Inky Awards - Voting is open!

It is time to vote for your favourite book from the year, and here is the shortlist:

These are the book awards that are voted on by Australian teens - not adults! It is your turn to tell US what books you love.
Have you read and loved any of the books in the shortlist? Vote for them! (you don't have to have read all the books to vote).

If you haven't, perhaps these books are good ones to try - after all it was your peers that have recommend them for the shortlist.

Inky Awards Longlists announced

Every year readers between 12 and 20 years of age vote on the best books published last year. If you are looking for something to read, and you don't trust what the adults think you will like, try something recommended by a teen!

On Wednesday the longlists were announced:

Gold Inky award (books by Australian authors)

• Begin, end, begin: a #LoveOzYA anthology, edited by Danielle Binks
• In the dark spaces by Cally Black
• Take three girls by Cath Crowley, Simmone Howell & Fiona Wood
• Beautiful mess by Claire Christian
• Ida by Alison Evans
• Wreck by Fleur Ferris
• A shadow’s breath by Nicole Hayes
• Remind me how this ends by Gabrielle Tozer
• Paper cranes don’t fly by Peter Vu
• Ballad for a mad girl by Vikki Wakefield

Silver Inky award (books by international authors)

• The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli
• Turtles All The Way Down by John Green
• The Loneliest Girl in the Universe by Lauren James
• Still Life with Tornado by A.S. King
• The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee
• Genuine Fraud by E. Lockhart
• Warcross by Marie Lu
• One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus
• Release by Patrick Ness
• The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Inky Award Winners Announced

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.'

Inky Awards short list announced

Seven teenage judges from around Australia have been furiously reading books released last year. They have been debating which books were their favourites. Now they have announced the short list for the Inky Awards 2017.

For the Gold Inky (Best Australian YA published 2016) we have:

Frankie by Shivaun Plozza
My Sister Rosa by Justine Larbalestier
One Would Think the Deep by Claire Zorn
The Bone Sparrow by Zana Fraillon
Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley

For the Silver Inky (Best International YA published 2016) we have:

Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven
Radio Silence by Alice Oseman
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
You Know Me Well by Nina LaCour & David Levithan

Soon you will be invited to vote for your favourite to determine which of these titles win. So, get reading, and enjoy some great books!

Inky Awards - Longlist announced!

Every year the Inky Awards run. Like the Children's Book of the Year Awards someone is voting on the best books written for Young Adults. Only unlike the CBCA awards, the Inky Awards are decided by teenagers. Across Australia, people like you have come up with a list of books they think you will enjoy the most.

There is a Gold Inky for books written by Australian authors, and a Silver Inky for those written by non-Australian authors.

Gold Inky Award (for Australian titles)
Frankie by Shivaun Plozza
The Bone Sparrow by Zana Fraillon
The Sidekicks by Will Kostakis
The Yearbook Committee by Sarah Ayoub
My First Lesson by various, edited by Alice Pung
When Michael Met Mina by Randa Abdel-Fattah
My Sister Rosa by Justine Larbalestier
Nevernight by Jay Kristoff
Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley
One Would Think the Deep by Claire Zorn

Silver Inky Award (for international titles)

The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
Highly Illogical Behaviour by John Corey Whaley
Learning to Swear in America by Katie Kennedy
Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven
Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare
You Know Me Well by David Levithan & Nina LaCour
The Girl from Everywhere by Heidi Heilig
The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson
Radio Silence by Alice Oseman

Book Trailer: Illuminae

Illuminae by By Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

So Kady thought breaking up with her boyfriend, Ezra, was bad enough. But that was just the start of it.

Now her planet has been invaded and the evacuation fleet is on the run from an enemy warship. On top of that there is a virus on one of the ships that seems to be mutating with some pretty scary results.

Not to mention the AI that is supposed to be protecting them? well, let's just say it got damaged during the evacuation, and it may or may not be going mad, and it probably can't be trusted. Only it has to be turned on to activate the defence grid, which they are going to need when that enemy ship catches up to them, and there is no way of knowing if it will turn on the enemy ship, or the fleet...

"I'm on a ****ing derelict warship on the run from the psychotic crew and insane artificial intelligence trying to save my ****ing boyfriend. Damn right it's nuts!"

Told in IMs, military files, emails, interviews, computer logs and other hacked documents.

Shortlisted for the Gold Inky Award 2016.

