Class of 2014: YA Superlatives Blogfest BEST IN SHOW

The YA Superlatives Blogfest is hosted by Jessica Love, Tracey Neithercott, Alison Miller, and Katy Upperman.

Best in Show, Thursday, December 18th

Favorite Cover

I’LL GIVE YOU THE SUN, THE WINNER’S CURSE, CRESS

Cutest Couple

 Percy and Annabeth from THE BLOOD OF OLYMPUS by Rick Riordan (They weren’t the main focus of the book, but some of their moments had me squealing out loud, holy Percabeth cuteness! It was refreshing how steady their relationship is, they don’t create any unnecessary drama for themselves. They just save the world together!) 

Most Likely to Succeed (Pick a Printz Winner) 

THE IMPOSSIBLE KNIFE OF MEMORY by Laurie Halse Anderson (made the longlist for the National Book Award)

Most Likely to Make You Miss Your Bedtime

 THE BLOOD OF OLYMPUS by Rick Riordan and THE WINNER’S CURSE by Marie Rutkoski

Best Repeat Performance (Favorite Sequel or Follow-Up)

CRESS by Marissa Meyer

Favorite Finale or End of Series Novel

CITY OF HEAVENLY FIRE by Cassandra Clare and BLOOD OF OLYMPUS by Rick Riordan

Romance Most Worthy of an Ice Bath

 IGNITE ME by Tahereh Mafi and CITY OF HEAVENLY FIRE by Cassandra Clare

Best Breakout Novel (Favorite Book by a Debut Author)

 ALTHEA AND OLIVER by Cristina Moracho

Best Old-Timer (Favorite Book Published BEFORE 2014)

 THE MARK OF ATHENA by Rick Riordan (2012), THE DARKEST MINDS by Alexandra Bracken (2012), CROWN OF MIDNIGHT by Sarah J. Maas (2013)

Most Likely to Make a Grown Man Cry

THE IMPOSSIBLE KNIFE OF MEMORY by Laurie Halse Anderson 

Most Pleasant Surprise (Didn’t Think I’d Like It But Totally Did)

 THE WINNER’S CURSE by Marie Rutkoski and THE ONE by Kierra Cass (the Selection trilogy as a whole was a surprise. I had the lowest of expectations and while it wasn’t perfect, I had much more fun reading it than I expected to). I’m usually skeptical of any book with a girl in a ball gown on the cover. 

Most Creative Use of a Love Triangle

It’s more of an unrequited love than a triangle, and the bombshell got dropped in HOUSE OF HADES, but a character is still working out their feelings for another character who’s in a relationship in BLOOD OF OLYMPUS. The character’s struggle is written so honestly (yet delicately), and I wanted to stand up and clap for Rick Riordan. No spoilers here, though!  

Sleeper Hit (Novel So Awesome I Wish It’d Been Hyped More)

 ALTHEA AND OLIVER by Cristina Moracho

Favorite Outlier (Best 2014 Picture Book, MG, NA, or Adult Novel)

Actually a short story collection, EVERY KISS A WAR by Leesa Cross-Smith

Create Your Own Superlative: Best series I “marathoned” in 2014

 Tie between Rick Riordan’s Heroes of Olympus series and Marissa Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles (even though series is not yet complete)

And there you have it, folks! Some of the best books I read this year. Here's to a great 2014 and all the great books to come in 2015!

Class of 2014: YA Superlatives Blogfest ELEMENTS OF FICTION (or where I beg you to read I'LL GIVE YOU THE SUN)

The YA Superlatives Blogfest is hosted by Jessica Love, Tracey Neithercott, Alison Miller, and Katy Upperman.

Elements of Fiction – Wednesday, December 17th

Most Envy-Inducing Plot

 I’LL GIVE YOU THE SUN by Jandy Nelson. My entire MFA thesis is stories about families, and this book is EVERYTHING I want my writing to be. Siblings growing apart and trying to come back together, coping with loss, self-discovery. *drools* 

Most Formidable World

 Oz from DOROTHY MUST DIE by Danielle Paige. As the inside cover warns, this is not the Oz you remember. It’s kind of 100 percent terrifying.  

Most Wanderlust-Inducing 

THE GLASS SENTENCE by S.E. Groves. This might be technically MG, but each continent of the world exists in a different time (some continents even have multiple time periods). SO cool!

Loveliest Prose

 I’LL GIVE YOU THE SUN by Jandy Nelson

Best First Line

ISLA AND THE HAPPILY EVER AFTER. “It’s midnight, it’s sweltering, and I might be high on Vicodin, but that guy—that guy right over there—that’s him.” 

