My 10 favorite books of 2008 (I think)

It's the time of year when all the "Best Books of 2008" articles/blog posts come out. While I definitely see the merit of putting lists like that together and even helped contribute to one in a major journal, on this blog I am one reviewer, one librarian, with one opinion. And since I subscribe to the "to every reader his or her book" school of thought, I think in this case it's more appropriate to talk about the books I liked the best. Also, I have not read anywhere near the number of books I want to read. There simply isn't the time, between the BCCLS Mock Printz, PPYA, and my reviewing gigs. With that, on to my ten personal favorites of the year, alpha by author.

• Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson, for taking me back in time and teaching me things I didn't know I wanted to know.


• Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway, for laughs, heartbreak, and slight music geekery.


• You Know Where to Find Me by Rachel Cohn, for showing that "just get over it" is always easier said than done.


• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, for making me hold my breath.


• Diary of a Chav by Grace Dent, for showing class, even though there wasn't supposed to be any.


• The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, even though cats consider themselves superior to all people, living or dead.


• Paper Towns by John Green, because no one forgets their first love.


• Pretty Monsters by Kelly Link, for showing how cool short story collections are, were, and ever will be


• Madapple by Christina Meldrum, for bending everything that a YA novel can be


• Impossible by Nancy Werlin, from a fellow believer that girls can and do want the good boy over the bad boy.

I read many, many more very enjoyable books. 2008 has been a great year for YA. These, however, are the ten that have really stuck with me for whatever reason. Some were total page-turners and others I had to put down for a while and continue later. But I'll remember and recommend all of them.

I'd better post this list before I change my mind.