Hello, dear readers! I find myself making excuses yet again for delayed postings (I've only managed one a month since October!), but this is always such a busy time of year. On that note, I hope everyone had a happy holiday. I can't believe that tomorrow is already the last day of 2015, but you know what that means .... it's time to rank the best books of the year!

Now there are countless "best books" lists and while there's usually some overlap, there is almost never two identical lists. But there's one source that I find myself coming to year after year for the best, best books rankings: The Goodreads Choice Awards.

One of the reasons I love the top books of the year as declared by the Goodreads Choice Awards is that they're chosen by average readers like you and I! No snobby critics with potential motives for selecting particular titles, just bookworms who know the good stuff when they see (or read) it. How cool is that? Since there's voting involved, it's also fun to get to choose your favorites (or at least try to predict the winners) during each round and see if your selections make it all the way to the winner's circle.

A little over one year ago I published a post about the 2014 Goodreads Choice Awards winners being announced, so I figured I'd continue the now-annual tradition and highlight this year's champion titles:
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It looks like I'm more on my game this year - I've already read, wanted to read, or at least heard of the majority of these titles before the voting for the awards began back in the beginning of November. But of course, that is not at all surprising considering I now have more than a full year's worth of experience working in the magical public library world to help fuel my literary fire!

As you can see, I've already marked my "want to read" selections. And while there are still a few titles from last year's Goodreads Choice Awards that I have yet to get around to reading (oops), I'm not opposed to tacking on a few more books to my ever-growing "to-read" list! I hope this post helps you find a few titles that interest you as well – particularly if your New Year's resolution is to read more books!
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It's somehow already August (!?!) and that means the summer is going to be over before we know it! But don't break out the back to school supplies just yet – there's still plenty of time for trips to the beach, weekend getaways and, of course, summer visits to your local library!

It's no secret that summertime is when public libraries shine most. Ask any youth services librarian and they will tell you it's hands down their busiest time of year. Not only do summer reading programs like those offered by libraries decrease the effects of summer slide, they also are a great opportunity for kids (and adults) to foster their love of literacy and win some cool prizes in the process!

Of course, libraries aren't the only ones with some awesome summer reading programs – and there is still time to take advantage of many of them before those trees change from green to brown. Here are a few other neat summer reading programs going on across the nation.

Superheroes are sweeping public libraries across the country with this year's summer reading program! With separate categories for kids, teens and adults, summer reading programs are a great way to beat the heat and get the whole family reading. Not only will you meet new heroes and heroines through books, but you just might discover some new superpowers of your own (and win a few prizes too)!

Below are the details for the summer reading program at the Community Library, where I work. The kids and teen summer reading programs run from June 8-August 7, and the adult program runs from June 8-July 13. Similar programs can be found at your local library.

As the Community Library explains in its program brochure, this year's summer reading program theme aims to, "celebrate heroes of all ages who walk through the doors of the library each day; the heroes who have made their marks on history; the heroes who keep our communities safe, clean, and productive; and high-profile superheroes. From the youngest child to the strongest, mightiest crusader, each and every hero has his or her own story to tell."

What are you reading this summer? Tweet me @TessaFoxReads or use #TessaFoxReads.

I recently watched a recorded webinar from the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) that featured tips for librarians to get reluctant teenagers reading more. Today's teens spend much of their free time plugged into technology, but reading a book can be just as much fun (if not more) than playing the newest video game or scrolling endlessly through your social media feeds.

Young Adult librarian, book reviewer and ReadingRants.org founder Jennifer Hubert Swan led the webinar and reminded the audience that just because many teenagers aren't choosing to read for fun doesn't mean they have poor literacy skills. They just likely haven't found a book – that book – that really speaks to them yet. It is your job as a librarian to make that happen.

Jennifer broke her tips down into three different categories: booktalks, programs and contests, and library displays. Because I found her tips so useful as an aspiring youth services librarian, I would like to share them with you. Keep in mind that these are tips for librarians, but could really benefit any parent, teacher, etc. who is looking to motivate teens to read.

Booktalks: A booktalk is basically a verbal advertisement for a book, like a movie trailer is a video advertisement for a film. Booktalks are frequently given by librarians visiting high school classrooms and are meant to encourage a particular book or books to an audience.

