Best Contemporary YA of 2017

If you're looking for good holiday gifts for teens, here are my suggestions from the 61 books I read this year. 2017 was a fabulous year for diverse contemporary young adult fiction. Follow the links to full reviews posted earlier on my blog or Goodreads. Since we're already halfway through Hanukkah, I'm starting with two novels with Jewish protagonists.

The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli is a sweet romance with secular Jewish characters. Molly has had 26 crushes on boys but hasn't even been kissed. She fears that no boy would be attracted to a big girl. Meanwhile her skinny twin sister has hooked up with several girls but has never had a serious relationship. As the twins discover romance, their sisterly bond is tested. Set in Washington DC during the summer when gay marriage became legal, the twins are also busy planning a wedding for their moms. This comedy of errors also has a full cast of racially diverse characters who break stereotypes. I loved the author's debut, Simon vs the Homosapien Agenda, which is a gay YA romance.

Little & Lion by Brandy Colbert also features a nontraditional Jewish family. Little/Suzette and her African American mom converted when they moved in with Saul and his son Lion/Lionel. While Lionel grapples with his bipolar disorder, Suzette is trying to figure out her sexual identity. This intersectional novel set in the diverse and affluent suburbs of LA tackles everyday prejudice toward people of color, bisexuals, and mental illness. Despite the gravity of the issues, steamy romances makes it a fast and easy read.

Another YA romance I enjoyed this year was Geekerella by Ashley Poston. This humorous retelling of Cinderella is set at a comic convention with a cosplay ball. The two narrators are a fangirl blogger and a hot teen actor, who stars in a controversial remake of a Sci Fi classic. They met online and communicate via text so are unaware of the other's true identity. A lesbian teenage seamstress plays fairy godmother, and her orange food truck sells vegan pumpkin treats. This quirky debut novel celebrates geekdom and friendship as much as romance.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas was my favorite book this year. This Black Lives Matter story narrated by a African American girl who witnesses the police shooting her friend has been on The New York Times bestseller list since it was released in February. While I was abroad on sabbatical, I listened to the fantastic audiobook and bought the hardcover when I returned home to reread. This debut is brutally honest and devastating but also uplifting and empowering.

American Street by Ibi Zoboi is another topical novel about black Americans. This stunning debut focuses on Haitian American immigrants in Detroit. In the first chapter the protagonist's mom is detained by ICE. A federal agent offers to help Fabiola in exchange for information about her Detroit cousin's drug dealer boyfriend. Add a romance with the boyfriend's best friend and a touch of magical realism and the story becomes enchanting with lots of good plot twists.

Starfish by Akemi Dawn Bowman is another impressive debut focusing on multicultural identity. Sexually abused as a child, Kiko paints the feelings that she is too anxious to share with anyone. Since her Japanese American father signed full custody to her Caucasian mother, Kiko lost her chance to understand her ethnic heritage. Her narcissistic mom transfers her resentment about divorce into criticism of anything Asian, making Kiko and her brothers ashamed of their biracial roots. Kiko gets a second chance at happiness when her childhood crush invites her to California to check out art colleges. I loved the use of art in the narrative, and the cover is gorgeous too.

Although 1973-2006 is historical fiction for today's teenagers, I'd also recommend You Bring the Distance Near by Mitali Perkins. This multigenerational family saga about Indian immigrants in the USA focuses on assimilation and racial prejudice in a changing world. It's a heartwarming tale featuring traditional and non-traditional romances with complex family dynamics. Since the central characters are teenaged girls, mothers and their perplexed matriarch, it would cross-over well to adult readers, who would call it contemporary fiction. This multilayered novel would be an excellent choice for a mother-daughter book group or to share with an immigrant grandparent.

Nobody captures a teenage boy voice better than Jeff Zentner. In Goodbye Days a boy blames himself for sending the text that distracted the driver and killed his four best friends. His ambiguous relationship with his deceased friend's girlfriend adds romance and guilt. Humor offsets the sadness. There are lots of diverse secondary characters. Although there is a cautionary message, the book offers redemption without being preachy. It was excellent on audiobook as was his debut, The Serpent King.

