VOYA 2011 Top Ten List

8/2/2019 VOYA 2011 Top Ten List

1/5

With over 1,100 reviews in VOYA in print and online in 2011, our reviewers

awarded only twenty-four titles the Perfect Ten: a 5Q for quality (hard to imagine

it better written) and5P for popularity (every young adult who reads was dying to

read it yesterday). VOYAs reviewers considered these titles to be the best of thebest in 2011. Excerpts from their reviews tell us why.

Ashton, Brodi. Everneath. Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins, 2012. 384p. $17.99. 978-

0062071132. VOYA December 2011. 5Q 5P J S The author brings a fresh, innovative concept

to young adult fiction with well-developed characters and a fantastic plot line. Everlivings feed on

emotions. Mythology is skillfully interwoven with current culture as Nikkis experience parallels

the story of Persephone. This exceptional love story has no happy ending: Jack sacrifices his

own life for Nikki to survive. Libraries are advised to buy multiple copiesthis one will fly off the

shelves!

Bick, Ilsa. Ashes. Egmont, 2011. 480p. $17.99. 978-1606841754. VOYA October 2011. 5Q 5P

M J S A/YA Bick takes the best of post-apocalyptic, zombie fiction, and adds . . . the exact thing

that has been sorely lacking from those genres: girl power, and in a heaping dose . . . her heroine

faces situations that make the Hunger Games look like a tea party. Bick tugs at heartstrings

while gearing up for the next dreadful thing waiting around the corner.

Bogdan, D.L. Rivals in the Tudor Court. Kensington, 2011. 384p. $15. Trade pb. 978-

0758242006. VOYA OnlineJuly 2011. 5P 5Q S In the time of Henry VIII of England, . . . thisgripping tale looks into the lives of the people in the thick of Henrys court, and takes you deep

inside the minds of these major players to explore what truly motivated the deaths of several

English queens. The first-person narrative gives the reader insight into a time very far removed

from todays modern world.

Clare, Cassandra.Clockwork Prince: The Infernal Devices, Book Two. Margaret K.

McElderry/Simon & Schuster, 2011. 528p. $19.99. 978-1416975885. VOYA December 2011. 5Q

5P J S From the first page, readers are in the grip of an almost Shakespearean rollercoaster

ride with a curse, a betrayal, a death, a secret marriage, a proposal, an impending birth, a long-lost relative, magic, and loveboth given and unrequitedand behind the scenes are the

Magister and all his clockwork machines and machinations. Clares books never disappoint, and

this one will have readers clamoring for its sequel.

Dessen, Sarah. What Happened to Goodbye. Viking, 2011. 402p. $19.99. 978-

0670012947. VOYA June 2011. 5Q 5P J S Dessen scores a three-pointer with this skillfully


2/5

written novel about family and starting over. Dessens prose is clean and focused, the characters

are developed and real, and the plot is believable. Mcleans journey through the healing process

after her parents divorce provides bibliotherapy for any teen dealing with family issues, and the

secondary plot of tentative steps toward trust and friendship is beautiful. . . . This is a must-have

for any young adult collection.

Evanovich, Janet and Alex Evanovich. Troublemaker, Book 1. Dark Horse Books, 2010.

112p. $17.99. 978-1595824882.

Evanovich, Janet and Alex Evanovich. Troublemaker, Book 2. Dark Horse Books, 2010.

112p. $17.99. 978-1595825735. VOYA February 2011. 5Q 5P A/YA [Graphic Format]

The Troublemakerstories feature Barnaby and Hooker from Evanovichs previous books,Metro

Girl(HarperTorch, 2004) and Motor Mouth(HarperCollins, 2006). The colorful, engaging art

compliments the text and adds depth and humor to the story. For teens not familiar with

Evanovichs work, these will be a great introduction to her novels.

Forman, Gayle. Where She Went. Dutton/Penguin, 2011. 208p. $16.99. 978-

0525422945. VOYA June 2011. 5Q 5P S Formans sequel begins three years after her fine

novelIf I Stay(Dutton/Penguin, 2009/VOYAFebruary 2009) concludes. Told from Adams point

of viewone laced with cynicism, desperation, and exhaustionFormans tale is pitch-perfect.