1. DIY Booktalk: Instead of having the librarian give a booktalk, flip the script and ask a student to tell the group about a book they recently read and enjoyed. Use prompting questions like, "Did anyone read a book about a vampire this summer?" or "Did anyone read a book that a summer movie was based off of?" to start get the conversation started.
2. Genre-blenders: Try suggesting books that blend two genres together, like a supernatural mystery or a paranormal romance. Teens might discover a new kind of book that they didn't know existed!
3. Gross-outs: Your mother probably told you there was never a place for poop jokes and fart noises – well a booktalk is an exception to that rule. Teenagers love to be grossed out by stuff, and many might be unaware that basically anything goes in today's YA literature. Why not find a scene from a book about booger eating or projectile vomiting? It sounds a bit crazy, but it will captivate your kids.
4. Multimedia: Mix up booktalks with websites, book trailers and other videos. This will help spice things up and reach your more visual listeners.
5. Pairings: Like fine wine and cheese there is an art to finding two complimentary objects. Try booktalking a fiction and non-fiction book together. You can also try pairing a book with a video, or even a video game with an audiobook. Mixing media is  great way to attract to reluctant readers to the written word.
6. Playlists: Some books are just meant to have a soundtrack. Have your group of teens come up with a playlist for a particular book's character and explain why they chose the songs they did.
7. Reality TV Tie-in: Think of any crappy MTV or reality show you can come up with and find a book with a related theme. Ask the group if they watched a show like Teen Mom recently and then suggest a book where the main character experiences teen pregnancy, or get those viewers of The Bachelor reading a new story about a budding romance.
8. Show and Tell: Grab a couple books with big pictures of high interest, like books about tattoos, travel or even Awkward Family Photos. It will get your audience picking up (and talking about) new books!
9. Twitter: Trying having a Twitter booktalk challenge by making teens "sell" a book, movie or video game using 140 characters or less!
10. Variety: Don't be afraid to switch up your booktalking formats. Choose a mix of graphic novels, audiobooks, films, popular paperbacks and more!

Programs and contests: Libraries are known for their programming and it's a great way to get teens in the doors of the physical library. Once you have them inside, you have their attention.

1. Anything But Reading: Use non-reading-related programs to get reluctant readers inside the library like a Battle of the Bands or a cook-off. Be sure to have a display of related books (in this case, popular musicians' biographies or cookbooks) available for teens to check out on their way out.
2. Book Buddies: What teenager doesn't want to feel looked up to or appreciated? Pair a reluctant reader with a younger kid and inspire them both to read. With many high schools requiring a certain amount of community service before graduation, having a teen read to the elderly is also a great opportunity. Matching a teenager with a senior citizen who enjoys books but maybe can't read on their own anymore is a great opportunity for all parties involved!
3. Book Spine Poetry: Have teens wander through the stacks picking out books based on the titles printed on the spine. Then have them turn those words into poetry by stacking the books on top of each other. This activity will get teens looking at and picking out books based on their titles, but it will also make them more likely to take a peek inside.
4. Book Trailer Workshops: Have teens put their multimedia and technology skills to use and ask them to make a book trailer for particular titles. If your community has a local cable access channel, this is a great outlet to show off your area's local teens' skills!
5. Brown Bag Books: Have teenagers look through the library for the most boring book covers they can find. Cover those books with brown paper bags and have the teens reimagine the covers. This is an excellent way to attract the artists and designers out there.
6. Goodreads Accounts: Have kids sign up for a Goodreads account – an awesome social networking site for book lovers. Once signed up, the teens can connect with their friends, tag or rate some of their favorite books, and get suggestions on what to read next.
7. Famous Last Lines: Inspired by John Green's book Looking for Alaska, challenge your teens to match famous people with their last lines said before death. You could also do a similar activity pairing the last line of books with their titles.
8. Stump the Librarian: Challenge your teens by saying you can find each of them a book they want to read by the end of the year. This will give you a chance to interact with your readers on an individual reader and make reading more of a contest.
9. Stupid Weird Book Hunt: Does your library's collection have weird books about stranded shopping carts or crazy flea market finds? Encourage your teenagers to find some of the strangest books your shelves have to offer and give the winner an even kookier prize.
10. Teen Read Week: Visit the YALSA website fore more teen program inspiration.

Library displays: Book displays are a great excuse to pull some books off  the shelves and give them some more face-time with your teenaged patrons. Don't be afraid to get creative!

1. As Good as Games: Pair circulating video games with tech heavy books like Artemis Fowl or Maximum Ride titles to reach those technology whizzes.
2. ARC Shelves: Many librarians and reviewers are privy to Advanced Reader Copies of books. Pick up as many ARCs as possible at places like professional development conferences and create a unique section for them on your shelves. Signs like "Read it here first" or "Read it before it comes out" is a great way to make a reluctant teen reader feel like they have exclusive access to certain books.
3. Banned Book Week: A lot of teens would be shocked to see some of their favorites on the Banned Book List – Harry Potter anyone? This activity is a great conversation starter for teens.
4. Teens Top 10: Use a display to highlight some of the most popular books for teens, chosen by teens!
5. Don't Shelve: A lot of patrons are interested in reading books that they know others have enjoyed. Make a "recently returned" shelf to attract reluctant readers to titles their peers have just read.
6. Evil Geniuses: Make a display mixing fiction and non-fiction titles, video games and movies about evil geniuses trying to take over the world.
7. Recommended by Magazines: Make a special display for books that have been recommended in popular magazines like People or U.S. Weekly, showing that reading can be popular and "in."
8. Roaming Bookmarks: Have a group of teens make "Read-alike Bookmarks" to slip into some of the books in the stacks. Try pairing old classics with contemporary titles! 
9. Sob-o-Meter: Who doesn't like a good cry now and then? Make a display featuring all the the tear-jerkers you can think of a put plenty of Kleenex boxes nearby! 
10. YALSA Popular Paperbacks: Running low on ideas? Check out some of YALSA's themed booklists to help encourage reluctant readers to pick up more books!