If you're looking for a feel-good story, The Unlikelies by Carrie Firestone follows a secret group of diverse teenagers who engage in vigilante acts of kindness during a summer on the Hamptons. The protagonist is biracial Iranian American. This anti-bullying book will inspire teens to do better online and in the real world. Firestone's fabulous debut The Loose Ends List is out in paperback and features a half Jewish protagonist on a world cruise with her dying grandmother and their eccentric family.

Feminists and sports fans would enjoy A Season of Daring Greatly by Ellen Emerson White, a realistic novel about the first woman (age eighteen) to be recruited for major league baseball. I reviewed it in my last blog post.

I'm currently reading Far From the Tree by Robin Benway, this year's winner of the National Book Award. Three siblings reunite after adoption and foster care separated them as babies.

If you have other books to recommend for teens, please add them to the comments. I focused on contemporary YA since that is what I write.

Happy Holidays!

Best Contemporary YA Fiction of 2016

I usually post my best young adult fiction list in December, but this year I was moving between sabbaticals in Japan and in the UK with a brief stop at home in Maine for the holidays. I'm finally settled in Oxford with time to catch up on book reviews. Since I write contemporary YA fiction, that's primarily what I read. Although these books were all published in 2016, their themes are all the more relevant for 2017. Reading fiction is also a good escape from the dystopian real world of American politics right now.

The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon was my favorite young adult novel of 2016. This emotionally resonant story of immigration, assimilation, and deportation is sadly all the more realistic today. We need books that foster empathy and compassion. The immigrant author won a Printz Honor for this perfect book.

Yoon's page-turner story hooked me immediately: On the day Natasha and her Jamaican family are due to be deported, she meets Daniel, a Korean American on his way to a Yale College interview in New York City. Daniel believes in poetry and soulmates but scientific Natasha is skeptical. Her focus is on fighting to stay in the USA. Natasha has no time for love, but what if Daniel is right?

The Loose Ends List by Carrie Firestone was my favorite debut. The premise was original and poignant: a dying grandmother takes her family on a luxurious world cruise to say goodbye. Gallow humor, a comically dysfunctional family, and a sweet romance offset the sad realism of terminal cancer. Somehow this novel about dying with dignity was one of the most life-affirming books I've ever read.

The story now resonates with me personally as my mother-in-law fights cancer with the hope of traveling on the Trans-Siberian Railway with my son this summer. My teenage daughter is finding comfort in this book too. I'll post a more in depth analysis next week for Barrie Summy's Book Review Club.

Up to this Pointe by Jennifer Longo had the best setting: Antarctica. I loved how this novel focused on failure and resilience, a theme lacking in most YA literature. American culture unrealistically claims that anyone can succeed if she/he tries hard enough. In a clever juxtaposition, the world of professional ballet is shown to be as challenging and crazy as reaching the South Pole. After failing her ballet auditions, Harper Scott follows her ancestor's snow tracks to Antarctica. Her heroes haunt her long winter hallucinations as she struggles to find a new path in life. This book is eloquent on science, climate change, and ballet. The only weakness was the ease of romance, but that element provided some light in the darkness. Also there were penguins!

Wrecked by Maria Padian was my favorite issue-driven novel. This chillingly realistic story investigates an alleged date rape on a college campus from three perspectives: the roommate of the victim, the housemate of the accused, and an omniscient narration on the night of the attack. The reader must piece together the clues and draw his/her own conclusion about what really happened. The conflicting versions of the truth becomes the central theme of this engaging book. The setting is rural New England. I'd love to see more YA set at college and with feminist themes. Note the pussy hat pink cover!
Link to my full review of Wrecked.

