Edgar Award YA Nominees:
Rat Life by Tedd Arnold
Diamonds in the Shadow by Caroline B. Cooney
Touching Snow by M. Sindy Felin
Blood Brothers by S.A. Harazin
Fragments by Jeffry W. Johnston
Romantic Times YA Nominees:
The Nature of Jade by Deb Caletti
Marked by P.C. Cast
Girl at Sea by Maureen Johnson
Something Rotten by Alan Gratz
I did read Marked and liked it okay but didn't love it. The romance wasn't a huge element in that, IMO. I am waiting to read Nature of Jade once it is checked in. I never realized there was a strong romantic element to Something Rotten. I do love how many categories RT has for their awards. I would love to see something like this for YA awards. What is the best YA romance of the year, for example? I kind of liked The Off Season, although it isn't a traditional romance with HEA. Last year, Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist won. I can't think of a better, more fitting winner.
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Wait, you mean there's only one YA category? Where's the category for YA Historical Mystery/Gothic Romance? The YA Urban Fantasy Protagonist Award?
/sarcasm
Then again, the plethora of romance categories is what makes me *not* take the RT awards seriously. That, and the fact that I read, let's see, ten of the romance nominees, two of which I think were among the worst romances I read last year and several other nominees I didn't even finish. And Innovative Historical Romance? What is that?
Okay, getting back on track...
Huh, interesting. This seems to be my default award response these days. But these are all like single title romances (well, hardcover "Nora Roberts writes romance?"-type single titles), not a category (with First Kisses, Simon Pulse Romantic Comedy, etc. as your Harlequin/Silhouette equivalent) in sight.
I read 3.5 of the YA titles (didn't finish Girl at Sea, she says hiding from Little Willow :D), and I frankly wouldn't consider any of them romances. But seeing all the mystery and fantasy categories, was romance a requirement of the YA shortlist? It is in the Best Mainstream & Chick Lit Fiction category and is called YA Novel, not YA Romance.
As for what I'd put on a YA with strong romantic elements shortlist, I'd start with Tips on Having a Gay Ex Boyfriend by Carrie Jones, The Book of Luke by Jenny O'Connell, Billie Standish Was Here by Nancy Crocker, Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr, Beastly by Alex Flinn, Bloom by Elizabeth Scott, Long May She Reign by Ellen Emerson White, Carpe Diem by Autumn Cornwell, and Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale. Wait, one more to make it a shortlist of ten. Snitch by Allison van Diepen.
I agree that the RT awards can get a little too specific sometimes (but I think it's good for their magazine with such a specific genre focus and so many books). I was thinking more like Best YA Mystery, Best YA Romance, etc. I liked that the Cybils had a separate Science Fiction award, for instance.
I agree with Wicked Lovely as a good romance choice. Beastly fits the romance category better than their selections, but it probably would only make my list of nominees (not my personal winner).
I love "award season" all around! It's so fun to discuss everyone's favorites.
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