The TCABSC goes to: Cybil from Girl by Blake Nelson

The Tiny Cooper Award for Best Supporting Character (TCABSC, pronounced Tuh-Cab-Skuh) was created to honor those special guys and gals who, while not the main focus of the book, are still extraordinary. The Tiny Coopers (Will Grayson, Will Grayson), Anitas (West Side Story), and Robins (Batman) of the fictional world may not always get the girl (or guy), but sometimes they fulfill their role of supporting or obstructing the lead character in such a phenomenal way that it deserves special notice. This attention now comes in the form of an imaginary award made up by me. Hey, they’re not the main characters, so they have to take what they can get.

This Tiny Cooper Award for Best Supporting Character goes to: Cybil from Girl by Blake Nelson.

My Favorite YA Books That I Read in 2011: Part the Third

This is it, the final crop of favorites. Phew. In this bunch, we've got the college experience, one Australian school's version of capture the flag, teeth you can wish on, love in France, and demons.

My Favorite YA Books That I Read in 2011: Part Deux

Welcome to Part II of My Favorites of 2011, which include creepy ballads, ladies with powers, non-angsty vamps, Maori mythos, and a super creepy older sister.

My Favorite YA Books That I Read in 2011

It's the beginning of January and I am back from vacation, which means it is time for me to reflect back on the reading year that was before I can embark upon the reading year that will be. My Favorite YA Books That I Read in 2011 are too numerous for one post (what can I say, I really like books), so I was going to split them into two posts, but there are too too many for two, so I will have to split them into three. In part 1: wizard whales, vampires, two versions of the afterlife, a fairy tale retold, and two guys named Will.

Review of Dream School by Blake Nelson

Dream School picks up exactly where Girl left off, with Andrea Marr on a plane on the way to Wellington, her number one choice for college. Andrea has high hopes for the coming four years, and for the person they will turn her into. But at Wellington, Andrea finds a population of rich, majority white students, most of whom are not interested in her wild experiences as a part of the Portland alternative music scene.

The Sweet Valley High Project #1: Double Love

Did you know I once had another blog?  It's true.  And on this other blog, I made it my mission to reread all the Sweet Valley High books and try to figure out why I loved them so much.  As this is the YA Department, it seems only appropriate to repost these explorations here.  So without further ado, I present The Sweet Valley High Project:
In which I reread every Sweet Vally High book and provide thoughtful insight into and analysis of the various anecdotes of the Wakefields, Patmans, Fowlers, and other famed denizens of Sweet Valley, California.

The Annas

My library books aligned recently in such a way that I read Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake, immediately followed by Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins.  I have created a table that compares and contrasts the two Annas.