Although the cover of The Season of You & Me by Robin Constantine looks like a traditional romance novel, what is missing from the photo is a wheelchair. A former surfer, Bryan now cruises his island home in an adapted car. Working at a summer day camp, Bryan befriends mainland Cassie, who is recovering from a painful breakup and adjusting to her dad's new family. Romance builds slowly on this small island off the Jersey shore. The story explores prejudice toward disability and the challenges of sex as a paraplegic, but the central plot is romance. A character does not need to overcome disability to be sexually attractive. It's wonderful to see more inclusive YA romance.
On my Good Summer Books List too.

This is a Story of You by Beth Kephart is a modern parable of the horrors of climate change. When a storm cuts off an island from the Jersey Shore, 17-year-old Mira must fight for survival with only a stray cat for company. Earlier that day, her single mom had driven her disabled brother to the mainland hospital for emergency treatment. As the storm rages and the sea floods their beachside cottage, Mira must decide what to save and how to stay alive. If that weren't scary enough, a mysterious intruder is lurking outside, and without power or cellular service, Mira can't call for help. I fear we'll see more real world examples of this fictional disaster all too soon if the US reverses climate change policy. Read the rest of my review here.

Given the spike in hate crimes in the USA, we need books that show diverse characters as normal teens, not as victims. You Know Me Well is set under the rainbow of San Francisco. Authors David Levithan and Nina LaCour narrate this heartwarming friendship story in alternating chapters: Mark is a hot jock with a secret crush on his closeted best friend, and Kate is a talented artist who is scared of finally meeting the girl of her dreams. The struggles they face are universal: academic expectations, parental pressure, and shifting relationships. Many teens will relate to the feeling of knowing what you want but lacking the self confidence to claim it. A buddy who supports and encourages you makes all the difference. Review continued here.

With Malice by Eileen Cook kept me up way past my bedtime. This Amanda Knox inspired suspense-thriller had intriguing suspects, multiple red herrings, and more twists than the village roads of Tuscany. The unreliable narrator's testimony leaves the reader tossing and turning in bed, ruminating over conflicting versions of the truth. This cynical satire lampoons journalists, social media, lawyers, detectives, and the scandal-hungry public. With Malice is a fitting read for the age of "alternative facts."
My full length review with photos of Italy.

Happy Reading!


Reviewer's Disclosure: Maria Padian is a friend and Beth Kephart is a blog buddy. On my request, publishers sent me ARCs of Wrecked, This Is The Story of You, and With Malice. I purchased all other books myself without compensation. Authors Carrie Firestone and Nina LaCour are represented by my agent.

Best YA Books of 2015

Do you need gift suggestions for teens? Winter vacation is a good time to rekindle the joy of reading for fun. I've chosen a dozen of the best young adult books published in 2015. Impressively, four are debuts, including my top pick for teens, Under a Painted Sky by Stacy Lee. Follow the title links to full reviews posted earlier this year on my blog. If you have other recommendations, please leave them in the comments.

YA Historical Fiction
What made these three books special was the perfect blend of literary writing, engaging characters and parsimonious historical detail. The first novel would be a good choice for tweens and younger teens. The latter two would be better for mature teens or adults.

Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee. I don't usually like Westerns, but this historical novel reads like a racially diverse Little House on the Prairie. Following a tragic accident, a Chinese American musician and a slave girl disguise themselves as boys to run from the law in Missouri. They team up with three Texan cowboys who are heading to California to find gold. There's a touch of romance, but the most important relationship is the friendship between these resourceful girls. The writing is superb with well developed characters, a fast pace and a fine sense of place and period (1849). Despite dealing with tough issues like murder, slavery and racism, it still manages to be a feel good story, appropriate for tweens as well as teens. The girl protagonists are 15 and 16 and the boys are a bit older. This debut tops my list of best YA from 2015 that I've read to date.

Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Pérez features a clandestine romance which dares to cross the racial divide of 1930's Texas. Inspired by the most deadly school disaster in American history, this provocative novel gives voice to those whose voices were silenced and whose histories were unjustly revised. The narration alternates among a Mexican American girl, her African American boyfriend, her biracial half-brother and her white stepfather. This gritty, dark novel would be best for mature teens or adults. It's one of the strongest and most disturbing YA novels I've ever read. Follow the title link to the full review, which includes a guest post from the author about her inspiration.

