My choice:
YA books published in 2015 that, according to the reviews, just might be good enough to win an award at the end of the year. (I have not read all these books but I have read the reviews.)
1. Ghosts of Heaven by Marcus Sedgwick---
Four interconnected stories that all have something to do with the spiral shape and the possibility of ghosts. Sedgwick is a multiple-award book author. Keep your eye on this one. (3 of 5 starred reviews.)
2. All the Bright Places by Jennifer Nevin---
Two very damaged teenagers, Violet and Finch, find and help each other. An intense novel about pain, redemption, and healing. (6 out of 7 starred reviews.)
3. Bone Gap by Laura Ruby---
"Bone Gap marks Laura Ruby as one of fiction's most original voices. She is capable of moving you to tears, terrifying you on deep and dreamlike levels, and making your heart shout with happiness. This book is magic realism at its most magical."—E. Lockhart, author of We Were Liars (4 of 6 starred reviews)
4. Challenger Deep by Neil Shusterman----
About a teen with schizophrenia, with illustrations by Brendon Schusterman which add a meaningful dimension to the story. "Haunting, unforgettable, and life affirming all at once."---Booklist (5 of 6 starred reviews)
5. Mosquitoland by David Arnold---
Another book about mental illness issues. "When she learns that her mother is sick in Ohio, Mim confronts her demons on a thousand-mile odyssey from Mississippi that redefines her notions of love, loyalty, and what it means to be sane"--from the publisher. (3 of 6 starred reviews)
6. The Bunker Diary by Kevin Brooks----
This book won the Carnegie Medal in UK last year. Will it be a winner here in the US this year? "People have simple needs. Food, water, light, space. Maybe a small measure of dignity. What happens when someone takes all that away? This pulse-pounding, award-winning novel explores what happens when your worst nightmare comes true.---from the publisher (3 of 4 starred reviews)
7. Black Dove White Raven by Elizabeth Wein---
Historical fiction set in Ethiopia in the 1930s by a multiple-awarding winning author. (3 of 6 starred reviews)
8. The Game of Love and Death by Martha Brockenbrough----
Also set in the 1930s, this one in Seattle. "... the fully realized setting and characters make this more than just a modern fairy tale. It’s a poignant reminder of how far we've come since the 1930s in terms of race, class, and sexual orientation , and how far we still have to go."---The Horn Book Magazine (3 of 5 starred reviews)
9. X: a novel by Ilyasha Shabazz and Kekla Magoon----
From the Publisher: "Co-written by Malcolm X's daughter, this riveting and revealing novel follows the formative years of the man whose words and actions shook the world." (7 of 8 starred reviews.)
10. The Tight Rope Walkers by David Almond---
A coming-of-age story set in England. "The novel is Shakespearean in its breadth, earthiness, and emotional pitch. A mysterious tramp who wanders in and out of the narrative -- unspeaking, benevolent, holy ..."---from the Horn Book Magazine (6 out of 7 starred reviews.)
and the one I am reading right now....
11. The Walls Around Us by Nova Ren Suma---
"Suma excels in creating surreal, unsettling stories with vivid language, and this psychological thriller is no exception. Along the way, Suma also makes a powerful statement about the ease with which guilt can be assumed and innocence awarded, not only in the criminal-justice system but in our hearts—in the stories we tell ourselves. A fabulous, frightening read."---Booklist (5 of 6 starred reviews)
From the Publisher: "Co-written by Malcolm X's daughter, this riveting and revealing novel follows the formative years of the man whose words and actions shook the world." (7 of 8 starred reviews.)
10. The Tight Rope Walkers by David Almond---
A coming-of-age story set in England. "The novel is Shakespearean in its breadth, earthiness, and emotional pitch. A mysterious tramp who wanders in and out of the narrative -- unspeaking, benevolent, holy ..."---from the Horn Book Magazine (6 out of 7 starred reviews.)
and the one I am reading right now....
11. The Walls Around Us by Nova Ren Suma---
"Suma excels in creating surreal, unsettling stories with vivid language, and this psychological thriller is no exception. Along the way, Suma also makes a powerful statement about the ease with which guilt can be assumed and innocence awarded, not only in the criminal-justice system but in our hearts—in the stories we tell ourselves. A fabulous, frightening read."---Booklist (5 of 6 starred reviews)
Review sources: School Library Journal; Booklist; Kirkus Reviews; Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books; New York Times; Voice of Youth Advocates; Publisher's Weekly; Horn Book Magazines; Publisher's Weekly Annex. Every book hasn't been reviewed by all the sources.
