Class of 2013: Elements of Fiction

I love the different categories we get to explore in the YA Class of 2013 Blogfest. Today it's all about our favorite books, categorized by elements of fiction: plot, world-building, theme, dialogue, etc...

The Class of 2013: YA Superlative Blogfest is all about promoting the extraordinary young adult books published this year and runs from Monday, December 16th through Thursday, December 19th. 

Most Envy-Inducing Plot (The plot you wish you’d thought of yourself.)  

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

Oh Oh Oh this plot! Titanic in space, and sooooo much more. The ending, I'm still trembling from that ending!

Most Formidable World (Setting you definitely would NOT want to visit):

The Summer Prince by Alaya Dawn Johnson

Palmares Tres is a futuristic city built as a giant enclosed pyramid rising out of a bay in Brazil. It's also a sentient city; the world building is so vivid! However, the rulers of the city demand a cruel sacrifice.

Wanderlust-Inducing (Setting you’d happily travel to): 

 Seige and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

A fantasy world like czarist Russia with just a touch of steampunk. I really love this setting.

Loveliest Prose:  

The Archived by Victoria Schwab

Mackenzie's flashbacks with her grandfather were not only beautiful prose, but they were a mesmerizing counterpoint to the mystery and action of the main storyline. 

Best First Line:  

The Rules for Disappearing by Ashley Elson

"What do you want your name to be this time?"

Most Dynamic Main Character  

Elisa from The Bitter Kingdom by Rae Carson

One of those rare sequels where the character arc continues to arc instead of flattening out. Elisa faces losing her _____, and faces her more beautiful sister, and I love her own unique way of handling both challenges. 

Most Jaw-Dropping Ending:

   These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

The ending, I'm still trembling from that ending. (Sorry if I'm repeating myself. Just can't help myself). 

But, since I already used These Broken Stars for another category, there's another great twisty ending:

Parallel by Lauren Miller

When another reviewer  said this story was like the movie Groundhog Day but in reverse, I couldn't resist getting this book.  Abby wakes up nearly every morning wondering what's changed in her life because of her parallel's decisions, and the last change at the very end - WOW. 

Best Performance in a Supporting Role:

Trev from Altered, by Jennifer Rush.
Trev is full of quotes and surprises. Indulge me,  I can't help but share a little excerpt with him here: 

"What if she isn't alive?" I slumped against the seat. "What if all this wishing is for nothing?"
"'In all things it is better to hope than to despair.'"
"Whose quote is that?"
Trev smirked, folding his hands together. He loved it when I asked him for more information, when I gave him the opportunity to show off. "Johann Wolfgang von Goethe." 
"What's the Aristotle one? The one about hope?" 
His eyes lost focus as he dug for the quote I wanted. I could see the moment when he remembered it, the glimmer returning to his amber eyes. I'd never met anyone with a real lightbulb expression like Trev's.
"'Hope is a waking dream.'"

Best Use of Theme:

Starglass by Phoebe North

"That's the problem with picking sides, Terra. You end up fighting for someone else. But who is to say that someone else has ever been fighting for you?"

What's your favorite book in any of these categories?