Category: Blogfests

Terrible Titles

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I was tagged by Kate Hart (who is spectacular — her debut, After the Fall, comes out in 2016) for the “Terrible Titles” blog hop. Her post is HERE, and her randomly generated titles are actually… kind of awesome.

The rules of the blog hop are simple: Scroll through your manuscript and stop in random places. Whatever words/phrase the cursor lands on becomes one of eight terrible titles.

Fun, right? Since my NaNoWriMo project is a very messy mess, I’m going to use the mostly clean manuscript I wrote over the summer, my road trip story currently called The Road So Far.

But, if it should need an alternate title, here are eight (terrible) contenders…

1. I Find Myself Bitter, Again
2. They Bump Hips 
3. So Full of Hollow Faith
4. We’ve Talked This Shit To Death
5. Long Winding Roads (huh… not so terrible, actually)
6. I Want to Hate Her
7. My Significant Other’s Underwear
8. Stare Out the Windshield

So, there you go… I’m thinking numbers 4 and 7 have potential. 😉

I tag my YA Superlative Blogfest co-hosts: Jessica Love, Tracey Neithercott, and Alison Miller, plus my writing buddies Riley Edgewood, Lola Sharp, Elizabeth Briggs, and Elodie Nowodazkij.

Happy terrible titling, friends!

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Class of 2014: YA Superlatives Blogfest BEST IN SHOW

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The Class of 2014: YA Superlative Blogfest (hosted by Jessica Love, Tracey Neithercott, Alison Miller, and me) runs Monday, December 15th through Thursday, December 18th and will highlight favorite books published in 2014 using a variety of fun superlative categories. The Class of 2014: YA Superlative Blogfest is all about promoting the extraordinary young adult books published this year, so if you haven’t already, draft a post and sign up to participate at the end of this post. We can’t wait to see your favorite reads of 2014!

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2014 Reading List (starred = debut): The Winner’s Curse, *Let’s Get Lost, *Loop, Blue Lily, Lily Blue, *17 First Kisses, Ashes to Ashes, *The Secret Sky, *Behind the Scenes, Isla and the Happily Ever After, *The Only Thing To Fear, Bleed Like Me, The Bridge From Me to You, *Creed, Dreams of Gods and Monsters, I’ll Give You the Sun, *One Two Three, *Of Scars and Stardust, We Were Liars, *Wish You Were Italian, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, Frozen, What I Thought Was True, *The Eighth Guardian, *Pointe, *Push Girl, *Open Road Summer, *Far From You, *The Symptoms of My Insanity, Panic, *The Truth About Alice, *NIL, Complicit, The Summer I Found You, The Evolution of Emily, Into the Still Blue, Heartbeat, The Killing Woods, Brown Girl Dreaming

Best In Show

Favorite Cover

    
Lots of beautiful covers in 2014… These four stuck out: The Secret Sky by Atia Abawi, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han, Pointe by Brandy Colbert, and Complicit by Stephanie Kuehn. All four are excellent reads, as well!

Cutest Couple

  
Gwen and Cassidy from Huntley Fitzpatrick’s What I Thought Was True, and Isla and Josh (despite their drama) from Stephanie Perkins’s Isla and the Happily Ever After — too cute to choose, too cute for words. ❤

Most Likely to Succeed (Pick a Printz)


Not only did Jandy Nelson’s I’ll Give You the Sun hit me harder in the feels than any other book I read this year, it’s also one of the most beautifully written stories I’ve encountered.

Most Likely to Make You Miss Your Bedtime


Could. Not. Put. Down The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski. The romance, the pacing, the twists, the crazy-compelling characters. So, so good!

Best Repeat Performance (Sequel or Follow-Up)


These The Raven Cycle books just keep getting better, don’t they? I adored Maggie Stiefvater’s Blue Lily, Lily Blue, and I can’t wait to see how this series ends when the final novel comes out next year.

Favorite Finale or End of Series Novel

  
I’ve followed Laini Taylor’s and Veronica Rossi’s trilogies since their opening books, and Dreams of Gods and Monsters and Into the Still Blue held up through the end. Love and recommend both of these fantastical series!

Romance Most Worthy of an Ice Bath


Isla and the Happily Ever After‘s Isla and Josh in Spain… Need I say more? Thank you, Stephanie Perkins, for bringing the swoon. (Honorable Mention to Dahlia Adler’s Behind the Scenes — hot, hot, hot!)

Best Breakout Novel (Debut Author) 


This one’s hard because I’ve read some *fantastic* debuts this year, but my love for Adi Alsaid’s Let’s Get Lost knows no bounds. It’s just so charming and and heartwarming and poignant. Plus, hello, adorable cover!

