The Ghost and the Goth, by Stacey Kade (Hyperion, 2010)

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Being hit by a bus is just the beginning for queen bee cheerleader Alona Dare, forced to exist as a ghost until she resolves some personal issues. Then she discovers the one living person who can interact with her: the sullen, freaky Will Killian, an unwilling medium if ever there was one. Forging an unlikely partnership, they help each other out, and even get used to one another, but will this get them through what’s left of high school? Romantic and good-natured, this quirky dramedy gets by on charm and an amusing cover, making for a nice change of pace from the darker books on the shelves.

The Iron Daughter, by Julie Kagawa (Harlequin Teen, 2010)

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Making good on a promise, Meghan, recently revealed as the half-human daughter of King Oberon of the Summer Fae, has become an uneasy “guest” in the Winter Court of Queen Mab, where she must deal with court politics and prejudice. An on-again off-again forbidden romance with Prince Ash both comforts and confuses her, but even that’s a distraction from the true threat of the newly-discovered Iron Fae, whose very natures will destroy all of Faery if left unchecked. As the wildcard, it’s up to Meghan to change the course of events, but it may cost her her heart and soul. There’re some pleasing twists in an otherwise fairly-predictable storyline, but the entire concept of the Iron Fae elevates this to a worthy level. It’ll be interesting to see how it all pulls together in the next book.

X-Isle, by Steve Augarde (David Fickling Books, 2010)

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In a world where the rising tides have drowned much of civilization, people eke out a hardscrabble existence on the remaining dry land. One hope exists: X-Isle, a reputed safe haven which only takes young men willing to work hard. Ray and Baz, X-Isle’s newest inhabitants, discover the hellish truth: the leader is a religious fanatic, his underlings are sadists, and the only way out is death. If the boys of X-Isle can’t turn the tables on their captors, they’re all doomed. Mixing Lord of the Flies with a believable dystopian setting, this adventure rockets along powerfully to the bitter end.

Thresholds, by Nina Kiriki Hoffman (Viking, 2010)

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The night before Maya’s due to start seventh grade in a new school where she doesn’t know anyone, a fairy flies into her room and sleeps in her bed. This kicks off a series of events culminating with her delving into the mysteries of the bizarre family next door, who sometimes act like they come from another world. It only gets weirder when she’s entrusted with a strange glowing egg of immense value, and soon there’s no turning back. Neither fantasy nor science fiction, but an intricate mix, this intersection of the mundane and the weird is classic Hoffman, unfolding like an exotic bloom. Sadly, it feels like pure buildup for the sequel, ending just as it’s getting really good.

The Grimm Legacy, by Polly Shulman (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2010)

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Elizabeth’s new job at the New-York Circulating Material Repository, which houses and lends out everything under the sun except books, takes an unexpected twist when she discovers the Grimm Collection, an array of magically-imbued fairy tale artifacts. Unfortunately, someone’s stealing the good stuff, replacing them with fakes, and if Elizabeth can’t help her co-workers find the culprit, she may lose more than her job. This whimsically inventive mystery provides a new and interesting twist on fairy tale tropes, making for a fast-paced, gripping read and hopefully spawning future installments.

Paranormalcy, by Kiersten White (HarperTeen, 2010)

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Evie’s unique talent to see the supernatural in their true forms makes her an essential part of a secret organization which captures rogue paranormals and either kills or conscripts them. However, her yearning for a normal life, one not involving devious fairy ex-boyfriends or midnight vampire-hunting missions, leads her to bond with Lend, a shapeshifter with a mysterious agenda of his own. When all hell breaks loose, Evie and Lend must work together to foil a common enemy – one they never saw coming – and save the day. This clever, fast-paced adventurous romp combines romance and action with a fascinating premise, one I’d love to see more of, along with its inhabitants.

StarCrossed, by Elizabeth C. Bunce (Arthur A. Levine, 2010)

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After her partner is killed during a hazardous assignment, thief and spy Digger finds refuge masquerading as a maidservant for a sympathetic noble family, where she can hide her ability to see magic from those who’ve outlawed all magic on pain of death. Trapped by the winter weather in a remote castle, blackmailed into spying on her hosts by a ruthless guest, Digger soon discovers she’s far from the only person harboring dangerous secrets, and the seeds of a long-defeated rebellion may be growing again. Tense and claustrophobic, full of surprises and narrated by a strong new heroine, this gripping fantasy is wholly superb and a must-read.

Shadow Grail #1: Legacies, by Mercedes Lackey and Rosemary Edghill (Tor Teen, 2010)

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After Spirit White’s family is killed in a car accident, she’s claimed as a legacy by the mysterious, yet prestigious Oakhurst Academy and taken away to her new home. There, she learns of her as-yet-unmanifested magical powers, and falls in with an eclectic group of fellow students. But when Spirit and her friends realize Oakhurst has a long history of disappearances, they conduct a dangerous investigation into the school’s secrets, which brings them into conflict with an ancient menace and a traitor among the faculty. While the set-up is solid and the plot fast-paced, there’s little to distinguish this from others in the Magic School sub-genre; hopefully, future entries in the series will improve on this initial impression.

Shade, by Jeri Smith-Ready (Simon Pulse, 2010)

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Aura was the first person born after the Shift, the first of a new generation able to interact with the ghosts of the restless dead. She thought she’d learned how to cope, until her boyfriend Logan dies abruptly and refuses to move on. Torn between loyalty to the still-present Logan and attraction to the still-living Zachary, Aura’s got boy problems like you wouldn’t believe, especially as Logan’s discontent threatens to turn him into a destructive Shade. Worse still, Aura’s investigations into the circumstances of her birth suggest a stranger link to the Shift than she ever could have dreamed. Smith-Ready’s first YA conjures up an interesting setting built around an intriguing mystery, and it’ll be interesting to see where she goes with this.

The Demon’s Covenant, by Sarah Rees Brennan (McElderry Books, 2010)

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Bad boy brothers Nick and Alan are back for more demon-killing, mage-hunting excitement when their friends Mae and Jamie call for help against the threat of the Obsidian Circle, a homicidal group of mages set on recruiting Jamie against his will. But now that Nick’s embraced his true nature as a demon himself, he may be an even greater threat. When it comes to dealing with supernatural threats, everyone has a plan and betrayals lurk around every corner, along with sparks of attraction and uneasy alliances. With its dark imagery, seductively dangerous characters, and unpredictable plotting, this sequel to The Demon’s Lexicon is bound to appeal to readers looking for an edgy thrill.