktorski, Jennifer Salvato. The Summer After You and MeIn this timely romance, Jersey Shore resident Lucy is coping with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy and the impending return of her ex-boyfriend Connor, whose family has a summer home in her neighborhood.

Doller, Trish. The Devil You Know. Try this one for a creepy summertime horror story. Cadie, needing an escape from her exhausting home life, takes off on a camping trip with her friend and two handsome strangers. Fun turns to fear when Cadie realizes one of the boys is hiding a dangerous secret.

Heltzel, Anne. Charlie, Presumed DeadLena and Aubrey meet at the funeral of Charlie Price, presumed dead after a plane crash, and discover that he was dating both of them. When Lena tells Aubrey she thinks Charlie is still alive, the two embark on a thrilling adventure to expose his lies while trying to hide their own.

Kaufman, Amie and Jay Kristoff. IlluminaeAs if narrowly escaping the destruction of your planet and being stuck on a relief ship with your ex isn't enough, Kady and Ezra now have to cooperate to take down a hostile A.I. and survive the plague unleashed by a bioweapon. Illuminae is intense, and only the first in a new series.

Laurie, Victoria. WhenMaddie can see the impending death date of everyone she sees, which allows her to earn some money as a psychic (at her mother's urging). When she becomes a suspect in the disappearance of a young boy, Maddie's story becomes un-put-down-able.

Matharu, Taran. The Novice: Summoner. When blacksmith's apprentice Fletcher discovers he is an Adept, able to summon demons, he becomes a military asset to the Empire. The wild ride of his adventures, though, leads him to question his loyalties.

Nielsen, Jennifer A. Mark of the ThiefFor fans of Percy Jackson. A young Roman slave discovers an amulet that gives him the power of the Gods and becomes entangled in political intrigue that could overthrow the Empire.

Niven, Jennifer. All the Bright Places. Fall in love with protagonists Theodore and Violet, and bring a box of tissues as they fight to help one another heal from suicidal ideation and grief.

Priest, Cherie and Kali Ciesemier. I Am Princess X. Years after the death of her best friend Libby, May finds a community dedicated to a webcomic starring "Princess X" — a character she and Libby invented when they were kids. Try this one for a tense, suspenseful read that will keep you hooked.

Schmidt, Tiffany. Hold Me Like a Breath. Penny's chronic illness generally keeps her isolated at home thanks to her over-protective family, who just happen to be involved in organized crime. When she loses their protection, though, she has to make her own way in New York City.

Schreiber, Joe. Con AcademyWill Shea cons his way into an exclusive prep school where, funnily enough, he learns that classmate Andrea Dufresne has done exactly the same thing. What else is there to do but see who can out-swindle the school bully?

Sedgwick, Marcus. Ghosts of HeavenUnconventional and unforgettable, Ghosts of Heaven takes the reader through four distinct but connected episodes. Sedgwick starts with the author of the first written signs, then introduces us to Anna, called a witch in the 1600s, an institutionalized poet in twentieth-century Long Island, and an astronaut aboard the first ship setting out from Earth to colonize a new planet.

Simmons, Kristen. The Glass ArrowA dark, dystopian novel that echoes the feminist themes of Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's TaleAya lives in a world where women are property, bought and sold for breeding. Though she and her family have survived hiding in the wilderness, when she is 15 she is captured and brought to the capital to be groomed for auction. Now she must work with mute Kiran, an unlikely ally, in order to escape.

Stohl, Margaret. Black Widow: Forever RedBLACK WIDOW STAND-ALONE NOVEL. THIS IS NOT A DRILL. If that isn't enough for you: Black Widow: Forever Red is an action-packed ride. Years ago, S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Natasha Romanov rescued a young girl, Ava, from the lab of the target she was sent to kill. Now, they have crossed paths again, together with another boy, Alex, and have to stop Ava's former captor's new plot.

Stone, Tamara Ireland. Every Last WordYou will love, love, love this cast of characters: Samantha, who keeps her OCD a secret in order to maintain appearances as a star athlete and popular girl; hilarious Caroline, who introduces Sam to her poet friends and finally helps her feel at home; and charming guitarist AJ, Sam's former bullying victim... and new crush.

Westerfeld, Scott, Margo Lanagan, and Deborah Biancotti. Zeroes. Six California teens with low-key superpowers wind up in a superhero movie of their own when one of them accidentally talks himself into some trouble.

Weingarten, Lynn. Suicide Notes from Beautiful GirlsAfter her best friend's gruesome suicide, June is convinced that her best friend has been murdered. Her investigation leads her to the uncertain, messy truth of Delia's life — and death.

Yoon, Nicola. Everything, EverythingThis one's a little unconventional, relying on a mixed-media, scrapbook-like approach to tell the story of Maddy, whose severe allergies keep her home with her books, and Olly, the boy next door who changes her life.

Don't forget to vote for your favorites! You can choose up to three books that you think should make the top ten list for this year. And let us know what you think of the nominees here in the comments!