Class of 2013 YA Superlative Blogfest: Day 1

It’s been while, but I can still remember the fun of getting my yearbook, flipping to the Superlatives section, and giggling with friends over who won each category. Note that I did not say “staring at my photo under Most Likely to Succeed.” Was that an omen?

Anyhow, that same joy can be yours this week and this week only (until next year) as the Class of 2013 YA Superlative Blogfest kicks into gear. For four days, we’ll be featuring our favorite books, all published in 2013, in a number of categories.

So, without further chitchat, here are my picks for today’s Head of the Class group:

FAVORITE DYSTOPIAN

Nope, not judging a book by its cover. (Though, my, what a pretty cover it is.) What I loved so much about this book is Gray, a main character who is flawed in a way that makes him so incredibly Teen Boy. He’s a breath of fresh air among boys characters who are often the perfect female idea of a man. (My full review is here.)

FAVORITE SCIENCE FICTION

If you liked Under the Never Sky, there’s a 99.999 percent chance you’ll agree that Through the Ever Night is a brilliant follow-up. The world-building is just as stellar as it was in the first book, but Rossi has somehow managed to write even richer characters this time around.

FAVORITE FANTASY

There’s a lot I loved about this book: the world-building, the strong characters, and a magic system with cool tools like a book that allows people to walk through a virtual fairytale world. But, really, the book had me at “girl disguising herself to go to an all-boy’s school.”  

FAVORITE CONTEMPORARY

Here’s how to love: Buy this book. Read it.  

FAVORITE ACTION/ADVENTURE

Action-packed, loaded with hot guys—who, thank heavens, are all distinct and entertaining characters—and narrated by a girl whose curiosity leads us through plenty of secrets and twists, Altered is a fast-paced read that I found impossible to put down.

FAVORITE HISTORICAL FICTION

This might be a cheat. See, Emerald Green takes place in present-day London but involves time travel to the past in which the characters spend much time piecing together the remainder of the mystery began in Ruby Red and Saphire Blue. A killer ending to an all-around awesome trilogy. (My review of the first book in this series is here.)

FAVORITE MYSTERY

Fans of The Liar Society will like Kara Taylor’s new series, also set at a prep school and with an equally as charming amateur sleuth. There’s romance (and a love triangle I think ended with the wrong guy getting the girl) but where the book shines is the twisty mystery and breezy writing.

FAVORITE ROMANCE

I’m not sure what to say about How to Love aside from the fact that it was one of the best books I read in 2013—regardless of genre. The characters work hard for the romance, but man is it worth it in the end.

FAVORITE PARANORMAL

Shannon Messenger’s novel somehow manages to be fresh among the glut of paranormal romances that have left me a little tired of the genre. This book was fast-paced, the alternate POVs expertly done, and the romance truly believable. 

FAVORITE FAMILY DRAMA

A stellar look at a broken family and what it takes to piece it back together with an outstanding example of a strong YA parent. The father is one of my favorite characters in the book, and one of the best YA dads I’ve ever read. (My full review is here.)

FAVORITE GENRE BENDER

If there’s a Maggie Stiefvater being published, there’s a greater than average chance it’ll end up somewhere on this list. The Dream Thieves, like The Raven Boys before it, is the kind of book I read and think, “Why couldn’t I write like that?” (My full review is here.)

Stay tuned! Tomorrow we’ll be listing our picks for the Popularity Contest group (for a full list of categories, click here.) And don’t forget: To qualify for the giveaway we’ll be doing on the final day of the blogfest, you need to participate each day.