Best Books of 2012

For a while, I was planning on doing a top 20 list for this year’s best books.  I really wanted to keep up with my tradition from last year though and just list 10. I really had to sit down with a giant list of fantastic books, and seriously think about the best books of 2012. There were so many! And, I read so many more books this year than last year. I’ve read 112 books so far this year! This will be my 192^nd blog post so far this year!  And frankly, this has just been one fantastic year for YA!

Next year is already looking fantastic as well. There will be at least four YA books turned into movies in 2013…And I am already anxiously waiting on so many releases. But, back to today and the rest of 2012, I decided to do a top ten list again (but with three honorable mentions).

My rules:
1) Each book listed has come out this past year.
2) It is YA (duh).
3) I also have read the book in 2012 (not later or earlier). And it doesn’t matter if other books in the series have come out earlier.

1) Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan (Review/Rating: 10/10)

I’m going to be honest. My top three books were the hardest. I kept rearranging the top three, but overall this one won the top spot for its pure brilliance in all things. To quote myself, “Brennan has this magical ability to sound like Charlotte Bronte, Libba Bray, Louise Rennison, and Maureen Johnson all at the same time. Seriously, her writing is just so amazing. To able to sound like a Gothic writing genius and somehow also be hilariously British, and have wonderful and believable teen drama too is just pure amazing. It was like a YA feast for the senses. I laughed, I cried, I gasped out loud at the end, and I am nothing but super impressed.”

2) The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (Review/Rating: 10/10)

There is just nothing bad to say about this book. It was beautiful, sad, and powerful. It has produced some seriously wonderful conversation for me. And frankly, I feel like a better person having read this. If you have not read this book, you need to go get it right now.

3) Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (Review/Rating: 10/10)

I remember finishing this book (early because I had a galley), and searching Twitter, GoodReads, and the digital universe at large, wishing for someone to talk to about it. That’s how good it is. I may or may not have gotten some friends to read it earlier than intended just so I’d have someone to gush over it with. It was YA fantasy at its finest, and I really recommend this one to everyone (all the time).

4) The Diviners by Libba Bray (Review/Rating: 10/10)

Libba Bray is my favorite author (and I got to meet her this year!!). Her writing abilities pretty much put all other YA authors to shame. And this book proves it. If there was a best YA writing award, I would give it to her. She just weaves all these different characters, storylines, and terrifying moments together in this book in a way that has you thinking and reliving each detail for months to come.

5) Every Day by David Levithan (Review/ Rating: 10/10)

This would win the most unique YA book award. I have never read anything like this book before (YA or adult). It’s the kind of book I wish I could memorize and then quote for people at parties, sounding way more wise and profound then I could ever hope to be on my own. This is one, wise, profound, beautiful book. It was my first book that I’ve read by this author, alone. I have always enjoyed the books he co-writes with others, but since this one, I have been slowly buying everything he writes. I want all of his words!

6) The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken (Review/ Rating: 10/10)

This book just blew me away in its terrifying story. Between the super abilities, the children death camps, the complete destruction of the world’s morality, and some of the best YA escape scenes ever, this book just had everything. It was suspenseful and dark till the very last page and it is what I hope all dystopias to be like.

7) Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver (Review/ Rating: 10/10)

Oliver is one of those writers that just gives me goose bumps. I’m not sure if I have ever been quite as impressed with any other YA sequel before. Normally, sequels tend to feel like filler until the finale. This sequel was better than the first book, and just jam-packed with plot twists, character development, and dystopian awesomeness. The third book in this series might well be my most anticipated book of 2013.

8) Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry (Review/ Rating: 9/10)

This was definitely my favorite romance of the year. This book dealt with some tough stuff like mental illness and foster care. The two main characters had so much romantic tension, I’m not sure if I was more looking forward to them coming together or to the main character figuring out what happened/damaged her. This was an amazing love story of the best kind (the kind of survival).

9) For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund (Review/ Rating: 10/10)

So many things could have gone wrong with a YA sci-fi dystopian retelling of a Jane Austen novel. I kind of kept waiting to not like it, and before I knew it, I read the whole thing. Seriously, Peterfreund pulls this off like no one else could. Her ability to match Jane Austen’s words, humor, and language and apply it all to such a unique setting, makes Peterfrreund a genius. What a treat for Austen fans!

10) Cinder by Marissa Meyer (Review/ Rating: 9/10)

I guess I’m a fan of combining genres this year because this was one spectacular mashup of Cinderella and cyborgs! I still can’t get over the fact that the girl left her whole foot behind instead of the glass slipper. I loved all of the world building in this unique fairy tale. I loved the politics and I just super loved the main character and her ability to overcome so many injustices.

Honorable Mention 1: The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead (Review/ Rating: 10/10)

I got to meet this author this year as well, and I don’t think I’ve ever made more of an embarrassing impression meeting an author before. I’ve been reading her books for a long time, and I sort of just stood there staring at Richelle for a bit before realizing I should probably have her sign my books before her anxious fans (behind me) decided to trip me or something. But seriously, I have been above and beyond impressed with this spinoff series she’s doing of the Vampire Academy books because normally spin-offs are never that great. And the romance in this one was just magic!

Honorable Mention 2: Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock (Review/ Rating: 10/10)

I ended up loving this book way more than I thought I would. The love triangle, the characters, the political organizations, and the inhumanity of this supernatural book were just so spot-on!  I remember finishing the book and feeling sad that it was over.

Honorable Mention 3: The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater (Review/ Rating: 10/10)

The writing and the characters really just blew me away in this one! Also, since reading this book, I have attempted to speak Latin to trees to no avail…Granted, I don’t know any Latin so this was difficult. Also, I wish the boys in this book were my friends!

And that is all! There were a lot of other awesome books I thought about putting in this list, but I’m feeling rather accomplished at the moment, so I think it is what it is. What made your top ten list?