What's the best NEW young adult book you've read this year?

Tell me the best book that you've read that has been published in 2007.
Which one is it?
I've read the Alchemyst and it was good fun. I've posted a review here: http://valentinasroom.blogspot.com
(how do you post links here by the way?)

But I wouldn't say it was the best. I'll read Skulduggery pleasant soon cause it's supposed to be really good.

I loved Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr. The main character is incredibly beleivable and likeable, even as she's making these stupid choices that will have you yelling at the pages. The book has a message that more teens need to hear--that one bad decision does not necessarily define you; it's still possible to change your life even when you've earned a "rep."

Unfortunately, I've only read two books this year that have been published this year...

Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson and Forever in Blue

Twisted is definitely the better novel, however, if you are a fan of the Sisterhood you will not be disappointed in the last book of the series!

So far, I have loved:

Cupid by Julius Lester
my review

Greetings From Planet Earth by Barbara Kerley
my review

In Search of Mockingbird by Loretta Ellsworth
my review

Miss Spitfire by Sarah Miller
my review

The Off Season by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
my review

Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson
my review

Just curious. I'm new to reading as a hobby. How do you find out what books are coming out? Is there a particular website or publication you use? Thanks.

Well, you can have amazon or b&n send you email notifications when your favorite authors have new books coming out. I find this to be convenient, because otherwise I tend to forget.

Another way to find out about new books is to read a magazine like "School Library Journal", which reviews a lot of children's and YA books in each issue.

My approach? Generally just to go to the bookstore or library, and buy/checkout whatever jumps out at me. I do judge books by their covers (not all the time, but often), and I'll read things that have cover blurbs by other authors I like. I am an impulse book buyer, and some of my favorite books I first got because of this.

I also love to browse the new book section @ the library or @ a bookstore. I also tend to read a few different magazines and follow a few authors' blogs, so that helps. I would recommend if you have a favorite author or authors to see if they have a website or email updates--this is how I get a lot of my info. It also depends on what new books you are looking for...there are a lot of great email groups or blogs that discuss books, kind of like this and they sometimes discuss new ones.

I am so glad MrStevens you have taken up reading!! Happy Reading!

I also realized another 2007 book I've read is The Reluctant Fundamentalist not necessarily YA, but might appeal to YA readers who liked The Kite Runner.

I just periodically browse the entire YA section at the bookstore; the books that weren't there before are the new ones. I don't normally know in advance what books are coming out, except for authors that I'm already familiar with.

I think I have a tie for favorite YA book this year so far. The first is an urban fantasy called Ironside: A Modern Faery's Tale by Holly Black. I liked it even better than Tithe or Valiant.

My second fave is Wide Awake by David Levithan. This book was unlike anything that I would usually read since it took a dive into political, religious and social issues, but I still enjoyed it very much.

edited to add:

Ooops, I made a mistake, Wide Awake was actually published 9/2006. I guess that would leave Ironside my 2007 fave so far

It's funny cause I don't know any of the books you've mentioned. I'm pretty sure that they're not out in Ireland yet cause I work in a bookshop and I've at least seen all the new titles out here (and generally in the UK) since last october.
Maybe they're US publications?

Thanks for the tips about finding new books. I'll start hanging out in the YA section every so often to acclimate myself to the books that are out there. The library's sections are too big for me to get a good feel for current books.

>11 MrStevens:

A lot of libraries will have a section or display case solely for new books they just got in; after all, if they just put them in on the normal shelves, people might not realize that they got a new book. Ask your librarian if your library has something like this.

#5 find an Independent Book shop in your area...they usually read a lot and know what is coming out...a relationship with a book seller is invaluable.

I find out about a lot of new releases on Myspace. I have a great deal of librarians on my friends list and they get tons of ARCs. They usually post lots of reviews as well, which is nice. There are also a number of authors who post blogs and to the groups on there who talk about what they have coming out.

Well, I work in a library, so the new books come straight to me! Also, Amazon will tell me what's coming out, the new section in bookstores, and I read a lot of blogs that review new books, as well as print publications...

What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know was even better than What My Mother Doesn't Know Un Lun Dun was pretty awesome and probably up there for "best"...

I enjoyed Forever in Blue as well, but I'd only recomend it if you're already a fan of the Traveling Pants series...

