Greetings space cadets

On Tuesday, hundreds of publishing professionals (myself included) will descend upon NYC’s Javits Center like a dorky, bookish plague for Book Expo America. There will be loads of review books appealing to sci-fi fans of every stripe, and if anyone doubts that genre is alive and kicking for teens, hopefully a glance at the ARC list below will disabuse them of that notion. If you’re attending, here are some titles to watch for!

Altered by Jennifer Rush (Little, Brown) – This debut title features an evil corporation (win!) and secret identities (double win!) in a story originally pitched as “Dollhouse” meets “Prison Break.”

Beta by Rachel Cohn (Disney-Hyperion) – We’ve seen a lot of idyllic societies in YA lately, but this one has promising cloning hook.

Breathe by Sarah Crossan (Greenwillow) – A novel about oxygen scarcity set in a domed city.

Caught by Margaret Peterson Haddix (Simon & Schuster) – This middle grade entry in the Missing series explores time travel and the life of Albert Einstein.

Circus Galacticus by Deva Fagan (Sandpiper) – Now in paperback, this science fantasy middle grade from IGA author-friend Deva Fagan is a fun, Doctor Whoesque novel for the 10 – 12 crowd.

Crewel by Gennifer Albin (Macmillan/FSG) – Crewel‘s one of the most original titles we’ve reviewed recently, and sure to be a conversation piece. This buzzed title, featuring women who weave time and space, is a must-grab.

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken (Disney-Hyperion) – Features kids in a brutal government rehabilitation camp. And something about colors! Hmm.

Deadly Pink by Vivian Vande Velde (Harcourt) – Vande Velde was one of my favorite YA authors back in the 90s. Deadly Pink continues her Heir Apparent series, featuring kids interacting in a virtual world

Enders by Lissa Price (Delacorte) – I didn’t love the first entry in the Starters series, but I know that it has it fans. This is the follow-up, continuing Hallie’s journey.

Erasing Time by CJ Hill (Katherine Tegen Books) – Twins Sheridan and Taylor wake up 400 years in the future to find a world transformed.

Eve and Adam by Katherine Applegate and Michael Grant (Macmillan/Feiwel and Friends) – Oh man, a new SF title from KA Applegate and her husband and Animorphs collaborator Michael Grant? We’re there. We’re so there. Did you even need to ask?

Every Day by David Levithan (Knopf) – Pitched as a modern-day Quantum Leap, Levithan’s new title features a genderless creature who wakes up every day in a new body.

False Memory by Dan Krokos (Disney-Hyperion) – This action-oriented title features genetically altered superteens and an amnesia plotline.

Feedback by Robinson Wells (HarperTeen) – This sequel to Variant features the continued adventures of Benson Fisher.

Flesh & Bone by Jonathan Maberry (Simon & Schuster) – The third volume in the Rot & Ruin series.

Flutter by Gina Linko (Random House) – Sean will be reviewing this title later this month, in which a teen girl finds that her seizures actually carry her through wormholes.

For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund (Balzer + Bray) – Peterfreund’s killer unicorn series was one of my favorites in recent years. This post-apocalyptic Persuasion retelling is likely to be likewise both thought provoking and entertaining.

Freakling by Lana Krumwiede (Candlewick) – Another dystopian title, set in a society where everyone has psychic powers (about the one kid who loses his).

The Hallowed Ones by Lauren Bickle (Graphia) – A post-apocalyptic story with a twist; this one stars an Amish girl on the verge of rumspringa.

Hollow Earth by Carole E. Barrowman and John Barrowman (Aladdin) – While not technically a SF title, this tale of supernatural twins is cowritten by Captain Jack Harkness and thus should be of interest for any SF fan.

The Infects by Sean Beaudoin (Candlewick) – This title features zombies and a juvenile detention camp. Two great tastes that taste perfect together?

Insignia by SJ Kincaid (Katherine Tegen Books) – The story of a teen video game whiz who becomes a government weapon.

Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger (Aladdin) – This MG series tells the story of a telepathic heroine from a world outside our own.

The Lost Girl by Sangu Mandanna (Balzer + Bray) – Features a clone who must convince the family of the girl she’s replaced that she’s still living.

Magisterium by Jeff Hirsh (Scholastic Press) – This is a fascinating-sounding title about a divided world; one side is a technological paradise. The other is a complete mystery.

Origin by Jessica Khoury (Penguin/Razorbill) – This tale of a lab-created immortal and her escape through the Amazon sounds promising. The publisher is comparing it to LOST.

Prodigy by Marie Lu (Putnam) – The follow-up to Legend, which we reviewed a few months ago.

Reached by Ally Condie (Dutton) – Concludes the Matched trilogy. I hope that in this volume, Cassia finally picks a boy (pretty please?)

Skylark by Megan Spooner (Lerner/Carolrhoda Lab) – This buzzed title from Lerner features a fantasy dystopian where technology is powered on the magic of children. Bad ass. Megan Spooner also as a space opera title forthcoming in 2013 with Amie Kaufman.

Son by Lois Lowry (HMH/Houghton Mifflin) – I’m not entirely convinced that the Giver books need a fourth volume, but, hell, I wasn’t entirely convinced they needed a second or a third, either. I’ll read it either way, though.

So Close to You by Rachel Carter (HarperTeen) – Features conspiracy-buff favorite the Montauk project and a time-shifted romance.

Through to You by Emily Hainsworth (Balzer + Bray) – This story of loss features parallel universes.

Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone (Disney-Hyperion) – Another time-shifted romance between a pair of teens–one in 1995, and one in 2012.

What’s Left of Me by Kat Zhang (Harper) – I just reviewed this one on Friday, and it’s an absolutely stellar book. Complex and sophisticated, it’s worth a peek.

Keep an eye out at the Academy for reviews and giveaways of these titles in the coming weeks!