Best Old-Timer (Favorite Novel Pubbed BEFORE 2014)

  
Late to the party on both of these (seriously — what took me so long?!) but Morgan Matson’s Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour and Cristin Terrill’s All Our Yesterdays both lived up to and then completely surpassed their hype. If you’ve put off reading either or both, remedy that soon!

Most Likely to Make a Grown Man Cry

  
We all know I’m not a book crier, but Christa Desir’s Bleed Like Me and Elodie Nowodazkij’s debut One, Two, Three pulled at my heartstrings in major (though very different) ways.

Most Pleasant Surprise


I’m not sure I would have picked up Caroline Tung Richmond’s The Only Thing to Fear if I didn’t know and adore her — the cover doesn’t exactly scream Katy Book. But I’m so glad I gave this debut a go because it’s one of the most unique and creative stories I’ve read. Loved it!

Most Creative Use of a Love Triangle


Sophie from Tess Sharpe’s Far From You is tangled up between a brother and sister and oh my goodness, it’s messy. Plus, there’s a murder mystery and drug addiction and guilt and sadness to contend with. Such an enthralling read.

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

    
I wouldn’t call Elizabeth Scott’s Heartbeat, Jessica Love & Chelsie Hill’s Push Girl, Lisa Schroeder’s The Bridge From Me to You, or Stephanie Kuehn’s Complicit “under the radar,” but they’re all so good, I wish I was seeing them featured on everyone’s end-of-the-year “Best” lists. If you haven’t read any of the four of these and are a fan of contemporary YA, you MUST check them out!

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

  
  
Roxane Gay’s An Untamed State, Rebecca Behren’s When Audrey Met Alice, Riley Edgewood’s Rock & Release serial, and Mary Kubica’s The Good Girl are all such different books, but all four are so affecting. They each blew me away with their amazingness.

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Click below to add your name and your Best in Show post link to our sign up so we can hop around and check out your selections. 

This weekend, Jessica, Tracey, Alison, and I will randomly select FOUR Superlative Blogfest participants to win a 2014 YA book of their choice. Make sure to include your post links to all of the linky lists that apply so you’ll be eligible to win… 

And thanks so much to those who participated, commented, and helped spread the word about this blogfest… I’ve had a blast reading all of the posts, and my TBR list has grown by leaps and bounds! ❤

Class of 2014: YA Superlatives Blogfest ELEMENTS OF FICTION

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The Class of 2014: YA Superlative Blogfest (hosted by Jessica Love, Tracey Neithercott, Alison Miller, and me) runs Monday, December 15th through Thursday, December 18th and will highlight favorite books published in 2014 using a variety of fun superlative categories. The Class of 2014: YA Superlative Blogfest is all about promoting the extraordinary young adult books published this year, so if you haven’t already, draft a post and sign up to participate at the end of this post. We can’t wait to see your favorite reads of 2014!

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2014 Reading List (starred = debut): The Winner’s Curse, *Let’s Get Lost, *Loop, Blue Lily, Lily Blue, *17 First Kisses, Ashes to Ashes, *The Secret Sky, *Behind the Scenes, Isla and the Happily Ever After, *The Only Thing To Fear, Bleed Like Me, The Bridge From Me to You, *Creed, Dreams of Gods and Monsters, I’ll Give You the Sun, *One Two Three, *Of Scars and Stardust, We Were Liars, *Wish You Were Italian, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, Frozen, What I Thought Was True, *The Eighth Guardian, *Pointe, *Push Girl, *Open Road Summer, *Far From You, *The Symptoms of My Insanity, Panic, *The Truth About Alice, *NIL, Complicit, The Summer I Found You, The Evolution of Emily, Into the Still Blue, Heartbeat, The Killing Woods, Brown Girl Dreaming

Elements of Fiction

Most Envy-Inducing Plot


We Were Liars by E. Lockhart kept me guessing (even though there were “hints” about “surprises” all over the Internet), and I thought she pulled off the twists and characterizations beautifully. This one’s one of my favorites of 2014. (Honorable Mention to Caroline Tung Richmond’s debut The Only Thing to Fear — loved her reimagining of the outcome of World War II!)

Most Formidable World


Teenagers get exactly 365 days on Lynne Matson’s Nil, a sort of island paradise that reminded me a little of that Leonardo DiCaprio movie The Beach. But after those 365 days, you’re out — like, presumably dead. The ticking clock aspect of this book amped the tension to almost unbearable levels.

