Alex Awards 2013 Nominations

In addition to the ten winning titles, the Alex Award committee also publishes a vetted list of official nominations. The following titles were official nominees for the 2013 award.

The Elementals by Francesca Lia Block, published by St. Martin's Press (ISBN: 9781250005496)

When Ariel's best friend Jen goes missing and she meets dark and sexy John Graves, her life is changed forever in this atmospheric and mysterious tale.

Brain on Fire by Susannah Cahalan, published by Free Press, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc. (ISBN: 9781451621372)

The medical mystery of 24-year-old Susannah Cahalan, whose neurological symptoms left her doctors baffled until a real-life Dr. House steps in.

Into the Free by Julie Cantrell, published by David C Cook, (ISBN: 9780781404242)

In Depression-era Mississippi, Millie must escape an abusive father, uncover family secrets, and fall in love in order to find herself.

The Book of Jonas by Stephen Dau, published by Blue Rider Press, an imprint of Penguin (ISBN: 9780399158452)

Having survived the U.S. bombing of his village in the Middle East, Jonas struggles to admit the true circumstances behind his immigration to America.

The Distance Between Us by Reyna Grande, published by Atria Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc. (ISBN: 9781451661774)

The immigration experience with its hardships on families and difficulties in attaining success and stability is realistically portrayed in this brutally honest memoir.

The Cranes Dance by Meg Howry, published by Vintage Books, a division of Random House (ISBN: 9780307949820)

It's not all glitz and glamour in this behind-the-scenes look at the psychological and physical toll of a professional ballerina's daily life.

A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty by Joshilyn Jackson, published by Grand Central Publishing (ISBN: 9780446582353)

Unlike her mother and her grandmother before her, Mosey Slocumb is determined to escape the family curse of teenage motherhood.

Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Ever Told You about Being Creative by Austin Kleon, published by Workman Publishing Company, Inc. (ISBN: 9780761169253)

Writer and artist Austin Kleon offers “autobiographical advice” for anyone who wants to do creative work.

Edge of Dark Water by Joe R. Lansdale, published by Mulholland Books, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc. (ISBN: 9780316188432)

Three teens set off down the river to scatter the ashes of their murdered friend in this Southern Gothic thriller.

Flight of Gemma Hardy by Margot Livesy, published by HarperCollins (ISBN: 9780062064226)

A modern retelling of Jane Eyre set on the Orkney Islands.

The Year of the Gadfly by Jennifer Miller, published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (ISBN: 9780547548593)

When she transfers to a prestigious private school, Iris uses her journalism skills to uncover the truth about a secret society's role in a student’s death.

Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, published by Ecco, an imprint of HarperCollins (ISBN: 9780062060617)

A beautiful look at the story of Achilles through the eyes of his best friend and lover Patroclus.

Heft by Liz Moore, published by W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. (ISBN: 9780393081503)

The concept of family is explored when the lives of a 17-year-old athlete, a morbidly obese agoraphobic college professor and a pregnant teen intersect.

So Far Away by Meg Mitchell Moore, published by Reagan Arthur Books, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc. (ISBN: 9780316097697)

A bullied teenager and a grieving mother are brought together by an old diary in a novel of discovery, loss, and love.

The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powell, published by Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc. (ISBN: 9780316219365)

Iraq War veteran Private Bartle must come to terms with his war experiences and what really happened to fellow soldier and friend Private Murphy.

Ruby Red Heart in a Cold Blue Sea by Morgan Callan Rogers, published by Viking, an imprint of Penguin Group (ISBN: 9780670023400)

Florine Gilham comes of age amidst the turmoil of her mother’s disappearance and a distant father in her small Maine fishing village.

Redshirts by John Scalzi, published by Tor Books (ISBN: 9780765316998)

Just because you are wearing a Redshirt doesn’t mean you can’t change your fate.

Hand Me Down by Melanie Thorne, published by Dutton, a member of Penguin Group, Inc. (ISBN: 9780525952688)

After their mother marries a convicted sex offender, teenage Liz and her younger sister search for a loving and stable home.

Evel Knievel Days by Pauls Toutonghi, published by Crown Publishers, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc. (ISBN: 9780307382153)

After the brief reappearance of his long absent father, half-Egyptian Khosi Saqr travels from Butte, Montana to Cairo in order to learn about his heritage.

The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker, published by Random House (ISBN: 9780812992977)

As the rotation of the Earth slows down, life continues on for Julia as she navigates through the trials of middle school.

Amped by Daniel H. Wilson, published by Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc. (ISBN: 9780385535151)

In the near future, medical science can implant computer chips to heal diseases and birth defects. When "enhanced" citizens are denied their rights, chaos ensues.

Alif the Unseen by G. Willow Wilson, published by Grove Press, an imprint of Grove/Altantic, Inc. (ISBN: 9780802120205)

Myth, magic, and technology collide in a novel about a young Arab-Indian hacker.