Thanks for the additional tips. I never thought about starting a relationship with a book seller. I usually frequent the library or Borders and talking to the counter people at the big chains just seems....odd to me. I'll go search out a good, small bookstore. Getting to know the YA librarian sounds like a good idea as well.

I took the advice about going to the Borders and looking over the YA section. Wow, does that section jump out. I actually started feeling like a pervert hanging around those pink books with girls in tight clothes and pictures of teens making out on the covers so I moved along back to the big kids section (business books). I must be getting old :(

If you think you look too old, you can just pretend you're buying for someone else ;)

That.....actually sounds worse. Unless teenagers can now read minds I imagine it would go something like this.

Me: *looking through YA books*
Teenage girl: *stares*
Me: *smiles*
Teenage girl: *glares*
Me: Hi. I'm looking for a book for my nephew. *smiles faintly*
Teenage girl: *rolls eyes*
Me: *goes over to the business section*

:)

Hehe. It may be awkward, but it's certainly funny. But really, you have as much right to be there as anyone.

It does make me wonder about how welcoming that part of the bookstore is to guys in general, even those in the intended age range. I can't really imagine any boys browsing there among the pink books.

That's a good question. Now that I think about it, the only two other people I saw there were teen girls.

The section sure stands out too. It's right next to the children's section with their Newbery books and nice covers and happy rainbows, and all of a sudden it's Rockstars! Gossip queens! Make out sessions! Kiss and tell!

Caught me off guard.....

The young adult section has two parts in my local chain bookstore. (Apart from the children's section). One side is the 'ya fiction' with the pink books, the princess diaries stuff, etc.

The other side is the teen sci-fi fantasy stuff and much more guy-friendly. Especially as that tends to be the stuff the teen guys that I know are more interested in reading anyway. It is sad that there is such an abundance of (for lack of a better word) girly girl reading material and not more 'unisex' adventure stories.

But hey, at least publishers are finally realizing that young adults might want to read too!

I've noticed that too, the split bookcase. In my bookstore, they've put the YA section in with the adult books, away from the kids stuff and closer to the sci fi.

Thus far, Un Lun Dun is my favorite. I also liked Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier and Ironside: A Modern Faery's Tale by Holly Black.

I read an ARC last month that comes out in August 07 that I really loved, called The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod: Eighth Grade Bites. It's about a boy struggling with being a teen AND a vampire, it's the first book in a proposed series and I think it's going to be a hit with YA's.

I also was knocked out by The Invention of Hugo Cabret, it was so different it it's narrative approach that I couldn't stop and read it all at once.

My favorite so far is The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan -- I'd advise reading the first two books in the series, though, if you haven't already.

Oh, and Wildwood Dancing -- loved it!

As far as "pink books" go, Girl of the Moment by Lizabeth Zindel is cute.

I really liked Alabama Moon by Watt Key...for the readers of Hatchet this could be something new. He was interviewed by the Book Report this past Wednesday. bookreport.net

I really liked Alabama Moon by Watt Key...for the readers of Hatchet this could be something new. He was interviewed by the Book Report this past Wednesday. bookreport.net

>16 MrStevens:.

Cultivating a conversation with a bookseller at a big chain isn't odd, but it might be difficult in the section that you're looking at. A good number of booksellers are in the business because they love books and love talking about books.

I work in a Barnes & Noble, but I'm one of the few booksellers that actually reads the YA stuff (besides the uber popular stuff like Harry Potter). I'm always up for giving good recommendations to the customers, and I have a few who come back time and again and ask me for new stuff.

Sometimes you just have to ask the right person. Or perhaps ask if they have someone on staff who knows a lot about those subjects. Other booksellers send customers to me for recommendations on YA, romance, scfi/fantasy, and philosophy books. We also have a kids lead (one bookseller who specializes in the children's department).

On the other hand, it's certainly a good thing to support your local smaller bookshops and used bookstores.

I find books in all the ways mentioned above and more.... And I find them by frequenting boards like this one. I've added two titles from above to my "get from library" list, titles I'd never heard of before today!

Doesn't it make you happy knowing there are so many wonderful books out there waiting for you to discover them?

I don't know how new it is or what you are looking for as far as the "new" request, but The Book Thief blew me away! I was completely absorbed by that book and fell in love with it instantly. And it was a LT recommendation! Go LT!