Black Dove, White Raven by Elizabeth Wein, one of my favorite authors. There are plenty of war books celebrating male valor and camaraderie, but girls and women usually play only supportive or romantic roles. In Wein's novels, the girls are literally in the pilot seat, calling the shots and sometimes firing them as well, but violence is never romanticized. Black Dove, White Raven follows a family of pilots in 1930s Ethiopia. The narration alternates between Italian American Em and Teo, her African American foster brother. Their pilot moms are fun characters too.




YA Fantasy/Surreal Fiction
I'm reading more fantasy because my 14-year-old niece loves it. I thought I was buying books for her, but my brother frequently steals them from her bookshelves. We're all enjoying bonding over good books.

The Wrath & The Dawn by Renée Ahdieh is a retelling of 1001 Nights with a feminist twist: Shahrzad has volunteered for marriage to assassinate the boy-king, thus ending his chain of bridal murders. Using her skill at storytelling, 16-year-old Shahrzad entrances Khalid and survives to see another dawn. She hunts for his vulnerabilities and discovers that she is his weakness as he is hers. To her horror, she is falling in love with this handsome monster. Is it Stockholm Syndrome or is Khalid not really a monster? This first book of a new series has all the best elements of a young adult novel: a fantastic set up, complex characters, a swoon-worthy if disturbing romance, a pulse-raising pace and an exotic setting.

Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman is a strong sequel to the award winning Seraphina (2012, now paperback). In this literary fantasy, an unstable truce between humans and dragons is under siege. Seraphina, a half human/dragon music mistress, hides her secret parentage while trying to prevent war.  I loved Seraphina (my niece's favorite book) so much that I bought the sequel the day I finished reading the first book, and I don't usually like high fantasy. I bought a second copy for my niece's birthday, which she enjoyed even more. Although Seraphina is a teenager, most characters are adults so it would crossover well to an adult audience. The excellent world-building and philosophical themes reminded me of The Dragon Riders of Pern series by Anne McCaffrey and the Dune saga by Frank Herbert (my brother introduced me to those series when we were teens).

I Crawl Through It by A. S. King satirizes education in the USA. Everyday is a new bomb threat with police dogs sniffing the halls. The principal is literally buried to her neck in paperwork. Teaching is geared only to standardized tests, and a naked man in the bushes is selling letter answers. Seeking to escape the chaos/boredom of school, Gustav is building an invisible helicopter to fly to a colony of geniuses. Stanzi, a biology prodigy, can only see the helicopter on Tuesdays (ha!), but she agrees to run away with her secret crush. The reader must suspend disbelief to take this book for a spin. Challenging novels like this one aren't usually written for teens, but it's wonderful to find an author who is willing to trust the intelligence and the imagination of younger readers.

Bone Gap by Laura Ruby is set in small town Illinois and in alternate worlds. The two narrators are a missing woman and her boyfriend's younger brother, Finn, who believes her abduction was his fault. There's also an omniscient horse, a goat who says "Meh!" and a magical forest. Most enchanting of all is Finn's romance with a beekeeper. This modern fairytale also contains the real world problems of bullying, abandonment, sexual harassment and college applications. I'm only halfway through, but the writing is so captivating, I'm including it on my list. Thanks to Charlotte Agell, my crit partner, for the recommendation.




YA Contemporary Fiction
I read mostly contemporary, realistic YA fiction because that is what I write. It was hard picking only four from so many good books. The ones I chose presented fresh perspectives, meaningful issues and an easy to read style designed for a wide audience of teenaged readers.

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven would appeal to fans of John Green. For a book about depression, it's quite funny at times. Two troubled teens meet on the ledge of the school's bell tower. Instead of jumping to their death, they leap into an unlikely romance. The setup sounds gimmicky, but this book explores depression with brutal honesty as well as gallow humor. Popular Violet feels guilty about surviving the car accident that killed her sister. She is drawn to charming Finch who struggles with a bipolar disorder and his outcast status at school. Narration alternates between them. There is a list of resources for suicidal teens at the end and a personal note from the author that brought me to tears. This book won the Goodreads Choice Award for Realistic YA Fiction.