Most Wanderlust-Inducing


How Kristin Rae’s Wish You Were Italian made me want to travel to Italy! The delectable food, the unparalleled history, the lovely landscapes, and the beautiful boys. I adored this sweet, full-of-voice debut.

Loveliest Prose


Did you have doubts? Jandy Nelson’s I’ll Give You the Sun is gorgeous, full of enchanting imagery and unique metaphors and pretty, pretty prose. I found myself rereading so many passages just to more fully absorb their amazingness.

Best First Line


“She shouldn’t have been tempted.”
Oh, but she was! Marie Rutkoski’s The Winner’s Curse is all about temptation and yearning and torn allegiance. So good!

Most Dynamic Main Character


Theo from Brandy Colbert’s debut Pointe is one of my favorite MCs of 2014. She’s struggling with A LOT of trauma, yet she’s amazingly resilient. She’s a perfect example of the “strong female character” we’re always hearing about because she IS strong, but she’s also layered and complex and flawed. (Honorable Mentions to Sophie From Tess Sharpe’s debut Far From You, Kara from Jessica Love & Chelsie Hill’s debut Push Girl, and Reagan from Emery Lord’s debut Open Road Summer for all the same reasons.)

Most Jaw-Dropping Conclusion


In an effort to avoid spoilers, I won’t say why the conclusion to Stephanie Kuehn’s Complicit made my jaw drop, but I will say that you should read it as soon as possible. (Honorable Mention to E. Lockhart’s We Were Liars!)

Best Performance in a Supporting Role


To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han – The whole of Lara Jean’s family, plus Peter. I loved this book’s cast so much!

Best Use of Theme

  
Jessica Love & Chelsie Hill’s Push Girl and Elodie Nowodazkij’s One, Two, Three have similar themes of overcoming the loss of an identifying pursuit due to injury (dance, in both cases). I love that while both protagonists struggled with the unwanted changes to their lives in realistic and complicated ways, neither was weak, and neither gave up.

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Click below to add your name and your Elements of Fiction post link to our sign up so we can hop around and check out your selections. Don’t forget — there will be a new link sign-up each day!

Class of 2014: YA Superlatives Blogfest POPULARITY CONTEST

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The Class of 2014: YA Superlative Blogfest (hosted by Jessica Love, Tracey Neithercott, Alison Miller, and me) runs Monday, December 15th through Thursday, December 18th and will highlight favorite books published in 2014 using a variety of fun superlative categories. The Class of 2014: YA Superlative Blogfest is all about promoting the extraordinary young adult books published this year, so if you haven’t already, draft a post and sign up to participate at the end of this post. We can’t wait to see your favorite reads of 2014!

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2014 Reading List (starred = debut): The Winner’s Curse, *Let’s Get Lost, *Loop, Blue Lily, Lily Blue, *17 First Kisses, Ashes to Ashes, *The Secret Sky, *Behind the Scenes, Isla and the Happily Ever After, *The Only Thing To Fear, Bleed Like Me, The Bridge From Me to You, *Creed, Dreams of Gods and Monsters, I’ll Give You the Sun, *One Two Three, *Of Scars and Stardust, We Were Liars, *Wish You Were Italian, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, Frozen, What I Thought Was True, *The Eighth Guardian, *Pointe, *Push Girl, *Open Road Summer, *Far From You, *The Symptoms of My Insanity, Panic, *The Truth About Alice, *NIL, Complicit, The Summer I Found You, The Evolution of Emily, Into the Still Blue, Heartbeat, The Killing Woods, Brown Girl Dreaming

Popularity Contest

Villain I Love to Hate


“Charismatic” Elijah Hawkins, leader of the Purity Springs community featured in Creed by debut authors Lindsay Currie and Trisha Leaver. Yikes.

Most Likely to Become a Rockstar


Adorable, adorable, adorable Matt Finch from Emery Lord’s Open Road Summer. He’s a songwriter and a musician and he’s already on tour. *swoon*

Favorite Parental Figure

   
Emma’s stepfather from Elizabeth Scott’s Heartbeat. He’s just so present and supportive, and his love for Emma and her mom is palpable. Also, Lauren’s aunt and uncle from Lisa Schroeder’s The Bridge From Me to You, for all the same reasons. I love when parental figures are just unwaveringly there.

Most Likely to Start a Riot


Gray and Bree from Erin Bowman’s Frozen. They’re badass, and they’re pretty much leading an entire rebellion.

Biggest Flirt


Lillia from Ashes to Ashes by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian, because she consciously and constantly uses her feminine wiles to get what she wants, and she’s scary-good at it.