This time of year is filled with lists recounting the past 365 days and all that came along with them. With that in mind let's talk about some of the best books of 2014! 

A simple Google search for "best books of 2014" comes up with countless results, all of which differ in selection and presentation. There are some lists I agree with more than others, including the reader-selected Goodreads Choice Awards Best Books of 2014 and this neat interactive list from NPR. Queen of the Universe, Oprah Winfrey herself, offers a list of 2014's award-winning books on her website, and the Huffington Post presents a nice round of up Oprah's personal idea of this year's best books.

I'm not going to pretend that I've read all of the books mentioned on all of these lists, but when multiple sources are giving a book such praise, it's a pretty good idea to check it out. That being said, here are some the books that have made their way onto multiple "best" lists and also made it on my 2015 "to read" list.

I woke up this morning eagerly awaiting the results of the 2014 Goodreads Choice Awards. Most of my selections had made it into the final round of voting, and I felt pretty confident that at least a few of them would take home the title of best book in their respective categories.

Nope. Zero of my selections won in their genre (and only one of them came in second), and that's OK. 

Following this year's contest allowed me to add more novels to my ever-growing "to read" list, and more importantly a lot of those books were outside the normal genres I tend to pursue. I trust that the users of Goodreads voted the way they did for a reason, and I'm excited to check out the winners featured below. Looks like I'll have to add the rest of these bad boys to my "to read" list as well!

Happy reading!

To see the full results of this year's Goodreads Choice Awards, click here.

It's that time of year again: the Goodreads Choice Awards! With the semifinal round now open for voting, I spent my morning hours researching the contenders and casting my ballots. 

If you're unfamiliar with Goodreads and its Choice Awards, let me catch you up to speed. Goodreads is a social cataloging website and every book lover's dream. The site allows you search an extensive user-populated database of books, annotations and reviews. You can sign up and register books to generate library catalogs and reading lists, or create your own groups of book suggestions and discussions. Sounds pretty stellar, right? Right!

The Goodreads Choice Awards is an annual contest where Goodreads users vote on their favorite books in a variety of categories. Historically, the winners of the contest go on to be extremely successful, but who is to say whether it's causation or correlation? Here's a few of this year's nominees and their categories.

This year's competition brought a slew of new books onto my radar (and onto my to-read list)! Here are the stories I hope to see in the next round of voting. To learn more about each book, simply click the title below. I'll let you read the description for yourself – maybe you'll discover why I selected these nominees! Have any favorites of your own? Share them with me in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter using #TessaFoxReads. Happy voting! 

FICTION:
The Pearl that Broke Its Shell by Nadia Hashimi

MYSTERY & THRILLER: 
The Good Girl by Mary Kubica

HISTORIAL FICTION: 
Dollbaby by Laura Lane McNeal

FANTASY: 
The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison

ROMANCE: 
Transcendence by Shay Savage

SCIENCE FICTION: 
California by Edan Lepucki

HORROR: 
Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix

HUMOR: 
Not That Kind of Girl: A Young Woman Tells You What She's "Learned" by Lena Dunham

NONFICTION: 
The Underground Girls of Kabul: In Search of a Hidden Resistance in Afghanistan by Jenny Nordberg

MEMOIR & AUTOBIOGRAPHY: 
My Salinger Year by Joanna Rakoff

HISTORY & BIOGRAPHY: 
Elephant Company: The Inspiring Story of an Unlikely Hero and the Animals Who Helped Him Save Lives in World War II by Vicki Croke

BUSINESS BOOKS: 
The Promise of a Pencil: How an Ordinary Person Can Create Extraordinary Change by Adam Braun

FOOD & COOKBOOKS: 
Eating Wildly: Foraging for Life, Love and the Perfect Meal by Ava Chin

GRAPHIC NOVELS & COMICS: 
Tomboy: A Graphic Memoir by Liz Prince

POETRY: 
Motherland Fatherland Homelandsexuals by Patricia Lockwood

DEBUT GOODREADS AUTHORS: 
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

YOUNG ADULT FICTION: 
I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

YOUNG ADULT FANTASY & SCIENCE FICTION: 
Hollow City by Ransom Riggs

MIDDLE GRADE & CHILDREN'S: 
El Deafo by Cece Bell

PICTURE BOOKS: 
What Do You Do with an Idea? by Kobi Yamada