This entire trilogy is fabulous, but this final book takes the cake. We get to see all the main characters find out painful it is to grow up, use magic to kick some major butt, and both find and lose love. It's heartbreaking in a hurts-so-good way. Libba Bray is one of my all time favorite authors and this whole series shows a depth of character and range that I think is truly astounding.

This entire series is full of hilarity. The series follows twins Sunny and Rayne, which the author acknowledges are absolutely horrid names for twins. Mari Mancusi spends half the time making fun of her own writing and the other half parodying Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which is part of what makes this series wildly unique.

Didn't expect this fairy tale to be as good as it was; the cover's kind of...boring. But Lament's main character, Deirdre shows an evolution that is rarely shown to effectiveness in the YA genre. She's a girl who goes from shy and defenseless to knight in shining armor. She's smart, fun, and definitely believable. On top of that there's mischievous, nasty faeries and two very sexy love interests.

The first time I read this book, I didn't understand what just happened. The second time, I fell in love. True fantasy, the kind I remember from being a kid (think Chronicles of Narnia and The Neverending Story) is hard to find these days. Diana Wynne Jones, however, is a master of it.

This book is unsettling. The idea of a student teacher relationship isn't widely accepted in society, but it's intriguing to read about. The characters are intensely human, and the book is a fascinating, fantastic read. I also managed to relate to it, even though I've never dated a teacher- the author describes the pain of a person's first breakup with an accuracy that hit close to home.

I'm a big fan of the Borderland series, and both Emma Bull and Will Shetterly have excellent takes on it. Shetterly's books are funny, hip, and full of punk rock pop culture. I definitely recommend them.

Another book that really surprised me. I won't say much, except that the plotline is super exciting, and the main character definitely takes care of herself.

These books might be reminiscent of Harry Potter, but they stand alone with their humor and their fantastic re-imagining of Greek mythology.

A new twist on the Alice and Wonderland story, Un Lun Dun tells the story of two girls- the Chosen One and her best friend Deeba, who isn't Chosen for anything. Deeba ends up having to take over for her best friend and save the world when she finds out that being Chosen doesn't necessarily imply being a hero. GREAT fantasy.

LJ Smith is one of the authors who really got me into fantasy, and nothing says fantasy like forbidden vampire/human/shifter/witch lurve. Sexy, heroic girls, and dark, sensitive, brooding guys. These books are some of the best vampire tales out there as far as YA goes.