Coolest Nerd


Noah from Jandy Nelson’s I’ll Give You the Sun. He’s an art nerd, and a very talented one. Plus, he’s just all kinds of awkward and endearing.

Fashion Queens

  
Both Reagan and Dee from Emery Lord’s Open Road Summer, as well as Lillia from Ashes to Ashes by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian. I’d happily raid any of their closets!

Character You’d Most Want For a BFF

   
I can’t choose between Leila from Adi Alsaid’s Let’s Get Lost and Claire from Racheal Allen’s 17 First Kisses, perhaps because they both feel so fully formed and genuine. They each have realistic flaws, yet they’re loyal and kind and full of warmth. I’d be happy to BFFs with them both!

Character You Wish You’d Dated in High School


Arin from Marie Rutkoski’s The Winner’s Curse because… holy hotness. He’s serious and sweet and strong and a little bit broken, and he loves oh-so-deeply. *sigh* (Honorable Mentions to Matt from Open Road Summer (musical!), Peter from To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (funny!), Gansey from Blue Lily, Lily Blue (all-American!), and Tonio from One, Two, Three (athletic!).

Most Likely to Become President


Gansey from Maggie Siefvater’s Blue Lily, Lily Blue. He was my pick last year too. I’d TOTALLY vote for him!

Quirkiest Character


Izzy from The Symptoms of My Insanity — she’s a nut! She has the most honest, most hilarious stream-of-conscious inner monologues, and she cracks me up.

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Click the below to add your name and your Popularity Contest post link to our sign up so we can hop around and check out your selections. Don’t forget — there will be a new link sign-up each day!

Class of 2014: YA Superlatives Blogfest HEAD OF THE CLASS

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The Class of 2014: YA Superlative Blogfest (hosted by Jessica Love, Tracey Neithercott, Alison Miller, and me) runs Monday, December 15th through Thursday, December 18th and will highlight favorite books published in 2014 using a variety of fun superlative categories. The Class of 2014: YA Superlative Blogfest is all about promoting the extraordinary young adult books published this year, so if you haven’t already, draft a post and sign up to participate at the end of this post. We can’t wait to see your favorite reads of 2014!

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2014 Reading List (starred = debut): The Winner’s Curse, *Let’s Get Lost, *Loop, Blue Lily, Lily Blue, *17 First Kisses, Ashes to Ashes, *The Secret Sky, *Behind the Scenes, Isla and the Happily Ever After, *The Only Thing To Fear, Bleed Like Me, The Bridge From Me to You, *Creed, Dreams of Gods and Monsters, I’ll Give You the Sun, *One Two Three, *Of Scars and Stardust, We Were Liars, *Wish You Were Italian, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, Frozen, What I Thought Was True, *The Eighth Guardian, *Pointe, *Push Girl, *Open Road Summer, *Far From You, *The Symptoms of My Insanity, Panic, *The Truth About Alice, *NIL, Complicit, The Summer I Found You, The Evolution of Emily, Into the Still Blue, Heartbeat, The Killing Woods, Brown Girl Dreaming

Head of the Class

Favorite Dystopian


Frozen by Erin Bowman – Loved it even more than its predecessor, Taken! Gray is such a compelling protagonist, and I can’t wait to see how this trilogy wraps up with Forged come spring.

Favorite Science Fiction


Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi – Is this a stretch for the sci-fi category? It’s the only sci-fi-esque 2014 book I read, and it was a fantastic conclusion to a trilogy I’ve followed since its first book. Bravo! (Honorable Mention to These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner, which came out late in 2013 and therefore missed a spot on my Class of 2013 list. It’s so excellent!)

Favorite Fantasy


The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski – Not only my favorite fantasy of 2014, but one of my favorite reads of the year, period. Oh, the glorious world-building and the slow-burn, deliciously forbidden romance…

Favorite Contemporary

   
I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson and Let’s Get Lost by Adi Alsaid – I could not choose between these two! They’re both incredibly moving and gorgeously written, and they both left me feeling just… joyful. New favorites!

Favorite Action/Adventure


Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor – Another trilogy concluded. I love Laini Taylor’s prose, and this book was a true page-turner. Unputdownable!

Favorite Historical


Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson – Oh my gosh… So gorgeous. I’m such a sucker for verse stories and this one, a chronicle of the author’s childhood in the 1960s and 1970s (so, it’s a little bit middle grade if you want to get technical), is mesmerizing. Plus, that cover… Love.

