My opinion, my love, my stuff to recommend the most. It hasn't been easy picking out favourites in the last twelve months, I can assure you.
Well, here is my brief Top 10 Favourite YA Books of 2017:
10. The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart by Stephanie Burgis
- Not technically YA but a children's book, but I love it to chocolaty pieces enough to give it a spot on a list of favourites read in 2017. Cute, heartwarming, diverse and fun, it's fantastic. Read my review here.
9. The Nowhere Girls by Amy Reed
- Another year, another important book exposing and discussing the vital issue to be brought to our attention, care and respect right now: rape culture, and the powerful and pervasive patriarchy's fulling of and catering to toxic masculinity and male entitlement. I can't believe we keep needing to be reminded that women - that young girls - are people, but there you go; that's the patriarchy for you. Glad I got a chance to hear about The Nowhere Girls and read it before the end of the year. Read my review here.
Honorable mention goes to Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson as well.
8. The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee
- An action-packed, swashbuckling, gay historical fiction. What more could you want!? Deals with many serious issues - ones that are not as contemporary as we've been led to believe for so long - but it doesn't get too dark not to be an enjoyable, witty, clever thrill ride all throughout its 500 pages. A diverse adventure novel to be remembered. Felicity Montague is an absolute effing star. Read my review here.
7. Dreadnought by April Daniels
- Another super important YA novel. A transgender superhero. That's practically never been heard of before. A transgender teenage girl superhero story that explores a lot of heartbreaking human issues, but as well as being educational it is fun as hell! Action-packed, heroic, and a ravenous page-turner, filled with brilliant, diverse characters, all to leave you giddy with excitement. With future possibilities. Both Danny Tozer and Doc Impossible are revelations. This needs to be made into a film, now. Read my review here.
6. Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
- Breathtakingly gorgeous and beautiful fantasy, but what else did I expect from Laini Taylor? Hugely creative, sweet, bittersweet and heartwrenching, it comes highly recommended. Awesome, awesome characters! I cannot wait for the sequel next year. Read my review here.
5. Our Own Private Universe by Robin Talley
- Such a sweet, substantial, original and enjoyable LBGTQ book, with a POC cast. Teenage drama has never been more authentic, unfair and gritty, yet triumphantly hopeful, in terms of tolerance: for religions and politics to keep up to date with the changing times. Nobody should be fitted into a box. Nobody. People are complexities, messes; it's what makes us fucking amazing. Read my review here.
4. The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl: Squirrel Meets World by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale
- Adorable! Adorable! Adorable! The funniest and most huggable YA and children's book about a teen girl superhero origin. Marvel can be cute! All loveliness, kicking butts and eating nuts, with disability representation to go into the colourful, squirrelly mix. Squirrels! Babies! Robots! Marvel superhero cameos! What are you waiting for? Read it! But first, perhaps you'd like to read my review of this precious cinnamon roll in literature form here.
3. The Queen of Blood by Sarah Beth Durst
- Great epic fantasy, worthy of Tolkien and George R. R. Martin. It is full of great female characters and friendships. Tragic and beautiful, it is in many ways revolutionary YA. Read my review here
2. The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli
- One of the best written contemporary YA novels. Becky Albertalli is a wonderful writer of diversity, which is fucking realism and she knows this for a fact. LBGTQ, POC, anxiety rep, and fat rep much needed in books for teens, I love it. It will make you cry because of how beautiful and caring and nice the characters are, and how you will wish they were real people so you can hang out, and feel comfortable and safe with them. Romantic, adorable and progressive, The Upside of Unrequited is a star book. Read my review here.
1. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
- No introduction required. Everyone has said everything that's needed to be said about this contemporary masterpiece, and the fact that it can literally save lives. It is about Black Lives Matter. It is about black people in America, and American culture all around, and how it is in fact so far from the land of the free it might as well be on Mars. The American Dream is a lie, a trap; here is a large country of prosperity and progress that is so deeply rooted and entrenched in racism, even to this day. Its people are filled with hate, fear, division, and violence. This cannot be ignored anymore. People are dying, and we have to care. We have got to do something. Everybody needs to read The Hate U Give, and I mean it. It is one of my new favourite books of all time. I am ecstatic that it is being made into a film. Thank you oh so much for writing this magnificent story, Angie Thomas. Read my review here.
Next up: my Top 15 Favourite Comics of 2017!
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