The Young Folks’ Best Books of 2012

The Young Folks writers have come together to list the very best in entertainment and pop culture for the year 2012!

From inciting rebellions to falling in love with the wrong person, books have taken us on some incredible journeys. 2012 had hundreds of great new books, so we decided to name some our absolute favorites from the past year. Check out each writer’s list below, and tell us which books were your favorite this year in the comments!

Gabrielle Bondi’s Top 10 Books of 2012

10. A Million Suns by Beth Revis

So… I wasn’t a huge fan of Across the Universe, but I liked it enough to read the sequel, and I’m so glad I did. A Millions Suns was a fast-paced, unpredictable space thriller. Everything I wanted Across the Universe to be, A Million Suns was. Revis totally stepped up her game with this book, making it one of my favorite YA science fiction stories.

9. Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor

I love Daughter of Smoke and Bone. Hence, I was pretty excited to read the sequel. At first I was concerned, the beginning was slow and a little confusing, but as it went on, the story once again became intriguing and finally incredible, reminding me why I think Laini Taylor is one of my favorite fantasy authors.

8. Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Divergent was good. Insurgent was great. Roth continues Tris’s story with the right amounts of action, mystery and drama. I loved that Roth dealt with Tris’s emotions (especially her PTSD) and didn’t ignore it, like many authors would have done, for the sake of plot. It’s no surprise why the Divergent following continues to grow with a story this good.

7. Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

I discovered the Graceling Realm books just recently and was totally enamored with them. The latest book, Bitterblue, is just wonderful in its complexity. It’s dense, but the payoff is more than worth it. These books all follow amazing heroines that each brings something different to the table, always inspiring readers. If you haven’t read them yet, go!

6. Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan

Unspoken is one of those books that surprises you with delight, mystery and wit, only to make sure you’re unprepared for the sadness coming your way. It’s rare when a book can successfully do that. Unspoken is a rarity in that and many other ways.

5. The Diviners by Libba Bray

Libba Bray wrote a supernatural mystery set in 1920s Manhattan. I mean, that sentence just says all you need to know about how fantastic The Diviners is. Really, it’s the cat’s meow.

4. Every Day by David Levithan

Levithan is a master at characterization, and in this book, the main character wakes up in a different body and lives that person’s life each day. He does what he does best, giving us a unique and poignant love story about someone who is no one and every one. It’ll leave you breathless.

3. Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness

I’ve reread Shadow of Night the most out of all this year’s books. If you took a look at its length, that definitely shows you how much I love this epic supernatural romance between a witch and vampire, who travel back in time to 16^th Century England to solve a mystery. Its rich historical details and intriguing and insightful characters completely enraptured me. Harkness has created one of my all-time favorite stories with A Discovery of Witches and Shadow of Night. I absolutely can’t wait for the final book in the All Souls Trilogy!

2. Ask the Passengers by A.S. King

David Levithan adamantly recommended this book on Facebook, and I listened. I’m so glad I did. Ask the Passengers is honest, thoughtful and engaging. It taught me so much about life and love. But the best thing is that it encouraged me to never stop questioning or settle for anything less. (Sounds like common sense, but read this book, and you’ll know what I mean.) It’s just plain wonderful and should be required reading for everyone.

1. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

I know, this is the most unsurprising pick for my number 1 book of the year. But you know, what? I agree with TIME Magazine and practically everyone else: The Fault in Our Stars is the best book of 2012. I honestly don’t know where to start with John Green’s perfect novel about a girl named Hazel Grace, who has cancer, and unexpected falls in love. It’s smart, emotional, sincere, and real. It didn’t manipulate me into tears. It’s not a story about cancer and death, but about love and living. It holds an incredible amount of meaning to me. At the end of the day, it’s the book that I hold closest to my heart and never want to let go.

Honorable Mentions: Cinder, Wonder, Wanderlove, The Book of Blood and Shadow, Rebel Heart, Throne of Glass, Butter, The Golden Lily, The Crown of Embers, Amber House, Hallowed, Under the Never Sky, Tempest, Onyx