Favorite Comedy


The Symptoms of My Insanity by Mindy Raf – I’m not big on comedies and this book certainly has plenty of profound moments, but it was also full of genuine, perfectly penned humor. I legit LOLed more than once!

Favorite Mystery

  
Far From You by Tess Sharpe and We Were Liars by E. Lockhart – Again — I could NOT choose! Both of these are gripping, full of beautiful writing, diverse characters, and gut-wrenching twists. So, so good.

Favorite Romance

   
Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins and Open Road Summer by Emery Lord – Both of these are lovely romances, but they’re so much more, too — friendship and travel and authentic voice. Love them both! (Honorable mention to To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han, which I couldn’t select this year because I *must* read the sequel before deciding if Lara Jean and Peter’s romance is a favorite.)

Favorite Paranormal


Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater – Obviously, right? I am such a fan of this series, and I am already so anxious to see how it concludes next fall. Can I please be Maggie Stiefvater when I grow up?

Favorite Genre Bender


Ashes to Ashes by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian – While I did not love how this trilogy concluded (I want to tear the epilogue out of my copy, quite honestly) there’s no denying that the series, as a whole, is crazy-good. Oh, Reeve. ❤

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Click the graphic below to add your name and your Head of the Class post link to our sign up so we can hop around and check out your selections. Don’t forget — there will be a new link sign-up each day!

What’s Up Wednesday

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“What’s Up Wednesday” is a fun weekly meme started by my friends Jaime Morrow and Erin Funk. From Jaime: It’s similar in some respects to the Currently… post, but it’s been whittled down to only four headings to make it quicker and more manageable on a weekly basis. You’re invited to join us if you’re looking for something to blog about, a way to let your blog friends know what’s been going on with you. If you’re participating, make sure to link your What’s Up Wednesday posts to the list on Jaime’s blog each week. That way, others can visit your post and check out what you’ve been up to. And now, here’s what’s up with me this week…

What I’m Reading: I finished The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski and loved it SO MUCH. Amazing world-building, and a super-swoonworthy slow-burn forbidden romance. I also read Caroline Tung Richmond’s debut, The Only Thing To Fear, a reimagining of the outcome of WW combined with some genetically modified people with X-Men-esue super powers — it was excellent! Now, I’m reading Brown Girl Dreaming, Jacqueline Woodson’s National Book Award winning historical verse story. It’s beautiful so far.

  

What I’m Writing: I’ve been revising my road trip book, The Road So Far, according to notes from my amazing CPs. They have helped me SO MUCH and I am endlessly grateful. I sent the manuscript off to my agent yesterday, so we’ll see what she thinks. *crosses fingers* Now, I’m back to drafting the end my NaNo story, Stars Like Dust. Hoping to finish by the end of the month.

What Else I’ve Been Up To: All the holiday prep…

I baked my husband’s favorite Christmas treat, Mexican Wedding Cookies…

  

And made a Christmas craft, Cinnamon Star Garland…

And addressed Christmas cards with my little elf. ❤

What Works For Me: Amazing published novels as inspiration. Luckily, 2014 has been full of exceptional reads! Jessica Love, Tracey Neithercott, Alison Miller, and I are celebrating with our 4th annual YA Superlatives Blogfest, a fun and interactive way to highlight our favorite books published during the last year. The blogfest begins Monday, December 15th and runs through Thursday, December 18th. We hope you’ll join us!

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Tell me… What’s up with you today? 

Class of 2014: YA Superlatives Blogfest

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It’s time for the 4th Annual YA Superlative Blogfest!

Jessica Love, Tracey Neithercott, Alison Miller, and I hosted this interactive blogfest in 2011, 2012, and 2013 with the hope of highlighting our favorite YA novels, covers, characters, and story elements, and we can’t wait for another week dedicated to promoting awesome young adult books!

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The Class of 2014: YA Superlative Blogfest will run Monday, December 15th – Thursday, December 18th and will highlight favorite YA books published in 2014. Post about your selections on your blog, Tumblr, Instagram, or any combination of those. We’ll conclude the week by giving away 2014 books to a few lucky blogfest participants (more info soon!).