Mrs Kelleher rates this read 5 stars 

Student book reviews

Fangirl
by Rainbow Rowell

Fangirl is about a girl named Cath going to college. She and her twin had always shared everything, they were a packed deal, but when they got to college it all changes.

Why I picked it up: My mum gave it to me as a present.

Why I finished it: It was really hard to put down. It always had me hooked.

I'd recommend it to: Anyone who is up for a book filed with love, adventure and fan fiction.

I rate it:


Year 8 student

Time Traveling with a Hamster

by Ross Welford


This book is about a kid named Al Chaudhury who lives with his mum, step-dad and step-sister. On his 12th birthday he gets a letter from his dead dad to go back in time to save him. Now Al, and his pet hamster, have to travel back and forward in time to save Al's dad.

Why I picked it up: My teacher recommended it to me.

I'd recommend it to: People who like adventure books

I rate it:


Emily Hurst (7 Carroll)

Inky Award Winners Announced

These are the best books published last year, as voted by teenagers.

The GOLD Inky (written by an Australian author) goes to:

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

This is a book that will blow your mind. It is written in a series of emails, IM conversations, interview transcripts, public notices, web pages, and other odd and ends.

An ex-couple are, with the rest of their colony, on the run from an enemy spaceship. The AI on their battle cruiser has taken damage, and might, or might not, be insane. There seems to be a really nasty disease breaking out on one of the other ships, and there might be zombies involved along the way.

"I'm on a ****ing derelict warship, on the run from the psychotic crew and insane artificial intelligence trying to save my ****ing boyfriend. Damn right it's nuts."


The SILVER Inky (written by a non-Australian author) goes to:
I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson

If you like John Green's book, try this one. It's a gorgeous story of love, loss, family and betrayal.

A pair of twins that were really close, until something drove them apart. What they don't realise is that they each have only half the story.

"The sun, stars, ocean, trees, everything, I gave it all up for you."

Inky Awards short lists announced

The Inky Awards are all about what teenagers want to read. As opposed to the awards that are given to books that adults think you should read. Teenage judges have narrowed the long list down to the 5 books in each category they think you will like the best.

If you want to read them all and vote for your favourite you can. If you want to read one or two and vote for your favourite you can. Or, as I like to do, you want to just use it as a way of picking one of the more interesting books to read that has come out in the last year this list is great for that too!

The Gold Inky short list (for Australian authors)

Flywheel by Erin Gough
Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Sister Heart by Sally Morgan
Green Valentine by Lili Wilkinson
Cloudwish by Fiona Wood

The Silver Inky short list (for International authors)

Simon Vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertelli
I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness
The Marvels by Brian Selznick
Made You Up by Francesca Zappia

Have you read anything from this list? Did you like it? Leave a comment on this post and tell us what you think.

Inky Award Long List announced

Every year Australian teens vote on their favourite book. Sort of like the Children's Book of the Year Awards, but voted on by teens not adults!

The Gold Inky is for books by Australian authors

         

The Silver Inky is for books by international authors

          

2015 Inky Award Winners Announced

The Gold Inky Award (Australian author) for 2015 goes to.....

The Intern, by Gabrielle Tozer

Josie Browning dreams of having it all.

A stellar academic record, an amazing career in journalism - and for her current crush to realise she actually exists. The only problem? Josie can’t get through twenty-four hours without embarrassing her sister Kat or her best friend Angel, let alone herself.

Josie’s luck changes though when she lands an internship at the glossy fashion magazine Sash. A coveted columnist job is up for grabs, but Josie’s got some tough competition in the form of two other interns. Battle lines are drawn and Josie quickly learns that the magazine industry is far from easy, especially under the reign of powerful editor, Rae Swanson.

From the lows of coffee-fetching and working 10-hour days, to the highs of mingling with celebrities, scoring endless free beauty products (plus falling for her cousin’s seriously gorgeous flatmate James) this is one year Josie will never forget.

Totally fresh and funny, this debut novel from industry insider Gabrielle Tozer reveals just what is behind the seeming glamour and sparkle of the magazine industry. [Goodreads.com]

The Silver Inky Award (international author) for 2015 goes to....

Fangirl, by Rainbow Rowell

Cath is a Simon Snow fan.

Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan...

But for Cath, being a fan is her life—and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.

Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words... And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this?

Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories?

And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind? [Goodreads.com]