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli: what makes this debut special is the authentic voice. The straight female author used her experience as a child psychologist to tell a typical coming out story. Simon's secret gay romance is threatened when another boy finds their flirty emails and blackmails him. Simon struggles to protect the privacy of the other closeted boy, whose identity is unknown even to him. The story is set in the suburbs of Atlanta with racially diverse secondary characters. I raced through this book in one day, laughing at Simon's witty observations and eager to uncover the identity of his mystery love. The parents were hilarious. This author knows how to laugh at herself.

None of the Above by I.W. Gregorio is being marketed as Middlesex meets Mean Girls, but this underplays the educational content of this groundbreaking young adult novel. The original premise was designed to hook teens: a homecoming queen discovers that she is intersex when sex with her boyfriend is excruciatingly painful. At her first gynecological exam, Kristin learns that her chromosomes are XY. When her secret is leaked at school, Kristin becomes a target of bullies and fears she might lose her athletic scholarship to college. The writing is strong for a debut, but None of the Above is not a literary novel nor does it try to be one. The plot is well paced and easy to follow, clearly geared for reluctant readers. By making Kristin so normal and likable, the surgeon author reinforces the message that intersex people are not freaks.

Dumplin' by Julie Murphy. From the blurb, I feared this would be yet another fat-girl-loses-weight-to-win-the-beauty-pageant-and-the-hot-guy book, but it wasn't like that at all. This heart-warming story, set in small town Texas, embraces love at any size. It makes you understand what it feels like to live inside someone else's skin and to be judged unfairly by appearances. Dolly Parton fans and feminists will love it too. Thanks to Kelly Jensen for the recommendation via Goodreads.




YA Nonfiction

I Will Always Write Back by Caitlin Alifirenka and Martin Ganda. This debut memoir advocates for compassion and respect for children in developing countries. For a seventh grade pen pal assignment, Caitlin chose to correspond with Martin in Zimbabwe because she'd never heard of that African country. Over the course of six years, they formed a close friendship. Their story is told in alternating chapters, dating from 1997. This book would work well as a classroom supplement to a pen pal assignment. Follow the title link for my full review. Thanks to Cathy Fiebach at Main Point Books for the recommendation.




Reviewer's Disclosure: I received free galleys of Out of Darkness, I Crawl Through It and Black Dove, White Raven from their publishers in exchange for honest reviews. I'm friends with Elizabeth Wein's current editor, but I became a fan of Wein's books years before they connected. I purchased Under a Painted Sky, Dumplin' and All the Bright Places as ebooks from Amazon. The other six books (plus a few extra copies for my niece) I bought at independent bookstores.

Best Books of 2014

My favorite novels have beautiful writing that doesn't distract from the story. I enjoy diverse, quirky characters who see the world from fresh viewpoints or take me to exotic locations. I usually prefer realistic contemporary fiction but there are exceptions. My list includes some of my favorite authors as well as debuts. The title links will take you to my full reviews.

LITERARY FICTION

EUPHORIA by Lily King was the best novel I read this year. Anthropologist Margaret Mead's time in New Guinea inspired this fictional story. King is one of my favorite authors and this is her best book so far. Follow the link to my full review and my author interview for the story behind the story.

THE BONE CLOCKS by David Mitchell is impossible to categorize. This ambitious novel follows a woman from her teenaged years in the 1980s into a world ravished by climate change. There's a paranormal plot line too. Read Mitchell and you'll understand why he's another favorite author.

EVERYTHING I NEVER TOLD YOU by Celeste Ng was a strong debut. The central plot is a who-done-it mystery: a half Chinese American teenager is found drowned in a small town. This literary novel delves deep into racial prejudices in the 1950s to the 1980s and examines how family members process grief differently. Everyone sees a different version of the story. The characters were flawed and very human. The only aspect that seemed unrealistic was the family's extreme isolation in a college town. The writing was excellent:

The ten-year-old sister who stole The Sound and the Fury from her older sister:

"Over the past two weeks she's worked her way through it, savoring the words like a cherry Life Saver tucked inside her cheek."