Here are this year’s categories…

Head of the Class – Monday, December 15th
Favorite Dystopian
Favorite Science Fiction
Favorite Fantasy
Favorite Contemporary
Favorite Action/Adventure
Favorite Historical Fiction
Favorite Comedy
Favorite Mystery
Favorite Romance
Favorite Paranormal
Favorite Genre Bender

Popularity Contest – Tuesday, December 16th
Villain I Love to Hate
Most Likely to Become a Rock Star
Favorite Parental Figure
Most Likely to Start a Riot
Biggest Flirt
Coolest Nerd
Fashion King and/or Queen
Character I’d Most Want For a BFF
Character I Wish I’d Dated in High School
Most Likely to Become President
Quirkiest Character

Elements of Fiction – Wednesday, December 17th
Most Envy-Inducing Plot
Most Formidable World
Most Wanderlust-Inducing
Loveliest Prose
Best First Line
Most Dynamic Main Character
Most Jaw-Dropping Conclusion
Best Performance in a Supporting Role
Best Use of Theme 

Best in Show, Thursday, December 18th
Favorite Cover
Cutest Couple
Most Likely to Succeed (Pick a Printz Winner)
Most Likely to Make You Miss Your Bedtime
Best Repeat Performance (Favorite Sequel or Follow-Up)
Favorite Finale or End of Series Novel
Romance Most Worthy of an Ice Bath
Best Breakout Novel (Favorite Book by a Debut Author)
Best Old-Timer (Favorite Book Published BEFORE 2014)
Most Likely to Make a Grown Man Cry
Most Pleasant Surprise (Didn’t Think I’d Like It But Totally Did)
Most Creative Use of a Love Triangle
Sleeper Hit (Novel So Awesome I Wish It’d Been Hyped More)
Favorite Outlier (Best 2014 Picture Book, MG, NA, or Adult Novel)
Create Your Own Superlative!

The Class of 2014: YA Superlatives Blogfest is all about promoting extraordinary novels. Don’t worry if you don’t have a book to fit every category, or if your 2014 reading list is on the short side — we hope you’ll participate any way you can. HERE is a fairly comprehensive list of 2014 YA titles in case you’d like to fit in a few more books before December 15th. 

Please do help us spread the word by grabbing our banner and/or button (both designed by crazy-talented Tracey Neithercott).

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We hope you’ll join us for the fun!

2013 YA Superlatives :: Elements of Fiction

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The Class of 2013: YA Superlative Blogfest (hosted by Jessica Love, Tracey Neithercott, Alison Miller, and me) runs Monday, December 16th through Thursday, December 19th. All of our fantastic participants will highlight favorite books published in 2013 using a variety of fun superlative categories. The Class of 2013: YA Superlative Blogfest is all about promoting the extraordinary young adult books published this year, so if you haven’t already, draft a post and sign up to participate at the end of this post. We can’t wait to see your favorite reads of 2013!

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My Books Pubbed in 2013 Reading List (starred books are 2013 debut novels): Shades of Earth, *The Tragedy Paper, Just One Day, *If You Find Me, *Nobody But Us, *Taken, Through the Ever Night, Eleanor & Park, Requiem, *Pretty Girl-13, *Uses For Boys, This is What Happy Looks Like, Quintana of Charyn, *The S-Word, The 5th Wave, *Nantucket Blue, *The Sea of Tranquility, Golden, *Strands of Bronze and Gold, Where the Stars Still Shine, Dare You To, All I Need, Out of the Easy, *OCD Love Story, The Dream Thieves, *Canary, The Truth About You and Me, Fangirl, *My Life After Now, September Girls, *Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, Dead Silence, Invisibility, Just One Year, *Fault Line, Allegiant, *How to Love, The Beginning of Everything, The Coldest Girl in Coldtown, *Unteachable, Dangerous Girls, and *Reclaimed (Covers link to Goodreads pages!)

Here are my selections for Elements of Fiction

Most Envy-Inducing Plot 

   
It’s a toss up between Abigail Haas’s Dangerous Girls and Jessi Kirby’s Golden. Both books are exceptional contemporaries. I love the twists and sense of unknowing in Dangerous Girls, and I envy the way Jessi Kirby so seamlessly weaved past and present story lines into Golden.

Most Formidable World

   
Another toss up… The ether storms in Veronica Rossi’s Through the Ever Night terrify me, and the idea of a world without love as depicted in Lauren Oliver’s Requiem is equally horrifying. Come to think of it, there’s not a dystopian setting I’d want to visit.

Wanderlust-Inducing

I’ve not been to Nantucket, but Leila Howland’s debut Nantucket Blue made me want to book a summer house there. She describes the beach and the town and the people and the foods so clearly. I could feel the sand beneath my toes.

Loveliest Prose

I’m not usually fan of dialect in novels, but Emily Murdoch pulls it off beautifully in her debut, If You Find Me… My sister don’t talk much. When she does, it’s only to me, in moth-winged whispers, and only when we’re alone. The entire story is  this gorgeous and evocative.

