Graceling is a finalist for the Cybils, the children’s and YA bloggers’ literary awards, in the Fantasy/SF category ^_^. Check out all the categories and all the finalists here. I haven’t read most of the other finalists (yet!!), but those I have read happen to be among my favorite reads of the year, and I recommend them highly — see below. Links are to their Amazon descriptions. Oh, and I don’t include The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins below, because I’ve only just started reading it, but I will say that at 25 pages in, I have already laughed, cried, AND screamed out in surprise. So, um, it’s safe to say that I have high expectations of enjoying that one :o)





- Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta. A favorite of mine and also of Cordelia’s. Marchetta also has a fantasy out called Finnikin of the Rock which I haven’t read yet but which is guaranteed to be wonderful, just like everything else she writes. Really, you can’t go wrong (Looking for Alibrandi is also great!) :o)
- The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Just. Read it.
- Black Juice by Margo Lanagan. Magical realism; short stories (and I never read short stories, but these ones hooked me. Margo Lanagan has an EXCELLENT BRAIN).
- Sleeping Dogs by Sonya Hartnett. Gorgeousness and gorgeosity made flesh.