YOUNG ADULT FICTION

THREATENED by Eliot Schrefer In this Dickensian retelling of Tarzan, an African orphan is recruited by an Egyptian field biologist to study the elusive chimpanzees of Gabon. Abandoned in the jungle, young Luc must befriend the chimps in order to survive. There are venomous snakes, hungry leopards and aggressive, territorial male chimpanzees, but the worst are the humans who set traps for the endangered chimps and chop off the hands of runaway orphans. Starvation and disease might kill Luck first, but he fears loneliness most of all. His hunger for friendship and knowledge keeps him going.

"How would I survive alone? It has been the question of my life, and I'm still no closer to the answer."

This terrifying, literary page-turner gave me nightmares, but I couldn't stop reading. Luc is one of my favorite characters in young adult literature. At possibly thirteen (his birthday was long forgotten) Luc is a young protagonist for teen readers, but he acts more mature out of necessity. The professor, with his aspirations of being an African Jane Goodall, was intriguing too. The apes were as well developed as the human characters but not anthropomorphized, which is hard to find in children's books. The setting felt tactile and real. It was beautifully written too.

Schrefer, who clearly did his research, delivers a strong wildlife conservation message while acknowledging human needs in developing countries. This story is educational but entertaining and would appeal to animal lovers and especially to boys who like adventure stories and don't mind gore.

Schrefer's ENDANGERED (2013) with its female protagonist and a matriarchy of bonobo chimpanzees would be a better pick for a girl. Both of his books were nominated for the National Book Award and have many fans among adult readers. Schrefer is at work on a third great ape novel. I can't wait to read it.

GOING OVER by Beth Kephart is the best book by one of my favorite young adult authors. In this Cold War romance, the Berlin Wall stands between two star-crossed teenagers. The novel brings history to life for teens in this real world dystopia. The literary writing and adult characters broaden the appeal to an older audience.

FAR FROM YOU by Tess Sharpe was a strong debut with an original voice. A car accident leaves Sophie limping and addicted to painkillers, but she won't let her disabilities stop her from finding the murderer of her best friend. It was well written but not easy to read. Teens would love the edgy content. I like this book even better now, months later, on reflection.







MIDDLE GRADE NONFICTION

BROWN GIRL DREAMING is a powerful memoir in verse by children's author Jacqueline Woodson. Readers of all ages will appreciate her personal reflections on the legacy of discrimination and on the joy of writing. It won the National Book Award for Juvenile Literature.


Reviewer's Disclosure: Lily King's daughters go to school with my daughter and Beth Kephart is a blog buddy, but they did not ask me to review their books. I received free review galleys of Going Over and Far From You from the publishers. The other books I purchased at independent bookstores.


Promising 2014 novels in my To Be Read stack:

All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (the historical novel topping most best books lists)

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot by David Shafer (satirical fiction)

The Remedy for Love by Bill Roorbach (contemporary fiction by a Maine author)

I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson (contemporary YA fiction on many best books lists)

Belzhar by Meg Wolitzer (magical realism/contemporary YA on many best book lists)

A Moment Comes by Jennifer Bradbury (historical YA fiction set in India)

Blind by Rachel DeWoskin (contemporary YA debut)

No Surrender Soldier by Christine Kohler (historical YA fiction set in Guam)

Best Realistic Fiction of 2013 for Adults and Teens (gift suggestions)

The pond after a two day snow storm. My first ski day this season! Good writing & reading weather too.

2013 was a strong year for realistic fiction. I've compiled a list of good gift books in several categories with links to my reviews. I'm sorry not to have this up in time for Hanukkah.

Best Literary Novel of 2013

Narrated by the author on a remote Canadian island and by a fictional school girl in Japan, this unusual novel mixes memoir, contemporary fiction, World War II history and Buddhist spirituality. With its focus on bullying, it would crossover well to a teen audience. My full review of A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki.

