The Best of Best of YA 2012

Here it is, New Year's Day... 2012 is over, the world did not end, and I'm surrounded by ever-growing piles of YA books waiting to be read. I discovered over the holidays that my teenage niece is a speed-reader, and I'm quite jealous. (She devoured four novels in less than twelve hours.) I've always been a slow-poke reader, lingering over every word and sentence as if it's being spoken to me aloud. (Which is quite enjoyable, but prevents me from enjoying as many books as I'd like.) 

Even so, I did read many fantastic YA novels over the past twelve months, including:

CODE NAME VERITY by Elizabeth Wein
THE FAULT IN OUR STARS by John Green
LOVELY, DARK AND DEEP by Amy McNamara
DAYS OF BLOOD & STARLIGHT by Laini Taylor
BITTERBLUE by Kristin Cashore
THE DIVINERS by Libba Bray
SHINE by Lauren Myracle
MIRACLE by Elizabeth Scot
A MONSTER CALLS by Patrick Ness
DELIRIUM by Lauren Oliver
THE SCORPIO RACES by Maggie Stiefvater
HOW TO SAVE A LIFE by Sara Zarr 
PURE by Julianna Baggott

There were many others, but that's my Top 12 list of favorites. 'Tis the season of "Best of" lists, isn't it? The YA community is no exception. I've been gathering up book recommendations from authors, bloggers, libraries... wherever the "Best of YA" lists appear. I decided to compile them here so they'll be easy to find when I'm deciding which book to read next. It's interesting to see which books show up on multiple lists, and which make single appearances (those, to be honest, are the ones I'm most curious about).

I'm pleased to present my Best of Best of YA Books of 2012:

Maggie Steifvater shared "Best Books of 2012," starting with THE SECRET HISTORY by Donna Tart. 

YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) offers a lengthy list of the Best Fiction for Young Adults. There's a link to their top 10 as well, which is listed in alphabetical order from Rae Carson's THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS to Sara Zarr's HOW TO SAVE A LIFE.

THE FAULT IN OUR STARS by John Green topped many lists, including the Goodreads Choice Awards 2012.

YALSA's Michael L. Printz Winner and Honor Books are listed here. The previous years are listed as well, and there are so many here I want to read. Topping the list is the 2012 winner: WHERE THINGS COME BACK by John Corey Whaley. 

Many of my own favorites also appeared on Kiersten White's Favorite Reads of 2012, along with THE PRINCESS ACADEMY: PALACE OF STONE by Shannon Hale, I HUNT KILLERS by Barry Lyga, TIGER LILY by Jodi Lynn Anderson, and EVERY DAY by David Levithan. Must. Read. Soon.

Bookalicious shares its Best Books of 2012 in five YA categories, as well as best short story, best middle grade, and best self-published (LEOPARD MOON by Jeanette Batista).

Huff Post Teen suggested 10 Books You Should Read On Holiday Break, including the graphic novel DRAMA by Raina Telgemeier and NEVER FALL DOWN by Patricia McCormick. (I'm currently reading her 2007 book SOLD, a National Book Award Finalist.)

Lipstick and Literature has a lovely collection of The Best Reads of 2012, organized by genres including contemporary, fantasy, paranormal, sci-fi/dystopian and honorable mentions. Again, many listed are in my TBR pile, including THE MARA DYER SERIES by Michelle Hodgkin. 

Publisher's Weekly's Best Books 2012 starts off with THE PECULIAR by Stefan Bachman. Also featured: WONDER by R.J. Palacio, THE FALSE PRINCE by Jennifer A. Nielsen, and LIAR & SPY by Rebecca Stead (among others).

The Atlantic Wire presents its Y.A./Middle-Grade Book Awards for 2012 in categories such as "Best Prose" (THE RAVEN BOYS by Maggie Stiefvater), "Most Worthy of Our Tears" (THE FAULT IN OUR STARS by John Green), "Most Lyrical" (SMALL DAMAGES by Beth Kephart) and even the "Most Swoony" (MY LIFE NEXT DOOR by Huntley Fitzpatrick.

The New York Times offers its Notable children's Books of 2012, including YA, MG and picture books. Of the five listed under YA, I'm most curious about JEPP, WHO DEFIED THE STARS by Katherine Marsh. 

The Boston Globe also shared its Best Young Adult Books of 2012, with THE DIVINERS by Libba Bray and THE DISENCHANTMENTS by Nina LaCour.

Kelly Winfrey of Hello Giggles writes about Best YA Books of 2012 (that she read). Number one is WHY WE BROKE UP by Daniel Handler.

Maggie Stiefvater, Libba Bray, John Green and Elizabeth Wein all make appearances again on Forever Young Adult's Best YA Books of 2012, along with THE GIRL WHO FELL BENEATH FAIRYLAND AND LED THE REVELS THERE by Catherynn M. Valente, THE PRINCESSES OF IOWA by M. Molly Backes, and ASK THE PASSENGERS by A.S. King.

The Telegraph (UK) offered its Top 10 YA Books of 2012, which featured the most books I hadn't heard about. I'll have to see how many of them are available in U.S. 

And now over to The Daily Fig, where YA Authors Talk About Their Favorite Books of 2012. "Malinda Lo raved about THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST by Emily M. Danforth." 

Two lists I came across focused solely on favorite book covers of 2012. You'll find the pretty over at Pure Imagination and YALSA.  Appearing on both lists are FINGERPRINTS OF YOU by Kristin-Paige Madonia, THE SELECTION by Kiera Cass, and MEANT TO BE by Lauren Morrill.

Finally, if your voracious appetite for YA still isn't sated... pop on over to NPR for their 100 Best Ever Teen Novels.  

That should keep y'all busy for a while. 

Now, have I missed any? If you blogged a best-of list in 2012 or read a good one, let me know about it in the comments!

UPDATED:
Another great "best of" list I missed, "Top Ten of 2012" by Denise Jaden... with GONE GIRL by Gillian Flynn, PUSHING THE LIMITS by Katie McGarry, IN HONOR by Jessi Kirby and others.

UPDATED AGAIN: As if I didn't already have too many books on my TBR list, the 2013 Teen Choice Award nominees have been listed. Not easy choosing my five favorite of 2012 from this list!