Most Dynamic Main Character

 Celaena Sardothian from HEIR OF FIRE by Sarah J. Maas. I’m in the minority of ToG fans when I say this book wasn’t my favorite of the series so far, but Celaena’s character development in this book was INCREDIBLE. 

Most Jaw-Dropping Conclusion

 Okay, I KNOW this was from 2012 and I'm a big fat cheater, but I just read it in October and can’t get the cliffhanger out of my mind. THE MARK OF ATHENA by Rick Riordan. Also the novella “The Assassin and the Empire” from THE ASSASSIN’S BLADE – even though I knew how it would end because I’d already read THRONE OF GLASS, the ending was so powerful. 

Best Performance in a Supporting Role

Nico di Angelo in THE BLOOD OF OLYMPUS and Oscar in I’LL GIVE YOU THE SUN

Best Use of Theme

 I’LL GIVE YOU THE SUN. Family, loss, art, love.  THE WINNER’S CURSE. Characters are always playing games and strategizing, and the stakes get higher and higher as their world becomes less stable. 

The moral of this post? Run to the nearest bookstore and buy I'LL GIVE YOU THE SUN. Then devour it. It tastes like colors. <3 

Class of 2014: YA Superlatives Blogfest HEAD OF CLASS and POPULARITY CONTEST

I'm back from a semester-long hiatus to talk about some of my favorite YA books from 2014! The YA Superlatives Blogfest is hosted by Jessica Love, Tracey Neithercott, Alison Miller, and Katy Upperman. I'm squashing two days together, so bear with me, folks!

2014 books I read this year: The Impossible Knife of Memory, Cress, Ignite Me, Dorothy Must Die, City of Heavenly Fire, The Assassin’s Blade, Heir of Fire, Since You’ve Been Gone, The Glass Sentence, The One, Isla and the Happily Ever After, I’ll Give You the Sun, Althea & Oliver, The Winner’s Curse, The Blood of Olympus. 

Head of the Class – Monday, December 15th

Favorite Dystopian

IGNITE ME by Tahereh Mafi (I only read two or three dystopians this year and, while I didn't love the first two books in the Shatter Me trilogy, IGNITE ME was the strongest!)

Favorite Science Fiction 

CRESS by Marissa Meyer (sci-fi fantasy)

Favorite Fantasy

 THE ASSASSIN’S BLADE by Sarah J. Maas (even though the ebooks were released prior to 2014, the bind-up just came out this year.)

Favorite Contemporary

I’LL GIVE YOU THE SUN by Jandy Nelson (Just a warning, this book is on every list of mine this week. This is my book of the year!)

Favorite Action/Adventure

THE BLOOD OF OLYMPUS by Rick Riordan 

Favorite Romance

 ISLA AND THE HAPPILY EVER AFTER by Stephanie Perkins

Favorite Genre Bender

CITY OF HEAVENLY FIRE by Cassandra Clare (I consider this genre-bending because it's part urban fantasy, part paranormal. Plus I just needed to include it on the list!!!) 

Popularity Contest – Tuesday, December 16th

Villain I Love to Hate

 Sebastian Morgenstern from CITY OF HEAVENLY FIRE (Duh. He makes my skin crawl, and not in a good way. Just ick.)

Favorite Parental Figure 

Guillermo Garcia in I’LL GIVE YOU THE SUN (I don't want to explain why because spoilers. But I think he's wonderful!)

Most Likely to Start a Riot 

Althea from ALTHEA AND OLIVER

Biggest Flirt

 Captain Thorne from CRESS

Fashion King and/or Queen

Jude from I'LL GIVE YOU THE SUN (She makes her own dresses!) 

Character I’d Most Want For a BFF

Sloane from SINCE YOU’VE BEEN GONE or Cinder from CRESS

Character I Wish I’d Dated in High School

 Frank Porter from SINCE YOU’VE BEEN GONE 

Most Likely to Become President

Prince Kai from CRESS (Is this cheating? He’s already a prince...but I’m counting him anyway. He’d be a great leader) 

Quirkiest Character

Most of the BLOOD OF OLYMPUS characters are super quirky, especially Leo and Percy!

And there you have it! Days 1 and 2 of the YA Superlatives Blogfest! I left out a couple categories because I couldn't think of any..I actually didn't read a ton of books released in 2014. A lot of my year was spent on marathoning older series. 

See you all tomorrow for the next category!