The set is greater than the sum of its partsan absolute must-buy for collections serving teens.

Frost, Helen.Hidden. Farrar, Straus, Giroux/Macmillan, 2011. 160p. $16.99. 978-

0374382216. VOYA June 2011. 5Q 5P J A combination of poetry and prose tells the story of

Wren, who, when eight years old, was accidentally kidnapped while she was in the back of her

parents minivan at a gas station.Frost is a master at letting each girls feelings unfold from when

they were eight and when they meet again. Teen readers will be intrigued by the kidnapping that

opens the story, which is told at a fast pace through straightforward poems.

Gordon Smith, Alexander. Death Sentence: Escape from Furnace 3. Farrar, Straus,

Giroux/Macmillan, 2011. 272p. $15.99. 978-0374324940. VOYA June 2011. 5Q 5P J S

In this third installment of theFurnaceseries, Gordon-Smith has pulled out all the stops. It is a

tour de force of action and adventure. Honestly, this reviewer could not put this book down,

having thoroughly enjoyed all of the novels in this series, and will anxiously await the release

of Fugitives: Escape from Furnace 4, due winter 2012.

Grant, Michael. Fear:A Gone Novel. Katherine Tegen/HarperCollins, 2012. 576p. $17.99.

978-0061449154. VOYAOctober 2011. 5Q 5P J S In the fifth entry in a series of six books, a few

of the original puzzles are solved, and new queries are ready to take their place. Readers


3/5

discover what has been happening outside the dome, but it raises deeper questions about life

before the FAYZ. Fans can count on more excellent storytelling, multidimensional characters

who continue to develop in unexpected ways, and some mighty fine eye-popping moments.

Harrington, Hannah.Saving June. Harlequin Teen, 2011. 376p. $18.99. 978-

0373210244. VOYA June 2011. 5Q 5P S A/YA Harper embarks on a road trip to California with

her friends, Laney and Tyler, to scatter her older sisters ashes into the Pacific Ocean. Along the

way, they encounter adventure among their far-flung friends and acquaintances. Just when you

discover Tylers connection to Harpers sister, the climax takes the reader on a gigantic twist.

Saving June should become a movie somedayit even includes a soundtrack.

Hopkins, Ellen.Perfect. Margaret K. McElderry/Simon & Schuster, 2011. 640p. $18.99. 978-1-

4169-8324-8. VOYAOctober 2011. 5Q 5P S In a companion to Impulse (Simon & Schuster,

2007/VOYA February 2007), parents, siblings, love interests, and outliers all thrust frankjudgment on the characters. Her writing conveys teenage quandaries with all of the intended

consequences, as the verse style only serves to shock as the events unfold. The ill -fated

conclusion continues to establish Hopkins as a realist, someone with vested concern for the

challenges teens face daily from cyberbullying, to dating violence, sexual orientation, prejudice,

and fractured families.

Lu, Marie. Legend. Putnam/Penguin, 2011. 336p. $17.99. 978-0399256752. October 5Q 5P J

S Day is just fifteen years old, but he is the Republics most wanted criminal. . . . The themes of

Legend

fairness and rebellion

will resonate with a broad range of teens and tweens, providingthem a well-written, emotionally satisfying read. A fast-paced blend of action and science fiction

(with only a hint of potential romance) means that this one will likely appeal to male and female

readers alike.

Meloy, Colin. Wildwood. Illus. by Carson Ellis. Balzer & Bray, 2011. 560p. $17.99. 978-

0062024688. VOYA August 2011. 5Q 5P M J S A murder of crows descends and carries infant

Mac off into the Impassable Wilderness and his sister Prue bicycles off to find him. Fantasy

lovers of all ages will be enthralled by fast-moving plot lines, evocative descriptions, and smart,

snappy dialogue. Meloy smartly weaves realism and the otherworldly, building suspense and

adding elements of surprise as the novel comes to a satisfying conclusion. . . . Elliss trademark

detailed inkand-gouache illustrations draw the reader deeper into this fully realized world.