Best First Line

Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys: My mother’s a prostitute. Not the filthy, streetwalking kind. She’s actually quite pretty, fairly well spoken, and has lovely clothes. But she sleeps with men for money or gifts, and according to the dictionary, that makes her a prostitute.

Most Dynamic Main Character

Reena Montero from Katie Cotugno’s How to Love is one of my favorite protagonists ever. She’s can be irresolute which makes her  relatable, but she’s also strong and funny and loving and smart. I’d be her friend in a heartbeat.

Most Jaw-Dropping Ending

I could go with Allegiant, Dangerous Girls, or Shades of Earth here, but the final lines of Katja Millay’s The Sea of Tranquility gave me actual, physical chills. Breathtaking and moving… I loved it.

Best Performance in a Supporting Role

Dee from Gayle Forman’s Just One Day. I had so much fun reading the scenes he shared with Allyson, and I appreciate how he’s more than just the fun best buddy type. He’s got depth and does his own growing as the story progresses.

Best Use of Theme

I love Trish Doller’s Where the Stars Still Shine for its characters and intense emotionality, but I also love it for its messages regarding forgiveness and family and kindness and love, and how it’s possible to recover and start over.

Don’t forget to link your “Elements of Fiction” post below!

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2013 YA Superlatives :: Popularity Contest

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The Class of 2013: YA Superlative Blogfest (hosted by Jessica Love, Tracey Neithercott, Alison Miller, and me) runs Monday, December 16th through Thursday, December 19th. All of our fantastic participants will highlight favorite books published in 2013 using a variety of fun superlative categories. The Class of 2013: YA Superlative Blogfest is all about promoting the extraordinary young adult books published this year, so if you haven’t already, draft a post and sign up to participate at the end of this post. We can’t wait to see your favorite reads of 2013!

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My Books Pubbed in 2013 Reading List (starred books are 2013 debut novels): Shades of Earth, *The Tragedy Paper, Just One Day, *If You Find Me, *Nobody But Us, *Taken, Through the Ever Night, Eleanor & Park, Requiem, *Pretty Girl-13, *Uses For Boys, This is What Happy Looks Like, Quintana of Charyn, *The S-Word, The 5th Wave, *Nantucket Blue, *The Sea of Tranquility, Golden, *Strands of Bronze and Gold, Where the Stars Still Shine, Dare You To, All I Need, Out of the Easy, *OCD Love Story, The Dream Thieves, *Canary, The Truth About You and Me, Fangirl, *My Life After Now, September Girls, *Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, Dead Silence, Invisibility, Just One Year, *Fault Line, Allegiant, *How to Love, The Beginning of Everything, The Coldest Girl in Coldtown, *Unteachable, Dangerous Girls, and *Reclaimed (Covers link to Goodreads pages!)

Here are my selections for Popularity Contest…

Villain I Love to Hate

There’s a lot of gray when it comes to “villain” in Abigail Haas’s Dangerous Girls, which is why it’s an incredible read. Most of the main characters have seriously deplorable moments, and the real bad guy isn’t revealed until the very end.

Most Likely to Become a Rock Star

Park from Rainbow Rowell’s Eleanor & Park is so music-obsessed, I think he’d make a perfect rockstar. Plus, he wears black eyeliner, which is pretty much a rocker prerequisite. (Art by the brilliant Simini Blocker.)

Favorite Parental Figure

Callie’s dad, Greg, from Where the Stars Still Shine is such a loving and supportive and patient father. I loved the scenes he and Callie shared, and the way he helped her learn to trust again.

Mostly Likely to Start a Riot

Ronan from Maggie Stiefvater’s The Dream Thieves. He’s passionate and damaged and a total loose cannon. Plus, there’s the whole dream thief thing — just imagine the craziness he could commence! (Sketch by Maggie Stiefvater, who is way too talented.)

Biggest Flirt

Alex from Where the Stars Still Shine by Trish Doller (I borrowed this image from her WtSSS Pinterest page, which is awesome). Alex may not be the biggest flirt, but I definitely think he’s the best flirt. *sigh*

Coolest Nerd

Toby from Robin Schneider’s The Beginning of Everything. He’s a fun, adorably dorky guy (captain of and spark behind the debate team) who has a knack for awesomely witty puns. My favorite character from this story.

Fashion King and/or Queen

Dee from Gayle Forman’s Just One Day. He’s generally awesome, plus, he’s got gumption and personal style for days. I wish I’d had him for a friend during my freshman year of college. (Art by the amazing Simini Blocker.)

Girl You’d Most Want For Your BFF

Josie from Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys. She’s clever and driven and fiercely loyal. She’s got street smarts (and friends in low places) and a kind heart. I’d love to hang out with her in the French Quarter of New Orleans.