I second The Off Season by Catherine Gilbert Murdock. It's one of the few sequels that I've enjoyed as much as the original (which was Dairy Queen)!

Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson is one of my favorite new books this year so far... Though I just brought home Diary of a Part time indian by Alexie Sherman and that too looks promising..

I recently finished Useful Fools by C.A. Schmidt. It was a Romeo/Juliet type, set in Peru. It was about war, revolutionaries, etc.This was definately for higher-level young adult readers, as some of the vocabulary would stifle a less than advanced reader.

I just finished The Entertainer and the Dybbuk by Sid Felischman. It is different from any of his titles I have run across. A fast read - took me about an hour and a half. A holocaust story with a tough sense of humor. Loved it. (5 stars if I owned it.)

Last year's The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl by Barry Lyga was a lot of fun. His new one just came out, Boy Toy, though I'm not sure if it's entirely a YA book...

I am told I need ot read Inkspell and Eager to be up to date on the younger YA set. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night and The Five People You Meet in Heaven are two big middle school hits that I cannot explain.

I have just read the sequel to Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier. Its called Cybele's Secret and this time its about Paula. If you've read Wildwood dancing then I definetly recommend this. Its really great.

#36 -- thanks for the heads-up, I'll certainly be looking for that one. I loved Wildwood Dancing, but didn't realize it was going to be a series.

I finished Todd Strasser's Boot Camp in one sitting last week, and it blew me away. Good stuff.

message 38 If you liked Boot Camp, you might like In The Company of Crazies by Nora Baskin. Probably a little tamer, but same issues.

i'm not sure of how "new" it is...it might be a little over a year old, but i finished "the looking glass wars" by frank beddor and i thought it was fabulous.

hollie black's Ironsides, finishing up of her "things are what they seem" to any of the major protagonists; yet the eternal verities are held true.
Chiva Mieville's elegant move into YA Un Lon Don - following neil gaiman's neverwhere conceptually, but neatly.
I enjoyed the looking glass war, but found it rather precious.

But can you include Graphics here? Bill Willingham's Fabletown series has grown through this year gracefully and should continue to do so through the next. And the French GN Joann Sfar continues getting new works translated at a rate beyond my purse. The Rabbi's Cat was great as was Vampire Loves.

Without a doubt, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie.

#42 -- I wouldn't be surprised if that one wins the Printz this year. It is really good.

Now, that I've read it The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian--I can say that it is the BEST book of the year. I agree with you foggidawn!

Deadline by Chris Crutcher

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

also, although not published as a YA book, take a look at The God of Animals by Aryn Kyle

I'm itching to get my hands on Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians -- I've been hearing a lot about it. (Not to mention that the title is excellent!) Has anyone read it?

(edited for touchstone)

>40 sadiegrrrl:

The Looking Glass Wars was quite good. Did you also read the sequel Seeing Redd, I liked that one too! It's supposed to be a trilogy, though I supposed we'll have to wait another year for the conclusion.

One of my favorite new YA books of the year was Here, There Be Dragons: Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica. But be careful what kind of reviews you read about it though! I had already read it, but when I went to the author's website it ruined one of the great revelations at the end of the book.

I liked Chris Crutcher's "Deadline" very much. I thought The Looking Glass Wars was clever but somehow empty, and I found the sequel Seeing Redd to be pretty dreadful, I'm afraid.

Looking forward to "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian".

(I wish touchstoning worked a little more reliably. Oh well.)

Just got Almost Home by Jessica Blank (the touchstone link on the title is wrong, FYI. Anyway, I'm only half way through it and it's pretty riveting. Powerful story about teen runaways in LA.

But I still vote for Sherman Alexie's book as the best one of this year.

how about Plague by Michael Grant?
its nice

Some of these, like the Catherine Murdock books featuring D.J., would be my choice except I didn't read them this year.

This year my best so far were Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool, Divergent by Veronica Roth, and an old-timey one, Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher.

This seems like a resurrected thread from 4 years ago.

True, 4 years isn't much in the Grand Scheme of Things, but many fantastic books have been published since 2007.

What do you guys say if we start a new thread for this year?

OK by me.

Great. How about we start one every four months, as they do in other groups?

Sounds good to me. This one will be a little different - a 2/3 of the way through thread, if I've got my math right. But we have to start somewhere!