Best Literary Beach Book of 2013

The End of the Point by Elizabeth Graver is a multigenerational saga with lyrical prose. A summer house in Buzzard's Bay emerges as the protagonist, shaping the lives of the family from World War II to more current times. There is a wonderful sense of place, time and family. I enjoyed reading it on the beach last summer.

Best Light Read for Yuppies of 2013

The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P by Adelle Waldman parodies the Brooklyn literary scene and the narcissism of metrosexual men. The voice is strong and true to the male protagonist, although the author is female. It was amusing, but the protagonist failed to learn from his mistakes. Still, an impressive debut and lots of fun to read.

Best Gift Book for Your Parents/Retired Friends

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce was a big hit in the UK last year and crossed over to the USA in 2013. Harold is an ordinary retired man in an unhappy marriage. When he hears that an old friend is dying, he decides to walk across the UK to save her. His spiritual journey (with Christian undertones) is as much about saving himself and his followers. I loved the descriptions of the British countryside, but I felt a bit young for this novel. My British husband loved it. The writing, especially for a debut, was very strong:

"Her hand was soft and warm against his. Outside the cupboard, she pulled it away quickly. Then she smoothed her skirt, as if Harold were a crease and she needed to brush him out."

Best Realistic Young Adult Novels of 2013 (follow the links to my full reviews)

In Rose Under Fire a young American pilot/poet joins the resistance movement at a female concentration camp in World War II Germany. This novel is a companion book to Code Name Verity, which should be read first (from my Best YA of 2012.) Include a pack of tissues with the books. My interview of author Elizabeth Wein.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell was my favorite contemporary young adult novel of the year. A college freshman escapes the real world by writing fan fiction, with tones of Harry Potter. A similar but lighter book is Roomies by Tara Altebrando and Sara Zarr.

Rainbow Rowell makes my list twice, with two YAs published this year. Eleanor & Park is an offbeat teen romance between two misfits in the 1980s. Good for teens and nostalgic Gen-Xers.

In Out of Nowhere by Maria Padian the clash between white working class families and immigrant Somalis in Maine paints a realistic portrait of the post 9/11 world. The MC is a typical teenaged white boy who plays soccer. It would make for meaningful classroom and book group discussions. Well written and original, I don't know why this book isn't getting more attention. A similar book for adults would be The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout.

Just One Day by Gail Forman is a romance set in Europe and at an American college. The companion book, Just One Year, was published this year too, but I haven't read it yet. An American girl narrates the first book and her Dutch lover narrates the sequel. It would make a good gift as a set.

Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan might be the most original book I've ever read. The style reminds me of The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood. A Greek chorus of dead AIDS victims narrates the story of two boys who combat gay bashing by trying to break the world record for the longest kiss. Love and passion are rendered in many forms, including sex hookup sites (not graphic but certainly edgy). It's inspired by a true story and beautifully written.

"Asleep in his backyard, Ryan does not notice the halo of dew that gathers around him as the night warms into morning. His eyes will open to a sparkle on the grass." 

What I'm reading now:
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt was released this fall and is over 700 pages. A Dickensian tale of Dutch art and crime, it opens with a terrorist attack on the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The protagonist is a young man who flashes back to the trauma he suffered at age thirteen. This literary novel for adults has lots of info on drug use and is not one I'd recommend to impressionable young readers. My artist mom enjoyed parts of it, but we both found inconsistencies about NYC (eg why take a cab instead of a bus/subway if you're short on money and not late?) I'm still gripped.

Reviewer's Disclosure: I received a free digital galley of Rose Under Fire from Netgalley. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry was a gift from my mother-in-law (thank you!) I bought the ebook of Nathanial P. All other books were bought by me at independent bookstores without compensation. Author Maria Padian is a friend. Elizabeth Wein and Rainbow Rowell (twice) also made the NYT Notable Children's Books list.

Please leave more gift book recommendations in the comments.