Meyer, Marissa. Cinder: The Lunar Chronicles. Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan, 2012. 400p.

$17.99. 978-0312641894.VOYA December 2011. 5Q 5P J S Readers know the elements of the

story before they open the book. What they do not know until they begin turning the pages of this


4/5

fable-turned-dystopian-science-fiction novel, is that Meyers embellishments create a spellbinding

story of their own. The book will appeal to fans of twisted fairy tales, techno-thrillers, romance

novels, and well-plotted suspense. Although the happy ending beckons, the story does not end

with the final pages, a welcome promise that Cinder will return with more unimagined chapters in

a story as old as time.

Palma, Felix J.The Map of Time. Atria/Simon & Schuster. 624p. $26. 978-1439167397. VOYA

Online August 2011.5Q 5P S Felix J. Palma has created a gripping historical fantasy that

mingles fictional characters with real ones in Victorian London, and has created a real sense of

time travel for 21st-century readers. . . . a thrilling page-turnerfrom Victorian England to Jack

the Ripper to missing moments by mere seconds, teens (and adults alike) will be intrigued by the

lyrical storytelling and the extreme attention to detail that glues together this intense thriller which

asks the question: What happens if we change history?

Riggs, Ransom. MissPeregrines Home for Peculiar Children. Quirk, 2011. 352p. $17.99.

978-1594744761.VOYA June 2011. 5Q 5P M J S A mysterious death, cryptic clues, and unseen

monsters haunt Jacob after the brutal death of his grandfather. Riggs delves into an edge-of-

your-seat adventure exploring a world just below the surface of our own, only frozen in time to

save the children from the dangers that surround them. With real vintage photos of the peculiar

children and action-packed text, this is sure to get even your most reluctant reader to whiz

through the pages.

Scott, Kieran. Hes So Not Worth It. Simon & Schuster, 2011. 368p. $16.99. 978-

1416999539. VOYA June 2011. 5Q 5P J S Readers looking for something with just the right

blend of old-fashioned angst, tangled relationships, and romantic troubles for the teens and their

parents, will do cartwheels while enjoying every page of this book. Following (Simon & Schuster,

2010), this entry realistically adds underage drinking and evidence of sexual activity to help

create another layer of drama. The repercussions, both large and small, are hinted at but not

fully revealed, making for a slam-dunk, cliffhanger ending.

Slater, Adam. The Shadowing: Hunted. Egmont, 2011. 208p. $16.99. 978-

1606842614. VOYA October 2011. 5Q 5P M J S Callum has always been able to see ghosts,

and also has what he refers to as the Luck, a sixth sense that warns him about trouble. There

is almost nonstop action from the first page and the tension builds steadily to the last. Fans of the

paranormal will scoop this up and be clamoring for the sequel, including the most reluctant

readers.


5/5

Wallace, Jason. Out of Shadows. Holiday House, 2011. 282p. $17.95. 978-

0823423422. VOYA August 2011. 5Q 5P M J S A/YA Racial tensions are simmering as thirteen-

year-old Robert Jacklin arrives at a prestigious boarding school in Zimbabwe in the 1980s.

Wallaces book is devastatingly stunning. . . The book never fades or lets up, even when it

threatens to boil over into a political thriller. It is an unflinching look at hatred and the humandamage it leaves in its wake.

Yep, Laurence. City of Ice. Starscape/Tor/Forge, 2011. 384p. $17.99. 978-

0765319258. VOYA Online July 2011.5Q 5P M J S For those who lovedCity of Fire(Tor,

2009/VOYADecember 2009), book one of Yeps City Trilogy, this second volume will not

disappoint. . . . fast-moving fantasy adventure . . . The reader becomes immersed in the

elaborately complex saga complete with its intriguing narrative and intricate characters. . . . Yep

has displayed his considerable skill in building a magnificent adventure, mixing both history and

fantasy.

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VOYA 2011 Top Ten List