Boy You Wish You’d Dated in High School

Josh Bennett from Katja Millay’s The Sea of Tranquility because he’s so sweet and protective of the people he cares about. Even though he’s sad, he’s got an enormous patched-together heart. Plus, he’s good with his hands. 😉

Most Likely to Become President

Gansey from Maggie Stiefvater’s The Dream Thieves. He’s my favorite of all the boys, and I think he’d be an excellent president. He’s got the breeding and he’s incredibly diplomatic, yet he’s absolutely sincere, too. (Art by Cassandra Jean.)

Quirkiest Character

Bea from Corey Ann Haydu’s OCD Love Story. Even if you don’t consider her OCD symptoms, Bea’s still an eccentric girl who doesn’t care about what anyone else thinks of her. Love that.


Don’t forget to link your Class of 2013: YA Superlative Blogfest “Popularity Contest” post below! 

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2013 YA Superlatives Blogfest :: Head of the Class

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The Class of 2013: YA Superlative Blogfest (hosted by Jessica Love, Tracey Neithercott, Alison Miller, and me) runs Monday, December 16th through Thursday, December 19th. All of our fantastic participants will highlight favorite books published in 2013 using a variety of fun superlative categories. The Class of 2013: YA Superlative Blogfest is all about promoting the extraordinary young adult books published this year, so if you haven’t already, draft a post and sign up to participate at the end of this post. We can’t wait to see your favorite reads of 2013!

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My Books Pubbed in 2013 Reading List (starred books are 2013 debut novels): Shades of Earth, *The Tragedy Paper, Just One Day, *If You Find Me, *Nobody But Us, *Taken, Through the Ever Night, Eleanor & Park, Requiem, *Pretty Girl-13, *Uses For Boys, This is What Happy Looks Like, Quintana of Charyn, *The S-Word, The 5th Wave, *Nantucket Blue, *The Sea of Tranquility, Golden, *Strands of Bronze and Gold, Where the Stars Still Shine, Dare You To, All I Need, Out of the Easy, *OCD Love Story, The Dream Thieves, *Canary, The Truth About You and Me, Fangirl, *My Life After Now, September Girls, *Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, Dead Silence, Invisibility, Just One Year, *Fault Line, Allegiant, *How to Love, The Beginning of Everything, The Coldest Girl in Coldtown, *Unteachable, Dangerous Girls, and *Reclaimed (Covers link to Goodreads pages!)

Today’s Categories for Best in Show…

Favorite Dystopian

   
I couldn’t narrow this category down to one. Both Through the Ever Night and Taken have amazing worldbuilding and beautiful prose. Love them both.

Favorite Science Fiction

The end of this book almost killed me, but… phew! I thought it was a fitting and fantastic conclusion to a trilogy I’ve followed since its release.

Favorite Fantasy

I read this trilogy over the course of a few weeks last spring, and I’m still in awe. I’ve never cared so much for such a huge cast of characters. Brilliant high fantasy.

Favorite Contemporary

   
Because this is actually one story, right? Allyson and Willem really did give me all the feels, not to mention a wicked case of wanderlust.

Favorite Action/Adventure

This one’s sci-fi as well, and it’s intense. Expertly plotted and full of action and twists. I couldn’t put it down!

Favorite Historical Fiction

I adore this gritty but beautiful glimpse into life in a 1950s New Orleans brothel. Protagonist Josie is one of my favorites of the year.

Favorite Comedy

This is a stretch, but I don’t read traditional comedies, and Fangirl actually does have several funny moments. It’s also deep and thoughtful and romantic. Love.

Favorite Mystery

This book kept me guessing until its final pages. It’s raw and twisty and bold, a scary look at foreign legal systems and the ruthlessness of friendship and love.

Favorite Romance

   
I couldn’t pick just one! How to Love and Eleanor & Park are stories of challenged but genuine devotion, and they both gave me all the first love tingles.

Favorite Paranormal

This book is surreal and atmospheric and totally weird, but I dig it. The writing is lovely and the symbolism is fascinating. Plus, look at that cover!

Favorite Family Drama

    
Two heartbreaking but hopeful stories with similar themes of love and devotion and healing. Both protagonists have exceptional fathers, too.

Favorite Genre Bender 

This book is a trip, and I could not put it down. I’m such a Gansey fan… I’d read a story about him grocery shopping if Maggie Stiefvater published it.

Tell us about your favorites, and make sure to link your post with all of the other Class of 2013: YA Superlative Blogfest posts…

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