Thursday, 5 August 2010

Top 100 YA Novels (#20-16)

I need to warn you now - there are some titles in this lot that will shock you. You might have thought they would be higher. It's been an extremely varied list but it makes the anticipation for the top 10 all the much more!

#20 Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen
[270 points - 4 #1s, 7#2s, 7 #3s, 3 #4s, 5 #5s, 4 #6s, 2 #7s, 5 #8s, 6 #9s, 5 #10s]

It’s been so long since Auden slept at night. Ever since her parents’ divorce—or since the fighting started. Now she has the chance to spend a carefree summer with her dad and his new family in the charming beach town where they live.

A job in a clothes boutique introduces Auden to the world of girls: their talk, their friendship, their crushes. She missed out on all that, too busy being the perfect daughter to her demanding mother. Then she meets Eli, an intriguing loner and a fellow insomniac who becomes her guide to the nocturnal world of the town. Together they embark on parallel quests: for Auden, to experience the carefree teenage life she’s been denied; for Eli, to come to terms with the guilt he feels for the death of a friend.SarahDessen.com

  • To visit the author’s website click here.
  • Sarah Dessen’s Twitter


#19 The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky (1999)
[285 points - 7 #1s, 8 #2s, 3 #3s, 6 #4s, 5 #5s, 4 #6s, 1 #7, 4 #8s, 4 #9s, 3 #10s]

"Perfect coming of age book. " Kelcie Pegher, student.

Caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it, Charlie is navigating through the strange worlds of love, drugs, "The Rocky Horror Picture Show", and dealing with the loss of a good friend and his favorite aunt. Goodreads


#18 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowling (1999)
[286 points - 7 #1s, 4 #2s, 9 #3s, 3 #4s, 6 #5s, 2 #6s, 7 #7s, 1 #8, 4 #9s, 2 #10s]

... interest young adults in reading more for fun, and they had a heavy influence on most of us who grew up at about the same rate as Harry himself.” Margaret Thompson, law student

For twelve long years, the dread fortress of Azkaban held an infamous prisoner named Sirius Black. Convicted of killing thirteen people with a single curse, he was said to be the heir apparent to the Dark Lord, Voldemort.

Now he has escaped, leaving only two clues as to where he might be headed: Harry Potter's defeat of You-Know-Who was Black's downfall as well. And the Azkaban guards heard black muttering in his sleep, "He's at Hogwarts...he's at Hogwarts."

Harry Potter isn't safe, not even within the walls of the magical school, surrounded by his friends. Because on top of it all, there may well be a traitor in their midst. Goodreads

  • To visit the author’s website click here.


#17 Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger (1951)
[308 points - 11 #1s, 1 #2, 8 #3s, 3 #4s, 5 #5s, 6 #6s, 7 #7s, 3 #8s, 3 #9s, 1 #10]

This was the first time I felt like someone understood how I felt about life (at the time, anyway)" Michelle Juergen, editorial intern

The influential and widely acclaimed story details the two days in the life of 16-year-old Holden Caulfield after he has been expelled from prep school. Confused and disillusioned, he searches for truth and rails against the "phoniness" of the adult world. He ends up exhausted and emotionally ill, in a psychiatrist's office. After he recovers from his breakdown, Holden relates his experiences to the reader. Amazon


#16 On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta (2006)
[309 points - 14 #1s, 9 #2s, 2 #3s, 4 #4s, 1 #5, 4 #6s, 2 #7s, 3 #8s, 1 #10]

"A powerful chaotic story that breaks my heart and makes me laugh and makes me believe that reading can change your life and impact you just as if the characters were real people." Deborah Taggart, reader.

Taylor Markham is not a popular choice. She is erratic, has no people skills and never turns up to meetings. Not to mention the incident when she ran off in search of her mother and only got halfway there. But she's lived at Jellicoe School most of her life and as leader of the boarders that's her greatest asset. Especially now the cadets, led by the infamous Jonah Griggs, have arrived. The territory wars between the boarders, townies and cadets are about to recommence.

But Taylor has other things on her mind: a prayer tree, the hermit who whispered in her ear, and a vaguely familiar drawing in the local police station. Taylor wants to understand the mystery of her own past. But Hannah, the woman who found her, has suddenly disappeared, leaving nothing but an unfinished manuscript about five kids whose lives entwined twenty years ago on the Jellicoe Road. MelinaMarchetta.com.au

  • To visit the author’s website click here.

8 comments:

Trisha said...

Even with your warning, I'm still rather disappointed Jellicoe Road isn't higher on the list.

Ah, well, 16 is still a pretty high spot.

I think I can guess about 10 of the books in the top 15, but we'll see if I'm right.

Pens said...

Loving the countdown, but I am really surprised at where some of these books have ended up. I definitely thought the amazing Jellicoe Road would be higher and am surprised (although I do love Dessen, don't get me wrong) that Along for the Ride is that high up there.

Books that are more well known have a huge advantage in a vote- driven process like this which is cool, however, if Twilight ends up #1, I think I may cry!! I am seriously afraid.

Pens said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Audrey (holes In My brain) said...

Jellicoe Road at 16?? blasphemy.

I have a feeling there's gonna be more dessen and HP. cant wait to see the rest!

Nomes said...

14 #1's and 9 #2's is awesome for jellicoe.

also, I am surprised @ Along for the ride doing so well. i enjoyed it enough, but didnt imagine how popular and loved it mus be...

And, with Jellicoe already appearing, it makes me scared for Jaclyn moriarty and Elizabeth Scott who are probably left out :(

So pumped for the top 15.

Robby said...

I'm glad to see Along For The Ride here, though it wasn't my favorite. Perks, Catcher, HP...all books I need to read.

Robby said...

I'm glad to see Along For The Ride here, though it wasn't my favorite. Perks, Catcher, HP...all books I need to read.

Carla said...

i'm kind of depressed that I thought Jellicoe hadn't been on the list yet and was in the top five *sigh*