These are the best books published last year, as voted by teenagers.
The GOLD Inky (written by an Australian author) goes to:
Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley
Years ago Rachael had a crush in Henry, her best friend. The night before she moved away she left him a letter confessing her feelings inside his favourite book. Although he called, and emailed her, he never mentioned the note. So Rachael stopped communicating with him.
Now, three years later, Rachael is mourning her brother who drowned after being sucked into a rip. To help her stop dwelling on this her mother has encouraged her to move back to the city to get a job. Even if it means risking bumping into Henry.
Henry is still working in his family's second hand bookshop where people can leave messages to each other between the pages of the books in the Letter Library. He is also still in an on-again, off-again relationship with Amy - the girl who only seems to want him when there is no one better around.
“How do you feel?" Lola asks.
"Like I've just had every single one of my organs harvested while I'm still alive."
"Good to know you're not overreacting," she says.
The SILVER Inky (written by a non-Australian author) goes to:
Radio Silence by Alice Oseman
Frances has her life planned out. Everything she does at school is with her end goal in mind. Her choice of subjects, her extra-curricular activities, and even friends to a certain extent are all done to look good on her college application. The only time she really does what she wants to do is when she listens to her favourite, but very obscure, podcast Radio Silence.
But then she meets Aled - the shy creator of Radio Silence, and for once she feels she can be herself. He likes the geeky clothes she only wears around the house. He "gets" her, and suddenly she is wondering if the success she has always worked so hard for is what she really wants.
But when Radio Silence goes viral the fragile new friendship between them is shattered.
'Are you wearing that?' he [Daniel] said. I looked down. I was wearing my batman onesie.
'Yes,' I said, 'Problem?'
'So many,' he said, turning around. 'So many problems.'
