The Five Best YA Books of 2008

I think, in general, that YA (Teen/Young Adult) books get a bad rap. There's a wealth of excellent books that fall into the YA genre that never get read simply because adults automatically assume that they won't be interesting, thought-provoking, etc. Not true! And don't assume that just because you are however many years past the target audience that you won't enjoy a book from this genre. Here are five of the best YA books I read this year.

1. The Dairy Queen



I liked this book a lot. I found myself really empathizing with the title character, a tomboy named DJ who does that lion's share of the work on her family's barely-making-it dairy farm after her father injures himself one day. The author managed to give DJ a unique voice that didn't feel contrived or convoluted- DJ felt real. The sequel wasn't as strong, but you'll definitely want to read it to know what happens after the events in The Dairy Queen. The author is planning a third book, and I have high hopes for it.

2. Coraline (Graphic Novel version



Neil Gaiman is an extremely popular author of many Sci-Fi/Fantasy novels aimed at adults. Coraline is aimed at the YA market. You can also find this book in regular novel format, but I read the graphic nvoel version, which means it's laid out like a comic book, with pictures in addition to the text.

I can't say I honestly *enjoyed* this book, but that's not because it isn't a great book, which it is. First of all, the graphic novel format isn't really my cup of tea, but it's gaining in popularity (as evidenced by the fact that Gaiman republished Coralin in that format after he had already published the novel.)

Second of all, this book is really creepy. Not scary, because I DO NOT do horror, but creepy. But creepy in a good way. The illustrations really add to the creepiness. Knowing my girls like I do, I know they would *love* this book. But I don't think they are quite ready for it yet, hence me putting in my YA review as opposed to my children's review.

I loved the heroine, a girl of ten or twelve. When Coraline gets trapped in another world with her "other" parents, she doesn't wait for someone to come and save her.
She figures out what she needs to do and does it, even if it isn't pleasant or pretty. This books has been amde into a movie, whcih is being released in February 2009. I haven't decided if I am going to see it yet, but I look forward to (at minimum) revisiting it in a few years when the girls are older.

3. Forever Rose



This is the final book in a series I first read a few years ago. While you don't have to read the first four books to understand what is happening in this book, you really shouldn't miss out on any of the craziness that surrounds the Casson Family who live in the Banana House.

4. Just Listen



The more Sarah Dessen books I read, the more I like her writing. This is the second book by this author that I've read. Some might say that her writing is a little too "After School Special", but she writes about issues in a way that doesn't come across as preachy, and I appreciate that. Her characters are very real, and so are their lives.

5. The Truth About Forever



My favorite Saran Dessen book. I really loved this book. I'm pretty sure I got teary-eyed a few times. The heroine, Macy Queen, is dealing with the aftermath of her father's sudden death. This book just felt so real, like I knew the characters. Just wonderful. My favorite YA book of the year.

Honorable Mention

Breaking Dawn



I had to think really hard if I wanted to include this book in a "Best of" series, but when it comes down to it, it does. The book is certainly not perfect, not by any means. It has its flaws, and there are a few plot choices that Stephenie Meyer made that I don't agree with. But when all is said and done, she is an incredible world builder, and this book is the culmination of a lot of hardwork put into action because of a once-in-a-lifetime (multi)million dollar idea. And it's easy for people (and other authors) to sit back and say "I could do that!" but the fact of the matter is that no one else did.