Happy New Year! Team Teen – Chandra, Kate, Melanie and Natalie – wanted to get the year started off right with our top three picks of 2012. Here’s what we are most looking forward to this year.

Chandra:

Above by Leah Bobet (March 1st)

Leah is a friend. While that’s part of why I begged Scholastic for an ARC, it’s not the reason that I’ve put Above at the top of my list. This is a brilliant reversal of traveling into fairyland, where Toronto is the place that’s mystifying.  Above is full of sharp beauty that bleeds shadows. (Think Daughter of Smoke and Bone or The Curse Workers series.)

It’s also neither of those books; while love is intricately woven through Above, this is a mature narrative written in a complex and aching voice about how the world isn’t always safe. Bad things happen. So how do we make Safe in a world that’s unfair and honest and…well, real?

Aside from having a cover that matches how impressive its lyrical prose is, it’s one of those books that stays with you long after you’ve finished reading it. I realize it’s the first week of January, but the gauntlet has already been thrown. This is the book to beat for a spot at the top of my Best of 2012 list.

Team Human by Justine Larbalestier and Sarah Rees Brennan (July 3rd)

Team Human is the hilarious vampire-fiction lovechild of two brilliant—and underrated, if you ask me—authors: Sarah Rees Brennan (The Demon’s Lexicon trilogy) and Justine Larbalestier (Liar.) I read the ARC before Christmas, after pleading for it from HarperCollins Canada, and I know I’ll be reading it again before the book comes out in July.

How hilarious? I laughed once a page—unless it was during a serious chapter. The dialogue is witty and clever, but most impressive is how what could be a frivolous fun bit of escapism has an undercurrent of important things to discuss. This is about that moment when you and your best friend discover you’re different people, but it’s also about relationship dynamics and prejudices and how what one believes is transmuted by how one’s world expands.

Who should read this? People who love vampire books. Also, people are who sick to death of vampire books. So…everyone, I suppose.

The Caster Chronicles Book 4 by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl (expected October 2012)

This book doesn’t even have an officially announced title yet and it doesn’t matter. It’s the last volume of the Southern Gothic paranormal romance series written by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. This is my series in the way that other people wait with baited breath for the next Cassandra Clare book. Plus, after the way Beautiful Chaos ended, how could I not have this in my Top 3?

Kate

I’m beyond excited for Insurgent and City of Lost Souls but I’ll let Nat tell you all about those (see below). Also, Cinder by Marissa Meyer which is available now.

But I’m also excited for:

A Million Suns by Beth Revis. Across the Universe blew open my brain with it’s awesome setting and solid characters, and I can’t wait to find out what’s going to happen on the ship. Also, nice to read some good ol’ SciFi. (Jan 10)

Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore. Graceling is one of my favourite books. Period. The end. Okay, not the end, because this is a companion… same world, some overlapping characters, and Cashore’s outstanding fantasy writing. Prince Po FTW! (May 1)

Black Heart by Holly Black. The final book in the series. A mob family with the power to curse people. But the most powerful member of the family just wants his girl. I don’t know what I’ll do without Cassel Sharpe in my life. Sigh… <3 (April 3)

Mel:

Like my esteemed colleagues, I’m looking forward to the next book by Cassandra Clare, Veronica Roth and their reviews certainly entice me to read some of the other books mentioned. It was hard to narrow things to just three books. I had about twelve at one point.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. I really admire Green’s irreverent humour and intelligent prose. I had the opportunity to read the manuscript so that I could write a review (forthcoming when the book releases) and I have to tell you, it is already a contender for my Top 10 of 2012. (January 10)

Starling by Lesley Livingston. I know nothing about this book except that one of my favourite YA authors is writing it. I suspect that it will have something to do with faeries or druids and maybe Shakespeare. I also believe that is the first of a trilogy… (Fall 2012)

The Diviners by Libba Bray. According to a press release, Bray described the protagonist of this series as: “part Zelda Fitzgerald with a little Dorothy Parker.” I don’t need to know anything more. (November 1)

Natalie:

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

MOAR FOUR!  *cough*  Divergent was a page turner that I thoroughly enjoyed because the characters didn’t often talk about how they felt, they showed it.  They worked together, faced down their fears together, and it made them feel so believable.  Book One ended with pretty much everything out the window so I’m interested to see the whole new world of Book Two and how Triss and Four manage it. (May 1)

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

What could be better than spending four books with Jace, Magnus, Clary, Simon, and the Lightwood siblings?  Why spending FIVE of course!  I feel acclimatized to the world of this series and delight anew each time in the snark, mystery, action and of course, delicious angsty romance!  Remember last book when Clary CUT THE EVIL RUNE OFF JACE’S HEART to bring him back?  I wonder what she’ll do this time!  SQUEE.  The end. (May 8)

Storybound by Marissa Burt

A story about a girl who falls into a land of Story where characters train to be in books?  And just look at this cover!  I’m definitely interested. (Apr 3)