It’s time for the 3rd Annual YA Superlative Blogfest! Jessica Love, Tracey Neithercott, Alison Miller, and Katy Upperman host this blogfest, which highlights favorite YA novels, covers, characters, and story elements. It’s fun to go through the list of 2013 YA releases I’ve read, and it’s even more fun to get a bunch of new titles to add to my TBR list. Today wraps up the blogfest with Best in Show.
Best in Show
Favorite Cover: I loved the cover for The Art of Wishing–it was dreamy but grounded, and it had a lovely script-inspired font.
Most Likely to Make You Miss Your Bedtime (Book you couldn’t put down): The 5th Wave, definitely. Once I started reading, I should’ve cleared my calendar. It was truly unputdownable.
Best Repeat Performance (Favorite sequel or follow-up): This feels like a cheat, but Just One Year. Both books were their own stories within a closely tied pair. I suppose Just One Year could’ve felt redundant, but instead it built on the story in Just One Day, beautifully.
Best Old-Timer (Your favorite read of the year published BEFORE 2013): I finally read Code Name Verity this year, which was worth the wait. (Or maybe I shouldn’t have waited, because it’s a really excellent, powerful book.)
Book Most Likely to Make a Grown Man Cry: Probably Second Chance Summer, which is such a tearjerker that the book should be shrink-wrapped with a big box of Kleenex.
Most Pleasant Surprise (Book you didn’t think you’d like, but totally did): I’m going to have to give this one to The 5th Wave, too–I don’t like aliens, and sci fi/dystopians are not usually my thing. But I really enjoyed this one.
Favorite Outlier (Favorite picture, middle grade, or adult 2013 book): A favorite MG of this year was Tim Federle’s Better Nate Than Ever, which is hilarious and heartwarming, and should be required reading for mildly disgruntled New Yorkers. It made me want to go kick up my heels in Times Square–and that’s saying something!
My superlative: Best Friendship: And that goes to Red. I love reading about strong, honest, and supportive female friendships, and that’s exactly what Felicity’s trio is!
What were your picks for Head of the Class? I skipped over a few categories, so I’d love to hear your picks for those!
I still haven’t read CODE NAME VERITY yet but I have a copy so it’ll be on the top of my list in 2014.
I also loved BETTER NATE THAN EVER so, so much. Definitely one of the funniest books I read all year. I can’t wait for the sequel!
Nice category! I wish more YA books focused on strong friendships. I liked the friendships in Fangirl, ,Ink Is Thicker Than Water, Where The Stars Still Shine, and The Sea Of Tranquility.
I definitely have to agree with you on SECOND CHANCE SUMMER. Not too many books can actually make me cry, but that one sure did. I still need to read my copy of CODE NAME VERITY. I’m kind of ashamed that I haven’t gotten to it sooner!
Ooh, great category! I’d say one of my favorite friendships is the one that formed between Eleanor and Park. I thought the slow build of their relationship and the way it started with comics and music was brilliant. It made their later romance feel rich and absolutely believable.
I loved the friendship between Cath and Reagan in Fangirl!
SECOND CHANCE SUMMER killed me. That was a whole-Kleenex-box kind of book.
As for friendship, I really loved the quick reveal of friendship between Ronan and Adam in THE DREAM THIEVES. When we find out what Ronan does for Adam (trying to keep this spoiler free, so…) it was such a quick note but huge reveal into Ronan’s character. I thought it was a great look at how someone like Ronan, someone who doesn’t want people to know he cares, expresses friendship.
Love your category! Favorite friendship could go to a lot, and I agree with many of the answers already given, so I will choose something different. Lynn and Lucy in NOT A DROP TO DRINK, but I could really go with all the relationships Lynn forges in that story. The book itself is about pulling an isolated character from her solitude and her learning to connect. So each relationship is powerful and moving.
I have and need to read THE 5TH WAVE, I have been putting it off for a while and I don’t even know why.
I love your category! I am going with Tessa and Wren from The Infinite Moment of Us. Those two were awesome!
I really need to read CODE NAME VERITY. I just haven’t been ready for it yet, because I can only believe it’s a hard read. Also–not sure when you updated your website, but I LOVE it!