recently, NPR posted a list of best YA fiction (mostly) from 2009, and they prefaced their selections with this statement:
During the past decade young adult literature has seen a number of critical and commercial successes that have rejuvenated the genre, transforming it from the redheaded stepchild of the literary world into one of the most dynamic and exciting niches in publishing.
DOUBLE TRUE, NPR! dang, i feel like YA just got some serious validation! i mean, in my 30-year-old white girl eyes, it doesn’t get more legit than national public radio.
anyhoo, i took a look at their list and, um… well, i haven’t read any of those books. sure, they all sound pretty good but there is only ONE mention of kissing. ONE!!!
so, i’m gonna do what most people do when they feel their taste has been snubbed by a higher authority: i’ll make my own list, dammit! and actually, it’s gonna be OUR list, cos i want to hear from y’all too.
so, what’s yr fave book from 2009?
i have two, because this is a really ridiculous question and i kind of hate all of the lists that come out at the end of the year but at the same time i sort of love them cos who doesn’t love lists? esp. when they’re like, about celebrity babies and fashion? and, obvs, awesome young adult literature?
first, the obvious:
catching fire by suzanne collins
given the massive amounts of coverage provided by FYA, i don’t think i really need to get into why i loved this book so much except OMGGGG PEETA AND GALE AND KATNISS AND CINNA AND HAYMITCH AND HOLY PANTS HOW AM I GONNA MAKE IT TO AUGUST 2010?
this book was everything i wanted it to be and more. it’s not often that a sequel lives up to its predecessor, but suzanne collins really freaking blew my mind… AGAIN. action! romance! political intrigue! creepy clock jungles! this book has it all!
as for my other choice, it’s a series, but the last one came out this year so it TOTALLY COUNTS:
the jessica darling series by megan mccafferty
sweet fancy moses i love me some jessica darling. in fact, the only thing that i love more than jessica is marcus flutie, aka HIS HOLY HOTNESS, aka fictional LOVE OF MY LIFE.
i’ve been meaning to review this series for FYA, but i really want to re-read all of the books first, so it’ll happen… eventually. but for now let me just say that jessica darling is probably the most realistic and hilarious heroine i have EVER SEEN in a YA book (y’all know i like to exaggerate but this time i mean serious business), and megan mccafferty handles her journey through high school (and college! awesome!) with incredible insight and fantastic humor. not to mention that yeah, marcus flutie… WOW.
i promise you, from the moment you crack open “sloppy firsts,” you will fall in love with jessica (and marcus) just like i did. plus, with the recent amazingness of “jersey shore,” you’ll doubly appreciate all of the new jersey references (jessica even works on the boardwalk, holla!).
oh and holiday bonus! if you’ve already read this series, you should totally check out the 12 days of christmas, jessica & marcus style (although i’m kind of weirded out that this is from a discussion board on… the nest? really? ok?).
ok, now that i’ve toasted my books, it’s yr turn! please feel free to pick more than one, esp. cos it just gives me more time to drink champers while i’m reading yr comments.
p.s. the header image of this post is totally MY FAVE. and since i’m probably the only person who’s ever googled “champagne books,” i have to share with you this INCREDIBLE BOOK that came up that i’m pretty sure will be on my “best of” list for 2010 cos LOOK AT THIS MASTERPIECE:
YOU’RE WELCOME.
and now i’ll never be able to say “pass with pink champagne!” without giggling. fantastic.
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{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Unwind by Neal Shusterman
Lockdown (escape from furnace 1) by Alexander Gordon Smith
All Awesome Books!!!!
OH MAN unwind was awesome. I can’t really make a list because there are too many. but…. here are a few?
gone by michael grant
evernight series
blue bloods series
almost perfect
compound
I will see all of the above mentioned books, especially Catching Fire, (Suzanne Collins, holla!) and raise you… oh, wait, no. Talya, you listed them all! Awesome! I concur! Cheers!
whoah! kyra, “lockdown” looks INTENSE. HOLY CRAP. and double that for “unwind”! dizang!
austin public library, looks like you and me have our work cut out for us over the holidays! although given the fact that i’m a weenie, i’ll probably have to throw in a sarah dessen between these two books so i can, um, sleep at night.
I concur, as I haven’t read very many YA books, so let’s go with Catching Fire! Which is definitely awesome! Or wait–did Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows come out this year? If so, then that one!
re: Pink Champagne: that lady’s bra top looks mightily uncomfortable AND unflattering.
Do they have to be books that came out in 2009? Or can they just be books I read in 2009? If it’s the first, I’ll go with Blood Promise (HAWT), if it’s the second, I’ll go with Hunger Games (I still haven’t read Catching Fire yet…I’m holding out b/c it’s my reward for when I finish my grad school application…incentive and all that).
umm, i don’t even know! hunger games, OBVS. i totally agree that lockdown and unwind look awesome.
also, pink champagne? best book cover EVER.
Your list is totally better.
Mine, of course, includes Catching Fire and Unwind, also The Dust of 100 Dogs by AS King. If we can also include stuff we read in 2009, Little Brother by Cory Doctorow shoots to the top of my list, definitely above Unwind and possibly even above Catching Fire. Heresy, I know.
Lawral, I totally forgot The Dust of 100 Dogs! That was my second post on FYA! I loved it!
Loved Unwind!
Also loved the Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness (title needs work, but the book is good)
As recommended by this site – I found The Forest of hands and feet – and I loved it!
Shiver was great.
I think I’m alone here – but I still love Fire by Kristen Cashore.
teresa, you’re probably not alone here re: fire — i think I’M the weirdo here. i’d love to love it, though. i really would!