This post is part of the Class of 2011 Superlatives Blogfest, hosted by Katy Upperman, Jessica Love, Tracey Neithercott, and Alison Miller. Up today: best in show.
I had way too much fun making the graphics that went with these. They appear a little small within the blog post, but you can click through to see them in their large, full-size glory.
Cutest Couple — Lola Nolan and Cricket Bell of LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR
Every time these two ended up on the page together, I would sit there thinking, Kiss! Kiss! They are so sweet it makes my chest ache.
Most Likely to Succeed — THE SCORPIO RACES
This was the “Printz award” superlative, and I really don’t know if anything I read this year will make that list of nominees. But if it hasn’t been obvious yet, SCORPIO was my favorite book this year. Hands down. I hope it succeeds with every ounce of my being.
Most Likely to Make You Miss Your Bedtime — BLOOD RED ROAD
And it did. Several times over. It is full of surprises every step of the way and near impossible to put down!
Best Repeat Performance (Favorite Sequel) — WHERE SHE WENT
I may have liked this sequel more than the initial installment. Stakes aren’t life or death anymore, but they somehow feel even higher, almost as if it would be even worse for Adam to lose Mia this time around.
Best Breakout Novel (Debut) — DIVERGENT
Talk about making a splash. Roth and Divergent entered the YA scene back in April, and its been nothing but buzz ever since. I have a feeling we’ll be hearing about this author (and series) for quite some time.
Best Old-Timer (Best Books Pub’d Pre-2011 That You Read This Year) — JELLICOE ROAD and THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE
I love both these books beyond words. JELLICOE is the most incredibly-woven tale I have ever read. It brought tears to my eyes by the end. And SKY is such a gorgeous story about first love and grief and moving on.
Most Likely to Make a Grown Man Cry — THE SCORPIO RACES
Especially if that man is an animal lover. And that ending! Ah!
Most Pleasant Surprise — COLD KISS
I did not expect to like this one. Paranormal romance is not my usual read. And this had a girl bringing her boyfriend back from the dead (so, zombies). But what I got was a touching tale about loss and love and acceptance. Of recovery. And the writing is stellar.
Sleeper Hit (Book You Wish Was Hyped More) — INVINCIBLE SUMMER
This book deserves so much more attention. It is gut-wrenchingly real. The fear of the future — wanting to find a perfect moment and stay in it forever. The pains of family — hating them for their flaws but loving them because you can’t not. This book is incredibly powerful, and I sometimes fear its cover keeps people from picking it up. So I’ll say it here: GO PICK THIS UP. It is fantastic.
But those are just my thoughts. Are there any books that you read, published in 2011, that you think could steal one of these superlative spots?
What a great year of books. I’m so excited to see what 2012 brings. Thank goodness I don’t have to wait very long. :)
Open book background graphic via psdGraphics
